2012 Reader/Follower Survey

Wow!  It's hard to believe that 2012 is winding down to a close.  This has been an amazing year for my blog - I hit 1200 followers, and 100,000 page views.  I've participated in guest posts, blog tours, and cover reveals (the last mainly on my blog's Facebook page).  I've gotten some really sweet and helpful blog comments, and seen my returning visitors percentage go up, which puts a smile on my face. 

But I am always looking for ways to improve.  So if you could take about 5 minutes or so and take this survey for me, I'd REALLY appreciate it.  Comments are anonymous unless you choose to leave your name, so be honest, and be a part of the future direction of Once Upon a Prologue!

Thanks, y'all, and happy reading!

(If for some reason you have trouble with the form, go here to fill it out!)

Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Black City by Elizabeth Richards
Published: November 13th 2012 by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR
Source: ATW ARC Tours
Rating: Beam-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Connect with the author: Website | Blog | Twitter

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A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. 

Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

My Review

When I began reading Black City, I was struck by one thing: the world building.  I notice it when authors take time to develop their setting and the atmosphere of their books, and I'm happy that Elizabeth Richards did just that.   This is not a light story - it's a tale of war, and two species divided, and it's also a story about courage.  Told in dual narrative from the two main characters, Black City had a lot of elements going for it that I liked, but ultimately, I failed to connect emotionally with the story being told.  I feel like Richard's debut novel has a great deal of potential!

I did love the mythos of Black City.  I fell in love with the idea of the Darklings, and there were times where MY heart felt like it wasn't beating, worried over Ash.  The Darklings have been hunted and persecuted for years, and Ash, as a twin blood - one parent is human, one a Darkling - is at a special risk. I can't wait to find out more about them and their culture, as well as one or two of the more secondary characters that are introduced in Ash's "family."  

I thought Ash was the more interesting character of the two main ones, and I looked forward to his point of view more.  I could never get invested in Natalie's character.  I feel like Richards could have given Natalie more spark as a character; instead, she felt really flat to me.  

Another aspect of Black City that I wasn't taken with was the love story.  From the synopsis, I was expecting something epic...a star-crossed pairing that I wouldn't be able to resist.  What I got was something different.  There was just something MISSING for me in the Ash/Natalie coupling.  They had all the conflict a couple needs to be angsty enough for my taste - everything was against them - but I couldn't connect with them. 

Overall, Black City isn't a bad debut!  It has a great deal of action and danger, as well as an extremely creepy villain called Puritan Rose, who I found myself shuddering over.  You definitely get the sense that the stakes were high for Ash and Natalie, but I think what I'm most looking forward to is seeing where Elizabeth Richards takes this world and these characters in the sequel.  My fingers are crossed for some character growth out of the main characters, and that Richards more deeply explores the world she's built!

You're sure to fall for:

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Waiting On Wednesday - #38: Golden by Jessi Kirby

{ ++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine. You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat. We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

I'm Waiting On...

 
Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost may be a distant relative of Robert Frost, but she has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. 

So when fate drops a mystery in her lap—one that might be the key to uncovering the truth behind a town tragedy, she decides to take a chance.

Golden by Jessi Kirby (Simon & Schuster BFYR, March 2013)
Add it to your TBR!

Why It's Worth Waiting On: I've heard GREAT things about Jessi's IN HONOR, and the cover and synopsis of this book just calls to me!   

Your turn!  What are YOU "waiting on" this week?

Top Ten Tuesday - #39: My "Must-Have" 2013 Titles

 

{ ++ } Hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, this meme features a different theme every week, and hey, it's Tuesday - we've got the rest of the week ahead of us.  We all need a little fun, and who doesn't love the challenge of ranking their top 10 anything...especially when it comes to books?!  I know I do, hence why I thought it'd be fun to participate, and spice things up a little!

 

 

 

November 27, 2012: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books for 2013

*rubs hands together gleefully*

 

 

{ 1 } Scarlett by Marissa Meyer | add it to your TBR

{ 2 } Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo | add it to your TBR

{ 3 } Hemlock #2 by Kathleen Peacock | add it to your TBR

{ 4 } A Desire So Deadly by Suzanne Young | add it to your TBR

{ 5 } Pivot Point by Kasie West | add it to your TBR

{ 6 } Dualed by Elsie Chapman | add it to your TBR

{ 7 } The Archived by Victoria Schwab | add it to your TBR

{ 8 } Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins | add it to your TBR

{ 9 } The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd | add it to your TBR

{ 10 } Taken by Erin Bowman | add it to your TBR

 

So, some debuts and some sequels, but ALL books I'm EXCITED for!  

