Epic Recs: January 2014

A few months ago, Judith and I started up an impromptu book club called Epic Recs. The aim of this was to force each other to read books that we have previously loved. You know, because Judith is a self proclaimed book pusher, and I just like forcing people to do things.

A couple of months ago, we opened Epic Recs up to the public, and in December a hell of a lot of people signed up, either to be paired by us or after pairing themselves. Judith and I are so pleased at Epic Rec's success. We truly hope everyone enjoys this as much as we do!

This month we're doing the same thing, there's a form you can fill in if you want to be paired with another person, or you can sign up right away with someone of your choosing using the Linky.

Monthly Wrap Up and TBR: December 2013 - January 2014

December was a very slow and frustrating reading month for me. I have been in a giant reading slump for the past three weeks, and it was showing no signs of ending until I took part in a 24 hour readathon, which kicked me up the backside and got me reading. Here are the books that I read:

Debut Showcase: January 2014

After a long hiatus caused by my fabulous new job, the Debut Showcase is now back and ready to show off some debuts! I'll be doing things slightly differently this year, but you'll have to wait a while to see what I mean by that. (Because I'm still working out the kinks and I need more time.) 

The purpose of this feature is to show you guys which YA debuts I'm most looking forward to, and which ones I've enjoyed. Hopefully it'll also help build some buzz around some of these debuts. There will be one post at the beginning of each month, this time showing all the debuts that are being released in that month. I'll also be linking to my reviews of debuts from the previous month, rather than listing them all here.

Erased by Jennifer Rush

Erased by Jennifer Rush
Altered #2
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Jenn Rush, because she's lovely and fabulous
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Rating: All Time Favourite

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.

Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?

Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last page is turned.

Like clockwork, I woke after midnight and immediately had the urge to see Sam.

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I have been book pushing Altered on all of you since I read it almost a year ago, so when Jennifer Rush offered to send me a copy of Erased back in the summer, I was over the moon! At first I was a little bit nervous about Erased not living up to my expectations, but once I started reading it I realised that those hesitations were silly. Erased is just as good as Altered, meaning this series stays as one of my all time favourites that I want to reread RIGHT. NOW.

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Star Rating: ★★
Rating: Hodgepodge

Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer

A police officer comforts a woman on the shoulder of a rural highway.

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I had a few issues with No One Else Can Have You, and yet I still ended up weirdly enjoying the book. Don't ask me why, because I have absolutely no idea. No One Else Can Have Me offended me, made me roll my eyes, made me want to poke my eyes out, and yet there was something oddly captivating about it.