Monday, April 25, 2016

ASCENDERS: SKYPUNCH Blog Tour!


Ascenders: Skypunch (Ascenders #2)
By: C.L. Gaber
Genre: YA Paranormal
Summary:
In the Midst—a place for those who die young—there are no rules except one.

And Walker Callaghan, dead at seventeen, just broke it. She briefly revisited her earthly life . . . and the punishment is eternal. Longing for her rebel love interest, Daniel Reid, Walker finds an ally in Cass, whose attraction to her is as alive as he is. “Life is short,” he tells her. “I’m banking on eternity. With you.”

In the second book of the Ascenders Saga, a realm-jumping journey takes Walker and Daniel back to life again when they search for something buried in history. They team with students from several other schools in the middle realm including a place for teens born with oddities. It’s home to the Claires . . . beautiful, ruthless, and quite dead seventeen-year- old quads who each have a different clairvoyant gift.

Can Walker survive another adventure of an afterlife-time—or at the tender age of seventeen will she find herself on the downside of eternity?


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Buy Links:
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About the Author:
C.L. Gaber is the author of the ASCENDERS SAGA and co-author of Jex Malone. A well-known entertainment journalist, she lives in Nevada with her husband Ron, bonus daughter Sabrina and two unruly dogs. ASCENDERS 2 is due out in early 2016.

Author Links:
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Wednesday, April 20, 2016

STATIC by Eric Laster + 2 Giveaways!


Welcome to Day #3 of the #STATIC Blog Tour!
To celebrate the release of #STATIC by Eric Laster (4/19/16), blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Eric and 10 chances to win a copy of #STATIC, as well as a chance to win a 6-in-1 Bluetooth Entertainment Center in the Grand Prize Giveaway!
#STATIC Playlist by Eric Laster
I myself can’t read well and listen to music simultaneously—my attention bounces back and forth—and I’m tempted to say that people should, when reading #Static, focus on the music of the prose! But since this probably seems a bit much, I suggest listening to something atmospheric: long songs whose themes take a while to develop, if they develop at all; with no lyrics or at least very little. My specific recommendations are a bit esoteric, but they are: Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports, and anything by The Necks or Endless Boogie. 
Bonus Playlists: Eric Laster Curtis Brooks Rick Calvados Suzy Painter
*****
Stop by Twenty Three Pages tomorrow for the next stop on the tour!
Blog Tour Schedule:
April 18th – The Book Cellar
April 19th – Once Upon a Twilight
April 20th – Fall Into Books
April 21st – Twenty Three Pages
April 22nd – The Fandom
April 25th — Book Briefs
April 26th – Shooting Stars Mag
April 27th – Pretty Little Memoirs
April 28th – A Belle’s Tales
April 29th – The Reader and the Chef

Buy: Amazon
Follow Eric: Twitter | Facebook | InstagramWebsite
When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who’s been dead a week, he’s sure it’s to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products. Wilt’s death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom’s poor choices. Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who’d wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they’ve ever had.

A New Yorker by birth, Eric Laster lives in Los Angeles. After a successful stint as a best-selling ghostwriter, Eric re-launched under his own name with the middle- grade novel Welfy Q. Deederhoth: Meat Purveyor, World Savior.  Whenever he’s not scribing, he records punk rock and presses it to vinyl.


Static Giveaway!!
  • US/Canada Only
  • One winner will receive a copy of Static by Eric Laster
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Sunday, April 17, 2016

HELL ON THE HEART BOOK BLAST!

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HOTH Lighter webqHell on the Heart by Hope Daniels and Alicia Dawn

Series: Magical Forces #2 (can be read as a standalone) Publication Date: April 15, 2016 Genre: Paranormal Romance
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Everyone has them. Everyone keeps them for various reasons. As a witch with power over water, Anna wants her secrets to stay in the past where they belong. All she desires is to enjoy the present, but what she thought was buried long ago, has found a nasty way of coming back to bite her. So hold on tight. Not only is her big bad secret back, but it’s hungry and Anna looks like the perfect entree for dinner. Pete has secrets of his own. As a Djinn, he is skilled and powerful enough to cajole Anna to tell him hers, although he knows he may have to confess up some of his own deep dark nightmares. When she learns his secrets will she still look at him the same way? Or will she take a chance on what could be? Not that it matters. Pete isn’t ready to let her go. She is his soul mate whether she is ready to admit it or not. He will make her realize they are meant to be together, even if he has to follow her to hell to do so. Will their secrets destroy what they could be before they have the chance to begin?

