Saturday, August 31, 2013

Indie Book of the Week: Anywhere by J. Meyers

I am so very excited to be bringing you this weeks Indie Book of the Week  (a little early) from one of my most favorite authors in the YA paranormal genre. The very fact that she has expanded her writing to a new genre and into the world of NA is so exciting! And what a break through she made too. She hit this genre running and made a huge splash with her debut, Anywhere!




Title: Anywhere
Author: J. Meyers
Series: Stand Alone
Published: August 25, 2013
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance




Book Description:
Skye Whitcomb is running from her troubles, and where better to run than Europe? Fresh out of college, she makes quick plans with her best friend Paige and hops on a plane.

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned—at least not for her. First, Paige has to bail, and Skye’s left to travel alone. Then she meets sweet and sexy Asher Benedict in Paris, and sparks fly after a night together on the train to Rome. He’s all kinds of perfect for her, but the timing couldn’t be worse since she was running from the altar when she left—so the last thing she wants right now is a relationship. 

But Skye’s about to discover that no matter how far you run, love can find you anywhere.




About the Author:


J. Meyers grew up in Vermont, spent three years in Germany when she was a kid, and now lives in Central New York. When she's not reading or writing, she's chasing after her four kids, exploring the outdoors with her family, baking sweet treats, and forgetting to make dinner. She's the author of the NA contemporary romance Anywhere, as well as the Intangible series, a YA contemporary fantasy.



My Thoughts and Review:
I love Meyers YA paranormal series Intangible and when I found out that she would be starting a new book in another one of my favorite genres, NA, I was thrilled to say the least. I couldn't wait to see what she came out with because I knew whatever it was, I was just going to love it.

And for the record, can I say that I love it when I am right?

This has to be one of the sweetest new adult coming of age stories I have read yet. No angst, not too much drama, just a really nice coming of age story and about finding love when you least expect it. With a great main character and a swoon worthy all around good guy, really, what more could a girl ask for in a quick, fun, heart warming read? Not much, that is for sure.

Not only was this an amazing story but it was the best kind of romance. One that stems from friendship and lasts forever. One that is so sweet it will melt your insides yet still has a spicy side to get your heart racing. One, you will not want to put down until the very last page. One you will devour in a single sitting.

That is the story of Asher and Skye. 

Meyers has once again wowed me with her ability to write anything, in any genre, and write it well. The kind of books that make you smile, make your heart race and make you want more. The type of stories you get completely immersed in and don't want to find your way out of.


This is a sweet story about finding your way, finding love and becoming your own person no matter what or who stands in your way. 











*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author. I was not compensated for this review.*

Friday, August 30, 2013

Blog Tour, Guest Post, Giveaway and Book Review: Fiance by Friday by Catherine Bybee

Title: Fiance By Friday
Author: Catherine Bybee
Series: Book Three in the Weekday Brides Series
Published By: Montlake Romance (August 13, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Book Description:
Gwen Harrison:
The beautiful, high-born daughter of an English duke came to America to take over her sister-in-law’s matchmaking business. But just because she’s the boss doesn’t mean she can’t fantasize about making her own perfect match with bodyguard Neil MacBain. Will the enigmatic man who haunts her dreams cost her more than she bargained for?

Neil MacBain:
The retired Marine can’t deny the effect blue-blooded Gwen has on his troubled soul or his battle-hardened body. But as a client, Gwen is off-limits—until a threat from Neil’s past returns…and Gwen is caught in the crossfire. Now to keep her safe he will risk it all: his career, his life…and his heart.






About the Author:

New York Times Bestselling Author
USA Today Bestselling Author
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author
#1 IndieReader Bestselling Author

Winner of the More Than Magic Award for Paranormal romance 2011

Catherine Bybee has been addicted to books for as long as she can remember. With the love of reading romance novels came the desire to write them as well. Creating worlds where passion and intrigue collide and where werewolves fall in love gives Catherine the perfect balance. And what young woman hasn't fantasized of traveling through time to find the perfect man? Catherine currently lives in Southern California with her supportive and patient husband and two growing sons. If she isn't busy at her computer or with her family, she's volunteering for any number of organizations or working as a RN in a busy Emergency Room. 


Guest Post:

The Bybee Way Of Coping With Deadlines

Wine or coffee, depending on the time of day!

Screaming and hair pulling optional.

Dead bolt on the office door with threats of bodily harm to anyone interrupting me.

Dirty laundry… tons of it.

Messy desk (though that is all the time, no deadline needed)

In all seriousness, for my author friends who find deadlines to be a looming, awful thing, I have some things I do to keep myself on track.

First, I get offline. I have an amazing assistant who makes sure I know of pending and important posts and questions I need to answer, then I jump online to do those things then get back to writing.

I have a minimum word count I try and achieve daily. At least 2500 words per day, some days I double and even triple that. Some days I can’t pull 5 words out of my butt, but I try something every day when I’m on a deadline.

I find that if I’m not writing like I want, or the story itself is giving me trouble I need to take a break. I try and exercise several times a week to keep my head clear. I tend to do some great brainstorming when I’m jogging, so I make that part of my routine when I’m on a deadline.

I went from no deadlines to several every year and I find that I work better with a deadline and tend to procrastinate when I don’t have one. *sigh*

Oh, and one more thing… say no! I have to say no to requests from other authors to read books, write blogs, etc. The deadline is very important and shouldn’t be shoved off to do this other stuff. All that said, however, deadlines can be moved if they really need it. If the book sucks but you made your deadline…that’s just wrong.




My Thoughts and Review:
This is actually the third book in the Weekday Brides series but can be read as a stand alone, in fact, I haven't read the first two books and I wasn't lost at all. In fact, I think I came in at a perfect time in the series. You get to know the secondary characters so well that you feel like you already know their stories from the first two books, although, that certainly won't stop me from picking up the first two books and reading them because I would love to have their whole stories unfold as well. 

Gwen is a great character. A Lady in fact and, in every sense of the word. She is proper, dignified, pampered, polite, well dressed, royal and...she just wants to be a normal woman with a normal life. No more body guards or paparazzi after her or having to live a sheltered life, always having to look over her shoulder for someone there.  She wants what we all want, a great job, happiness and a man that loves her with his whole heart and she can love in return. 

Enter Neil, Gwen's head of security and bodyguard. 

Neil is ex military, a little gruff, very serious and of course, a whole lot damaged. He has skeletons in his closet and a past full of unimaginable horrors and of course under all that gruffness, is a heart of gold and a man any woman would love to have.

What Neil doesn't know (well maybe he does) is that Gwen, wants him, over protectiveness, gruffness and all. But Neil's haunting past soon comes back to haunt him and put everyone that he knows and cares about in danger and that include Gwen.

I wasn't expecting all the secondary characters to play such a big role in this book, nor was I expecting to get their point of views throughout the story as well. While it worked for the most part, it did make the story feel a little choppy to me at times. 

There is a lot more going on in this story than just a love affair between Neil and Gwen and I did like that about it. I liked that there was some mystery and action and danger as well as the romance and I think because of all the mystery associated with Neil's past, the alternating point of views worked and maybe even were necessary. 

Overall I think this was a pretty good story and it definitely would make me want to continue on with the series because I know I will be getting more than just a love story and I really did enjoy that about it.  I read a lot of romance and it is nice to have some other stuff thrown in and not all the angst associated with most romance novels out there today. 











*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review*





Tour Sponsored Giveaway:



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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Review: Dead Girls Don't Lie by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Title: Dead Girls Don't Lie

Author: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Walker Children's (September 17, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
Rachel died at two a.m . . . Three hours after Skyler kissed me for the first time. Forty-five minutes after she sent me her last text. 
Jaycee and Rachel were best friends. But that was before. . .before that terrible night at the old house. Before Rachel shut Jaycee out. Before Jaycee chose Skyler over Rachel. Then Rachel is found dead. The police blame a growing gang problem in their small town, but Jaycee is sure it has to do with that night at the old house. Rachel’s text is the first clue—starting Jaycee on a search that leads to a shocking secret. Rachel’s death was no random crime, and Jaycee must figure out who to trust before she can expose the truth. 
In the follow-up to her powerful debut, Jennifer Shaw Wolf keeps readers on their toes in another dark, romantic story of murder and secrets.





My Thoughts and Review:
I love a good mystery and I also love the young adult genre but sadly there are very few mysteries in the YA genre, so when I do find one, I make it a point to read it. 

This definitely was right up my alley. Never knowing who to believe, who to like or even whom to trust. I love a book that can make me pause and think and question everything around me. 

Who killed Rachel and why? Which one of the three boys in Jaycee's life is to blame and how much do they know that they are covering up? And most importantly, will the messages that Rachel left Jaycee help her solve the mystery once and for all or will it just put Jaycee in even more danger than she already is?

Did I mention that I love a good mystery? This had so many different possibilities, so many twists and turns and deceit and deception that I couldn't help but  lap up every single delicious minute of it. Never knowing if my gut instinct was right or if I was so completely wrong it was laughable. 

Jaycee was the perfect heroine. She was timid and shy and very self conscious of what she looked like and how she acted. She was a follower, not a leader. Never one to be outspoken or to stand up for herself. I know, I know, you are asking yourself right now why any of that makes her the perfect heroine but wait, I'm getting to that part.

You see, that shy, timid little girl grows up and she grows up a lot. Into someone bold and daring and strong. Someone determined to right the wrongs and to make a difference. Someone with a mission. 

I really did enjoy constantly guessing whodunit and waiting to see if I was right or wrong and what new twist or clue in the story would show up and change everything I thought I had figured out.


I really do think the YA genre really needs more mysteries because this was so much fun and I can't wait to get my hands on another one. Wolf really outdid herself and created something that I really think anyone would enjoy and I really hope she writes more of. 







*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Blog Tour, Book Review, and Guest Post: Stalked By Death by Kelly Hashway


I am so excited to be a part of this tour. I love anything that has to do with mythology, whether that be Greek, Roman or my new fav, Norse and this series is just perfect for the craving I get for it every now and then. Not only do I get some great spins on mythology but also on one of mythologies greatest baddies Medusa, although in this case, she is anything but bad.

Not only that but Jodi is stopping by to tell us a little bit more of her feelings about the Ophis and I am super excited that she will be here.



Title: Stalked by Death
Author: Kelly Hashway
Series: Book Two in the Touch of Death Series
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Mythology
Published By: Spencer Hill (August 13, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Tour Hosted by the Publisher



Book Description:
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.

Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.

Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.

Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.





About the Author:
I write for children of all ages from picture books up to young adult. I am proudly represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. My debut YA, TOUCH OF DEATH, releases January 15, 2013 through Spencer Hill Press. Also look for my other upcoming YA novels: STALKED BY DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, July 23, 2013), THE MONSTER WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, April 2014), THE DARKNESS WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, TBA), and INTO THE FIRE (Month9Books, spring 2014). My debut MG series CURSE OF THE GRANVILLE FORTUNE releases fall 2014 through Month9Books.



Guest Post:
What I Really Think About the Ophi

Guest Post by Jodi Marshall: August 28th

Okay, so when I met the Ophi, I didn’t have the greatest experience. I got stabbed in the back by some of them, and well, I sort of died. Or the human part of me did. But the Ophi in general aren’t bad people. Do some of us become evil from the power we possess? Yes. But let’s face it. Humans aren’t any better really. And I can say that since I used to be one.

If you ask Hades—which I did—why he hates the Ophi so much, he’ll tell you it’s because of what we do. We raise the dead. I can still hear his response. When was the last time anyone with a shred of humanity considered that a good thing? And okay, I get it. What we do is the stuff horror movies are based on. But raising the dead isn’t all bad. I’ve saved people, too. I don’t regret that for a second.

So yeah, I train the other Ophi to use our powers for good. I refuse to believe we are nothing more than an evil bunch of necromancers who torture souls by creating zombies. We have a greater calling than that, and I’m going to prove it. Not that it’s an easy task. I mean, I still can’t get used to adults listening to me. And after losing my mom and dad, I’d really like to default to someone older sometimes. You know, have a parental figure to make things better. But that’s not about to happen, so I’ll lead. I’ll do the best I can to make sure the Ophi don’t get a bad name. We aren’t monsters. And neither was our ancestor Medusa. It’s my job to prove that.

My Thoughts and Review:
I absolutely love the spin on mythology that Hashway created in this series. I have always loved Medusa and the fact that she isn't the villain in this series but rather a hero and a victim is just fantastic and completely draws you into the story line.

I really enjoyed the first book but after the ending I was really curious and maybe even a little nervous about where the story would go from there. I really shouldn't have been worried because Hashway took this series, the mythology, the story line and the characters to a whole new level. This definitely didn't suffer from the dreaded middle book syndrome so many series are prone to, in fact it made me love this series that much more. There was a lot more depth to Jodi and Alex, not only in their relationship with one another but with their characters as a whole as well. Things don't come as easy to Jodi as they did in the first book and she really struggles with her powers. She is trying to understand them, learn how to use them as well as train the other Ophi and hopefully avoid an all out war with the Hades all while still being a girl and trying to form friendships with the other Ophi and earn their trust and respect. 

I wouldn't say Jodi comes into her own in this as much as I would say that she learns from her mistakes  and is constantly growing from them. She is learning who she can trust and that it is okay to ask for help when it is needed.  

I loved where Hashway carried the story line and my only real complaint is that I didn't get more of the story and that this felt like it went way too fast. It will be very interesting to see where Hashway takes this series in the next book considering how all that happened and where she ended up but, I am convinced if anyone can pull it off, it is Hashway and I look forward to reading it.







*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the tour organization, publisher or author. I was not compensated for this review*





Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Title: All Our Yesterdays

Author: Cristin Terrill
Series: Planned Duology
Published By: Disney-Hyperion (September 3, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy/Time Travel
My Rating: 4.5 Stars!!

Book Description:
"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.





My Thoughts and Review:
It is clear from the very beginning that Terrill plans to take us on one heck of a journey, a journey through space and time itself. A journey that will leave your mind reeling and you on the edge of your seat with anticipation. 

One so filled with complexities and a very science driven plot constantly tested and redefined that it will leave your head spinning and your heart pounding. As the unthinkable and the unimaginable come together to form one explosive ending.

The fact that this is Terrill's debut novel with leave you speechless and questioning the sincerity of it. I am constantly amazed at the talent that has appeared in the last year with stellar debut novels that leave you wanting more and wondering where the author has been hiding all this time.

While the main character's identities are not hidden so much as they are hinted at, the real twists are in the events that lead up to those characters situations and lives changing as much as they have. To those characters becoming someone totally different than what they were when their story first started. 

Terrill's debut novel is one that you don't want to miss. An action packed roller coaster ride that will leave you high from the twists and turns and have your stomach dropping from the downward spiral of emotions. Love, anger, friendship, betrayal and redemption are all apart of Em, Marina, Finn, James and the doctor's lives. 


This is one book that you will not want to put down from the very first page and will leave you feeling bereft and at a loss as what to read next.









*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Monday, August 26, 2013

Blog Tour, Book Review, Guest Post, Scavenger Hunt: The Exemeus by Folami and Abeni Morris






Title: The Exemeus
Authors: Folami Morris and Abeni Morris
Series: Book One in the Exemeus Series
Published: January 3, 2013 by Roayl Colours Inc.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Tour Promoted By: Candace Book Tours
Source: A copy provided by the Tour (in exchange for an honest review)

Book Description:
Hyalee Smith is dead, she just doesn’t know it yet.

Her short life was devoted to love and to hate. Love of the man who stole her heart, hate for the man who stole the world. Murdered by the government she swore to destroy, she has been given another chance to make it right. But to save the planet, she needs the help of the most powerful mystic the world has ever seen—unfortunately he hasn’t been born yet. 

In a world where fear is the only currency, Dephon has committed the ultimate crime:inspiring hope.


His only goal is to make it safely through ninth grade, but on a post-apocalyptic Earth run by the Treptonian government, it isn’t that simple. Heir to a legendary power, Dephon Johnson is the only threat to the government’s rule. And on Trepton, all threats must be eliminated. When hundreds of assassins are dispatched to neutralize him, Dephon is forced to fight back. His only chance of survival is to enlist the aid of the greatest warrior the world has ever known. The only problem is, she's been dead for 13 years.






About the Authors:

Folami and Abeni Morris are a sister-sister writing team. Together they wrote (and rewrote) The Exemeus, somehow managing to accomplish it without murdering one another. Despite their facial similarities, tendency to finish each other’s thoughts and stick up for each other constantly, no, they’re not twins and thus deserve their own individual bio.

Folami Morris:

Folami grew up in the tiny city of San Mateo Ca, where nothing ever happens and no one ever leaves. She went to Xavier University for undergraduate, getting her B.A in physics and her B.S in Biology. After graduation she returned to California, to live in an even smaller city, where even less happens, Antioch Ca. During this time she escaped the monotony by hanging out with her imaginary friends Hyalee and Dephon, and by writing the Exemeus. She finally escaped to Queens NY and now realizes that quiet and tiny aren’t so bad.

Abeni Morris:


As luck (and logic) would have it, Abeni grew up in the same tiny little town as her sister, then she too escaped to the tinier town of Antioch. She has yet to leave. She received her bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from Cal State East Bay. She is the mom of two amazing kids, who swear that they deserve a percentage of the book proceeds and a ton of the credit. At least she raised dreamers.
Website


Guest Post:

Hello all!


I’m so glad to be here. I’m Folami Morris, one of the co-authors of The Exemeus, the YA Dystopian Fantasy that has recently been released.  If you’ve ever read one of my interviews you know that I love YA books. The whole genre and all of its subcategories get me so excited- I’m clearly a proud book nerd. So I decided to write this guest post around a question I was asked recently: What 5 things do I hate and love about YA fiction?

1.       I love a strong main character.

I guess that’s a given. Most people love when the character won’t quit fighting until the end— a character you can root for. I don’t like whiners, not in real life or in fiction

2.       The first thing that I hate directly correlates with what I love. I hate a whiny character.
 I don’t understand when or why people sit around and complain. Life is what you make it. If I have to spend the majority of the book stuck in the head of a whiner I won’t be able to finish it. Period.
3.       I love humor!
Any kind of humor makes a good book great, especially when it is done well. One of my favorite books of all time is Demons at Deadnight. If you get a chance to read it, please do, it’s amazing. What makes it such a phenomenal debut is the humor. There were jokes that were so original and quirky, the book lingers with you long after you have turned the page.
4.       I hate books that drag on.
A book that takes forever to get to the point is very annoying. I refuse to point to any examples, but if nothing happens for the first 300 pages that’s a problem. If the first fifty pages are only on character development, and the character isn’t someone fascinating like Hannibal Lector, the book has already lost a fan.
5.        A SWOON WORTHY MALE LEAD.
I know this makes me such a girl, but I love a male lead who always knows what to say and what to do. The men in real life can be so flawed (woman too, but I’m not dating woman so that part doesn’t affect me). A book is my chance to escape and a man who just makes my heart beat faster or stop beating entirely, whew, that’s just hot.  
6.       I love superheroes!
A book doesn’t have to have superheroes to be great, but I have a soft smart for a guy like Singleton who has a great personality and defies the law of gravity. Toss in original powers and I just can’t breathe!   This is the best thing about my favorite YA books- I find myself dreaming of what I would do with the characters powers.
7.       I’m sure you realized that I skipped one thing that I hate. I did. 5 and 6 went together well, so bear with me. I hate a YA book that doesn’t have an original plot.
I have read way too many books that remind me of Harry Potter in every way. I realize there isn’t an original thought left to think, but a blatant copycat leaves a dry taste in my mouth.
8.       I hate books with flat endings
So I have endured 300+ pages. I’ve been gripping my seat, biting my nails, and sacrificing food because the story was just that great. And then it ends. It is over. Everything tied into a neat bow and no one the worst for wear.
9.       I love when the world is built so well that you want to live there
Since I was 16 I have wanted to live at Hogwarts. I’m completely serious. The world was made so well, I feel like if I practice enough I can cast a spell for a patronus or fly on a broomstick. A well-built world can make or break a story for me.
10.   I hate books that are really good, but are too short.
Clearly, this is me cheating since this really isn’t a flaw. I just love a good book. I hate when they’re over too soon.
I guess that’s all everyone, but what do you love and hate about YA? Why are your favorite books your favorites? I look forward to hearing all of your answers.



My Thoughts and Review:
I'm going to admit something, I wasn't too sure about this before I started it. As most of you know, I seem to have a love hate relationship with most fantasy novels. I have no idea why. Maybe my expectations are too high or maybe I just have a hard time believing the unbelievable, either way, there you have it, I am drawn to fantasy but very seldom really get in to it and enjoy it. 

So it is understandable that I went into this with trepidation, very low expectations and maybe even with a not so great attitude. So you can imagine my surprise when I was immediately thrown into the story and my attention was grabbed from the very first chapter.

I truly had so much fun reading this. I wasn't too sure I was going to love Dephon's voice but by the time I got past the first couple of chapters, I realized that I really did enjoy him in all his awkwardness. And most importantly, I loved watching him as he learned about his parents and especially about Hyalee.  

The similarities between the two (Hyalee and Dephon) was uncanny and I loved that instant connection that they seemed to have as Dephon unfolded his mother's story. And lets talk about that for a moment, really the telling of her story was brilliantly done. It reminded me a lot of The Never Ending Story as we were thrown into her story with the simple act of the opening of a large ancient book.

Mallea was such a great secondary character with all her feisty-ness, I couldn't help but love her as she helped Dephon through his journey in the story. And can I talk about Kayin? I know it is crazy but I loved him and all his roostery antics. They added a lightness to the story that put a fun twist to it that I really enjoyed.

