Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



And now that I could, it was so damn worth it.  I’d go to Hell a thousand times over to have my hands were they were now.

Inbetween by Tara Fuller  Kindle Location 2496
I am not so sure that I agree with him.  Not with the way Hell is described in this book.  So what do you think?  Wanna read a little Inbetween?

Colonization

Inspell Publishing is proud to announce the cover for Colonization by Aubrie Dionne.  Release date is November 7, 2012.  Just look at this amazing cover!

Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.
But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.
Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.
Can she save the colony and discover her true love?
Author Bio:
Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.

Giveaway! – Open for US and UK only.

We have a very cool keyring as a giveaway. J
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, July 27, 2012

Red


Author: Kate SeRine
Format: eARC
Print Length: 308 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Published: August 2, 2012
"My name is Tess Little. But everyone calls me Red."

Once upon a time, a spell went awry, stranding Make Believe characters in the ordinary world. Since then, Tess "Red" Little--a/k/a Little Red Riding Hood--has worked as an Enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. But, consider yourself warned--she's not just some waif with a basket of goodies. All grown up and with nothing to lose, a gun and combat boots is more her style. And Red's new assignment threatens to be short on happily ever afters. . .

Someone is murdering transplanted Tales in gruesome fashion. The list of fictional characters capable of such grisly acts is short and includes more than one of Red's old flames. And if that wasn't bad enough, there's another complication, in the form of sexy, enigmatic Nate Grimm, the FMA's lead detective and part-time Reaper. Used to following her own rules and living life on the edge, Red has managed to avoid taking on a partner until now. But Nate's dark side makes him perfect for a case like this. That is, if she can trust him. Because if there's one thing Red knows for sure, it's that believing in the wrong person can have big, bad consequences. . .

My Thoughts

Oh how I wish that the Here and Now world was our reality, with Tales from the Land of Make Believe migrating over.  What an amazing world that would be!  The best thing about this world that Kate has beautifully created is that not all of the Tales are happy being in the Here and Now.  In fact some of the “happily-ever-after” couples end up becoming “unhappily-ever-after.”

The main character Tess aka “Red” as in the Little Red Riding Hood.  She once dated Seth- the Big Bad Wolf, who breaks her heart.  Instead of wailing in self-pity, she gets tough, and some boots becoming an Enforcer (kinda like a bounty hunter).  She is really good at her job, one of the best.  Some Tales end up died and Nate “Grimm” asks for Red to be assigned to help him find the killer.

When you think of the Grimm Reaper, I bet you do not picture him like Nate.  I have a soft spot for Nate- he dresses in a wool suit with an overcoat and a fedora (it’s a type of hat used more in the early 20th century).  Another great thing about this book, Tess is not instantly attracted to Nate.  It is slow to develop, she has known him for a while.
I took an instant liking to Tess; her no non-sense policy made me smile.  Boy, does she have a snarky attitude at times.  “Dear God, it was a morning person conspiracy.”  She does not want to find her happily-ever-after because she honestly believes she does not get one.  What is refreshing about this is that she accepts this as a reality.  It is what it is, she has moved on.  She likes her life, even without a man in it.  Nate is not an overbearing love interest either.  He rarely gets mad, which is the exact opposite of how I imagine a Grim Reaper.  Not once in the book was he mean to her, a deviation from the books that I have been reading late.

Now to the mystery- who is killing the Tales.  It is truly a mystery- with all signs pointing to Red’s ex- boyfriend.  But then since the three prime suspects were once her boyfriend, I am not giving away a lot.  This actually stayed a mystery for a long time in the book, I did figure one part out but the accomplice I was wrong on.  I will tell you one thing though- anytime an animal is around me I will never again tell a secret.
This novel was pure entertainment.  I actually started it twice.  The first time I got interrupted and that seriously grated on my nerves.  So I put it down until later in the day, when I knew all interruptions would be gone.   I really cannot wait until the second one in the series comes out.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Gran- Red’s granny, a sweet ole lady with a heart of gold
Eddie- Gran’s bodyguard- hey being Red’s granny can be dangerous
Eliza- Red’s best friend, a tale previously known as Elizabeth Bennett
Seth- Red’s previous boyfriend, last name is Wolf
Nicky- Another one of Red’s ole boyfriends, this one is actually pretty great for a gangsta

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Swoon Thursday (4)

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound!


