Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my Spring Fling Giveaway!

Since my birthday is Friday, I figured I would celebrate with everyone by participating in a super fun giveaway hop!!

There is a lot of amazing books coming out today and next week including

Want to win one of these books or another book for your choice?

Enter on the Rafflecopter form below!

GIVEAWAY

ONE WINNER receives ONE book of their choice under $15.00 from Book Depository 

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as Book Depository ship to you.

To Enter the all the other amazing giveaways, click on the next stop on the Linky below the Rafflecopter form. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

I am please to participate in the Cover Reveal for The Jelly Bean Crisis

by Jolene Stockman

The book cover was designed by the amazing Claudia at Phatpuppy Art

Without further ado...

RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 1, 2012

A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.
When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.
Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love. The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.

VISIT THE AUTHOR

Website

Facebook

Twitter

I have to say I am in love with this beautiful cover. The colors are gorgeous.
I love the font, and especially the beautiful color of the water along the bottom of the cover.

What do you think?
Are you going to be picking this one up come August?
I think I just have to own this cover!

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Blood Song (Lharmell #1) by Rhiannon Hart

Title: Blood Song
Author: Rhiannon Hart
Series: Lharmell #1
Publisher: Random House Australia
Publication Date: September 1, 2011

Buy Blood Song

FISHPOND (FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING)

(Thank you to Mackenzie @ Oh, For the Love of Books! for pointing out Fishpond.com to me)

I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.
Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.
Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

 MY REVIEW

Princess Zeraphina knows that she is not like other girls, but she does her best to seem normal. Why is she different? Zeraphina hungers for blood, and she feels this yearning to travel to the north. When her sister, Lilith, receives a betrothal proposal from the largest kingdom, Pergamia, Zeraphina cannot pass up the opportunity to travel north. Zeraphina hopes to find answers to why she is different in Pergamia. The only story she knows is that she almost died when she was just a little girl, and when she recovered her hair turned to a shade of black, and her eyes became an ice blue.

Zeraphina knows she needs to find answers, but she also cannot risk her sister’s possible marriage to Prince Amis. Her country, Amentia, is poor, frozen and the people are starving. Without a marriage to the richest kingdom, their county will be in peril. When Zeraphina meets the Royal Family of Pergamia, she also meets the King’s young advisor, Rodden. Rodden regards her with suspicion, and seems to know more about Zeraphina’s condition than anyone does. The problem is he refuses to give Zeraphina answers, and he seems to be hiding something. It may have to do with the war between Pergamia, and a small country, Lharmell, especially since no one is allowed to talk about it.

Zeraphina also has two pets that follow her everywhere, a cat named Leap, and a golden eagle named Griffin. These stunning pets comfort Zeraphina, and they have important roles in Zeraphina’s life and story. Zeraphina seeks comfort from them and archery when the hunger for blood becomes overpowering. If she is not careful, she will have shaking fits to the point of blacking out.

Zeraphina is a strong female character, which is something I tend to like in my books nowadays. I also like how she takes control of her situation, and tries not to let it control her life. She also refuses to take no for an answer, when it comes to getting the answers she needs. I really admired Zeraphina’s strength and her need to protect Lilith from danger.

Now let us talk about Rodden, the mysterious, handsome advisor with all the secrets. First off, that description right there is kind of why I love him. You do not learn a lot about him until the end of the book, but he still manages to be sexy. I will admit, I have a thing for aloof, mysterious guys, because that mystery adds a bit of danger. You cannot help but wonder what he is hiding, and why just like Zeraphina.

This book is unique blend of supernatural, with a historical feel. While it takes on the myth of vampires, it does so in its own way. It does not feel like you are reading the same book with different characters. Since this books is only currently published in Australia getting a copy is not easy, but it is well worth it.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book as part of book tour hosted by Dani @ Refracted Light Reviews** 

Book Review: The Hunt(Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda

Title: The Hunt
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Series: The Hunt #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Pre-Order The Hunt

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

The Hunt is also available as an audiobook, and Macmillian Audio has been kind enough to send me a sample to share with you guys.