 

 Your turn!  What books made YOUR list this week? 

Review: Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout (Lux #2)

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout
Published: August 14, 2012 (Entangled Teen)
Source: Purchased from B&N
Rating: Squee-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Connect with the author: Twitter | Website

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Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…  Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…  The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…  I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

My Review

Every time I finish a book by Jennifer L Armentrout, I'm speechless for one reason or another.  With her unparallelled ability to create intimately identifiable characters, and sizzling love interest, not to mention heart-pounding storylines, I went into Onyx with high expectations, and finished this brilliant addition to her Lux series with sky-high hopes for the sequel.  Spirited book blogger Katy and insufferable, swoon-worthy Daemon Black add layers of depth and emotion to this installment, which is made even more intense by the mysteries and betrayals swirling through the community.  

Everything I thought I knew about these character and this series was turned on its head in Onyx, and in a good way.  JLA added character growth to Katy, who became so much more than she was in Obsidian.  Daemon surprised me so many times, with his affection and respect for Katy, with how he encouraged her to grow, with his need to protect her.  I lost count of the number of times I swooned over him!  And then there were several new characters who I'd think had one agenda, then realize really had an entirely different one.  JLA kept me guessing, and I liked that!

I loved so much about Onyx: Daemon's trademark one-liners, all the unexpected humor, and especially the changing relationships.  I wondered how long Katy could resist Daemon, because - I - couldn't resist him.  And I have to say, JLA masterfully handled the various plot lines, weaving them seamlessly into one another.  Not many authors could have a white-hot romance simmering to a burning point while the DOD circles, endangering all the characters we love - but JLA does it.  And yet even admidst the peril, these characters retain what makes them all so lovable, and their voices still seem genuine.  

I ran the gamut of emotions with Onyx: I laughed, so often.  I cried.  I screamed.  I wanted to hit something, then hug everyone.  I can't even begin to express my relief at some points, and my frustration at others.   JLA has penned a game-changer with Onyx: nothing will be the same for Katy or Daemon after this, and I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on Opal to see what comes next.  

Book Trailer

 

 
 Other books by this author:

Obsidian (Lux #1)
Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

You're sure to fall for:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins 
 
 

Once Upon A Book Haul - #22

Inspired by all the book-haul memes I've seen floating around (and mostly accredited to Stacking the Shelves) Once Upon A Book Haul is my own version of a book haul/round-up here at Once Upon A Prologue.  It's a fun way for me to show off the books I've begged, borrowed, or stolen - and in a rare case, actually bought!  I love showing off my pretty new books, be they ARCS I'll pass on or books I'll keep just as much as I do seeing what y'all have added to YOUR collection, so be sure to leave me a link to YOUR haul in the comments so we can squee together over our new books!  (It's totally not embarrassing if we're squee'ing together in case y'all didn't know...)

 Recently at Once Upon a Prologue...

I reviewed Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi!

I "Waited On" The Rising by Kelley Armstrong.

I discussed how to break a reading slump. 

Keep an eye out THIS week for my 2012 reader/follower survey!

For Review

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington { Add it on Goodreads }

The Holders by Julianna Scott { Add it on Goodreads } 

Catherine by April Lindner { Add it on Goodreads } 

Lullaby by Amanda Hocking { Add it on Goodreads } 

* Thank you to Strange Chemistry, Scholastic, Little, Brown, and St Martin's Press for the awesome review copies! *

Your turn!  What new lovely books did you add to your shelf this week?

Discussion Post - Shaking a Reading Slump

What do you do when you get into a reading funk and you don't feel like reading anymore? Any tips or tricks you use to get out of the funk and back into reading? – Katie

Ugh, reading slumps are just AWFUL.  It's wild how one week, I can be excited to read ALL THE BOOKS, then the next, not want to read anything at all.  It's also a huge inconvenience, considering with the blog, I have certain books I have to read by a certain time to have reviews, guest posts, etc ready!  So what do I do when NOTHING seems appealing to read?

• Try a book from a genre I haven't read in awhile.  If I've had my fill of YA contemporary, I might pick up a YA fantasy book, or even a women's fiction, or an adult paranormal romance - something different to jolt my reading bug awake.
• Read a book I've been wanting to get to for forever.  Deadline or no, sometimes what I *should* be reading just isn't working.  So the best thing sometimes it to pick up that new Jodi Picoult that I bought a year ago and never read...or that Kimberly Derting book I *had* to have, but haven't yet read.
• Read an old favorite.  There's a reason why Anne Bishop and Richelle Mead's books will NEVER EVER leave my bookshelf.  (I recently donated about 150 books to the library...but there were some books I just literally couldn't part with.)  These are my "comfort" books, my favorite books, along with a few other amazing authors.  They're the books that I can come home to when nothing else is as good, or seems like something I'll want to read.  They're the books that I've swooned over the most, and the longest.  
• Do something else.  Get up and go work out, or start a writing project, or watch a movie to get inspired.  DO SOMETHING to tap into your creativity.  

  
Your turn!  What do YOU do to escape a reading slump?   Was there something I missed in this post?  Have a general blogging question?  Let me know here and I'll answer it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends who are celebrating!  It's been a wild, weird, wonderful year for me personally, and I'm just happy to be HERE: where I am, and who I'm with. Professionally I've had some ups and downs, but I'm pleased to have this blog, and to be a part of such a stellar, welcoming book blogging community.  I love you guys, and can't wait to be back with all new posts and such. 

Spend today loving and being loved!

Waiting On Wednesday - #37: The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

{ ++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine. You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat. We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

I'm Waiting On...

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Cloud Cabal and now the Nast Cabal as well, they’re quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it’s not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they’re so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control. Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her, but she’ll have to face them if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can’t keep running forever.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after the breathtaking end.

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong (April, HarperTeen)
Add it to your TBR!

Why It's Worth Waiting On: Kelley is one of my favorite authors - I love both her YA books and her adult PNR novels.  She's that awesome author who can write for both genres without losing any of her fantastic-ness.  I LOVED her Darkest Powers trilogy, and I'm highly invested in this, the Darkness Rising trilogy.  Last book?  Let's do this.  And my little Daniel/Maya heart may break, but we'll see!

Your turn!  What are YOU waiting on this week?

Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me 1.5)

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me 1.5)
Published: October 2, 2012 (Harper Teen)
Source: Bought from B&N online
Rating: Squee-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
Connect with the author: Twitter

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Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

My Review

  
Truth: I love villains; the ones I really love aren't the "let-me-show-you-how-evil-I-am" Big Bads though, but rather the quietly hate-able ones who, even as they're plotting your demise, still show a sliver of humanity, making you want to redeem them.   And that is exactly what happened when I read Shatter Me - I met Warner, and lost my heart to him.  So when I heard about Unravel Me, I was all fluttery and excited, but worried: would a novella from Warner's point of view change my mind about him?  And it did, but in the best way: I now firmly adore this broken man.  

With Destroy Me, we see inside Warner's thoughts and motivations, and I have to say, so much about him became clear: why he makes the choices he makes, and why he is the way he is.  A lot of fans of this series seemed to worry that Tahereh would try to make him too sympathetic, but I feel that she straddled the line between hinting that he can be redeemed, and still making me rage-y over his actions at times.  To say that Warner is a complex guy is an understatement; Warner is layered, and definitely a swoon-worthy alpha male, but also very damaged, and misunderstood.  

I am even more excited now for Unravel Me, to see what happens next to these amazing characters.  Destroy Me gives us just enough of a peek into Warner's plans to make me nervous, yet also hopeful.  I lost my heart to Warner, while aching to see more of Juliette and Adam.  And while Adam is probably better for Juliette, I have to say, for the first time, I see the possibilities of Warner/Juliette, which breaks my heart in so many ways.

In short: pick up this book if you're, like me, anxiously awaiting Unravel Me.  It's short, and it's NOT expensive, so you don't have to feel guilty about splurging.  It's still told in Tahereh's magical writing style, and I promise you're going to want Destroy Me in your collection!

Once Upon a Book Haul - #21 (Featuring Unravel Me!)

Inspired by all the book-haul memes I've seen floating around (and mostly accredited to Stacking the Shelves) Once Upon A Book Haul is my own version of a book haul/round-up here at Once Upon A Prologue.  It's a fun way for me to show off the books I've begged, borrowed, or stolen - and in a rare case, actually bought!  I love showing off my pretty new books, be they ARCS I'll pass on or books I'll keep just as much as I do seeing what y'all have added to YOUR collection, so be sure to leave me a link to YOUR haul in the comments so we can squee together over our new books!  (It's totally not embarrassing if we're squee'ing together in case y'all didn't know...)

Recently at Once Upon a Prologue...

I posted a review of The Wild Ones by M. Leighton!

I wrote a Top Ten Tuesday all about the books I'd want with me on a deserted island.

I "Waited On..." Reboot by Amy Tintera.

I posted a review of The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder!

This is a few week's worth of goodies!

 

UNRAVEL ME!  I knew I was getting this one, but I STILL squeed!

For Review

Revolution 19 by Greg Rosenblum { Add it on Goodreads } 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi { Add it on Goodreads }

Renegade by J.A. Souders { Add it on Goodreads }

Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini { Add it on Goodreads } 

Ironskin by Tina Connelly { Add it on Goodread }

The Archived by Victoria Schwab { Add it on Goodreads }  

The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale { Add it on Goodreads } 

* Thank you for HarperTeen, Tor Teen, and Disney/Hyperion for the review titles, and beautiful finished copies! *

Your turn!  What new lovely books did YOU add to your shelves this week? 

Some Blog News

Hi lovelies!  Just wanted to update everyone on where my life is at right now.  First off, the blog isn't going anywhere, but I lost my job about a week ago.  So, for right now you won't see as many giveaways, until I find work and get back on my feet.  Now I know you're here for my charm, and cupcakes...heehee.  Anyway, posts, discussions, reviews, etc will continue as planned, and if I can afford a giveaway here or there I will.  I have some ARCs coming in that I'll possibly do giveaways of, but if I disappear for a day or two here and there, it's because I'm out winning over potential employers! 

Like I said, I don't expect my scheduled posts here to go anywhere, but I may be changing around some things I do/don't do here.  I hope to still see all your pretty/handsome faces here just as much as usual, since I really do love EVERY single comment and site visit I get.

Thanks, y'all!  Happy reading.  :)

Once Upon a Prologue Original Feature: Shelved

Shelved is an original feature at Once Upon a Prologue where I talk about a book that has meant a great deal to me, whether because of the issues it dealt with, the romance, or relationships, or the emotions it conveyed.  Sometimes this will be a book I feel hasn't gotten enough attention; sometimes it will be a book we all know and love.  The purpose is to draw more attention to these relevant, amazing books.

Editions of Shelved

1. SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt: here.
2.  

Review + Giveaway: The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder

The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder
Published: July 30, 2012
Rating: Beam-worthy
Source: E-book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
Connect with the author: Twitter | Website

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Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...

Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.

Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.

My Review

The Unloved offers two things that I have a soft spot for: a pairing with a history, and a guy who is protective of the girl he cares for; one alone would have been enough to make me grin, but two put me over the top.  I fell hard for this story about two childhood friends who both yearn to become more, and leave their troubled lives behind, and while there were some serious flaws that didn't make this an epic read for me, it was still definitely enjoyable.  

Nick and Julie both have their share of issues, but Jennifer Snyder made them equally compelling characters.  I won't even try to pretend that I didn't fall a bit in love with Nick, whose greatest wish is to see his Jules smile, and to look after her.   Both Julie and Nick did some growing over the course of The Unloved, in order to rise above their circumstances.  And to be honest, Julie needed to do a LOT of soul-searching and growing-up.  She was a hot mess more often than not, and if I was exasperated with her at times, I also liked her.  I just couldn't help but cheer for this couple, because it was easy to see from their history, how much they cared for one another, and I just really wanted them to have their happy ending. 

The Unloved was an enjoyable read, but this is definitely a "new adult" book, toward the older range of the YA spectrum.  Snyder doesn't sugar-coat anything: there's drug use, and various sexual situations, at least one of which is violent.  I thought for the most part these issues were well-developed, and not glossed over, or trivialized in any way.  Instead, they were treated as serious issues, and served as fundamental conflicts for Nick and Julie.  

Although at times the writing felt as if it lacked polish, and the characters definitely made some questionable decisions, I still liked The Unloved.  I'd definitely recommend it to older YA readers who are looking for a heart-wrenching, if frustrating at times, story.   

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