Thursday, August 30, 2012

Book review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After all the praising reviews I saw of this novel, I thought that I should read it too. But I can only say that I was disappointed very much. I was expecting a spectacular story, that would grab me from the very first page and would leave me aching for more. Instead, what I got was a poorly told story with no purpose, that left me wondering what was the idea of it at all.

To be honest, the quality of the story sort of improved after the first half was thru, but I do not think that a book could be called good if it's such only from the middle on. I mean, many people will stop reading before they reach the point where the story started to get interesting. I even have friends who gave up reading before they reached that point, and I completely understand them. After all, if a book doesn't grab us from the very beginning, we wouldn't want to waste our time reading on, unsure whether we'd end up liking it at all.


To read the full review, click here.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #36

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:


Title: The Shadow Society
Series: none
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Release date: October 16th, 2012 (hardback)

 
Summary:
Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .

In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won’t soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense. 

 
 Why I want to read it:

1) The cover just took my breath away. I love the greenish-blue colors, and they mirror image effect;
2) The mystery behind this Conn character;
3) The Shades - who they are? what they want?
4) This alternate world really pulls me in :)

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week? 

GIVEAWAY REMINDER:


THREE giveaways are currently running on my blog - "Pledged", "The Burning Star" and one of Jane Kindred's books: "The Fallen Queen" or "The Midnight Court". You can check them out and participate here .

Oh, and please leave links to your WOW posts, so I can stop by! Thanks!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Author Interview: Jane Kindred

Alrighty. I am the next stop in The House of Arkhangel'sk blog tour that's been organized by Entangled Publishing. Before you decide to read on, let me warn you that Jane Kindred and her series aren't meant to be read by Young Adults. And believe me when I say there are reasons for that.



Who's Jane Kindred?

Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.

She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.

You can find Jane on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and on her website.


About The Fallen Queen, Book One of The House of Arkhangel’sk:

Heaven can go to hell.

Until her cousin slaughtered the supernal family, Anazakia’s father ruled the Heavens, governing noble Host and Fallen peasants alike. Now Anazakia is the last grand duchess of the House of Arkhangel’sk, and all she wants is to stay alive.

Hunted by Seraph assassins, Anazakia flees Heaven with two Fallen thieves—fire demon Vasily and air demon Belphagor, each with their own nefarious agenda—who hide her in the world of Man. The line between vice and virtue soon blurs, and when Belphagor is imprisoned, the unexpected passion of Vasily warms her through the Russian winter.

Heaven seems a distant dream, but when Anazakia learns the truth behind the celestial coup, she will have to return to fight for the throne—even if it means saving the man who murdered everyone she loved.

The Fallen Queen is available now at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM | The Book Depository | Books On Board | Diesel | IndieBound | Powell’s Books.



About The Midnight Court, Book Two of The House of Arkhangel’sk:

Against the pristine ice of Heaven, spilled blood and a demon’s fire will spark celestial war.


The exiled heir to the throne of Heaven, Grand Duchess Anazakia and her demon companions, Belphagor and Vasily, have made a comfortable home in the Russian city of Arkhangel’sk, but their domestic bliss is short lived. When their daughter Ola is taken as a pawn in Heaven’s demon revolution, the delicate fabric of their unorthodox family is torn apart—threatening to separate Belphagor and Vasily for good.

Anazakia is prepared to move Heaven and Earth to get her daughter back from Queen Aeval, risen in Elysium from the ashes of temporary defeat. But Aeval isn’t the only one seeking Ola’s strange power.

To conquer the forces amassing against them, Anazakia is prophesied to spill the blood of one close to her heart, while Vasily’s fire will prove more potent than anyone suspected. In the battle for supremacy over Heaven’s empire, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed, but love will reign supernal.

The Midnight Court is available now in ebook from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books On Board | Powell’s Books. Pre-order the paperback edition, available August 30.

And, here's the big surprise! Jane gave me an interview, and is willing go giveaway to one lucky winner, a copy of either one of her House of Arkhangel'sk books. Read on to learn how you can win!
V (a.k.a. Vanya D.): What's the feeling to have a second book published in a series?

