Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky @ Books Biscuits and Tea. If you'd like to join see HERE for more details.
All the Books I Got:
What did you get?? :)
Yvonne
Sunday, 30 June 2013
BLOG TOUR REVIEW - Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Title: Branded
Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Genre: Mature YA/NA Dystopian
Tour Host: Lady
Amber's Tours
Book
Description:
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been
accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.
Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.
Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.
--------
3/5
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I had been dying to read it for ages. The authors have created a unique and savage world. The whole concept of the brands and the Hole is what drew me to this book in the first place.
The first half of the book was very intense and emotional. It starts off with a bang and never slows down. The authors don't shy away from the gory details so be warned. You will need a strong stomach to read some of the scenes. The authors did a great job of describing in detail the bloodiness and violence of the Hole. They aren't shy about it believe me. I felt that all the violence was believable though, it didn't feel over done.
One of the reasons though that I only gave 3 stars has to do with the main character, Lexi. This girl has gone through so much in her life and I really feel for her but she just annoyed me so much throughout the story. She was a very weak character and even though she kept saying that she was going to be strong and not let the Hole break her she never followed through with this. She depended an awful lot on other people, especially Cole. She practically turned into a zombie when he had to leave for a week on assignment. To me she didn't show any character development and she cried so fricking much throughout the story. I know she has had a shitty life and the stuff she has endured is truly horrible but the girl had no backbone. Her relationship with Cole I felt wasn't that healthy. She relied way too much on him and it was a bit like insta-love. I did like Cole but I didn't really like them as a couple.
Another reason I only gave 3 stars has to do with the ending. I stated above that the book was very fast-paced and it was and even though I did like this, the ending was way too rushed. Everything just happened all of a sudden and kind of left me feeling a bit disorientated. And some things felt like they were thrown in more for shock value than to further the actual story. Some details were a bit unrealistic and this frustrated me.
So although there were a few things that annoyed me this book does have great potential. The whole concept of the story is unique and I can see this going somewhere great. The authors have a good writing style and they are very descriptive in there writing. I will definitely read the next book but overall I was left a bit disappointed.
--------
Author Bios:
Abi Ketner
Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John Lancaster ,
Pennsylvania
Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University Lancaster , Pennsylvania Cleveland
Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been
best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to
their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging
out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What
started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.
Links:
twitter @abiandmiss.com
Website and Blog www.abiandmissy.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissy
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded
Book Trailer: http://video214.com/play/PlssJogkXB4H85hKKomnOA/s/dark
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissy
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded
Book Trailer: http://video214.com/play/PlssJogkXB4H85hKKomnOA/s/dark
Saturday, 29 June 2013
COVER REVEAL - Curse of the Beast Series by Ashley Lavering
Curse of the Beast & Star Cursed
Cover Reveal and Giveaway
Hosted by Lady Amber’s Reviews
Young Adult Novels by Ashley Lavering
I am so
excited that you all could celebrate my new covers with me!! Curse of the Beast
and Star Cursed are Young Adult novels and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast
with a werewolf twist. They are my first books published and had different
models on each cover. I really wanted these novels to match as a set and really
shine. So I hired the amazing cover artist, Design by Katt (aka Kathey Amaral) to redo them. https://www.facebook.com/DesignByKatt?fref=ts
She was
fantastic to work with and was patient with my endless nit-picking. LOL. I am
sure she thought I was OCD. But enough
about us, let’s see those marvelous covers shall we? Drum-roll please…..
Curse of the Beast
Seventeen-year-old Tayla Jonas longs for a simple life,
but an ancient curse forces a werewolf to hunt her, to claim what is his. Will
Tayla be strong enough to survive the Curse of the Beast? Or will it consume
her like so many before? Find out in the first installment of this unique
retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Star Cursed
Tangled in a web of wills, Tayla must risk everything to
break the Curse of the Beast. With failure and possible death looming overhead,
Tayla will do anything to find true love. But will one moon cycle be long
enough to conquer her wolf and remain human? Or will she become a permanent member
of Beast’s pack? Find out in the second installment in the Curse of the Beast
series.
