Pretty Crooked

Review Time! My first review post-exam week and I'm feeling pretty good but extremely tired! I haven't had a good nights sleep ( without stress and more than 6 hours for a week) and my brain is fried so I apologise if the review turns out to be choppy. Anyway Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig is a 2012 YA Debut. And thank-you to Becca @ Reading Wishes for the gifted copy! She's such a sweetie!

(Goodreads) Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

The Short Story? - Very cute and very sweet. If you're looking for a novel for pure enjoyment than look no further than Pretty Crooked. Sometimes I forget what YA novels were like before authors introduced vampires, dying family members and teenage depression. Ludwig is bringing back the best of YA and Pretty Crooked is a spectacular debut! Great characters, fluffy plot and a great narrative voice!

The Long Story? - The best way I can describe this novel is YA. It's the very definition of YA, slightly cliched with the expensive school and new girl who doesn't fit in, the new friends who are mean and popular and of course the gorgeous guy! All around, it's very enjoyable and it's a safe read. You can't possibly hate Willa and Pretty Crooked because it's so sweet - this was YA before it got infiltrated by vampires, werewolves and the whatnot. Ludwig is bringing the classic YA scenarios and I'm LOVING IT! I have this fetish with novels about thieves, spies and assassins. Pretty Crooked falls into the thieves section but it's only minor. A wonderfully plotted story, loved the cliff hanger and the romance was so so so cute. Definitely a good beach read, light and fluffy with  a little cheek. Loved it!

Willa was a great protagonist. I would have liked to see an older character for a modern Robin Hood retelling, that way her crimes might have been a little more dangerous and less childish? While I loved the concept of the novel, pairing it with a 15 year old protagonist was a little ehhhhh. Nevertheless, what a sweet girl! Willa is completely adorable and she has a big heart! She definitely also has a sense of humour and good judgement in people. I really wished Ludwig made her just THAT much older. I would have like it better with a 17-year old protagonist because it would have been a little more believable. Aidan was  very cool ( and cute!). He definitely is a charmer but he's no Noah Shaw or Jace Wayland although he did have swoon-worthy scenes! Overall it was a solid characterisation!

In a nutshell Pretty Crooked was a great read! It's manageable read and once you get into it, the pages just fly! It wasn't perfect but I really liked the cute, funny and fluffy nature of the plot. It's been a long time since I've read a YA novel that was JUST FOR FUN. I mean no one died or got a broken heart! Ludwig's debut is definitely worth a checking out! I really did enjoy it!


What's it Worth? - Squeeze into the Budget/ Hand Over the Paycheck


Badass Bookie xx

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff US Cover Reveal + Giveaway (Int'l)

Along with eight other AWESOME blogs ( Seriously to be included in this wolf pack - I should be considered royalty I feel so HONOURED) I'm revealing the US cover for STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff! A while back Kristi @ The Story Siren helped Jay reveal the UK cover of Stormdancer which looks like this -

It's great huh? You know the cherry blossom, the awesome font, the contrast between the dark colours of the badass chick ( who looks like me on a Saturday night when I'm doing n**ja stuff) and the light background. And those symbols down the side of the cover which mean nothing to me right now but still look great!

HOWEVER - this cover? Pfffffft sorry UK but you got the short straw for this cover because the US one is completely A M A Z I N G! Can we get a A M A Z I N G? And another A M A Z I N G!

When I saw it I was like - 

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I PRESENT YOU WITH the most beautiful cover that you'll ever see because I'm on the cover - legit THE US COVER FOR STORMDANCER -

ARE YOU PLURGING RAINBOWS TOO? Isn't my tattoo sleeve totally badass?

What do you get when you combine Steampunk with Japanese Warrior Stuff? - Some pretty awesome cover art A BADASS NOVEL.

A DYING LAND

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST

The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

STORMDANCER is released September 18th through Thomas Dunne books/St Martin’s Press

About Jay Kristoff * - ( I wrote him a new bio because the other one was boring!)

Jay Kristoff is a Australian Martian who helps old ladies across the street by day and writes YA books by night. He also slays dragons, teaches Irish dancing and plays the ukulele. On a good day you'll find him at home and on a bad day you'll find him at home. He's hobbies include reading Manga, watching Glee, baking cookies in the shape of Dinosaurs. He has a beard.

