Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Revelation of Solid Series details + GIVEAWAY


Today I have Shelley Workinger on the blog . 
I've been dying to know about the third book in her series SOUND and she's finally revealed some details today!

You can see my review of Solid (Book #1) and Settling (Book #2) 

Shelley will take over now...



The release of SOUND (the final book of the SOLID series) is right around the corner and I’m so excited to share with you the synopsis as well as the opening lines of the book!

Clio Kaid’s had one crazy summer.


After learning she was one of a hundred teens
who were genetically modified before birth,
she and the others departed for “camp”
at a classified military site.

Besides discovering her own special ability,
uncovering a conspiracy, and capturing a killer,
she’s also forged new friendships, found love…
and managed to lose them both.

With no answers and the end of summer
closing in, Clio’s terrified of going home
more lost than when she arrived.

Will she finally find everything she’s been looking for?
Find out in this exciting conclusion to the SOLID trilogy.

Sound good? Now how about a sneak peek at the opener:

“Never thought it’d be you,” I growled, pushing back against her with all my strength.
            “I’m sorry; I can’t understand you with all that grunting,” Rae responded dismissively.
            “I said,” I got out, then had to catch another breath before continuing, “I always knew they might try to kill me” – another pause, another breath – “but I never thought you would.”
            “Aw, now you know what whining does,” she chided with a click of her tongue.
            I mumbled the routine response in synch with her triumphant, “Makes it worse.”

GIVEAWAY

You’ll have to wait until October to find out what happens next, but in the meantime, you can catch up on the series by reading the first two books (SOLID and SETTLING) because Young Readers is giving one lucky winner the ebook of BOTH!
Entry details:
Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL
You do not need to be a follower to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway






If you’re more of a hard cover reader, you can also enter to win a signed copy of either SOLID or SETTLING at the author’s blog on September 1st: http://Bookfare.blogspot.com

About the author:
Shelley Workinger grew up in Maine, graduated from Loyola University New Orleans, currently resides in New Jersey, and considers all of them home. When she’s not working on the SOLID series, she’s chatting about FoodFic on her blog; stop by and let her know what you're reading and what they're eating!


You can find Shelley at:


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Review: Spark by Brigid Kemmerer


 Blurb:

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

Links: Goodreads,Amazon ,Flipkart

Source: Netgalley (Thanks Kensington!)

My Thoughts:

I loved Storm ,the first book in this series and I was dying to read this novel! I believe I squealed when I got accepted for this book.Needless to say my expectations for this book were sky high.

This is Gabriel and Layne's book. The entire book is told from their point of view.Chris and Becca do make an appearance but they're not the main characters in this novel.

I was a little disappointed with this book.The main reason I think I didn't like this book as much as Storm is because I wasn't a big fan of Gabriel (Gabriel fans do not hurt me!).I just couldn't connect with Gabriel's urge to always be close to his element and the whole firefighting thing.I didn't hate Gabriel,I just couldn't understand him.I could see why he was so frustrated with his life.I couldn't form as much of a connection with Gabriel that I did with Chris and that's the only reason why I didn't enjoy this as much as Storm.Hunter annoyed me  in this novel too.

I really liked Layne.I love the fact that Brigid creates such strong female characters! I hope Brigid keeps creating such strong characters because I love reading about them.Layne was a character I could relate to easily.She's the smart kid who's got some issues at home.I just loved the way the author revealed bits and pieces about Layne and had me guessing about what had happened with her .Recently in all the books I've read the female characters haven't been that great but Layne was a breath of fresh air.I loved reading about her.

The story was amazing and there was a twist at the end too.I couldn't put this book down! I got approved for this one when I was on vacation abroad and I was up late and couldn't put it down till I was finished! The best part is the fact that this book doesn't end with a cliffhanger but the sneak peak of Spirit ends with a KILLER cliffhanger.

My reaction at the end of the sneak peak


Image source

[Word of advice: Start this book in the morning and DO NOT READ the sneak peak till you have the third book in your hand.]

Secondary Characters

I loved almost all the secondary characters in this novel.Especially loved Michael and Simon.

