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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Cover Reveal- Eternal by Kristi Cook!!!



Eeeeep!!!!! I love this series by Kristi Cook and I’m super excited to take part in the cover reveal for the third and final book in the Winterhaven Series, ETERNAL!!! Check out the awesome cover and blurb ooh and make sure to enter the giveaway!




THERE’S NO HIDING FROM DESTINY…

In the final book of the Winterhaven trilogy, Violet McKenna and her friends find themselves right in the middle of a vampire war. The stakes have been raised, the danger unavoidable now. As the Warriors’ senior year draws to a close, not everyone makes it out alive. Who will be left standing at the end of it all? Will Aidan be a part of Violet’s future, or is he just a specter of the past?






About The Author


YA author Kristi Cook is a transplanted southern gal who lives in New York City with her husband and two kids. Her YA debut, HAVEN, was released in Feb. 2011 by Simon Pulse.

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  • US ONLY
  • Must be 13 or older to enter
  • Winner has 48 hours to respond to email claiming their prize or a new winner will be chosen.
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Blog Tour- Indigo Awakening By Jordan Dane and a Giveaway!




Hey y’all! Today I have an awesome guest post from author Jordan Dane! Check it out and enter the giveaway below to win an awesome Harlequin Teen Prize pack! TheIndigo Awakening blog tour is hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!

Are YOU an Indigo Child? Take the Indigo Test

In my new HUNTED series with Harlequin Teen, a strong inspiration for book #1 INDIGO AWAKENING and the series is the idea that Indigo, Crystal, or Star children are the next evolution of mankind. I am very intrigued by the idea that despite what man might believe—that we are top of the food chain and can’t foresee a 2.0 version of us—mankind is bound to evolve into something beyond what we are today. And yes, there are many people who believe that these children (or Indigo Warrior adults) exist among us and are evolving into a more enlightened version of ourselves.

Query “Indigo children” online and you will get over millions of hits. The phenomenon of Indigo children or Indigo adults have inspired books, movies, TV shows, national news coverage, and been linked to the CIA and the Pentagon.

The tag line for the book is “They are our future, if they survive.” In my fictional book, these special psychic kids are being secretly hunted by the Believers, a fanatical church that fears what these children (and the Indigo adults who are protecting them) are becoming. A storm is brewing on the streets of LA.

But today I would like to see how many of YOU are Indigos and will bravely admit it. Take the Indigo test and see if you are the next evolution of mankind and share your results with us in a comment.

If you hate tests, share your thoughts & answer any question you’d like from this list.

1.)       Do you see people's auras?
2.)      Have you ever seen the dead or angels?
3.)       Are you intuitive or have you ever had a deja vu moment that struck you as sooooo real? Do you know anyone like this?
4.)      If you were an Indigo, what kind of psychic powers would you want to have?


Are you ready to take the INDIGO test?

Click HERE for the link to the test and post your results in a comment. Some of you may not need a test to tell you what you already know. I have a very strong feeling—call me psychic—that the followers of this amazing blog are exceptionally gifted readers. 

      Indigo Awakening (The Hunted #1)
      by Jordan Dane 
      Release Date: 12/18/12
      Paperback/e-book
      304 pages
    Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Summary from Goodreads:
Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all.

 About Jordan Dane 
Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty romantic thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. She also pens young-adult novels for Harlequin Teen. Formerly an energy sales manager, she now writes full time. Jordan and her husband share their Texas residence with two cats of highborn lineage and two lucky rescue dogs.
Where you can find her:
Thriller/Crime Fiction Blogs:
YA Blogs:


Check out the trailer!




HarlequinTEEN prize pack, includes (US only):
·         INDIGO AWAKENING by Jordan Dane
·         ON A DARK WING by Jordan Dane
·         IN THE ARMS OF STONE ANGELS by Jordan Dane
·         THE JULIET SPELL by Douglas Rees
·         BELONGING by Karen Ann Hopkins (ARC)
·         DANCERGIRL by Carol M. Tanzman
·         2 Harlequin notebooks

4 Infinity Bracelets: (US only)
For anyone who has read an advance copy of INDIGO AWAKENING, you know that a silver infinity bracelet plays an important part in the story. Special bracelets will be given away on the virtual tour so the lucky winners will be part of Rafael’s street family. Rafe’s bracelet was in black leather, but I’ve added a white leather braid as my personal remembrance to you for being in MY family.