Jane: I’m very excited that readers of The Fallen Queen will finally have an opportunity to read The Midnight Court and find out what’s next for Anazakia, Vasily, and Belphagor, but I’m also a little anxious, hoping the book will fulfill their expectations. Every reader brings her own personal experience to a story, separate from the author’s vision, and as a writer, it can be hard to let go of the desire to please everyone and just remain true to the story you feel compelled to tell. I’ve already gotten some very positive reviews for The Midnight Court, but I’ve also seen one reader who loved the first book but was extremely unhappy with a choice I made in the second. I feel as if I’ve let that reader down. It’s different from getting a negative review from a completely new reader; people have vastly different tastes and what one person absolutely loves, somebody else will hate with equal passion. But it’s a little heartbreaking to know you’ve disappointed a fan.

V: What inspired you to write "The House of Arkhangel'sk"?

Jane: I’ve always been intrigued by the idea that Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the last tsar of Russia, might have survived the brutal execution of her family at the start of the Bolshevik Revolution. The bodies of two of the children, the young Tsarevich Alexei and one of his sisters, were missing for many decades from the mass grave where the others were dumped, leading to speculation about their survival, and several women over the years have claimed to be Anastasia. When the last two bodies were finally found and identified a few years ago by Russian forensic scientists, it came as a devastating blow to the community of Anastasia devotees around the world who still believed in and hoped for her survival—and I have to admit, it made me sad to know none of the family had escaped such a tragic fate. I decided to write a fantasy version of the story in which my “Anastasia” would survive.

V: Which of the two installments was more difficult for you to write, The Fallen Queen or The Midnight Court? Why?

Jane: The Midnight Court was a little more of a challenge. I had to make sure I was including enough information so that new readers who picked up Book 2 without have read the first installment wouldn’t be confused, and to refresh the memories of existing readers who might have read The Fallen Queen a while ago, without bogging the story down with boring info-dump. I also had an important subplot with two new characters that I wanted to do justice to without taking the focus away from the main plot and characters. It was a balancing act to get it all to fit together.
V: There are a lot of controversial themes in this series. Do you think this would push readers away?

Jane: Although Anazakia, the main character, is seventeen at the start of the series, The House of Arkhangel’sk definitely isn’t YA. It contains adult sexual situations—including m/m romance and BDSM—as well as some very dark themes that won’t be everybody’s cup of tea. Since my celestial world parallels that of imperial Russia, and the real-world scenes take place in modern Russia, there are some scenes that deal with those realities without any sugar-coating.

I also took some advice from Stephen King to heart years ago, who tells writers in his book On Writing to “imagine the worst possible thing that could happen…then make it ten times worse.” As a person with major anxiety and post-traumatic stress issues, I can imagine some pretty awful things, and I have a tendency to push my own comfort level by writing about what I fear the most. But for readers who aren’t put off by the gritty realities, the payoff is a tale of romance and fantasy adventure that I hope transcends the dark moments along the journey.

V: Do you think there are things you've forgotten to mention in either book? What may they be?

I wouldn’t say there’s anything I’ve forgotten, but there are a few things that are deliberately not fully explained in these first two books in the series. Most of them will be wrapped up in the final book of the trilogy, but there may be one or two things left open-ended for readers to discover more about in the follow-up trilogy I’m currently working on. There may also be some stand-alone companion shorts about Belphagor and Vasily, exploring their history, if I get time to write them. :)

Thanks for having me on YA Story Teller today and for the great questions! As a thank-you to your readers, I’d like to give away an ebook copy of either Book 1 or Book 2 to a commenter.


So you see guys, all you need to do to win a copy of either one of Jane's books, is comment! Yes, it's that simple!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 27, 2012

Cover reveal: NATURALS by Tiffany Truitt

Hello my awesome followers! I hope you had a great weekend, because it's Monday again! And today I've got this beautiful book cover to share with you:



Blurb:

Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.


NATURALS is the second book in The Lost Souls trilogy, and follows the dystopian hit CHOSEN ONES.



My thoughts:

To be honest, I haven't yet read "The Chosen Ones" and I totally regret it. Because this looks like an incredible continuation to the saga!! Just look at this beautiful cover and read the enthralling synopsis and tell me you don't think so! I will definitely make sure I get this dystopian trilogy in my READ list :)

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Two short book reviews: Godly non-fiction



NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley upon request.