A nomad at heart, Ashley currently claim Nevada as her home. She has a wonderful husband and two young children that put up with her “writing time.” When she’s not pondering a spell that will magically calm the ferocious winds that plague the air around her, you can find her, with notepad in hand, frantically jotting down ideas in those short moments between caring for her girls and working full time at the Elko Institute for Academic Achievement.
Art
and science have always been her yin and yang. Throughout her college career,
she shifted between the two, but in the end graduated with a Bachelors of
Mathematics and Science from the University of Wyoming.
Charging into adventures and discovering something new has always been a
passion of hers, but as a teenager she used to run screaming from a reading or
writing assignment. Looking back, the irony isn’t lost on her. Now you can’t
catch her without a book in hand or an open word document. Every time a new
idea pops into her mind her heart races and her hand twitches to write it. In
that moment, she has her writer's high and prays it will sustain her through
thousands of hours of revision.
Giveaway
Friday, 28 June 2013
RELEASE DAY BLITZ - Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Title: Branded
Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Genre: Mature YA/NA Dystopian
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Book Description:
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.
Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.
Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.
Author Bios:
Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.
Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan.
Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.
Links:
twitter @abiandmiss.com
website and blog www.abiandmissy.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissy
COVER REVEAL - Love, Lies and Deception by L.P. Dover
Title: Love, Lies, and Deception
Author: L.P. Dover
Cover Artist: Mae I Design
Release Date: August 2013
Blurb:
What do you do when the one person you thought you knew turns out to be the one you knew the least?
Twenty-three year old Marissa Chase, and soon to be college graduate, has everything going for her: wonderful friends, a lucrative degree, and a chance to explore the world. What made it even better - or so she thought - was when her path crossed with the alluring Alec Holden. Unable to stay away from him, Marissa experiences a love like no other, and falls into his world of passion and intrigue. However, things begin to shift when this path takes a deadly turn.
Her trust is put to the test when hidden dangers unfold before her, revealing secrets that have been buried for years. Secrets that were meant to stay hidden. Murder, lies, and betrayal … will Marissa figure it all out in time and escape with her life intact, or will she be too late and fall into the trap of deception?
Twenty-three year old Marissa Chase, and soon to be college graduate, has everything going for her: wonderful friends, a lucrative degree, and a chance to explore the world. What made it even better - or so she thought - was when her path crossed with the alluring Alec Holden. Unable to stay away from him, Marissa experiences a love like no other, and falls into his world of passion and intrigue. However, things begin to shift when this path takes a deadly turn.
Her trust is put to the test when hidden dangers unfold before her, revealing secrets that have been buried for years. Secrets that were meant to stay hidden. Murder, lies, and betrayal … will Marissa figure it all out in time and escape with her life intact, or will she be too late and fall into the trap of deception?
About The Author:
Author Links
Other Books By L.P. Dover
Forever Fae (Forever Fae 1)
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae 2)
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/
Summer of Frost (Forever Fae 3)
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Summer-
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/
Kobo: Should be available soon!
Love's Second Chance (Second Chances 1)
COVER REVEAL - I Breathe You by Lori L. Clark
I Breathe You by Lori L. Clark
Publication date: July 2013
Genre: NA contemporary romance
Publication date: July 2013
Genre: NA contemporary romance
Synopsis:
When a tragic accident leaves Rhane Evans -- lead vocalist for the rock band Fate's Crazy -- permanently unable to speak above a whisper and kills the love of her life, she moves across the state to pick up the pieces. Shattered, Rhane struggles to understand what happened the night of the accident, an accident everyone blames her for, even though she wasn't driving the car.
Enter Ian Callahan. He's the one person who may have a more tumultuous past than Rhane. Though they try hard to deny the sizzling attraction between them, it proves nearly impossible. When Ian's troubled past threatens to tear them apart, they begin to believe happiness isn't in their cards.
Because Fate's Crazy that way...
