Feature and Follow (22)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!

 

 

Question: What is the first thing you would do if you woke up to find yourself in your favorite book?

 

Answer: I don't exactly have a "favorite novel," because there are just too many great books to choose from! However, almost all of the books I enjoy have some sort of paranormal aspect to them like vampires, werewolves...and well, you get the picture. So if I did wake up and find myself in this unfortunate situation, I would probably take a moment to collect my thoughts and restrain myself from freaking out. Then, when I undoubtedly fail that task, get up and book it to the nearest Costco screaming like there's no tomorrow.

 

 

 

How about you? What would you do? :O

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Crescent Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Release Date: August 2012

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Find The Book:

( Goodreads ! Barnes and Noble ! Amazon )
 

 

Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Release Date: January 31, 2013

 

Freshman year of college is hard even when you're not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.

Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she's in far too deep to turn back.

 

 

 

Find The Book:

( Goodreads ! Amazon )

 

   

About The Author:

 

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

 

Find The Author:

( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

 

 

Sneak Peak: Flight Excerpt

 

I glanced up. Intense gray-blue eyes stared back at me, as I recognized the guy from the hotel. Surprised to see him again, I merely nodded before bringing the shot to my lips.

 “What was that?” I spat out while the liquor continued to burn my throat.

“A jaeger shot.” He laughed lightly. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah. I can’t believe I did that.” I peered over my shoulder at the stage where another group was starting their rendition of Time of my Life.

“It really wasn’t so bad. It was more entertaining than if Cyndi Lauper performed it herself.” Raking his eyes from my toes back up to my face, he spent an annoying amount of time studying my legs. Long legs were nice, but not when they attracted the wrong type of attention. Normally I would call a guy on mentally undressing me, but I was too busy taking my own inventory. Finished, I glanced around for Jess but couldn’t see her in the crowd.

“So, thanks for the shot, but I need to find my friend.”

“Hey, you can’t run off on me again.” He didn’t say it like a question, more like a demand and it annoyed me. “Besides, your friend appears to be unavailable.”

I followed his gaze and noticed Jess flirting with Dave again. “Run off on you again? That implies we have run into each other before.” I tried for coy; I wasn’t going to let this guy unnerve me. Sure, he had the most amazing set of eyes I had ever seen, but I wasn’t interested.

“I saw you at the Crescent City Hotel this afternoon, but you took off before I could say hello.” He leaned in closer to me, trying to be heard over the loud music.

“Oh, I didn’t notice you.”

He smiled, ignoring my comment. “You here for vacation?”

“I’m here for work actually, at the hotel.”

“Are you around for the whole summer then?”

I allowed myself to really look at him. My earlier estimate of his height was dead on; he was much taller than my 5 feet 9 inches.

I finally answered. “Yeah, I’m here until I start school in the fall.”

“All right, so where are you going to school?”

“Princeton.” I braced myself for his response.

“Nice,” he said in a way that suggested he wasn’t impressed.

“You in school?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be a senior at Tulane.”

“Oh, so you live here?”

“Born and raised,” he said proudly.

“I didn’t think locals hung out at places like this.”

“We don’t usually, but they’re great spots to meet girls from out of town.”

I shook my head. “Ah, so you’re one of them.”

“One of who?”

“The type to prey on innocent tourists.”

“Innocent tourists? You make me sound like the big bad wolf.”

“And you’re not?” I questioned.

“Only if you’re Red Riding Hood,” he said flirtatiously.

“Wow, that’s original.” I caught myself staring at his eyes again and decided it was time to end the conversation. “Well, nice talking to you.”

“Hey, I didn’t even get your name yet.”

“Allie.”

“Is that short for Allison?”

“Yes, but no one calls me Allison.” I cursed myself. Why couldn’t I just walk away from this guy? I briefly regretted my decision to swear off men because if I hadn’t this one would be exactly my type: tall, strong, and confident. He was exactly the kind to avoid.

 

Giveaway: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast + Guest Post: Leopard Moon by Jeanette Battista

To help spread the word about the fact that Jeanette Battista's LEOPARD MOON, the first book in the Moon series, is available for free at Amazon for the Kindle until the end of the month we've invited the author to the blog to share a guest post about her experience writing the book.

The Moon series consists of four books - LEOPARD MOON, JACKAL MOON, HYENA MOON and HUNTER MOON - and is a series author Melissa Marr says, "... is filled with action and romance, shape shifters and strong heroines."