You can find Jay -

Stormdancer on Goodreads

Jay’s Blog

Jay’s Twitter

*99% of that was made up MAYBE....

~ Giveaway~ 

Alright weirdos and dragon-slayers I know you're only here for the giveaway ( and the cover reveal but yeah the giveaway!). So I'm letting you know you there are 10 ARCS of STORMDANCER up for grabs! 

... But you can only win one of them through this blog! ( HAHAHAHAHAHAHA gotcha!)

For your chance to win the other NINE ARCS up for grabs - answer this question:

Badass Bookie's Stormdancer Uber-Quiz question:

Question 5: What clan does Yukiko belong to?

HINT HINT : It's in the Synopsis

and then continue on to Jay's blog - HERE for the chance to win an exclusive Giveaway Pack ( with uber awesome stuff!) and learn more about this legendary 2012 YA Debut!

Fill out the Rafflecopter Form Below to win Badass Bookie's Stormdancer ARC: 

OPEN Internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Badass Bookie xx

The Bookie Showcase #2

The Bookie Showcase is a special feature on the blog that comes around at irregular intervals. Inspired by Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine and Books to Pine For by The Story Siren. The Bookie Showcase basically showcases upcoming YA novels you that might not have heard about! Check out Edition #2!

The Lucky One by Anna Godberson 
(Bright Young Things #3)
Harpercollins
September 18th 2012


Letty's rising star is threatened by a new rival...


Astrid's relationship with Charlie takes a dark turn...


And Cordelia vows revenge against the Hales - once and for all...

Everyday by David Levithan 
Knopf Books for Young Readers
August 28th 2012


Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.


Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.


It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

 

Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Hapercollins 
August 2012


After the grand explosion of her relationship, seventeen-year-old Max Scott developed what every girl in the history of the world has been waiting for: a way to get over being dumped. Now Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when her ex unexpectedly shows up in her neighborhood, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over him once and for all.

The Debutantes by Cora Harrison 
Pan Macmillan For Children
August 2nd 2012


It’s 1923 and London is a whirl of jazz, dancing and parties. Violet, Daisy, Poppy and Rose Derrington are desperate to be part of it, but stuck in an enormous crumbling house in the country, with no money and no fashionable dresses, the excitement seems a lifetime away.

Luckily the girls each have a plan for escaping their humdrum country life: Rose wants to be a novelist, Poppy a jazz musician and Daisy a famous film director. Violet, however, has only one ambition: to become the perfect Debutante, so that she can go to London and catch the eye of Prince George, the most eligible bachelor in the country.

But a house as big and old as Beech Grove Manor hides many secrets, and Daisy is about to uncover one so huge it could ruin all their plans—ruin everything—forever.

All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin
Random House for Children
October 9th 2012


With my eyes closed and Alex's core friends all around me, it was like I'd become my big sister, or something just as good. And so who cared if they were calling it Alex's party? One thing I knew: it would be remembered as mine.


Alex has it all—brains, beauty, popularity, and a dangerously hot boyfriend. Her little sister Thea wants it all, and she's stepped up her game to get it. Even if it means spinning the truth to win the attention she deserves. Even if it means uncovering a shocking secret her older sister never wanted to share. Even if it means crying wolf.

The Opposite of Hallelujah
Random House for Children
October 9th 2012

Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.


Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin
Razorbill
October 2012

Two sisters fight to belong in a town built on secrets and lies in this romantic new YA series.

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie.



Friends didn’t.



Boys couldn’t.

Their family falling apart never would.

Until they get to Serenity Point.

 

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
October 30th 2012

What if everyone thought you were a freak of nature? What if they were right?


Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. So she isn’t surprised that she doesn’t recognize Conn, the new boy at her high school, even though he seems to know her—or at least know something about her.
What does surprise her is how quickly she comes to trust Conn, and that he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But his interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.


As if she was his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy and she is arrested, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not Conn, not herself, and not even the laws of nature. Because this world isn’t the only one. Darcy belongs in an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire never happened, and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.


Darcy needs some answers.


And she hates that the person most able to help her get them is Conn.

Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield
Random House for Children
September 11th 2012


Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.
And they're not the only ones hiding something.

Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.
In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan
Dial Books
September 13th 2012

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly.

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Badass Bookie xx 

In My Mailbox #47

Morning Lovlies! In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. I know a lot of bloggers are choosing alternatives to display their weekly book hurl but I said I'm staying out of drama therefore I'm just going to keep doing what I've always been doing which is participate in IMM every second week! 

Book Hurl -

For Review - 

ARC Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson

ARC Dead Time by Anne Cassidy

Whisper by Alyson Noel

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Burn Mark by Laura Powell

Disharmony by Leah Girratano

Dark Eyes by William Richter 

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Kill You Last by Todd Strasser

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Won -

The Industry by Rose Foster

Firstly can I just say I'm a very happy chappy right now! Even with Exam block starting tomorrow ( (!*^$*!&%$&!%$*&) - NIKITA HAS BEEN RENEWED FOR SEASON 3!!! Rejoice! That's more Salex and Mikita and Birkoff love for meeeee! Best. Show. Ever. 

Now onto books - lately I've been on a reading slump. Involuntarily but still, exams are eating up my time! However I'm SO looking forward to reading The Hunt, Second Chance Summer, Every Other Day, Dark Eyes, Disharmony and basically all the book in my mailbox this week! The Age of Miracles sounds surprisingly awesome so I can't wait to dig into that either! Dead Times sounds like a great mystery and Burn Mark - who doesn't like Witches?

That's kinda all for me right now! Link me!

Badass Bookie xx

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Review Time! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin was a 2011 YA Debut. However it was only published in Australia in February this year. The cover of this book is just gorgeous and I'm not going to lie - I wanted to read the book just because of the cover although the blurb sounded pretty good too! Purchase your copy at The Book Depository - US Edition/ AUS Edition. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can. She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. There is. She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong.

The Short Story? - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of those books that really does your head in. It completely twists everything and blurs the line between reality and fantasy. I think YA psychological thriller is a more accurate description for the book. Edgy, dark and chilling, Hodkin's debut is really something original. Beautiful characterisation, mind-blowing plot and a narrative voice that completely consumes the reader!

The Long Story ? - This is really one of those novels that you either love or hate. Luckily I tend to love psychological thrillers and those supernatural reality books. I can honestly say that I really did enjoy The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It's not exactly a comfortable read for someone to read because you can't just tune out and let the words take you away. YOU HAVE TO CONCENTRATE or else you get lost. Hodkin really twists your head, I had to get someone to clarify the last 100 pages for me because I was not sure I read it right. The plot is edgy and chilling - complex and completely mind-blowing. It's quite a slow pace but in this case it worked because if the story moved any faster I would have gotten lost. Filled with mystery and suspense, Hodkin strings readers along for the grand finale and WASN'T IT GRAND! What a cliff hanger ending! If you loved Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma or Shift by Em Bailey - this one is for you!

The highlight of this book for me was the characterisation. Mara was one disturbed ( and cray cray - maybe?) girl but the illusion of normal she creates is just WOW! With such a traumatising past and such a deadly secret, Mara is one of the most intriguing characters I have come across in YA fiction. I really like how Hodkin has portrayed her, the smartish, normalish girl with the dangerous gift. I want to see where Hodkin takes Mara next. AND THEN we have Jace Wayland reincarnation in YA contemporary. Noah Shaw - can we get a SWOON? He's just amazing! Extremely beautiful, extremely witty, extremely vain and extremely funny! BUT this guy's got a sweet side too and that just makes THIS much more irresistible! Seriously one of my favourite couples of the year ( so far!) Great characterisation!