When a tragic accident leaves Rhane Evans -- lead vocalist for the rock band Fate's Crazy -- permanently unable to speak above a whisper and kills the love of her life, she moves across the state to pick up the pieces. Shattered, Rhane struggles to understand what happened the night of the accident, an accident everyone blames her for, even though she wasn't driving the car.
Enter Ian Callahan. He's the one person who may have a more tumultuous past than Rhane. Though they try hard to deny the sizzling attraction between them, it proves nearly impossible. When Ian's troubled past threatens to tear them apart, they begin to believe happiness isn't in their cards.
Because Fate's Crazy that way...
AUTHOR BIO:
I read, I write, I run 1/2 marathons for fun. Ten things about me:
1. I'm an only child.
2. I love dogs!
3. I was born in Iowa City, Iowa and lived in Iowa my whole life until January 2007.
4. I worked as a professional psychic reader for 2 years.
5. I'm a Pisces Sun, Leo Moon with Aquarius rising.
6. I've written 5 books and am in the process of brainstorming a 6th.
7. I don't look or act my age!
8. I ran my first 1/2 marathon at age 50.
9. I love 80's hair band music.
10. My day job is as a claims payment analyst for one of Fortune 500 Magazine's "Top 100 places in America to work."
Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
Cover Reveal: Just Human by Kerry Heavens
Title: Just Human
Author: Kerry Heavens
Series: Just Human #1
Publication Date: 22nd July 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Meet Liv and Danny…
Liv loves Danny. She knows she loves him more than he loves her, so she lets him go without a fight when his parents make him move back to America. She knows she will never love anyone like she loved him, but she has to move on.
Danny loves Liv. He knows he loves her more than she loves him, because she does nothing to get him to stay, so he goes quietly when his parents leave the UK. He knows he will never love anyone like he loved her, but he has to move on.
Twelve years on, they have made a good job of pretending, they may have almost forgotten. But when they get in touch via Facebook, it seems that it is all still there. They quickly find that they are intensely compatible in ways they hadn’t even begun to explore before they were forced apart.
Can they put aside their fears and give it a go? Or will deep rooted doubts and insecurities tear them apart?
Add to Goodreads
Author Bio
'I am what I am,' as the song goes. 'I don't want praise, I don't want pity. I bang my own drum, some think its a noise, I think its pretty. So what if I love each sparkle and each bangle. why not see things from a different angle? Your life is a shame 'til you can shout out, I am what I am."
So here goes...I'm Kerry, I live with my family outside London. I am married to the love of my life and we have two amazing, beautiful children and a nutball Boston terrier, called Betty.
I graduated from the Surrey Institute of Art and Design with a degree in Fashion. I realised straight away that the industry wasn't for me, so I've been creatively frustrated ever since. I have tried a bit of everything to satisfy my need for a creative outlet. Nothing keeps me happy for long. Until I discovered writing. Writing a book has always been a dream, but I had no clue where to start. Then one day, parking my car at the supermarket, Liv & Danny came to me like a thunderbolt. I don't know where they came from, but I raced home and started making them real. Now I have two books to publish and lots more ideas to work on.
I am extremely prone to crushes on boys in books...on trains, in the street, wherever. From my early infatuation with Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing and Tom Cruise in Cocktail, to my recent obessions with book-boyfriends like Christian Grey, Travis Maddox and Kellan Kyle, I have always been the same. For the time it takes me to read a book I have an intense love affair with the characters, sometimes they stay with me for a week, sometimes its for life. Sometimes I feel like I will need therapy to cope with the fact that they are not real and will never be mine! Even though I am devoted to my husband, I'll never change, not as long as brilliant, creative writers keep giving me deeply flawed, yet perfect men to love...
I hope, I dream, that these are the types of characters I can one day create to be obsessed over.
Author Links
Email: kerryheavens@kerryheavens.com
My Thoughts. . .
I really like the sound of this book and cannot wait to read it. You will always hear of a book where the characters get separated as children and see each other later in life and don't like the other person but this is different and I really wish it was out now. Plus the cover and name would make me want to read it alone.
