But I do recommend both SKIN HUNGER and SACRED SCARS by Kathleen Duey. Highly recommend. Like, you should stop reading this blog and go get both books.
Aren't those covers beautiful? You can sit and stroke them, they're that great. And the stories inside...Awesome!
They're told from two characters, centuries apart. Hahp lives with magicians and endures cruel treatment as he learns magic. Sadima lives hundreds of years earlier and through her we learn the origins of the magicians Hahp encounters.
It's like that favorite pair of jeans. You settle in to both stories, each like a well-worn pantleg. And I can't imagine the story without both threads, which are so finely interwoven it feels natural and seamless.
And that's some freaking fine writing, my friends. The writing is as beautiful as the stories -- these books definitely deserve TEN STARS!
Not only that, but Kathleen Duey is made of awesome--and has a blog here (not that I'm stalking her or anything...)! Not just because she wrote the most amazing stories on the planet, but because she's going to personalize and sign book plates and send them to one lucky winner! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post -- today. I'll draw a winner tomorrow morning and contact the person for personalization and address issues. Then Kathleen will personalize and sign your prize!
And seriously, guys. Go read SKIN HUNGER and SACRED SCARS, stat. I can't wait for the next book!
Want another amazing book with another awesome author to add to your list? Go check out Christine Fonseca's favorite. And don't forget to check the Recommended Reads list for all the links to all the awesome.
I've only read the first chapter somewhere. Will definitely check them out. :)
ReplyDeleteLoving Spread the Awesome so far!! These books sound amazing. They are most definitely on my must-read list. Reading a signed copy would be the bomb!! Great contest :))
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting this with bloggers. Lots of good info for new reads out there.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many of these to read today I'm not sure how I'm going to keep track ... but I guess a spreadsheet will do.
ReplyDeleteThanks for having this wonderful idea Elana!
I'll have to check those out!
ReplyDeleteOh these are definitely going on my tbr list. Thanks, Elana, for putting this together!
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to read these for a while. Awesome idea about spreading the awesome :)
ReplyDeletehe, he.
These books look fantastic. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteI love this spreading the awesome thing!
Ooh you paint quite the picture - I will certainly look out for them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for organizing this. I loved both these books too.
ReplyDeleteSpreading the Awesome rocks, Elana! What a great idea! So what if my tbr stack already has 'CAUTION: AVALANCHE DANGER ZONE' signs posted around it? What's a few dozen more books? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting this, it was such an awesome idea! I will definitely check out both books!!
ReplyDeleteSOLD! I can't wait to read these!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I love learning about good books. Super awesome that my "Need-to-read" list just got huge. :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely will look at these books on amazon! I'm always looking for good stuff to read, and sadly I've been reading some pretty dire stuff lately!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out the recommended reads.
ReplyDeleteToday is also the recap of the A-Z Challenge!
Sweet! I'll have to check those out!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love those covers. Elana, I blame you, and only you, for making my TBR GIANT.
ReplyDeleteOoo those look awesome! And yes, I'll agree with a few others and lay the blame for my incredibly awesome and terrifyingly ginormous TBR pile at your feet ;-)
ReplyDeleteThose do look good! Thanks for putting all of this together Elana. It's going to be a fun day.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so checking these books out!
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this event together, Elana. It's been a blast!
Off to check out some more reviews. :D
Oooh count me in! They sound amazing. I remember seeing that second cover...so creepy and cool.
ReplyDeleteThank you for making this day of spreading the awesome happen!
Sounds like my kind of story. Will definitely read them next.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteElana - this is so much fun! I am so glad that you thought of this and so pleased to be able to participate!
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of these! I must check them out!!
Visit My Kingdom Anytime
Loved her books (am reading Sacred Scars right now)...can't wait for the next one!
ReplyDeleteSpreading the Awesome is a great way to start the week! These 2 books look great, right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteThe books look interesting. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteElana, this is so much fun! Thank you for organizing this!!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a pity that i just heard of these books right now! I'm fresh out of vacations and i would've loved to have read them when i could've sat down and really give into them!!! Still, i'm going to add them to my TBR pile and it'd be wonderful if i won them :D!!! Count me in for the draw!