Right, so I did request this book, but I had no idea it was intended only for boys. So it was a bit awkward that I was reading it. I mean, it was directed at boys, perhaps ages 12-17 or something. It dealt with problems like family, school, anger, attitude issues and such and how a boy is to find a way to manage them while staying faithful to God.

To read full review please click here.







NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley upon request.

Okay, so since this isn't a book of fiction, there isn't all that much to say about it. I mean, there's no story to discuss, or characters to praise. Basically, what I mean to say is that this review will be a rather short one.

I did like the concept of the book, and I liked the fact that it wasn't setting up rules. It was like a guide to girls ages 13-19 (and perhaps even older) on how to not compromise with their beliefs, on what guys like in a girl, and what God wants His girls to be like.

To read full review please click here.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Follow Friday #28

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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:


Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you've read and loved?

 
My answer:

Umm, that's a really tough one. I couldn't think of such a book off the top of my head. So I had to go to Goodreads and scroll down my read list. Guess what? All the books that I've ended up loving have cute covers. Dunno how that happened. 

There were a couple of books with hideous covers, but they ended up in the dnf category, or got rated at or below 3 stars. So I can't count them. 

Well, what's your answer?

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!! Oh, and if you're a new follower, let me know so I could return the favor!

Also, I want to remind you about the 2 giveaways that are going on at the moment. One is of "Pledged" and the other of "The Burning Star". Please visit The Giveaways Page for more information and the Rafflecopter links. 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Blog tour: Pledged by Gwynneth White

I know there's been a lot of noise about this book in the blogging world, and today is my turn to share with you a couple of excerpts from it. If you want to win a copy of it, sign up for the giveaway on my GIVEAWAY page :) Happy reading, ya'll!


THREE SHORT EXCERPTS FROM

PLEDGED

By

GWYNNETH WHITE

 

We have chosen the following excerpts to give your readers a glimpse into the lives of the main characters in Pledged, namely: Seth and Erin, Jared and Sophia, and Caleb and Talitha.

 

EXCERPT ONE: Meet Seth and Erin . . .

 

Despite the heat, Seth felt icy. Dread could do that to him. Or so he had recently discovered. Deep breathing usually calmed him, so he sucked in a lungful of desert air and told himself to relax. It didn’t help. By the time he’d walked from the aircraft to the immigration hall he’d ripped off a jagged piece of thumbnail, already bitten raw. He handed his US passport to the Botswanan border official, and, after a frown, and a stamp, he joined the crowd at the baggage carousel. Botswana in southern Africa was the last place on earth he’d ever have picked for a holiday destination. But he wasn’t here on holiday. Not even close.

His backpack was slow in coming. Tired from his long-haul flight from New York, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Almost as if to mock him, the hated vision that had brought him to Botswana burst into his mind. In an instant he was back in ancient times, watching a man he knew only as Gideon. As usual, Gideon was huddled on a windswept hill with his band of hopeless soldiers, waiting to be slaughtered by a huge army gathered in the valley below.

Seth snapped his eyes open to stop the battle from waging in his mind. It wasn’t that he was particularly squeamish; he’d watched enough movies to iron clad his stomach against gory visuals. But no movie had ever left him icy with dread the way Gideon’s battle did. And the reason for that was simple. The moment the visions had started, he had known that the war, fought so long ago in a place he’d never heard of, was far from over. And, as reluctant as he was, he too was being enlisted to fight in a cause he didn’t understand or want.

He forced himself to focus on the present: Erin, who waited for him in the arrivals hall; his brother Kyle, whom he’d come to Botswana to visit; Kyle’s expedition to find the Lost City of the Kalahari . . .

He ripped off another piece of fingernail. Thinking about the search for the Lost City was almost as bad as the war-vision. I hope Kyle never finds the damned place. He slapped his hand on his thigh. Enough! Grabbing his backpack off the carousel, he set his face into a smile and strode into the arrivals hall.

The first hurdle was finding Erin. She was due to arrive an hour earlier on a flight from Cape Town in South Africa, one of Botswana’s neighbours. He’d never met her, although they had spoken over the phone once. Then she’d described herself as “a short, seventeen-year-old (a year younger than him) with a mass of ginger hair.” She’d sounded nice. Meeting her was the one ray of brightness in this otherwise dark picture.

He stopped to scan the crowd. A petite girl with shoulder length, reddish-blonde curls, dressed in skinny jeans and a purple blouse, immediately caught his eye. It had to be Erin. Nice legs. What’s it with girls that they always under-sell themselves? He studied her face with his artist’s eye. Vermeer would’ve killed to paint her. Suddenly wishing he didn’t look so grimy after his three plane-changes, he walked over to join her. “Hi, I’m Seth. You’ve got to be Erin. My brother’s just married your sister Izzy.”

“And after only knowing each other for about a week.”

Her dimpled grin was infectious, making him crack his trademark crooked smile. “Madness.”

“Mysterious.” Erin cocked her head to one side, seemingly appraising him. He knew he had been accurate when he’d told her he was tall and dark-haired. But what he had failed to mention was what girls had often said they liked about him: his strong, angular face, softened by expressive brown eyes. He watched her eyes rove over his grey Muse: Resistance t-shirt, taking in his broad shoulders and chest. From there they darted down his black camo-pants to his boots. Amused by her blatant assessment, he cocked his head to one side, watching her. Suddenly Erin giggled – was she embarrassed? – and picked up her bag.

“We’ve yet another plane to catch. My fourth in the last twenty-four hours,” Seth said, hoping to explain away his rumpled appearance. “To a place called Maun.”

“So we do. Let the adventure begin.”

 

***

 

EXCERPT TWO: Meet Jared and Sophia . . .

 

Jared nodded at Sophia and Kezeah without any sign of recognition. With two of his Pledged up front and two at their rear, he marched them down the corridor to a flight of stairs. Once at the bottom, he ducked beneath an archway, opening onto to a gloomy, narrow tunnel. Erin, never keen on dark, claustrophobic spaces, took a deep breath and paused.

“C’mon,” Seth said. “The sooner we walk through it, the quicker we get to the other side.”

“What happens if what’s on the other side is even worse?”

“Then you’ll know for sure that the dead guys are leading this expedition,” Seth said, wanting to deny the painful burning in his heart that reconnected him with a cursed Jared. He grabbed Erin’s arm and pulled her into the passage.

They’d taken no more than two tentative steps along the uneven floor when Sophia stopped. “Commander, I am not walking through this snake-hole!”

Jared turned back to look at her. With none of the fear or diffidence Erin and Seth expected from a boy with limited to exposure to girls – especially beautiful ones – he answered, “Of course, my lady. You’re from Norin, where I understand you live in grass huts.” He gave a sardonic smile. “But don’t despair, you’ll soon get used to bricks. Even our own Outcasts have learnt not to flinch at the sight of them.” He continued down the passage.

     Seth’s mouth dropped at Jared’s rudeness; this was so foreign to the Jared he had seen just moments ago in his vision. It just added to his anger at Reuel’s Curse.

The Pledged at Sophia’s rear prodded her back; she gave him a fierce look and started walking.

For Seth and Sophia, both taller than Erin and Kezeah, negotiating the tortuous twists and turns of the tunnel was no easy matter. Stooping, cursing each time they bumped their heads on the rough ceiling, they struggled after Jared, but he kept up the merciless pace until they reached a dark staircase.

Her temper now as short as her breath, Sophia stopped walking and locked her arms across her chest. “Having just cracked my skull open, you now expect me to scramble up those treacherous stairs too. No doubt hoping I’ll fall and break my neck. Well, forget it. I’m not moving.”

“Sophia!” Kezeah whispered, jabbing her in the ribs as she stepped gingerly onto the first narrow step.

Sophia ignored her. “Only savages and rats live in places like this.”

     Jared’s eyes narrowed. “Savages and rats, you say, my lady?”

Sophia set her face into a cold stare, locking her hypnotic blue eyes on his.

He surprised her by holding her gaze. “I hate to disappoint you, my lady, but Lord Rustus, Lord of the Household, under the direction of the Overlord himself, has chosen your apartment. Surely you don’t question their judgment in this matter?” 

     “As a matter of fact, I do.”

     “In that case, I’ll gladly pass on your concerns. If that’s what you really want.”

