Stacking the Shelves {23}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? I had a good one! :)

For review:

The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce (ARC + book card and charm, for review for blog tour)

A big, big thanks to Bryony Pearce!

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Monday - I talked about blogger envy.
Tuesday - I teased from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson.
Wednedsay - I helped unveil the cover for Creators by Tiffany Truitt.
Thursday - I reviewed The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.
Friday - I helped unveil the cover for Ward Against Darkness by Melanie Card.

Books I read this week:
The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
Matched by Ally Condie (reread, audiobook)
Losing It by Cora Carmack

I'm currently reading:
Rebel Spirits by Lois Ruby

So that's been my week! A very light one, which is good, since I have so much to read! My internship is finished! I'm sad, but happy to have some free time back. That means lots of reading! :) Anyways, I'd love to see what y'all got, so leave me links! I'll be visiting about in just a little while. :) Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!

{Cover Reveal + Giveaway} Ward Against Darkness by Melanie Card

Today Melanie Card and Entangled Teen are revealing the cover for book 2 in The Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer Series, WARD AGAINST DARKNESS. In celebration, Entangled is giving away an ebook and a paperback of the book! You can enter below. :) I've been waiting for AGES for this second book, and am so excited to feature an interview with Melanie next week as part of the blog tour!

About the book:

The last thing Ward de'Ath wants is more trouble. On the run from both the law and the criminal underworld, Ward and Celia flee Brawenal City only to stumble into the mansion of a powerful evil necromancer. And when Ward discovers the man possesses a dangerous grimoire, his duty leaves him no choice. He can't allow the necromancer to keep the grimoire. But the mansion is filled with monsters--human and undead--and Ward has no way of telling who's friend or foe. The only person he can trust is Celia who dominates more of his thoughts and feelings everyday. But there are still laws in the way of anything but friendship. She's still dead and he's still alive . . . for now.

Find Ward Against Darkness: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Find Melanie: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Melanie has always been drawn to story telling. In fact, she can’t remember a time when she wasn’t telling a story in her head or on paper. In grade school, they had journal writing time which she turned into story telling time, weaving tales of magic and adventure that mimicked the fairy tales and myths that she loved to read. It was there, with the help of two very special teachers, that she nurtured this love and started her journey as a writer.

She writes fantasy, paranormal romance, and everything in between, seasoned with a good dash of adventure and mystery. Join her on my tales of magic, adventure, and romance.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release date: January 2, 2012
Author info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown
Format: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Pages: 236
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was so cute. Cute is what I needed when I read this. I had just slogged through two books that I didn't enjoy as much as I would've liked to, so I was dying for something quick, something I'd want to read in one sitting and enjoy myself doing so. (I read this in two sittings, but really, who's counting?)

This is a quick, simple read, but it's also well done. The concept is easy. Hadley and Oliver meet on a plane to London--both are heading to events they're dreading--and immediately hit it off, joking and laughing the whole way. When they reach London, they get separated without having exchanged phone numbers. They have to leave their destinies to fate, or do they?

Even as this is a short, light read, there's more depth to it than I imagined. Both Hadley and Oliver have to reconcile themselves, and learn to appreciate, their families. Both are angry and holding on to the anger, letting it destroy their relationship with a parent. Only in the whirlwind circumstances of the book--and through their interaction with the other--do they realize how much damage that anger is doing, and they reconcile with it.

So like I said: quick and light, but good. Perfect for a day at the beach or a day in bed. Or otherwise, really. :)

{Cover Reveal + Excerpt} Creators (The Lost Souls #3) by Tiffany Truitt

Today Tiffany Truitt and Entangled Teen are revealing the final cover for The Lost Souls Trilogy, CREATORS, along with an exclusive excerpt and a pre-order giveaway that Tiffany has set up on her blog! I've made it no secret how much I love these books, so I am ridiculously excited for the third book! Also, this cover is BEAUTIFUL, just like the other two. :)


About the book:

Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers.

As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators—the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything.

Enemy will become ally and death will bring new hope in this stunning conclusion to Tiffany Truitt’s epic Lost Souls trilogy.

Find Creators: Goodreads | Amazon
Find Tiffany: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

 Exclusive Excerpt (You'll want to read this, I promise!)

