Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Cover Reveal - Tempting the Bodyguard

I have another great cover to share with you.   I swear Jennifer Armentrout works with some of the best cover designers out there!  Her new Contemporary Romance, Tempting the Bodyguard (Gamble Brothers #3)  will release 12 May, 2014 and as will all her books I am really looking forward to this one.  



Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn)
Publication Date: 12 May 2014
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Genre:  Contemporary Romance (Sexy Category)
Age Recommendation: 18 and up
Rating: TBR

Book Description:


A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…
He can protect her from everyone except himself.
Alana Gore is in danger. A take-no-prisoners publicist, her way with people has made her more than a few enemies over the years, but a creepy stalker is an entirely different matter. She needs a bodyguard, and the only man she can ask is not only ridiculously hot, but reputed to have taste for women that goes beyond adventurous.
Chandler Gamble has one rule: don't protect anyone you want to screw. But with Alana, he's caught between his job and his increasingly hard libido. On one hand, Alana needs his help. On the other, Chandler wants nothing more than to take the hot volcano of a woman in hand. To make her writhe in pleasure, until she's at his complete mercy.
She needs protection. He needs satisfaction. And the moment the line is crossed, all hell will break loose…


I know right...huge eyes right now, this is a great summer time series to read by the pool with your 'iced tea', just letting the world pass you by for a bit while you loose yourself in the Gamble Brothers! 

So you all know the rest, here are your buy links (Start stretching out that one click finger *winks) and add it to your TBR on Goodreads!

http://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Bodyguard-Gamble-Brothers-Entangled-ebook/dp/B00JTJ2F2O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398177389&sr=1-1&keywords=tempting+the+bodyguard

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempting-the-bodyguard-j-lynn/1119276237?ean=9781622664474

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16035968-tempting-the-bodyguard?from_search=true





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

The cover of Talon has been revealed!

I am so in love with this cover.  

Bold in it's simplicity, it makes me want to pet it, curl up with a cup of tea and block out the real world while I dive into one of Julie Kagawa's amazing worlds of good, evil, and everything in between!

Author: Julie Kagawa
Publication Date: November 1, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre:  Young Adult
Age Recommendation: 14 and up
Rating: TBR

Book Description:

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.


Add it to your TBR and head on out to pre-order it.  If you love your paranormal YA with a lot of action and a bit of swoon worthy romance Julie Kawaga is a must read author!

http://www.amazon.com/Talon-Saga-Julie-Kagawa-ebook/dp/B00IPDVGJI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1397594392&sr=8-4&keywords=Talon

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/talon-julie-kagawa/1118656157?ean=9780373211395

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331828-talon?from_search=true

Find more about the Author and her books (I love them all, like really really love them all!) visit these links.  Oh and she makes amazing clay dragons that she sells on Etsy. 

Facebook  
Blog
Twitter
Etsy


Don't Look Back ~Release Day~

I am so excited to read this book, I can't even tell you how much.  It has been on my must read list since I first heard about it, so yes you know what I will be doing today!

 
The day has finally arrived!!  
Jennifer Armentrout's Young Adult suspense novel, Don't Look Back, published by Disney Hyperion has released!


don't look back    


Book Description:

  Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all—popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her—even if the old Sam treated him like trash. But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory—someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?  