Dear Brigid Kemmerer whatever you write I will buy.With this novel you have proved that you are not just a one time wonder and you can truly write great novels.

Overall,a fine addition to the series .I am eagerly waiting the release of Spirit (Book #3)

My Rating:
4/5




Note: If you're looking for something like Pushing The Limits .I think you will like this one a lot.I actually found some similarities to Pushing The Limits (This might have something to do with the fact that I read this book right after Pushing The Limits).There's a bad boy and damaged girl and lots of emotional trauma.








Monday, August 27, 2012

Review: My Super Sweet 16th Century + GIVEAWAY


My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1)
Blurb:
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Source: Shane Blog Tours (Thanks Shane and Entangled Publishing !)

My Thoughts:
When I saw the blurb of this book I was reminded of Waterfall and Goddess of Legend  both books have female protagonists that time travel to another century (usually sometime in the past).I couldn't help comparing this book to Waterfall and I have to say that I didn't like this book as much as Waterfall.

Needless to say I found this story to be quite predictable but I liked the fact that the author tried to put her own twist to this tried and tested concept.The main character is a Hollywood kid (basically her father is a famous film director and her mother is a famous actress).I liked the fact that she wasn't a brat and was down to earth.I could easily relate to Cat.I also liked the fact that she was sarcastic but I thought there was a lot more scope for sarcastic comments in this book (In short: I want more sarcasm ) .Cat made me smile.

I just couldn't connect to Lorenzo and I think this is one of the main reasons I didn't enjoy this book that much.I didn't feel anything for him.His character didn't seem too developed to me.So the romance was a little flat for me.

I liked Alessandra.She was such a nice girl and I loved watching her grow.I can't wait to read more about her and Cat in Book #2.

Overall,this is a light,fun and predictable read but I have a feeling the sequel will be better.If you haven't read a book like this(females travelling back in time)  give this a shot.

My Rating:
3/5



Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Excerpt +GIVEAWAY of Between the Lines Trilogy!


Today I have an excerpt from Between the Lines by Tammara Webber 

EXCERPT
 He trails his fingers over the side of my face, temple to neck, tracing a path, neck to waist. His right hand moves palm to palm with my left, intertwines our fingers as he lowers his head, and then his mouth is moving over mine, softly, carefully. I squeeze the hand holding mine and shift closer to him, clutching his shirt in my free hand, and he deepens the kiss, stretching out next to me, one knee hooked over my thigh. The hand at my waist progresses down over my hip, moving over my bare leg to the sensitive spot behind my knee. His hand is warm on my skin, drawing my leg over his until we’re tangled together in the middle of the bed, his opposite shoulder under my head, his arm encircling me. His tongue traces my lips softly, parting them, thrusting inside. I moan, opening my mouth and pressing as close to him as I can get.
     Too soon, he pulls away, both of us panting, sucking air as though we’ve been underwater. Teasing his fingers through my hair, he pushes a strand behind my ear, and I close my eyes as he cradles my head in his hand, the pad of his thumb stroking my cheek and jaw. Our heartbeats slow as we lie there, hardly moving, for several minutes.
     “I’d better go.” His voice is low and rough, full of what he doesn’t say.

INTERESTED? 

GIVEAWAY 
One person can win ecopies of the ENTIRE Between the Lines Trilogy.
I.E 
You can win Between The Lines,Where You Are and Good For You .

This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

I love this series and I cannot believe the author was awesome enough to offer such an AMAZING prize :)


Here's the Blurb for Book #1

Between the Lines (Between the Lines #1)






Saturday, August 25, 2012

Review: Where You Are


 Where You Are (Between the Lines #2)
 BLURB: Graham Douglas doesn't do romantic relationships, but he was knocked for a loop when he met Emma Pierce on the set of his last film. As they grew closer, he did everything in his power to keep from falling for a girl being pursued by superstar Reid Alexander. Now home in New York, his life is once again under control, until Emma appears and shows him how not over her he is.