Somewhere, James was just as trapped as I was. I thought of the morning when we lay with each other, curled against one another, never beginning and never ending. How we’d stayed like that till the sun began to rise. James had reached down and pulled me off the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face. “Someone is mighty proud of himself,” I teased. He laughed. It bounced through the forest, calling it awake. Readying it for the day. “I’m just insanely happy.” I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him gently on his scar. “I’m insanely happy too,” I whispered. James looked down at me, and I was lost all over again. I would never tire of looking into those mismatched eyes. They didn’t make him different. They made him him. He chuckled as he reached over and pulled a leaf from my tangled hair. “They’ll know just by looking at you that we’ve been up to no good.” “No good?” I purred. “I thought it was very, very good.” James growled and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips hungrily against mine. I moved my hands to his hair, curling my fingers into it, attaching myself to him. I never wanted to let go. Every part of me ached to be touched by him, and every part of me ached to touch him right back. “Do you know how much I love you?” he breathed into the base of my neck. His lips fluttered against my skin. I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “As much as I love you.” James slowly put my feet back on the ground. He cradled my face in his hands. “That will never change. No matter what.” I looked deep into his eyes. “I know.” Because I did. It was one of life’s few assurances. I would always love James. I pressed my lips once again to his scar. “I adore this scar,” I whispered, unable to hide the smile that seemed etched on my face all morning. “You’re enough to drive a man crazy,” he said The tremble of his voice caused my toes to curl. I wanted him again. And again. And again. My fingers traced the waist of his pants. “Tonight?” I said, knowing full well it was a promise that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep. James grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Tonight,” he echoed. As the sun climb higher into the sky, I knew our moment was coming to an end. James reached down and placed his hand over my heart. “Thank you,” he said. “For what?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion. “For everything.” As the memory slipped away, I looked back up at the night sky. Praying and hoping that James knew how much I wanted to thank him too. For everything.

In celebration, Tiffany is holding a pre-order contest on her blog! Three lucky people who pre-order Creators will win a signed Cassandra Clare poster!

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Women (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing.

Teaser Tuesday: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson {29}

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Title: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)
Author: Rae Carson
Release date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow
Pages: 435

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most. Riveting, surprising, and achingly romantic, Rae Carson has spun a bold and powerful conclusion to her extraordinary trilogy.

My teaser, from 7% in the egalley:

I allow myself a secret smile. We did it. We became horse thieves. Now we'll be able to cover twice the distance each day.

We're coming Hector.

Holy cannoli, I'm excited for this book! I think it's my most anticipated book of the year, and I've had a copy for a while now. I've been resisting reading it, but I don't think I'm going to succeed any longer!!

If you leave me a link to your post I am definitely going to be visiting back, it just won't be until late in the day today since I'll be at work till 5. Have a lovely Tuesday!

So Long, Farewell Google Reader

I know y'all are all aware Google Reader will be gone tomorrow. I'm not here to discuss alternatives or anything of the sort. I'm just here for a little bit of shameless self-promotion! :) I just want to add in some quick and easy links to alternative following methods, in case you'd like to continue hearing what I have to say. (And I hope you do!)

If you like Bloglovin':

Or you like to subscribe through email:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Or maybe you like Feedly!

I couldn't get the button thing to work (I"m working on it! There are duplicates, for whatever reason.) but this link led me to the right page. Otherwise you can search for the url.

I also have NetworkedBlogs in the sidebar!

I hope there's something for everyone to follow with! :) If you follow blogs in a different way and would like me to get it, just let me know! I'll do it. :)

Let's Talk About... Blogger Envy

Yup... I'm gonna go there. But really, I'm not going much of anywhere. Don't worry! :)

Summer is the time of year that I am most subject to blogger envy. You all know what I'm talking about. When you see others posting their BEA recaps and their ALA recaps, which show how many ARCs and signed books they got, and people who live near big cities post about all the signings they're going to. (The signings kind of happen year round, but it seems a little bigger in the summer. Maybe I'm wrong.) If you're like me, you don't get to go to those conventions and you don't live close to places authors come to very often. In the heat of the summer, you can't help but be pretty darn jealous of those people.

There is nothing wrong with that. It's natural to be envious of people who get the things you want. I know I sit at my computer, seeing the stacks and stacks of books that I'm dying to read, and wishing I could have them, wishing I could go to the conventions and the signings. When I get like this, I try to keep a couple of things in mind.

First, I did not start blogging so I could go to conventions and author signings. I could easily go to those things without being a blogger. But, if I weren't a blogger, I would not be exposed to so much information about them, either. Honestly, if I didn't blog, I probably would not know about BEA or ALA. The access bloggers get to these things is a perk, and not everyone in the world can receive that perk at any one time. Simple as that. I don't blog for books; I blog because I love to share my opinions and discuss books with others.

Second, I could very easily be one of those lucky people at any time. Every so often, an author I am unbelievably excited to meet comes close enough that I can go. I flip out and dance around. It's expected. There's bound to be someone out there who is jealous of me. Maybe one day I'll get to go to one of the big conventions, then I can be one of those people posting a recap. Just because I didn't go this year doesn't mean I won't ever go. Circumstances change.

Like I said, it's natural to wish you could have the opportunities others are having right now. It always seems that it's best to have something immediately. But, I also think it's important to remember that your exclusion from events this time doesn't mean you'll be left out later. You'll be the one everyone is jealous of, just be patient. :)

To be clear, I'm not condoning angry, irrational jealousy, where someone says something rude or acts rashly. I'm only talking about mild jealousy, where someone sitting at home says to themself, "Darn, I wish I could've been there."

So, are you like me? Do you get a little pouty every time you see a stack of books you're dying to read? Or do you try to keep it in perspective?