...To Be Continued in 2012!

photo by Elements of Persuasion

While browsing my "must-reads" for 2012, I realized there are quite a few books that happen to be follow ups to a new series that I started reading this year.  Below are a few of those, second in the series, must-reads that will be published in 2012.

This past year introduced me to a lot of new authors & genres in YA lit.  I found myself immersed in some of these stories and can not freaking wait to read what happens next for these characters.  Share your thoughts in the comments if you've read any of the books prior to these. Or, if you have not read any of them yet, then perhaps this post will entice you to do so.  2012 can not get here fast enough!!!!

*WARNING: some of these book descriptions may contain spoilers if you have not read the previous book.

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

January 24, 2012

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. {taken from goodreads.com}

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

March 6, 2012

Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free.

Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again. {taken from goodreads.com}

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

May 28, 2012

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. {taken from goodreads.com}

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead

June 19, 2012

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students—children of the wealthy and powerful—carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought. {taken from goodreads.com}

More sequels to be continued in 2012:

A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young - July 2012
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer #2 by Michelle Hodkin - 2012
Shatter Me #2 by Tahereh Mafi - 2012
The Eve Trilogy #2 by Anna Carey - 2012
Shine (Shade #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready - May 1, 2012 (I know it's the 3rd in the series, but it's HIGHLY anticipated in my to-be-read pile for 2012 & I wanted to mention it!) 

A list has been created on goodreads of several more 2012 YA/MG Sequels.  Click here to view that list.

I receive a small commission from books purchased through the Amazon links provided.

Mara Mondays: Quote Graphics

To add to the already building hype for this highly anticipated YA read, I have joined up with Lori from Pure Imagination & a handful of other bloggers to promote this fabulous book!  Each Monday different blogs have been creating posts in honor of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer book release, simply titled "Mara Mondays."  Since I've already read and reviewed this book on my blog, I thought I'd post something different.

Most of you know I love to create quote graphics - and there were quite a few steamy, noteworthy quotes in this book!  While doing some graphic manipulation I came up with a few of my own original designs to depict these moments in the book.  Feel free to grab them and add them to your own blog.  Or share them through out the interwebs!  Whatever you like - just help us spread the Mara Dyer love :-)

* CLICK HERE to see the complete schedule of other blogs participating in Mara Mondays + GIVEAWAY!

The graphics used are from weheartit.com & I do not take credit for the photography.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Published: September 27, 2011 by Simon & Schuster
Received: gifted by Yani via BEA 2011

Mara Dyer believes life can't 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 strangely unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong. {taken from goodreads.com}

This is easily one of the most talked about books in YA this year.  So when my good friend Yani picked up an extra advanced copy at BEA this year, I was ECSTATIC to learn she was passing it on to me!  First of all, do you see that cover?! GORGEOUS!  If that doesn't grab your attention, then perhaps the mystery & intrigue of the synopsis does?  Oh yes.  It most certainly did for me.  The hype kept building and so my desire to read this book grew with it.  If I've ever read a book that literally made me say "What the {insert bad word here}" - this is definitely the one!  Some were good wtf moments, while others... I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it.  This book has definitely left an impression on me, I'm just not quite certain what that impression is just yet.  Perhaps that is Michelle Hodkin's intention of this book.  To create question and mystery, to get people talking, asking questions, engaging in conversation about it.  I know for me, I have been doing that with my blogger friends who have read a copy as well.  I mean - how can you not?!

Since it is still early on before this book is to be released, I do not want to spoil anything.  I hope every reader picks up this book with as much excitement as I did.  But I must warn you, if you follow me on twitter then perhaps you've seen my "WTF" tweets.  Once you read this book, then you may understand my outbursts.  I don't want to jade anyone's thoughts prior to reading it either.  Just because I may not understand parts of the book, does not mean it's a bad thing.  The creepiness of this story was seeping off the pages.  Mara Dyer has a near death experience, which causes her to lose control of her mind and start to "hallucinate" - but is her mind really playing tricks on her? or are the ghosts of her dead friends coming back to haunt her? 

The first 300 pages of the book were AMAZING.  So well written.  I was completely tied to the story, wanting to know what happened next.  Wondering what all these unexplainable happenings meant.  Then of course, there was The Boy.  Oh yes.  Noah Shaw.  Insert the most swoony music of all time swoonage!  I almost feel icky for having such a school girl crush on a fictional teenage boy, but oh what the hell! THIS ISN'T REAL! right?! lol  Seriously though, this boy stole the show for me.  From his British accent, to his disheveled hair.  He was amazing in every scene his character was written in to.  The tension between Mara and Noah was perfect.  Every moment they were together, I held my breath.  The beauty of almost touching was just as good as the full on contact.  I LOVED the build up between these two characters.

Then right around page 350ish something happened.  I'm still not sure what that "something" was.  But the mood of the book switched for me.  I almost checked to make sure I was reading the same story.  So many new propositions were presented (a little too much in my opinion) that left me way more confused.  This is when the "WTF" moments definitely came in to play.  I didn't quite understand why the author decided to take the story in this direction.  A lot did not make sense for me.  The story felt rushed, and a few things were looked over.  A few important things that I felt needed more attention.  Perhaps this was the intention?  I am not sure.  The ending just didn't sit well with me.  As I said before, the first 300 pages - GREAT, WONDERFUL, AMAZING, 5 STAR... then the last 100 or so pages, everything just changed for me.  I had a hard time getting back to that feel good place I was in with the beginning. 

It definitely ends with a cliffhanger.  Michelle Hodkin throws a curve ball at us, that I did not see coming.  But then again, I felt pretty blind towards the end anyway.  I am very curious to see where this story leads to next.  I definitely want more Noah Shaw.  I believe this book to be talked about A LOT, once it is published and more people have their hands on it.  The story is definitely unique and it deserves the attention it is getting, I'm just not sure it is a favorite of mine.  I apologize if this review is all over the place, it's sort of how I felt about the book.  One minute I am loving it, then the next I am frustrated with it.  That is the beauty of literature.  It can surprise you, when you are least expecting it to, and make you FEEL all sorts of things.  I can't honestly rate this book.  I feel torn on what it deserves, so I will leave that open.  I hope my review conveys my thoughts well enough to understand why.

Ohh Mara Dyer.  You are one twisted, intriguing character.  And you Mr. Shaw - BEAUTIFUL.