Blog Tour: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

The last blog tour of the week! It's been super fun having all of these, but talk about exhausting! Check out the post below for my review, the book trailer, an awesome giveaway (seriously, I'm really tempted to enter), and the rest of the tour dates!

Title: Olivia Twisted
Author: Vivi Barnes
Release: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 352
Review: Five Stars!

Holy *bleep* Olivia Twisted was good! I went into it with lowish expectations (not usually my kind of book) and being dead tired after reading four books since Sunday. Blog tours are tiring people! It was an amazing read that I could not put down! It started off kinda slow, but picked up almost immediately. For those of you that have read A Girl Named Digit (which I highly recommend) this is for you! Realistic story with crazy-smart female lead who ends up getting in way over her head.

The main character is Olivia. First off, at the beginning of each chapter, there is an excerpt from Oliver Twist. In this book, the other characters have to 'twist' Olivia. Olivia Twisted, Oliver Twist. Get it? Anyway, Olivia is a true heroin that I can admire. She's been faced with the foster care system since her mother died and it hasn't been easy. Yet she stands up after, has a series of rules for herself that keep her out of trouble and that every kid should have. Olivia has strong morals, and when people she love are doing things that don't agree with these morals, she says 'No matter how much I love you, I can't stand by you as you do this.' She manages to take most things in stride, and faces touch situations with a calm face and a rock-hard (ish) plan.

The other main character is Z. Yes, Z. A slightly cheesy point that's brought up at one time is that his nickname is Dodger, which is the name of Oliver's friend (I think) from Oliver Twist. Z is a hacker. He does bad things. And his job is to twist Olivia. His morals are not nearly as strong as Olivia's, and I believe his character as a person is lacking, but as he meets and interacts with Olivia, he slowly begins to truly find himself and where he belongs. What Z really needed was someone who made him truly feel something and would inspire him to be better. Olivia is that person.

My one big complaint, we as readers don't know what happens to the other characters. We know what happens to Olivia and Z, but his family and their friends are left hanging. From how the story turns out up to that point, the readers are given an assumption, but nothing is solid. While I didn't feel a connection to all the various side characters, each one of them struck me in some way. The plot doesn't necessarily twist (hehe) and turn like some books, but it does leave the reader wanting more. The story is successfully wrapped up, save for the item mentioned above, and it can definitely stand alone. Not to say that I wouldn't want a spin-off of some kind about Sam and the other kids from Monroe Street. The book definitely deserves a full five stars!

Blog Tour: Infinity by Andria Buchanan

Today, I am happy to be taking part in the blog tour for Infinity by Andrea Buchanan! My post is a review of the first two books (due to the amount of tours I'm in this week-one every day) I could only get the first two read, but the review of book three will be added as soon as humanly possible! And make sure to check out the bottom with an awesome giveaway and links to the rest of the tour!

Titles: Everlast, Evanescent
Author: Andria Buchanan
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Series: The Chronicles of Nerisette
Review: Four Stars

These books were really good! Due to reading them so last minute, some skimming was done, but I can't wait to go back and reread them in depth! The idea behind the story is definitely original. Generally the characters start in a fantasy world or the real world and don't leave, but these characters start in the real world and get sucked into a fantasy world THROUGH A BOOK! Yes, I said book.

The main character is Allie Monroe. Like the Abnegation say in Divergent, the leader should be someone who does not want to lead. Allie is an unpopular, quiet, high school girl. She doesn't want power and she sure as heck doesn't want to lead a country. Yet when she arrives in the fantasy land, she's immediately give power. My biggest problem with Allie is her self-confidence. It's next-to-none. And while it's realistic to have times when you're down, Allie constantly doubts herself and lets others get in her head. Besides that, I really like her. Allie leads her country with a firm hand and promises the way to a better future. Her romance with Winston was interesting. It's made known from page one that she's had a crush on him for as long as they've been friends, but that he hasn't returned her feelings. The romance comes on very suddenly, and while I like it, it could have felt more
natural.

The plot of the books was interesting and different. It didn't twist and turn as much as some others, but it still left me wanting more. Let's just say, book three won't be waiting very long to be read. I feel like the characters besides the Allie are fairly weak. The author manages to make me feel attached to them, I would cry if her best friend Mercedes or Winston were to die, but the reader simply doesn't know enough about their backstory. The characters are slowly built upon, but it could be more so. The writing is also well done. Nothing is explained too much nor too little. I always understood what was going on, even when coming back from a long period of not reading. The books were fun and interesting, but with a couple faults. I give them a solid four star review!

Blog Tour: Soul Possessed by Katlyn Duncan

Today, I am happy to be part of the Soul Possessed blog tour, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! I have a review stop, with reviews of both books in the series! Read on for the reviews, as well as a super cool giveaway!

Titles: Soul Taken, Soul Possessed
Author: Katlyn Duncan
Publisher: Carina UK
Series: The Life After Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal

Soul Taken and Soul Possessed were super good! The main character was spunky and fun, and utterly different from other main characters. The plot was original and I did not see some things coming. The writing was spectacular, and read both books in a matter of days. There was the perfect amount of angst, tension, and passion all blended together.