EXCERPT: 
 I didn’t recognize the name on the street sign. Nothing about the rural road looked familiar or friendly. Tall, imposing trees and overgrown weeds choked the front of the dilapidated home. Windows were boarded up. There was a gaping hole where the front door had been. I shivered, wanting to be far away from here…wherever here was. Walking felt harder than it should be, and I stumbled off the chilly asphalt, wincing as sharp gravel dug into my feet. My bare feet? I stopped and looked down. Chipped pink nail polish peeked through the dirt…and blood. Mud caked the legs of my pants, leaving the hems stiff. It made sense, seeing as how I wasn’t wearing any shoes, but the blood…I didn’t understand why there was blood staining the knees of my jeans. My vision clouded and dulled, as if a gray film had been dropped over my eyes. As I stared at the weathered asphalt under my feet, large and smooth rocks replaced the tiny stones. Something dark and oily seeped over the rocks, slipping through the cracks. Sucking in a sharp gasp, I blinked and the image was gone. Hands trembling, I raised them. They were also covered with dirt and scratches. My nails were broken, bloodied. A silver ring wrapped, encased in soil, around my thumb. Air froze in my chest as my gaze crawled over my arms. The sleeves of my sweater were torn, revealing pale flesh covered in bruises and gashes. My legs started to shake as I swayed forward. I tried to remember how this had happened, but my head was empty—a black void where nothing existed. A car drove by, coasting to a stop a few feet in front of me. Somewhere in the trenches of my subconscious, I recognized the flashing red and blue lights as a source of safety. Elegantly scrawled along the black-and-gray side of the cruiser were the words ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. Adams County? A flash of familiarity came and went. The driver’s door opened, and a deputy stepped out. He said something into the radio on his shoulder before he looked at me. “Miss?” He started around the cruiser, taking tentative steps. He looked young for a deputy. Barely out of high school and able to carry a gun seemed wrong somehow. Was I in high school? I didn’t know. “We’ve received some calls into dispatch concerning you,” he said gently. “Are you okay?” I tried to respond, but only a hoarse squeak came out. Clearing my throat, I winced as the motion scratched and pulled. “I…I don’t know.” “Okay.” The deputy held up his hands as he approached me, as if I were a skittish deer about to bolt. “My name is Deputy Rhode. I’m here to help you. Do you know what you’re doing out here?” “No.” Knots formed in my belly. I didn’t even know where here was. His smile strained. “What’s your name?” My name? Everyone knew their name, but as I stared at the deputy, I couldn’t answer his question. The knots started twisting more. “I don’t…I don’t know what my name is.” He blinked, and the smile was completely gone. “You don’t remember anything?” I tried again, concentrating on the empty space between my ears. That was how it felt. And I knew that wasn’t good. My eyes started to tear up. “Miss, it’s okay. We’ll get you taken care of.” He reached out, lightly taking hold of my arm. “We’ll get this sorted.” Deputy Rhode led me around the back of his cruiser. I didn’t want to sit behind the Plexiglas, because I knew that wasn’t good. Only bad people sat behind the glass in police cruisers. I wanted to object, but before I could say anything, he settled me into the seat and wrapped a coarse blanket around my shoulders. Before he locked me in the bad part of the car, he knelt and smiled reassuringly. “Everything’s going to be okay.” But I knew he was lying, trying to make me feel better. It didn’t work. How could everything be okay when I didn’t know my own name?    

And as if that didn't catch your interest, read this review from RT Book Reviews  They gave it a 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick! 
“This engrossing thriller packs a heady atmospheric punch with plenty of theatrical scares,” Kirkus Reviews “Armentrout has written another winner. From the first page to the last, she builds both terror and confusion to the point where readers will be hooked and on the edge of their seat. This standalone contains all of Armentrout’s usual trademarks– a strong and determined heroine, witty comments and hot guys–but she adds in an extra layer by ratcheting up the suspense to the highest degree and follows it up with an ending no one will see coming.” ~RT Book Reviews     



About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.   Links: Website Twitter Facebook Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads DON’T LOOK

Monday, April 14, 2014

Mom Monday - The Lonely Lake Monster!

 Kid Tested and Approved!

This review comes courtesy of my 8 year old daughter Olivia. I was woken up a few mornings ago at about 12:30 am to "Mom, I finished my book, I just couldn't put it down!"  This is how I found her at about 9:00 am the next day.

The Imaginary Veterinary series, starting with book 1 The Sasquatch Escape, are the first books she has ever read entirely by herself so you can imagine that we have a rather special soft spot in our hearts for these books. That being said these are really fun and engaging books and if you have elementary aged children (especially those with an adventurous bent) in your home these are books that will be well received by everyone.


 
Author: Susanne Selfors
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre:  Middle Grade
Age Recommendation: 7-12
Rating: 5 Stars (Her words were, it was totally awesome!)

Book Description:
Pearl Petal and Ben Silverstein can't wait for their first official day as apprentices of Dr. Woo, veterinarian for imaginary creatures. That is, until they are tasked with clipping the sasquatch's toenails. Gross!

Then Pearl spots a monster in the lake behind the hospital. Even though they were told not to leave the building for any reason, Pearl sets off for a closer look, with Ben trailing cautiously behind.
The outing goes awry when Ben is captured by the creature and held hostage on an island in the middle of the lake. It's up to Pearl to hatch a rescue mission. Will she save the day or cement her reputation as the town troublemaker? And will the hospital's secret patient be able to help?
Suzanne Selfors takes readers on an incredible adventure full of mythical creatures and astonishing discoveries that are anything but imaginary.
This book includes bonus writing, art, and science activities that will help readers discover more about the mythological creatures featured in The Lonely Lake Monster. These activities are designed for the home and the classroom. Enjoy doing them on your own or with friends!