ReplyDeleteAlannah
alannahjavier@gmail.com
I've actually got this one on my book shelf, I'll have to now find the time to read it. It looks great.
ReplyDeleteWow, I have never heard of these books before, but the covers are very intriguging. Please enter me! :D
ReplyDeletekghobbs@gmail.com
Sounds amazing!! Thank you for organizing this, Elana. Already visited a few of the other sites. Love them!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the book rec and for hosting this amazing author day, Elana!!!
ReplyDeleteThose books sound like good reads, and the covers are intriguing and a little spooky cool!
Great idea to spread the awesome! As if I didn't have enough on my TBR pile, but my interest is piqued with these two. Thanks for the recs.
ReplyDeleteElana, thanks for the recommendations. Can't wait until I'm done with this round of WIP edits so that I can catch up on reading.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate you keeping us informed, Elana. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteBoth of those recommends look super exciting! And like many of your commenters, I haven't heard of either.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
These are, indeed, great books. SO well written, and the story grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. The only thing that frustrates me about them is the cliffhanger endings. It's like torture!!! I want the final book to come out NOW. :)
ReplyDeleteI loved Skin Hunger - I'm so going to have to check out the sequel! I'm glad you posted about these Elana- they definitley deserve to be read by everyone!
ReplyDeleteOh I am happy to splash some life for these books! I have never heard of them before, but the cover art is captivating, and your description about them intrigues me further. Thank you for this, Elana! Such a good idea. :)
ReplyDeleteMost of my recent reads haven't been fantastic so I just added these on my library list. Thanks for the recommendations. I've seen these but have hesitated. The covers - especially The Sacred Scars - freak me out.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a fun idea, Elana! Thanks for coming up with it :)
ReplyDeleteWicked covers. I would pick them up on that alone; with your recommend they're soon going to be in my TBR pile. Thanks hon! (Hugs)Indigo
ReplyDeleteI love the cover of Sacred Scars! Can't wait to read both books. Thanks for this awesome idea!
ReplyDeleteOoo these sound so good, Elana. There are so many awesome books moving up on my must read pile. Please enter me in the contest!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I just heard about the first on on Whatever. I'm interested!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you, Elana. This books are beyond special!! Artful brilliance!
ReplyDeleteIn all the world of books, it is great to have some direction. Thanks, Elana, for opening up my (and my teens') world!
ReplyDeleteCool--Skin hunger is one that I keep hearing over and over that I have to read. I'm so excited to pick it up. Thanks for all the excitement around the blogosphere today--SO MUCH FUN!!! (Next time I'll get off my lazy butt and contribute :))
ReplyDeleteThese books sound awesome!
ReplyDeleteSo, just to clarify, you're recommending those books? ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea! I decided to join in! My book choice is: STOLEN by Lucy Christopher.
ReplyDeleteOh and please enter me in the contest! Thanks!
Thanks for starting this, Elana. Your book choices sound amazing. Love the covers.
ReplyDeleteElana, GIRL! You have outdone yourself!!!! Awesome!!!! And these books def look worth checking out:)
ReplyDeleteOh, those covers ARE awesome! I'll have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteThese are two I definitelty have on my reading list. Thanks again for setting this all up--you are AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteI got to see her brain in action in LA last year. She's awesome. This isn't typically my kind of read, but maybe I need to branch out. Thanks, Elana!
ReplyDeleteYou're right the covers are enough yo make you start reading! Thanks for all the great story recommendations and links!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I've been looking for a good book. It's been a while since I COULD NOT PUT DOWN a book so I'm excited to check these out! THANKS!
ReplyDeletethe books sound awesome but dark. Maybe too dark for me, You make me want to read them though.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of either of those, but now I want to check them out. I'm a big fan of fanstasy/magic books.
ReplyDeleteThe cover art is amazing on both of these books! Even if I don't win, I'd like to pick up some copies and send them to my avid-reader children. Sounds like something they'd read in a day. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome way to spread the love! Big woot! for Elana!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to post about one of my favorite books today.
