Reawakened by Colleen Houck

****

From Delacorte (Random House Children's):

The first book in a new multi-book series from New York Times bestselling author, COLLEEN HOUCK, about a teenage girl entangled in an epic Egyptian quest full of romance, adventure, and mythology! 
  

Author Colleen Houck's first series, The Tigers Curse, was a New York Times Bestseller, a USA Today Bestseller, A Publisher's Weekly Bestseller, and A Parents' Choice Award Winner. The Tigers Curse series is also being made into a movie! Adapted by Julie Plec, creator of The Vampire Diaries, and directed by Shekhar Kapur, who directed the Academy-Award winning, Elizabeth.   

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification. 
And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe.
 
But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world. 
 
From New York Timesbestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.
  

I adore books based upon mythology - greek, norse, egyptian - doesn't matter.  I love the myths.  Rick Riordan is the king of mythology (and I'm dying to read his new series based upon Norse myths in the fall!), but I will read just about anything based upon mythology.  Egyptian is a bit more complicated - gods with three parents, chopped up gods, cat gods, sphinxes (is that the plural of sphinx?), but still I love it.  

Houck's take on Egyptian myth is fantastic.  The mythology is great, but also the story and the characters kept me completely enthralled.  The interactions between Lily and Amon are hilarious.  Add in two other roguish demi-gods and I'm in love!  Reawakened is action packed and thoroughly entertaining.  Well done Ms. Houck!

~ Shel

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

***

From Harlequin:

The drama, hilarity and tears of sisterhood are at the heart of the thoroughly captivating new novel by New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins - a funny, frank and bittersweet look at marriage, forgiveness and moving on.

Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected... especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny's new best friend.  Sincsing this isn't exactly helping her achieve closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life... and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbor, a guy who's utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time.  

Rachel's idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers her husband sexting with a colleague.  She always thought she'd walk away in this situation, but her triplet daughters have her reconsidering her stance on adultery, much to Jenny's surprise.  Rachel points to their parents' perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory - and their relationship - and reveal a family secret she's been keeping since childhood.  

Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present and find a way to get what they want most of all.  

If You Only Knew is my first Kristan Higgins, but won't be my last!  BiblioJunkie Nat loved In Your Dreams (she says it has her favorite heroine ever and that's some high praise!), but I've been eyeing my Kristan Higgins' books in my tbr pile for a really long time.  After describing If You Only Knew to Nat, she says that it is a departure from Higgins' usual work.  I didn't find any of Higgins' trademark hilarity in If You Only Knew, but it was an engrossing book, with a varied cast of characters.  

Jenny is the driven career woman who longs for a family, Rachel is the pushover finding her own voice, their mother is horrible, Adam is a douche, Owen's a bit of a well-meaning jerk and Leo is the king of mixed signals.  They all come together to keep you up until 2 a.m. on a work night so that you are falling asleep at your desk...  I feel like this is the best compliment I can give a book - I was wiling to forgo sleep to read it.  There were some twists and turns, adorable kids and a farting dog to keep you entertained, but mostly, the book is just about swinging at the curveballs life throws at you.  

~Shel

Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

****

From Simon Pulse:

The first novel in a brand-new series—from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines—about a small Southern town filled with cute boys in pickup trucks, Friday night football games, and crazy parties that stir up some major drama.

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go… 

Until Friday Night was my first Abbi Glines novel.  I love sport's romances, so it seemed like a perfect fit, and it was, but UFN was definitely not the book I was expecting.  I expected a football novel, what I got was a heart-wrenchingly beautiful tale of loss, healing and first love.  

West broke my heart.  I actually cried.  Me.  I don't cry.  He's like the little brother I want to hug and make feel better.  And he loves Maggie like crazy.  It's pretty common knowledge that I love the bromances and UFN gave me more to love.  I love West and his teammates.  I love their dedication to one another and how they come together, not just for West, but for Maggie too.  

