Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Expected publication: April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary from Goodreads
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?

I loved the mythology and world of this book!  I loved the concept that with the spread of Christianity the old gods of the region were made into saints.  I didn't much care for Ismae at first but near the end she grew on me.   I'm not sure why, I think I just found her a tad annoying.  I really enjoyed Duval, he was such a well-rounded character.  I liked the story and the cast of characters.  The idea of a convent of nuns who are trained as assassins was fascinating, and I wish that we could have seen more of Ismae's training.  The next book in the series is about Ismae's fellow Sister/Assassin Sybella, and I am very interested in reading more of this world.


This book is out today!  So go get you some. 

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Published January 31st 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books 

Summary from Goodreads

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

I enjoyed the feel of this book.  For some reason it reminded me a lot of Crown Duel and Court Duel by Sherwood Smith - I really don't know why because they really have nothing to do with each other.  Anyhow, I enjoyed this book quite a bit.  The concept is unique and very interesting.   It was fun seeing this world of old souls through the eyes of a new soul trying to find her place in it.  I look forward to the sequel.

Starters by Lissa Price

Expected publication: March 13th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Summary from Goodreads
Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. 

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .


What a journey!  A twist on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse but Lissa Price totally makes it her own.  A good dystopian novel that doesn't stray too far from the familiar.   Callie is likable and carries the story well.  I enjoyed the thriller/mystery feel that this book had.  I could see some allusions to the fairytale Cinderella - with Prime Destinations as the (evil)fairy godmother and the senator's grandson as the prince.  I mean she loses her shoe and he come looking for her with it?  But this book does not have a fairytale happily ever after in the romance department.  The ending wraps some things up but still leaves more questions for the next book in the series, Enders which will come out December 12th 2012. 

Ditched A Love Story by Robin Mellom

India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr

Published October 4th 2011 by Berkley Prime Crime
Summary from Goodreads
Black is back! Her Majesty's favorite spy is off to Scotland in this new adventure to ensure the Queen doesn't end up getting killed. 

When Queen Victoria attends a séance, the spirit of her departed husband, Prince Albert, insists she spend Christmas at their Scottish home in Balmoral. Prime Minister Disraeli suspects the Scottish nationalists plan to assassinate the Queen-and sends the ever resourceful India and the handsome British spy, French, to the Scottish highlands. 

French will take the high road, looking for a traitor among the guests-and India will take the low road, disguised as a servant in case an assassin is hiding among the household staff. India is certain that someone at Balmoral is determined to make this Her Majesty's last Christmas...


I love this series!!  I love the main character, I love the language, and I just love it!!  I will admit that I had some of it figured out but what is the fun of a mystery if you are completely clueless.  I really hope that the next one comes out soon.  If your are into historical mystery with a slight romance twist then you should try this one out.  The first in the series is India Black.  In the meantime do you have any suggestions for me from this genre?  I need more!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Published February 7th 2012 by Putnam Juvenile
Summary from Goodreads
"Blessed with a gift..."cursed" with a secret." Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship - or an early grave. 
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood - not even from each other.

This book stressed me out!  I know that sounds like a bad thing, but really it just means I got sucked into the story.  I never knew who Cate could trust or what was going to happen next -- I was expecting treachery at every turn!  The world that Jessica has created is very familiar, but it has been twisted into such an interesting form.  And I loved seeing and feeling it all from Cate's point of view.   I cannot wait for the next release in this brilliant series!

Swoon by Nina Malkin

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Published January 31st 2012 by Bloomsbury USA
Summary from Goodreads
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?


I don't remember liking Austenland but I LOVE Shannon Hale so I decided to give Midnight in Austenland a chance.  I'm glad I did!  This is one of those books that I find my thoughts randomly coming back to even now that I am not reading it anymore.  I think one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much is because of the mystery twist - it gave the story depth.  You are constantly trying to figure out if there really was a murder or not.  I also enjoyed Charlotte's journey of discovering herself after divorce.  I highly recommend this book especially if you are a Shannon Hale fan and would like to see another side of her writing.  

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Published March 29th 2011 by Greenwillow Books
summary from Goodreads
Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.
The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.
Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.
But there is a cost. 
The Keeper likes to keep things.
Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.


I have read two retellings of the fairytale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" - one of them was not very well developed and the other one was.  Entwined is the well developed retelling.  It is a unique story that still incorporates elements of the original fairytale.  I especially loved the use of different dances and how, for the princesses, dancing was a coping device for the loss of their mother.
Azalea was a perfect heroine, growing and developing as the story progressed.  She was also very strong - she did not sit back and wait to be saved!  A fabulous retelling indeed!

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Expected publication: February 14th 2012 by Walker & Co (J)
Summary from Goodreads
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.


After reading the summary of this book I HAD to read it.  Will Scarlet a girl?!  I love it when authors put women back into history or legend and Scarlet is the perfect heroine for that.  It is so much fun unraveling Scarlet's history chapter by chapter.  This book is more than a retelling of a legend that happened long ago - it is a story full of emotions and situations that are still relevant today.  It is about hope, family, sacrifice, and trying to do good in a world filled with evil.  This book was a great kick-off read for 2012!

Iron Knight Book Review

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Published June 14th 2011 by Egmont USA
Summary from Goodreads


One hour to rewrite the past . .  
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, 
life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.


Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.


This book was AMAZING!  The characters were relatable and well-rounded.  The interactions between the characters was sublime - I believed that these were actual people and could see these conversations happening in real life.

The writing was brilliant.  It was fun and just...I have no word.  About every sentence was worth reading and rereading.  I've added a small (tiny) sampling of my favorites.

“Your size makes you seem delicate, like a spiderweb. But the wise fly knows that delicate can also be strong.” 

"If he wasn't already holding my heart in the palm of his hand, I would have taken it out and given it to him."

The plot seemed straight forward but there were surprises that completely caught me off guard!  Also the love triangle didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out.


This was my favorite book of 2011.  I do still have 2 more books to read but I doubt that they will surpass this one.  I would recommend not only owning this book but owning the e-book, hard cover, and paper back.  You should also gift this to all of your book loving besties!


The second book in the series is Timepiece and it come out June 12, 2012.  I can't hardly wait!
Isn't the cover gorgeous?!?

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Published October 25th 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

The world that the author has created is very well thought-out and interesting. I would enjoy reading more novels set in this world. Esmerine and Alander are multidimensional characters but for some reason I just didn't feel the spark between them. I believed more in Esmerine's love for her sister, Dorsia, than her love for Alander (or his for her). The message of loving someone despite outside pressure not to is a beautiful one though.

Also, I don't get why her sister didn't even try to leave some kind of word of herself. I understand that running away with a human is somewhat common for a siren and that writing a note of some kind was out of the question. It just seemed careless rather than romantic.

Pros
World Creation
Character Development

Cons
Love Connection

Verdict
Check out from the library if you're interested.

The Dust of 100 Dogs Book Review