Jumping Genres in June Giveaway Hop

Jumping genres is not easy- in fact for some it is rather hard.  Shouldn't we stick to our tried and true genres- the ones that makes us happy.  The ones that rarely ever disappoint.  It is sorta like going to a restaurant and ordering the same meal again- you know you love it, so why try something new.  What if?  What if there is something on the menu that you like more than your usual- you just don't know it because you won't branch out.  Think of all of the great things you would be missing out of if you don't try something new.  How did your usual genre anyway?  You had to branch out at least once.  Here are a few books that made me  grateful for jumping genres.

Since jumping genres is so hard, such a risk for this giveaway hop I will giving away an Amazon gift card.  Hopefully, it will help you to jump genres.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now that you are entered to win, hop along to other great stops on this fabulous giveaway hop.

Book Boyfriend (21) Logan

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He hates making her cry!

“That’s my scary face,” I pouted. “It’s supposed to be terrifying.”

“No, your scary face is when you’re crying,” Logan said seriously, all hint of teasing gone. “Because it terrifies me that I made you cry.”

He helps Paige put her jewelry on.

Logan flicked his fingers towards my wrist. “The bracelet? You need help getting that on? You want to wear it now, right?”

He can fight demons yet his girlfriend’s daddy scares him.

“And if he scares you, just remember that my dad is wearing a free shirt for a frozen fish company, and he’s allergic to shellfish. This is the big scary man you’re dealing with.”

“I’m not trying to cook him a nice shrimp dinner. I’m trying to be respectful, so he doesn’t forbid you to be my girlfriend,” he mumbled, and I felt that twinge in my heart again, for the insecure, wounded side of Logan he hid so well.

Logan is an adorable demon hunter. It is cute watching him navigate through the maze that is a first relationship.

Review: Chameleon

Author Kelly Oram
Format e-book
Print Length 356 pages
Publisher Bluefields
Published June 25, 2013

For small-town rebel Dani Webber magic and monsters are no more real than the Easter Bunny… until the day she accidentally stops time. Dani quickly discovers that not only do supernaturals exist, but she herself is one of them. This is great news for her life-long best friend Russ, who can finally come clean about his own supernatural status and his undying love for her. Before the two can start to enjoy the long overdue relationship, Dani is taken by a powerful council of supernaturals who believe she is the Chosen One destined to save them from extinction.

As if being kidnapped and expected to save the world isn’t bad enough, an ancient prophecy warns of the Chosen One’s dark nature: “Only the truest love will keep her an agent for good.” The council believes they know who this “true love” is and, unfortunately, that person isn’t Russ. The mysterious, powerful and devastatingly handsome Seer is the last person Dani wants in her life, but when she starts having visions of a horrific future, she has no one else to turn to for help.

Soon Dani finds herself torn between two very different boys with two very different opinions of whom she can trust. With the visions getting worse and time running out, Dani is forced to put aside her feelings and work with both the Seer and Russ before an ancient evil is unleashed upon the earth.

My Opinion

Dani Webber got one heck of a birthday surprise. Her best friend Russ reveals he is a warlock. She gets sick and discovers that she is a supernatural too. But what kind of supernatural she is well, that is to be determined. As she grows in her powers her cravings to be around other supernatural will grow stronger.

The supernatural Council kidnaps her for her own protection. After almost dying she wakes up married to the seer, Gabriel. This of course makes Dani suspicious of the Council and all that they do. Dani begins to have visions like Gabe. The Council refuses to believe her visions. Since the council will not help her, she and Gabe set out along with Russ to fix the things in her visions.

Okay, I will be honest I was not feeling the Gabe/Dani love. I felt more like she had Stockholm Syndrome but hey their attraction works for them. I felt incredibly bad for Russ- lost his mom, lost his gal- who was his bestie, finds out horrible things about his daddy.

Dani is a likeable gal and I loved how she questioned authority. I did not like how Gabe went along with the Council the whole time. I felt like he did not have a backbone at all.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “What do you suggest I do instead? Run upstairs and jump into the Seer’s bed like a good little slave girl and pop out some uber-powerful babies so that the council can claim them too? I don’t think so.”

Other People

Russ- Dani’s best friend and a warlock
Duncan- vampire, Dani’s guardian
Alex- Russ’ daddy, a warlock
Councilor- lead councilman, kinda a jerk

Swoon Thursday (21) Gone With The Wolf

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!

