30 Oct 2015

67 WORD REVIEW: DARK HOLLOW (Hidden Heritage #1) by Tara Winters

30 October 0 Comments
Title: DARK HOLLOW
Author: Tara Winters
Series: Hidden Heritage #1
Source: ebook via Reading Deals Review Club
Publisher: Wintermoon Publishing
Publication Date: July 30, 2014
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary:
Tabitha Devins spent 18 years waiting for her mother to tell her whom her father was, where her mother had disappeared to all those years ago and perhaps shed some light on how she got magical abilities. Now it is the summer of her high school graduation and she plans on saving every penny she can earn to get off to college, leave the island of Porta Negra and her mother's secrets behind her. Now, as she sees a sliver of freedom in her future, her mother disappears once again with only a cryptic note. The clues lead Tabitha to the glen known as Dark Hollow where her mother originally disappeared. Tabitha delves into the nest of secrets her mother left and finds a world she never knew existed with a race of people with magical abilities much like her own. As she searches this new world for her mother, she discovers that her father has been looking for her as well. Before she can head off to meet him, she finds herself caught between a magical race of people discouraging her from meeting her father and the onset of a dark drama back on her island home which could keep her from ever being able to return home.
--

28 Oct 2015

ARC REVIEW: FIRE FALLING by Elise Kova + #GIVEAWAY

28 October 12 Comments
FIRE FALLING
Author: Elise Kova
Series: Air Awakens #2
Source: ARC from the Author
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Publication Date: November 19, 2015
Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary:
Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life.

As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, okay. I know I fan girl over this series a lot (since I moderate the GR Fan Club group  as Baldair's One and Only and am a member of the Street Team), but honestly: SO GOOD. This is high fantasy at it's peak, on par with the likes of Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. 

I am here today to describe to you my feelings for this book in words, which is actually quite difficult since a lot of the time I was just making animal noises to describe my feelings while reading. I also made sure this review stayed under 1500 words! Aren't you proud of me?

First things first, if you haven't read my review of the first book, you can do so here. Second, there are spoilers for said book in this review so take that with a grain of salt. Third, read this one at home or in a place that you're chill with having a lot of feelings on display.
Here's just a general thing I dislike about young adult novels: they never seem to have high stakes -- the main character always makes it out alive and so does literally everyone else, except maybe the bad guy. But not here. Kova takes it up a notch and makes you realize that literally anyone could go at any time. This is war people, and she's not afraid to show what the repercussions of this are. And you can even tell through Vhalla's inner monologue how much she is struggling with the aftermath of the Night of Fire and Wind. She isn't just all sunshine and rainbows, she feels horrible and guilty for what she had to do to survive. Which is SO IMPORTANT to me. A lot of the problems I have with YA books that have death and destruction (especially in fantasy) is that there is no fallout or descriptions of the fallout -- the characters seem to be able to go on living life as is with a couple of kills under their belt. But that's not realistic. This is real, this is raw, this is war. (Also, want to torment yourself? Once you read this book, listen to this song and try to place the characters from this series into each of the categories. Elise told me to do that MONTHS ago and I still obsess over it.)

Aldrik shows even more of this guilt than Vhalla does. He is weighted by it not only for the people he himself has killed but also for those that Vhalla had to. He cares so deeply for Vhalla, even if he does not fully realize that for himself right away. I am becoming more okay with their relationship because it is obvious they love one another. I think there is still so much more to learn about Aldrik though and that is what makes me hesitate before throwing caution to the wind and saying that it doesn't matter what happens or has happened, these two are my OTP. *cough*Dani*cough*



The side characters were fleshed out a lot more -- and a lot better -- in this one. We learned more about Larel and Fritz, and Daniel and Craig were back this time too. Plus we were introduced to Elecia, who was by far my favourite out of the side characters. I think as we start to get deeper into the series, there will be even more to learn about these characters as they have to face even more death and difficult tasks ahead. And the characters were all distinct and had such great personalities. I really enjoyed reading about them. They became like friends to me. They are my friends. I need them to be safe.

