Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop!

Happy New Year!  I can't believe that 2012 is already over...honestly, I'm kind of glad it is.  To celebrate, I decided to hold yet another giveaway!

This giveaway hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Babs Book Bistro

Since I've held two decent sized international giveaways in a row, this one will be open to those who live in the US and Canada only.  Sorry, guys, I'm kind of broke!

Here's the prize:

One lucky winner will get these four ARCs.  Three of them are from 2012, but since this is a New Year hop, I decided to include one exciting 2013 release!

Please read this before entering:
-You must have a US or Canadian address.

-Upon winning, you must reply within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

-I am requiring you to follow this time, so if you can't use GFC, you can also follow through RSS.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While you're here, enter my 1,000 follower giveaway to win a huge box of books or two 2013 pre-orders!  Part of this one is open internationally!

Happy New Year and Wrapping Up 2012!

First of all, I want to thank you all for making this a great year for me, blogging-wise!  I'd like to share a few milestones I hit in 2012 because of everyone who continues to read the words I type.

At the beginning of the year, I hit 150 followers.  By the end, I have over 1,460!

In the spring of 2012, I celebrated my one year blogoversary.

I reached my goal of reading 100 books!  I actually read 104!

I received my first ARC for review (Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig) from HarperTeen.

I posted 238 times, which 102 times more than last year.

Here are the books I read and reviewed each month of 2012!

January:

-Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey (5 stars)

-The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams (4.5 stars)

-Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard (4 stars)

-Everneath by Brody Ashton (5 stars)

-Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (5 stars)

February:

-New Girl by Paige Harbison (3.5 stars)

-Delirium by Lauren Oliver (5 stars)

-Pandemonuim by Lauren Oliver (5 stars)

-The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (4 stars)

-Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (4 stars)

-Past Perfect by Leila Sales (4 stars)

-Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (5 stars)

-Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks (5 stars)

-Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom (4 stars)

March:

-The Humming Room by Ellen Potter (4 stars)

-Illuminate by Aimee Agresti (4 stars)

-Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig (5 stars)

-The List by Siobhan Vivian (3.5 stars)

-Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (5 stars)

April:

-Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler (2 stars)

-Zero by Tom Leveen (5 stars)

-Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross (5 stars)

-Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (4 stars)

-Fateful by Claudia Gray (5 stars)

-When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle (4 stars)

-Entangled by Nikki Jefford (5 stars)

-Night Sky by Jolene B. Perry (4 stars)

-Die For Me by Amy Plum (5 stars)

-Enchanted by Alethea Kontis (4.5 stars)

May:

-Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (5 stars)

-Revived by Cat Patrick (5 stars)

-Wither by Lauren DeStefano (4 stars)

-Fever by Lauren DeStefano (4 stars)

-Spectral by Shannon Duffy (3 stars)

-Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (5 stars)

-Arise by Tara Hudson (4 stars)

-In Honor by Jessi Kirby (4.5 stars)

-Duplicity by Nikki Jefford (5 stars)

June:

-Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker (5 stars)

-Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (4 stars)

-Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (4 stars)

-Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (4.5 stars)

-Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham (4 stars)

-The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (5 stars)

-One Moment by Kristina McBride (4 stars)

-Purity by Jackson Pearce (4.5 stars)

-The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen (3.5 stars)

-Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5 stars)

-Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer (4 stars)

-The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle (5 stars)

-Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (5 stars)

-Dark Companion by Marta Acosta (2.5 stars)

July:

-Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (5 stars)

-Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown (3.5 stars)

-Knee Deep by Jolene Perry (4 stars)

-Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (5 stars)

-The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee (3.5 stars)

-Until I Die by Amy Plum (5 stars)

-A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger (5 stars)

-Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown (4.5 stars)

-Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (5 stars)

August:

-Wake by Amanda Hocking (4 stars)

-Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (5 stars)

-Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (4 stars)

-My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (5 stars)

-Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (4 stars)

-This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (5 stars)

-Speechless by Hannah Harrington (5 stars)

-Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman (5 stars)

-Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (4.5 stars)

-Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (3.5 stars)

September:

-Dark Light by Sara Walsh (4 stars)

-34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues (3 stars)

-Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (4.5 stars)

-If I Stay by Gayle Forman (4 stars)

-The Blemished by Sarah Dalton (4 stars)

-Entice by Jessica Shirvington (4 stars)

-The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (5 stars)

-Saving June by Hannah Harrington (5 stars)

-Eve by Anna Carey (5 stars)

October:

-Every Day by David Levithan (5 stars)

-The Suburban Strange by Nathan Kotecki (2 stars)

-Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (5 stars)

-Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler (4 stars)

-Velveteen by Daniel Marks (2.5 stars)

-Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (5 stars)

-The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block (5 stars)

-The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide by Stacey Graham (5 stars)

-Blind Spot by Laura Ellen (4 stars)

-Possess by Gretchen McNiel (4 stars)

-Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman (4 stars)

-Frost by Marianna Baer (3.5 stars)

November:

-Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (5 stars)

-Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (5 stars)

-Girl Meets Boy edited by Kelly Milner Halls (3 stars)

-The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (5 stars)

-Slide by Jill Hathaway (4 stars)

-Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill (5 stars)

-Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan (3.5 stars)

December:

-Reckoning by Molly M. Hall (3.5 stars)

-Crewel by Gennifer Albin (4 stars)

-Ten by Gretchen McNeil (3.5 stars)

-What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton (5 stars)

-Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford (4 stars)

I hope you have all had a productive year, met some goals and enjoyed many books!  Have a great night, be safe, and I'll be back before midnight to post a new giveaway!