In fact I really enjoyed all the characters in this story, from the good to the bad. My only real complaint is that I never felt like I got a real good picture of what Earth (now Trepton) was like after the battle 13 years later. Was magic known across the world? Why was it so repressed and the inhabitants so fearful to even walk the streets? But, I can only imagine that that, along with a lot of other things revealed at the end, will be discussed in more length in the next installment and I plan on reading it and finding out more. I really enjoyed this, way more than I thought I would and truly think that this would appeal to anyone, fantasy lover or not. 









*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author, publisher or tour host. I was not compensated for this review.*



Tour Wide Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Scavenger Hunt Time! (Win a Kindle Fire or $150!) 
This is open internationally, but if you are outside the US you will receive the $150 via paypal.

Welcome to Day 1 of The Exemeus Scavenger Hunt!
Thank you for joining us. We’re dying to see how many of you can answer these questions and call yourselves true Exemeus’ fans.
Ready to get started?  Great! Here are the rules.
a.       Each site has two questions and there are two sites a day.
b.      Look up the answers in the book
c.       Enter them into the google doc by midnight of September 1st. (There is a form on each site, you must enter into them all!)
d.      If you answer everything correctly your name is entered into the drawing to win a kindle fire! (Winner declared October 1st)
(Don't worry, if you already own a kindle fire you can receive 150.00 via paypal instead)


We’re going to start off with easy questions. You don’t need to be a true fan to answer these.

1.       What is the name of Dephon’s mom?
2.       How old is Dephon?
Thanks for playing! Go to Cover2Cover for the next two questions!



Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1B_S9-AwaO69LqKpSbbLvF-3E7TOZtF1WXlg9J8Qt1_k/viewform

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Indie Book of the Week: Found by Alyssa Rose Ivy

This weeks Indie Book of the Week has to go to Alyssa Ivy Rose and the last book in her Crescent Chronicles trilogy  Found. I have loved this trilogy since the very first book and the conclusion to the series was just awesome, which, let's face it, doesn't always happen. 

Alyssa is an amazing author and creates some pretty imaginative worlds and characters. Her writing is always 
pretty flawless and I can't help but get caught up in the story line. 






Title: Found
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Series: Book Three in the Crescent Chronicles Trilogy
Published: July 16, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Purchased





Book Description:
Levi might be hot, strong, and have a cool set of wings, but it's not enough to make up for keeping Allie in the dark.

Allie's tired of being left with more questions than answers. She's tired of loving a guy who refuses to level with her. Most of all, she's tired of her life spinning out of control.

Desperate to save Jess no matter the personal cost, Allie has to face the possibility that the only one she can trust is herself.





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.

My Thoughts and Review:
I fell in love with this series and with Ms. Ivy's writing after the very first book. To say I adore it and the characters she created would be an understatement. I truly have so much fun reading with each book and I have anxiously been waiting for the release of Found.  I couldn't get my hands on it soon enough and after having to read through a few earlier commitments, but the time I was able to pick this up, I was going crazy having to know how it was all going to end and sad that it would be the end.

I would say that I read this series solely for the loveable sexiness that is Levi but the truth is, I read it for all the fabulous characters, and fabulous they all are. It is hard to find a tight knit group as loyal, loving, and fun as there are in this series. Every single one of them has gotten better and better as the series and their stories have progressed. 

They have all become stronger, fiercer and more capable and even more loyal to one another. They all have a bond of friendship that can not be broken and I absolutely love that about this series. I love watching characters not only grow stronger but grow closer to one another as well.

It is rare that there isn't a lot of drama when you put a big group of friends together, and while these friends do have their problems, they work through them together and come out better for it and their bonds even stronger. How could an author ever go wrong with friendship and relationships like that?

While I didn't start this series and stick with it solely because of Levi, he really is a big part of why I love this series. He is so true and kind and loving to Allie and even though he doesn't always make the right decisions when it comes to her, he does it always out of love for her. He really stepped up in this one and showed just how much he loves her, cares about her and trusts her. 

Allie too grew as a characters, as a friend and as a princess. She too doesn't always make the wisest choices or even the best ones but again, she does it all because she thinks it is what is right and she does it for those that she loves. I love how accepting she finally is of Levi, his lifestyle and her future life with him. She really brings it as well and I was thrilled with how this ended.

I am even more excited that there will be a spin off series. I want more of the Pterons and I wasn't ready to completely say goodbye to all of them. I can't wait for more.







*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author. I was not compensated for this review.*