Saturday, April 16, 2016

ENCHANTED: THE FAIRY TELL REVELS COLLECTION


Showers of Books Giveaway!


Hey everyone, I'm giving away a mystery box of books so that you can have your own shower of books! One lucky winner will get a box full of YA, Adult, and MG books. Most of the books will be Sci-Fi or some sort of Fantasy, but there may be some contemporary books in there as well. I haven't decided yet. The box will hold anywhere from 5-10 books, depending on the size of the ones I choose. This giveaway is US only.


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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

CITY OF LIGHT by Keri Arthur

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
The first in an all-new futuristic fantasy series from Keri Arthur—the New York Times bestselling author of the Souls of Fire novels.

When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between this world and the next, they allowed entry to the Others—demons, wraiths, and death spirits who turned the shadows into their hunting grounds. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the darkness at bay....

As a déchet—a breed of humanoid super-soldiers almost eradicated by the war—Tiger has spent her life in hiding. But when she risks her life to save a little girl on the outskirts of Central City, she discovers that the child is one of many abducted in broad daylight by a wraith-like being—an impossibility with dangerous implications for everyone on earth.

Because if the light is no longer enough to protect them, nowhere is safe...


My thoughts on the book:
I didn't know what to expect with this novel, to be honest, but I really enjoyed it. I generally like Arthur's work quite a bit, and this book was no exception. The characters were well-developed, the worldbuilding was done wonderfully, and the pacing was spot on. The ending tied things up nicely but set up the sequel, which I can't wait for. If you're looking for a unique spin on Dystopian novels, this book is definitely for you.

Tiger was a super strong female lead. I really loved her. She wasn't callous or angsty or bitter. She was just strong. She accepted things as they were and made the best out of her situations. She did what she had to do in order to live up to her own standards, everyone else be damned, and I really loved that about her. The men in the book were interesting, but Sal was a weak character, in my opinion. I really liked Jonas, and I think he'd be a good match for Tiger. The other men weren't present much, so I didn't get to form any lasting opinions on them. Nuri was interesting. I'm not sure what I think about her yet. I really loved the ghosts that Tiger interacted with and how she viewed them as equal to the living. I could appreciate that outlook. 

The plot was pretty fast paced and there was a lot of action. Some sex and romance, but nothing too extensive. A lot of violence, but nothing graphic. The story and world were dark enough without graphic descriptions of darkness. I appreciated Arthur going light on that. The world made sense, though, and I could picture the world that Tiger lived in. It wasn't as desolate as some Dystopian worlds, but it was pretty bleak. I think things will get better, though. Just a feeling I have. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of Dystopian novels and fans of Keri Arthur. She lives up to her great reputation with this novel, and these characters and this world are intriguing and full of mystery and suspense that you won't want to miss. 

Book Con Chicago has added even MORE amazing authors to its line-up

Book Con is being held in Chicago this year, in conjunction with BEA, and there are some amazing authors set to participate in panels, autographs, meet and greets, and much more. You do not want to miss this event! In addition to the authors, the PROPERTY BROTHERS will be there for a panel *completely fangirls*. Ahem, excuse me and my HGTV obsession. You can check out all of the amazing panels here.



In addition to the panels, there will be tons of authors on hand signing autographs and conducting meet and greets. You can check out that schedule here! The meet and greet/in booth signings can be found here

The authors participating in Book Con this year include the following:

Alexandra Bracken Kami Garcia Marissa Meyer
Alyson Noël Kendra Blake Meg Cabot
Cassandra Clare Laini Taylor Melissa de la Cruz
Colleen Oakes Lauren Oliver Pierce Brown
James Dashner Leigh Bardugo Richelle Mead
David Levithan Maggie Stiefvater Sabaa Tahir
Ann M. Martin Victoria Aveyard Sherman Alexie
Veronica Roth Susan Dennard Sarah J. Maas
I am so excited about so many of these authors! It has always been a dream of mine to meet Sherman Alexie, so this will be a fantastic experience. I'll cover Book Con in addition to BEA, so you guys won't miss out on any of the news! I hope to see tons of you there!

Waiting on Wednesday #47


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

This week I'm waiting on Into the Fire by Jeaniene Frost


Release Date: 10/25/16
Synopsis:
In the explosive finale to New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Night Prince series, Vlad is in danger of losing his bride to an enemy whose powers might prove greater than the Prince of Vampire's...

