EMBRACE by Jessica Shirvington

WELCOME!  To This MASSIVE REVIEW Post of 

Author Site

About The Book:

"My girl, "

Happy 17th birthday. I wish I could be there with you, but I think if you ar reading this...I am not. For that, I am sorry. The day your dad and I found out we were going to have a baby was the happiest day of my long life. I know the only day that will exceed that joy will be the day you are born - no matter how that day ends.

A big decision lies ahead. The burden of the covenant is a heavy one to bear. Choose with your heart, for I already know that you, my girl, must let your heart guide the way.

"I love you. Please forgive me."

"Mom"

Discover more at "embracetheseries.com"

My Review:


Grade: F

I was really looking forward to reading Embrace, and I had huge expectations for it. Maybe that's why it was kind of a let down. This book didn't hold my interest as well as I felt it should have, and on top of that I didn't like Violet at all. The novel was also slow moving, so I got bored more than a few times while reading it. The plot was a let-down, too. It wasn't very suspenseful, and I had everything predicted WAY before it happened. Also, the mythology is 900 kinds of jacked up and makes no sense. Overall, this book is mediocre at best. 

I'm going to start with the characters and go from there. Violet. She is the biggest freaking brat I have ever read. She is selfish and temperamental, but somehow guys were just falling all over her. I don't get it. I mean unless she wore a sign flashing, "hey, I'm easy. You can ignore my bitch-ass personality!" then I don't know what they saw in her. Even the hottest person in the world wouldn't be worthwhile if they acted like her. She was a total bitch. I can't make that clear enough. And DRAMATIC. Oh Lord, everything was the end of the world to her. Everything was soooooo bad. She wanted to be normal. Blahblahblah. Whine, whine, whine. I wanted to beat her in the face. Repeatedly. With a sledgehammer. I doubt she would have shut up even then, though. She would have just whined that her apparently beautiful face was now sullied. *throws a shoe* Moving on. 

The other characters were very one-dimensional. They were cookie-cutter, stock characters. None of them had any real quirks to make them real. Her dad was MIA, her best friend was a slut, the two guys were token good and bad guys, and the wise elder was supposedly wise and old. Nothing special. Her mom was dead. She had no other friends. It's obvious why. 

Okay, next complaint. Pacing. This book moved INCREDIBLY slowly, and even during the supposed exciting part of the book, it STILL moved slowly. I was so freaking bored that I had to put this book down several times and come back to it later. The only reason I forced myself through it is because I am doing this group post with Hollow Readers and I promised I'd read it. Otherwise, I would have just declined the review and moved on. And the big reveal wasn't a reveal at all. Violet's enlightening moment wasn't all that enlightening either. And after everything, she was still a freaking brat. She didn't grow at all. 

The plot was so predictable that it was kind of pathetic. I knew everything that was going to happen about 50 pages before it actually happened. Anyone who's read any cliched YA book before would be able to predict this. It was that obvious, cliched, and predictable. 

The whole book was just bad. Obviously, I won't be continuing this series. My recommendation? Avoid this book like the plague. You want a good angel story, there are plenty out there. Embrace is not one of them.

Pre-Order Embrace NOW!

Embrace Cover Shoot from Sourcebooks Inc on Vimeo.

Waiting on Wednesday #7

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post hosted at Breaking the Spine. Here are the upcoming releases that I'm not-so-patiently waiting for!

Taken By Storm
By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date: 05/22/12


I can't find a synopsis!


Which  makes me about a billion times MORE curious about this book. Anyway, this is one that I really can't wait for! Come on May!








What books are you waiting for?

WATER + AIR by Terra Harmony giveaway!

Hey everybody! Terra Harmony is letting me host a terrific giveaway on my blog! This giveaway will have THREE winners! The first two winners will win an e-copy of Water by Terra Harmony, and the grand prize winner will win a copy of Water PLUS Terra's brand new release, Air!

Check out my review for Water here!