"But you said your life would be shortened if you didn't bond with someone."

Drake couldn't hold back, not now. Not when the pressure in his chest was this tight.

"If I knew I was never going to see you again, I'd choose to die tonight, with the state of you still on my tongue, the feel of your body still on my hands,

and your sent lingering in my nose, than live another day without those things."

Gone with the Wolf Kindle Location 1871

Drake is a little intense here- but the situation calls for it.  I could not imagine finding the one what I was fated to be with, destined to be with and then to have to fight for them.

Waiting on Wednesday (22) Silver Shadows

Hey y'all, thanks so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Why I am waiting?

Umm did you not read Fiery Heart? Did you not understand the cliffhanger? I mean seriously Richelle Mead knows how to keep the reader invested in her series.

Teaser Tuesday (21) The Gramm Curse

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!

It will take someone stronger than diamonds to cut through what I've constructed, someone stronger than me, and Jezi just doesn't have that kind of strength.

The Gramm Curse by Candace Knoebel Kindle Location 77

Maybe Jezi isn't the one for you," he grunts, "but one of these days, little bro, someone's gonna come along and hit you so hard in the heart, you're going to be reeling from it. When that happens, I', gonna be there to tell you I told you so.

The Gramm Curse by Candace Knoebel  Kindle Location 456

I want to feel bad to Jexi I really do. I can't though, she is a manipulative and bad person. Yeah, she got a raw deal, but it is how you handle the cards that you are dealt with that matter. She is handling those cards poorly.

Review: The Dark World

Author Cara Lynn Shultz
Format e-ARC
Print Length 384 pages
Publisher Harlequin Teen
Published May 27, 2014

Paige Kelly is used to weird--in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn't fazed by Paige's propensity to chat with the dead. Suddenly, Paige is smack in the middle of a centuries-old battle between warlocks and demons, learning to fight with a magic sword so that she can defend herself. And if she makes one wrong move, she'll be pulled into the Dark World, an alternate version of our world that's overrun by demons-and she might never make it home.

My Opinion

My first thought was “I see dead people.” Here is a story about a gal- Paige, who saved a child’s life by paying for it with her own. They were able to revive her- her reward for saving the child’s life was to be able to communicate with dead people. The problem with that though is that no one else sees them- so she becomes ostracized and isolated. So much so that her parents switch schools that she is in, unfortunately a dead girl also goes to that school. The mean gal of the school Pepper catches Paige talking to the dead girl and Paige instantly becomes a weirdo and a freak. Yet more isolationism, except this time she has Dottie- the dead gal to keep her company. There is a boy at school that seems to like Paige, although Paige writes it off as wishful thinking. Dottie begs Paige to consider Logan, she wants her bestie to have a boyfriend.

Three new students show up to school, thank goodness Paige will no longer be the new kid. But there is something weird about these new kids- weirder than Paige. Every time one of them is around Paige she cannot see or talk to Dottie. Paige doesn’t know it yet but she is a Traveler- one who can travel between our world and the Dark World. The Dark World is an alternative world that spirits are trapped in if a demon caused their death. The Regent Queen of the Dark World sent her minions to capture Paige. Logan means to stop them.

Logan did not remind me of a lot of YA heroes. Logan is a sweet hero- he is not mean to Paige. He is not possessive of her. At times it was if she was an afterthought to him. This is not a bad thing per say although it did cause a few mixed singles to occur. Paige for her part dealt with the punches that were sent her way. She had a few what the heck moments but ultimately met the challenges.

So why the three stars? Well for starters her parents and Logan’s guardian. Umm…Paige’s dad especially is too much of a helicopter parent. I just wanted to shake him and say seriously buster back off. Then you have the extreme opposite with Logan’s guardian, Rego. What is his deal, yo? Seriously, I wanted to shake him and say this is your best friend’s son- STOP sending him into danger. Secondly, Aiden wasn’t baddie demon enough for me. I mean the Regent Queen wants Paige man up and get her. Finally, the ending what a cliffhanger.

With the cliffhanger of an ending, you cannot help but check to see when the second book will be published. So in the respect it is a fabulous ending. There are so many questions left open that you are mad though- what will happen to our favorite Demon Hunter and Traveler? Will they survive this next task?

