Daisy Chain Book Reviews

Title: Code Name Verity Author: Elizabeth Wein Publisher: Hyperion Publication Date: May 15, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: NetGalley Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun. When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her fr...

In honor of the freedom to read, I'm giving one of my readers the freedom to choose his/her own prize. Enter to win  a book of your choice . Let's get right to the rules: Must be 13 years or older to enter.  If under 18, must have permission of parent or guardian.  Open internationally , as long as The Book Depository will ship to you. ( You can check their list of countries here. ) Falsified entries will result in the disqualification of all entries by offending entrant.  Please see my contest & privacy policy for more details. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure to check out the other stops on the giveaway hop for more chances to win great stuff!

Title: My Life Next Door Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick Publisher: Dial Publication Date: June 14, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: ARC Tour The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them...until one summer evening Jase Garrett climbs her trellis and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love and stumble through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first romance, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own - even as she keeps him a secret from her disapproving mother and critical best friend. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of Samantha's world after a terrible accident, and she's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself? This book is like a curious puppy wrapped in mewling kittens and topped with a baby platypus. That is to say, IT'S FRE...

Title: This Is Not a Test Author: Courtney Summers Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Publication Date: June 19, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: NetGalley It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—an...

Title: Something Like Normal Author: Trish Doller Publisher: Bloomsbury Publication Date: June 19, 2012 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: NetGalley When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Something Like Normal is a great book with some heart-squeezing moments. Travis's character has a genuine voice and is completely authentic and believable. He's not one of those achingly charming literary characters that comes across as too good to be true - he's realistic. He has flaws. He recogn...

Title: Shadow and Bone Author: Leigh Bardugo Publisher: Henry Holt Publication Date: June 5, 2012 Series: Grisha #1 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: NetGalley Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secret...

I'd like to welcome Sam, the main character in My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, to the blog today to share some of her preferences with us by playing a little This or That: Grass is greener: this side or that side? Literally or metaphorically? Our grass is greener than the Garretts, but my mom uses these scary chemicals to make sure it is, so…. Quiet or Loud? Quiet peaceful, or quiet ominous? Loud, happy and celebrating or yelling? It’s strange how both can be good or bad. Neat or Messy? I’m pretty neat. Maybe a little compulsive about it? Jase teases me, but I hate not being able to find things. Romeo or Juliet? Juliet, Romeo was wayyy too impulsive and sort of a drama-fest. Books or Movies? Books. I like to picture the characters in my mind. Fast or Slow? Slow. From what I’ve seen, the bad things happen fast and the good things take a while Standing out or Blending in? I usually have been one to blend in, but I’m getting more comfortable with standing out. New or Vi...

Here are some of my favorite covers for June 2012: The Shady Wispy Edition This Is Not a Test  by Courtney Summers I adore this cover. I love the blood spatter in the corner against the calming blue background, and the girl with her hair blowing in front of her face looks like slow-motion, while the blur of the background gives the impression that it's moving quickly. The overall effect that it gives off reminds me of slow motion car accidents in movies. I think it's absolutely perfect for a zombie book written by an author known for contemporary realistic fiction. Amazon | Goodreads Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Why, hello, something different! I love the moody coloring, font, texture, stenciling, brushes, everything. It gives the cover a serious undertone and makes me think of creepy fairy tales and faraway places. And it won't put off male readers. Unisex covers always make me happy. Amazon | Goodreads Before I Wake  by Rachel Vincent Sigh. I know this is a girl ...