In My Mailbox #61

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

Review

-Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

(ARC from HarperCollins)

Random Buzzers

-Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

(ARC bought with buzz bucks)

This week, most bloggers are showing off the books they got for Christmas.  I didn't get any this year, but I'm more than excited to read both of the titles I did receive in the mail!  Everyone's telling me how good Mila 2.0 is and I've seen Unspoken on so many Best of 2012 lists, so I can't wait to dig in!

Thanks for stopping by!  What have you received in your mailbox?

While you're here, enter my 1,000 follower giveaway to win a huge box of books or two 2013 pre-orders!  My Best of 2012 giveaway ends soon, so if you want to win your choice of one 2012 release, hurry and enter!  Both giveaways are INT!

Review: Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (Vol. 1: Transfusion) by Nikki Jefford

Title: Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter
Author: Nikki Jefford
Publisher: Self published
Age Group: New Adult
Category: Paranormal
Release date: December 9th, 2012
Pages: 242 (ebook)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Author
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it’s to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn’t hurt either. 

Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora’s life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically she’s a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job… by hand. 

Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if he’s a vampire, will she be forced to kill him?

When Aurora wakes up after a near-death experience, she finds herself face-to-face with the dead.  Vampires to be exact.  Before the accident, her life was mostly normal.  Now there are secrets that the government are keeping from the public, and Aurora has been thrown into the fire.  The transfusion that she was given is toxic to vampires, but having that blood inside her is also keeping her from the life she wanted to live.

Aurora is a great main character.  I always admire the badass Buffy types, and that is exactly what she's on her way to becoming.  Every heroine has to start somewhere, and I have a feeling that there is so much more awesomeness to come from this series.  She's confused at first.  Of course she doesn't want to be a vampire hunter.  It's not normal, and every teenager just wants to fit in.  It seems as though she's losing everything at once, but in the long run, she's gaining a lot more than she could have ever imagined.

Another favorite character of mine is Fane, who is the typical dark and mysterious love interest with a big heart.  When Aurora discovers who he really is, she might have to evaluate their relationship.  Getting to know the characters was just one of my favorite things about this book.  The author also does an amazing job with the pacing of the story, throwing in excitement, danger and sexiness in just the right places.

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter a fresh story filled with scenes that will make your heart race.  Nikki Jefford's writing makes it difficult to put the book down.  There were some predictable parts, but overall, I was surprised with how much I truly enjoyed it.  The ending definitely left me salivating for more.

Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop (INT)

I hope all of you have had a lovely holiday so far!  I'm here to spread more cheer with a giveaway, of course!

The Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

One international reader will win a choice of one of the following books:

Want to enter?  Read these first:
-Open internationally as long as the Book Depository sends to your country
-Winner must reply within 72 hours of being emailed
-You don't have to be a blog follower to enter, but you will get more entries if you are

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While you're here, enter my 1,000 follower giveaway to win a huge box of books or two 2013 pre-orders!

Waiting on Wednesday #62

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by, Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on! 

Title: Dare You To

Author: Katie McGarry

Release Date: May 28th, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... 

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him. 

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

I love love loved Katie McGarry's debut novel, Pushing the Limits. That pretty much guarantees that I'll be reading Dare You To as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.  All I know is that this story will be beautifully written and incredibly steamy.  I wish I could be reading it at this very moment!

What awesome title are you waiting for this Wednesday? 

While you're here, enter my 1,000 follower giveaway to win a huge box of books or two 2013 pre-orders!

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to stop by the blog and wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  I hope everyone is celebrating this holiday season with their loved ones and reading as much as they possibly can!  

I'll be back with reviews as soon as I get back into the reading mood, so you can probably look forward to at least one by the end of the week.  Also, another awesome giveaway will be up shortly, so keep your eyes open for that!

Anyways, I hope you all have a lovely day!

...I just couldn't resist.  :)

Best of 2012: The Best of the Best

And finally...my absolute favorite reads of the year.  Some I love solely for the writing, some for the story and some for the main characters, but I would reread them all again and again if I had extra time.

-Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

-Every Day by David Levithan

-Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

-Die for Me by Amy Plum

-Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

-Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

-Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

-Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

-Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

-Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

-Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

-My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

-Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

-What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

Best of 2012: Released before 2012

I bet you're skimming my Best of 2012 lists and wondering "Chey, have you only read new releases this year?"  The answer to that would be "no way"!  I finally got to some amazing older releases and discovered authors that so many of you already love!

-Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

-Delirium by Lauren Oliver

-The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

-Die For Me by Amy Plum

-Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

-Wither by Lauren DeStefano

-Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

-Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

-The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

-The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

-Saving June by Hannah Harrington

-Eve by Anna Carey

Best of 2012: Standalones

Who doesn't love a good standalone?  No cliffhangers or waiting a year or more for the next installment to come out...here are the best standalone books I've read in 2012!

-What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

-Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

-The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block

-Every Day by David Levithan

-This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

-Speechless by Hannah Harrington

-My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

-Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

-A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

-Tiger Lily  by Jodi Lynn Anderson

-In Honor by Jessi Kirby

-Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

-Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

-Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

-Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala