The paperback cover design for Beth Revis’s Across the Universe was revealed today on Facebook.

Personally, I prefer the original (either side), although the new version isn’t bad. I like that they kept the same title font, and I enjoy the blue circular design and beveled-glass look. However, the inclusion of the windblown “I’m-touching-something-invisible-and/or-mystical” girl is “meh” as far as I’m concerned.

Thoughts?

Hooray!

Just as a reminder, here are the daily themed posts:

Trailer Tuesdays [upcoming movie and book trailers that having me salivating]
Want It Wednesdays [books that I am eagerly anticipating]
Favorite Things Friday [random things that make me happy, along with a favorite book quote]
Soundtrack Saturday [music to listen to while reading, author playlists, and more]
Second-Chance Sunday [books that I have abandoned for one reason or another...should I give them another shot?]

plus the regular Reviews, RetroGrade (reviews of non-new releases), Lists, News, and more.

To check it out, just follow the jump!

(Warning: The opening chapter will be spoilerish for those who haven’t finished Shiver)

Upcoming Reviews

* My Soul to Take – Rachel Vincent

* Prophecy of the Sisters – Michelle Zink

* Hush, Hush – Becca Fitzpatrick

* Memoirs of a Tennage Amnesiac – Gabrielle Zevin

* Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater

* Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins

New Features

Along with new reviews, I also plan on reviewing books that aren’t fresh-off-the-presses new. RetroGrade posts will cover books I’ve recently read (although they may not be recently released), while You Should Be Reading will cover older books that I already love and think you should love too.

I also want to point out that the haunting season is nearly upon us, and Twin Pigeon loves few things more than a little All Hallows’ Eve.  >:D  So, be prepared for a little horror, a few pumpkins, and a lot of creepy books.

And in honor of my favorite season, I have a huge giveaway in the works. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say this: if you love creepy/scary/awesome movies in large quantities, then you might want to stick around. ;) Check back in late September for the big announcement!

Weekly Posts

Finally, here is a schedule for the new themed posts. I may not do every post-type every week, but you will see them often.

Trailer Tuesdays [upcoming movie and book trailers that having me salivating]

Want It Wednesdays [books that I am eagerly anticipating]

Favorite Things Friday [random things that make me happy, along with a favorite book quote]

Soundtrack Saturday [music to listen to while reading, author playlists, and more]

Second-Chance Sunday [books that I have abandoned for one reason or another...should I give them another shot?]

And that’s it for now! I’ll be back soon with a block of fresh new reviews.

Until then…

For those interested, Barnes and Noble is starting up a Teen section of its First Look program and the first book is Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

So, if you want to check out Hush, Hush for free, months before it hits stores, head on over to B&N before supplies run out. Then, join in on the discussion with other readers and Fitzpatrick in September.

Seriously guys, I’m way excited here!
GO GO GO!

Lisa McMann, author of the Wake series, has updated her blog with a new widget and, more importantly, a new story about Cabel. The story focuses on the events of Wake from Cabel’s point of view.
Although this idea sounds a little familiar, at least we know McMann won’t throw a hissy fit and threaten to kill off everyone if we read it.

I’m already eagerly awaiting the release of Gone, so this little snippet has got me squee-ing.

To read the short story, click the widget above and sign up for the PDF download.

The Superficial: Observations on the packaging of the book, such as cover art, page style, typography, size, and title. Less important, but c’mon, you know you think about it.

The Short of It: My review in a nutshell. Usually one sentence long.

The Long of It: Like the Short of It…only longer.   I.E. my full review.

Opening Lines: The biggest factor in any bookstore drive-by–the first few sentences.

Score: On a scale of one to ten. I will also address re-readability and buying suggestions (e.g. Buy Hardback, Library It, Wait for Paperback, Run for Your Life).

Picture most accurately depicting my excitement level. Shit yeah, confetti cannon!

I will be reviewing the latest in YA new releases (and some books you might have missed) in a short-but-sweet format.  Books will be graded on a scale of 1 to 10.

Besides recent reviews, there will be plenty of other shenanigans to keep you busy, ranging from Things I Thought Were Awesome When I Was a Young Pigeon to Things I Should Hate But Don’t. Also, Things with Less Annoying and Lengthy Titles.

And, you know, other awesome stuff.

So, pull up a chair and get your marshmallows ready, cause we gonna set some books on fire.

Easy there, Thelma Sue. That's not what I meant.