"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

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ACID by Emma Pass

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: April 25, 2013

Publisher: Corgi Children's Books/Random House Children's Publishing

Pages: 334

Summary: A fast and furious thriller featuring the coolest, toughest bad girl since Lisbeth Salander. Meet Jenna Strong. In Jenna’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule with an iron fist. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.  But Jenna’s violent prison has taught her a thing or two about survival. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead. A gripping futuristic debut that will hook you from the very first page.

What are your thoughts on ACID?

Merry Christmas + International Giveaway!

Hello ladies and gents! Have you been well? I really hope so! I wanted to take the time out today to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, well to those who celebrate it.

My blog has been non-existent for the past year, working full time has really minimized my blogging time. My free time just hasn't been like it used to be. Also, I am currently renovating my basement due to Hurricane Sandy, so I'm mainly focused on getting it finished before January. Now, I do plan on making a comeback but with a little changes. I love reading and primarily it will be a book blog.

However, I will be mixing in a few other topics such as movies, TV shows, music and fashion. All the things that I find interesting will pretty much make an appearance here. It'll help me bring back the blogging love that I've lost. I got a little bored of the repetitive posts I've been doing since 2009. Wow, 2009 -- I can't believe it's been 3 years!

So, I will definitely post here and there but not everyday. I just can't do it. I have to be honest and let you know what to expect from La Femme Readers.

Thank you to all of my followers who stuck by me for so long. To show my gratitude I will be hosting a giveaway for two lucky winners. Check out the details below and I hope you all have a great Christmas!

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:: GIVEAWAY ::

-Two winners will get to choose any book they want, it could be out already or a pre-order, it's all up to you.

 -You must be 13 years old to enter.

-Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL (it will be ordered through the Book Depository, here is the list of countries they deliver to.)

-Deadline ends on January 25, 2013.

!! FILL OUT FORM TO ENTER !!

I Love These Titles: 2013 Releases

Hurricane Sandy should be approaching soon, it's crazy windy at the moment, but it's still the calm before the storm. I'm bored so I decided to post 2013 releases which caught my eye, not because of their cover designs, but the actual titles. It only takes a few words together to make a person think, "hm, that has a nice ring to it."

Let me know what you think about these future releases!

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Demonosity by Amanda Ashby (Speak, 8/15/13)

Summary: An ancient myth + a mean girl + a reluctant warrior = a lively take on good vs. evil  The Black Rose--a powerful ancient force--has been let loose and has taken up residence in Celeste Gibson, popular girl at Cassidy Carter-Lewis' high school. Thomas Delacroix is the spirit of a fourteenth-century knight who is devoted to protecting the Black Rose, but he needs a contemporary living being to take on the challenge. That's where Cassidy comes in. She's a quirky high school junior who just wants to dress in her vintage clothes, hang out with her best friend, and take care of her father, who is recovering from surgery. She's the last person who would ever volunteer for such a task, but no one actually asked her.  Now, like it or not, she finds herself training before dawn and battling demons at parties, the mall, and even at school. But hey, no one ever said high school was going to be easy. . .

Fingerprints of You by Kristen-Paige Madonia (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 8/6/13)

Summary: Lemon grew up with Stella, a single mom who wasn’t exactly maternal. Stella always had a drink in her hand and a new boyfriend every few months, and when things got out of hand, she would whisk Lemon off to a new town for a fresh beginning. Now, just as they are moving yet again, Lemon discovers that she is pregnant from a reckless encounter—with a guy Stella had been flirting with.  On the verge of revisiting her mother’s mistakes, Lemon struggles to cope with the idea of herself as a young unmarried mother, as well as the fact that she’s never met her own father. Determined to have at least one big adventure before she has the baby, Lemon sets off on a cross-country road trip, intending not only to meet her father, but to figure out who she wants to be.

The Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Robin Palmer (Speak, 6/27/13)

Summary: Gilmore Girls meets Postcards from the Edge crossed with L.A. Candy!   Sixteen-year-old Annabelle Jacobs never asked to be famous, but as the daughter of Janie Jacobs, one of the biggest TV stars in the world, she is. Growing up is hard enough. Having to do it in public because your mother is a famous actress? Even harder. When your mom crashes and burns after her DUI mug shot is splashed across the internet? Definitely not fun. Then your mom falls for a guy so much younger than she that it would be more appropriate for you to be dating him? That’s just a train wreck waiting to happen.

The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation, #2) by Avery Williams (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 6/4/13)

Summary: No description yet.