To check out all the books in the series on Goodreads, CLICK HERE.

The guest post follows below, but first here's some information about the awesome book and author and places you can find them both online!

About the Book

Title: LEOPARD MOON (Moon Series #1)
Author: Jeanette Battista
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: March 7, 2012
Pages: 204
Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: ( Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble )

***Kindle format free at Amazon - HERE***

Description:

How do you disappear when you come from a family of predators?

A wereleopard, Kess is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother's obsession with her turns violent. She runs from city to city, trying to stay one step ahead of the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home. Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina and attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess' relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac's life and Kess' freedom.

When the moon rises, the hunt is on….

About the Author


Dimitri Williams Photography
Source: Author's website

Jeanette Battista graduated with an English degree with a concentration in medieval literature which explains her possibly unhealthy fixation on edged weapons and cathedral architecture. She spent a summer in England and Scotland studying the historical King Arthur, which did nothing to curb her obsession. To satisfy her adrenaline cravings—since sword fighting is not widely accepted in these modern times—she rode a motorcycle at ridiculously high speeds, got some tattoos, and took kickboxing and boxing classes. She gave up the bike when her daughter came along, although she still gets pummeled at the gym on a regular basis.

When she’s not writing or working, Jeanette spends time with family, hikes, reads, makes decadent brownies, buys killer boots, and plays Pocket Frogs. She wishes there were more hours in the day so she could actually do more of these things. She lives with her daughter and their ancient, ill-tempered cat in North Carolina.

Find The Author:

( Goodreads | Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook )

 

I'll be honest--I wasn't planning to write a book like Leopard Moon. I had an entirely different story in my head at the time, but it just wasn't coming into clear focus. That's the funny way writing works though: there I am, sitting at a red light on my way to meet my friends for a birthday martini and pedicure, listening to Florence + the Machine and WHAM! The song Howl comes on and this whole lovely scene just starts unfolding in my head. There was Kess, running through the woods, ripping off of her clothes as she triggered a change into a black leopard. And there was Cormac, standing in a different part of the woods being beaten mercilessly by the villain. I didn't know Sek was going to turn out to be Kess' brother, but I did know who he was as a character and what he wanted.

It was truly a gift: the entire final fight scene just unspooled itself along with the song lyrics. Each beat of the song matched a key point in the fight. The more I listened, the more I realized that the lyrics could apply to all of the characters in the main triangle at some point in the story I suddenly wanted to tell. And I wanted that story to be more than just boy meeting girl--I wanted that story to be about girl saving boy, but more importantly about girl saving herself. The song Howl gave me Kess first and Sekhmet second, so a lot of what I tried to do with them was to show them as two halves of a whole, two sides of a coin. Howl, at least to me, wasn't a love song at all--it was a song about possession and obsession and all of those things that show up in our animal drives. that we'd like to forget exists.

So when I began to craft Kess and Sek, Howl played on a continuous loop. And though the song speaks of wolves, I knew these two had to be cats. Wolves have a more social nature and are more easily understood by us--I think it comes from them being a a precursor to our beloved dogs. Cats are an unknown quantity, strange and separate, even if they choose to share space with us. I wanted real darkness there, not just a brief bit of danger that would be easily resolved. Obsession and mental illness gave Sek that scariness, but also--I hope--a bit of sympathy. He really does love his sister and wants what is best for her and his clan. I never intended to excuse his behavior, but I did want to try and understand it.

Just like the song made me understand that narrator of that story.

 I can only hope I did half so well.

***

To meet Kess, Cormac and Sek in this first book in the Moon series, head over to Amazon to download the Kindle eBook for free until January 31st.

It can be found HERE!

 

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Narration: First Person: Juliette
Genre: Dystopian
Source: Bought

Shatter Me Series
Book One: Shatter Me
Novella: Destroy Me (October 2, 2012)
Book Two: Unravel Me (February 5, 2013)
Book Three: Untitled (Fall 2013)

Order on Amazon: Hardcover
                               Kindle
Order on Barnes and Noble.com:
Paperback and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

Goodreads Synopsis:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
 

My Review:

*Originally Posted in August 2012.

This was actually one of my first reviews, so I apologize if it sucks. xD

  

Holy macaroons! Shatter Me was a breathtaking work of art! When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what it was about and who the author was but the cover looked interesting so I decided to pick it up. When I read the summary in the back, I literally got chills down my spine!