Synopsis for Water:
All of the elemental powers are in the palm of her hand…and it won't be enough to save her. When Kaitlyn Alder is involuntarily introduced to a life of magic, she becomes part of an organization hell-bent on saving the Earth. Just as her new-found life holds promises of purpose, romance, and friendship, the organization divides and a rogue member holds Kaitlyn hostage. Now one of the most terrifying men the human race has to offer stands between her and Earth's survival.

Synopsis for Air:
She carries more than just elemental powers.  In 'Air', the sequel to 'Water', Kaitlyn has a secret. One she won't be able to hide much longer.  As the strongest Gaia the planet has ever seen, she must face mankind's greatest enemy as he implements his 'One Less: Depopulation' campaign. Everything depends on Kaitlyn fully embracing her role as Gaia. Her family. The Seven. The Earth. Something has to give, and it won't be Kaitlyn.

YA Paranormal Activity Winners!

Congratulations to these three lucky winners!

April H.
Lauren M.
Lisa W.

The winners have been contacted via email.

I just want to thank everyone for stopping by my blog and participating in this awesome giveaway! I'll be hosting more giveaways soon, and I hope to see you all back for those!

SPELLCASTER by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster
Cara Lynn Shultz

Grade: A+
Release Date: 03/27/12


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Finding your eternal soulmate - easy. 

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much… 

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close.... 

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

WARNING! Review contains spoilers for Spellbound! If you haven't read Spellbound yet, read it before looking at this review.

Read an exclusive excerpt of GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers

Hey guys, I got this ARC today and I'm going to be reviewing it ASAP, but while I'm doing that, be sure to check out this amazing excerpt from what's sure to be a fantastic new series!

Grave Mercy is Book One in the His Fair Assassin Trilogy

Like what you read? Pre-order Grave Mercy today!

GODDESS INTERRUPTED by Aimee Carter

Goddess Interrupted
Aimee Carter

Rating: A


Release Date: 03/27/12


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Kate Winters has won immortality. 

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

In an effort not to spoil The Goddess Test for those of you who haven't read it, I'm going to cut this review. 

Guest Post with Charlotte Abel

Hey guys, today we have Charlotte Abel with us, who was kind enough to donate copies of Enchantment for the Paranormal Activity contest, which will be ending tomorrow! In honor of her generous donation, I am posting this guest review, written by Charlotte.

Beg for Mercy (A Cambion Series) by Shannon Dermott

It's not often I find a paranormal romance with a twist I haven't seen before. Not only was Beg for Mercy original and entertaining, it captured my imagination as well as my heart.

The main character, Mercy Moore, knows she's different. She wants a normal life, a normal relationship with her boyfriend which includes the ability to kiss him without killing him.

Her mother could teach Mercy how to control the beast inside that craves human life as much as intimacy, but she refuses. Mom tells Mercy she's not ready for this knowledge and responsibility and to just be patient. Mercy suspects Mom is just trying to keep her budding sexuality from going into full bloom. But there's much more than just Mercy's virginity at risk.

The hottest guy at school, bad boy and heart-breaker Flynn McCallister, claims he has the ability to teach her everything she needs to know. The only problem with that solution is he insists it requires hands-on lessons. Mercy is attracted to Flynn (who isn't?) but she's dating his best friend, Luke -- another hottie but with the patience of a saint.

If you think this sounds like just another love triangle, think again! Mercy's best friend, Paul, knows her secret and in spite of the fact that she nearly killed him, loves her anyway. But instead of sitting around pining for her in a Jacobian funk, he dates a cheerleader. (Yay Paul!)

The mysterious, somewhat dangerous and exotic Sebastian appears later in the story and I can only hope we'll see more of him in the sequel.

With all these hot guys vying for her affection, you'd expect Mercy would be a bit vain. She isn't. We get to see her mature from a slightly depressed (and who wouldn't be if you couldn't kiss a guy without killing him?) introvert into a kick-ass heroine willing to sacrifice her own life to save those she loves.

There are a few realistic scenes with teenage drinking and sexuality, but nothing graphic. I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys a good paranormal thriller age 14 and up.

I can't wait for the sequel! 

In My Mailbox #6

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme brought to you by The Story Siren.