PRE-ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK

MY REVIEW 

In a world where humans are devoured on sight, survival of the human race is not expected. Humans, called hepers, have actually been declare extinct. Hepers sounds like heifer, which makes me think humans are considered cattle in this story. The main character believes he is the one of the last if not the very last human on earth. The only way for him to survive is to blend in. Gene, as his name is later revealed to be, has an extensive routine to mimic his appearance after the vampires. In The Hunt, Gene has to shave all his body hair, shower every morning, and make sure to cover his smell to prevent detection.

In The Hunt, Andrew Fukuda has created a unique world and his own twist on the vampire myth. The vampires are complete devoid of any human emotion, which means their face never change expressions. They also do not sneeze, sweat, or laugh. When vampires find something funny, they scratch the inside of their wrist. It is a bit unrealistic to think, that Gene made it through to high school without ever sneezing or sweating. Even so, I still loved the story of The Hunt.

Gene faces his tough challenge yet, when he is select to participate in the last Hunt ever. The Hunt is an event where the lucky participants get the opportunity to hunt down the last remaining hepers. This equals problems, because he cannot run anywhere near as fast as a true vampire should, and that means he is at risk from being discovered.

The Hunt is very well written, and I really like the experiences in the story. The ending of the book left me wanting more, and I am glad this is only the first book. Gene is very easy to like, and you cannot help root for him, because you want to believe that the human race has to survive. I also feel sorry for Gene, because he had to survive on his own without his parents from the time he was 11 years old. The Hunt is a fast, enjoyable read. I think anyone who is a fan of the paranormal especially vampires would enjoy this one immensely.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from St. Martins, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review**

Waiting on Wednesday: Lost in Wanderlust by Karina Halle

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Lost in Wanderlust

Author: Karina Halle

Publisher: Metal Blonde Books

Publication Date: June 20, 2012

The hol­i­day from hell just got ugly.
As if get­ting dumped on his vaca­tion wasn’t enough, British jour­nal­ist Chris Warner finds him­self stranded on the Mediter­ranean with a des­per­ate boss push­ing dead­lines down his throat all while facing an uncer­tain future.
Enter Jamie Cooper, a free spir­ited and slightly unsta­ble travel writer whose arrival only seems to make mat­ters worse. All Chris wants is to get back to Lon­don, win back his ex and start climb­ing up the cor­po­rate lad­der. Unfor­tu­nately, Jamie has dif­fer­ent plans for him and the
may­hem that fol­lows turns both their lives upside down and up again.
“Lost in Wanderlust” is a rowdy roman­tic com­edy about two memorable char­ac­ters who embark on a jour­ney through hell, high water and a lot of wine, in order to find them­selves, each other and a mis­placed diary that holds the key to their happiness.

Karina Halle is the author of the EPIC Experiment in Terror Series, which I also cannot wait to read On Demon Wing in a few weeks. Lost in Wanderlust is the first contemporary novel from Karina, and I cannot wait to read it.  I also am completly in love with this beautiful cover. 

Have you read any of the Experiment of Terror series?

Are you looking forward to Lost in Wanderlust?

What are you waiting on? 

Make sure to leave a link so I can check it out!

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Teaser Tuesday: Blood Song

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!

Make sure to share the title and the author so other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their to be read piles.

This Weeks Teaser Comes From:

Title: Blood Song

Author: Rhiannon Hart

Series: Lharmell #1

Publisher: Random House Australia

Publication Date: September 1, 2011

I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.
Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.
Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

TEASER 1:

"I was going to prove he was a monster. But first, I had to make sure that I didn't end up as his wife"

Page 121

TEASER 2:

"...like curious snakes wondering whether to strike. I opened my mouth to scream but the sound was frozen in my throat."

I just received this book yesterday in the mail, and I am already devouring it. 

Blood Song is only published in Australia, which makes getting a copy in the US very hard. Dani @ Refracted Light Reviews offered up an extra copy to be part of a tour she organized, and I very ecstatic that I get to be a part of it. I sincerely hope that this book series is published internationally very soon, so everyone can enjoy it. Please come back Saturday to see my final thoughts on the book after I finish it!!