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green (Poppy, 5/14/13)

Summary: Some say the seaside town of Echo Bay is cursed. They may be right. When a game of truth or dare spins out of control, three beautiful teen girls start receiving mysterious dares containing hints to dark secrets long buried. For artsy outcast Sydney Morgan; perfect, popular Caitlin "Angel" Thomas; and queen bee Tenley Reed, the truth is not an option. This is no party game-it's do or die. And it's their turn to play. 

Review: From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer + Valerie Thomas

From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer + Valerie Thomas

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: May 15, 2012

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Pages: 480

Summary: In the span of forty-eight hours, socially awkward valedictorian, Kylie Flores and conceited jock, Max Langston, who've never spoken in four years of high school, will find themselves kidnapped, taken over the Mexican border, married and falling in love. Kylie's best friend, Will, Max's girlfriend, Lily and Max's wingman, Charlie are the unlikely cavalry charged with rescuing them. Against all odds, this crew must find their way back over the border in time for graduation and for Kylie to give her long awaited valedictorian speech, without killing each other en route.

Hilarious and poignant, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER blends high-octane adventure, romance and coming of age. No one is exactly who they seem here and by the end of their road trip together, they will all be changed in ways they never could have imagined.

FROM WHAT I REMEMBER was recently nominated for a YALSA Reader's Choice Award. Film rights bought by Paramount Pictures.

My Review: Grippingly entertaining, From What I Remember, made me smile from the beginning along with a great amount of laughter until the end. The witty story line and charismatic characters developed a balanced combination of friendship, family, love and just downright craziness. The ups and downs that were presented throughout Kylie and Max's journey to Mexico were so visually written in the moment that I found myself feeling like I was right there with them.

Kylie, an intelligent and quirky protagonist grabbed my attention from the get-go. I enjoyed the fact that she started out as a socially awkward character and then slowly turned into this badass girl, that embodied this fiery bravery that I wish I had in scary situations. Max, started out to be a typical jerky jock, but later turned out to prove Kylie wrong with the whole, "Don't judge a book by its cover" statement.

The turbulence with being being kidnapped and going over the border to an unknown territory would literally freak me out. Yes, they were both scared, but holy crap did they handle it well! The budding relationship between the two was increasingly exciting to watch. I am forever rooting for the underdog to win over the popular guy in school. Don't you love when that happens? *Sighs* Also, Kylie's best friend, Will, was hilarious. He had personality to last you for days. Plus, he was a great friend to Kylie, most friends don't exist like that anymore, so it was refreshing to read.

All in all, I flippin' loved this book. I seriously have no complaints about this novel. Stacy and Valerie are a team that could write anything and make it sound sincere and comical at the same time. I cannot wait to see what they both come up with next!

My Rating:  (4.5)

Author's Info:

FROM WHAT I REMEMBER...is the second novel by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas. Their first novel, KARMA BITES, was a middle grade novel published by Houghton Mifflin in 2010. Kramer is a former film producer and currently writes movies, tv and magazine articles. Her television credits include LIZZIE McGUIRE and LESS THAN PERFECT. Her film credits include LABOR PAINS (writer), JAWBREAKER (producer) and IGBY GOES DOWN (producer) among others. She's at work on a new movie for Twentieth Century Fox. In addition, she's written comic pieces for ELLE, MARIE CLAIRE and THE LONDON SUNDAY TIMES as well as a variety of other publications. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and three children.

"I'm a writer of young adult novels. I spent many years working in the film industry as a producer and screenwriter until I escaped to the relative calm of the book world."

For more info on Stacy and Valerie, visit there sites:

-Stacy's Twitter

-Stacy and Valerie's Website

-Stacy's GoodReads

-Valerie's GoodReads

-Facebook

Some of you who know me outside of reading books, know that I am obsessed with Korean dramas. I decided to post about them once in a while just to keep my love for blogging going. I'll be sporadically posting about dramas that I've previously watched or am currently drooling over. ________________________________

My current love for the past week has been this drama: 

The Moon That Embraces the Sun

I am so in love with this drama. I've been watching it every night after work. My husband is continually saying, "you're still watching this?" It's that good. There are twenty episodes so you do need a good week and a half to finish it, depending on your free time. I wasn't really a fan of historical dramas until recently, besides The Rooftop Prince, which was my previous love, this one is absolutely breathtaking. It's romantic, dramatic, scandalous, just everything you'd like to see in a drama.