The main character is named Maggie. As of the beginning of the books, she has been dead for over 100 years. She works as a Soul Collector. Much like a grim reaper, she takes the souls of the living and passes them on to the afterlife. Because she's a Soul Collector, she has no memory of her life before dying nor her death itself. Within humanity, there are the Prognatum. A race descended from angel-like creatures which are revered in the afterlife. When the soul a teen Prognatum, Allie, who has not yet come into powers goes missing, Maggie is called in to find. The best part, if she succeeds, she might just get the upgrade to Guard that she has been dying for. Maggie takes the pros and cons of the job in stride, until she accidentally gets sucked into Allie's body, things get weird. Although doing her best, Maggie starts to see visions from her past. Things she really hopes aren't true. Yet as scared as she is, Maggie faces the dangers head on. She doesn't give up until her job is achieved and she has gotten what she wanted. By the end of the book, fear still rules her, but by the end of book two, Maggie is ready to face these fears and accept her destiny.

Maggie's sudden change of heart is partly inspired by a betrayal that utterly destroys her. Just as she was starting to figure things out, nothing turns out to be as it seems. There are more plot twists than I know how to deal with and the characters deep and complex. No string is left open-ended, and the said betrayal will leave readers hungering for more. The books get better and better, the more you read. Book one gets five stars and book two gets four stars, coming to an average of 4.5 stars for the two books! Definitely worth the read and be sure to pick it up now!

Author Interview: Jocelyn Davies

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Jocelyn Davies! She is the author of the awesome A Beautiful Dark trilogy, which I reviewed here.

Author Interview:

Q. What one thing do you need to have when you write?

A. COFFEE! And a cocoon of silence.

Q. Describe your book in 5 words

A. Girl has angel blood, torn.

Q. What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last?

A. It differs from book to book--really, it's anyone's guess! Sometimes, the first line is hardest, because I'm just getting started and I'm not warmed up yet, and by the time I get to the end, I've got the momentum of an entire book to propel me into that last line. Then again, sometimes a first line just pops into my head, and the whole idea unfolds from there. Theres usually no way to know what is going to happen until it's happening, which is often the approach I take to writing.

Q. Best writing tip you ever received?

A. “Create interesting characters, give them an excuse to meet, and the story will write itself.”

Q. Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

A. I'm a dog person--cats kind of freak me out.

I was a theater kid in high school. I used to dream of being an Oscar-winning actress.

I love everything about autumn.

I live a few blocks away from my best friend from high school.

In my day job, I'm also a children's book editor.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?

A. I love magical realism—a novel that's set in the real world, but ever-so-slightly different.

Q. At what point in the development of an idea do you know that it will become a full-length novel?

A. I usually have a pretty strong sense right from the moment the idea comes to me. I start writing knowing I’m embarking on a novel.

Sentinel Blog Tour: Apollyon by Jennifer L Armentrout

Aloha everyone! Today, I am happy to be part of the Sentinel Blog Tour featuring the next-to-last book in the series: Apollyon! Today I have loads of fun stuff for you, including, but not limited to, a repost of my review of the series, a short interview with the characters, a giveaway, and some cool pictures! So scroll around, have fun, and make sure to check out the other stops on the tour!

Series Review (Up to Apollyon):

Wow. Just wow. This series rocked. My. World. It is amazing. I thought her other YA series Lux was good, but this is so much better. It dragged me in and wouldn't let me up for air. The most recent book, Apollyon, came out April 9. It was SO amazing. The first book is called Half-Blood, and let me tell you, you need to go to the bookstore and buy the book RIGHT NOW. And while you're at it, get book two, Pure, and book three, Deity. They are so worth it. Warning! These books may cause extremely loud squealing and/or swooning. Anyway, they are made of awesomesauce, as are all the characters.

The main character is Alex Andros, short for Alexandria. First off, how cool is that name? Awesome, I know. I cannot get enough of Alex. She is pure awesome. For readers of the Vampire Academy series, Alex is very much like Rose. Alex is not afraid to stand up for herself. She isn't afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what she thinks of them, good, bad, or otherwise. She has slight authority issues, but to be fair, most of the authority figures in the book are corrupt or completely evil. Alex, like human beings, makes mistakes. She owns up to her mistakes and makes amends. Sadly, she gets blamed for a lot of things that are out of her control. Alex lives in a world with Half-Bloods, Pures, and Gods. It's greek mythology at its finest. Alex is a Half-Blood, which is not a good thing. Half-Bloods are the result of a Pure and a human. Pures and Halfs are forbidden to be together under the law of the Breed Order. Halfs are given to options in life, train to be a Guard or Sentinel (the best of the best fighters) or become a servant (AKA slave). Servants are doped up on this thing called elixir and forced to work for Masters, Pures who use compulsion to control them. Halfs are looked down upon and punished severely for everything and, when the Breed Order is involved, always get the worse end of the deal. This is something Alex is not happy and seeks to change, as do many others, some with better ulterior motives then others. Alex shows her strength again and again in the series, along with her courage. While she's not fearless, when those she cares about (and even those she doesn't) are in danger, fear takes the second burner for a while.

Then, there's Aiden St. Delphi. Oh. My. Gods. He's many things. He's a Pure. He's a Sentinel. He's amazing. He's hot. Aiden is the epitome of awesomesauce. Alex has had a thing for him since she was young. He's twenty-one when the series begins. Alex left the Covenant (where all the Halfs and Pures live) three years before the book begins and he's the one in charge of bringing her back. Once back at the Covenant, he agrees to train Alex to help her catch up to her classmates. Since he's a Pure, he has control over one of the elements. Aiden can control fire, and is extremely kick-butt. Pures have Aether in them, which daimons (the vampires of the story, so to speak) happen to love. As a Sentinel, Aiden hunts daimons for a living. Warning, he is extremely dangerous and swoon-worthy. No one can blame Alex for falling for him. I love the other characters in these books. There's Alex's best friend, Caleb. Caleb is extremely funny and always there for Alex. Aiden's younger brother, Deacon, is SO adorable. Seriously, he's like a highly caffeinated puppy.