SIREN by Tricia Rayburn

Siren
Tricia Rayburn

Rating: A-


Description from goodreads.com:
Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything--the dark, heights, the ocean--but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge.  That is until Justine goes cliff diving one night near the family's vacation house in Winter Harbor, Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day. 

Vanessa's parents want to work through the tragedy by returning to their everyday lives back in Boston, but Vanessa can't help feeling that her sister's death was more than an accident.  After discovering that Justine never applied to colleges, and that she was secretly in a relationship with longtime family friend Caleb Carmichael, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor to seek some answers.

But when Vanessa learns that Caleb has been missing since Justine's death, she and Caleb's older brother, Simon, join forces to try to find him, and in the process, their childhood friendship blossoms into something more.  
Soon it's not just Vanessa who is afraid.  All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes home to a string of fatal, water-related accidents . . . in which all the victims are found grinning from ear to ear.  

As Vanessa and Simon probe further into the connections between Justine's death and the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance, and that will change her life forever.


My thoughts on the book:
I really enjoyed Siren, and it kept me hooked from the very beginning. Rayburn jumps right into character development by allowing the reader to get to know Vanessa and her deepest darkest fears right away. Instead of Vanessa saying, "oh, I have deep dark fears," she relays stories of how she's been afraid of silly things, such as the dark, and how her sister always tricked her into not being afraid anymore. These stories in place of a statement is what I mean when I say showing instead of telling. Rayburn does an excellent job of showing the inner workings of Vanessa's mind in this novel. However, the emotional showing is a little bit lacking. She doesn't talk about physical reactions, and instead just says things, such as, "I blushed." Saying she felt the heat crawling up her neck and into her face or something to that effect would have been a more compelling way to word it. Overall, though, Siren is an excellent read, and the writing is definitely top notch. 


Vanessa is a likable character, and while her fears get a bit annoying sometimes, she's still somewhat easy to relate to. I mean I'm not scared of the dark and haven't been since I was maybe three years old, but I do have irrational fears (bugs, for example), just like we all do. Vanessa just seems to be a bigger pansy than most. She's a goodhearted character, though, and that shows in every page of the book. She's also fairly independent and strong, even though she is a scaredy cat.


Simon is a terrific character. One of the things that kind of bugged me in this novel is that I still have no idea what Simon looked like. Rayburn never described him that much. I know he's tall, has filled out, and wears glasses. Past that, I don't even know what color his eyes were. This caused me to keep reinventing how he looked in my head, which sidetracked and confused me. Some people like the vague character descriptions, but for the leading man, I do not. Vanessa's vague descriptions were fine, even though I knew more what she looked like than Simon. I can see the purpose of not describing the character whose POV we are reading because then any reader can picture herself in the narrator/main character's place. For the leading guy, though, I feel like there needs to be at least a general description. Eye color and hair color are a must for this, in my opinion. 


There wasn't a lot of action in Siren, but there was a lot of mystery. I had quite a few things figured out early on, but there were a few surprises as well. Authors don't surprise me very often, so I enjoyed the feeling of actually not knowing what was going to happen next sometimes. This novel was more suspenseful and mysterious than action-packed. 


The plot was complicated, but I never felt lost or confused. Rayburn did a terrific job of explaining the world she created without reciting the facts like a list of rules and regulations. She showed us a lot of the rules instead of telling us, and I'm sure you guys know by now that I like showing and not telling. The ending tied things up nicely, but left some questions unanswered for the sequel.


The pacing was pretty spot on. The story was fast moving without feeling rushed. I didn't feel like the book ever lagged, and I was interested until the very last page. 


Siren is a terrific story of mermaids, mythology, love, and loss. It's a fantastic book, and I can't wait to read Undercurrent. 


Want to buy Siren?


Amazon


Barnes and Noble

Feature and Follow Friday #3

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other! 


If you can't follow via GFC, then please follow via NetworkedBlogs or RSS! :)

Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most…

I like to read in my bed or on my comfy red couch the most. Both places are soft and smushy and allow me to fully relax and focus on the book. I also love to read at Wrightsville Beach because it's not a very crowded beach. The sound of the waves blocks out any noise that people make that would normally distract me. 

YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway!!!

Hey everybody! Are you ready for another giveaway?! This giveaway is the YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway  is a blog hop brought to you by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and vvb32!

For my giveaway, three lucky winners will be chosen to win a Kindle e-copy of Charlotte Abel's amazing book, Enchantment. Kindle offers a free reader for your computer, smart phone, etc, if you do not have a Kindle, so anyone can read this book! This contest is open internationally, so what are you waiting for! Enter today!

Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Sixteen year old Channie Kerns leads an idyllic life of seclusion and magic deep in the Ozark Mountains ... until her family is forced to flee for their lives. 

They leave everything and everyone behind to start over in Louisville, Colorado. Magic is forbidden while they are in hiding, but Channie can't resist the temptation to enchant a group of local boys. When her overbearing parents catch her flirting with these "sex-crazed, non-magical delinquints,” they slap a chastity spell on her to protect her virtue. 
The spell is triggered by lust, so just navigating the halls at her new school is an ordeal. She can't even touch a boy she's attracted to without blasting him with a jolt of magical energy that feels like a taser.

When Channie falls in love with Josh Abrim, a BMX racer with dangerous secrets of his own, she rebels against her parents and turns to dark and forbidden magic to break the chastity spell ... with disastrous results.

Waiting on Wednesday #6

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post hosted at Breaking the Spine. Here are the upcoming releases that I'm not-so-patiently waiting for!

Spell Bound
By: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: 03/13/12


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted. 

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident. 

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?


What books are you waiting for?

CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince

Cassandra Clare

Grade: A

Synopsis from goodreads.com:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My thoughts on the book:

As a huge fan of Cassandra Clare, and the Immortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series, I LOVED this book. I really adore the steam punk world that she’s created. Clare manages to make you feel like you’re in Victorian England while still infusing her writing with modern emotion. That’s a hard balance to find, but Cassandra Clare has mastered it.

Tessa, Jem, and Will all grow immensely in this novel. Tessa, as always, has to make very difficult decisions. She is a fairly selfless character and I like that about her. She’s also noble and honorable. Her actions in Clockwork Prince made me like her even more.

Jem is, as usual, too sweet for me. I mean he’s great and I like him fine, but really, he’s just too fluffy for my tastes. I wouldn’t be angry if Tessa ended up picking him in the end, but I definitely prefer Will. Jem grew on me some in this novel, though. I like him more, and he showed a dark side this time. That was refreshing. However, at the end of the day, I still would choose Will. I’m not Tessa, though, so we’ll have to wait and see what she does.

Will broke my heart in this novel. It was nothing he did. It was just everything that has happened to him. His deep dark secret finally comes out, and we find out why he can’t love anyone. The outcome of that is very sad, and I’m pretty sure poor Will was traumatized by the end of this novel. Will makes some pretty terrible mistakes in this book, but I think he redeems himself by the end. He does the best he can, and through the process, he becomes less self-absorbed. By the end of the novel, he’s grown up a lot.

                                                                                               

Magnus, as always, is a favorite of mine. He’s funny, and his heart of gold shines through, even when he doesn’t want it to. He really puts a lot of effort into helping Will, and I admire that about him. We also get to learn more about Magnus’ past relationships in this novel, which makes me understand his motivations a bit better.

The action and suspense in Clockwork Prince kept me turning the pages. I could not put this book down! The pacing for this novel was spot-on. It moved slowly enough for the characters to grow and the relationships to develop, but it wasn’t so slow-moving that I got bored. Will, Jem, and Tessa still have plenty of obstacles, both personal and with the Magister, to overcome in the next book, and I can’t wait to see what they get into in Clockwork Princess!

Buy Clockwork Prince today!

Interview with Mary Lindsey

Hey guys, I was lucky enough to get the chance to interview Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls. Here is what she had to say!

Question: SHATTERED SOULS is an interesting story. Where did you come up with

the idea for Lenzi to be a sort of "mediator" for souls?