-1 audio book of In the Arms of Stone Angels. Digital download only. (International)





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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Dying to Read (14)- Inhuman by Kat Falls



Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is Inhuman by Kat Falls! I’m really interested in this dystopian/paranormal story it kinda sounds a little bit like Enclave crossed with The Island of Dr. Moreau! And I really like the name Rafe lol 



Inhuman
Kat Falls
Release Date: May 2013
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 054537099X

In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Blog Tour- Flawed by Kate Avelynn Interview and Giveaway



Hey y’all! Thanks for stopping by for my day of the Flawed Blog Tour! I have a Q&A with Kate where she answers burning questions that readers I’m sure want to know! Also make sure to read to the end because there’s a giveaway and it’s pretty sweet!

Haven’t heard about Flawed? Check it out!     
Amazon B&N | The Book Depository Goodreads 

Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .

Ok let’s hear what Kate has to say!
       
1) Kate, most who read Flawed are torn up afterwards, emotionally drained, was that your intention with the book?
This is something I’m asked a lot and it always makes me laugh. No, I didn’t sit down with the nefarious plan to write a book that would rip everyone’s hearts out. In fact, if you follow me on Twitter, you’ve probably seen me awkwardly apologizing to readers who contact me about the crates of tissue they went through, how many hours they spent in a fetal ball, how their boyfriends now think they’re crazy after reacting this strongly to a book, etc. I feel bad, I really do! If I could bake super yummy cookies that shipped automatically with every book purchase, I totally would. But in all seriousness, this story popped into my head almost fully-formed. I knew it would gut me to write it, but I had no idea how it would affect readers or if anyone would ever see it.

2) Most devoured the book in one sitting. Was that your intention?
I don’t know that an author ever sets out to write an addictive book. We all hope readers will get sucked in and read straight through the night because they have to know what happens next, but again with me and my lack of nefarious plans. You’d think I’d be better at this kind of manipulation with the books I write…

3) While it's categorized as a YA, many think content wise it is closer to a NA. Would you agree or disagree?
I think it depends more on the reader’s interpretation of New Adult than mine. I would say it’s YA mostly because Sarah is still a high school student. Very mature YA for sure, but still YA. When I pick up a NA book, I expect the characters to be in college or at least college-aged. If there was a sequel to this book with Sarah off at UC Davis, picking up the pieces of her life after FLAWED, it’d definitely be NA! That being said, I’m most comfortable writing NA so the feel of the other books I’ve written no doubt bleeds through into everything else I write.

4) Many have associated the book with incest and won’t read because they think that’s what the novel is about. Can you clarify for possible readers that the book is, in fact, so much more? 
There have been a few really great reviews that said right up front classifying this book as an “incest book” is doing it a major disservice. Mostly because, other than what James thinks he wants from Sarah, there is no incest. Just misplaced love, misplaced loyalty, and the unhealthy bond that can develop between two children who’ve grown up together in a toxic environment. This is definitely not FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC or FORBIDDEN. The only sex in FLAWED occurs between Sarah and her boyfriend, Sam, and the story itself is about letting go, and how by experiencing real love, Sarah is able to break free of the life she’s been trapped in for so long.

5) Why is music so important to this storyline?
I’ve always felt like my life is playing out to one long soundtrack. Writing books is the same thing for me. Every scene, every character, every emotion in one of my books comes back to a melody or a lyric I’ve heard. My writing soundtracks are ridiculously long and I love hearing from readers who have compiled their own after reading the book!

6) Most wanted an alternate ending, without giving too much away, why did you end Flawed the way you did?
If you’ve read the acknowledgments at the back of the book, you already know my husband played a major part in the ending. I’m a total plotter—we’re talking every scene is listed on a note card before I begin a book, and I write them in order from there—but this book didn’t have a final chapter or an epilogue. I had hoped they would come to me when I got to that point. Except, they didn’t. Maybe I was too much of an emotional wreck to see the forest for the trees or something, I don’t know. But I talked to my husband about it and he helped me see there was only one logical, realistic ending for this story, and that all the characters’ actions (right or wrong) had led them to that particular point. I bawled writing that scene, and cried even harder writing the epilogue. The parts of the original epilogue that crushed my heart most were removed in edits (lucky readers!), but I can confirm a rumor I’ve seen all over Goodreads. Yes, there is an alternate ending (three of them, actually), and yes, I plan to release the one everyone wants most as soon as I have permission to do so. Maybe it’ll happen at the end of this blog tour…

About the Author:
Kate Avelynn lives in Central Oregon with her husband, whom she fell in love with at eighteen after realizing he shared her obsession with music, sports, and psychoanalysis. When not devouring books, holding down her editing gig, or attempting to coax life out of the weed patch she calls a “garden,” Kate writes dark, young adult romance that blends first love, betrayal, and danger. FLAWED is her debut novel.


