Indie Book of the Week: Hera, Queen of Gods by T.D. Thomas

It has been way too long since I have done an Indie Book of the Week so I am especially excited to be bringing you my choice of indie books this week, Hera, Queen of the Gods by T.D. Thomas!

Title: Hera, Queen of the Gods

Author: T.D. Thomas

Series: Book one in the Goddess Unbound Series

Published: October 3, 2012

Source: Copy Provided by the author (in exchange for an honest review)

Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Description: 
Hera couldn't care less what the other gods think, even when it's about her. And it often is. Frankly, Hera couldn't care less about anything, except doing her duty as queen - protecting order and defending the mortal world against any threats. But when the Fates go missing, Hera and a handful of other gods must temporarily become mortal to search the human world for the missing goddesses left Hera finds that mortality begins to change her. It's not just the loss of her divine powers. She expected that. It's deeper somehow. It's affecting how she thinks, how she feels, what's important to her. And it gets much worse after she meets Justin, who defies every prejudice she once had about mortals. At the worst possible time, and despite all her efforts, Hera's black-and-white world starts to unravel.Torn between who she's becoming and who she needs to be in order to fulfill her duty, Hera must survive a horde of murderous creatures sent to exploit her new weakness. In the end, only Hera can stop a traitorous plot conceived by a secret alliance of ancient and new enemies, a plot that threatens to destroy not only the order Hera is sworn to protect, but all of existence itself.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Thoughts and Review:

I have loved anything to do with Greek mythology since I was a little girl. I use to devour every single book I could get my hands on and quickly fell in love with the gods and goddess, good or bad, loving or hateful.

I loved their powers, their ruthlessness, their strength, even their superiority, I can't really explain why other than in most cases, under all that toughness, usually hid someone different. A side they didn't want the others to see. A side full of honor and devotion and love.

So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to read this one. Gods and goddesses coming to earth to inhabit mortals, all while searching for the missing Fates and trying to save the world? What's not to love?

Truly this had some of my most loved gods (and goddess) in it and some that I even grew to love that I didn't have an opinion of one way or the other before now. The mythical creatures in this was very well done as well. Some I recognized from previous reads and some completely new.

I really liked Hera and I admit, she was one of the few that I never really got into before, but I should have, because this girl (ahem, Queen) really rocked!

I wasn't sure whether to love Zeus or hate him. This Zeus was a great portrayal of the mischievous flirt that got around with mortal woman and continually broke Hera's heart. I wanted to be both angry and sad for her. It couldn't be easy having a husband like him, all powerful yet a total butt head as well. And of course to every bad side, there is some good too. This also did a great job portraying his softer side, like I said, it was really hard at times to decide if I liked him or not.

Justin was a great character and one that I liked immediately (I admit, I was rooting for him over Zeus). He was, in a way, Zeus' opposite. He thought before he acted. He paid attention to Hera and saw way more than he should have. He was kind, caring and had a heart of gold. He told Hera like it was whether she wanted to hear it or not and he was there for her when she needed him.

A very modern spin on mythology in general with all the trials and tribulations the gods would go through if their bodies were mortal and most of their powers were gone. It was nonstop action from the get go and I really liked that about it. It never really had a lull in the storyline explaining stuff or getting too much in detail about nonsense that you didn't really need to know or care about and I still never felt lost or confused about what was going on.

The ending, gah, that ending! It definitely left me wanting more of the story. I look forward to reading it!!

I give this one 4 Solid Stars!

Blog Tour and Book Review: Also Known As by Robin Benway

 I am so excited to be able to be a part of one of Bloombury's Blog Tours, especially this one. 

Robin Benway has created such a fun story with even better characters that really, this was a fantastic read. One that I soon won't be forgetting. 