Answer: It certainly isn’t a new idea. It’s been done loads of times, but communing with the dead is one of those things that resonates with many people. To me, hearing disembodied voices would be terrifying, which is why I limited the main character's ability to see them. The soul-sharing aspect of the premise came about from the millions of times I’ve wished I could show someone a memory or see what it is like to view the world through someone else’s eyes.

Q: Is Lenzi's name a play off of your last name, Lindsey?

A: No. Lenzi is the name of one of my students who asked me to use her name. The character even looks like her.

I felt pretty silly when someone first asked me this question. In fact, the work was already on submission with publishers before it came to my attention. (Duh). By that time, the name had stuck and I wasn’t comfortable changing it.

Q: Will there be a sequel, or is this the end of Lenzi's story?

A: Shattered Souls was written as a standalone novel, but another book set in the same world is not out of the question.

Q: Lenzi's schizophrenic father added a twist to the story, and I spent half of the book wondering whether or not he was like or if she was like him. Did the idea for his schizophrenia come before or after you decided what Lenzi's power would be?

A: Long after. He was a dead-beat dad until very late in the revision process. I decided it would amplify her fear if he had suffered mental illness. 

Q: Does Lenzi ever encounter animal souls who need help or only human souls?

A: I toyed with the idea of adding animal souls, but nixed it because communication without seeing them would be hard and require Dr. Doolittle-type skills. As much as I love animals, I had to add them somehow, so I put my dog, Fig (Spook) in the book. Shattered Souls is dedicated to Fig, who died at seventeen years old the week before it sold to Penguin.

Q: What projects are you currently working on/planning to work on in the future?

A: I’m currently working on a dark young adult gothic novel based on Edgar Allan Poe’s last poem, “Annabel Lee.” It will be published by Philomel/Penguin in 2013. 

Q: Do Lenzi, Alden, and the others get paid for their services? They should be paid well with the jobs they have!

A: Yes, it would be a “real” job for them with income based on the points system. I had some information about that in the earlier drafts, but cut it for simplicity.

Q: Do you watch/read a lot of ghost stories?

A: No. Ghost stories scare the crap out of me. Fortunately, I’ve never seen, heard, or had any encounters with ghosts. I’d be a terrible Speaker. Ghosts hide from me—and that’s totally okay.

Q: If you could sit down and have coffee with any of the characters in your book, who would you pick and why?

A: Of all the characters in the book, I’d most like to hang out with my dog, Fig (Spook). I miss her terribly. If I had to limit it to humans, I’d pick Alden. With his memories of his past lives, he’d be fascinating—and not hard on the eyes, either.

Q: Can you tell us about your writing process? Do you outline or write freely?

A: Souls was totally "pantsed." No outline—nothing. Because of this, the revision process was difficult (that's an understatement). I created a detailed outline for my current project due to the complexity of the plot. Working from an outline makes the first draft more time consuming, but cuts way down on my revision time. Even with an outline, though, the story occasionally spins off in unexpected and exciting directions.

Thank you Mary for taking the time to answer these questions!

Buy your copy of Shattered Souls today! 

Here is the winner for the I <3 YA contest!

Sarie G! Congratulations! You've won a copy of Amethyst Eyes by Debbie Brown!

Interview with Debbie Brown

In honor of announcing the winner for the I <3 YA Giveaway today, I have done an interview with the author who donated the awesome book I'm giving away! Debbie Brown was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions about Amethyst Eyes in addition to donating this wonderful novel!

Question: How long have you been writing?

Answer: I have been writing for about as long as can I remember, or at least making up stories. I started to write them down from the time I was twelve, and hated to leave home without a pad and pencil.

Q: Is Amethyst Eyes your first book?

A: Yes. Although I had thought about writing for a long time, this one finally came to be. I lost a baby at the end of my pregnancy 2 years ago, and writing helped me focus on other things. I believe that in some way it kept me sane. I started to write, and it was as though the story unfolded before my eyes. At times I had trouble writing fast enough because the scenes were moving so fast. It was an incredible experience. I wrote, revised and had the book edited, ready for print in less than a year.