Emma Pierce is forsaking an up-and-coming Hollywood career to embark on a life she’s only dreamed of—the life of a regular girl. After spending months burying her feelings for the two night-and-day guys who vied for her heart while filming her last movie, a twist of fate puts her in a coffee shop in the middle of Manhattan with the one she still misses.

Brooke Cameron was a fresh-faced Texas girl when she arrived in LA. Now she’s a beach sitcom star turned conceited heiress on the big screen. Having just survived three months on location with her ex—Hollywood’s reigning golden boy—she’s older and wiser and has set her sights on her close friend Graham. The only thing standing in her way is the girl he can’t forget.

Reid Alexander can sum up his life in one word: boring. Between film projects, there’s little going on outside of interviews, photo shoots, and the premiere of the film he finished last fall. The next-to-last thing he expects is to get a second chance with Emma, the girl who rejected him. The last thing he expects is for his still-bitter-ex to be the one to offer it to him on a platter.

Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations)


Note:Not For Younger Readers

My Thoughts:
OMG! This book was so much better than the first book. This book was amazing. This book has chapters from Graham's,Emma's ,Brooke's and Reid's point of view.

Warning : This review is more of a rant than a review .There will be a lot of pictures and some things may be incoherent.

Dear Graham.I LOVE YOU DUDE! I want to apologize for not giving you enough attention in book #1 .This might have had something to do with the fact that I was not aware how awesome you were.Seeing the world and reading this book from your point of view opened my eyes ! 

Graham is such an amazing character.I loved him in this book.

Emma was much more bearable now that she wasn't into the mean and famous guy (a.k.a Reid).She also grew as a character which is something I liked.

Brooke as the evil mastermind was GENIUS! I did not want to get on her bad side.She can switch from scary to normal so quickly.Her relationship with Reid is somewhat like this:
She's angry at him one second and giving him credit for a good plan the next.She  is very focused and plans to get what she wants using any means necessary.She reminds me a little of Regina (the blonde girl below from Mean Girls)
She's pretty,popular but she has a more complex background than Regina.Her history with Reid is one of the high points of the novel.It's nice to find out what happened between them and this information also explains a lot of things and makes her a multi-dimensional character.

Reid ,I don't like this guy .I just don't.I don't hate him but I don't like him either.He does come across as real as I know a lot of people think like him and that's what makes this character fresh and bearable.There was ONE instance when I did like the guy and I hope to see more of that in the next book.

The only problem I had with this book was the fact that there were some parts that really frustrated me.I can't tell you which but I thought Emma and Graham wouldn't go through this much petty drama BUT I liked the drama in some parts too .

Overall,This is one good that you NEED to read!
This book gets a thumbs up

My Rating: 
4.5/5

Come back tomorrow to enter to win a copy on the blog :)

Friday, August 24, 2012

Exalted Blog Tour:Interview + GIVEAWAY


So...what can you tell me about your series?

It's about a 17-year-old girl who's waited her whole life to stop getting tossed from foster family to foster family and be adopted. When the story opens, she has been adopted by a wonderful couple, and after sneaking out at night to help a neighbor with some late-night homework, she returns to her new parents' house to find it burning. Julia, the girl, is being hunted... You find out more about that in the book. She decides not to go back to the foster system and instead just to disappear in Memphis, and she's hiding out in an old warehouse when a guy, Cayne, crashes through the roof. He's pretty mysterious, but he's fighting the same creature that burned down her adoptive parents' house - the same creature that wants Julia dead - so they unite in their quest to kill this creature. The series is about Julia and Cayne as they navigate a celestial conflict that is intruding in their lives. It's a love story, and it's obviously fantasy, but there's also a strong adventure element and lots of surprises.

Could you start things off by telling us a little about the fourth book, which will be released sometime soon? 

Exalted is the final Stained Series book - book four. By the time we get to that book, Julia and Cayne have a small group of friends/accomplices who are Stained/'Chosen' like Julia. Something big and bad is supposed to happen in book four...and it does, actually. ;) It's basically a suspenseful fantasy romance that I can't tell you anything about unless you've read books one through three.