~Tia~
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Blog Tour: Today Only by D. Love. Excerpt and Giveaway!
Author: D. Love
Publication Date: 11th May 2013
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Blurb:
In life, there are times you are granted a miracle. It may not be the one you wanted exactly, but it will be the one you need. It will prepare you for the next step in your journey and help you learn to accept the life you are given, even if that life can be heartbreaking.
Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
B&N
Smashwords
Author Bio
I live in Maine. My biggest passion is for my family and friends. I adore loving others as if it is the biggest gift life can offer. I'm a read-a-holic, loves chocolate, cowboys and everyone on Young Adult & Teen Readers Facebook page. My dream is to travel to Australia one day and see a kangaroo. I am nothing but simple. I do a lot of volunteer work. I have 2 beautiful daughters. 4 grandchildren, that constantly ask me if I lived in the black & white days.
My inspiration would be my daughters. Rita for her strength to keep fighting and constantly trying to take care of me, even though sometimes she can't get out of bed & Kayla, for helping to pick up all the pieces that seem to fall when times get rough, and the love they have for me.
Excerpt
I cross to the area that Jett has claimed for his garden. He appears to be in the zone as he works, oblivious to everything.
"Good morning," I call.
Jett throws dirt in the air and screams like Em.
"Good grief! You scared me to death, Rye!" he exclaims, turning.
I try to apologize but am laughing so hard, my ribs start hurting. I sit down. When his surprise wears off, Jett laughs as well. It takes me a few minutes to recover.
"So, tell me, Jett," I say when I'm able to breathe and speak again, "what is the importance of a garden?"
"It's the healthy way to live," is all he says.
"Hmmmm," I reply. There's got to be more. Any other day, I'd probably ask him more questions. But right now, I'm completely captivated by his work - and his body. He's always in a t-shirt. Sweat makes it cling to his upper body, outlining the muscles of his wide back.
Tracing the definition of each muscle would take me all day, but I would definitely accept the job. He's the sexiest man I've ever seen, and the kindest. He's pretty much perfect.
"You wanna help me, or just stare at my ass all day?" he asks, twisting to see me.
Giveaway!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
BOOK BLITZ & GUEST POST - Precious Things by Stephanie Parent
Precious Things by Stephanie Parent
Publication date: June 4th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Synopsis:
Isabelle Andrews isn’t supposed to be here. She isn’t supposed to be a freshman at Hartford Community College, she isn't supposed to be living at home and working at her dad’s failing bakery, and she definitely isn’t supposed to be taking Intro to Electronic Music Production, a class that will get her nowhere toward her goal of an English Lit Ph.D. by age twenty-five. But when her dad’s latest business fiasco eats up her college fund, Hartford Community College is exactly where Isabelle finds herself—and thanks to her late enrollment, she doesn’t even get to choose her classes. Stuck with Electronic Music and way-too-easy English courses, Isabelle is determined to wallow in all the misery she feels entitled to.
But community college brings some unexpected benefits…like the fact that a certain overworked, over-scheduled Electronic Music professor hands over most of his duties to his teaching assistant. His tall, green-eyed, absolutely gorgeous teaching assistant. When TA Evan Strauss discovers Isabelle’s apathy toward electronic music—and, well, all music—he makes it his mission to convert her. The music Evan composes stirs something inside Isabelle, but she can’t get involved—after all, she’ll be transferring out as soon as possible.
Still, no matter how tightly Isabelle holds on to her misery, she finds it slipping away in the wake of all Hartford Community offers: new friendships, a surprisingly cool poetry professor, and most of all, Evan. But Evan’s dream of owning his own music studio is as impractical as Isabelle’s dad’s bakery, and when Evan makes a terrible decision, everything Isabelle has gained threatens to unravel. Soon Isabelle discovers that some of the most important lessons take place outside the classroom…and that in life, as in Evan’s favorite Depeche Mode song, the most precious things can be the hardest to hold on to
Purchase:
--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/precious-things-stephanie-parent/1115481142?ean=2940016649672
----
GUEST POST:
What
the Heck Is the College Experience,
Anyway?