And now for the prizes! Kate is giving away one of the following: a large book charm on a silver necklace, or a smaller book charm on a silver charm bracelet—winner’s choice! These are the popular book charms made by Sophie’s Beads. All you have to do is leave a comment about whether you’ve ever skipped over a book that had the potential to make you cry, along with your email address. Today’s giveaway is only open to US residents, but keep an eye out for International giveaways scheduled throughout the tour.

Kate is also running an Ultimate FLAWED Fan Pack contest via the Rafflecopter listing below. Enter daily for a chance to win some really cool stuff!



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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Dying to Read (19)- The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa



Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa! I’ve loved the first book in the series and can’t wait to see where Alison’s journey takes her next! Also I am a Julie Kagawa junkie so I’m dying to read anything she writes!

Quick note. As we all know the covers have recently been re-done and while I do not like this new cover at all. I still can’t wait to get my hands on this book!


The Eternity Cure
Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 0373210698

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Review- Requiem by Lauren Oliver


Requiem
Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Harper Teen
ISBN: 0062014536
Source: ARC from the San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review
Rating: Liked
From Goodreads.


Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancĂ©e of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

 Y’all now don’t get mad at me I liked this one I just didn’t love it like I did Delirium and even Pandemonium. I’ve even given myself a few days to ponder why before writing my review. So here’s my thoughts…..

Lauren’s world building is amazingly written and I love how descriptive she is about life in the Wilds and also back in Portland. I absolutely loved this story up until the very last chapter and then I didn’t. My favorite parts of the story were the ones written from Lena’s POV. I think that’s one of my biggest problems final book in the series. With the three books Lauren went from just Lena’s POV in Delirium, to Lena’s POV past and present in Pandemonium, to Dual POV’s in Requiem; and the second POV was Hana’s. Whom after reading her short story I really could have cared less about. I actually hated her. If Lauren was going to write a second POV in this book I really believe it should have been Alex’s. I think she went with Hana because after what happens in her short story she needed redemption but even then I really had a hard time caring about her.

Oh and the ever present non-love triangle between Alex, Lena, and Julian? Call it what you want but when there’s two guys and the character cares about both of them and, they both care about her even if one doesn’t act like it. It’s a love triangle. Just trust me on this Team Alex and Team Julian will not be happy with the outcome I know I wasn’t because there was no outcome! Oh yeah on to the ending! I don’t think I’ve been this frustrated with a book series ending since Mockingjay! Was there a happy ending? Hell no! Not in my opinion. Was there an ending yes, yes there was but I’m still left numb by it. I’m actually angered by it and I feel it was kind of a cop out.

I was really excited by this one and I’m really upset that I didn’t like it more. I did like it though I just didn’t love it like I had hoped. I really hope you all who have read, loved, and invested so much into this series like I have; read it and feel differently.

I chose a passage between Alex and Lena and this is about as close to hope as I got in this book.

Alex is standing a little ways away from where Julian is lying. All his anger gone; instead he looks shocked, his hands limp at his sides. He’s staring at Julian, looking puzzled, as though he doesn’t know how Julian got there.

I stand up and move toward him, feeling the anger crawl into my fingers. I wish I could wrap them around his neck, choke him.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” My voice is low. I have to push the words out past the hard lump of anger in my throat.

“I--I’m sorry,” Alex whispers. He shakes his head. “I didn’t mean… I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry Lena.”

If he keeps looking at me like that—pleading, willing me to understand—I know I’ll start to forgive him.

“Lena.” He takes a step toward me, and I take a step back. For a moment we stand there; I can feel the pressure of his eyes on me, and the pressure, too, of his guilt. But I won’t look at him, I can’t.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats again, too low for Raven and Tack to hear. “I’m sorry for everything.”

Then he turns and pushes into the woods, and he’s gone.


Monday, January 21, 2013

Cover Reveal- Blurred by Tara Fuller and a Giveaway!!!