What's your favourite scene/line from Stained, the first book? 

I'm really fond of the scenes on the train... If you read the book, you'll know those scenes when you see them. They're where the romantic conflict plays out. 

What would you do if you could rewind time? 

I would find my self-confidence earlier and not worry so much about how things will work out. Self-assurance was something that I didn't really find until my 20s, and I wish I'd had the nerve to be really earlier, like when I was in college.

Who is your favorite character in this book, and why? 

I really like Julia. I think she learns a lot and a few times she takes big risks and really puts herself out there, which I admire.

What books/genres do you read when you have the chance? Any must read authors or series?

I read YA romance, or romance. I read an early copy of Ember by Jessica Sorensen that I really liked, and I'm also really digging the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It's a little like my Here Trilogy, only I can enjoy it since I didn't write it. :)

Can you tell us a little about the main characters? 
You already know a good bit about Julia, but to add to that, she is a very 'real' person - straightforward and pretty easy to read (except when she's not). She's loyal and logical, and during the series she's dealing with a lot. She also has some semi issues from her past, which she is working through. Cayne has kind of a whoa backstory - and not really a good whoa - but his life changed after what happened to him in the first Stained (or rather, before the first Stained). He's a different person than he once was.

Tell us something about your research process and the choices you make when creating the story. 

I write the story the way I think it 'is' and I try to let the characters lead me. Sometimes the story takes me somewhere I don't like. I think someone is going to die in book four, and I hate it. :(*

Tell us five interesting things about this book/series. 

1). I like all my characters, even the ones who do bad things, and I try to write the story so you will like them, too - at least a little bit. 

2). It has a lot of surprises and keeps you guessing. 

3). Stained was my first book ever, written in 2006. I put it for sale in the Amazon store just for fun last fall, and the only reason I wrote a book two, three, or four was because people wanted me to. :) Sometimes I'm still surprised by that.

 4). I write ebooks exclusively, and I have gone from thinking I might never make any good money off my writing to doing this fulltime in less than a year - mostly because of the Stained Series. The people who like it, really like it. 

5). I re-write parts of the books all the time. Every time I get bored, I go back and tinker with the books, trying to make them better.

 TV shows you love

 Everything I love gets canceled! Some of my darlings are Arrested Development (AMAZING SHOW!), Rubicon (AMC show, canceled last year), Community (only one more season), and 
Firefly. ;) If I like a show, I start getting worried. *sadface*

Songs you're in love with? 

My song crush for the last few months has been Holocene by Bon Iver. It's just beautiful, and the video is in Iceland, which is super beautiful. I'm putting out book soundtracks soon, and they will feature a lot of my favorite music. 

Rapid Fire

Twilight  
Edward

Black  
Witch 

Harry Potter 
 Hermione 

Hot 
 Dog ;) 

Wings 
 Nephilim!

Coffee 
 I.Want.

Indie Publishing 
 Me.

Exalted  
Almost finished!


ABOUT ELLA:
Ella James lives in Alabama with her amazing husband, energetic baby, and mopey dog. Her books have been nominated best debut novel and best sci-fi/fantasy at utopYA Convention 2012, received a Flamingnet Top Choice Award, and been featured on numerous Amazon bestseller lists. She is the author of the popular Stained Series, the Here Trilogy, and Before You Go—all YA romance—and has four more titles forthcoming in 2012.


GET IN TOUCH:
To find out more about Ella’s projects and get exact dates on her upcoming releases, friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesbooks and follow her blog, ellajamesbooks.blogspot.com. Questions or comments? Tweet her at author_ellaj or e-mail her at ella_f_james@ymail.com


GIVEAWAY
I'm giving away an ecopy of Book #1 and Book #2 in the series .

You can win an ecopy of Stained and Stolen .

