Frequent Traveler Book Blast!!

From the blue oceans of Antigua to the bustling streets of Vietnam, the racing adrenaline at the Green Hell, the devastating natural disaster in Japan and the stunning architecture in Germany, Cathy Dixon finds herself in a whirlwind of fine dining, plush clothes and sheer extravagance.

But is perfection a mask for untold disaster? What is Cathy's secret and how will her world change when the world knows? Will her secrets ever catch up with her or will Cathy continue to sail alongside perfection in the world she has created for herself as a Frequent Traveller?

In conjunction, with the launch of MoonStar Luxury's new website (http://moonstarluxury.com/), we invite you to step into Cathy Dixon's world where more goodies, surprises and a little mystery awaits.

Frequent Traveller, the first book in the Cathy Dixon series will be free from 31 May to 4 June 2012. (Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Frequent-Traveller-Cathy-Dixon-ebook/dp/B0067BKK6K)

Giveaway Details - 11 winners

Grand prize 1 x $50 Amazon.com voucher

10 x $5 Amazon.com vouchers

Terms and conditions
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Book One in The GrishaTrilogy
Published By: Henry Holt & Co. (June 5, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

My Review:

  It is funny sometimes how you can pick up a book and after only a few pages you can tell that it will just be one of those books that people will either really love, or really hate.

A book that can cause a whole slew of emotions in someone. Sometimes hateful ones that leave the reader with an off feeling and then those feelings on the other end of the spectrum that leave the reader with a smile of their face and that joyful feeling you get after finishing a really good story and wanting more and not sure what you are going to read next because, how could the next book even compare to this one?

I have no idea what causes this to happen but it seems like some books are just that way. I think Shadow and Bones is just one of those books.

Thankfully I fell into the latter category of being able to say that I truly just enjoyed this book. Maybe not absolutely loved it, but I thought it was a pretty dang good read.

Like a lot of first books in series there is a lot of world building and character shaping and sometimes things that are just left unsaid and unexplained, maybe to be explained or said in later books and this one is no different. It has these issues, it isn't perfect.

But what it is, well hard describe actually. Like some many others who have read this book, it is just really hard to say what makes this book so awesome.

Maybe it is the characters or the original storyline. Maybe it is the tension and action throughout. The mystery of who is really good and who is really bad. Or maybe, just maybe it is all the author. Her way of making the words just flow together beautifully and fly right off the pages.

The imagery or the world she created. The magic there.

I don't know, sadly I can't put my finger on what makes it great. Strange I know, me the talker at a loss for words.

But I can say this, you should give this book a try. Yes there is a 50/50 chance with the whole love hate thing it seems to have going on but if you like mystery and magic. Beautifully writing, a well developed plot and a series that I think holds a lot of promise that I think will only get better as it goes, this is a book you need to read.

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop!

This week I am participating in the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Page Turners Blog!

Summer is my favorite time of the year to read, I love sitting outside soaking up the sunshine and diving into a great read.  Cozy mysteries, sweet romances, historical fiction and even the strange and unusual that is paranormal, I love them all.

So I thought what better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than to giveaway some great books by some of my favorite authors? 

I tried to pick a little bit of everything in the hopes that someone would see something that they like and wanted to try.

So without further ado, on to the giveaway prizes!

First up: I'll Walk Alone by the queen of suspense herself, Mary Higgins-Clark

Second on my list another favorite author of mine, Elizabeth Chandler and her book, Love At First Click. 

Third up, The List by Melanie Jacobson.

and fourth and last choice, Until the End by Christopher Pike (this one is actually three books, his Final Friends Trilogy in one book).

One lucky winner will get their choice of one of these paperback books. 

Good luck to everyone that enters!!

Due to a slight error on my part in the end date for the Rafflecopter, I will now be picking two winners for this contest. Please use this new Rafflecopter for new entries and leave a first and second choice of books you would want if you win.


Sorry about the confusion everyone!!

