Novel Fashion >> Get the "Bliss Cavendar" Look

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

"I have mod fashion envy from their uniforms alone." Derby Girl

The Derby Girl Look

Waiting on Wednesday >> Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)

Waiting on Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights the books you are most anticipating. This week's exciting soon-to-be-released novel is Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger, due out February 13, 2013.

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger

New Release Tuesday >> May 29, 2012

It's that time of the week again! Yes, my dears, it's NEW RELEASE TUESDAY, a book lover's favorite day of the week in which fresh new copies of literature are made available to us. Another slow week in books today, but there is quite a few titles I am interested in picking up. Philippa Gregory of Boleyn fame brings us Changeling, book one in a new historical paranormal series. Also out this week is the sequel to Mistwood and the sequel to Starcrossed. The title I am most anxious to get, and was previously featured on one of my WoWs, is No Safety In Numbers, a thrilling survival story about a biological disaster and the lengths we go to survive. Although I didn't list a series name for this one, it is actually book one in a new trilogy! As much as I hate cliffhangers, sometimes the wait is half the fun! Which titles are you excited for this week?

Review >> Courtney Crumrin Volume 1: The Night Things

Courtney Crumrin Volume 1: The Night Things by Ted Naifeh

Courtney Crumrin Volume 1: The Night Things by Ted Naifeh -- April 11, 2012 -- Hardcover, 137 pages, Oni Press (9781934964774)

"'Careful now. Old Professor Crumrin doesn't take kindly to youngsters gally-vantin' in 'is backyard.'"

The already eccentric loner Courtney Crumrin has enough to deal with in her life, but now her moocher parents have run out of money and have relocated the family to the posh town of Hillsborough to live with Uncle Aloysius in his creepy mansion. Now poor Courtney has to deal with being an outcast at her new school, making new friends, adjusting to life inside Uncle Aloysius's mansion, and dealing with dopplegangers, spellbooks, goblin cities, and the creatures that roam the shadows called "the night things."

Cover Me Fashionable >> The Unnaturalists

The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent

Cover Me Fashionable is a weekly meme hosted by The Lost Lola, which features clothing finds by readers which match the outfits worn on the covers of their favorite books. This week's fashionable cover find is this Victorian Steampunk ensemble available from the Etsy shop Steampunk Couture for $599. This exquisite and perfectly constructed dress will make you feel like you can hop aboard an airship or steam-powered carriage and rewrite history yourself! Just add a pair of riding gloves and some spectacular goggles, and you are ready to fly your way into Steamy alternate-London!

Steampunk Couture Lady Grey Ensemble

Which fashionable cover finds have you spotted this week?

Stacking the Shelves >> May 26, 2012

Stacking the Shelves, May 26, 2012

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase what books and book related items you received this week! I am so happy to have received so many amazing gifts this week, from both authors and family members. It felt like Christmas every time I checked the mail, and it was so nice finding beautifully written envelopes that harkens back to the days of letter writing. The downside is that I may have run out of room on my bookshelves, and must now seek out a good contractor for expansion! 

Review >> The Disenchantments

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour -- February 16, 2012 -- Hardcover, 307 pages, Dutton Books (9780525422198)

"Bev says when she's onstage she feels the world holding its breath for her. She feels electric, louder than a thousand wailing sirens, more powerful than God."

Colby and his best friend Bev couldn't wait for high school to end so they could spend the summer touring the West coast with Bev's band, The Disenchantments, and traipsing around Europe after their farewell show. Just as the tour is about to kick off with fellow members Meg and Alexa, Bev announces to Colby that she is not going to Europe after all, and has decided to head off to college. Colby has spent his entire high school career waiting for this trip, all the while coping with his growing feelings for Bev. Now, he must reexamine his life and his relationship with Bev in order to figure out his own uncertain future.

Waiting on Wednesday >> Breathe (Breathe #1)

Waiting on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights the books you are most anticipating. This week's exciting soon-to-be-released novel is Breathe (Breathe #1) by Sarah Crossan, due out October 2 from Greenwillow.