Hey y’all!!! I’m so stoked to reveal this cover on the blog today not only because I’m her publicist but because I truly love this series! Also book 2 is Cash’s story and he’s my favorite one of Tara’s boys lol ooh and we have something sweet up for grabs too! One luck person will win the very first eARC of Blurred! So make sure to fill out the rafflecopter form below.

Haven’t started this series yet grab a copy of Inbetween now so you’re ready for Blurred! Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

And here’s the gorgeous cover for Blurred!


Blurred
Tara Fuller
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
ISBN: 162061085X


Cash is haunted by things. Hungry, hollow things. They only leave him alone when Anaya, Heaven’s beautiful reaper, is around. Cash has always been good with girls, but Anaya isn’t like the others. She’s dead. And with his deteriorating health, Cash might soon be as well.

Anaya never breaks the rules, but the night of the fire she recognized part of Cash’s soul—and doomed him to something worse than death. Cash’s soul now resides in an expired body, making him a shadow walker—a rare, coveted being that can walk between worlds. A being creatures of the underworld would do anything to get their hands on.

The lines between life and death are blurring, and Anaya and Cash find themselves falling helplessly over the edge. Trapped in a world where the living don’t belong, can Cash make it out alive?

 About Tara:
Tara Fuller writes novels. Some about grim reapers. Some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North  Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.


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Friday, January 18, 2013

Review- Boundless by Cynthia Hand


Boundless
Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN:  0061996203
Source: ARC from the publisher
Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!
From Goodreads.


The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Ok so where to start with this review…. If you read my previous reviews of Unearthly and Hallowed you can see that I did a little flip flopping between Tucker and Christian. Well I can say after reading Boundless 100% that I am Team Both! I know, I know it sounds like a cop out but I cannot choose! I love both of them for different reasons and even though Clara finally makes her choice in this book I definitely can’t.

Second Cynthia Hand is beyond evil! I thought I cried in Hallowed it didn’t compare to the tears I shed in Boundless I was an ugly crying fool in this book! Ok I really can’t say much about the actual book because I’m afraid there would be spoilers and I don’t do spoilery reviews. So what I can say is that the book was amazing! It was a beautiful, heart-wrenching, perfect ending this trilogy and while I’m sad to see it end it couldn’t have finished in a better way! I really look forward to what Cynthia had up her sleeve for her next series because she’s an amazing writer and she has a lifetime fan in me!

Ok since I’m now Team Both I couldn’t just pick one scene so you get two! One with Clara and Tuck and one with Clara and Christian!

First Clara and Christian.

“That’s what we call irony.” I get to my feet, brush dirt off my jeans. “All right. Not that I don’t enjoy chatting with you Christian, but I didn’t come up here to talk.”

He squints up at me. “What?”

I take off my hoodie and toss it down next to him.

Now he looks really confused. I turn my back to him and summon my wings, stretch them over my head, flex. When I glance over at him again, he’s standing, staring with a kind of yearning admiration at my feathers, which gleam white in the sun.

He wants to touch them.

“Clara—“he says breathlessly, and takes a step forward, and reaches out.


Now Tucker and Clara.

“Tucker—“

“Nah, it’s all right,” he says. “I guess I should have expected him to make his move, now that we’re over and done. So how’d it go?”

I stare at him wordlessly.

“Well, it can’t have gone too well, or you wouldn’t have ended up here at the end of the night.”

“That,” I say carefully, ‘is none of your beeswax, Tucker Avery.”

“Well, you’re right about that,” he says. “We’ve got to move on, don’t we? But the way I see it, there’s one bug thing getting in the way of us doing that.”

My breath catches. “Oh yeah? What?”

He looks at me coolly. “You keep showing up.”


 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Dying to Read (18)- The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross



Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross! I’ve loved both of Kady’s books in this amazing steampunk world and I can’t wait for more Jack Dandy!


The Girl with the Iron Touch
Kady Cross
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 037321085X

Finley Jayne, Griffin and their crew are stunned when one of their own is kidnapped. Emily has a way with machines—she can literally talk to them. But the automatons who abducted her aren’t ordinary machines. They’re almost human—and they want Emily to do something as horrifying as it seems possible.

To save Emily, Finley must contact the highly unsettling Jack Dandy and face her feelings for two vastly different men, even as Griffin’s nightmares threaten to turn into a reality that might just end them all.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?