Monday 30 January 2017

Book Blitz: Queen Alpha by Jaymin Eve and Leia Stone!

Queen Alpha (NYC Mecca Series #2)
By: Jaymin Eve and Leia Stone
Release Date: January 30th, 2017
Genre: Upper YA Fantasy (Shifters)
Blurb:
    Arianna might have won the Summit and taken the crown of wolf shifters, but there is no time for her to settle into the royal life.
    Something is off with the mecca and if she doesn’t fix it the fae might just make another earth side appearance.
     Now she must work with the king of the bears to save both of their people. Which is easier said than done when he tempts her in every way and a relationship between them is forbidden. One slip up could cost her everything and in the NYC mecca someone is always watching.
Buy Link:
Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)
http://amzn.to/2jHGvxg
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2khuwXU

Excerpt:
    Finally, when the sun had long set in the sky and our world was filled with shadows, he turned to me. His stare was … it was dark. And a part of me broke as I returned that gaze, helpless to tear myself away.
    “What?” I finally managed to ask.
He reached out as if he was going to touch me. His huge hand stilled inches from my face, and I was struggling to breathe, struggling not to sob. Emotions were ricocheting through me, and I knew everything was about to change. I could feel it in the ache that had spread all the way into my soul.
     His voice rumbled out. “I’m not happy.”

Author Bios:
Jaymin Eve:
    Jaymin Eve is the USA Today Bestselling author of Young Adult and New Adult romance novels (both urban fantasy and contemporary). She loves surrounding herself with the best things in life: her two girls, a good book and chocolate.
    Living on the beautiful Gold Coast in Australia, the family loves spending lots of time on the beach. And traveling as frequently as possible.
    When Jaymin isn’t trying to wrangle two daughters, a puppy and her husband, you will find her hiding in a corner trying desperately to write her stories (without little fingers pressing random keys). She asks for forgiveness if you notice the occasional sskkkkssis appearing in her book, her children are proud of their contribution.
     She’d love it if you contacted her, giving feedback or just to have a chat.
Author Links:
Leia Stone:
    Leia Stone is a USA TODAY bestselling author and mother of twins. When she isn't writing or kiddo wrangling, her nose is shoved in a good book. She lives with her husband and family in Gilbert, Arizona. She loves Indian food and is a vegetarian.
**The Matefinder series has been optioned for film.**

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Author Links:

Wednesday 18 January 2017

The King Slayer (The Witch Hunter #2) by Virginia Boecker (Review)

    The second instalment of The Witch Hunter series, The King Slayer takes place following the previous novel as Elizabeth and her compatriots prepare to dethrone the monstrous uncle to the rightful king, Lord Blackwell. Having lost her powers, Elizabeth is challenged with her value and the added danger she is now in because of her mortality. Along the way she bonds with with her new found friends and the man she loves, while she copes with the loss of those in her passed that are now dead. Action packed and full of danger, The King Slayer concludes the series in a fulfilling way.
      I enjoyed The Witch Hunter, even though some parts of it hurt my heart to read. Readers grow to respect Elizabeth even more in this novel as we witness her willingness to sacrifice herself to stop Blackwell and save her loved ones. She is flawed enough to be human, while still preforming acts of courage that are inhuman. The romance in this novel was average. It was heart warming, but nothing to write home about. It was sweet but not inspiring. I also found that although most of the plot was solid, there were some plot points that seemed to be under-explained. They were lacking in just a little more detail to clear things up for the readers. I enjoyed The Witch Hunter series and give The King Slayer the rating of FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Tuesday 17 January 2017

Cover Reveal: Quanta Rewind by Lola Dodge!

Quanta Rewind
by Lola Dodge
(The Shadow Ravens #4)
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: April 25th 2017
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
   With more and more Red Helixes turning up missing or dead, the Shadow Ravens are ready to take their fight to Doctor Nagi himself.
   But breaking into Alpha Citadel is no cakewalk, and Quanta isn’t so sure about this whole “teamwork” thing.
   If she and the Ravens can’t learn to work together, no amount of rewinding time will save them from the inevitable.
   And if the Seligo win, everyone loses.



Author Bio:
Lola Dodge is a compulsive traveler, baker, and procrastinator. She earned her BA in English from Stonehill College and MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University—and hasn’t stopped moving since. When she’s not on the road, Lola spends her time indoors where the sunlight can’t melt her, writing or bingeing on anime and cherry soda. She can be summoned in a ritual involving curry, Hello Kitty idols, and a solid chocolate pentagram.

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Monday 16 January 2017

Selected (The Zaratan Trilogy # 1) by Evelyn Lederman (Review)

    The world has been invaded by aliens, and they demand one thing, children in their young teen years. The world must comply or be destroyed. Kara is one of the selected children to be taken, along with her is her neighbour and long time crush, Matt. Together, they are thrown into a new world of aliens and hard testing that could very well be deadly. As they fight to survive, they bond with the other children around them and with each other, and Kara is singled out by their captor aliens for unknown reasons.
     Not bad, not bad at all. The story telling in Selected was engaging and action packed enough to captivate the readers. Kara and Matt were pretty developed characters and they were refreshing in how honourable and kind they were. They personified a lot of the best traits in humans, and were quite easy to like. My only problems with this novel is that a) humans are naturally rebellious, and there was little to no rebellion of any sort in this novel and b) there was not a true resolution to this novel that could leave the readers with any sort of lesson or moral. Overall, I enjoyed Selected and give it the rating of THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Elementals: The Blood of the Hydra (Elementals #2) by Michelle Madow (Review)

    A second installation of the Elementals series, Elementals: Blood of the Hydra continues where the last novel ended off. The elemental team needs to save the world from it's end via ancient monsters, and to do that they need to go on a mission to make weapons that can kill an immortal monster. While on this mission Nicole is faced with her attraction to Blake and whether or not he is worth the risk of causing tension in her team.
    I could describe my experience with this novel in three words: it was okay. I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it. It felt like a filler sequel novel in the series. It moved the plot along a bit, but it did not stand out on it's own as an amazing novel. There was some higher and interesting stakes in this novel as the teens went on a series of dangerous missions to get the ingredients they needed. The action scenes were pretty interesting, but overall the novel was pretty dull. They was a lot of what felt like filler details, put there to extend the novel, but on their own did not enhance the novel in any way. I give Elementals: Blood of the Hydra the rating of THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Thursday 12 January 2017

Book Blitz: Blue Tide by Jenna-Lynne Duncan!

Blue Tide
by Jenna-Lynne Duncan
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: January 9th 2017
Genres: Adventure, Dystopian, Young Adult
   An award-winning YA adventure-packed romance steeped in Middle Eastern culture and set in the Asian Pacific amongst dangerous oceans and tropical islands.
   Seventeen-year-old refugee Lux plots her escape from the island where her family is stranded, denying that her home was lost in the Floods. Lux is determined to get her old life back by any means possible. But before her feet even leave the sand, she’s taken hostage by a vengeance-driven pirate nearly as young as she is.
    Her capture is the key to his freedom…
    Captain Draven’s scarf veils more than his face. Underneath, he struggles between morality and survival. When Lux sees deeper into his motivations, she’s torn. She can commit mutiny to escape to a home that may no longer exist, or she can try to help Draven escape the clutches of the person responsible for the deaths of half the world. Staying would mean entrusting her life to a pirate. Helping Draven would mean losing her heart to one.
EXCERPT:
“You will help him, if it’s the last thing you do.”
He had to be bluffing. Lifting my chin, I met his icy gaze straight on. “You can threaten my life, but there is nothing more you can take from me that you haven’t already.”
“Oh, really?”
He stepped forward, towering over me. Wow, he was tall. I resisted every instinct to cower or curl into a small ball. His hand shot out so quickly, I hardly felt the pull around my neck. My hands flew to my chest. My necklace!
The captain held up the chain, his eyes wide with victory. It was clear he was waiting for a reaction, but, except for that first jolt of surprise, I was paralyzed.
Everything fell silent except the slap of waves against the hull and the drum of his boots as he walked to the railing. I clutched my arms to my chest. My heart sped up so fast I couldn’t tell if it was still beating. He held his hand over the side of the ship. The back of my throat ached with a pain so great I thought it would tear out.
“Stop!” One hand still clutched my chest, the other reached out toward the necklace.
“Still think I have nothing I can take from you? There is always something, Princess.”
Desperation replaced all courage. “Please stop. I can help him.”
He shrugged.
“Wait!”
He opened his palm, one finger at a time. The gold chain slid down, dipping closer to the waters below.
“Please, I’ll do anything!” I pressed my fists to the sides of my head.
He drew his fingers in, closing them around the chain. The necklace dangled safely.
I dropped my arms in relief. “Thank—”
With one slow, deliberate move, he opened his palm.
The chain slipped through his fingers.
“No,” I cried, running to the railing. My necklace had disappeared into the roaring waters below. Lost forever.
I choked on the air I strove to inhale. “That was… that was the only thing…” The sound of my heartbeat thrashed in my ears before every emotion was washed away. Every muscle in my body tightened and my eyes twitched as they narrowed. I turned mechanically to face the heartless brute. My face expressionless, my feelings numbed. He would pay for what he’d done.
“You are in no position to negotiate. Make no more requests or the next thing I drop in the water will be prisoners. One. By. One.” He dictated to me without one ounce of regret for what he’d just done. Turning just as easily, he shouted orders behind him. “Ahmed, bring her.”

Author Bio:
    Jenna-Lynne Duncan likes to write heart-stopping, page-turning, haunting romance in all YA genres. Her current Young Adult releases are titled Hurricane, Tempest, and Aftermath (Divertir Publishing) and the forthcoming BLUE TIDE (Winter, 2017). Jenna graduated with degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and International Studies. BLUE TIDE was the recent winner of RWA’s Romancing the Lake contest. Besides writing, she loves traveling and children. Preferably together. She welcomes readers to contact her on social media or at JennaLynneDuncan@gmail.com.

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Wednesday 11 January 2017

What's a Soulmate? by Lindsey Ouimet (Review)

  In a world of soulmates, Libby is pessimistic. She is not confident that she will ever meet hers and if she does, she is not confident that it will work out anyway. In Libby's universe, everybody can only see in black and white until they first meet their soulmate, and then their world bursts into brand-new and previously unseen colour. One day the most unexpected thing happens, Libby sees her soulmate... as he's walking right into jail in an orange jumpsuit. Faced with the enormity of what that could mean, Libby has to decide whether she will get involved or not with her imprisoned soulmate.
  What's a Soulmate was okay, there were things I really liked about it, and there were things I found dull or incomplete. Let's start with what I liked. Firstly, I liked the quirky nature of the main character Libby. Here odd persona was nice to read about and her approach to things was not always generic. I liked some of the moments shared between Libby and her father, soulmate and best friend. They genuinely seemed to be deep and meaningful. Now onto what I didn't like. There wasn't much, except that the ending of the novel was abrupt and did not have true deeply satisfying resolution between the characters. The story just seemed to end very abruptly. Ultimately, I give What's a Soulmate the rating of THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Roseblood Release Day Blitz!!

  I am so excited that ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard releases today and that I get to share the news! (If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.)
  This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a mask courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Roseblood
by A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: January 10, 2016
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 432
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook

     In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.
     At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

     


About the Author:
    A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.
    When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Giveaway!!!!
1 winner will receive a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a Mask. US Only.
Ends on January 17th at Midnight EST!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday 7 January 2017

The Belgrave Legacy by Zara Hoffman (Review)

   Boring, riddled with plots holes and skipping major plot and character development, The Belgrave Legacy was by far not one of the best things I have ever read. In a world of angels and demons, there is one girl who is going to decided whether good or evil will prevail. Fawn is destined to be the most powerful witch ever, and with great power comes great responsibility. Wanting to sway Fawn to his side, Satan sends his best, and that best is Caleb. What he didn't see coming was that Caleb might fall for his target.
   This was a badly written in my opinion. There were HUGE plot holes and missing parts of character development. I didn't like ANY of the characters in the novel. I didn't get a chance to. None of them were consistent and well developed. The reader can't get a grasp of them and grow an attachment. Characters aside, looking at the plot, I could not help but be disappointed. There seemed to be entire sections of time that was missing from the story that could have much improved the story and the characters. I also found the relationship between Caleb and Fawn to be weak and, following the trend in the rest of this novel, undeveloped. Overall, I do not recommend The Belgrave Legacy and give it the honest rating of TWO STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*