There's also the Apollyon. The Apollyon is a Half-Blood who can control all the elements, plus Akasha (which is kinda like super-charged lightning). The Apollyon is named Seth. He has a huge ego, and I never liked him much. Sorry, he's just not likable in my opinion. I don't get why the character get all fanboy/girl about him. Alex's uncle Marcus is nice enough. He's tough on Alex, and she doesn't realize how much he cares about her. Other characters include Lea (she grows on you), Lucian (he gets worse), and Leon (love him!).

The books are awesome. The author constantly has references to real-life things and places, which gives the book depth. Characters and situations are constantly making readers laugh. The writing is fun and light. Not a so-called 'junk food' book by any standards, it's full of meaning, depth, pain, etc. Friends that I've recommended the books to have loved them. The plot is well laid and is full of action, romance, and everything else a novel needs. There are plot twists and turns and cliffhangers by the dozen. I adore these books and give them five stars.

Interview:

For JLA – So much of your personality comes out in the snark in your books and Apollyon is no exception. Which character has the most of you in them? Probably Alex. 

For Alex – As far as I can tell, Aiden is just about perfect. What are your thoughts on the matter? I don’t think anyone could be more perfect than Aiden. 

For Aiden – This journey has been full of so many close calls. When were you most concerned that you would lose Alex? I can’t even answer that question because Alex is always scaring me. It seems like I’m never there to protect her or I’m locked on the other side of the door. 

For Caleb – What was it like for you, seeing Alex again? I wanted to see Alex, she’s my best friend, just not where we were reuniting.

Can you spot Apollyon?

Favorite Quotes:

"Hi silver eyes searched mine. They were covered in a fine sheen-like tears, but Aiden never cried. 'Alex . . . oh, gods, Alex, are you here?'"

"Aiden was my other half, my equal."

"There's nothing creepier than having a psychotic Apollyon caged in the basement."~Luke
"No matter how convoluted my life got, one thing remained consistent- my hair looked like a baby opossum had taken refuge in it, invited some friends over, and thrown a party.”

"'Wait. Is this book about aliens?'
She snatched it back from me. 'Yes.'
'Really?'
'But they’re hot aliens.' She tapped on the guy’s face with one thin finger. 'And he can be my ET any day.'"

“I can’t believe Apollo hit me with a god bolt.”
“I can’t believe Aiden punched him.”

"'Dying isn't the only way into the Underworld, but it's the safest.'
Well, that sounded like an oxymoron if I'd ever heard one."

"Deacon laughed. 'Oh, you're so going to be the next person who gets hit. I'm putting money on that.'
'You need to add yourself to that list.' Aiden looked about seventy-percent serious.
'And I'm putting money on that,' Luke threw in."

“You've been running like the little Apollyon Energizer Bunny"

“I was more of a ‘run into things head-first and face-plant a wall’ type of fighter.”

“Other than an apparant Underworld gate, I had no idea what was in Kansas. Hay bales? Dorothy?”

Giveaway:

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Book Blitz: An Ice Princess Heart by Alivia Anders

Title: An Ice Princess Heart ( A Shard of Ice Novella)

Author: Alivia Anders

Purchase on Amazon

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When a string of men vanish without a trace along the coast of France, Lilix Morgan seeks to uncover the source of the mysterious deaths. Aided by four other immortal Originals, they comb the coast, only to find out the horrible dark truth; one of them is the culprit.

An Ice Princess Heart is the first book in a novella series leading up to the release of A Shard of Ice on April 14, 2014.

Goodreads

THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED.

When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand.

THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED.

 A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends.

Then the dreams start.

The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored.

THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING.

 With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

Giveaway

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About Alivia Anders

Alivia Anders was thirteen when she fell headfirst into the world of internet fanfic and RPG-forum board sites that showed her the 'back door' into the world of writing. Four years and many hours spent glued to a computer screen later she found her true calling in writing.

Alivia currently lives with her family in her hometown of Coopersburg, PA. She frequently admits that if she wasn't so intolerant to dairy she'd live at her local ice cream shop called The Inside Scoop.

 

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Interview: Lisa McMann

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Lisa McMann! She is the author of the awesome book Crash (which I've read but haven't reviewed) and the new book Bang, as well as many other YA and MG novels!

Author Interview:

Q. What one thing do you need to have when you write?

A. Silence.

Q. Best writing tip you ever received?

A. “Think of the one thing your main character would never, ever do. Now make her do it.”

Q. What are you working on now?

A. We’ll be ramping up the releases of books 5, 6, and 7 in the Unwanteds series, so I’m working on Unwanteds book 5 right now.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?

A. I really enjoy writing in a variety of genres, from realistic to paranormal to dystopian fantasy. At the moment, fantasy is winning, but that could change at any moment. My favorite genre to read is memoir.

Q. At what point in the development of an idea do you know that it will become a full-length novel?

A. As soon as I have a one line concept that gives me a little shiver.

Interview: Michelle Hodkin

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Michelle Hodkin! She is the amazing author of the Mara Dyer series, which I utterly adore! So sad that the last book got pushed back to next summer! Check out my review of the second book in the series The Evolution of Mara Dyer here!