The world building is immaculate. There are so many different places and things to see in this one. I can only imagine that as we go farther into this world, there will be even more to know and learn about the Solaris Empire and beyond. I think one of the best parts of high, epic fantasies is the world building and Kova's world is up there with the likes of GRRM for me tbh. There is so much more than what we are seeing happening here. I can feel it in my bones. And that makes me want to read and reread these books so that I get an extra layer of that rich, vast world and pick up on things I didn't recognize the first time around.

One thing I feel the need to mention is pacing. For those of you that have read epic fantasies (such as AsoIaF by GRRM and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan), you will know that Fire Falling (and Air Awakens for that matters) follows the typical high fantasy pacing. Things don't happen all at once, you have to travel to get to different places and things happen during the course of this travelling. There were still some huge plot points that occurred during this book and you needed the little bit of extra travel and training time to have them feel believable and not rushed. It does *feel* a little slow, but where Kova excels is that her writing doesn't feel bogged down with the travelling -- you can tell that the characters are moving along and making good pace, but they still have to travel to get there. 
I thought that the magic in this world was so well developed. Like kudos to Kova for creating a magical system I can actually believe. Because of the Bond and the Joining, it is believable that Vhalla's magic and fighting abilities progressed that quickly. I like that there was more to the Bond than what we were told in Air Awakens. I think since Vhalla is constantly learning about what she can and cannot do, the reader doesn't feel as though there is too much information thrown at us all at once -- as Vhalla learns to do something new, we are seeing something *new*. It makes the story flow and allows Vhalla to develop without the reader feeling as though she is catching up to where we have her abilities placed in our mind. 

Another really big thing to me that I want to mention is that while there is romance in this novel, the story and the plot don't move forward based on this romance. There is (much) more to the plot than whether or not Vhalla loves Aldrik or is starting to make eyes at Daniel. Because while this still does happen, it is easy enough to not focus on this aspect because there is literally a war happening. The characters decision about whether or not to be with one person or the other isn't the central plot here. Just thought I'd let you know, friends!

I have a lot more I could say about this one, but this review is already really long. So I am going to end it here. Just know that if you like epic fantasies in which there is always something more happening behind the scenes than what even the main character knows and can see, then this is the book series for you. If you want to chat with me about it, you can find me on Twitter or in the GR group. I am always more than happy to discuss this book with anyone who wants to chat!

Oh, and before I go, there was a prophecy in this one, so watch for it and jot it down because I think in the next novels it is going to become prominent. 

Also! Update: Aldrik still does not know that Vhalla thought she was trying to save Baldair's life that night. Still anticipating when this will happen. It has to happen, right?

READING PROGRESS
There are 34 (!!!!) status updates on GR. Some of them have quotes from the book and some of them hint that something happens at a specific point in the book. You are MORE THAN WELCOME to view them, but just be warned ahead of time!


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See the other blogs that are reviewing by clicking on the picture below!


27 Oct 2015

BLOG TOUR: LIFER by Beck Nicholas Review + #GIVEAWAY

27 October 1 Comments
Title: LIFER
Author: Beck Nicholas
Publication date: December 16, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Summary:
Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents’ crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident.

Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.

On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing. But sometimes the past is better left buried.


As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to. Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.
--
Lifer didn't end up being what I was anticipating. I haven't read Under the Never Sky but I know the general premise of it and I've seen the Bourne movies so I guess I was anticipating a bit more mystery and suspense and not as much "Okay I know a lot of what will happen" I think that a lot of it was pretty predictable but it was still a good science fiction novel and I am intrigued to see where it goes next. Also there are ~spoilers~ for this in here because it's hard not to talk about it without having spoilers. But be warned.

What Worked
The dual pov. I liked seeing things from two perspectives and having them converge into one. Because it gave you a full story feel of everything that was happening. I liked seeing everything that happens in this new world because there was SO MUCH HAPPENING. It was all really interesting. 

26 Oct 2015

BLOG TOUR: HOLLY HEARTS HEADLINES by Kenley Conrad Excerpt + #GIVEAWAY

26 October 0 Comments
Holly Hearts Headlines
Author: Kenley Conrad
Series: Holly Hearts Hollywood Book 2
Publication Date: Oct 27, 2015
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Genre: YA, Romance

Holly Hart has it all: designer clothes, affluent friends, a recording contract, and she’s dating the biggest pop star in America.