"I have a curse.
I have a gift.

I'm a monster.
I'm more than human.

My touch is lethal.
My touch is power.

I am their weapon.
I will fight back."

Gahhh! Chills! From the first page, I was immediately sucked into the world Tahereh created. Juliette has been locked up for 264 days. She hasn't talked to anyone in 264 days. Hasn't eaten anything or drank anything but the bare minimum of what she needs to survive. Her parents gave her away as a child. They said that she was a monster, that she didn't deserve to live, and that she took away their only happiness in life. Sad thing is, Juliette herself believes she's a monster too. She has blamed herself her whole life for killing a child accidentally by using her touch.

I love the character that Taherah created! Juliette was a survivor. After being locked up in a room for 264 days with no human interaction and nearly being starved to death, I would have gone mad. Juliette stayed strong and unbreakable through the whole time. Even when she was let out and was given the chance to live in luxury by working for the government, she didn't cry and thank them for sparing her life. She said she would rather die then hurt people for them.

Tahereh has a unique style of writing that I've never seen before. Her writing is filled with metaphors and analogys, which I loved by the way! However, the most unique aspect of her writing is the crossed out words. I have never seen, in my days, a book with crossed out lines in them. I thought that I wouldn't like it but I was wrong! The crossed out words are what Juliette really wants to say but is to afraid to say them. It made the writing even more epic and breathtaking to read. Five Stars all the way! Can't wait for the next novel Unravel Me coming out February 5, 2013!

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Overall- 5/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 320 Pages
Release Date: January 2, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Narration: Third Person: Kira
Genre: Mythology/ Fantasy
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge

The Dragon King Chronicles
Book One: Prophecy
Book Two: Warrior
Book Three: King

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                                Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter )

Goodreads Synopsis:

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

My Review:

After skimming through a fair portion of not so stellar reviews, I was a little hesitant as to if I would like Prophecy or not. It seemed like one of those "Hate it" or Love it" type of books right off the bat. Although the cover did intrigue me with its undeniable allure, the synopsis wasn't very innovative at all. How many times have we danced this dance before? It seems as if all the YA authors decided to have a get together and had the oh so brilliant idea to write about the same exact theme. A Ancient Prophecy. A girl destined to save them all. Sound familiar yet? However, even though this plot doesn't catch my eye as much as it used to, I still enjoy it nonetheless! What I found in this debut definitely surprised me. Although it all revolved around the revered Dragon Prophecy, all of the fascinating Korean myths and legends kept my attention from straying afar.

In this particular era and region, girls are not allowed into the army and are treated as inferiors to men. This, added to the fact that Kira has unnerving, pierce your soul, yellow eyes and moves with a grace that isn't quite human, makes her a walking anomaly. Throughout her whole life, she was mocked, teased, and reviled for her peculiar features. But no matter what happened, she never let petty insults control her actions or decisions. What I liked best about her character was that she wasn't flawless. She had doubts and fears just like any other average teenage girl, even though she was a badass ninja with tiger like reflexes.The malicious words and difficult situations constantly being thrown her way affected her deeply, but she refused to let anyone else see the neverending sadness and simmering rage hidden just below the surface.

Taejo, Kira's charge and crown prince of Hansong, came off more like a indignant little peewee than a soon to be king. I felt that Ellen was trying her hardest to make him out to be some heroic boy who always did the right thing no matter how many people tried to stop him, but I never came close to those conclusions. It seemed like every single time Kira tried to protect him or tell him why they were executing a plan a certain way to save lives, he would stomp off and pull the "I'm the prince" card to intimidate people into doing his bidding. Yeah, I get that he's younger than most main characters, being all of 12 years old, but his temper tantrums and childish comebacks made me think him much younger then he really was.

The romance was mediocre at best. I wouldn't say it was bad, but it just felt unnatural and forced upon the characters. As if the author decided to just jam it in there as a afterthought, for the purpose of attracting a bigger audience of teenage girls. It wasn't what you would call a insta love connection, but the feelings both characters developed progressed just a little too quickly for my liking. Although you can't call the romance a love triangle just yet, the.....well you'll see. xD Don't want to give anything away. Curse you spoilers! I'll just put my five cents in to say that my spidey senses are tingling, warning me that one is underwraps and will soon be revealed.. 

I wasn't too keen with the writing style Ellen integrated into Prophecy. Even though I didn't hate it wholeheartedly, I could never become fully immersed into the story, because the sentences felt choppy, rough, and abrupt. A good portion of them ended with unnecessary exclamation points, which induced many facepalm moments, because it felt awkward and embarrassing.