STAINED (YA paranormal romance)
After a fire destroys seventeen-year-old Julia's home and kills her foster parents, she chases the half-demon responsible across the country and back, determined to avenge her family and discover why a host of celestial baddies want her dead. With Julia is enigmatic hottie Cayne, who has his own score to settle with the half-demon, and who might be just as dangerous as the creature he and Julia hunt.
*Nominated best debut novel at UtopYAcon 2012.*







STOLEN (Stained Series Book Two)
With Cayne's fate in the hands of his enemies and Julia spirited away to the covert Stained compound, the two are separated by impenetrable walls and a gulf of unanswered questions. Soon Julia learns the truth about the Stained and the plans they have for her, the compound is attacked, and a new group is running from an unwanted destiny, searching the globe in pursuit of the knowledge that just might save them all.










a Rafflecopter giveaway


OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES..


CHOSEN (Stained Series Book Three):
Julia has been chosen. While at the Stained compound, she was tapped as The One to win the war against the Nephilim and leashed with an illness that worsens each day she is away from The Three. Determined not to return to the frightening Chosen leaders and desperate to escape her fate, Julia and her friends journey to the Swiss Alps, home of a rogue Chosen clan. In this snowy haven, all hell breaks loose. Someone is traitor. Someone changes sides. Someone is dragged to Hades. A new romance blossoms. An old romance is damned. And The Three will stop at nothing to recover the weapon that will help them regain power.

EXALTED (Stained Series Book Four):
Ripped apart by the betrayals of two friends and ensnared by their respective celestial captors, Julia and Cayne are poised to fulfill their fatal role in The Three’s return to power. Their Chosen friends will move Hell and Earth to win their freedom, but how will they fight fate when more sinister forces take control? The net will come down. Someone will be sacrificed. A dear friend will die. And a mighty celestial battle will play out on Earth, with everything—and everyone—at stake.



Thursday, August 23, 2012

Feed Your Reader GIVEAWAY Hop





Currently I have a LOT of giveaways going on at the blog.Feel free to check them out and enter (They're linked right at the top).YOU Don't need to be a follower to enter most of my giveaways.  

Today I have not one but TWO giveaways for you!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A FOLLOWER to enter ANY GIVEAWAY :)

GIVEAWAY #1
Two winners will win an ecopy of The Last Kiss in Venice.

Last Kiss In Venice (Legend of the White Snake #1)

 Beside a bridge over a canal in Venice, Charlie is spellbound not only by Caitlin’s absolute beauty but also by what seems like a mythical bond between them. The more he knows about her, the more mysterious she becomes. As they finally admit their love to each other in Paris, then move to settle down in Australia together, it looks like the start of Happily Ever After. But neither of them realizes that this is just the start of a heart-wrenching journey.

After a lifetime of searching, Caitlin finally finds her true love, settles down in the beautiful rolling countryside of outback Australia, and starts to raise a family, but her enemy is never far away. She loves Charlie deeply and is certain he is her soul mate, but she knows she can never reveal her secret; he must never know who she really is, and that is her downfall. Information in the hands of her enemy brings her life crashing down around her. To save all she has worked for, she must fight for her love and the right to survive.

“Last Kiss in Venice” is a reinterpretation of one of China’s most famous love stories, ‘Legend of the White Snake’. It is a supernatural love epic that encompasses both eastern and western culture to tell a story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, revenge and justice. This cocktail of oriental magic, vampires, and sword fights is a legend not easily forgotten.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


GIVEAWAY #2
Three ecopies of Xor:The Shape of Darkness sent via Amazon.


Xor: The Shape of Darkness
On his twelfth birthday Lewis Nash comes home from school to find that his house has blown up to smithereens, killing his father. Having lost his mother in an accident four years earlier, Lewis realizes he is now an orphan — but he has no time to dwell on it. The moment he gets off the school bus a fearsome wolf-man tries to grab him. The boy is saved in the nick of time by Master Long, who reveals to him that he’s a Shaper from a place called Xor, which is being devoured by the Realm Pirates. Lewis learns that he must do his utmost to become the powerful Shaper he was destined to be. 

Because, it would seem, he’s the one and only chance Xor has.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Currently I have a LOT of giveaways going on at the blog.Feel free to check them out and enter (They're linked right at the top).YOU Don't need to be a follower to enter most of my giveaways.  

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