It’s too bad he can’t be seen with her in public. It’s even worse that he seems so very cozy with Lacey, the girl who seems to enjoy stealing Holly’s dream and taking all the credit for their platinum-selling album.

And Lacey? Well she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, but that hasn’t stopped her from basking in the glow of the fame and fortune that comes with pretending to be Holly.

Yet, Holly signed a contract vowing to never reveal her true identity as the girl behind the hit songs. Her record label doesn’t want anyone to know their teen dream is really a chubby, insecure girl from Iowa.

Holly needs to focus on finals. She can’t let herself be distracted by the extremely hot and talented Grayson Frost or his prevailing attachment to Lacey. This is the deal Holly made, and she has to honor it no matter how much she hates it.

As if that’s not enough pressure, her grandparents have come to stay, her mom is dating a guy who makes his own deodorant, Shell Shocked Records want Holly to distance herself from Grayson, and she’ll probably end up failing Driver’s Ed.
In a town full of gossip and secrets, Holly wonders just how much longer she can continue to live a double life.

When the media gets a little too close for comfort, both Holly and Lacey are at risk. Soon Holly realizes her dream isn’t only about her and if she is to ever be truly happy, she’ll need to find a way past her insecurities.

Filled with laugh out loud and hold your breath moments, Holly Hearts Headlines is the follow-up to Holly Hearts Hollywood by Kenley Conrad.


PurchaseAmazon 
--
I don’t know if you’ve ever been shopping for men’s clothing, but it is a LOT different from women’s clothing. Besides the obvious lack of fun dresses and skirts, men’s clothing is boring. They don’t wear fun floral patterns or bedazzled skull jumpers. I mean they could if they wanted to, but I guess designers aren’t feeling it this season. Hey, if any haute couture designers are reading this, and I hope to God you aren’t, don’t be afraid to add a little color and fun to men’s clothing! It doesn’t all have to be simple, neutral colors you know.

23 Oct 2015

BLOG TOUR: THIS LOVE OF MINE by Miranda Liasson

23 October 5 Comments


This Love of Mine
by Miranda Liasson
Series: Mirror Lake, #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 6, 2015





Bridal shop owner Meg Halloran spends her days making other women’s wedding dreams come true—and her nights dreaming of her childhood crush, hometown heartthrob Dr. Benjamin Rushford. After a lifetime of wearing her heart on her sleeve, she’s done waiting. Meg’s ready to find love, with or without him. Moving on feels right—until Ben pops an unexpected question.

To win the open ER position in Mirror Lake, Ben has to convince the board that he’s settled and ready to put down roots. His latest stroke of genius? Asking Meg, the local good girl, to be his pretend girlfriend. With her by his side, he’s a shoo-in for the job. But he’s in over his head because, as much as he tries to deny it, Meg tempts him. And if she learns the truth about a secret that has shadowed and shaped his life, will she ever be able to forgive him?





Ben leads Meg out onto the dance floor at a business dinner, and she’s very uncomfortable...


“Okay, baby, here we go. Hold on tight!” Ben’s face lit up with clear glee as he spun and twirled, tipped and swayed, keeping a hard and fast grip on her at all times.
He put his hands on her hips and had her mimic his own movements.
Terror threatened to freeze her limbs but she couldn’t not do . . . something. Maybe it was the fact that she felt responsible for doing whatever she could to help him get this job. But maybe it was the look of pure joy on Ben’s face that mesmerized her, made her feel giddy and . . . happy. Yes, happy in a way that made her throw herself into the dancing with reckless abandon for the first time in her life. She shook, she shimmied, she did wild and crazy things like swung and swayed and twisted. The disastrous evening seemed far away, and she was enveloped in Ben’s smile, his confident touch, and his cocky swagger as he clearly loved every move.