Breathe (Breathe #1) by Sarah Crossan

New Release Tuesday >> May 22, 2012

It's that time of the week again! Yes, my dears, it's NEW RELEASE TUESDAY, a book lover's favorite day of the week in which fresh new copies of literature are made available to us. This week we make a recovery from the lack of releases from last week! Lots of new paranormal books out this Tuesday, including the final installment in the Nicholas Flamel series, and the much anticipated Fated and steampunk adventure The Girl In the Clockwork Collar. I am also interested in this Pegasus book, because what girl doesn't like stories about Pegasuses? In the contemporary category, both Dead Time and Shift sound outstanding, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of each! Which titles are you excited for this week?

Cover Me Fashionable >> The Selection (The Selection #1)

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

Cover Me Fashionable is a weekly meme hosted by The Lost Lola, which features clothing finds by readers which match the outfits worn on the covers of their favorite books. This week's fashionable cover find is this powder-blue tiered ballgown found at a local vintage clothing store which is very similar to that worn on the cover of The Selection. They just had this beauty sitting in the window, and the book nerd in me immediately goes "That's the one from the cover! Quick, get the camera!" Of course you will need to add a very, very fluffy petticoat or even a hoop skirt underneath to achieve that fuller look, but I'd say this is a pretty close match, wouldn't you agree?

Found at a Vintage Clothing Store

Which fashionable cover finds have you spotted this week?

Cover Me Fashionable >> Alice In Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1)

Alice In Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter

Cover Me Fashionable is a weekly meme hosted by The Lost Lola, which features clothing finds by readers which match the outfits worn on the covers of their favorite books. This week's fashionable cover find is this stunning lolita dress, available from Qutieland for $174, which I am absolutely dying to get my hands on! I think this dress is an almost identical match to the one on the Alice In Zombieland cover, wouldn't you say? From the beautiful silky fitted bodice with very fairy tale looking sleeves, to the amazingly full chiffon skirt, I am, quite simply, in love with this dress. Imagine slipping on this number and finding your own path to Wonderland! 

Kidsyoyo Madeleine Silky OP

Which fashionable cover finds have you spotted this week?

Review >> Derby Girl

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross -- September 4, 2007 -- Hardcover, 240 pages, Henry Holt and Co. (9780805080230)

"I don't know how it happened or what sort of backroom deal went down, but apparently I'm living in a small Texas town with two culturally clueless impostors for legal guardians, when I just know my real parents are out there somewhere."

Bliss Cavendar feels like an outcast in the small, middle of nowhere town of Bodeen, Texas. With her love for Indie rock, thrift store clothing, and dyed blue hair, she doesn't exactly fit in with the other beauty pageant girls, and of course she resents the fact that her mother is trying to force her into the same lifestyle. Then Bliss stumbles across the hardcore, "be your own hero" sisterhood of roller derby, and she finally feels like she belongs. So she straps on some Barbie skates and joins the Hurl Scouts, gaining the nickname Babe Ruthless and learning that sometimes you have to make waves to make your own path in life.

Waiting on Wednesday >> Alice in Wonderland x2

Waiting on Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights the books you are most anticipating. This week's exciting soon-to-be-released reads provide a double dose of Alice in Wonderland amazingness: Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter, due out September 25 from Harlequin Teen, and Splintered by A.G. Howard, due out January 2013 from Amulet Books.

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter

Splintered by A.G. Howard

New Release Tuesday >> May 15, 2012

It's that time of the week again! Yes, my dears, it's NEW RELEASE TUESDAY, a book lover's favorite day of the week in which fresh new copies of literature are made available to us. It's a pretty slow release week this time around, with only 5 new books out on the shelves! I am super excited to pick up the historical paranormal romance Gilt and am even more excited to get the post-apocalyptic zombie thriller, The Weepers: The Other Life. What are you running out to pick up this week?

