Stacking the Shelves #11

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hi there gorgeous people! These are two weeks worth of books, last week I had a minor surgery in one of my fingers and it was really hard to type (I still have stitches, but it hurts a lot less :)   

Purchased (physical books)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - I've only heard wonderful things about this book and lately I've had wonderful luck reading fantasy; can't wait to get started!

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund - One of my favorite Austen books is Persuasion and this book is a modern take on it. Should be pretty good :)

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - I read this book a while ago, but I didn't have my own copy. Can't wait for The Rise of Nine!

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols - I will read anything written by Echols, enough said.

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han - This is the conclusion of the Summer series (already read it, review coming soon!)

Purchased for Kindle (eBooks)

Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose - I saw these book in a few blogs and couldn't resist that cover. Beautiful!

There are four short novellas prequels to Throne of Glass (review coming this Sunday - LOVE IT!).  I hope we get a lot more short stories about Celaena :)

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass 0.1) by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin and the Desert (Throne of Glass 0.2) by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin and the Underworld (Throne of Glass 0.3) by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin and the Empire (Throne of Glass 0.4) by Sarah J. Maas)

Library 

Timepiece by Myra McEntire - I really enjoyed Hourglass and I'm eager to read its sequel.

Storm *The Elemental Series* by Brigid Kemmerer - This just looked very interesting and I've seen it around.  Is it good?

For Review

Rebel Heart by Moira Young - This is the sequel to Blood Red Road, and want to know what happens next to this unique family.  Thank you to Eldelweiss for the copy.

The Infects by Sean Beaudoin - I know this book has a creepy cover, but it actually sounds hilarious! Thank you to NetGalley and Candelwick Press.

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye by Shari A. Brady - I got this as part of a blog tour I will be a part of in September. 

Into the Mist: Silver Hand by Steven Finegan - Received from the author for review. Thanks!

That's it for me guys.  What's stacking your shelves this week?

Remember to enter my Follower Appreciation Giveaway – Here 

Pushing the Limits Giveaway - Here

Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Hourglass #1)

Title: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Published: June 14^th, 2011 by Egmont USA

Source: Library

Challenge(s): Support Your Local Library

Grade rate: A-

 One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

My Review

I really enjoyed Hourglass.  It was an unexpected read with many twists and turns, but I loved the ride!

Emerson is a great heroine.  I loved that although she is short and is beautiful and looks delicate, she is everything but.  She has lived through tragedy, depression and the burden of an unusual “gift” and has conquered it all.  That doesn’t mean that it was easy, but she has a very strong character and it’s open to possibilities.  Emerson is funny, snarky, loyal and very stubborn.  I really loved Michael and I trusted him instinctively from the beginning, even though it looked like he was forever holding back part of himself and a lot of information.  The chemistry between Michael and Emerson was understandable given the premise of the book, but a little to instant for my taste. 

I really like that Emerson had family that cared about her.  Thomas and Dee are two characters that were attentive and loving and not MIA like so many parents seem to be in YA lately.  I hope we learn more about Kaleb and the other members of the Hourglass in the next installment.  One word about Jack: BOOO!

The plot is very original, even if you have read about time travel before.  It was unexpected, interesting and difficult to put down.  The writing was easy to read, straightforward and fairly fast paced, a lot happened in a short amount of time.  I really hope to get a better sense of the work that the Hourglass does (and how) and that they can find Jack soon.   I will eagerly await the publication of Timepiece, due in June.  

About the cover: It is breathtaking, is it not?  It portraits Emerson and gives the illusion of traveling, of movement and flow. 

Enter my 300 Follower Giveaway  here!