“Enough, Sophia. This isn’t a fight you can win.” Sophia’s Guardian had joined them.

***

 

EXCERPT THREE: Meet Caleb and Talitha . . .

Erin flicked her hair behind her ear and watched Caleb straighten his clothing. He took a deep breath and entered the hut. They followed right after him, drifting through the closed door as if it didn’t exist. Seth laughed, holding his hand up to Erin for a high-five  – until he noticed that Caleb’s Gefallen had also wafted into the cabin with them. Even though he had no idea how to defend Erin from a ghost, he stepped in front of her to protect her. But the wraith ignored them and sailed over to Caleb.

     A tall, blonde-haired girl with almond-shaped brown eyes was waiting for Caleb. For Erin, the recognition was instantaneous; it was Talitha. “She’s so beautiful!”

     “She’s okay,” Seth replied, looking her over critically. “But I don’t think Caleb’s here for her looks.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You said yourself that Caleb’s a good-looking guy. I bet he could have any girl he wants around here.”

Erin frowned; then she smiled as understanding dawned. “So, in guy-talk, you’re saying he loves her?”

Seth chuckled as he picked up Erin’s hand and put it on his heart. “Tell me what you’re feeling?”

Erin gasped at a disconcerting pulse thrumming in Seth’s chest, over-riding his own heartbeat. “It’s . . . no . . . It’s not possible.”

 “I’ll bet it is. It’s Caleb’s heart beating.”

“How do you know it’s him? It could be Talitha.”

“It started the moment I saw him. It’s like it’s there to stop me denying that he and I were once friends. And I was watching Talitha when he walked in. She smiled, and it felt as if someone had just shot a thousand volts through him.”

“It’s amazing you’re so connected that you can feel him.”

Seth wasn’t so sure he agreed; it made being here just a little too real.

Erin felt her own heart and could faintly discern Talitha’s heartbeat; it was nowhere near as strong as the thump in Seth’s chest, but then, she figured, she wasn’t in denial the way he was.

 They fell into silence as Caleb opened his arms to embrace Talitha. She draped her arms around his neck, twisting the dark curls tumbling onto his shoulders. He kissed the nape of her throat and ran his lips up her neck, over her chin to her mouth.

“This is awkward,” Erin murmured, looking away.

“You don’t say. All this way just to watch them making out.”

 

These excerpts are issued by Swallow Press for use by bloggers participating in launch and blog tour of Pledged by Gwynneth White. Any queries can be addressed to Andrew at sethanderin@swallowpress.com

Book Review: Dark Side of Night by Amanda Day

The Dark Side of NightI received this book from the author, in exchange for my honest review. So, here goes..


The first half of the book was very very slow paced. There were times when I thought that it just wasn't for me, because it felt like it wasn't moving at all. Even though there was plenty of action, I think that some of it was unnecessary.

Also, there was too much internal dialogue, flashbacks and information repetition. Some of that could've been edited out, because it wasn't relevant.

Lastly, the ending wasn't all that captivating. It was more weird than anything else.

But.

If you want to read the full review, click here.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #35

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:



Title: Dominion
Series:  Guardian Angels, book 1
Author: Melody Manful
Release date: August 20th, 2012 (paperback)
August 25th, 2012 (on KINDLE)

Summary:
I Dare You.
Look Over Your Shoulders.
Do You See Them?
They are behind you...
They are always behind you.

Abigail Cells had a nightmare the day before she met Gideon, the new guy in school who has every girl drooling just to be near him. In her nightmare, she was murdered by a magical creature. As she gets to know Gideon, she begins to remember pieces of her nightmare, and was shocked when Gideon turned out to be the creature from her nightmare. Who is Gideon really, should Abby allow herself to fall completely for him, or is he the next disaster waiting to happen?
 Why I want to read it:

1) The cover looks gorgeous. True, it's a bit more cartoon-like than realistic, but hey, it's pretty!
2) I'm a sucker for angel/demon stories, and this one seems to be just right there in that genre.

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week? 

GIVEAWAY REMINDER:


Two giveaways are currently running on my blog. You can check them out and participate here 

Oh, and please leave links to your WOW posts, so I can stop by! Thanks!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

In her shoes ~24~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)


What fun! It's Tuesday again and I have another special girl to share with you! Her name is Cyan, and she's the lead female in the novel Dark Side of Night by Amanda Day.