Review >> 172 Hours On the Moon

172 Hours On the Moon by Johan Harstad

172 Hours On the Moon by Johan Harstad -- April 17, 2012 -- Hardcover, 355 pages, Little, Brown (9780316182881)

"'Gentlemen, it's time,' Dr. ---- said, eyeing the seven men in suits seated around a large conference table. They were some of the most powerful people in the country, together in the largest meeting room at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C."

The year is 2010, and the people of NASA are desperately looking for a way to acquire funding to send astronauts back to the moon and man, what was top secret up until this point, a research station built on the moon itself called DARLAH 2. The solution: garner media attention and public support by holding a contest to select 3 teenagers the opportunity of a lifetime to accompany these astronauts to the moon. However, the research team is not being entirely truthful about their true intentions for lunar habitation, and the secrets they hold may prove deadly for not just the crew, but for humanity itself.

Review >> The Hunt (The Hunt #1)

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda -- May 8, 2012 -- Hardcover, 293 pages, St. Martin's Griffin (9781250005144)

"There used to be more of us. I'm certain of this. Not enough to fill a sports stadium or even a movie theater, but certainly more than what's left today."

Gene is hiding a big secret, a secret that could prove fatal if ever revealed to those around him. He is forced to shave his body and trim his nails every single day, never tan his skin, and clean and apply razor sharp fangs before heading off to night school attended by vampires. This is because Gene is one the last remaining humans. And you thought your teen years were tough! Now, the nocturnal citizens are given the opportunity of a lifetime- participate in an event hunting down the last known humans in an exciting televised hunt. When Gene is chosen by lottery to participate in the event, he must decide once and for all if his facade of a life is worth continuing, or find another reason to hold on to the last remnants of his humanity.

Stacking the Shelves >> May 12, 2012

Stacking the Shelves, May 12, 2012

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase what books and book related items you received this week! Lots of buys this week for me, I may have gone a little overboard, but I can't help it! Books are like catnip to me =^_^= And I even received a lovely little set of signed bookplates and tattoos from author Elissa Janine Hoole for her upcoming book, Kiss the Morning Star!

Cover Me Fashionable >> Everneath (Everneath #1)

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Cover Me Fashionable is a weekly meme hosted by The Lost Lola, which features clothing finds by readers which match the outfits worn on the covers of their favorite books. This week's fashionable cover find is this gorgeous, albeit rather pricey, red chiffon ballgown from Halston Heritage. The color is so vibrant on this dress, and even though it's a little off from the cover dress, I feel like it captures the same otherworldy feeling present on Brodi Ashton's book cover, don't you think? Now all I need is a pair of gorgeous pumps, some atmospheric fog, and a smoldering hot guy to pull me from the darkest depths of the underworld!

Halston Heritage Dress

Which fashionable cover finds have you spotted this week?

Novel Fashion >> Get the "Queen Levana" Look

"Kai bristled at the sight of the Lunar Queen, her head and shoulders draped in an ornate cream-colored veil, like a perpetual bride. All that could be seen beneath the shroud was a hint of long dark hair and the ghost of her features." Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)

The Queen Levana Look

Waiting on Wednesday >> No Safety In Numbers

Waiting on Wednesday, May 8, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights the books you are most anticipating. This week's exciting soon-to-be-released read is No Safety In Numbers by Dayna Lorentz, due out May 29 from Dial Press.

No Safety In Numbers by Dayna Lorentz

New Release Tuesday >> May 8, 2012

It's that time of the week again! Yes, my dears, it's NEW RELEASE TUESDAY, a book lover's favorite day of the week in which fresh new copies of literature are made available to us. We have an abundance of contemporary YA new releases this week, including the highly buzzed about books In Honor by Jessi Kirby and Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, both of which I am looking forward to reading, along with Chained and Ladies In Waiting. In the paranormal category, we have a new release from Cassandra Clare, and the three books from this category I want to buy, Enchanted, a retelling of the Frog Prince, the vampire survival story, The Hunt (The Hunt #1) and Hemlock (Hemlock #1). What are you looking forward to picking up this week?