Author Interview:

Q. Describe your book in 5 words

A. Romeo and Juliet meets Hitchcock

Q. What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last?

A. I spend a lot of time thinking about my first lines. A lot of time. Too much time. Luckily the last lines usually come to me as I write.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?

A. What I love about YA is that I don't have to choose a genre. I can blend elements and mess with conventions from all of them—horror, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, whatever. I'm not sure I could choose a favorite, if I were ever told that I had to. And my reading is all over the place, but right now I'm reading a lot of old school sci-fi and fantasy, with some literary fiction thrown in.

Q. What one young adult novel do you wish you had when you were a teen? Why?

A. The Magicians by Lev Grossman. It's not YA, but it is about a teenager who reminds me of my teen self. And maybe also my adult self. Anyway. I basically push the book into the hands of everyone I meet. It's just that good.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. A secret project that is secret. But I'm wildly excited about it, and I think my readers will be too.

Rereview: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release: April 23, 2013
Series: The Selection
Pages: 323

See Bottom For Edit!!!!!!

First off, this book KILLED my feels! Like, straight up murdered them! The author, Kiera Cass, said that the feels weren't that bad in this book, but would be major in the final book in The Selection trilogy, The One. If I got this emotional reading The Elite, The One is going to kill me! To prove how much I loved this book, here's how long it took me to read it. It arrived from Barnes & Noble at about 4pm Friday afternoon. I began reading it non-stop until 6pm when I had to leave. I began reading again a little after 9pm. I had finished the book by 11pm. I stayed up way to late reading the book, but, even though the feels were crazy, couldn't put it down. It was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. I've been waiting for The Elite ever since I read the first book The Selection last year. The Elite did not disappoint.

The main character is America Singer. In The Selection, she is taken from her poor life as a five (it takes place in a future America called Illéa where they have a caste system, one the best and eight the worst) and taken to the palace (oh, and did I forget to mention that the country has a royal family instead of a president) to possibly be the future wife of Prince Maxon. Although America has always disliked the caste system, things happen and America sees things that affect her greatly. Kiera Cass said that chapters seven and eight would be particularly hard on readers feels, and she couldn't have been more right. I think you'll agree with me when I say those chapters are emotionally overwhelming, for the reader as well as America. America proves again and again in the book that she is strong and will fight for what she stands for. Her ideals grow stronger in this book with every passing page. Readers also get a glimpse at what others believe in and out of Illéa. These things only strengthen her ideals and make her a character that all readers will love. What makes America relatable is that she still makes mistakes. Sometimes really stupid ones. Yet, eventually, she is able to own up to them and learn from them, which is an important trait for any person to have. America shows readers strength and weakness, calm and havoc, certainty and doubt, despair and hope.

While not the main focus of the book, there are some odd events in the book that don't quite add up, but I feel will be explained in The One. I can't give complete spoilers, but let's just say some enemies might not be quite as bad as one might believe, or so it's implied. I believe there is more to America and her history then meets the eye, things that even America doesn't know. America has some ideals that even she doesn't seem to realize can be revolutionary. Though it isn't obvious to her, it is to the reader that she is steadily becoming a beacon of hope for the hopeless, in Illéa and beyond. Truthfully, she's exactly what Illéa needs, even if she doesn't realize it yet. The plot in the book is amazing, and leaves just the right amount of questions unanswered that readers can't wait for the final book. At the same time, it has an ending that leaves readers satisfied. There were parts in the book I couldn't bear to read. Not because they were bad, but because they were done SO well. There were parts I knew were coming that were written, developed, and done so well that it was almost painful to read. Scenes so tense, I had to turn away. Scenes of heartbreak, pain, devastation, loss, and, ultimately, hope and promise, that I wanted to look away, but couldn't at the same time. I give this book a full five stars from the bottom of my heart.

ETA: Thinking back on reading the book, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought. While the book was still good, the characters drove me insane. Aspen put America down the entire book. For the most part, Maxon is naive and annoying. America actually does some amazing things towards the end, but the only people that appreciate her are the maids. Up to that point, I mostly want to smack her. My opinion? In The One, America can go join the rebels and, though I'd prefer her to end up with Maxon, I would not cry if both boys disappeared. Whatever happens, America needs to end up on the thrown, because she's about the only good thing the country has. I downgrade the book to a three simply because of character annoyance.

Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

Title: Through the Zombie Glass
Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release: September 24, 2013
Pages: 476
Review: Five Stars!

If you look back in the archive, you'll find my review of the first book in the series, Alice in Zombieland. I gave the first book five stars and book two doesn't disappoint! It was fun, spunky, full of tension-romantic and otherwise-action packed, and all around awesomesauce! Heck, it might even have been better than book one. I might need to reread book one to be sure though... Anyway, this book does NOT fall under SBS. Don't know what that is? Check out this tweet!