In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.
 

Why I'm Waiting:
I absolutely love Jeaniene Frost's books and the Night Huntress world in general. Vlad is one of my favorite characters in the series, so I can't wait to see how his story ends, even though reading it will be bittersweet!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Stacking the Shelves #31


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga's Reviews! This meme showcases the books received, bought, or checked out from the library over the past week. 

This week was Joey's (the cat) 14th birthday! So he modeled with the books I got to show how gracefully he's aged. 

Bought:

Princess of Thorns
By: Stacey Jay
My Review
Synopsis:
Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Prophecy Girl
By: Cecily White
My Review
Synopsis:
I was born to slay Crossworld demons. 

Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.

Then he shows up. 

Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? 

Wrong. 

Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult. 


Getting it done without falling in love? That might take a miracle. 

Lark Rising
By: Sandra Waugh
Synopsis:
Lark has foreseen two things—she will fall for a young man with sage green eyes,and he will kill her.


Sixteen-year-old Lark Carew is happiest close to home, tending her garden and gathering herbs for medicines. But when her Sight warns her that monsters called Troths will soon invade her village, Lark is summoned on a journey to seek help from the legendary Riders of Tarnec. Little does she suspect that one of the Riders, Gharain, is the very man who has haunted her visions. Or that the people of Tarnec have called her there for another reason: Lark is the Guardian of Life, the first of four Guardians who must awaken their powers to recover four stolen amulets. Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in Balance. To take back the Life amulet, Lark will have to discover her true inner strength and give in to a love that she swears will be her downfall.

The Storyspinner
By: Becky Wallace
Synopsis:
Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.


With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

An Ember in the Ashes
By: Sabaa Tahir
Synopsis:
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.


There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

For Review:
The Leaving
By: Tara Altebrando
Release Date: 6/7/16
Synopsis:
Six were taken. Eleven years later, five come back--with no idea of where they've been.

Eleven years ago, six kindergarteners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.


Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are . . . fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max. He doesn't come back. Everyone wants answers. Most of all Max's sister Avery, who needs to find her brother--dead or alive--and isn't buying this whole memory-loss story.

Warrior Witch
By: Danielle L. Jensen
Release Date: 5/3/16
Synopsis:
The thrilling conclusion to the breakout Malediction Trilogy by Goodreads Choice finalist Danielle L. Jensen.

Cécile and Tristan have accomplished the impossible, but their greatest challenge remains: defeating the evil they have unleashed upon the world.

As they scramble for a way to protect the people of the Isle and liberate the trolls from their tyrant king, Cécile and Tristan must battle those who’d see them dead. To win, they will risk everything. And everyone.


But it might not be enough. Both Cécile and Tristan have debts, and they will be forced to pay them at a cost far greater than they had ever imagined.

And I Darken
By: Kiersten White
Release Date: 7/7/16
Synopsis:
No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way.

Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets.

Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point.


The first of an epic new trilogy starring the ultimate anti-princess who does not have a gentle heart. Lada knows how to wield a sword, and she'll stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive.

Mercy
By: Rebecca Lim
Synopsis:
Mercy ′wakes′ on a school bus bound for Paradise, a small town where everyone knows everyone else′s business -- or thinks they do. But they will never guess the secret Mercy is hiding ....

As an angel exiled from heaven and doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, Mercy is never sure whose life and body she will share each time. And her mind is filled with the desperate pleas of her beloved, Luc, who can only approach her in her dreams.

In Paradise, Mercy meets Ryan, whose sister was kidnapped two years ago and is now presumed dead. When another girl disappears, Mercy and Ryan know they must act before time runs out. But a host of angels are out for Mercy′s blood and they won′t rest until they find her and punish her -- for a crime she doesn′t remember committing ...


An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, MERCY is the first book in a major new series.

Exile
By: Rebecca Lim
Synopsis:
An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, EXILE is the breathtaking sequel to MERCY in a major new paranormal romance series.

There's something very wrong with me. When I wake up, I could be anyone…

An angel in exile, Mercy is doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does. Now she "wakes" as unhappy teen Lela, a girl caring for a dying mother but never herself.

As her shattered memory begins to return, Mercy remembers Ryan, the boy she fell in love with in another life, and Luc, the angel haunting her dreams. Will Mercy risk Lela’s life to be reunited with her heart’s true desire?


An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, Exile is the second book in the spellbinding MERCY series.