Sign me up!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so glad you thought of this, Elana.
ooh those look awesome - i'm going to add them to my list of things to buy
ReplyDeleteThese sound so good! Definitely sign me up. :D
ReplyDeleteWow, those books sound incredible! I'll definitely put them on my To-Read list.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THOSE COVERS!! <-- yeah, two exclamations for art of love.
ReplyDeleteSounds really fantastic.
And thank you so much for creating this phenom of a day!
I've been wanting to read Skin Hunger ever since I met Kathleen Duey at SCBWI last summer. She's such an amazingly talented woman and a lovely person as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for organizing all of this awesomeness, Elana!
thanks for the recs! this blog idea is great! onto the next one!
ReplyDeleteawesome! SOLD! What a great idea Elana... thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm entering-- those two look great! I love stories that have history, and tell it.
ReplyDeleteThis was SUCH a great idea Elana--thank you so much for letting me be a part. There's nothing better than discovering amazing authors and excellent books. DEFINITELY adding these to my TBR list. :)
ReplyDeleteThe next book isn't out yet? Oh no. I'm almost afraid to read them now. what if I adore them and have to *gasp of horror* wait for the next one. Alas. Sometimes I wish authors would just release their entire series at once. Not of course that that is at all practical for them or that it ever stops me from reading great books with yet-to-be-published sequels. . .
ReplyDeleteI'm so in! Even though I'm breaking my own rule of starting a series before all the books are out... :)
ReplyDeleteWow...I'm writing these down and hopefully checking them out from the library this weekend. They both sound like awesome books to get wrapped up in. Thanks for the review!!
ReplyDeletethis is such a great idea! I haven't even heard of some of the books - now they are definitely on my TBR list. Thanks Elana!
ReplyDeleteI saw these books at the bookstore. And I was actually pleased that Skin Hunger was nominated for an award. I think that must mean that it's REALLY an awesome starter book. I'd love to win this! Please include me if this is open internationally!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
precious_shusky@yahoo.com
Love the covers! Please count me in.
ReplyDelete- Rebecca
rebeccaswells(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the book recommendations, and most of all, thanks for organizing this event. I haven't been to everyone who's participated, but enough to already be drooling all over the place.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea, Elana. I've already enjoyed reading 'Spead the Awesome' on four or five other blogs. Thanks for organising!
ReplyDeleteThanks for organizing "Spreading the Awesome." I love reading all these book reviews.
ReplyDeleteThese sounds like great reads! Even if I don't win, I'll definitely read. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou have taken over the blogosphere! It's terrific to see so many good book recommendations.
ReplyDeleteWow - these sound great! The covers are hauntingly perfect! Thanks again for putting this Spread The Awesome party together. :)
ReplyDeleteMe, me, me! :] I want!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Elana, you ROCK MY SOCKS. Like, a lot. This was a wonderful idea and I'm so happy to be a part.
Elana, Spreading the Awesome was a great idea! I've taken some time away from my blog (Ducks Out Of A Row), but was coming back to it starting today and this gave me a great topic to get back into it with... Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere's only one thing I love more than adding books to my reading list and that's adding movies to my Netflix queue. Yay awesome lists!
ReplyDeleteThose covers are amazing. I'm going to shave to check them out now.
ReplyDeleteI wanna win!!! Thanks for being so awesome, E.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Kathleen Duey (have you followed her Twitter novel?) I think I first picked up Skin Hunger because I saw that cover and had to have it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Elana, for putting together this event. It's been truly awesome.
This sounds so freaking fantastic, Elana! Creepy but utterly delicious. And what a brilliant contest! I LOVE signed books, but personalized? Holy catfish. That's solid awesome. Yay!!