“Why don’t we take off?  I think we got what we came for.”
He grasped my hand, pulling me back toward him.
“I didn’t."
I swallowed hard as he pulled me close, cradling my hand up to his chest while his other arm went around my waist.  His hand splayed across the small of my back as he pressed my body up against his.
Red by Kate Serine Kindle location 3511
For some reason this scene just made me sigh.....

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Teaser Tuesday (4)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

What do you get when you cross an egomaniacal fairy godmother, an arrogant genie, and  a couple of wandering plagiarists whose idea of cultural preservation I stealing the stories of unsuspecting villagers and passing them off as their own?  If I were tossing back a few shots of Goose with the guys at Ever Afters, I might chuckle at such an intriguing setup for what has all the promise of a hilarious punch line- except the punch line of this little beauty isn’t funny at all.  ‘Cause what you get, my friend, is a pissing contest of epic proportions.

Red by Kate Serine Kindle location 25
Seriously, when the first paragraph of a book is what you just read how can you fight curling up in your favorite reading place and continuing?  I just had to know how epic the contest was.  What do you think?  Don't forget to link me your Teasers as well.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Review: The Goddess Legacy

Author: Aimee Carter
Format: eARC
Print Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: July 31, 2012


For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness….
Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal….
Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another….
James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others; but never knew true loss before….
Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope….

My Thoughts

I received this book via the publishers through NetGalley.  That in no way influenced my review.
Never before have, I read a collection of novellas so beautifully intertwined.  The Goddess Legacy is a collection of five novellas centered on members of the Olympic council.  It is to serve as a prequel to the Goddess Test as well as the Goddess Interrupted.  Any book that makes you want to cry for someone who you have previously thought of as evil is a best seller.  The re-telling of the Greek Gods stories from another perspective really does give the reader insight into their actions.
If your heart does not break for Hera is in book than you are made of stone.  Hera, who knows that Zeus is not the man for her, continues to fight his suit.  She only wants a true partnership in marriage and Zeus tricks her into believing that she can have that with him.  No wonder she is bitter, for her own husband cannot give her what he promised her.
Aphrodite’s story is a little more difficult to find sympathy for.  The goddess of love is unable to commit to a relationship because she loves too much and too many.  Most loved of all her siblings by her father Zeus, she often comes off as a spoiled brat.  In the end she does redeem herself, choosing stability over passion.
Persephone is a young goddess that has been groomed all her life to love Hades.  Too bad her mother forgot about passion as well.  She marries Hades thinking that passion shall follow- when it does not she breaks his heart.  She falls passionately in love with her best friend.  Only to have her own heartbroken while spying on him.  Then she does the unthinkable, falls for a mortal willingly giving up her place as queen of the Underworld.  Her story made me resent her even more than I already did.  Although, her story also made me love Hades even more.
Hades story is heartbreaking as well.  So many times did he love, to have that love thrown back into his face.  While he insured that those he loved were happy, his happiness withered away.  It seemed unfair.  Will he ever be happy?  When will he stop putting others happiness before his own?
Hermes was shunned by his own family for others actions.  Instead of wailing in self-pity for too long he found another family to accept him.  Only to have that family ripped from his as well.  He does what he can to insure that the gods know why they are fading.  Proving his loyalty to his family regardless of the heartache they brought him.  Unbelievably amazing- will he ever have a happily-ever-after?
Speaking of happily-ever-after~ Hades has given up, and tells his family that he wants to fade.  The family argues bargains with him- a century for them to find his mate.  He allows this, with each gal that is suggested brutally ripped from his grasp by suspicious means.  When he declares he has had enough his sister Demeter tries one more time.  Will she be the one for him or will she die as well?  Will she be able to love him as he deserves to be loved?

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Zeus- King of the Gods, Hera’s husband
Demeter- Hera’s sister
Ares- Son of Hera, lover to Aphrodite
Hephaestus- Son of Hera, lamed by Zeus, lover of Aphrodite

You know you wanna vote Team Daemon!

The YA Sisterhood: Match 15: Daemon (11) vs. Augustus (22): Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0! We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discover new...