The Queen of Blood
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: 9/20/16
Synopsis:
An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure.

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.


With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.


Saturday, April 9, 2016

DEADLY SWEET LIES by Erica Cameron

Rating: C
Synopsis:
Nadette Lawson knows when you’re lying.

Every night for the past two years, the Balasura have visited her dreams, enticing her to enter their world. And every night she’s seen through their lies. Now, they’re tired of playing in the shadows and they begin to stalk her in the waking world. It’s no longer just an invitation; if Nadette doesn’t join them, they’ll take her family. Forever. She needs help, and the haven she’s seeking may be just out of reach.

Julian Teagan is a master of deception.

To survive, he has to convince the world his mother isn’t useless, that everything’s fine, otherwise he’ll lose what little he has left in this life. He knows the lying won’t be enough to keep him and his mother in the shadows, but it’s all he knows. The only light of truth is Orane, a Balasura who sees past Julian’s facade and challenges him to face the darkness.
Then Orane is killed, and Julian learns his mentor was far from innocent. The Balasura have hunted children like him for centuries, and their next target, Nadette is his one chance at finally being a part of something real. If Julian can just convince her to trust him…


My thoughts on the book:
Deadly Sweet Lies wasn't half as good as its predecessor, in my opinion. The characters were kind of weak, and the little bit of world-building still wasn't sufficient, in my opinion. The writing was pretty good, but the pacing was super slow. It just didn't hold my interest as well as Sing Sweet Nightingale. I did enjoy seeing what happened to the characters of the first book, but the ending of this one really freaking sucked. I just wasn't blown away. 

Nadette was a pretty strong character for the first 75% of the book or so, then she just got annoying. I liked her fine until the really bad things started happening and she acted like an entirely different, weaker character. That threw me and made me not like her as much. Julian also was obnoxious. I didn't like him from the very beginning. Lexi was pretty interesting, and I liked Aisling a lot. Other than that, the old characters were the only ones who stood out and interested me. 

The pacing was super slow, and I got bored several times reading this book. Also, the world-building is still lacking. I get what's going on more, but I could have used a lot more info. It's one thing not to info dump every other page, but it's a completely different thing to not have enough information to make the story make sense. Also some random people just vanished without any explanation at the end, and characters we didn't even meet were mentioned like we were supposed to care about them. I did like that the author had characters of different sexual orientations, and I also appreciated her taking us inside the home of a neglected kid so that everyone could understand more what they went through. Along with that, the writing was pretty good, and she had some memorable quotes in there. However, the ending was awful. It's like it stopped in the middle of the story. This was like a cliffhanger on steroids, and I hated it. Not even sure if I want to read the next installment or not because of that. 

Overall, this book was unique and addressed some important topics, but it just didn't blow me out of the water. I really wish there was more world-building and that the author had tied things up a bit more at the end. The novel wasn't terrible, but it wasn't fantastic, either. 

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Romantic Times 2016: Las Vegas April 12-16 and Aimee Salter Interview

I have to admit that I am super jealous that I can't attend the Romantic Times convention in Las Vegas this year. If you guys haven't heard, they are having a GIANT BOOK FAIR and a Teen Day!! I can't even begin to tell you guys how amazing this is going to be. If you get the chance to go, then you definitely should.

Giant Book Fair
This has got to be the coolest thing I've ever heard of. From the site, "On Saturday, April 16 meet more than 625 authors who will be signing at the Giant Book Fair. The Book Fair will be set up like a GIANT bookstore where all the authors' latest books will be available for purchase." They have some amazing authors lined up, too, including:


Jennifer L Armentrout   Kami Garcia    Julie Kagawa
Keri Arthur   Heather   Graham    CJ Rediwne
Brodi Ashton   Kelly Fiore    Mary Lindsey
Victoria Aveyard   Cynthia Hand    Katie McGarry
Alexandra Bracken   Wendy Higgins    Gretchen       McNeil
Rae Carson   Amanda Hocking    Richelle Mead
Cinda Williams Chima   Ellen Hopkins    Jodi Meadows
Susane Colasanti   Colleen Houck    Lauren Oliver
Kresley Cole   C.C. Hunter    Mary E. Pearson
Kimberly Derting   Larissa Ione    Veronica Rossi
Lyndsay Sands   Nalini Singh    Sophie Jordan

You can find out more about the book fair here (general info) and here (show floor layout).

In addition to the most amazing book fair of all time, Romantic Times is also having Teen Day for all of the fans of YA lit! 