Second Book Syndrome (SBS): When the second book in a series fails to achieve the awesomesauce that is book one.
— Tween 2 Teen Books (@Tween2TeenBooks) October 19, 2013

Alice Bell is the main character in the story. To friends and family, she's known as Ali, Ally Cat, and tons of various other nicknames (it's very funny watching her boyfriend try to find a decent pet name for her). Ali is kick butt. She is fierce and strong and amazingly awesome. Why? Well, if you didn't know already, Ali is a zombie hunter. Yes, a zombie hunter. This twist on the classic tale includes zombies. In book one, the zombies were dangerous, but now they're even worse. The worst part, no one trusts Ali. While she has proved herself again and again, there's a darkness inside her that the others don't trust not to hurt them. But Ali, being the amazing heroin she is, does not stop trying to find a cure for herself. Even in the darkest situations, Ali manages to pull herself out of the darkness and proves that she can concur anything she puts her mind to.

Her romantic life on the other hand, isn't so easy. Cole is the male protagonist in the story, and man, that boy has issues. Cole has some legit worries to deal with, but it wouldn't hurt to not push Ali away while doing it. Readers of book one know that when Ali and Cole look at each-other, they see a vision of the future. But when Ali has a vision with someone else and it depicts something Cole doesn't like one bit, he decides to run away. As far as relationships and matters of the heart go, Cole is a coward. He's not afraid to put himself out there to save the team, but his relationship? No way. He begins to learn better as the story goes on, but hurry it up boy! I want more steamy scenes! And yes, where Cole and Ali are concerned, almost every scene is steamy.

My biggest complaint about this book? It's too short. And I'm pretty sure it's bigger than book one. I was planning on getting this book from the library (hence I didn't read it until recently, my library take FOREVER to get books), but a trip to Barnes and Noble prompted me to binge buy both this book as well as book one. I did not regret that buy. Generally, if I end up buying a book I read from the library first, or was planning to, I don't go back to the book for thirds and fourths. With this book, that's inevitable. I will revisit it so many times that it will be like my copy of Vampire Academy (the last fifty pages are falling out). I cannot wait for book three, which I have reassurances from the author is coming. Don't believe me? Check this out.

@Tween2TeenBooks Yep! Sept 2014, though there's not an official title yet :)
— Gena Showalter (@genashowalter) October 14, 2013

So yes, there will be a book three, which I am ecstatic for! As far as Ali goes, Gena Showalter can do no wrong! This book receives a full five stars!

Cover Reveal: Scintillate by Tracy Clark

Today Tracy Clark and Entangled Teen  are revealing the cover for book 1 in The Key of Light Trilogy, Scintillate. Coming out February 2014!

On to the reveal!



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Title: Scintillate
Author: Tracy Clark
Release: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1622661459

Synopsis:

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and living in Ireland. Since then, Dad has been more than overprotective and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she is suddenly seeing around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

Troubled by these strange flickerings and fearing she is being stalked, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—a conspiracy that could end her life and change mankind forever.

Scintillate is the first book in this lush and exciting new trilogy, full of romance, adventure and metaphysical mystery.

You Can Find it At:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

Finn began to play. Voices descended into a respectful hush. Soft strums of the guitar lifted and fell on shafts of daylight from the windows. A small patch of sun warmed my exposed neck as I listened. The orange beads of his bracelet flashed as he plucked the strings with slender fingers. His head hung over the guitar in reverent concentration.

His playing was amazing, sweet and peaceful. For a while I let go of how bizarre my life had become. I was entranced long before Finn closed his eyes and opened his mouth to sing. His voice was rich, smooth suede, perfectly suited for the blues: soulful and vulnerable. The kind of voice that reaches inside and squeezes what’s tender.

When he sang an Irish bar song called “The Wild Rover,” he got the entire crowd to join in on the chorus. A couple of times during his performance, his gaze fell on me and lingered as if he sang directly to me. I rested my chin on my hand, hiding my smile behind my fingers. The last song was in a language I didn’t understand, but my soul spoke that language. Deep inside, something cracked open so that a bit of my truest self could peek out. His music was bluesy and mournful, eerily familiar, and it opened my heart in locked places. A tear landed on my wrist.

When the final chord of the last song reverberated through the coffeehouse, the audience jumped to its feet and applauded wildly. The force of energy from the crowd knocked the breath out of me, making me dizzy. I dared a look at the people in the room. The colors were unbelievable! Such power. It rolled toward Finn in a wave, a tsunami in slow motion. I had the impulse to leap in front of him, to protect him from it.

My body jerked in response to the thought, and I squeezed the sides of the wooden chair, willing myself to sit still. I couldn’t trust myself and the strong urge to protect him. But from what? The big, bad colors I could see but that were invisible to everyone else? He’d think I was crazy.

Maybe I was.

A chill spidered up my spine. The man with the crazy eyes and pure white aura leaned against the brick wall a couple feet away, staring intently at me. Icy fear spiked through me, making my fingers tingle and my breath come in quick bursts. The sounds of the room fell away. My heart sped and my aura sparked as I saw the roiling ball of the crowd’s energy pass over the man and collide with Finn. But rather than crush him, the energy crashed and blended with his own bright aura, making it grow and pulse fiercely. He seemed to absorb the light until the room grew dim to my eyes.

Untouched by the energy, the strange man moved closer and closer to me. I called out to Dun, but he couldn’t hear me over the shouts and clapping. I was so small in my chair amid the standing crowd. The man and his dark eyes were all I could see. I tried to leap up to run, to grab Dun’s arm, to call for help, but my chest jerked toward the stranger as if I’d been punched in the spine. I couldn’t draw breath, couldn’t move through the thick ice of my draining energy and rising panic. I was hit in the face with a blast of air. Then, a sudden flash of white.

The world tilted sideways, and I slid off.