Friday, July 20, 2012

Circle of Silence



Author: Carol M. Tanzman
Format: eARC
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: July 24, 2012

The biggest story of my life could be how it ends

It's my turn to run a Campus News crew, and I've put together a team that can break stories wide open. And Washington Irving High has a truly great one to cover, if only we can find a lead.
A secret society has formed in our school. It announced its presence with pranks: underwear on the flagpole, a toilet in the hallway, cryptic notes. A circle of silence keeps the society a mystery. No one knows its members, agenda or initiation secrets—until a student lands in the hospital under strange circumstances.
I will blow this story wide open and stop others from being hurt…or worse. And while my ex, Jagger, might want to help, I don't trust him yet. (And, no, not because of our past together. That is not important to this story.)
But whether you find me, Valerie Gaines, reporting in front of the camera, or a victim in the top story of the newscast…be sure to watch Campus News at 9:00 a.m. this Friday.

My Thoughts

Valerie Gaines is a gal with a mission, to win the much sought after Student Emmy Awards for her school’s TV news show Campus News.  She has the best crew for the job even with her ex-boyfriend, Jagger as a last minute addition. There is tension between Val and Jagger- although the reader does not find out why until at least half way into the book.  Val attempts to overlook the tension in order to get the story- who is the group MP and what is their agenda?  Ahhhh..  this is the mystery portion of the story. 
The great thing about this book is that at times the audience gets to see inside the leader of MPs head.  This is done through the MP log- although it is unclear as to if this log is on the internet or just on someone’s computer.   There is discourse with the group later on in the book, which is understandable given where the group ends up going with their pranks.
There was too little romance for my liking.  In fact it is due to the lack of romance that connecting with Valerie was a little difficult.  Being on her side against Jagger was hard- as he showed more emotion than her at times.  Ultimately, it was Marci that convinced me that Jagger was in the wrong instead of Valerie.   Even when someone close to her ends up getting hurt-it felt like she was watching it and not experiencing it.    
Had there been an emotional attachment to the main character I would have had trouble putting the book down.  The mystery part of the book rocked awesome sauce.  It was my inability to connect fully with the main character that caused this book to be rated 3 out of 5 stars.

My Rating 3 stars out of 5

Other Characters

Marci- Valerie’s best friend, often times the voice of reason for Val and the news crew
Jagger- ex-boyfriend, placed on her news crew
Bethany- Valerie’s loner sister
Raul- on Valerie’s news team, has a crush on her

The YA Sisterhood: Match #14: Ash (#14) vs Aiden (#19)

Aiden needs your vote!

The YA Sisterhood: Match #14: Ash (#14) vs Aiden (#19): Welcome to The YA Sisterhood's YA Crush Tourney 2.0!  We hope that through this all you will meet a lot of book loving people, discove...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Swoon Thursday (3)

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound!



When he swung open the door, I just stood staring at him, not making a move to get closer.  I wanted to enjoy the feel of him from afar, as I drank him in, his dangerously enthralling aura drawing me toward him.  I had missed him more than I had realized.
He closed the gap between us and enveloped me in his arms, holding me close, breathing me in as I put my ear to his chest and listened to his heart.

“I missed you,” he whispered huskily.

Integration by Imogen Rose Kindle Location 3457
So do you want to know who he is?  Cause I sure did.  Which guy does she choose?  And where did he go?

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club

Author: J.C. Isabella
Format: eBook
Print Length: 204 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Published: November 13, 2011


Welcome to the big leagues. To secrets and scandals. It's all about the game. Who's playing. Who's not. Who has no idea about the game. And...wait, what game are we playing?

I'll leave that for you to decide.

Where to start is the big question for Chloe Baker. How was she supposed to explain to Zack Warren that she started a fan club for him when she was a kid? It was just a game. A way to make friends and have fun. She never thought it would spiral out of control. And never. In a million, gazillion years, did she think it would follow her to college. How could she tell him her best friend Lana kept the club alive? That she had nothing to do with the craziness?

Chloe didn’t understand why she cared so much about Zack's opinion of her. She hated him. He hated her. They had very mutual feelings of dislike for each other. So he'd just hate her even more when or if he found out.

And that's totally fine...she thinks.

Zack Warren had a soft spot for Chloe Baker. He likes the way she walks. He likes the way she talks. If he was poetically inclined, he’d write a sonnet about her ass.