Title: Also Know As (AKA)

Author: Robin Benway

Published By: Bloomsbury Children's (Feb. 26, 2013)

Genre: YA Contemporary 

 Book Description:

Being a 16-year-old safecracker and active-duty daughter of international spies has its moments, good and bad. Pros: Seeing the world one crime-solving adventure at a time. Having parents with super cool jobs. Cons: Never staying in one place long enough to have friends or a boyfriend. But for Maggie Silver, the biggest perk of all has been avoiding high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. Then Maggie and her parents are sent to New York for her first solo assignment, and all of that changes. She'll need to attend a private school, avoid the temptation to hack the school's security system, and befriend one aggravatingly cute Jesse Oliver to gain the essential information she needs to crack the case . . . all while trying not to blow her cover.

Purchase Links: Amazon/Barnes and Noble

About the Author:
 I wrote a book called "Audrey, Wait!" After a series of small potholder fires, I'm starting to cook again. You've been warned. Music is my boyfriend. I'm having an affair with coffee, though. I'm writing another book right now. Hi! I'm so glad you're here!

Author WebSite:  http://www.robinbenway.com/

My Thoughts and Review:

I could tell I was going to love this after the first chapter. I mean a teenage spy with a great witty sense of humor? What's not to love?

I absolutely loved Maggie. She was such a great character. Spunky and refreshing. She wasn't overly dramatic and full of teenage angst (okay maybe there was a little bit but it was so funny you actually enjoyed reading about it!). She was tough and headstrong and smart and still sometimes completely clueless about how to be a teenager.

I think I read most of this book with a huge smile on my face. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with a character before. And yeah, this wasn't really so much about being a spy as it was just about Maggie being able to be, well, Maggie.

There were fabulous secondary characters too (a must for me for any good book to have). Roux was fabulous and probably my favorite, she was so quirky and just someone I totally would pick for a friend and a partner in crime. Jesse was fabulous and completely adorable and I really loved him as well. I loved Angelo and her parents and...okay do you see a pattern here? This whole book was just...wait for it...fabulous.

The ending was great too, I really liked how the author handled it. It did all come down to the last chapters of the story but that was okay, because you know what? It worked. It worked for the characters, it worked for the storyline and it worked for me. Kind of like watching an action movie where there is all this build up and then the last 20 minutes of the movie is nonstop. Where everything is discovered and revealed and resolved.

I give this one 4 Stars!

Book Blurp Blitz: A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson and Sealed With A Curse Giveaway!

Title: A Cursed Embrace
Author: Cecy Robson
Series: Book Two in the Weird Girls Series
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Book Description:
Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twentysomething girls—with one tiny exception: They are the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that made them, well, a little weird.…
After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome.
 
To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters.

Author Bio:

Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is an author with Penguin's SIGNET ECLIPSE. She attributes her passion for story-telling back to the rough New Jersey neighborhood she was raised in. As a child, she was rarely allowed to leave the safety of her house and passed her time fantasizing about flying, fairies, and things that go bump in the night. Her dad unwittingly encouraged Cecy's creativity by kissing her goodnight wearing vampire fangs. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, she began writing her Urban Fantasy Romance Series, Weird Girls, in May 2009. THE WEIRD GIRLS: A Novella and SEALED WITH A CURSE are now available. The second novel in The Weird Girls Series, A CURSED EMBRACE, releases July 2, 2013.

 Website:               www.cecyrobson.com

Twitter:                 https://twitter.com/cecyrobson

Facebook:             http://www.facebook.com/Cecy.Robson.Author

Goodreads:           http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCecyRobsonAuthor

Purchase Links:

iTunes:                 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-cursed-embrace/id567587612?mt=11

Barnes & Noble:    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cursed-embrace-cecy-robson/1114036073?ean=9780451416742

Amazon:               http://www.amazon.com/Cursed-Embrace-Weird-Girls-Novel/dp/0451416740/ref=la_B00ATRD6B4_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361465395&sr=1-2

Giveaway:

 Cecy has generously offered to give away a signed copy of Sealed With a Curse to one lucky winner!! This is open internationally!

I absolutely LOVED this book, to see my review go HERE. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Book Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Title: Hysteria
Author:  Megan Miranda
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Walker Children's (Feb. 5, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Thriller


Book Description:
Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

Purchase Links: Amazon/B&N

About the Author:
Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.