This is what the drama is about:

The story of the secret love between Lee Hwon, a fictional king of Joseon, and Wol, a female shaman. Wol was born as Heo Yeon Woo, the daughter of a noble family who won the love of the crown prince, Hwon. Her enemies, jealous of her family's position in court, schemed against her and wrestled away her rightful place as crown princess and nearly takes her life. Years later, an embittered Hwon meets Wol, now a female shaman who has no recollection of her past.

I couldn't find a trailer, but this music video of the theme song portrays the romantic feel of the drama. It also has english subtitles, so that helps us non-Koreans. :)

Interested in watching? Check out these sites for episodes with english subtitles!

-Viki

-Hulu

-Ep Drama

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

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Pulse (Pulse Trilogy, #1) by Patrick Carman

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Summary: From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

The Haven by Carol Lynch Williams

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary: For the teens at The Haven, the outside world, just beyond the towering stone wall that surrounds the premises, is a dangerous unknown. It has always been this way, ever since the hospital was established in the year 2020. But The Haven is more than just a hospital; it is their home. It is all they know. Everything is strictly monitored: education, exercise, food, and rest. The rules must be followed to keep the children healthy, to help control the Disease that has cast them as Terminals, the Disease that claims limbs and lungs—and memories.

But Shiloh is different; she remembers everything. Gideon is different, too. He dreams of a cure, of rebellion against the status quo. What if everything they’ve been told is a lie? What if The Haven is not the safe place it claims to be? And what will happen if Shiloh starts asking dangerous questions?

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I'm a sucker for dystopian books and these sound great! I'm really looking forward to them, 2013 can't come any faster.

What are your thoughts on these books?

(Add them to GoodReads: Pulse / The Haven)

YA Books Being Turned Into Movies...

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Movie Release Date: February 13, 2013

Trailer:

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Movie Release Date: March 29, 2013

Trailer:

Here are a few others that are in development or are being optioned for a movie:

-City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (August 23, 2013)

-Wings by Aprilynne Pike (2014)

-Shiver by Maggie Steifvater (2014)
-Heist Society by Ally Carter

-Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

-The Maze Runner by James Dashner

-Uglies by Scott Westerfield

-Fallen by Lauren Kate

-Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

-The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

-Tempest by Julie Cross

-Vampire Academy by Rachel

-Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal

-Divergent by Veronica Roth

-Delirium by Lauren Oliver

-Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin

-The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

-Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

-The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal by Nicholas Flamel

-Blood Red Road by Moira Young

-The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

-Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

-Firelight by Sophie Jordan

-If I Stay by Gayle Foreman

-The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

-Legend by Marie Lu

-Marked by P.C. + Kristin Cast

-Matched by Ally Condie

-The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater

-Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

-Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

-Wake by Lisa McMann

Whoa! Seeing all these movies makes me so giddy! I really need to catch up on reading some of these books. :)

Thank you to http://www.zap2it.com for the movie news.

Books For Thought: Do you ever get tired of the continuous series installments?

Previously known as Monday's Question of the Day, Books For Thought is a feature where I post a book-related question up for discussion. I am open to all opinions and enjoy reading diverse comments from my lovely followers. I look forward to picking your minds!

Have a question idea? Share it here and I'll feature your blog in this post.

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Do you ever get tired of the continuous series installments?

My Answer: Unfortunately yes. I sometimes miss when a novel is just a novel. After I finish a book in a first series, I always wish I had the next installment to continue the cliffhanger. But, realistically speaking sometimes we, as readers, can wait up to a year for the next book.

By then, I most of the time have forgotten how the first book ended. I find myself struggling to remember while I read the sequel, which in the end takes away from my love for the series. The obvious reaction would be to read parts of the last chapters in the first book, but would I actually do that? Probably not.

I've even stopped reading some of my beloved series just because I couldn't keep up with the installments. So, yes at times I do enjoy a novel when it just ends, leaving you satisfied, instead of frustration.

What are your bookish thoughts?

New YA Imprint Releases: Soho Teen

A new imprint, Soho Teen, has caught my eye and I'd like to get the chance to introduce it to all YA readers. Here is a little background about this imprint, which could be found on their website, "Soho Teen, coming in 2013, publishes a select list of YA mysteries and thrillers by international bestsellers, award winners, and debut novelists with stellar credits. Born of the conviction that compelling YA of any genre involves thrill and mystery, Soho Teen’s titles include the paranormal and dystopian, the humorous and realistic, the tragic and uplifting—whatever serves a great story best. Soho Teen’s small list is unique in that every title has a high-stakes, page-turning puzzle at its heart." Sounds cool right?