I've definitely added more Abbi Glines to my tbr and I really hope she takes us back to Lawton, I think there's a lot to see there.  :-)

~Shel

The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward

***

From Penguin:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood delivers the first novel in an enthralling new series set amid the shifting dynamics of a Southern family defined by wealth and privilege—and compromised by secrets, deceit, and scandal…. 

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

Bourbon Kings is like marathoning Dallas.  I felt like a complete voyeur and couldn't put it down.  These people are either horrible people or had horrible things done to them.  There are no saints in this story.  It is riveting and consuming and makes you glad for your normal life, with normal problems and concerns.  It's possible that I forgot to eat, drink, or even pee while reading this book.  Yes, I was so entranced with reading their trainwreck lives, that I finished all 421 pages in one sitting (we won't tell my boss that's why I am going to be late for work in the morning - it will totally be because of traffic!).  

BK has everything; mystery, intrigue, and perversions for all shapes and sizes.  We've got cheaters, thieves, frauds, and murderers all lined up for your entertainment.  I defy you to not become completely engrossed in this book.  

I admit, there's some of Ward's writing style that I'm not in love with, but even that couldn't stop me from gorging myself on this soap opera.  Will I read the next book in the series?  Absolutely.  Like any good voyeur, I can't wait for the action to start again.  Ward expertly leaves us with questions that must be answered, things we must know.  Truly, if you've ever enjoyed a soap opera with mystery and intrigue, this is your book.  Thanks Penguin, for reminding me, yet again, that I have no self-control.

~ Shel

Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

****

From Entangled Teen:

We’ve stayed hidden too long…

I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

Atlantis Rising makes it onto my best of 2015 list (so far).  I was in a heck of a reading slump until Entangled sent me this unknown book by an unknown author and I figured, what the heck.  Holy Thor, this book drew me in like Chris Helmsworth's abs and kept me just as captivated.  I love the cast of characters - Alison, Ian and Brandy and all the supporting cast are great.  The story is engrossing and fun and the perfect way to spend a day.  If you enjoy paranormal YA, I cannot recommend this book enough.  

Atlantis Rising is about a waning group of people who are the descendants of the inhabitants of Atlantis.  Of course, there's the clueless heroine, the hottie hero, the fun, crazy BFF and of course, the completely psycho villain.  All pretty typical, but Craw puts it all together in a way that will have you laughing, crying and rooting for the good guys.  Craw's created a fascinating mythology of Atlantis, and I hope there are more stories to come!

~Shel

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

**** 1/2

From HarperCollins:

First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

I know I previously mentioned that Angelfire is one of my surprise favorites of 2011; however, I recently re-read Angelfire when we received the Wings of the Wicked ARC for the ARC Tour hosted by The PageTurners Blog.  I was a little nervous that Angelfire may not live up to the hype in my head on a second read, but that was just silly.  Angelfire is the first in the trilogy telling the story of Ellie, the Preliator.  An ancient warrior who is reborn over and over to fight the demonic reapers and prevent the Apocalypse, ie the Second War between Heaven and Hell.

The Bad:

Keeping the different types of reapers separate and organized in my head was a little troublesome on my first read, but I definitely have them down now.  That was the only issue I had with Angelfire. 

The Good:

I love the characters that Courtney has created in this series, even the demonic reapers.  Plus, Will is my literary crush for 2011.  Angelfire is a riveting, compelling story with touching romance and mysteries that will keep you hanging on.  And seriously, Will.  Love. Him.  Check out Courtney's website for her graphic art of the characters, phenomenal - I seriously want some of the bookmarks she has created! http://www.courtneyallisonmoulton.com/

I could not put Angelifre down (really, ask my family, they were annoyed that I would not put the book down to spend time with them).  I had the pleasure to read an ARC of Wings of the Wicked and I have to tell you, I was not disappointed, not in the least.  Bel got to read it first and the moment I was done my phone rang for the post-game wrap up!  We will have a full review in the next few days.  Check out this beautiful cover:

~Shel

Happy New Year Giveaway Hop!