There are going to be some amazing YA signers at Teen Day, including Amy Plum, Rosamund Hodge, and Morgan Rhodes (aka Michelle Rowan). You will not want to miss this line-up. For more information and the full program for Teen Day which includes some awesome workshops, click here

Be sure to like the Teen Day's Facebook page for all of the up to date info!

I was also lucky enough to get an interview with one of the amazing authors who will be at this convention, Aimee Salter. Please see the questions and answers below!

Q: What are you looking forward to at Romantic Times? 
Aimee: I'm a panelist for the Never Too Old for YA panel on Thursday morning. I've got cool swag bags for the readers who join my table, and the entire event will be a game. It's going to be a blast. I can't wait. Add it to your agenda: https://rtconvention.com/event/youre-never-too-old

Q: Which author that you haven’t met are you looking forward to meeting next at Romantic Times?
A:On a personal level I'm super-excited to meet Cora Carmack. We worked together before her books hit the big time, so I've wanted to hug her for a long time!

Q: What’s your favorite romance story? 
A: It's a tie between Katja Millay's The Sea of Tranquility, and Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door.re-read both of these at least once a year. I just adore them. And they both get better every time.

Q: I LOVE My Life Next Door! Romantic Times is in Las Vegas this year - tell us which one of your characters and from which book would win big in Vegas? What advice would you give that character? 
A: The main character, Tully, from Dark Touch, is very ballsy. If she had the resources to hit Vegas, she'd definitely make the most of it. And because she deserves to cut loose, I'd tell her to go for it, but just make sure to always leave enough money left over to, you know, eat.

Q: What is up next for you?
A: I'm working on two projects right now--another YA romance set in the near future with a swoon-worthy celebrity hero, and my first adult romance, an edgy inspirational story I can't wait to share with the world.

How excited do Aimee's new projects sound? If you haven't checked out her books, you have to give them a try. Head on over to her GoodReads page to add them to your TBR list!

As you can see, this Convention is going to be epic, and I am so disappointed that I can't go. However, I want all of you to go and have a great time and post pics and tell us all about it. What are you waiting for?! Register now! Time's running out!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

THE PASSENGER by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.


Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

My thoughts on the book:
I'll admit that I wasn't a huge fan of Bracken's last series, but I couldn't resist requesting a time travel novel. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I absolutely loved the characters. The pacing dragged on in a few places, then the ending was a major cliffhanger, which I didn't like too much, but the world-building was spectacular. The writing was well-done, and the descriptions were extremely vivid. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.

Etta was well-developed and a bit stubborn, but she wasn't illogical or rash. She's pretty strong for a YA female lead, and she managed to do that without being a brat. My favorite thing about her is that she actually had feelings and stopped in the middle of the chaos to feel them. I also liked that she had some kind of anxiety disorder because that stuff needs to be talked about more. As someone with GAD, I can appreciate a heroine who is strong but also struggles with panic attacks. Nicholas was a great leading man. He was a good complement to Etta, and he was a bit broken without being angsty. He was also a super strong character, and he was very complex. There were layers to his pain, but he was still willing to give life a chance. We could all learn a few lessons from that, I think. The secondary characters weren't as well-developed, but they felt like real people. We just didn't get to see them a lot. Hasan was a lot of fun, and I would have liked to have seen more of Alice.

The writing was engaging, and the plot was extremely well thought out. Everything tied together nicely, and almost everything made perfect sense. The plot twist at the end sent me reeling, though, and I'm not sure if it felt right or not, to be honest. I haven't really had time to absorb it yet, I think. The last 75% of the story lagged a bit until the very end (93%ish mark), where it moved at lightening speed and ended on a cliffhanger. I really didn't care for that too much. The world-building was well-done, and I could accept and understand the world that Bracken created. The author described each place beautifully, and the descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was there with the characters. She really did her research/traveling for this book. Again, I like that the action paused when something awful happened to give the characters a chance to feel a full range of emotion. I hate when something that's supposed to be traumatizing happens and the characters just keep going and never deal with it. That's not realistic to me, and it really takes away from the story. Bracken is one of the few authors that I've seen actually let the characters feel before jumping back into the fray, and I appreciated that.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good time travel novel. Bracken's presentation of time travel is a bit different from the other books I've read on this topic, and the story itself is extremely interesting.

Waiting on Wednesday #46


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

This week I'm waiting on The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater.