It's Zack’s junior year of college. He’s got things to worry about. Scouts from the major leagues. Baseball games. Contracts. Grades.... His father ran away to Vegas with Chloe's mother. He didn’t have time to worry about a girl. But he did. He worried about Chloe a lot, especially with that jerk Max sniffing around her. It's weird though, to like your stepsister, right?

But Zack could argue that he saw Chloe first. Way before his dad met her mom. He was too young to stake a claim. But just didn’t care anymore.

He’s done playing games.

My Thoughts

Cute storyline, light read.  The banter between the two main characters was charming.  They avoided each other for years, denying their feelings.  Only to have to face them head on after their parents marry each other.  Keep in mind that they were not raised together, nor are they blood related.  They are technically step-siblings but their parents started dating and married after they were in college.
Zack was sweet and very insightful as to why he took the courses of action that he did.  Chloe at times was not so refreshing.  Such as during the fight they have after the pool scene and her reaction to the party scene.  Plus she seemed just a little too weak for me; meaning she cried a lot. 
While this book did not have a must read right now reaction, I still mention it to other readers.  Especially if I know that they are in between much anticipated release dates from their favorite authors.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Kyle- Zack’s best friend, Lana’s boyfriend
Lana- Chloe’s best friend- although not the type of best friend I would want
Stella- First person Chloe meets after their parents move, really sweet gal
Carlos- Stella’s tough boyfriend
Max- Plays baseball with Zack, kinda scares Chloe

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Abbi Glines YA Author: While It Lasts Sneak Peek #3

Abbi Glines YA Author: While It Lasts Sneak Peek #3:                   “You didn’t tell me you had company, Eva,” Becca Lynn cooed twirling one of her long blonde locks around her fi...

The Official Blog of author Jennifer L. Armentrout: Onyx (1st 2 Chapters)

The Official Blog of author Jennifer L. Armentrout: Onyx (1st 2 Chapters): Guess what today is? Tuesday! Yay! OMG. It's Tuesday. Okay. Today is Tuesday, but it also means that the first two chapters of Onyx are n...

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


 
When my eyes locked with his, my blood literally boiled, and there was nothing I could do to prevent myself from starting to transform. I didn’t dare look down at my hands; I could already feel the pus seeping from the newly formed boils.
Integration by Imogen Rose Kindle location 319

Is this not an awesome way to introduce you to the Demon Princess of Paris?  How yucky is that pus part?

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Integration

Author: Imogen Rose
Format: eBook
Print Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Published: July 7, 2012


Second haiku warning:

A boyfriend missing
A lover must pay in blood
A princess must die

Welcome back to Bonfire Academy.

My Thoughts

This is book two of The Bonfire Academy Series.  This book is used to explain the time from Initiation to Faustine- Book One of the Bonfire Chronicles. The setting is a private school where paranormals are expected to gain control of their powers and then to become integrated back into human/paranormal society.  Cordelia, Faustine’s mentor, is the narrator of the book.  As Cordelia makes the transition from student to Academy intern, the danger towards Faustine still remains.  Dealing with Faustine’s would-be assassin should be enough for Cordelia.  But life is not easy for the demon princess of Paris- Cordelia also must deal with the unusual phenomena of synching with Jagger, a fairy while still dating Quinn a demon. 
The world that is created in Initiation is farther explored in Integration.  It is an amazing world where there are rules that are very telling of their society.  The golden rule is to Trust No One.  This is an especially hard rule for paranormals to learn. I loved that this school catered towards several types of paranormals- witches, trolls, fairies, shifters, demons, wanders and vampires. 
My favorite thing about this book is that is allows you to escape into a world of make-believe.  A world that you do not want to leave until the book is finished.  You could have started the book at two in the afternoon or ten at night.  It does not matter, you will not stop reading it until the end.  So if you have a major project to present the next day or an assignment to do- wait until a lack of sleep does not matter to start the novel.

My Rating  4 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Jagger- fairy hybrid, synched to Cordelia
Quinn- demon, grew up with Cordelia and is her boyfriend
Faustine- human/demon hybrid, demon princess of London and unknown heir to the throne
Ryker- Wander, synched with Faustine- although she has no clue
Octavia- Vampire lawyer