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote Ladies and gentlemen, step right up to stare at Paige D. Kelly, the freak of the week.

Other People

Pepper- mean gal, hates Paige because she doesn’t care what others thinks
Dottie- Paige’s dead bestie
Aiden- demon who is trying to capture Paige
Travis- a jock at school that gets killed protecting Paige
Rego- Logan’s guardian

Book Boyfriend (20) Asteran

• Join the Book Boyfriend meme
• Pick your book boyfriend for the week
• Current read or not
• Tease us with something about your boy
• Don't spoil the book
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He accepts his destiny. 

“Lyra.” He brushed his fingers along my cheek, sending jolts of electricity through my whole body. “When I first touched you, we shared each other’s memories.” 

“Yes, I remember. I saw you surfing on Priavenus.” 

Asteran nodded. “That only happens when the person you are mean to be bonded with.” He moved closer to me, and the warm of this body met mine. 

He tries to protect her- from himself. 

“The more we share, the closer it brings us. Asteran warned, putting his finger on my lips. “the more painful it is to part.” 

“I don’t care.” I took his hand away and closed the distance between us. My lips met his, and tingly warmth spread through me all the way to my fingers and toes.

He understands Lyra’s importance in his life. 

His eyes widened, evolving from lavender to a deep, dark navy blue. “What? Really?” 

I nodded, so proud of him my chest could burst. “That means you’ve grown.” 

He touched his face than glanced at me. “All because of you.” 

Not my typical book boyfriend- but there is something about him that will draw you in. It could be to the comparison to Lyra’s life mate Tauren who is a complete jerk. Asteran is the calm to Lyra storm- they work well together.

Review: The Shadow Prince

Author Stacey O’Neale
Format e-book
Print Length 111 pages
Publisher Phoenix Reign Publishing
Published March 4, 2014

This prequel novella is FREE and available on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble!

Every sacrifice has consequences.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

My Opinion

Rowan lives in the mortal realm, even though he is a royal fae, heir to the fire throne. Something he has no aspirations of ever inheriting- as him momma Queen Prisma has shown no sign of wanting to pass the crown down. That is until the Queen sends his best friend Marcus to fetch him, which is kinda ironic since Marcus is a Gabriel Hound (shape shifting half-breed elemental). Rowan knows his momma is up to no good, even before he returns home. Yet he answers her summons.

Surprise you are about to be king, all you gotta do is this one tiny task. With Rowan as king he could end centuries of hardship and fear for his people. The task is not that big of a deal- he could do it. Just kill Kalin the daughter of the Air king.

Rowan knows that killing Kalin is wrong, but so is the cruelty that his people face at the hands of his momma. He wants so badly to help his people. But at what expense?

Rowan is an Alpha male through and through. What happens to him in this novella will set the stage for Mortal enchantment and his encounters with Kalin. Through his point of view we got to see how much he truly cares for the girl and why it ultimately causes him such pain.

The Shadow Prince is like when a new restaurant opens up and they have a grand-opening party. Only allowing you a sample of each course when you are dying for a full meal. By making us wait for the main course once the restaurant is truly open. The horror and torture that we must endure until release date of Mortal Enchantment. The cruelty that Rowan endures at the hands of his own momma is ten times worse that the reader having to wait.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote Only the weak yearn for something as frivolous as love.

Other People

Taron- the Air King, the only adult that ever showed interest in Rowan
Prisma- Fire Queen, Rowan’s momma the very essence of evil
Marcus- Gabriel Hound, Rowan’s best friend and guardian

Swoon Thursday (20) The Dark World

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!

"You, Paige Dawn Kelly, are a wrecking ball to my routine, colorless life," he said, finally meeting my eyes, "and I couldn't be happier or more terrified about it."

The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz Kindle location 2564

"Can I kiss you, Paige?" Logan asked, the corner of his mouth lifted into a boyish, almost shy smile.

My hands slid up his chest, my fingers locking around his neck to keep them from trembling.

The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz Kindle Location 2582

I FREAKING LOVE IT when a guy asks permission to kiss a gal!That doesn't happen a lot in today's society.

Waiting on Wednesday (21) Hexed

Hey y'all, thanks so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Why am I waiting?

It has been a while since I have read a good witch story. Will Indigo be able to save her kind? How does she handle not only being Miss Popular but also Miss Witch?

Teaser Tuesday (20) The Shadow Prince

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!