Review >> Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer -- January 3, 2012 -- Hardcover, 387 pages, Feiwel and Friends (9780312641894)

"While her sisters were given beautiful dresses and fine slippers, Cinderella had only a filthy smock and wooden shoes."

New Beijing market is rife with skilled vendors and tradesmen working tirelessly night and day peddling their merchandise and skills. Among the occupied booths lining the streets sits Linh Cinder, a highly skilled mechanic who also happens to be a cyborg. One day, Cinder is visited by the handsome and eligible heir to the throne, Prince Kai, who has a very important and secretive task for her to complete- repair one of the prince's androids before the ball. But this android may be holding more secrets than Cinder is prepared to uncover, secrets that could potentially bring about intergalactic war with the Lunars. And her problems escalate when her stepsister and only human friend contracts a deadly plague which has already decimated most of the human population, a plague that may have a cure, for the right price.

Cover Me Fashionable >> In Honor

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Cover Me Fashionable is a weekly meme hosted by The Lost Lola, which features clothing finds by readers which match the outfits worn on the covers of their favorite books. This week's fashionable cover find is this sweet summer dress, courtesy of ModCloth. I love the feeling of a nice polka-dot dress as I cruise down the street in my car on the road to anywhere but here, wouldn't you agree? Now all you need is a pair of cute cowboy boots, and you are set! How do you think they compare?

Spot Your Partner Dress from ModCloth 

Which fashionable cover finds have you spotted this week? 

Novel Fashion >> Get the "Cordelia Fenner" Look

"'How about we pull your hair into a severe bun and pin it with a flower,' Katelyn offered. 'Dark eyes and red lips- you could be a Spanish senorita.'" Unleashed (Wolf Springs Chronicles #1)

The Cordelia Fenner Look

Cover Reveal >> Prodigy (Legend #2)

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

The cover for Marie Lu's second book in the Legend trilogy was revealed this week, what do you guys think? I am actually in love with this second cover. The first book cover was very military-esque, and had a very controlling feel to it. I like how the second one appears to be more rebellious, with the blue surrounding the bird symbol looking like spray paint. Nothing says "to hell with the man!" quite like a bottle of spray paint, wouldn't you say?

Literary Events >> Fancy Nancy Tea Adventure

This Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a tea hosted by Adventures By The Book at the beautiful Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego, CA with Christine de la Creme. Our Fancy Nancy Tea Adventure included a meet-and-greet with the illustrator of the Fancy Nancy book series, Robin Preiss Glasser, who may just about be the most fabulous person you will ever meet! Of course we opted to dress in fanciful lolita wear to celebrate the release of the book, Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet.

Waiting on Wednesday >> The Hunt (The Hunt #1)

Waiting on Wednesday, May 2 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights the books you are most anticipating. This week's exciting soon-to-be-released read is The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda, due out May 8 from St. Martin's Griffin.

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda

Novel Fashion >> Faction Fashions from Divergent

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

To celebrate the release of the second book in Veronica Roth's Divergent series, Insurgent, and inspired by a post seen over at YA Highway, I've arranged a few lolita outfits that I felt best represented the 5 Factions: Abnegation (The Selfless), Amity (The Peaceful), Candor (The Honest), Erudite (The Intelligent), and Dauntless (The Brave). I think my favorite is the Dauntless look, because nothing feels better than feeling like you're on top of the world!

New Release Tuesday >> May 1, 2012

New Release Tuesday, May 1 2012

It's that time of the week again! Yes, my dears, it's NEW RELEASE TUESDAY, a book lover's favorite day of the week in which fresh new copies of literature are made available to us. This week, we have not one, but two mermaid books out in the form of The Vicious Deep (The Vicious Deep #1) by Zoraida Cordova and Wrecked by Anna Davies, both of which sound to be tail-flippin' good reads. Lots of "W" titles in YA contemporary fiction, and you might notice that the summer titles are starting to trickle in as well. I'm looking forward to picking up the dystopian thrillers, both Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth and Revived by Cat Patrick, as well as the 1910s historical romance Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame and the steampunk novel The Peculiars. Which books are you running out to pick up? Here are the new releases for this week.