Q: Will there be a sequel to Amethyst Eyes, or is it a stand alone book?

A: There will be a sequel to the book and maybe even a third, as Tommy has room to grow in his new environment. The possibilities are endless. I hadn’t written it with the intention of creating a series, but there are some doors left open, and avenues to explore. It just feels right to go on.

 Q: Can you tell us a little bit about what other projects you're working on at the moment?

A: I am taking an advanced writing course with The Institute of Children’s Literature, which requires me to write another book. I have almost completed the first draft of another YA sci-fi novel, but the story line is quite different from Amethyst Eyes.

In between homework assignments I am working on another Amethyst Eyes related book and have just about reached the half-way mark. It cannot be a YA novel though, since it tells the story of Tommy’s parents…from his father’s crash landing on Earth to Tommy’s birth.

Afterwards, I will get on with the 2nd in the Amethyst Eyes line. Since I live in Quebec, I am working on having the book translated into French. I am bilingual, but not at ease enough to do the translation myself.

Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only have on book with you, what book you have?

A: Could I take my Kindle with the hundreds of books inside?
That is almost impossible for me to answer, since I read a book every two days on average. I read just about everything I can get my hands on, from home improvement, auto repair, flight manuals, spiritual, self-help, YA, fiction, sci-fi and even romance (I read my first a few months ago, wanting to see how other authors portrayed human interaction)…and now I’m hooked.
So, if I could choose one per genre, then maybe I could give you an answer.
I do not care for gore, extreme violence or overly graphic novels though.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

A: My three-year-old keeps me busy ;o). I also have 3 grown children.
I am a CIC officer (a captain) with the Canadian Forces and work with cadets. I’m answering your questions after having spent the day on a field training exercise in -35 degree weather (Celsius) …and thoroughly enjoying my toasty fire!
I have taught martial arts, namely Kyokushin Karate and Tai Chi for over 20 years, in fact most of my jobs are teaching related. I was a nurse, and have turned to holistic healing, so I spend a lot of time reading and researching this topic.
I love woodworking, painting, music, reading, cooking, gardening…you name it.

Q: Are Tommy and Jayden based off of people you know in your everyday life?

A: Tommy came to life on his own, but Jayden’s fire comes from my 3rd child Eliane (Elly-ann).

Q: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

A: Kind of hung up on Ireland, but I could start with Scotland or England and work my way through LOL. For some reason I feel drawn to Ireland, it’s countryside, music, folklore and culture. I have been reading a lot of books set in Ireland lately too.

Q: What song would you choose to be the soundtrack of Tommy's life?

A:I had actually chosen one by my son Devan, called ‘It’s OK to Cry’ which basically says that sometimes life can be hard, but tells you to hold on to life and it’s flair, that it’s ok to fall and it’s ok to cry…once in a while. I thought it was fitting for Tommy.

Q: Where did you come up with the idea for Amethyst Eyes?

A: I had written the first chapter (minus the flashback) as an assignment for a writing course some 10 years ago, but the idea of an abandoned child who had a father that worked in space came up when I was eleven. I used to read a lot of science fiction throughout elementary school, but I was given my first Star Trek book when I was twelve and fell in love with it (and the idea that there are always options)…I own about 150 Star Trek books now, several from different countries, in different languages.

Thank you Debbie for allowing me to host your awesome book for the giveaway and for taking the time to do this interview!

Buy Amethyst Eyes today!

In My Mailbox #5

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme brought to you by The Story Siren.

Hey guys, this has been an AMAZING week for IMM! I am SO excited to share this mailbox with you guys!

Feature and Follow Friday #2

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!


If you can't follow via GFC, then please follow via NetworkedBlogs or RSS! :)

I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What’s the most unique character name you’ve come across?

The most unique and heinous name I've ever come across is Ever from the Immortals series by Alyson Noel. I mean the book was pretty heinous, too, but that name irked me the entire time. 

What's the most unique name you've ever read?

Kenya Carlton Guest Post!!