Please check out their books below coming soon and make sure you add them to GoodReads...

 What We Saw At Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Jan 8, 2013)

Summary: In a small hospital town, a trio of teens rebel against their fatal diagnosis of XP (an allergy to sunlight) with late night Parkour, an extreme sport of daredevil risks-and while doing so uncover a human devil in their midst.

Escape Theory by Margaux Froley (Mar 12, 2013)

Summary: 17-year-old Devon becomes a "peer counselor" at the prestigious Keaton School in California to bolster her chances at Stanford's psych program. Nothing more. But when Keaton's golden boy (and Devon's one-that-got-away) commits suicide, suddenly her waiting room is very full. The secrets revealed to her—which must remain confidential—point to murder, and Devon risks everything to uncover the truth.

 Who Done It? by Jon Scieszka (Feb 12, 2013)

Summary: When the world's most horrible editor turns up dead, investigator Jon Scieszka has his work cut out for him. The suspect list is long. Very long. Think 83-famous-YA-authors long, including Libba Bray, David Levithan, John Green, Lemony Snicket, Lauren Myracle...you get the picture. They've all got alibis, collected in this very anthology. But the question is...Who done it?

 The Sweet Dead Life by Joy Preble (May 14, 2013)

Summary: 14-year-old Jenna Samuels is being poisoned. So she does the unthinkable: gets in a car with her stoner brother Casey. They crash rushing to the hospital, and Jenna awakes in the ER to find that Casey has died—and come back as her guardian angel. He's now nauseatingly attractive to everyone and even more annoying to her, but they must work together to uncover the shocking truth about her poisoning and what it has to do with their father's disappearance.

 Deviant by Helen Fitzgerald (Jun 11, 2013)

Summary: When she receives a letter (and £25,000) from her long-lost mother, Scottish foster teen Abigail finds herself on her way to LA and an American family she never knew. After losing her beloved new sister to an overdose, she accidentally uncovers a secret program to control adolescent behavior with its headquarters uncomfortably close to home.

Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon (Apr 9, 2013)

Summary: Six teens from around the globe, all deceased at the same moment, are sucked into a strange vortex and arrive in a strange hospital. They band together to escape in spite of deadly individual secrets, but not everyone wants to go home, and only one knows where, why, and when they are.

Intrigued? Follow their links:

-Website (Excerpts of books)

-Twitter

-Facebook

Tantalizing Future YA Releases!

Tantalizing Future YA Releases is a weekly feature where I showcase upcoming YA covers. All titles are linked to GoodReads for summary details.

Also, please note that covers may not be final. If changes occur I will replace the covers with the new versions.

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It's been so long since I did one of these posts! I'm sure most of these have been around the blogosphere already, so I apologize if the content isn't fresh to you. I'm trying to get back in the loop. :)

• Altered by Jennifer Rush (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (1/2/13)
• Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt (St. Martin's Griffin, 1/15/13)

• Pivot Point (Pivot Point, #1) by Kasie West (HarperTeen, 2/12/13)
• Dualed by Elsie Chapman (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2/26/13)

• Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley (Katherine Tegen Books, 3/19/12)
• 17 + Gone by Nova Ren Suma (Dutton Juvenile, 3/21/13)

• The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar (Dial, 3/21/13)
• Linked by Imogen Howson (Simon + Schuster Books For Young Readers, 3/28/13)

• Stung by Bethany Wiggins (Walker Childrens, 4/2/13)
• This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (Poppy, 4/2/13)

• Nameless (Tales of Beauty and Madness, #1) by Lili St. Crow (Razorbill, 4/4/13)
• The Loop by Shandy Lawson (Hyperion Book CH, 4/30/13)

• Defriended by Ruth Baron (Scholastic Inc., 5/1/13)
• Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 5/14/13)

• Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 5/21/13)
• The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 6/11/13)

• A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 6/11/13)
• Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney (Ember, 6/11/13)

The Next Installment Cover Reveals:

• Sever (The Chemical Garden, #3) by Lauren DeStefano (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2/12/13)
• Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, #2) by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel and Friends, 2/5/13)

• Requiem (Delirium, #3) by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins, 3/5/13)
• Confederates Don't Wear Couture (Pilgrims, #2) by Stephanie Kate Strohm (Graphia, 6/4/13)

• The Elementals (The Vespertine, #3) by Saundra Mitchell (Harcourt Children's Books, 6/11/13)
• The Twice Lost (The Lost Voices, #3) by Sarah Porter (Harcourt Children's Books, 7/2/13)