And a big THANK YOU TO DANI!!

What are you currently reading/teasing? Make sure to leave a link

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf

Blog Tour: Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) by Amy Lignor

Welcome to the Until Next Time Blog Tour stop for Unabridged Bookshelf.

I want to thank Tribute Books for asking me to be a part of this tour!

To see the full schedule, just click the banner above!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Until Next Time

Author: Amy Lignor

Series: The Angel Chronicles

Publisher: Tribute Books

Publication Date: February 1, 2012

BUY UNTIL NEXT TIME

Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | PDF 

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?
Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.
When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.
From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

MY REVIEW

Until Next Time by Amy Lignor is more than just a story about religion, and angels, it is truly a story about human emotion. Emily and Matt are two angels created to be partners and trained to complete missions on Earth as humans. They are to carry out their duties in the life they are given, and information is collected from the experience to help the Archangels understand. When Emily and Matt are ready to being their first life as humans, they come to discover that they are not taking their memories of Heaven with them. 

The key to the mission is for Emily and Matt to experience their human life on their own, without the information and decisions from Heaven interfering. Emily is transported into the life of Liz, a poor orphan who runs a small pub in Ireland in the year 1810. Matt is transported into the body of Daniel, a young man who live in the same town at Liz. While the souls of Liz and Daniel have moved on, Emily and Matt have their memories, and none of their own. Liz/Emily tries to do the right thing, and help others with the help of her friend, Faith. Faith and Liz run the pub together with the support of the town. 

The storyline of Until Next Time can be a bit confusing if you do not pay attention. The viewpoints switch between Emily, Liz, sometimes Matt, and Daniel. It sounds like there are four voices, because in reality there are rather are four voices. Emily actually separates from Liz at night when she sleeps sometimes, and returns to Heaven seeking the advice of the Archangels and Saints. In Heaven, Emily has both her angel memories and her human one, but once she crosses over she loses all the angel knowledge. To her, it is just like waking up from a dream. While the switching can be confusing, it also allows readers to peek at the Emily inside. Allowing readers to see how she is dealing with all her new human emotions. 

The range of human emotion explored, and how both Emily and Matt have to deal with them is the real experience. The confusion of love, and the power of anger and how they affect the paths that Liz and Daniel are on. This great read for anyone who loves books about Angels, or general Paranormal Romance fans. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from Tribute Books as part of the tour, in exchange for an honest review**

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.
Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.
She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.
Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico. 

PLACES TO FIND THE AUTHOR

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Blog

OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST

The Angel Chronicles on Facebook

Tribute Books

Tribute Books on Twitter

Tribute Books on Facebook

Tribute Book Blog Tours

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Lying Season(Experiment in Terror #4) by Karina Halle

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf for a stop on Lying Season/ Experiment in Terror Blog Tour.

Thank you to AToMR Tours for allowing me to be apart of this tour!

There is a lot of fun stuff to see throughout the tour, so make sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Just click the banner above!

Now on to all the fun stuff I have here for everyone today, including an Twitter conversation between Dex and Perry!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Amateur ghost-hunter Perry Palomino has bat­tled ghosts, fought off skin­walk­ers and skirted the fine line between life and death. But can she sur­vive bunk­ing down in Seat­tle for a week with her partner (and man she secretly loves) Dex and his perfect girl­friend, Jennifer? And can she do so while being tor­mented by a mali­cious spirit from Dex’s increas­ingly shady past? With love and life in the bal­ance, Perry must dis­cover the truth among the lies or risk los­ing every­thing she's ever cared about.

MY REVIEW

First, I have to admit although this is the fourth book in the series; I have not had the chance to read the previous books in the Experiment in Terror series. I had planned to read the other ones, but life and time got away from me as they often do. I was a bit scared that by skipping ahead that I would be missing too many important details. While Lying Season is part of a series, it stands alone quite well. Now that I read it, I wish I had read the first three, simply because of how much I loved Lying Season.