Review by Olivia (transcribed by mom, book quotes added by mom):

At the end of the first book, The Sasquatch Escape, Ben and Pearl get the Sasquatch back to the Hospital for Imaginary Creatures and they get certificates for catching the Sasquatch.  So now in The Lonely Lake Monster Ben and Pearl have become apprentices at a secret hospital that everyone just thinks is a worm hospital.  

"Pearl stiffened. "Yes, I am sure.  I'm totally sure.  I really, really want to be an apprentice."  She blew a lock of blond hair from her face.  "I don't understand why you're so excited about working at a worm hospital," Mrs. Petal said with a shake of her head."  -Pearl, Mrs Petal

On their first day Ben and Pearl are sent by Mr. Tabby, the mysterious helper who Pearl thinks is grumpy.

" Pearl didn't know Mr. Tabby very well, but from the short time she'd spent with him, she'd come to the conclusion that he was rather grumpy.  What kind of teacher would he make?  She opened her mouth to speak, and as she did, a low growl sounded in Mr. Tabby's throat. "

sends Ben and Pearl to clip Sasquatch toenails and Ben almost gets his neck stabbed with a toenail,but barely escapes by ducking.  When Ben turns around he points out the window, shocked because he sees a green face with eyes the size of basketballs

"Pearl froze.  "What is it?"  She whispered.  Ben? What are you pointing at?" "I...I...I don't know he stammered. "But it's...huge!"

Ben gets taken away to Button Island and Pearl runs to find help.  Unable to find anyone, Pearl had to figure out a way to help Ben herself.  

I really, really, really liked this book because I liked the Lake Monster and the Leprechaun.  I liked the idea of giving something with a small brain....(edited so not to be 'spoilery') something to help it be happy until in remembers.  I like that Ben and Pearl get certifications for helping the creatures and I always like how at the end of the book there are extra things to do!  After the first book I got to make chocolate pudding and now I am going to make a mirror.    -Olivia


 We hope you enjoyed Olivia's first book review, she may be making appearances from time to time, lending her mom a helping hand.  If you'd like to pick up this or any of The Imaginary Veterinary Series here are your links and as always don't forget to add it to your Goodreads!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17242445-the-lonely-lake-monster?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/Imaginary-Veterinary-Lonely-Monster-Number-ebook/dp/B00BAXFBR8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396819989&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lonely+lake+monster

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lonely-lake-monster-suzanne-selfors/1114308470?ean=9780316225618

 
 
 

Friday, April 11, 2014

Review - Fae by Emily White

"Not all Fae'ri tales come with a happy ending."



Author: Emily White
Publication Date: February 19, 2014
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Genre:  Science Fiction
Age Recommendation: 15 and up
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Description:
Not all fae'ri tales come with a happy ending.

Ella thought taking care of the ego-bloated Mamood god would be a sure way to bring peace to the galaxy and satisfy her taste for revenge.

But she was wrong.

Despite the fact their god is gone, the Mamood refuse to abandon their attack on the planet Soltak and Ella's own so-called friends start to turn against her. And with Soltak dying--its oceans drying up and its plants withering in the ground--Ella and Cailen suspect there's a new enemy at work. As more people die and more water is leached from the planet, they both prepare for something straight from a nightmare.

The fae are coming.

Ella continues the journey, on Soltak where we left her at the end of the first book Elemental, her journey of discovery as she battles against forces she struggles to understand.  

Her memories are returning to her in small snippets, that lead her to make rash decisions, while the voice in her head spurs her along.  She is fighting her insecurities, fighting a bond that she fears is one-sided in it's love.  She is fighting to learn who she is not who The Destroyer is supposed to be.

"You're not going to lose me.  I just need to know the truth.  I can't be in the dark anymore."  For the first time these things mattered to me.  I'd been so busy trying to figure out who I was supposed to become that I'd spent so little time learning who I already was.  Now I wanted to know.  The hunger for knowing, it burned deep inside of me.  I needed it, and I wanted Cailen to be the one to tell me.

And despite all of this she is fighting for the fate of a planet whose people have done nothing but scorn and hurt her, putting the need to save them before everything else.

He pursed his lips and shook his head, backing away.  "You've given your devotion to all these strangers."  He paused before setting his eyes on mine.  " You give THEM everything." 

While I felt for Ella and her struggle to gain her identity, to understand her past, and forge her future I spent a great deal of time wanting to smack her upside the head for her rash decisions.  However, much of her struggle comes from the fact that no one, not ever her 'bonded' love, Cailen, is ever fully truthful with her.  She is given pieces of stories, left to snippets of her memories, and her own insecure deductions.  It can be frustrating at times for the reader I think, but at the end  (talk about leaving you hanging, haha) it all comes together leaving you wanting more.  