22 Oct 2015

"I'm just here for the bucks and the billis" *cue bass* #AirAwakens

22 October 5 Comments
So you guys saw my post last week introducing this, but today I am back to tell you my affinity! Don't forget to check out the bottom of my post for some more valuable information about the book and a couple upcoming events all to do with AIR AWAKENS! You guys don't want to miss these!

AIR AWAKENS
Author: Elise Kova
Series: Air Awakens #1
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Publication Date: August 27, 2015
Summary:
A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.



After careful consideration (and taking the quiz 5 times to make sure), I am a...
GROUNDBREAKER!

21 Oct 2015

#GIVEAWAY ALERT! THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS by Marieke Nijkamp

21 October 1 Comments
Hey guys, here to alert you about a cool giveaway happening over on tumblr for the amazing debut novel THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS by Marieke Nijkamp! This giveaway is hosted by Sourcebooks Fire and it is pretty stellar. They are giving away advance copies of This Is Where It Ends along with chalk boards & chalk. 

The objective is for you to read the book then use the chalkboard to read This Is Where It Ends and use the chalkboards to express how this book made you feel. Feel free to use words - even a single word - or pictures. Was there a certain character that spoke to you? Were you left speechless and angry? We want to know - and SEE it on your board. Snap a photo and share here on the Tumblr site for the book, or any of your social networks. Please tag all posts with #thisiswhereitends #sourcebooksfire.

20 Oct 2015

DOUBLE REVIEW: Night Sky (Night Sky #1) & Wild Sky (Night Sky #2) by Suzanne Brockmann and Melanie Brockmann

20 October 0 Comments
Title: NIGHT SKY
Author: Suzanne Brockmann and Melanie Brockmann
Series: Night Sky #1
Source: Digital Copy via The Publisher
Publisher: Sourcefire Books
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Rating: 4/5 stars


Summary:
SHE’S THE ULTIMATE WEAPON IN FIGHTING DESTINY.
 
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie Brockmann have written a pulse-pounding novel of paranormal suspense set in a near future both fantastic and frightening.

Skylar Reid is shaken when Sasha, the little girl she babysits, is kidnapped. Scared that the weird dreams she’s been having about Sasha are real—and even more afraid that Sasha is already dead. When a mysterious girl with extreme butt-kicking abilities roars into town on a motorcycle and, well, stalks Skylar things get even weirder. Supergirl Dana tells Sky that she also has abilities – that a hormone in their blood makes them stronger, faster, smarter. A hormone that the makers of a new drug called Destiny will murder to get their hands on.

Dana and Milo, her dangerously hot yet oh-so-forbidden partner in crime, want Sky to join them in their mission – to mold Sky into the ultimate weapon. She can sense there’s something about her abilities they’re not telling her. But the only way to save Sasha and stop other girls from being taken is to embrace the weird…and fight Destiny.
--

BLOG TOUR: Sale Blitz! MIDNIGHT BURNING by Karissa Laurel

20 October 1 Comments

Midnight Burning
by Karissa Laurel
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Cover Designer: Streetlight Graphics
Release Date: July 7, 2015



Solina Mundy lives a quiet life, running the family bakery in the foothills of North Carolina. But a nightmare of a vicious wolf devouring her twin brother changes everything. When Solina learns her dream was real, she journeys to her brother’s home in Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun, to search for answers.

Solina soon suspects her brother’s friends are more than they seem, and they know more than they’re willing to admit. Skyla, an ex-marine, is the only one willing to help. As Skyla and Solina delve into the secrets surrounding her brother’s death, Solina learns her own fate is tied to his friends, his murder, and a dark history of forgotten myths and legends.

Solina also discovers a powerful new ability. She must learn to control it if she’s to keep everyone safe. If she fails, a long-lost dominion will rise, and everything she knows will fall into darkness.