What else can I say? You're either going to love or hate The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer because this is one book too extreme for middle ground. Edgy and engrossing, it's addictive and completely twisted. The psychological thriller debut is something original and unique - filled with mystery, suspense and a touch of supernatural - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is mind-shatteringly amazing. You will finish the book and think - WHAT DID I JUST READ? But nevertheless a novel I recommend to everyone!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck


Badass Bookie xx

172 Hours on the Moon

Review Time! 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad was originally published in Norwegian. However the novel has been translated to english by Tara F. Chace. I'd never heard of the book before it showed up in my mailbox but after I read the press release I was really intrigued so I gave it a go! You can buy book here at The Book Depository US Cover/ AUS Cover. Thanks to Hachette for the review copy! :)

 (Goodreads) It’s been more than forty years since NASA sent the first men to the moon, and to grab some much-needed funding and attention, they decide to launch an historic international lottery in which three lucky teenagers can win a week-long trip to moon base DARLAH 2—a place that no one but top government officials even knew existed until now. The three winners, Antoine, Midori, and Mia, come from all over the world. But just before the scheduled launch, the teenagers each experience strange, inexplicable events. Little do they know that there was a reason NASA never sent anyone back there until now—a sinister reason. But the countdown has already begun. . .

The Short Story? - Imagine a horror movie and a sci-fi movie had a bookish baby. That would be 172 Hours on the Moon. Harstad YA debut is an amazing ( and scary) work of fiction that's completely twisted my mind. I now fear space travel, teenage girls and aliens. Nevertheless, this is one novel that's got the "wow factor" - you should definitely check it up! It's an edge-of-your-seat roller coaster ride that will send shivers down your spine...

The Long Story? - This novel took me by surprise. The novel was much better written than I would have thought. The plot was brilliant ( and scary). What a powerful YA debut! There are a lot of fantastic books out there but only a few have the "wow factor" and 172 Hours on the Moon has definitely got it. It's evident a great deal of research was invested in the writing of this novel. The line between fiction and fact is blurred and I'm almost convinced that a raging psychopath alien is somewhere on earth. Harstad has definitely got his NASA facts and using them he's written a killer novel ( quite literally). The plot is filled with mystery, suspense, dead ends and unexpected endings. My heart was pounding throughout the novel, I had shivers, I couldn't bring myself to go upstairs alone. This is a scary novel, it's more horror than sci-fi. If you're looking for a thrill - 172 Hours on the Moon is just DARING you.

The characterisation was good although Harstad only briefly touched up on each character. I could connect with them but not as deeply as I wanted to. Mia was definitely the "main" protagonist during the novel. While Harstad switched between telling the story from one character's perspective to another character's perspective but it was mainly Mia. Mia was so so so brave! I mentioned this is like a horror/sci-fi right? Well if I was Mia - I would have bawled my eyes out and than curled up into a fetal position and waited for death. She was strong for herself, for Antoine and for Midori. Her brief romance with Antonie was so cute and it was heat breaking too. I don't want to spoil the book but the tragic ending was undeserved for such a brave heroine. Harstad has beautifully developed these characters with fears, dreams and futures and for everything to fall apart in the end - it was brave for the characters and for the author. Dangerously cruel - well played Harstad.

All in all, this novel blew my mind. I'm being quite vague with this review because if I say too much - I would spoil it. And the last thing I want is to spoil the story for anyone. A book with the "wow factor" is definitely worth a read. A complex yet brilliant plot, characters that give brave a new meaning and a debut author who's unafraid to cut his looses. A dangerously thrilling debut - 172 Hours on the Moon will haunt you long after the last page!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck

*Hint - If you do decide to read the novel, there are these transcript like pages at the back - READ THEM! You won't understand without reading them!

Badass Bookie xx

Storm Blog Tour Winners :)

Here is the list of winners for the Storm Blog Tour! CONGRATS to all of you and I just KNOW you're going to LOVE Storm! I DID! Brodie has emailed all of you so please check your email asap! Thank-you to all my fellow aussie bloggers for putting this together especially Brodie who's been superwoman! Thank-you Brigid for humouring us with this blog tour and thank-you Lisa2 for the beautiful banner!

International Prize Packs:

Elemental (ebook) + Storm + Spark preorder

Winner: Sarah Jane

Elemental (ebook) + Storm + Spark ARC

Winner: Cassie Frye

Copy of Storm + Spark Pre-order

Winner: Joanne S.

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND Prize Packs:

Storm ARC + Spark preorder

Winner: Gabriella

Each receive a copy of Storm:

Thanks to Allen and Unwin!

Emma

Teresa L.

Stephanie P.

Alexandra

Michelle A

Mary Preston

Kate

Mary Perez

Taneika

Keely

Badass Bookie xx