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Masters Of The Veil Book Blast and $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Life can't get much better for Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a professional football player. every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until his championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer. Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot. As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind.

Book Trailer

PRAISE:

"Masters of the Veil is a fun, fresh fantasy that delivers an intriguing story and fantastic world-building, and is a great first volume in what is sure to be an excellent trilogy."

-Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

***

"I absolutely adored Masters of the Veil. It is a unique and creative read in today's sometimes overwhelming YA market. Daniel is taking JK Rowling's lead and putting a whole new twist on fantasy."

-Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead

***

"Mr. Cohen has done a spectacular job on Masters of the Veil and I look forward to what comes next!"

-Kristi @ The Book Faery

"This Book was brilliant, creative, and completely magical. If you want an amazing book to read in 2012, I would suggest you go to the bookstore and pick up a copy of Masters of the Veil."

~Julia @Inkbitten


"I loved this book. I could list all the reasons, but there is one piece of praise I think sums up the book best. My son grabbed it as soon as I was finished reading it and hasn't put it down since. Dan Cohen has a winner with this series."
~Author Michelle Pickett


"A funny, imaginative, and delightful read!"
~Author Kate Kaynak

LINKS:

BOOK TRAILER

BLOG

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

AMAZON LINK

BN LINK

TWITTER

Author Daniel A. Cohen

Daniel A. Cohen was just your average business student. Microeconomics, finance, marketing… you name it, he had to do a PowerPoint presentation on it. One dark and stormy night, he was bitten by the radioactive realization that memorizing business jargon could possibly be the most boring activity known to man.

After gaining eagle-eye vision, abs that could grate cheese, and a talent for imagining things (including his cheese-grating abs), he wrote his first novel and began his epic battle against the formidable business jargon. He continues to fight the good fight by playing saxophone and writing YA fantasy, forever hoping his Veil trilogy will help inspire others to join his cause.

Giveaway Details

Author Daniel Cohen is offering one lucky person a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card.

Last day to enter is May 31st

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Indie Book of the Week; The Vampire Hunter's Daughter by Jennifer Wright

Once again due to a crazy scheduled filled with blog tours and fun giveaways (yay!) I am bringing you this week's Indie Book of the week earlier in the week than I normally do.
This is such a fun series that I just didn't want to wait another week to post about it.

This week I bring you Jennifer Malone Wright's extremely fun, extremely addicting series,  The Vampire Hunter's Daughter (Parts I-V).


 Synopsis:

It all begins when fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.

With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.
So, she begins to train hard, mentored by Drew, the young hunter who saved her and lives with her grandfather. Although she is directly descended from ancient, powerful vampire hunters, the rigorous training schedule begins to break her down.

Chloe also experiences her first Christmas without her mother. As part of the grieving process she visits her mother’s grave for the first time and there, she is visited by Sostrate, the immortal demi-god from whom she is descended.

As she comes of age, Chloe is changing and developing the gifts unique to her heritage. She discovers a new power she must learn to use and control. During this emotionally chaotic time in her life, the community is attacked, her grandfather injured and hunters are killed. After almost losing her only remaining family, Chloe questions whether her continued presence in the community will sacrifice everyone she has come to care about.

My Thoughts and Review:

 

I am so sad that I have had this book for over a year and it just sat in my Kindle, sadly, waiting for me to open it and read it.

Gah! I am such a crazy person sometimes.

I hate it when I have no idea that a wonderful series is just sitting there, waiting for me to get my act together and start it.

I am so glad that the author nudged me into starting it. If I hadn't who knows how long it would have sat there and I would have been missing out.

I love discovering series that are just fabulous and yet unknown. I love spreading the word about them.

And this is quite the series. Right away we are swept into the story with a whirl wind of non stop action as Chloe's whole life is about to take a drastic change and secrets are revealed.

After she witnesses the brutal murder of her mother by vampires and saved by another group of vampire hunters, Chloe learns there was a lot she didn't know about her mother's life and even her own.

She finds out that not only was her mother a vampire hunter from a prestigious blood line and one of the best there were but that her father also happens to be a vampire and he has been searching for her since the day she was born.