With all the negative stuff out of the way, let's get onto the good part shall we? The action was by far my favorite part of the whole novel. I ended up reading this in one sitting, because I absolutely had to know what happened next. The worldbuilding and Korean mythology was another huge factor in why I enjoyed this book. The setting and overall atmosphere were described with just the right amount of details to interest you instead of bore you to tears, which I have experienced many many times throughout my life of reading. The intriguing terms and legends that were skillfully weaved into the novel were riveting as well and almost had me checking google just to learn more about it.

Although the "Warrior destined for greatness" theme is kind of old, Prophecy put a fresh new twist to it that I enjoyed immensely. This story had the potential to induce some fangirl moments from me, but the writing style prevented that from happening. Will I be reading the next two books in this trilogy? Probably. Do I recommend this for fans of high fantasy, fast paced action, and badass warrior protagonists? Definitely!

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 2.5/5
Action- 5/5
Comedy- 2/5
Overall- 3.5/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

Feature and Follow (21)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!

 

 

Question: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

 

Answer: Ooohh Great question! I haven't been able to get through many books lately because of school work and all that fun stuff. Gag. But I believe the last book that had me reading till the wee hours of the morning was The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima. :D The Seven Realms series was fan-freaking-tastic!

 

 

 

How about you?

What book had you Reading Until Dawn? :D

Trailer Reveal: Senshi by Cole Gibsen

KATANA

Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai tale. Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn't explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.

"This action-packed novel has a unique and compelling plot...Fans of Carrie Asai's Samurai Girl series will be particularly interested, but even readers who dislike supernatural story lines will enjoy this tale of modern samurais."

~School Library Journal~

"An action packed page-turner tempered with slow-burning romance."

~Booklist~

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

SENSHI

Is Rileigh’s only hope for salvation to team up with her sworn enemy?

Rileigh Martin just wants to do normal teenage things, like go on romantic dates with Kim, her boyfriend and past life soul mate. Although that seems impossible when she’s the reincarnation of Senshi, a fifteenth century samurai warrior. After a ninja ambush leaves her unable to control her ki powers, Rileigh vows to get them under control before her friends lose more than their eyebrows. But when Kim leaves her for his past life betrothed and the other samurai stop talking to her, Rileigh realizes she doesn’t have any friends left to worry about.

As the ninja attacks increase, Rileigh learns that the reincarnated kunoichi, a powerful female ninja, wants to kill her in order to reclaim her destructive powers. Alone and with increasingly unstable powers, Rileigh’s only offer of help comes from Whitley, her sworn past life enemy. Rileigh knows she doesn’t stand a chance against the kunoichi by herself, but Whitley’s sudden allegiance might be hiding a much deadlier agenda.

Pre-Order

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Cole Gibsen

When Cole Gibsen isn't writing books for young adults, she can be found rocking out with her band, sewing crazy costumes for the fun of it, picking off her nail polish, or drinking milk straight from the jug -- provided no one is looking.

Twitter * Website * Facebook

Trailer Reveal

Senshi Book Trailer from ZFilm on Vimeo.

Giveaway Details

ARC of Senshi + Signed Katana

Signed Katana

3 Mystery Books

Open to US, Canada & Mexico

Ends 2/6/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting On Wednesday (22)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

 

 

This week's WoW is Pulse by Patrick Carman.

 

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

 

My Thoughts:

 

Everyone has a heartbeat. Few have the pulse.

 

Doesn't that just give you the shivers? This has got to be one of my favorite book mottos/sayings ever, though I don't particularly know why.... Anyways, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! It's so freaking unique! I've never seen any YA novel, well at least any popular YA novel, have a cover with a floating tree on it! The reverberations that seem to be emanating from the tree were a nice touch as well! A+ to the peoples who worked so hard on designing this cover, it certainly caught my eye!  Added bonus, it releases on my birthday! :D 

 

Extra Information:

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Hardcover: 384 Pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Sci Fi/Dystopian

Series: Trilogy

 

How about you? What book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday (18)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

 

 

To participate all you have to do is:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give to much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!

 

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

 

 

"I believe that one person can change the world. Whether he is the Musado or a girl with a tiger spirit. The monks teach that we mere mortals cannot question fate. But I say that we control destiny by our every action. Our power lies in the choices we make." Her father placed his warm hand on her cheek. "In the choices you make. Remember, stay true to yourself and do what your heart tells you is right, and not what is easy."

-Prophecy by Ellen Oh, Kindle Ebook

 

"People feared Kira. They called her the Demon Slayer to her face and much worse behind her back. It didn't matter that she was a first cousin to the crown prince or that she'd saved his life from a demon attack. Ten years was long enough for most to forget what really happened and instead to believe the rumors that began soon after."

-Prophecy by Ellen Oh, Kindle Ebook

 

 

 

 

Cover & Title Reveals

All the Cover Reveals I've been to lazy to post. Hehe....Enjoy! :D

 

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: July 30, 2013

Here we go again …

Just when it seems life at Mythos Academy can’t get any more dangerous, the Reapers of Chaos manage to prove me wrong. It was just a typical night at the Library of Antiquities — until a Reaper tried to poison me. The good news is I’m still alive and kicking. The bad news is the Reaper poisoned someone else instead.

As Nike’s Champion, everyone expects me to lead the charge against the Reapers, even though I’m still hurting over what happened with Spartan warrior Logan Quinn. I’ve got to get my hands on the antidote fast — otherwise, an innocent person will die. But the only known cure is hidden in some creepy ruins — and the Reapers are sure to be waiting for me there …



The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: October 22, 2013

 

 

 

 The Retribution of Mara Dyer

is the last book in the Mara Dyer Trilogy.

 

There is no summary available at this time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Tempest Revealed by Tracy Deebs

Release Date: June 4, 2013

 

Half-mermaid Tempest Maguire is trying to have it all: fulfilling her duties as second-in-line to the merQueen Hailana while periodically returning home to the California coastline to be with her family and longtime boyfriend, Mark. Living under the sea and rebuilding Coral Straits is grueling work, while being back home reminds her of everyone she loves and misses. But when her old flame Kona arrives bearing news that Hailana has died and Tempest is now officially merQueen, she returns permanently to Coral Straits--even though it devastates her family and rips her apart from Mark. Once there, she discovers that an old enemy has resurfaced, hell-bent on taking over her throne...with or without her. As Tempest prepares for her final showdown against Tiamat and anyone who stands with her, she must decide what--and who--is really important to her. Because there will be few survivors in the ultimate sea battle that is brewing--and Tempest isn't sure she will be one of them.

 

 

Of Triton by Anna Banks

Release Date: May 28, 2013

 

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

 

 

 

Hover by Melissa West

Release Date: August 6, 2013

 

 

 

 

The Second Installment of the Taking Series.

 

 

There is no summary available at this time.








Title Reveal for the next installment of Jay Kristoff's Epic Stormdancer Series is......



Here's Jay's hilarious post if you want to read more about it and why he chose that particular name: Click Here. 

 

 

 

 

Rise by Andrea Cremer

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 432 Pages
Release Date: January 8, 2013
Publisher: Philomel
Narration: Third Person:
Ember, Alistair, Eira
Genre: Historical Fiction, Werewolves

Nightshade Prequels:
Book One: Rift
Book Two: Rise

Nightshade Series:
Book One: Nightshade
Book Two: Wolfsbane
Book Three: Bloodrose

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                                Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

Goodreads Synopsis:

The sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.

Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

Richly sensual and full of magic, action and danger, Andrea Cremer's fifth book set in the Nightshade world is an edge-of-your-seat page turner.

My Review:

Andrea Cremer was the first author to get me hooked on werewolf novels! Yeah yeah Twilight was a major contender in it as well, but in my opinion, Twilight was more focused on vampire lore and their origins rather than werewolves themselves. When I first read Twilight (My first YA Novel ever!), I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread! But now that I reminisce on it after reading a whole plethora of vamp novels; I have recently realized that the whole idea of sparkly, shiny bloodsuckers is a bit silly.

Anyways, back to the whole werewolf genre. After I heard that Andrea was planning on writing prequels to her bestselling Nightshade series, I was flipping ecstatic. Two huge reasons why I love her novels so much are because of her epic writing style and her badass female protagonists! In Nightshade, we follow the story of Calla, a girl who isn't happy about her carefully arranged marriage and future. Instead of submitting to her master's orders, she finds a way to fight back in order to gain control of her own life and make her own decisions. Ember has a similar story as well. She too, isn't happy with what her father has in store for her, and instead of marrying some airhead with a buttload of money just for the purpose of securing allies for her greedy father, she flees to Conatus, in hopes of becoming what she has always dreamed of being.  A Warrior.

And did you see the covers!? Rift was absolutely gorgeous! I had to quell the urge to buy a hardcover copy in Barnes & Noble, just for the purpose of staring at it all day. The cover for Rise was pretty as well, but I didn't fangirl over it as much as I did Rift.The yellow color palette was unique; I don't see much of those shades on YA novels! But, to me, the candle looked corny and fake, which ruined my overall obsessiveness of the cover.

Historical Fiction is not my forte, but I have to say that Rift, Rise, and Throne of Glass are rare exceptions. The style of writing Andrea used helped me connect with the characters and imagine the setting in which these events took place. Andrea has a unique way of structuring sentences that just immediately captures your full attention. In Rise, answers and jaw dropping discoveries are finally revealed! Although I wasn't completely satisfied with the explanations that were given, Andrea did a decent job at it considering the fact that she invented this mythology from scratch. However, there were still a few loose ends that I really wished were better tied together. It's not necessary to read the prequels before reading Nightshade, because there's only like what, one character that connects both series? But I would definitely recommend reading them in order so that you understand the whole background story, how werewolves were brought into the world, and where wraiths and lyulfs really originated. 

Ember. I was quite flabbergasted by the changes in her personality and character. Maybe it's just me, but I felt like she was nowhere near the headstrong, fiery spirit that she was in Rift (No Pun Intended xD). What Happened!? There were a few moments when I enjoyed Ember's character and how she responded to difficult situations, but the majority of the time I felt like she was weak, desperate, and needy for attention. It wasn't too bad in the first 30% or so, but as soon as she returned to Alistair, things got ugly. All Alistair had to do was ignore her for a few days, and she would go out of her mind wondering what she did wrong and why he wouldn't pay attention to her. I mean yeah those are realistic reactions, but it was just the way that Ember said it, acted, and her thought process that just made me want to smack her. The old Ember definitely wouldn't let anyone use or push her around like that. I understand that a lot of it was a act to try to gain Alistair's trust in order to use it to their advantage, but you can still act one way and think another.

Another thing that I was really looking forward to were the fighting scenes and the interactions between Ember and her horse Caber. I'm a huge sucker for animal companions; For Example Buruu in Stormdancer and Nox (I think that was her name..) in the Touch of Frost series. I loved the fact that Caber had his own little personality and horsey sense of humor. Although we do see some of Caber in this novel, he wasn't in it nearly as much as I hoped. There were barely any fighting scenes either! Only a short one in the very end, which was basically the only reason I wanted to read this book in the first place. For the action and adventure! I get that it was neccessary for certain events to pass in order to set the scene up for the actual novels themselves, but I couldn't help but be disappointed by the outcome. =/

Alistair was a complete physco. He never respected Ember as a warrior or saw her as his equal in combat like the others did. And now after reading Rise, I'm glad that my hypothesis from the previous novel was dead on. He was scum. Absolute scum. Of course this was probably the author's intention, but still. Here's a quick recap if you don't remember who he is: Ever since they were children, Alistair was in love with Ember, unbeknownst to her. As they grew older, his love turned into something much darker and sinister. What used to be affection and compassion morphed into lust, dominance, and possession. Of course it's not totally his fault. Bosque Mar, the netherling responsible for the pickle of a situation there in, had a huge hand in his violent transformation. Anything connected to Bosque, anything at all, would be corrupted sooner or later. Bosque Mar just repressed Alistair's redeeming qualities and enhanced his ambition and drive to crush anything that got in his way.

The action was pretty well paced. Even when I didn't like what I was reading, I couldn't bring myself to put the book down. Although I enjoyed the first prequel Rift a lot more than Rise, because of the vast number of battle scenes, Rise was intriguing in it's own way.

Overall, if you enjoyed the Nightshade series, I encourage you to read these as well. Rift was magnificently written and included everything from dark magic, intense battle scenes, a steamy romance, and most important of all, a strong heroine. In Rise, we see more answers to the questions we've been asking, at the expense of losing our brave heroine and fast paced fighting scenes. Although I was disappointed at how Rise turned out, I don't regret reading it.

 

Note: This review was entered for the 2013 January Paranormal Reading Challenge.

Heroine- 2.5/5
Action- 3.5/5 Kept me interested even when I didn't like what I was reading.
Romance- 3/5
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 3.5/5