Lying Season is a creepy, amazing, emotional rollercoaster ride filled with terror and amusement. Karina Halle has the ability to complete terrify readers right alongside Perry and Dex, and then turn around and write a beautiful emotional scene. Perry is not perfect, which I love, and neither is Dex, actually they at times are far from it. I love this because it makes them far more relatable, and I love characters that have a past, problems, and issues. That is what makes them feel real and human to me.

I could not put this book down; it is hands down an amazing book. I am going to have to devour the first three soon, because I cannot wait to get my hands on the fifth book coming out in just under a month. (For those interested: On Demon Wings releases on May 13th) This book has sarcasm, and playful joking on a regular basis. I think that balances out the terror that occurs in the book.

I still recovering for the amazing ride that Lying Season took me on. I knew that Lying Season was going to be full of awesome, when as the description says Perry has to stay with Dex and his girlfriend. This would not be so bad, if Perry was not head of heels for Dex. Throw in a creeptastic ghost or two, and seriously, who would not want to read that book. If you have not read any of the EIT books, start now with Darkhouse and work your way through the series. If you like a good scare, a dash of romance, and super-mega-awesome books, Lying Season is perfect!

Dex and Perry on Twitter!

Read from the BOTTOM to the TOP, LEFT SIDE first followed by RIGHT SIDE

Seriously check this out! If it is too small, just click the image to make it larger.

THE AUTHOR

KARINA HALLE

Check Out

www.ExperiementInTerror.com

Karina on Goodreads

Lying Season on Goodreads

Watch For Book #5- On Demon Wings -releasing May 13, 2012

DARKHOUSE BOOK 1 in the Experiment in Terror is currently FREE. Do yourself a favor, and grab a copy today!!
GET DARKHOUSE
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Now it is time for a Giveaway!
For this stop, I get to offer you guys a eBook copy of any of the currently released Experiment in Terror. This giveaway is International, just enter on the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Waiting on Wednesday: Taste

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Taste

Author: Kate Evangelista

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Publication Date: May 2012

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Why am I waiting?

I saw this one on Monday, when the trailer and excerpt were revealed. 

It sounds amazing, the cover is gorgeous. 

I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy, besides one of the love interest is named Demitri. Thats a win right there. Even though he may never live up to the untouchable Dimitri Belikov.

What are you waiting on?

Leave me a link, because I am always on the look for new books!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Teaser Tuesday: The Hunt

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!

Make sure to share the title and the author so other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their to be read piles.

Title: The Hunt

Author: Andrew Fukuda

Series: The Hunt #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

**Teasers taken from an Uncorrected ARC, which are subject to change**

Teaser 1:

"My eyes flick to hers. She holds my stare with a quiet desperation, as if afraid I might break away to quickly. The air changes between us drastically."

Page 77

Teaser 2:

"Is it the one who--"

"Now really," Frilly Dress injects. "Do you want to keep asking me questions, or would you rather move on down to the Introduction?"

Page 96

I am just starting this one, and I am really excited. 

Have you read it yet? What did you think?

Leave me a link to your teaser. so I can check out what you are reading!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Grave Mercy(His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LeFevers

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Publisher: Houghton Miffin Harcourt
Publication Date: April 3, 2012

BUY GRAVE MERCY

Amazon| Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis: Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

MY REVIEW

Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers is a book that leaves you wanting more. One of those cannot sleep, cannot eat until the ride is over kind of books. The story starts with a 14-year-old Ismae, who is being sold, I mean married off to a local pig farmer, by her abusive father. Actually, he is more like the father who raised her, because Ismae is actually sired by Death himself, Saint Mortain. She is terrified on her wedding day, because she knows that she will be found out, because she bares a birthmark. When her mother ingested a herbwitch’s poison to abort the pregnancy, Ismae did not die instead she was burned/marked. Thankfully, Ismae is rescue by the Covent of Saint Mortain after her husband beats and leaves pretty much for dead in the cellar.

Right now, you are think OH MY GO-, why would I want to read this horrible book about a 14 year old being married and beaten. While Ismae story starts off beyond tragic, this all takes place with in the first few pages. She is rescued by the Covent of Saint Mortain and taken far away from all this, and she is trained to be an assassin for Death. The training develops all the girls in the Covent in to strong young women, who know how to protect themselves. It gives Ismae the power the men in her life took away. They are trained in every weapon possible and every tactic to carry out the wishes of Death.