If that wasn't weird enough she is thrown into a new town and home, a community especially designed for vampire hunter where she learns she has a grandfather she never knew existed and that she too, will be training to take her mother's place in the family line.

Yep, her world is about to change.

This is such a fun series and I love that it is broken up in parts (may sound strange to some, I know) I love that I can read it when I don't have a whole lot of time and still get something action packed and that will leave me eager to start the next installment. And each installment just keeps getting better and better.

I do have to warn you though, this will be a series that you will want more than one part before you start it because, one just won't be enough. And the great part? you can try the first part in this series for free, you can purchase it on Amazon and Smashwords free of charge. Pretty fabulous right?

So what are you waiting for, go out, give it a try. You won't regret it!

I give this series a very solid 4 Stars and can't wait to read more!!!

Review: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Title: Monument 14
Author: Emmy Laybourne
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Feiwel & Friends (June 5, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Dystopian
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:

  Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you hurdle down the stairs and make a run for the corner.Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

My Review:
 

It seems lately that the market is flooded with new dystopian novels. Every where you look some one somewhere is coming out with something. It is getting to the point that it is hard to find something that hasn't been done before and that doesn't seem like all the others.

I like dystopian, I really do but it isn't always my favorite genre to read about, I think mainly because at times it comes off too depressing and heartbreaking and I find I need to take a good long breather from the genre before starting another one.

And even though I had just finished a great dystopian, the premises for this one was just calling out to me and I knew I needed to start it.

This really is different from the other dystopians out there. For one it is told through the point of view of a boy, something I am always saying is lacking in the YA genre. I have no idea why this is. Maybe more girls read this genre therefore the authors make the main characters girls more of the time? Or maybe because a lot of the authors are women themselves so it is just easier writing from a point of view of a woman.

I have no idea but, it is refreshing to find the POV coming from a boy every now and then, even if I myself, don't always relate to them, it is just nice to have something different, something to mix it up a little.

The author definitely did that.

This book isn't only about a boy though, it is in fact about a group of kids, 14 of them in fact, ranging in age from around 5 to 16 all from a small town in Monument, Colorado.

What I liked about this story was that it felt real, all the emotions of the characters, the situations of putting all those different ages and personalities together in one place under the conditions that they were in, it never felt too far out there or too unrealistic.

I think having it told through Dean, just like a normal teenage boy would talk to a friend really helped with that as well and although there were some very real situations, not all happy and carefree, this never felt depressing. Yeah things were pretty horrible and crazy but they made the best of it and they soldiered on.

There were some really great characters in this story and they all had different weaknesses and strengths that all came together to create a pretty united front.

The only downside to this story was how it ended. It just didn't feel over to me, like maybe it started to get a little rushed and there wasn't any real solution. Yeah they had a plan but I would have liked an epilogue I think. Something to say what happened to them in the end.

What happened to the kids, Mrs. Wooly, the parents? The ones that stayed, the ones that left?

I don't know. I think it could have had a little better of an ending.

Who knows, maybe there will be a sequel and that is why it was left as it was? Or maybe we are just suppose to imagine our own ending, good or bad.

Review: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title: Dark Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Book Three in the Mythos Academy Series
Published By: Kensington (May 29, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Goodreads Description:

 I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?

It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

My Review:

  Dark Frost, Jennifer Estep's latest installment of her Mythos Academy series can only be described as Estep at her best.

Once again we are plunged into Gwen's world of magic and mythology, of battles and deception, of half truths and lies. Mystery and suspense, good guys, bad guys and even guys in between and always a battle of good versus evil as Gwen tries to track down the Helheim Dagger and of course, save the world.

Right away there is a fierce battle with the Reapers and Gwen knows it is only going to get worse as the Reapers get more and more desperate to locate the Dagger. She knows no one will be safe until she can find it and make sure Loki doesn't escape his prison.

