We have a winner!

Congratulations to Raelena! She is the lucky winner of the Fallen ARC. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your feedback is immensely helpful. Stay tuned for more reviews, interviews & giveaways!

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

Do not get between a princess and her tiara. Natalie Hargrove is a goal-oriented person and she has her sights set on Palmetto Princess. As a senior at Palmetto High in South Carolina, she can be voted on by her classmates to receive this distinguished title. It's what she has been planning on ever since she started dating one of the town's royalty, Mike King. Three years into their relationship, their time has finally come.

Lamentably, Mike is not nearly as worried about his title as his girlfriend. He's not really concerned at all about Justin Balmer (J.B.), but Natalie can't even stand the thought of Mike losing his crown; especially not to someone like J.B. Their history is a secret that Natalie wants desperately to forget, just like a lot of her past.

So in her attempt to guarantee Mike's crown, Natalie convinces Mike to help her play a harmless prank on dear J.B. After a double keg stand at a packed Mardi Gras party, J.B. is blitzed out of his mind and prime for the advantage-taking duo. They take the cross-dressed J.B. to the church for the world to see when they arrive the next morning. What the early morning church-goers observe the next day though is not what was originally planned.

Now trying to hide their involvement in J.B.'s death, Mike and Natalie begin a downward spiral that can only result in a crash. Who will be left standing to view the fallout?

I was hesitant to read this one, as I was not fond of her other novel Fallen. Let me assure you, it was well worth the try. I was hooked from the very beginning and didn't want the roller coaster ride to end. This book was like Dawson's Creek meets a Lifetime made-for-tv-movie. The situations and responses of the characters were spot on for what it really can be like in a competitive high school. Having the book set in Dixieland just helped the storyline along as it provided a perfect backdrop for the larger theme of the "haves versus the have-nots." A truly mesmerizing read, despite the catty nature of the main character. The ending is one that truly surprises and is impeccable. Fantastic!

Don't forget!

I'm still hosting my giveaway of an ARC of Fallen by Lauren Kate. Check out the rules here. And remember, the giveaway ends 12/1!

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Lucinda "Luce" Price doesn't belong at Sword & Cross, the reform school she has been forced to attend. The accident last summer with Trevor was just that, an accident, but nobody believes Luce. Maybe if she hadn't been telling her parents about the shadows all those years, they might have believed her more.

As it is, Luce find herself the new kid in a reform school like no other. Sword & Cross, built on former Confederate soldier land complete with cemetery, is home to a number of strange and interesting characters that Luce befriends and finds herself attracted to. Daniel and Cam are just mesmerizing. Daniel catches Luce's attention because there is something eerily familiar about him. Cam catches her attention because he is sweet and charming.

Soon though, Luce finds that the shadows are not gone, they are not done with her yet, and they are not alone. Something is brewing and Sword & Cross is going to be the battleground again. Only this time, the battle is between the fallen and Luce is the prize.

I have to say, this book didn't do much for me. I found it tedious, jumpy, and quite honestly anti-climactic. Which is quite sad since I really wanted to like it. The back story on Luce was almost non-existent as we don't really know what happened to Trevor, the characters were not consistent in behavior (coming in and out of the story), and I found the ending very anti-climactic. Maybe that's because I was expecting it to be a stand alone novel and didn't find out until the end that it will be a series, therefore changing how I approach a novel. Don't get me wrong, there were parts I enjoyed, like the angelic lore, the typical teen antics and ambiance, and Luce as a character. Overall, I'm glad I read it, but I just don't think this book was for me. I hope you all enjoy it and don't let me review scare you off.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an ARC of Fallen!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's title is Fallen by Lauren Kate being released December 8, 2009.

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is. -From Goodreads

While I am not necessarily a huge fan of romance, there is something about this one that calls to me. I love paranormal things, so fallen angels are definitely up my avenue. But the way that Luce is brought to Sword & Cross is what caught my attention at first. Death is a hard subject matter to broach, especially when it is someone young and close to you. The premise sounds fascinating and I'm excited to have my hands on a copy! I have an extra that is up in my contest. Check it out here!

Giveaway: ARC of Fallen by Lauren Kate

Contest is closed.