Author Bio:

Tracy Clark is a young-adult writer because she believes teens deserve to know how much they matter and that regardless of what they're going through, they aren't alone. In other words, she writes books for her teen self.

She grew up a "valley girl" in Southern California but now resides in her home state of Nevada with her daughter and son. She's an unapologetic dog person who is currently owned by a cat. She is the recipient of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Work in Progress Grant and a two-time participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program.

Her debut novel, Scintillate, was inspired by her enchantment with metaphysics as a teen, seeing it as the real magic in life. Tracy is a part-time college student, a private pilot, and an irredeemable dreamer.

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Giveaway!

1 ebook of Scintillate and a charm key US Only

1 eBook of Scintillate International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! BOOK IS VERY INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUNGER READERS!

Title: Endless Knight
Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: October 1, 2013
Pages: 320
Review: Five Stars!

Wow. This book began right where Poison Princess left off. It didn't skip a beat. The beginning has a bit of a rocky start, but from that point on, nothing can stop it. Just . . . just . . . it was so good, I can't even describe it! The characters evolve and there's always more than what meets the eye. The story-telling was superb, Kresley Cole couldn't have done this better!

The main character is Evie. She is the Poison Princess AKA Empress of the Tarot Deck. Evie is one of the major Arcana, and has the powers to prove it. Evie can control plants, make them grow with her blood (which is very useful after the Apocalypse), release toxic spores, and more! Evie really comes into her abilities in this book, and doesn't take anything from anyone. She stands up for what she believes in, embraces the impossible, and bears the unbearable. If I had been in Evie's position, I would have been long dead.

Then there's the love interest, Jack. At the beginning of the story, Jack royally annoys me. He can't stand the sight of Evie after he figures out that she's supernatural. Hence, I can't stand him. He comes along fairly quickly, and the steamy scenes are in full swing partway through the book. Sadly, there are more pressing issues, such as cannibals, vampire-like zombies AKA Bagmen, and other Arcana that want to kill them. I have an insane theory here. In the book, Evie remembers how one of the Arcana can't be activated until s/he makes his/her first kill. My theory, is that that Arcana is Jack. Crazy? Maybe. Possible? Of course! Jack has what it takes to be Arcana. He's a decent fighter without powers, knows how to survive, and can even be charming when he so chooses to be.

Then there's Death. He's the one on the cover with Evie. Death is . . . complicated. In this book, we find out his real name, as well as his twisted past, which often intercepts that of the Empress. Death has been betrayed and has spent most of the past few thousand years alone. Imagine, having no one for company for a millennia. In a way, I can get Death's evil attitude, especially to Evie, but at the same time, he's controlling, stuck in the past, and can't see that Evie has changed. Just because she was evil all her past lives, doesn't mean she is in this one. My question for you, does Death deserve his punishment or is he simply misunderstood?

My one big complaint, this book was too short! Plus, the ending is such a cliffhanger! Curse you Kresley Cole! Except, maybe not. Because I want you to write more books . . . Anyway, I cannot wait for book three to come out. As of now, I don't know if it's a trilogy or something longer. I assume it's longer, because the plot doesn't seem to be able to wrap up in one more book. The backstories in this are amazingly done, but not overdone so as that it gets boring. It truly was a book of character development, yet the action, romance, and thrills never stopped! Kresley Cole effortlessly weaved a spellbinding story that I can't wait to enter again.

Series Sunday: Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier

Titles: Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue, and Emerald Green
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: MacTeen Books
Series: Ruby Red
Review: Five Stars!

Wow, just wow. Aside from a few character points, these books could not have been better. I read Ruby Red at the prompting of a friend soon after it came out. The books are nothing but awesomesauce and let's leave it at that. No tears are allowed nor needed-which was a nice break. I'll try not to spoil anything, but if you haven't read the books, there may be minor spoilers ahead!

The main character is Gwyneth Shepard. She's a pretty cool chick. Gwen is a normal girl, except for the fact that she suddenly starts uncontrollably jumping back in time. One nice thing is that, while Gwen doesn't know the full extent of her world (and honestly, who does?), she knows about time travel and has had gifts her entire. On a side note, her gifts are never fully explained nor accepted, I demand an explanation Kerstin Gier! Anyway, Gwen thought that her cousin was the one with the time-travel gene and it turned out to be her instead. And the revelations don't stop there. Chapter after chapter, new information is piled on top of Gwen. The only problem, most of it is useless. People keep very important secrets from her. One of them, I won't say which due to spoilers, I figured out in the first book, possibly with the help of my mother, but Gwen didn't find out until Emerald Green. Dang you foreshadowing!

The other main character is Gideon. Honestly, I had some issues with him. He goes back and forth between acting ignorant, selfish, like a pig, and totally in love. It's enough to turn any girl off. He's nice looking, according to Gwen anyway, but that's one of his few appealing factors. He turns himself around and even has some really sweet moments, but dang, it takes a while to get there. My one large complaint with him though is his and Gwen's "insta-love". Along with love at first sight, which I actually only care for so-so, the two of them manage to be head-over-heals for each-other in a matter of days to a couple weeks. Christine over at PolandBananasBooks actually first pointed that aspect out here. It's a nice love story, but not particularly believable.