My Thoughts and Review:
I really enjoyed Miranda's first novel Fracture so I was pretty excited to read her latest novel Hysteria.

This book was very different, not at all what I was expecting but in a good way. We get flashes back and forth from the past to the present as Mallory tries to remember the night her life changed forever, the night she killed her boyfriend.

I admit, at first, I wasn't sure if I liked Mallory all that much. She was, well slightly strange and self absorbed but all things considered, I think that was acceptable, but more than that, she almost seemed like she didn't want to remember what happened that dreadful night. Not that I can blame her I guess.

She was slightly shallow and did some things I didn't agree with. She let others determine too much the kind of person she was, how she acted and dressed and who she dated. She really wasn't her own person and while I understand peer pressure, it still bothered me. 

Even though her personality bothered me and I wasn't sure if I was going to like her at first, I did come to like her over time and I did feel for her. Her parents seemed to completely disconnect from her after the incident and that broke my heart. She really needed them to be there for her, to support her and just be by her side. I was very confused how they could treat her the way they did. Without giving anything away, thankfully that too got better as the story progressed.

I did like how everything was slowly revealed to Mallory. How her memories came back to her in bits and pieces as time went by. I liked the mystery that surrounded it and how you knew things weren't how they seemed on the surface, that there was so much more to it than what little Mallory remembered and what her friends and family told her.

The romance in this one was a little lacking for my taste and there were parts in the story that seemed to drag just a bit but overall I really did enjoy it and I am glad that I read it.

Things didn't quite turn out how I expected them to in the end but that was okay, I was fine with how it all came together.

I think overall I would give this one 3.5 Stars!

Review: The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh Talbert Moore

Title: The Truth About Letting Go
Author: Leigh Talbert Moore
Series: Companion Novel to The Truth About Faking It Series (although can be read as a stand alone)
Published: Feb. 21, 2013
Source: ARC Cop Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Contemporary
My Rating: 4 Stars!

Book Description:
Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.
Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley’s seemingly charmed shoes.
Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear—with Ashley at his side.
Jordan wants to follow his heart… But Ashley’s the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Up until now, Ashley Lockett’s followed the rules. She’s always done the right thing, played it safe, gone to church. Then her ideal life is torn apart when her dad dies suddenly.

Now she’s miserable and furious, and she makes a vow not to believe in anything. She’s on a mission to do everything opposite of how she lived before—rejecting safety, the rules, faith… 

And then she meets Jordan. 

Jordan has big dreams, he’s a great kisser, and he wants to help her through her grief. He also believes in everything Ashley now claims to hate. 

Then she meets Colt. He is not safe. And he’s ready to help Ashley fulfill her mission.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Truth-About-Letting-ebook/dp/B00BHRY07Y/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2_3FRN

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-truth-about-letting-go-leigh-talbert-moore/1046031574?ean=2940016256580

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Truth-About-Letting-Go/book-cYPU8r142Eu0qqwLF3URQA/page1.html?s=gJIoxMvalEKyLWUdhTeuXA&r=2

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-truth-about-letting-go/id604565709?ls=1

My Thoughts and Review:

This book....this book was amazing and even now, I get all chocked up just thinking about it. It might have torn my heart in two.

I absolutely loved Ashley. I felt for Ashley, my heart ached for her. I am a complete Daddy's girl, so this book just about killed me while reading it and feeling all the feelings I could imagine Ashley was going through.

I wanted to reach through the pages, grab Ashley and just give her the biggest hug imaginable and never let go. I felt her sadness, her despair, her anguish and I felt her heart breaking into tiny little pieces over and over again. I wanted to help her pick them up and let her know that it was going to be okay. That what she was feeling was okay.

Jordan. Oh how I loved him. I think I will just leave it at that. I loved him. He was great for Ashley. I wanted her to be with him so bad, I truly was rooting for him from the moment he dropped his books and got all flustered looking at her. He was the sweetest thing.