Gwen is starting to learn more about her mother in this book and not only that but also more about her Gypsy powers and what she is capable of. She also begins to unravel a little of the academy's secrets as well as some of the students and staff. Like always, things aren't always what they seem and as simple as they should be for Gwen.

She is getting stronger in every sense of the word and truly becoming a Champion that Nike would be proud of. I really enjoyed watching Gwen grow in this installment and become the warrior that she needs to be. Taking charge and doing what has to be done to get the job done and to keep everyone safe.

Gwen struggles a lot through this book but she overcomes them all. I think this one was way more emotional than any of the past ones have been. It seemed like one minute I felt anger for Gwen, then her sadness and heartbreak and then her joy and triumph.

Truly this is one roller coaster ride of a read. This series just keeps getting better and better and I can not wait until the next book. It is going to be a long agonizing wait to see what happens next.

Straight to Heaven (Lilith Straight #2) by Michelle Scott Blog Tour Book Review and Giveaway!

I am excited to be a part of this Blog Tour today and to share my thoughts and review of Straight To Heaven  with you. I am also super excited to tell you that Michelle Scott the author of the Lilith Straight series, has an exciting giveaway as part of the Tour. You can enter to win a 2GB iPod Shuffle which will be delivered direct from Amazon (to anyplace that Amazon delivers). You can also enter to win one of four e-book copies of Straight To Heaven as well!

But before we get to that fabulous giveaway, let me tell you a little bit about the book and this series.

Synposis:

Hell’s newest employee, Lilith Straight, thinks she’s got a handle on her job as the Devil’s temptress until she finds herself going horns-to-halo with a guardian angel who’s determined to rescue Lilith’s next victim. To make matters worse, William Darcy, the hottest demon in hell, is trying to undermine Lilith’s mission with a few temptations of his own.

My Thoughts and Review:

I am going to be brutally honest here, I didn't love Lilith after reading the first book in the series, Straight To Hell. She didn't have any redeeming qualities and she made a lot of really bad and really stupid choices that just seemed to make her life and the ones she loved harder.

I didn't understand her and I couldn't relate to her but the I did like the concept of the series and the writing and still felt myself drawn into the story.

So when I picked up the second book, Straight To Heaven, I prepared myself to meet Lilith again and to put up with all the stupidity that I figured would ensue with her story.

So you can imagine my surprise when with this latest installment in the Lilith Straight series that I found myself gasp liking Lil. Well, maybe like is still too strong a word but I did feel myself softening towards her a lot.

I really enjoyed watching her learning from her mistakes and trying a little harder to make better choices and to right her past wrongs as well. I think she even managed to pull off a few redeeming qualities.

I liked the added mystery that was introduced in this one with Lil's heritage and then of course with William, Helen and even Mr. Clerk.

I am really looking forward to the next book to see what happens next. This series truly is getting better with each new book and yes, I might even say by the third one that I actually do like Lilith.

Can't wait to see what Mrs. Scott comes up with next! 

I give this one a very solid 4 Stars!!

 Please also don't forget to check out the first book in the series, Straight To Hell. 

Synopsis:

The moment Lilith Straight dies, the Devil appears to claim her soul and cash in on a family curse. Now, Lilith has no choice but to work for him. The job is bad, the boss is worse and she can’t imagine how she’ll explain her new reincarnation to her eight-year-old daughter. But then an arrogant, yet oh so yummy, incubus shows up…and hell heats up just a little more.

And now on to the giveaway!!

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Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Denied (Shadowed Love #2) by Kinley Baker!

DENIED  

SHADOWED LOVE, BOOK TWO 

By Kinley Baker

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

When invaders brutally massacred the women and children of the Varner, Caleb witnessed loss and destruction on a scale few can comprehend. As the leader of a race on the brink of extinction, his only hope for survival is gaining acceptance into the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. Struggling with new customs, he meets Tabitha, a woman who challenges his limits. 

Refused the right to join the king’s guard because of her gender, Tabitha must be stronger than the men to prove she deserves to be the first accepted female Warrior in the kingdom. She believes Caleb will help improve her abilities, until she learns her goals conflict with the foundation of his culture. 