In Precious
Things, I really wanted to capture the so-called “college experience”…but
the fact is that the college experience encompasses many different things, and
is different for every person. There are
the classes themselves, the social aspect, the dorms, being away from home for
the first time, just to name a few. For
me personally, since I am an extremely private person, the whole dorm
culture/roommate aspect was so overwhelming (in a bad way) that it completely
dominated my first semester. I know I
had some great classes, was able to participate in a dance company for the
first time in my life, and met some amazing people…but when I think back on
that time, I get an overwhelmingly negative feeling, mostly because of all the
dorm ickiness. (September 11th
also happened right after I started college, which certainly didn’t help, but
that’s a whole different post…)
My experience with dorm life is actually
one of the reasons I chose to set Precious
Things at a community college without dorms, with my main character still
living at home. I wanted to show that
not everyone has the same stereotypical “college experience,” and that missing
out on it isn’t necessarily such a bad thing—and I also wanted to focus on
other aspects of college, like the classes and the people.
At the same time, I tried to show hints of
alternate “college experiences” through Isabelle’s interactions with her high
school friends. Because of
over-enrollment, Isabelle’s friend Jenny ends up sharing a two-person dorm room
with two other people at the University of Maryland—and believe me, those dorm
rooms are tiny enough with just the two people they’re meant for! This actually happened to a few high-school
friends of mine, and they were absolutely miserable. And even at a top-tier school like Stanford,
where Isabelle’s ex-boyfriend Andrew enrolls, roommates cause problems, with
Andrew spending almost every night in the library to avoid his roomie (and especially
his roomies “guests”). I knew plenty of
people who went through this kind of thing as well, and at a time in your life
when you’re dealing with a completely new environment, separation from parents
and home, and most likely a much greater amount of academic work than you’re used
to, it can be completely overwhelming.
Contrary to popular belief, college students do need sleep, and that can
be a challenge with strange people coming in and out of your room at all hours
of the night!
And then there’s the whole social aspect of
college…the frat parties, the drinking.
Late in the book, Jenny explains to Isabelle why she decided to join a
sorority, and her feelings about the situation pretty much match mine. (Although no, I never considered joining a
sorority—I am way too much of a loner for that!) Here’s what Jenny says:
“I guess rushing was…it’s been my way of
coping, and I’m glad I did it. College
isn’t exactly like I thought it would be.
It’s like…” She thinks for a
moment. “Remember those huge parties in
Ajel Cho’s basement, when he would invite the entire school?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“You know how we acted like everything
was so great, like we were so happy and excited to be there, when really we’d
rather have been home watching movies and eating ice cream?”
I laugh.
“Yeah.”
“Well, college is sort of like that,
but…all the time. You have all this
freedom and you’re supposed to be having the time of your life, but sometimes
you just want to escape and curl up on the couch to watch a movie, except you
can’t, because…the party’s in your bedroom.
And besides, there is no couch other than the ratty stained one in the
dorm common room, which people are probably either hooking up or passed out
on. Oh, and you’re also supposed to read
more than you ever have in your life, and write twenty-page papers, and study
for exams while all this is going on.”
So for Jenny, and Isabelle—and
me—college is a lot more complicated than just having “the time of your life.” I hope I reflected
that in Precious Things…and yes, I
just might be courageous enough to tackle the dorm environment in more detail
in my next NA novel!
----
AUTHOR BIO:
Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.
Author Links:
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Waiting on Wednesday (#55)
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine,
which spotlights upcoming books we can't wait to read.
My WoW for this week is:
by Julie Murphy
Goodreads Summary:
What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?
Julie Murphy’s SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.
My thoughts:
I have been dying to find a book like this. I've always wondered about this. What would you do, after being told you only have so long to live and going about righting the wrongs in your life, to suddenly find out you're gonna live after all? I seriously can't wait for this book.
Expected Release Date: March 18th 2014
What book are you waiting for?
Yvonne
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