Hey everybody! I'm excited to have Kenya Carlton, author of Undressed here with us today to do a guest post! This is a part of the Bewitching Book Tour. Kenya is writing about an extremely interesting topic today, how interracial relationships work in literature.

Interracial

Sales for interracial romance novels have been on an upward trajectory in the e-book world for a while now.  I don’t remember seeing much of this genre in the bookstores’ Romance or African American section which could mean a few things.  But the most prevalent thought in my mind is that mainstream publishing ignored this niche; whereas, e-pubs took the ball and ran with it.  I’ve written a few interracial romances and a couple of multicultural and the appeal to me was the ‘I want it but can’t have it’ factor.

Interracial romance is the equivalent of putting ice cream and cake in front of a kid and waiting for the fireworks to begin.   

We shouldn’t diddle each other, but we just can’t help it.   Even if this plot device isn’t addressed within the novel, race is still a topic that lurks around in the patchwork of the story.  Most of the time race will either vanish entirely or not be brought up in the context of the relationship at all, but it’s still the elephant in the room especially within the genre of historicals.  Thankfully even before an author puts pen to paper, there are a lot of issues that go along with interracials that make for ridiculously fun possibilities.  

Background. Regardless of financial status, there is no way these two people have the same childhood experiences.  Whether she grew up middle class with private school education and he grew up poor, the struggles each of them faced is unique all into themselves. Money, religion, and sex-(parents still married or not) determines the person no matter what race but is amplified with interracial romance.        

Cultural stereotypes, good or bad. This is harder to explain but let me try anyway. In one of his comedy routines, Katt Williams offered a great example of these stereotypes. He talks about having called a black friend from jail and asked him to bail him out. He had been out partying with the night concluding with him in the poke. The friend proceeds to ask him a whole bunch of questions that ultimately end with “What party and why wasn’t I invited?”  Kat then gives the example of his white friend’s response to the same situation which is met not with the third degree but with outrage and the promise to bail him out as soon as possible. See, same situation but different outlooks.  A cultural stereotype is close to background but no quite.  What excludes one person from another group is the thing that welcomes the included.  

I think what draws readers to interracial romance is the differences within our races that keep us on our toes.  If the internet did not exist, these books would have an underground cult audience where you would have to go to one of those dark and dank bookstores to simply cop an interesting read. Thankfully now the choice of variety is everywhere which means the technological ushering in of e-books made a difference and the internet did something good after all.  

Waiting on Wednesday #5

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post hosted at Breaking the Spine. Here are the upcoming releases that I'm not-so-patiently waiting for!

Dark Frost
By: Jennifer Estep
Release Date: 05/29/12


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me — again. 

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects — and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me — and I’m in for the fight of my life.

Until I Die

By: Amy Plum

Release Date: 05/08/12

Synopsis from goodreads.com:Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love. 

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy. 

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.

This terrific blog hop is brought to you by For Those About to Read, Fictional Distraction, and Michelle Madow. You can click here to see and enter the other giveaways!

For my giveaway, I am giving the winner (if a US resident) an autographed copy of Amethyst Eyes by Debbie Brown. If the winner lives outside of the US, then Debbie will order a print copy of her own book from Amazon and send it to the winner! 

Synopsis from goodreads.com:

The biggest thing on 15-year-old Tommy's mind is convincing Mom to let him go to the drive-in, but when an accident claims his mother's life and puts him in the hospital, the arrival of his estranged, alien father brings more changes than he had bargained for.It doesn't take his father long to figure out that Tommy knows nothing about who or what he is. Without any explanation, Tommy finds himself onboard his father's spaceship where he is forced to trust a man he does not know in a world he knows even less about. Adapting to his new life seems overwhelming, and his father's solution may prove to be Tommy's finest challenge yet...Jayden. A few months younger than Tommy, high strung and always in a mood, the doctor's daughter definitely didn't like being 'told' to help Tommy fit in. Jayden is not the most welcoming or patient of tutors, let alone a friend.As fate would have it, Tommy quickly learns that none of these things compare to the peril that comes from being born with amethyst eyes.