When the realm is attacked, Tabitha and Caleb must come together not only to fight, but to find the strength to win against an evil with the potential to destroy everything they revere most--including each other. 

Add DENIED as To-Read on GoodReads! 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13646204-denied 

Author Bio:

Kinley Baker is the author of the fantasy romance novel, Ruined. She read her first romance at the age of thirteen and immediately fell in love with the hero and the genre. She lives with her husband and her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. As a firm supporter of all supernatural lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. You can find Kinley at www.kinleybaker.com

Also don't forget to check out the first book in the series, Ruined.

RUINED: Shadowed Love Book One

By Kinley Baker

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

BLURB:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

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Review: Summer Days by Susan Mallery

Title: Summer Days
Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Book Seven in the Fool's Gold Series
Published By: HQN Books (May 29, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to – the Castle Ranch in Fool’s Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could’ve prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he’s finding Heidi – and life as a cowboy – much more compelling than he wants to admit. For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she’s always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won’t give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome. As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they’ll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

My Review: 

Let me start off by saying that I love Mallery's work. Her books are so heartwarming and the characters are compeltely memorable and real.

Some of my favorite books by her are from the Fool's Gold series, I just love the town and the people and the whole atmosphere.

So I jumped at the chance to read and review her 7th book in the series Summer Days. 
Thankfully this one was just as good as some of her others in the series and did not disappoint at all.

Heidi was feisty and such a fun character. I really liked her. She was sweet and caring and fierce in her devotion.

Rafe was actually pretty great too, maybe not one of my favorites but I did love his loyalty to those he loved and the devotion and love he had for his mom. And when he did love, it was pretty great.

I have to say though that this book might have been stolen away by some of the secondary characters. Charlie was her fabulous self and Shane was pretty fantastic too. Annabelle, the mayor. Okay, really the whole town. I love seeing the characters from previous books and getting small glimpses into their lives. It is like being able to visit an old friend and catch up with them.

If you haven't tried any of Mallery's book you really need to. They are perfect for the summer. Sweet, heartwarming, real and just, well, all kinds of wonderful.

 

Review: My Boyfriend Merlin by Priya Ardis

Title: My Boyfriend Merlin
Author: Priya Ardis
Series: Book One in the My Merlin Series (currently two books in the series)
Published By: Ink Lion Books (November 21, 2011)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:

 If you can't trust your boyfriend, who can you trust?

In this modern Arthurian, 17-year-old nice girl Arriane, aka Ryan, DuLac just found out her badass biker boyfriend, Matt, is a little older than he was letting on. By a few eons.

In fact, he is really Merlin--the Merlin, King Arthur's Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever lived. But Ryan's not impressed. Tired of being a relationship loser, she'd rather kick his legendary behind.

Sure, the world has been crazy ever since the sword and the stone fell out of the sky like a meteor. But despite gruesome gargoyles, a new world of magic, and the guy driving her crazy, Ryan knows that family is everything. Will Merlin sacrifice hers to save the world? Will she be able to stop him?

My Review: 

I wouldn't be doing the book justice if I didn't first mention how amazing I think the cover of it is. It is just gorgeous!

Since first watching the Disney version of Sword in the Stone I have been fascinated with King Arthur. Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere. So as you can imagine, I was super happy when I was asked if I wanted to read the first book in the My Merlin Series. I jumped at the chance in fact.

The synopsis sounded like it was going to be such a fun read and thankfully, it didn't disappoint.

This book had nonstop action right from the start. You are immediately sucked into the story and drawn to Merlin. Not only is he got the slightly bad boy vibe going on but then we get to meet his even badder (okay I really could have come up with a better adjective there) and maybe even slightly hotter brother Vane.

We get mystery and action and magic and love and.... and, well it had a lot going on for it and I don't want to give anything away so you are just going to have to read it for yourself.

And did I mention all the wonderfully funny Happy Potter references?