Colt. What can I say about the hot bad boy that was all wrong for Ashley? Really, I couldn't help it, I sort of liked him despite his bad boy self. He wasn't a typical bad boy, he was really bad but, in the end, he showed a side of himself that redeemed him a little in my eyes. I couldn't help but smile when thinking about him towards the end. I would actually love for him to have his own story. I think it would be really interesting. I would love to get that look deeper into him, I just know there is so much more there.

This book did have some religious aspects in it, nothing too preachy which I appreciated but still, it is there. With a book about death and letting go, it is sort of hard to not bring it up in one form or another. But I think even those that don't love religious talk of any kind, will be okay with this read.

It really was a heartfelt emotional read. One filled with great characters and some pretty deep messages about forgetting, letting go and moving on.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cover Reveal: Imaginable by J. Meyers

Title: Imaginable
Author: J. Meyers
Series: Book Two in the Intangible Series
Expected Pub Date: April 2013
Genre: Ya Paranormal/Fantasy

Book Description:

Twins Sera and Luke Raine’s unusual abilities are growing. Sera is healing vampires now, making them human again. And, at times, Luke can actually change the future he Sees.

 But Sera’s healing has dangerous consequences, and though Luke is altering the outcome of more visions, he can’t control them yet.

 Now Sera is in danger as the dark creatures of the Realm seek to use her. As Luke struggles to master his gift in order to save his sister, he discovers even more about his powers.

 And what he learns just may put him in greater danger than Sera has ever been.

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. Intangible is her first novel.

Get on the Mailing List!

You know, the wonderful people on J. Meyers’ New Release Mailing List are the first to find out when a new book comes out. If you’d like to join them, sign up here. She won’t ever share your address, and will only email you when a book has been released or is newly available.

I can't tell you guys how excited I am for this release and look at that cover!! It is gorgeous! Good thing April is just around the corner!

Blog Tour and Book Review: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Title: Dance of Shadows

Author: Yelena Black

Series: Book One in the Dance of Shadows Series

Published By; Bloomsbury (Feb. 12, 2013)

Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Description:

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . 

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed.

Purchase Links: Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Yelena Black is a recent MFA graduate of Columbia University. She currently resides in New York City and is a full-time writer. She has a keen interest in dance and all things devilish.

My Thoughts and Review:

I never expected this to be so deliciously dark and mysterious. It was a very pleasant surprise.

This tale filled with beautiful writing and overshadowing left me completely enthralled.

Black did a wonderful job sucking the reader right into the dark life of the New York Ballet Academy (NYBA) while also betraying the wonderful beauty of the actual dance itself.

One filled with exhausting training, brutal instructors, unmentionable pain and a dance that might very well be cursed. Not to mention the secrets and lies hidden within the very shadows of the walls around them.

Really this was a really interesting story. The author did a fabulous job of making me feel like I was right there with Vanessa experiencing the pains and trials that go with being a dancer. I liked the fast friendships (and enemies) that formed and really enjoyed the darker side of the story and the mystery surrounding the disappearances of the lead ballerinas of past, including a new disappearance from Vanessa's group of friends.

I have to say there were some twists in this one I didn't see coming. I didn't like all of them or know exactly where the author will be going with them in the next book but they were nice. Nice in the fact that I didn't exactly see them coming and that I don't know where they will lead.

There were a few things that bothered me about the storyline though that I do feel I need to mention. We know that Vanessa is there to research her sister's disappearance and we know that she wants answers, yet very little of the book is actual focused on Vanessa doing any kind of research or trying to find out those answers. Instead the opposite seems to happen. She seems to get caught up in the world and performance of The Firebird and starts to wonder why she ever suspected anything bad happening even though lots of strange things are still happening around her. There are people she should be questioning and things she should be seeing and yet she sort of puts a blind eye to it all.

I don't know, that sat a little wrong with me. Why be there at all then?