ReplyDeleteAnd P.S. Thanks for putting together this event. It's amazing to have at hand such fantastic reviews! I will be scrolling my way through all of them
Yay! I love Kathleen Duey. My son and I read the entire Unicorn's Secret series together when he was in grade school. Those books look fantastic! :-)
ReplyDeleteOMG - Kathleen Duey is soooooo amazing. She was a presenter at the SCBWI FL conference in January, and I now practically worship her. I get to see her again next month - squeeeee! :)
ReplyDeleteThis was such a great idea!! I'm going to have to check out this book! Thanks Elana!!
ReplyDeleteKathleen Duey is AMAZING -- on many levels. Great pick!
ReplyDeleteGreat promo for that author. Those books look interesting, but I might not have picked them up w/o the plug!
ReplyDeleteYou're going to bankrupt me, woman. Coordinating the massive blogosphere posting of fabulous books. Everything sounds good! How the heck am I supposed to decide? arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, this was a great idea and everywhere I've stopped someone has reviewed a great book!
ooh am I the 100th commenter? I am sooo late in this game b/c blogger's been down for me all flippin' day (crying). Thanks so much for putting this together ElenaJ (ooh what's ur next idea-let's compare notes). These books sound AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteYou've piqued my interest in these books. After I'm done with my current read, I'll have to look into picking them up.
ReplyDeleteElana,
ReplyDeleteI'm SO sorry, I just realized the full extent of your awesomeness and corrected the contest post. Thanks so much for commenting and for your entry. You rock! Spread the Awesome is just a mindblowing idea!
Thanks for spreading the awesomeness!
ReplyDeleteWill check them out. There goes the book list again. Always growing!
These look good, Elana. Edge of your seat type books with beautiful language. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteTotally adding those two to my Goodreads list!
ReplyDeleteHow in the world have I never picked these up! Will be going THIS weekend to pick them up! :)
ReplyDeleteThose books sound awesome, and I LOVE the covers. Thanks for the recommendation. :)
ReplyDeleteAre you trying to give me nightmares?? The covers are super-creepy! (But in a good way ;)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds very cool! Great review, Elana. This day is SO cool. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, when you put it that way....
ReplyDeleteOkay, that sounds way interesting. I'm thinking we really need to get together to swap some books. But not this week. I already have a stack to read. Maybe next week. Or at the LUW workshop.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for putting together this spread the awesome program. It's been lots and lots of fun.
Nichole
It's been such an amazing day reading people's book reviews. Thanks so much for making us a part of this.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for your reccomendation--now I'm off to see if I can find out more about them!
This spread the awesome event has been awesomeness itself. Love the idea and it's been so much fun adding to my reading list. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMore awesome books to add to the list! Thanks for organizing this awesomeness extravaganza, Elana. It's been super-fab all day!
ReplyDeleteOK, Blogger sucks for me today. This is my 3rd attempt at commenting (cause, yanno, I wanna win!!). Hopefully this works...
ReplyDeleteIs it too late? Can I enter? It's after midnight, but I haven't gone to bed, so technically I still call it today. ;) Right?! They look good. I want to read them. Add it to my pile!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I want to read these books Pronto. They sound gripping!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read these books!
ReplyDeleteaikychien at yahoo dot com
Can I just say how much you rock for bringing all this awesomeness to fruition? I have a list of great books to read a mile long now. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'm eligible to put my recommendations on the list (and I realize that this was happening yesterday, but I found out about it today), but I did a Spreading the Awesome post on my blog here: http://litcat.blogspot.com/. Not that you have any idea who I am, or anything. And I recommended 3 series (I just couldn't help myself...). Anywho, kudos on a great idea.
ReplyDeleteAlways looking for new good book. Especially original and weird.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great contest! I've been meaning to read this.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting, might give it a check out but need to shrink my TO-READ pile a bit first.
ReplyDeleteThanks for "Spreading The Awesome", Elana!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool way to get the word out about all these "awesome" books. I sure would like to be included in the list of blogs the next time around, if you'll have me.
By the way...did you check out my post on "Blog Jog Day!" that's on Sunday, 09 May 2010? Trust me: you won't want to miss it!
Until next time,
Cynde
Cynde's Got The Write Stuff
Where did the Recommended Reads Page go!?
ReplyDelete