The story quickly picks up, when Ismae is installed into the care of Duval, the most trusted advisor to the Duchess of Brittany. When The Duchess’ father died, the French seek to take over Brittany and they are trying to control the arraignments of the marriage of the Duchess. With treachery, and suspicion, Ismae is on the lookout for traitors who have the mark of death on them. While she waits to her orders, it does not hurt to be working with the handsome, young Duval.

Trust me Grave Mercy is book you want to start early in the day, and have plenty of time to spare, because putting it down is near impossible. Ismae is such a strong, independent woman, which is not a welcome trait in the period this story takes place. I love her fierceness and her loyalty, even when it calls her beliefs into question. Duval is young, handsome, and loyal to the Duchess. Literally, he would die to protect her. I also LOVE the relationship between Ismae and Duval. The story has elements of mystery, tons of action, and romance. The writing of the story is fast paced, but does not leaves you feeling rushed; Robin LaFevers has a way with words. Take a trip into the world of Death and Assassins today!

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review**

Cover Battle

I have not done one of these in a while so I thought I would do one today.

Then I promise later today I will return all the wonderful comments that have been left throughout this week, its been a bit hectic at my house this week. 

This time we are battling the old cover of the Songs of Magic series by J.L. Bryan vs The new covers that were just released. 

THE OLD COVERS

THE NEW COVERS

The new covers were done by Phatpuppy Art, who happens to be one of my favorite cover artist.

I have to say I love the New Covers!!

Which ones do you prefer?

Leave your votes in the comments below!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Waiting on Wednesday: Alice in Zombieland

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Alice in Zombieland

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: White Rabbit Chronicles #1

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: September 25, 2012

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.
Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.
Her father was right. The monsters are real….
To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

You may see this all over Waiting on Wednesday post today, because last week the cover was finally revealed. 

Why am I waiting?

Simply, because it sounds awesome. I love the idea behind the story, and I love the cover. I am just excited to read this story! 

What are you waiting for?

Leave me a link, so I can check out all the awesome books!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Teaser Tuesday: The Book of Blood and Shadow

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!

Make sure to share the title and the author so other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their to be read piles.

This Weeks Teaser Comes From:

Title: The Book of Blood and Shadow

Author: Robin Wasserman

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Synopsis: It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

**These Teasers Come From an Uncorrected Proof**

Teaser 1:

"Well, I didn't. And maybe it's a good thing, because--" 

Kindle Location 3197

Teaser 2:

"You have a better idea?"

I shook my head

Eli sighed. "Guess I should put my Spider-Man costume back on."

Kindle Location 3421

I am hoping to start this one by the end of the week.

Have you read it? What do you think?

Leave me a link to your teasers, so I can check them out. 

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf. 

In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren

It gives readers the chance to share the books they received over the past week.

This includes books purchased, borrowed, won, or gifted.


FOR REVIEW
  
Thank you to Random House Children's Books for allowing to review these books! They sound amazing, and I cannot wait to read them.

 
If you stopped by for my Waiting on Wednesday post, you may have seen this one, and I am ECSTATIC that I received a copy for review on NetGalley! Thank you Tanglewood Press!! I was super excited when I got to read the first two chapters during YA Scavenger Hunt, and now I get to read the whole thing! The first chapter is still available at Forever Young Adult, so check that out! If you have not read Ashfall, I seriously recommend it!


Thank you to Tribute Books for allowing me to be apart of the tour! Make sure to come back on June 21st for my stop on the blog tour!

WON

J.L. Bryan released new covers for the Songs of Magic series, and I was lucky enough to be one of the first 10 to comment on The Bookish Brunette. I won a eBook of Fairy Metal Thunder with the new cover. I just love the new cover!


I had an AMAZING week for books, and I could not be more excited!
What did you get this week?
Anything exciting or amazing?
Leave me a link so I can check out your mailbox!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf