SPLIT SECOND by Kasie West Cover Reveal!!!!!!!

OMG I am so excited to share this cover with you guys! I know I always say that, but this (along with Stung by Bethany Wiggins) was my absolute favorite book of the year. The cover and synopsis are AMAZING. Is it 2014 yet?

Split Second
By: Kasie West
Release Date: 02/11/14
Synopsis:
Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

THE ABOMINATION by Jonathan Holt

The Abomination
Jonathan Holt

Rating: A
Synopsis:
When the clock strikes midnight on the feast day of La Befana, Venice is aglow as a cascade of glittering fireworks bursts above the city. Masked figures crowd the vaporettos, the trattorias are humming with grappa-soaked gossip, and the possibility for random passion heats the frosty winter air.

Across the Grand Canal, beneath the stunning white dome of one of Venice's grandest landmarks, Santa Maria della Salute, a body with two slugs in the back of the head has been pulled from the icy waters. The victim is a woman. To the dismay of the police, she is dressed in the sacred robes of a Catholic priest--a desecration known as the Abomination.

Working her first murder case, newly promoted Captain Kat Tapo of the Carabinieri embarks on a labyrinthine trail that soon proves as elusive and confusing as the city's twisting backstreets. Her investigation leads from a crumbling asylum on a deserted island to the impenetrable complex of American military bases ringing the medieval city--and deeper, into an eerie virtual Venice that is both alien and familiar.

The influential and highly secretive simulated world of Carnivia.com holds the city's secrets, dark knowledge that reaches into the highest levels of government and the church, involving its most influential figures. The site's founder is a notorious hacker and the scion of one of Venice's oldest families--a man already convicted of cybercrimes whose life is threatened by an anonymous group determined to silence him and destroy his virtual city.

Just when every lead seems to send a frustrated Kat in a new direction, the various trails go cold, evidence goes missing, and the case is officially shut down. What follows is the unraveling of a dark conspiracy whose roots go back seventy years, revelations that will test Kat's loyalties and remind the dedicated cop of a simple truth: that unless old crimes are punished, corrupt forces will continue to repeat their mortal sins. . . .

My thoughts on the book:
The Abomination by Jonathan Holt is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that cannot be missed. The characters are well-developed, the setting is magnificent, the mystery is captivating, and Holt's writing is top notch. While I'm not a huge fan of non-paranormal mysteries, this book grabbed me and did not let me go. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this novel and would recommend it to anyone. 

Kat is a terrific leading character. She's independent and strong, but she also has heart. She's flawed, but still extremely likable. The secondary characters are also strong. Each one has his or her own personality and doesn't serve as a simple filler character. The evolution of Kat is organic, and I enjoyed watching her change throughout the novel. 

I absolutely adored the setting. Venice is such a unique place, and I can't think of a better area to set this novel in. Holt paints Venice in an accurate light (from what I've heard about it from friends who have traveled there), and his details allow the reader to picture the city, even if they've never visited, which I haven't. I felt as if I was in the city, though, which was a nice touch. Holt's writing is clear and concise. The plot itself is reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code, but somehow this novel still stands on its own. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves good mysteries. This is a fantastic debut novel. 

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FRAGILE SPIRITS By Mary Lindsey Cover Reveal!!!

As you guys know, I absolutely ADORED Shattered Souls. Therefore, I am sofreakingexcited that Mary Lindsey has created a sequel! The cover is gorgeous!!

Fragile Spirits

By: Mary Lindsey

Release Date: 01/23/14

Synopsis:

Paul has always known he was a Protector, fated to serve a Speaker who could hear the voices of spirits lingering after death and help those souls find peace.

Vivienne ignores the voices of the dead.

Paul has always followed the Protector’s rule book, preparing diligently for the day when he’d be matched with his Speaker and fulfill his destiny.

Vivienne never does what she’s told.

So when Paul is matched with Vivienne, they both find the pairing less than satisfactory. But a kidnapping, a malevolent spirit and power stronger than both of them may just prove that they are two halves of the same whole.

In a stunning story about the beauty of fate and the power of secrets, Mary Lindsey returns to the world of Shattered Souls with a breathtaking thrill-ride of a novel.

PERFECT LIES by Kiersten White Cover Reveal!!!!

I absolutely LOVED Mind Games, and I cannot WAIT for this sequel!!!

Perfect Lies
By: Kiersten White
Release Date: 02/18/14
Synopsis:
Annie and Fia are ready to fight back.

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie's visions of the future can't show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia's first love, Fia knows he's hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other - but that may not be enough to save them.

THE SOUND OF LETTING GO by Stasia Ward Kehoe Cover Reveal and Giveaway!!

This sounds like an amazing book, and I'm super excited to share the cover and synopsis with you guys!

The Sound of Letting Go
By: Stasia Ward Kehoe
Release Date: 02/01/14
Synopsis:

For sixteen years, Daisy has been good.  A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly.  A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad.  She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave. 
 
But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal.  Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy?  Should she side with her parents or protect her brother?  How do you know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

Connect with the author:

Stasia on twitter: https://twitter.com/swkehoe

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Stasia-Ward-Kehoe/480528638649616

At Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/125253.Stasia_Ward_Kehoe

At her blog: http://swardkehoe.blogspot.com


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EVERTRUE by Brodi Ashton Cover Reveal!

This series has gorgeous covers, and this one is the most beautiful yet! I haven't been able to find a synopsis yet, unfortunately, but I do have a release date to share with you guys along with the cover! I can't wait for this one!

Evertrue
By: Brodi Ashton
Release Date: 01/21/14

UNDYING DESTINY by Jessica Lee

Undying Destiy
Jessica Lee

Rating: C-
Release Date: 06/17/13
Synopsis:
Kenric St. James is out for revenge. Over 300 years ago, an ancient female vampire turned him against his will and killed the woman he loved. He’s spent more than a century building an Enclave of warrior vampires who have sworn to defend humanity against his evil sire and her minions. But when Kenric finds a woman he finally burns to claim as his own again, Kenric knows loving her means giving his sire another target.

Emily Ross just wanted a fresh start. She’s a survivor, coming off the tail end of an abusive relationship, and craves time alone to learn who she is and to save the home that holds her heart. The last thing she needed was a controlling, alpha male calling all the shots.

Meeting Kenric might just have changed her mind, though. He is wrong for her in all the right ways. But in order to keep her heart from breaking, he first has to keep the hoards of evil vamps from stealing her very breath.

My thoughts on the book:
As other reviewers have stated, nothing about Undying Destiny was that unique, including the characters. I found myself bored more often than I should have been, considering all that was going on. Also, the multiple points of view didn't really work for me. Furthermore, the way the plot was handled left no sense of mystery to the story. And finally, while the writing was well-done, it wasn't exactly captivating. If you're looking for a pointless romance, then this book is for you. If you're looking for depth of plot, then I'd skip this one. 

For the characters' pasts, they didn't really act believably, in my opinion. They opened up about what happened way too much, and they also were magically cured through love or some other bs. I didn't buy that, and while this novel does address some very important issues, such as the rape of men by women (which is for the most part ignored and needs to be talked about), how the characters handled things almost downplayed the importance of such issues. However, at least the author is trying to open a dialogue (at least I assume that's what she's doing instead of just including stuff for plot's sake), and that is commendable. The characters themselves were okay, but didn't stand out much. I liked Emily just fine, but she's not a memorable character. The same can be said for Kenric. While Marguerite is abhorrent, she's still not an extraordinary villain. 

As I previously mentioned, the multiple points of view didn't work, and this is because no character had a unique voice. They all spoke relatively the same, and there were no distinguishing dialogue choices to make the multiple POVs add anything to the story. The only thing that they did do is kill any sense of mystery that could have been present in the plot. Lee is a decent writer, but nothing was extremely captivating or entrancing. I didn't connect to the emotions of the characters, nor did I have an easy time picturing the surroundings even though the descriptions were top notch. Some writing is just hard to connect to, and that was the case in this novel. I'm not sure if it was because of the characters making no sense to me or if it was because it just didn't "click" for me. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who love romance, but don't really care about realistic character and relationship development or a solid plot. It's not a bad book, but it definitely is not my favorite either.

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