Release Date: 04/26/16
Synopsis:
The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

In a starred review for Blue Lily, Lily BlueKirkus Reviews declared: "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close."

Why I'm Waiting:
This is one of my absolute favorite series of all time. Stiefvater has created an exhilarating world with realistic and unique characters that you can't help but love. While I hate that this will be the last installment, I really hope that some of what I hope will come to pass actually happens. 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? 


Saturday, April 2, 2016

Stacking the Shelves #30



Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga's Reviews! This meme showcases the books received, bought, or checked out from the library over the past week. 

For Review:
What the Dead Want
By: Norah Olson
Release Date: 7/26/16
Synopsis:
16 -year-old Gretchen takes photographs to understand the world around her, a passion her mother Mona fostered and encouraged when she was still around. Since her mom disappeared years ago, Gretchen and her dad have lived on their own in New York City, haunted by Mona’s absence.

When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.

Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.


Ivory and Bone
By: Julie Eshbaugh
Release Date: 6/14/16
Synopsis:
A prehistoric fantasy—with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.

Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.


As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.

Unplugged
By: Donna Freitas
Release Date: 6/21/16
Synopsis:
The first book in a provocative new series from acclaimed author Donna Freitas—Feed for a new generation.

Humanity is split into the App World and the Real World—an extravagant virtual world for the wealthy and a dying physical world for the poor. Years ago, Skylar Cruz’s family sent her to the App World for a chance at a better life.

Now Skye is a nobody, a virtual sixteen-year-old girl without any glamorous effects or expensive downloads to make her stand out in the App World. Yet none of that matters to Skye. All she wants is a chance to unplug and see her mother and sister again.

But when the borders between worlds suddenly close, Skye loses that chance. Desperate to reach her family, Skye risks everything to get back to the physical world. Once she arrives, however, she discovers a much larger, darker reality than the one she remembers.


In the tradition of M. T. Anderson’s Feed and Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies, Unplugged kicks off a thrilling and timely sci-fi series for teens from an award-winning writer.

Makoons
By: Louise Erdrich
Release Date: 8/9/16
Synopsis:
In the sequel to Chickadee, acclaimed author Louise Erdrich continues her award-winning Birchbark House series with the story of an Ojibwe family in nineteenth-century America.

Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, have traveled with their family to the Great Plains of Dakota Territory. There they must learn to become buffalo hunters and once again help their people make a home in a new land. But Makoons has had a vision that foretells great challenges—challenges that his family may not be able to overcome.


Based on Louise Erdrich’s own family history, this fifth book in the series features black-and-white interior illustrations, a note from the author about her research, as well as a map and glossary of Ojibwe terms.

Down with the Shine
By: Kate Karyus Quinn
Release Date: 4/26/16
Synopsis:
There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.


These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.


Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

The Crown's Game
By: Evelyn Skye
Release Date: 5/17/16
Synopsis:
Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.


As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Mercy
By: Rebecca Lim
Release Date: 4/20/16
Synopsis:
Mercy wakes on a school bus bound for Paradise, a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business... Or thinks they do. But Mercy has a secret life. She is an angel, doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does, in an effort to resolve a cataclysmic rift between heavenly beings.

In Paradise, Mercy meets Ryan, an eighteen-year-old whose sister was kidnapped two years ago and is presumed dead. When another girl is also taken, Mercy knows she has to act quickly and use extraordinary powers to rescue her, even if it means exposing her true identity.

An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, Mercy is the first book in a major new series.


Exile
By: Rebecca Lim
Release Date: 5/18/16
Synopsis:
An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, EXILE is the breathtaking sequel to MERCY in a major new paranormal romance series.

There's something very wrong with me. When I wake up, I could be anyone…

An angel in exile, Mercy is doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does. Now she "wakes" as unhappy teen Lela, a girl caring for a dying mother but never herself.

As her shattered memory begins to return, Mercy remembers Ryan, the boy she fell in love with in another life, and Luc, the angel haunting her dreams. Will Mercy risk Lela’s life to be reunited with her heart’s true desire?


An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, Exile is the second book in the spellbinding MERCY series.

The Queen of Blood
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: 9/20/16
Synopsis:
An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms. 


With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

Bright Blaze of Magic
By: Jennifer Estep
Release Date: 4/26/16
Synopsis:
Bad Things Always Come In Threes…

As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls. 

Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't know is that I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side… 


"An adventurous ride you will never want to get off." --#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout on Cold Burn of Magic

What did you stack your shelf with this week?