Ms. Gier definitely has the confusing aspect down. Time travel, like many subjects in science, makes very little sense. We don't know much about it, and so the questions are limitless. Multiple times, I've tried to think about the logistics of Gwen and Gideon's time traveling adventures, and all I get out of it is a massive headache. Seriously, time travel hurts, whether you actually travel or not. Though the time travel itself, while having it's own twist, matched facts as well. I found the story accurate and fun. It's like a cross between Doctor Who and the Hourglass trilogy and fans of either would enjoy it. So pick up the books today and I'd love to here what you think!

P.S. I promise no spoilers, but the ending of the series, in my opinion, was perfect! What did you think about what was revealed in the epilogue of Emerald Green? SPOILER Plus, if you check out my Unhinged Speculations page, I nailed it!

Interview: Lisi Harrison

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Lisi Harrison!

Author Interview:

Q. What one thing do you need to have when you write?

A. A scented candle. Each book has it’s own scent.

Q. Describe your book in 5 words

A. Popular freshmen’s secret journals revealed.
Q. What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last? 

A. First. 100%

Q. Best writing tip you ever received?

A. Stop writing in the middle of a chapter instead of the end. It will be easier to start up again the next day.

Q. What one young adult novel do you wish you had when you were a teen? Why?

A. Stargirl.

Q. Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

A. I can’t run.

I have a tattoo with a type-o. It’s supposed to say, “creativity” but it says, “dry.”

In college I thought it would be cool to get a tattoo written in Chinese characters.

I was supposed to be on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. I changed my reservation at the last minute. Now every time I look at a clock it says 9:11.

I can’t stand being asked about my “favorites.” I don’t have favorites. If I did I’d forget what they are the minute you asked and would remember them the minute you leave. It’s maddening.

I prefer to give 6 random facts.

Q. Where's your favorite place to write?

A. My office.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. Pretenders #2: License To Spill.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?

A. What did I just tell you about “favorites?”

Q. At what point in the development of an idea do you know that it will become a full-length novel?

A. When I can describe it in one sentence. And do it without cringing.

Interview: Shannon Hale

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Shannon Hale!

Author Interview:

Q. Describe your book in 5 words

A. Boarding school for children of famous fairytales

Q. Best writing tip you ever received?

A. People remember a story for its characters.

Q, What one young adult novel do you wish you had when you were a teen? Why?

A. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. It’s smart, engaging, and discusses so many things I was struggling with.

Q. Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

A. I have 4 kids (including identical girl toddler twins). My husband likes to wear masks and hide around the house to scare me. I like to read while lying on my belly. I love the sky. I’m not a very good speller.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. The third Princess Academy book.

Cover Reveal: Breakable by Aimee L. Salter

I'm excited to be part of the cover reveal for Breakable by Aimee L. Salter! Here is some important and/or interesting information before we head on to the reveal! And guess what! I even have a special excerpt just for you!

• Breakable is a YA, Magical Realism (reads like a contemporary, but with one fantastic element).
• The premise was inspired by a visit to the website www.dearteenme.com in which authors write letters to their teen selves.
• Breakable will release for general sale on November 4^th on Amazon (Kindle and paperback) and B & N (for Nook).
• This is the author’s first book.

Title: Breakable

Author: Aimee L. Salter

Release: November 4, 2013

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Synopsis:

When seventeen-year-old Stacy looks in the mirror she can see and talk to her future self. “Older Me” has been Stacy's secret support through the ongoing battle with their neurotic mother, relentless bullying at school, and dealing with her hopeless love for her best friend, Mark.

Then Stacy discovers Older Me is a liar.

Still reeling from that betrayal, Stacy buries herself in her art. But even that is taken from her when her most persistent tormentor uses her own work to humiliate her - and threaten her last chance with Mark.

Stacy’s reached breaking point.

Literally.

You Can Find it At:
Goodreads
You can soon find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Interview: Melissa de la Cruz

How many of you have heard of YallFest? How many are attending? It's a one day book festival in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, check out the official website! Each monday and friday leading up to the festival, I, along with a bunch of other bloggers, will be posting author interviews to help with promotion for the festival. Today, please welcome Melissa De La Cruz! She's the author of many books, some of which are being adapted into the Witches of East End TV show, premiering on Lifetime this Sunday!

Author Interview:

Q. What one thing do you need to have when you write?

A. Fear. Sometimes rage. I find that to truly focus I need to feel panic, and then suddenly everything in my manuscript becomes clear. I work best under duress, which is something my editors have learned and they're quite good at instilling fear in me. J I appreciate that! I also work well with many distractions, I think it's because I had a day job for nine years and had to write my books in the middle of doing my real work.

Q. Describe your book in 5 words

A. Post-apocalyptic. Zombie. Dragon. Pirate. Fantasy.

Q. What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last?

A. The first, definitely.

Q. Best writing tip you ever received?

A. To introduce the love interest in the first 30 pages, not that specifically but learning that there was CRAFTING involved in writing a novel, not just voice.

Q. What one young adult novel you wish you had when you were a teen? Why?

A. Harry Potter. Because! I don't think I have to explain.

Q. Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

A. 1. I was a child model.

2. My favorite One Direction guy was Harry, but now it is Louis.

3. I have a Maltese named Mimi. She is not named for Mimi Force, our kid named her.

4. I learned to drive at 34.

5. I like savory treats better than sweet.

Q. Where's your favorite place to write?

A. In a cubicle, surrounded by softly ringing phones and people murmuring. Sadly this is no longer possible for me.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. My new series THE RING AND THE CROWN coming next spring from Disney-Hyperion.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?

A. YA Fantasy and Paranormal. My favorite genre to read is "literary" fiction, but I would have to say I really enjoy bestsellers just as much, I like popular fiction, no matter what genre, I like to read what a lot of people are reading and take the pulse of the culture. But for my own taste, I love smart angry women writers like Lionel Shriver and Kate Christensen. Also cookbook memoirs.

Q. At what point in the development of an idea do you know that it will become a full-length novel?

A. When we've sold it!

The Blurb of the Final Dante Walker Book by Victoria Scott is Here!

I'm a big fan of the Dante Walker series (expect a review of the second book any time now) and am super excited for the final book! Check out the official blurb of the final book in the series below!

Synopsis:

War between heaven and hell is coming, but Dante Walker makes it look damn good.

Dante’s girlfriend, Charlie, is fated to save the world. And Aspen, the girl who feels like a sister, is an ordained soldier. In order to help both fulfill their destiny and win the war, Dante must complete liberator training at the Hive, rescue Aspen from hell, and uncover a message hidden on an ancient scroll.

Dante is built for battle, but even he can’t handle the nightmares where spiders crawl from Aspen’s eyes, or the look on Charlie’s face that foretells of devastation. To make matters worse, the enemy seizes every opportunity to break inside the Hive and cripple the liberators. But the day of reckoning is fast approaching, and to stand victorious, Dante will have to embrace something inside himself he never has before—faith.

Cover Reveal: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Don't Look Back
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release: April 15, 2014
Pages: 372

Jennifer L. Armentrout is by far one of my favorite authors, EVER! Want to know why? For starters, check out all my reviews of her books by clicking her name on the sidebar. My love for her knows no bounds. Don't Look Back is her newest book and check below for the awesome cover and synopsis!



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Synopsis:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

You Can Find it At:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

You Can Find Her At:

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Blog Tour: Made of Stars by Kelley York

Hello, and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Made of Stars, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Check out my review of the book below, as well as an awesome giveaway and the other tour dates!

Title: Made of Stars
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release: October 1, 2013
Pages: 320
Review: 4.5 Stars

Oh dear god, this book made me cry. I ended up reading this book because I thought it would only end up being so-so and I'd have to skim it (plus, I might have put it off). That was not the case. After the first couple chapters, this book had sucked me in. I was invested in the characters and could not put it down. I seriously read all 250 pages in one afternoon. It. Was. That. Good. The writing style was different and yet like many others at the same time, which gave it an interesting blend. Their were issues that were eventually addressed in the book that I realized at the beginning, way before the characters did.

Made of Stars contains three main characters. First is Hunter. Hunter is a graduate of high school and is spending the year with his dad while trying to figure out where his life is going. His sister Ashlin is the other main character. The two of them are half-siblings and she's also a recent grad and taking a year off to figure things out and to keep close to their dad, who was shot on the job a few years earlier. I really like the two of them. They're not incredibly strong nor annoyingly weak. They aren't clairvoyant yet their not completely dense either. The two of them are much like normal kids, save their family situation. I may never look up to them as role models, but the two of them are accurate and relatable. They face issues that most kids face. They have a few odd ones (their parents and the third main character to name a couple), but most kids do. Their language is much like any other persons'-fairly decent with a few indecent words thrown in. Plus, their the ultimate role models of siblings, the ones every parent hopes that theirs will be. Maybe because they're apart so much that they don't have time to fight, but these kids actually have the ability to have decent conversations and *gasp* work together! The final main character is Chance. In a word, he's broken. At first glance, Chance is the best friend every kid wants. He's fun-loving with a never-ending want for adventure. Yet there's something hiding below the surface. Chance spends more time at Hunter and Ashlin's house than his own. And as they soon learn, most of what he's told them, and they've believed, from their childhood is a lie. Chance has a horrible home life doesn't know what to do. It ticks me off to no end that he won't accept the help of those who love him, but it's what most kids do in his situation. His character is in some ways extremely strong, but in other exceptionally weak. I had the highest hopes for his character, especially as more and more came out of the closet. One thing this story does really well, a gay relationship. While I read some good ones, they often feel awkward or are skimmed over as a minor detail. In this, the main romance is between Hunter and Chance. It was exceptionally done and I couldn't not route for their happily ever after.

If you are wanting to read this story and want a perfect happily ever after, stop now. It is not. There are things left hanging and honestly, the end is heartbreaking. My best comparison would be a short story I read in sixth grade. Have any of you read The Lady or the Tiger? Well, the ending was much like that. The reading is never quite sure who did what and what will happen. I'm pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong) that this story is a standalone. I hope to all hope that it's not, because I'd love the characters to get their happily ever after, but I doubt there will be a sequel. The end is done in such a way that just enough is left hanging to keep you wondering, but not enough so as to leave the reader without closure. An author stated, I can't remember who, a while back that an unhappy ending is not a sad ending but one without closure. This story was not a happy ending, but it wasn't unhappy either, it was sad. It was bittersweet and heartbreaking, but not a bad ending. I'm listening to Animal by Ke$ha as I write this, and I can't help but think how accurate the song is, or at least the feeling of it, not necessarily the lyrics. As the author said in the acknowledgments, this is, above all else, Chance's story. And it is. Chance is a sad, broken character who is faced with enormous difficulties. I love him as much as I hate him. This book is one that will stay with me and will cause me to be awake at all hours awash in tears. I don't know how I can't give it 4.5 stars.