Inbetween

Author: Tara Fuller
Format: eARC
Print Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: August 28, 2012

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

My Thoughts

I crushed on this book before I was able to read it.  You know, those books that you anticipate so much that in your head they are going to just be epic.  In my heart, I just knew that this book would be a 5 out of 5 stars.  So I waited until the kids were asleep, walked upstairs to my reading chair and buckled down.  The Prologue was awesome!  Totally blew me away.  Right away we are introduced to a death scene- with reapers, souls, the living, the shadows and the enemy.


The Prologue met and then exceeded my expectations.  Why then the 3 out of 5 stars?  Well, part of it is my rating system 3 out of 5 stars is still good.  It just means that while I liked the book I was completely okay with interruptions; like twitter, an email, phone call or even a random kid’s birthday party.
Emma, who I was planning on loving to death (pun intended), kinda got on my nerves.  I wanted to shake her and scream- “Man up woman! Fight, fight like you have never fought before darn it, fight for your life!”  Finn was a little too woe is me….  The love of my life….. I can never be with her….  Insert eye roll please.

Now that being said Tara Fuller is an amazing writer.  Why? Dare you ask me?  Well you see that list down below the ratings?  The one of the other characters?  Tara created a circle of Other Characters that will blow your socks off.   

Fuller’s ability to make you fall in love with the secondary characters is an art form.  She brilliantly crafted a group of characters that the readers will fall in love with.  There is no doubt in my mind that other readers will feel the same way.  There were times that I cared more about what Anaya, Easton or Cash were doing than the main characters.

My Ratings 3 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Anaya- Heaven’s reaper, Finn’s friend and a gentle soul
Easton- Hell’s reaper, Finn’s friend and there is just something about him that you are going to like.  Trust me on this one.
Scott- A shady reaper, trust him if you want but this southern gal knows better.
Cash- Emma’s best friend, neighbor and an all-round great guy.  Hopefully the book next in the series will be about him.
Maeve- An angry soul with a score to settle, too bad it is Emma’s she wants.

Incentives for a Daemon win! YA Crush Tourney: The Elite 8

The Official Blog of author Jennifer L. Armentrout: YA Crush Tourney: The Elite 8: The Elite Eight Match: Daemon vs. Dimtri Monday August 6, 2012 Vote here: YA Sisterhood The awesome advocate known as Val...

Incentives:

850 votes: a teaser from Daemon's POV in Onyx

1700 votes: a teaser from Deity, Cursed and Unchained

2500 votes: a sneak peek at the "Kitchen Scene" from Onyx

Winning Vote: a first ever peek at the "Club Scene" in Opal.

Abbi Glines YA Author: While It Lasts is finally HERE!

Abbi Glines YA Author: While It Lasts is finally HERE!:     While It Lasts is now available a little early on Amazon and Barnes & Noble BUY THE BOOK:    

The link takes you to the book trailer!

Paranormal Public

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!

He stepped forward, cupping my face in his hands.  I could feel muscles even in his fingers as his thumbs skimmed softly along my cheekbones.  Slowly, he kissed me.  His lips, which I had stared at all semester, were softer than I expected.

I slid my arms around the hard line of his waist.  My hands met at his back and I pulled him closer.

Paranormal Public by Maddy Edwards Kindle Location 6422

I love it when a guy holds on to my face as he kisses me.  Oh how Keller makes me smile.  So what swooned you lately?

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.

Please visit her website: www.authoraubrie.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057.Aubrie_Dionne
Twitter: @authoraubrie
Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

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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 20^th 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

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.....

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.

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...

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