One thing that Ella is not is a coward.  When it comes to fighting for what she believes is right for not only herself, but for the people she feels she needs to protect she comes to life.  When pressed she becomes the warrior you know she is meant to be and I hope that this fight in her will pull us through what is coming in the third book, Destructor.  I am truly praying for her HEA, goodness know a child torn away from her life and imprisoned for 10 years only to be freed to discover she is The Destroyer (possible savior of worlds) deserves her happily ever after, don't let me down Ms. White! *winks*

Emily White builds powerful worlds reminiscent of what one would see watching Star Wars.  There story unravels at a slowly while the action is fast paced and at times heartbreaking.  

I would have liked to have seen an appendix with a description of each world and it's inhabitants.  -Something along the lines of the Cailen's grey disk that Ella uses to learn more about who and what she is fighting for. - 

Overall I really enjoyed this book.  I have never thought of myself as much of a Sci-Fi fan, but this series easily drags you in, bringing out all your inner romantic geek.  
Buy the book here and don't forget to add it to your TBR:
http://www.amazon.com/Fae-Auri-Wars-Emily-White-ebook/dp/B00IJYR02A/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1397243214

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fae-emily-white/1107712875?ean=2940149217519

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20654544-fae


About the author:
 Emily White is a nerd.

She prefers her men fully clothed and donning bowties, her commas British, her books cheesy with big, overly-dramatic explosions, her characters awkward and endearingly real,* and watching her movies in authentic turn-of-the-century theaters. When not exposing her nerdy self to the world, she's creating her own friends and putting them in horrible, yet sometimes humorous situations.

Check out her YA Space Opera series starting with Elemental (Spencer Hill Press, 2012), continuing with Fae (February 2014), and ending in 2015 with DESTRUCTOR. She's also authored a collection of Steampunk (zombie, werebot romance) flash fiction, if you're into those kinds of things, titled "To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World." Her YA Contemporary Fantasy, ALMOST NIGHT, will be out May 2014.
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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Don't Look Back - Blog Tour with excerpt!



I am thrilled to be today's stop on the Don't Look Back blog and excerpt tour.  You all know how much I love all of Jennifer Armentrout's books and I know that this book will be no exception.  I am stop 9 on the tour so if you haven't been following along before now make sure to head over here Follow the tour here  to read the previous tour excerpts.




By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published by: Disney Hyperion
To Be Released on: April 15th, 2014
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads


Book Description:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.


Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?




Excerpt 9


Tendrils of fear coated in confusion crawled through me when the strangers—er, my parents—
checked me out of the hospital the next day. I couldn’t believe the authorities were just letting
me leave with them. What if they weren’t really my parents? What if they were psychos
kidnapping me?  I was being ridiculous.
It wasn’t as if random people would claim a seventeen-year-old girl for no reason, which
is exactly how old I was. Discovered that when I peeked at my chart at the end of my bed that
morning.
My gaze slid to my father’s head of dark hair. An air of influence coated his skin, seeped
into everything he touched. I didn’t need to know anything about him to realize that he was
powerful.
Tall trees and rolling green hills that were as well manicured as the golf course I’d seen
on the TV in my hospital room surrounded the road leading up to their house. We went over one
dip in the road, and I saw a cluster of small houses that were cozy.
We drove past them…in our Bentley.
Quickly, I learned that they were rich. Sickeningly rich. It was funny how I didn’t
remember squat, but I knew what money looked like.
I kept rubbing the palm of my hand over the supple leather. The car had to be new
because it had that crisp, just-manufactured scent.
Then I saw our house. Holy crap, it was the size of a small hotel. An intimidating
structure with thick marble columns in the front, rising four or five stories into the sky, and the
garage to the left was the size of the houses we’d passed a few moments ago.
“Is this really our house?” I asked when the car rounded a fountain—kind of gaudy—
surrounded by foliage in the middle of the wraparound driveway.
Mom glanced back, smiling tightly. “Of course it is, sweetie. You’ve lived here your
whole life. So have I. This was my parents’ home.”
“Was?” I asked, curious.
“They’ve moved to Coral Gables.” She paused and took a little breath. “They’re in
Florida, honey. This is their family estate.”
Estate. That was a fancy word. My gaze shifted to my dad again, and I realized that Mom
had said their and not our. As if the house wasn’t Dad’s home, but it was her family’s.
Pushing that thought aside, I took a deep breath and then planted my face in the window
again. Dear god, I lived in this place. Once I got inside the opulent foyer and saw the crystal
chandelier that was probably worth more than my life, I suddenly didn’t want to move.
Expensive stuff was everywhere. The rug near the grand staircase looked soft. Oil paintings of
foreign landscapes graced the buttercream walls. There were so many doors, so many rooms.
My breath was coming out in short, raspy outbursts. 
I couldn’t move.