So, who's Cyan? She's a warrior against evil. She's the light's sword against darkness. She's tough, she's experienced and she's got loads of anger piled in her soul.

She's also an ordinary girl with strong emotions, who's been hurt more than once and never wants to feel pain again. But who can say when love would come knocking on you're door? And when it does, would you be able to push it away just so you could preserve yourself from the eventual pain of heartbreak?

I loved Cyan for the strong personality that she had. I really liked her passion for protecting the good, the light, the hope, while firmly believing that she's a monster as well.

What I didn't like about her was that she was way too stubborn in pushing Oscar away. Sure, she'd been thru a lot. And I do mean A LOT. But still, when a great, honest guy comes your way... well... you don't let him go. EVER.

Cyan's my pick, who's yours?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Cover Reveal: Conjure by Lea Nolan

Today is a great day. You know why? Because Entangled has finally released the cover of CONJURE by Lea Nolan. Here it is, and please don't tell me you don't find it pretty. It's simply GORGEOUS!!!!


And here's the summary:


Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Book Review: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1)
NOTE: I received this eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED "Beautiful Disaster" from cover to cover. It was a total emotional roller coaster that left me in a state of stupor for hours. I was a complete wreck, not knowing whether to cry or laugh in hysterics.

I only have one suggestion to make though.... "Beautiful Disaster" is in no way a YOUNG ADULT book. It's very much an ADULT book, even though the main character is a 19-year old girl. There were lots of expletives, there were several sex scenes... you get the idea. So no, I wouldn't recommend this book to a teenager.

But, nonetheless, it was amazing. It was one of the books that I truly enjoyed reading this year, and I'm even going to place it in a to re-read folder.

To read full review please click here.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Follow Friday #27

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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:


What blogger inspires you? It can be any kind, it doesn't have to be a book blog.

 
My answer:

To be honest, I don't spend too much time browsing the blogging world - time just isn't enough, you know? But there are a couple of book blogs that I do stop by. K-Books is one of them, Some Like it Paranormal and others I'm not sure I can name off the top of my head.

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!! Oh, and if you're a new follower, let me know so I could return the favor!

Also, I want to remind you about the 2 giveaways that are going on at the moment. One is of "Pledged" and the other of "The Burning Star". Please visit The Giveaways Page for more information and the Rafflecopter links. 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

"The Burning Star" by Jessie Lane: an Excerpt

Today I want to share with you guys an excerpt of this new novel that's been going around the blogs. It's called "The Burning Star" and it's co-authored by Crystal Leo and Melissa Pahl, who go by  the name of Crystal Leo. They're also giving away an e-copy of their book to one lucky winner, so sign up for the giveaway below!

Happy reading ya'll!

Excerpt:


I stood there frozen knowing that I would probably die because of this wretched creature. All of a sudden I saw the quick movement of an arm bringing down the point of the knife slicing towards the large creature’s skull. The animal’s enraged screams ripped through the woods around us. My brain tried to analyze what was happening before me I stood as still as a statue and watched as the monster started crumbling away. That’s right, I said crumbling. Like something that had been burnt from the inside out and then fell apart, it was just disintegrating into nothing. This can’t be real. I looked up from the ashes into the face of an angel. No, he’s not an angel, he’s just a guy right? He was staring at me like he had just seen me sprout a second head and I was staring at him like I was about to scream again and that’s when I fainted. At least I didn’t scream again, right?
When I opened my eyes to see his two ethereal blue eyes staring back into mine my head felt like it might split in two from a raging headache. “Are you okay?” his strong but sweet voice whispered.
But before I could stop myself from saying anything ridiculous I replied, “Are you an angel? Did I finally die and go to heaven?”
He bellowed a laugh and I blushed a shade that was more than likely lobster red. I really just didn’t say that did I? Stupid, stupid, stupid Kay. I smacked myself in the forehead and tried to hide my face. That’s a great way to make a first impression to an extremely hot guy. Let’s just faint like an air headed girl, which I am not, and then wake up asking stupid questions. And then that’s when it hit me. The past few moments of events flooded my brain again and I started to panic. “Wait, wait a minute! What was that thing and how in the world did it just, just…”
“The dog? I’m sorry to tell you I had to cut it with my knife to scare it away. It wasn’t a mortal wound though. He took off through the woods in an escape. Sorry if you’re one of those animal lovers, but I was afraid it might kill one of us.”
I shook my head to try and clear it. “No, no, no, no. That was no dog. Well I mean, it was at first, but then it became something else. It was black, and huge, and had those red eyes…” And before I finished my sentence I looked up at him to see complete shock and amazement on his face. I had never seen anyone look so bewildered. “Don’t look at me like that! I know what I saw! Now what was that thing and what happened to it at the end. It didn’t run off, I saw you kill it. And I would point to the body to prove it, but it; well it fell apart or something.”
And in just a split second the shock had disappeared from his handsome face and was replaced by something more masked and calculating. “I’m sorry. You’re quite mistaken. I didn’t kill it. I only wounded it. And it was a dog. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head or something? I’m afraid you might be having some kind of hallucinations of some kind.” Somehow, when he said it, it didn’t seem as scary or grotesque as it did when I played what I thought I saw back in my head.