I am so glad that I have the next book in the series to read because I can not wait to dive in and find out what happens next.

This was a great start to what promises to be a really fun action packed series.

Indie Book of the Week; Angela's Coven by Bruce Jenvey

So it has been a couple of weeks since I have been able to post a new book of the week due to guest posts and blog tours (which are fabulous of course), but it is nice to get back into the groove of things this week and bring you a new indie book of the week and that book this week is Angela's Coven by Bruce Jenvey.

Synopsis:

Reggie Sinclair is an aging British rock star living in New York City who has just found out he is terminally ill. He also has a very dark secret: When he was still an undiscovered teenager, he sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his great fame and success. As his life draws to an end, he prepares to face the inevitable until he stumbles upon a very enchanting, modern-day witch named Angela, and her untraditional coven.

Angela gradually introduces Reggie to her world of old school Witchcraft with its roots in alchemy and ‘natural chemistry’ dating to the Dark Ages. As their relationship grows, they devise a plan to break Reggie’s contract and save his soul.

This is a story of the struggle between good and evil with a cast of characters that ranges from guardian angels to young witches-in-training. Together, they have to come to terms with the uncertainties of love, loss, and life decisions to save Reggie from an unbearable eternity. Here is a plot filled with unexpected twists and surprises to the very last page that will also cast an entirely different light on anything you may have ever considered as faith!

My Thoughts:

 

I love a great good versus evil love story and this is definitely one of them.

Jenvey has managed to make a great story combining quite a few great aspects to make this story truly interesting. Witches, demons, Knights of the Templar, a rock star, curses, contracts, mystery. You name it, this one just might have it.

This was a very well written story that was pretty fast paced and never left you hanging. It has a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming and some truly great characters.

It was a very entertaining and fun read. There was some great humor that helped break up some of the more serious matters and I liked that about it, that no matter what, the author still managed to make this a lighthearted read.

I have heard that this is part of a series and I think it will truly be fun to see where the author goes with it next. Who will be in it and what it will be about this time around.

I would love to see some old faces again and as well as some new ones.

I am giving this one 3.5-4 Stars.

Very well done!!

Review: All These Lives by Sarah Wylie

Title: All These Lives
Author: Sarah Wylie
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (June 5, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

My Review:
 

I seldom quote passages from books I read in my reviews but I just had to with this book.

Few people know this about me but I love Ralph Waldo Emerson, I just think he has some of the best literary quotes out there. He was so wise.

So when this book started off with one of his quotes, I admit, I squeed a little inside.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

His writing is just beautiful and that one quote set my hopes even higher for how great this book was going to be. Okay, maybe that wasn't fair to do to the book(or author for that matter) but I couldn't help it.

Then I got to the prologue, one of the best prologues ever!

I would quote all of that here too but honestly, I want you to experience it for yourself, with the book in hand so I am going to restrain myself and leave it alone, but know this, it was pretty good.

So yes, by now I am getting kind of excited to read this book but then I start over analyzing it and thinking maybe I am getting too excited. Maybe that was the best it was going to get? Maybe after the prologue now I am going to disappointed with the rest of the book?

Yikes. Now I am slightly nervous to start it. What if it doesn't live up to my expectations?

What if I made too big of a deal of a single quote and a paragraph of a prologue? What now?

Do I keep reading or set it aside for awhile until the excitement wears off? Will the excitement wear off?

Might as well go for it I think. I was never one to wait around and let the world pass me by so why not?

So I dive in.

Was I wrong in thinking this would be a fantastic read? Absolutely not. In fact, it was just as good if not better than I thought it would be.

This book covers some very serious, very real issues yet the sense of humor of Dani helps to keep it in check and even make it bearable.

I really felt this read. It is one of those emotional reads that really gets under your skin and makes you think. The writing was just beautiful and I didn't want it to end. I wanted more of the story, more of their lives. More questions answered (but in a good way).

This was an amazing debut novel for Wylie and I truly hope I will be able to read another one of her books in the future.

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