It also seemed as if the story dragged a little in the middle with nothing new really happening. In fact, most of the action happened within the last 50 pages or so, again, not so much a bad thing as just I wish more would have happened during the whole story to keep me really wanting to turn the pages. I was so caught up in the first 30% of the story that I was a little let down by the slow middle and then again turning the pages for the last 30% percent.

Overall this was definitely an original storyline and one that I think shows promise although, I have no idea where the next book will lead. But, then again, maybe that isn't a bad thing. Maybe that only means way more twists and turns will be coming and way more adventure is ahead.

I give this one 3 Solid Stars!

Author Interview and Book Review: A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Title: A Shade of Vampire
Author: Bella Forrest
Series: Book One
Published: December 14, 2012
Source: Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Book Description:

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.
A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. 
She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.
An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. 
Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. 
Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.
Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

About The Author:
I've been telling stories pretty much since I could talk. Instead of having my parents read me bed-time stories, I would prefer to share with them my own made up tales.

As I grew older, I developed a passion for the fantasy genre, but more specifically vampires.

I had my first idea for a novel when I was sixteen, and haven't really stopped since.

My debut novel, A Shade of Vampire, was released on December 14, 2012.
The book quickly became a Number 1 Christmas Bestseller in Vampire Romance, Paranormal and Fantasy on Amazon.

If you sign up for personal email updates from me here: www.forrestbooks.com ,
you'll be the first to hear about my new releases.

I'd also love to meet you on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashadeofvampire
Or Twitter: www.twitter.com/AShadeOfVampire

Why the paranormal genre?

Because I personally find the paranormal/fantasy genre the most fun to write. I have quite a vivid imagination, so I love being able to let it run wild without the constraints of reality.

Whom or what would you say was your inspiration to first become a writer?

I get asked this question a lot, but I honestly can’t remember an initial inspiration. I’ve always written pretty much since I could hold a pen.

If you could be any paranormal being what would you choose and why?

I’d want to be something that could fly and wasn’t hideously ugly.

Cookies or ice cream?

Damn! Why do I have to make this choice … cookie-flavored ice cream.

Spring or autumn?

Spring.

Time traveling, yeah or nay?

Yeah, why not?

What are you currently working on?

The sequel to A Shade of Vampire.

E-books, hardback or paperbacks?

Nothing like a good old hardback.

Favorite author?

I adore too many authors. I don’t have a favorite, but two of my favorites are Jane Austen and JK Rowling.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

I’d love to visit New Zealand. (Probably a sign that I’ve watched The Lord of The Rings too many times).

LINKS:

1) A Shade of Vampire available now from Amazon:

USA, paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Shade-Of-Vampire-Bella-Forrest/dp/1481280767

USA, eBook: http://www.amazon.com/A-Shade-Of-Vampire-ebook/dp/B00AOHDMFE

UK, paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shade-Of-Vampire-Bella-Forrest/dp/1481280767

UK, eBook: http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Shade-Of-Vampire-ebook/dp/B00AOHDMFE

2) Connect with Bella:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashadeofvampire

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AShadeOfVampire

Blog: http://bellaforrest.blogspot.com

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/17158457-a-shade-of-vampire

Sign up for personal updates: www.forrestbooks.com

My Thoughts and Review on A Shade of Vampire:

I never know what to expect from an author that I haven't read from before. Sometimes you get a favorite and sometimes not, but, that is the fun in trying new things. To maybe discover something that you normally wouldn't have.

I can say that I am truly pleased with this author. Not only was this short story very well written but the storyline flowed very nicely as well.

It is really hard to come up with something new and unique when it comes to vampires. Lets face it, most of it has been done before and usually done to death. And while I wouldn't say this was unique when it comes to vamps, I would say that the concept of the Blood Shade is definitely original and kept my interest.

This was pretty short, just under 150 pages so we really don't get a whole lot of world building but we do get a great idea of what the Shade is like and a pretty good feel for the characters.

This ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger and really made me wish the next book was out because I found myself rooting for Derek and Sophia and really wanted to see them together. I would definitely pick up book two to find out what happens next.

I give this one 3 Stars!