From inside my head, I heard, "I see trouble for you, young prince. two possible paths lay at your feet. At the end of both paths, your hands are covered in blood."

"What do you mean covered in blood? Are you saying someone will die?" My eyebrows furrowed. "You have to tell me more."

"I cannot. The future is always changing. Outcomes are never certain."

The Shadow Prince by Stacey O'Neale Kindle Location 424

Rowan has a lot of decisions to make. Even the right one will hurt him, gravely.  It was interesting to see things from his side- and to understand him better.

Spotlight: Reborn: Steve's idea of a perfect date with Della

CC Hunter stopped by to tell us a little bit about Steve and Della's relationship.

With most girls I would say a perfect date would be a dinner out.  With Della, well, let’s just say that might not be the best idea, unless the restaurant serves Onion soup and side of O negative.  Honestly, though, while I’m not officially dating Della, I almost feel we’ve unofficially been doing just that.  A while back, before Della even knew I existed, I discovered the vamp didn’t sleep all that well.  At least several times a week, she goes out for runs at two or three in the morning.  And since then, I sort of developed a sleeping problem, too.  Just knowing she is out there alone in the middle of the night, running around in those tight little jogging shorts. It makes it really hard for a guy to sleep. So, almost every night I would shift into a bird, or raccoon and I’d wait outside her window, just to get a glimpse of her.  After we went on the mission, I got braver and showed myself.  At first she was pissed with me being there, but we started running together.  Sometimes we would just sit in middle of the woods and stare up the stars through the trees.  And after a while I started stealing a few kisses.  So in way, that’s my idea of a perfect date.  To be with her, alone, when she lowers her guard and lets me get a little closer.  

 Della and Steve get a little closer in Saved at Sunrise, already released. Read about their relationship in Reborn, released today May 20!

Review: The Immortal Crown (Age of X #2)

Author Richelle Mead
Format eARC
Print Length 432 pages
Publisher Dutton Adult
Published May 29, 2014

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline series returns with the second installment in her acclaimed Age of X series.

Gameboard of the Gods introduced religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him. Together they have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion.

Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity.

Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

My Opinion

The Gods are getting restless- via for followers in a world where religion is strictly regulated. Justin is in charge of regulating several sects both inside the RUNA and outside. Mae is his bodyguard. The Immortal Crown takes place several weeks after The Gameboard of Gods ends. While away on a mission Justin’s family and Tessa are attacked. Mae arranges 24 hour protection with using her friends and comrades.

Lucian Darling, Justin’s college roommate and friend, is trying to grain votes by taking an envoy into Arcadia-a primitive country that borders RUNA. He forces Justen and Mae to come along. Mae has her own reason for agreeing. She is looking for her missing niece. What she finds in Arcadia may be more than she bargained for.

A thrilling second book in a provocative series. An emotional rollercoaster that will leave you with more questions than answers. The events of the last half of the book are game changers that leaves this reader asking- where do we go from here? Can Justin and Mae survive what occurred? Where the heck was Mae’s god? Will she switch sides? What the heck is Loki up to? Good Lord will they ever be together now? There is no moving past this.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote What surprised him the most was that it triggered a sense of unworthiness in him.

Other People

Lucian- Justin’s friend and a politician, so we know he can’t be trusted.
Mangus and Horatio- Justin ravens- they are pretty much his besties, who never leave him
Val and Dag- Mae’s best friends
Tessa- Justin’s charge

Spotlight: Reborn: Steve’s thoughts on the new guy, Chase.

CC Hunter stops by to chat about our favorite shape shifter and his thoughts on Della's new partner.

I’ve worked hard for months to get Della just to notice me. It took me forever to get close enough to steal a kiss from the stubborn vamp. I’m not letting some guy just walk in and take my girl. Then again, it’s not as if Della and I are really going out. She still doesn’t want anyone to know that we have a thing for each other. That scares me. I want to rant and rave at her and insist she quit pushing me away. I know she cares. So part of me thinks I don’t have to worry about this new guy, but there’s another part of me that wants to shift into some kick-ass dragon and run that new guy off. He is a vampire, like Della and it worries that she will think they have more in common. I guess I’m just going to have up my game and push a little harder with Della. 

Fall in love with Steve in Saved at Sunrise, already released. Cheer for him in Reborn, released on May 20.