About The Author

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Follow Jennifer via:  Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook 

About the Giveaway
Thank you to Disney Hyperion, each site has 1 copy of Don't Look Back to giveaway. To enter today's giveaway, please fill out the form below.  Giveaway is open to US Residents only. 

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The Tour
Stop by tomorrow's stop to read the next excerpt! Follow the tour here.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Milestone - 400 Likes Giveaway!


I have just spent the last hour searching for just the right gif to express my excitement over Reads All the Books Facebook page getting 400 likes this morning.  This one may not in fact show you the level of excitement that is occurring at my house right now, but it is Tom Hiddleston and his Snake Hips dance so...Yeah! 


I have no words other than THANK YOU!  Thank you all so much for being a part of this little journey of mine that started two months ago.  Thank you for loving books, for being amazing readers and authors.  Thank you for all the kind words as I set out to make this happen.  Thank you for all the help, advice, suggestions, hugs, and encouragement.  Most importantly thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by here, for your follows on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.  You are all amazing and I wish I could give you each a hug, a book, and a cuppa!

To celebrate I am giving away signed books from two YA series that I love.
 
Book Description:

 The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end.




Book Description:

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do--and they are just as determined to stay together.

Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival--he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.



LET'S CELEBRATE 


 
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And just because we all need a little Colin Firth to celebrate with and he makes me all fan-girl giddy.   
CHEERS and THANK YOU!

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

If only we all had a little Foresight!



Author: Erika M Szabo
Publication Date: November 16th 2013
Publisher: Golden Box Books
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Age Recommendation: 18 and up
Rating: 3 Stars

Book Description:
Ilona has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend, when a dashing stranger explodes into her life. The sudden magnetic feeling frightens her. Will he break her heart, or will he bring true happiness? A sinister dark man appears, Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She is an emergency room doctor, born into an ancient tribe which still exists hidden amongst us with its fiercely enforced rules. She doesn’t know much about her heritage besides legends and rituals that she continues out of respect for her parents. She begins to remember the forgotten instructions concealed as rhymes her mother was teaching her since she was a small child and discovers that she can rearrange the human body to its healthy state. This ability is exciting as well as frightening. She is conflicted between having confidence in her intelligence and inherited abilities while having no confidence as a woman. Her insecurity created barriers which keep others out, and I also keep her caged in. She has been evacuated from her easy and steady life, and is forced to face the unknown
.

Dreams she can't understand, feelings of knowing niggling at the back of her mind.  A history not fully told or discovered, and the words "You will find out in due time" a constant part of her life.  
Waking from a vivid yet confusing dream on her 29th birthday, the age of adulthood in the Hun society, we follow Ilona on a journey of discovery, mystery, love, and danger.  

"It all began on my birthday…In my diary, I used flowers and their meanings to separate events, and I asked Elza, Zoltan, Bela and Ema to share pages from their journals as well, in order to put things into perspective and to understand what happened to us."   - Ilona

I enjoyed reading the history, mythology, mystical aspects and folklore in this book.  Ilona is a beautifully sweet heroine who struggles with her past, present, and future.  She is searching to find who she is and who she will become while discovering truths about her heritage, her abilities, and the people around her.  I loved all the characters in this book, each was well written and developed and I fond that their interactions with one another were true and easy. 

That being said, I struggled with Ms. Szabo's writing style, which is a purely personal preference.  Ms. Szabo goes to great lengths to describe scenes and memories, causing me at times to get bogged down by the amount of detail and feel as though I was actually missing the full impact the scene was trying to convey.   However, keep in mind that I have the same problem when reading Charles Dickens;  sooooo. *wink*

Overall I thought this was a good and easy read.  It is something totally different then what I have been reading in the paranormal even contemporary genre's, and whoa holy cliffhanger!  Luckily we can start right into book 2, Acceptance! 

Links for purchase and to add to your Goodreads below:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12754397-foresight

http://www.amazon.com/Foresight-Guarded-Secrets-Part-One-ebook/dp/B00GPW15YW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396362330&sr=1-3&keywords=erika+m+szabo

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foresight-erika-m-szabo/1117689080?ean=9780991211609