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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #34

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:



Title: River's Recruit

Series:  Sanctuary Series, book 1
Author: Charlotte Abel
Release date: Fall, 2012

Summary:
Devastated by the death of his identical twin, Jonathan McKnight flees into the Sawatch Mountain Wilderness. He seeks redemption, but all he finds is trouble … and a beautiful young woman named River that belongs to a primitive and dangerous cult.
Jonathan wants to rescue River and take her back to his world. River wants to recruit him. Fate has other plans for both of them.

Want to know more? Read the excerpt here. 

 Why I want to read it:

1) Because Charlotte Abel is a very skilled writer. I loved her Channie series, and am really intrigued by this new one;
2) Did you read that excerpt? Well what are you waiting for???


So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week? 

GIVEAWAY REMINDER:


One giveaway is currently running at my blog. You can check it out and participate here 

Oh, and please leave links to your WOW posts, so I can stop by! Thanks!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

In her shoes ~22~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)


Today I want to share with you one awesome female. Some people might consider her foolish, but I think she's brave and kind and most of all, loving.

Her name is Abby Abernathy, from Jamie McGuire's Beautiful Disaster novel.

Let me tell you about Abby... she's got a past that she ran away from. A past with a hateful father who used her for his benefit, and then hated her for 'failing' him. A past with a drunk mother, who nobody even wants to talk about.

In my book, Abby should be an emotional wreck - unstable, irresponsible, and completely out there. But she's none of those things. She's even forgiving towards her father, and caring enough to put her own life on the line to save his.

True, she makes some poor choices, but which nineteen year old girl doesn't?

She's real, she's got her head on her shoulders, and she makes it so that no one and nothing would bring her down. She's her own person, making her own decisions. Failing sometimes, yes, but also soaring at others.

I wouldn't change one thing about her character. Not even her stubbornness - because sometimes to be stubborn may preserve you from a lot of pain.

That was Abby. Who's your girl this week?

Monday, August 13, 2012

Book review: Inbetween by Tara Fuller

Inbetween (Kissed by Death, #1)
NOTE: I received the arc of this book from Netgalley.

I was very very excited about Inbetween because I'd heard some awesome things about it. And when I actually got it from Netgalley, I was super joyful!

The beginning was a bit slow to my taste, but once the story picked up pace, it became enthralling to the point where I couldn't put the book down until I was done with it. Unfortunately the end came way too fast. I breezed through Inbetween as if it were a 200 page book!!! Yes, it was really good! And boy, what a cliffhanger!

To read the full review, please click here.

Book review: Dead of Night by Lynn Viehl

Dead of Night
NOTE: I received this title from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I requested Dead of Night, I had no idea that it was the second installment in a series. Then I started reading it, and was still in the dark up till page fifty something, when it finally clicked. I considered dropping the book, since I had no idea what happened in the previous one, but then decided to go on and see if it was finishable.

Turns out it was. I not only finished it with no difficulty understanding any previous events, but I also enjoyed it. The story was interesting, though a bit too slow paced to my liking, and I can say with a hand over my heart that it deserved my rating.

To see full review please click here.