We are happy to be participating in the Happy New Year Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader and Not A Writer and Babs Book Bistro from now until January 3, 2012.  2011 has been a good year, in addition to many personal achievements for the BiblioJunkies, 2011 marked the year we finally stopped talking about a book blog and actually started a book blog!  The five months we have been the BiblioJunkies has been so much fun and we have gotten to meet and get to know so many fantastic people. 

We are looking forward to an even better 2012 and hope you all continue to share our love of books, boys and pie in the new year!  So to get 2012 started out right, we are giving away an ARC of Tempest by Julie Cross and a signed copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (because let's face it, we could all use a little Patch to keep us warm on a winter's night).  Unfortunately, this is a U.S. giveaway only.



So, you know the drill.  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter.  On January 4 or 5 we will announce the winner.  We hope you all have a safe and fun New Year's celebration.  There are 202 blogs participating in the Hop, so good luck!

~Shel

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

From Goodreads:

I’m Juliet.

At least, I wanted to be.

So I did something stupid to make it happen.

Well, stupid and wonderful.

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it—even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.

I didn’t get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren’t any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I’d cast the next best—a Fame spell. Good idea, right?

Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William’s younger brother.

Good thing he’s sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and—ahem—maybe a little bit hot. But he’s from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him—cars! And cell phones? Ugh.

Still, there’s something about him that’s making my eyes go star-crossed....

Will Romeo steal her heart before time steals him away?

I was torn between giving this book a 2.5 or 3 star rating. I wanted to love this book, really I did. It is such an interesting concept - time travelling Shakespeare? Awesome! William Shakespeare trying to figure out cars, tv and cell phones? Hilarious! Shakespeare skulking around a modern day production of Romeo & Juliet? Too funny! The problem was I really think this book could have been more. There was a lot of missed comedy between Will and his brother Edmund, who were by far the best characters in the book. The story seemed a little rushed, so I felt there was not enough development of some of the supporting characters, which would have been fun.

However, the part of the book I had the hardest time with was the believability of some characters, especially Miri’s parents. I could not suspend reality to believe that Miri’s Mom would just accept that Miri had some guy living with them that she accidentally conjured while performing a spell to make her Juliet in a play. Her Mom did not even question the story and seemingly had no problem with this boy moving into their house or the fact that the two became involved while living together. And then, when Miri’s Dad calls, he just accepts it too! I don’t know about you guys, but when I was a teenager (you know, last year), there is no way my parents would have bought that story without question, yelling and lectures on the idiocy of playing with things you did not understand.

All of that being said, I really did enjoy the book, I just did not love it and I really wanted to love it. In the end, after deliberating on it for a few days, I am going with 3 stars.

We received The Juliet Spell as an ARC from NetGalley.  HarlequinTeen releases this title TODAY, September 27, 2011!

~Shel

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

****

From HarperTeen:

First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?

As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.

I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.

I have to preface this review by saying that I have been a huge fan of Gemma’s since I discovered Spying in Heels back in 2006. Needless to say, I was giddy to find out that Gemma was making a foray into the wonderful world of Young Adult. Then I got an ARC and did a little happy dance (be thankful you didn't have to see that!)

Reading Deadly Cool reminded me how much I love a good mystery. I have been reading so many paranormals lately, that I had forgotten. The mystery was fun and I enjoyed getting to know the characters.  Hartley plays the typical teen caught up in something beyond her control. Her best-friend Sam is Hartley’s partner-in-crime (and crime solving) and comic relief, especially in her struggle not to swear. And, I admit that I am crushing a little on Chase, the resident smart-ass (there's a scene with a strip-tease!). The cast of characters could use a little more depth, but I suspect that will come in future installments.

Deadly Cool is light-hearted mystery and fast-paced fun expertly blended. Anyone who enjoys contemporary mysteries will enjoy it.  Deadly Cool releases on October 11, 2011 - Definitely check it out.

~Shel