My brother, Mani, once told me Alaska was the first place he had ever traveled where he knew he was somewhere different—somewhere decidedly not home—before he ever set foot on the ground. I didn’t understand what he meant until now. Outside my airplane window, the glassy waters of Cook Inlet reflected a bright blue late-summer sky. Dark and looming, the Chugach Mountains encroached from the east. Far to the north, the ghostly, snow-crusted visage of Mount McKinley rose above the landscape, an ancient king, high on his dais, surveying his kingdom.
By comparison, Mani and I had been raised somewhere a little more commonplace. Home was a small town in the foothills of North Carolina, over three thousand miles away. And this was the first time I had ever left it. I probably should have eased into long-distance travel in the same way I eased into a cold swimming pool—one toe at a time. A trip over the border into Gatlinburg. A weekend visit to D.C. But no, I had taken a plunge from the high dive instead, and boy, was I in over my head.

19 Oct 2015

Mission: Open Letter to KRISTY ACEVEDO and CONSIDER

19 October 7 Comments
Dearest Kristy Acevedo,
I am writing this letter to you in praise of everything you do. I found out about your book CONSIDER via the Fledgling Authors Chat way back in July 2015 and since then have been waiting in eager anticipation to read your book. Luckily enough, you posted the first chapter as part of your cover reveal which made me giddy with excitement.

I think one of the best parts of all this is that your book is science fiction and seems like it will have a lot of those aspects in this novel. I am hoping that there is at least one instance that has a cheesy, classic science fiction feel, one instance that makes me want to lose my mind because I am nervous that this COULD happen to me in the near future, and one instance where I am like "YAS SLAY ALEX". But mostly, I am excited to feel as though I am living in your book and your world because the main character will be just like me.

Super Middle Grade Mondays Blitz: Author Spotlight – Michael Gibney + #Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

19 October 0 Comments
MGMondays-Bannernew
 
Welcome to this week’s Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!
Today, we get up close and personal with
Michael Gibney
author of The Three Thorns (The Brotherhood and the Shield #1) from Tantrum Books.
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
 
Michael Gibney
Michael Gibney began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen and assumed his first sous chef position at twenty-two. He ascended to executive sous chef at Tavern on the Green, where he managed an eighty-person staff. He has worked in the kitchens of Morgans Hotel Group, 10 Downing in Manhattan, and Governor in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, among many others. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work alongside cooks and chefs from many of the nation’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Bouley, Ducasse, Corton, wd~50, and Momofuku. 
In addition to his experience in the food service industry, Gibney also holds a BFA in painting from Pratt Institute and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
 
Describe yourself in three words.
Ambitious. Generous. Animal­Lover.
 
Describe your book in three words.
Exciting. Dark. Original.
 
Tell us about your day job.
Landlord & Full Time Writer.
 
Which writers inspire you?
Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, Stephen King, John Grisham, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, Peter Benchley, William Peter Blatty, J.M. Barrie & James Herbert. Oh, of course, Shakespeare.

18 Oct 2015

Agent Jamie, reporting for duty for Sassy's Fangirl Debuts

18 October 1 Comments
Hello and welcome to Sassy's Fangirl Debuts a feature that was created by Talina over at Sassy & Dangerous! The S.F.D is a top secret organization (AKA a debut author street team!) that helps authors dominate the book world and succeed in brainwashing their readers…(just kidding…but who knows…)

Over the past few weeks, Talina has put together a team of highly trained professional debut supporters and the S.F.D team has been planning a way to destroy reader’s TBRs and we believe, after careful planning and years of training, we have finally come to a conclusion: Sassy’s Fangirl Debuts.

16 Oct 2015

ARC REVIEW: THE THIRTEENTH WORLD by A.N. Willis

16 October 2 Comments
Title: THE THIRTEENTH WORLD
Author: A.N. Willis
Series: The Corridor #2
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Rating: 3.5-4/5 stars.

Summary:
Time is running out for Stel Alaster. The Corridor, the only portal between First and Second Earth, is failing and the barriers between all twelve worlds are thinning. Using her unique ability to travel through the multiverse, Stel sets out to save the Corridor . . . and ends up discovering a mysterious new world.

In the sequel to The Corridor, will the thirteenth world hold the key to the Corridor’s secrets? Or will the portal implode and take every last universe down with it?



--
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This one left me a tad conflicted. I enjoyed that there was more action in it than in the first novel, but I felt like there was something missing. And after careful consideration (aka thinking it over for a couple hours while driving), I have finally realized what it is: there was no dealing with the fallout.