Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Focus (The Crescent Chronicles, #2)
by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Expected Pub: January 2013

Book Blurb:

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

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

Goodreads Link:

• http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15781433-focus

Author Bio:

• Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. 
  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. 

Author Links:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/alyssaroseivy

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5047249.Alyssa_Rose_Ivy

Website:  http://www.alyssaroseivy.com/

Giveaway!

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Integration Blog Tour, Guest Post, Giveaway and Book Review!

Integration

Bonfire Book 2

By Imogen Rose

Second Haiku warning:

A boyfriend missing

A lover must pay in blood

A princess must die

Welcome back to Bonfire Academy.

Book Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVFSWpyCWJI

A Teaser Excerpt:

Broken. I couldn’t think of a better word to describe it. I felt as if I’d been torn to bits, maybe even shredded. I was suffocating, surrounded by a wet tightness of skin and flesh all crusted together. My body was home to excruciating stabs of pain searing about randomly before a final thrust of sheer agony. I couldn’t tell if the source of the pain was within me or if I was being repeatedly sliced open with a knife. Did it matter? I felt as though it was only a matter of seconds before my thoughts would end.

 

“Cordelia!”

My name. I flinched as the same voice repeated my name again and again. Why? Who was it? It—he—sounded familiar. I heaved as the voice triggered the memory of his face. Then, not being able to stop the bile from traveling up my throat, I gagged and purged, emptying my stomach completely. The next time he muttered my name, his voice was laced with disgust. But his revulsion couldn’t compete with my utter repugnance and disbelief at what he’d done. Him. Someone I had trusted with my life, even though the rule was clear:

Trust No One.

Guest Post:

About the Author:

Imogen Rose is the author of the bestselling series, Portal Chronicles, which has attained cult status within indie literature and become a favorite among teens and adults alike. An immunologist by profession, Dr. Rose published her first work of fiction in 2010. She now writes full time and is currently working on her second teen series, Bonfire Chronicles. Imogen was born in Sweden and has lived in several places, counting London among her favorites. She moved to New Jersey in 2001. A self-confessed Hermès addict, Imogen freely admits to being obsessed with Kurt Cobain. She enjoys shopping, traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with her family, friends, and Chihuahua.

My Thoughts and Review:

Anyone that has read my review of the first book in this series (okay I may have gotten a little fan girl with it but anyone who has read it or any of Imogen's work will know exactly why I did), Initiation, will know that I completely fell in love with Imogen's writing abilities after reading it so it was so big wonder that as soon as I finished the first book I dove right into the next. I mean after the fabulous writing of the first, how could I not?

And boy let me tell you, the prologue alone would have done me in if I hadn't already been so interested in this one. I mean, can we say page turner? Completely captivated me.

This whole book held my attention, something that I can't say happens in every book that I read.

So much happened in this story, so much was fleshed out and so much was left unsaid. I just loved it. It kept me guessing and speculation the whole way through.

I fell more in love with Faustine, Cordelia, Quinn, and Jagger and there were a quite a few new characters that were just as great as the old favorites.

Werewolves, witches, trolls, vampires, demons, wanders...oh my!

I couldn't of dreamed up a better cast of characters and supernaturals beings if I tried.

Just when I thought the writing couldn't get better or the storyline more interesting and suspenseful it does. Time and time again Ms. Rose managed to blow my mind, make my heart pound, made me smile, made me frown and kept me at the edge of my seat just purely wanting more.

The ending, well all I can say is that I think I literally gasped and went Noooooo! How could she do this to us!? Not him, never him. This changed everything!

I didn't think it was possible but Integration was better than Initiation and that in itself is saying something. I so can not wait to start Faustine!

Well done Ms. Rose!

I give this one another very solid 5 Stars!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!!

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Review: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

Title: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

Author: Rachel Harris

Series: Book One of the My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century Series

Published By: Entangled Teen (September 18, 2012)

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

Genre: YA Historical Romance

My Rating: 5 Stars!!

Goodreads Description:

 On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

My Review:

This review is hard for me because I am trying to figure out how I can express to you just how endearing and sweet this read was for me without giving anything away.

I guess the best way would be with one simple word, Lorenzo.

Lorenzo made this story. His character was just...perfect. This truly was one of the sweetest (clean) romances I have read yet this year. Everything that came out of that boy's mouth was swoon worthy. I couldn't of asked for a better male protagonist.

This story was so imaginative and simply put, the kind of book I simple devour and can't get enough of.

Not only did I fall in love with the Renaissance scenery and world Harris managed to make come to life (so much so that I felt like I was there), but the characters were all fantastic.

I loved every single one of them, even the creepy Niccolo. Aunt Francesca was such a wonderful woman and everything I would imagine a woman of the Renaissance era to be like. Many times her kind nature and words to Cat made me teary eyed. Alessandra, Uncle Marco and Cip were no different. They too were such great strong secondary characters that I couldn't help but fall in love with.

I love how much Cat grew in this book and I think she was a great character too, she seemed very real and down to earth to me and I really loved that about her.

This whole story was just very well written and executed and I loved every single minute of it. In fact I found as the story started coming to a close I was reading it slower because I just didn't want it to end. I didn't want to have to say good-bye too all the characters I felt like were friends.

I know that this will be a story that I will be thinking about long after it has ended. The characters just stay with you and leave a lasting impression.

And with the ending? Well lets just say that I am so excited! I think I even squealed a little with the prospect of another book coming! I am so excited for more of Cat and the gang!!

Bring it on Harris because I am so ready for it!

Review: Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck

Title: Tiger's Destiny
Author: Colleen Houck
Series: Book Four in the Tiger Saga
Published By: Splinter (September 4, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 5 Stars!!

Goodreads Description:
 With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling "Tiger's Curse" series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all. 

My Review:
 

I adore this series. The characters, the swoon worthy romance, the atmosphere, the unbelievable detail, the quests, all of it and this fourth book was no different. I don't know how it is possible but this series just keeps getting better and better with each new installment.

Houck never fails to be able to draw out 50 different emotions in me as I read through one of her stories, heck sometimes all within the same chapter! I can be laughing one moment, want to cry the next and then be swoony two sentences later. She is an extremely talented storyteller that can weave tales and characters that will stick with you long after the story has ended.

Thankfully Tiger's Destiny was no different, in fact so much happened in this one, it just made me love it all the more. Heck, it made me love Houck too! Where she comes up with the ideas so cleverly crafted and the poetry and lines that pop out of Ren and even Kishan's mouth just..well, it makes me a big puddle of goo.

My only complaint about this book, really isn't a complaint at all. The ARC copy didn't have the last two chapters of the story and honestly, with the way it ended, it just about killed me!

I will be buying this book as soon as it releases, heck I will be pre-ordering it and can not wait to read those last two chapters!

I want more of this series, I just can't seem to get enough of it.

One again this one deserves a very solid and very much deserved 5 (gold and blue) Stars!

Review: Blink Once by Cylin Busby

Title: Blink Once
Author: Cylin Busby
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Bloomsbury Children's (September 4, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Goodreads Description:
 West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia. She’s the girl next door—sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he’s been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia—to love her, even—certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he’s fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming.

My Review: 
 

I think this book might just have hooked me after the first few pages. I loved the slight air of mystery it had right off the bat. Not knowing exactly what was going on or even who all the characters in the story where. It had almost a dark air to it.

It was slightly disarming in a really good way. It pulled me into the story and made me want to read more to find out all I could about West and the accident and about Olivia too.

I really liked that we didn't get all those details right in the beginning of the story, it made it feel like a really good present that you had to unwrap one layer at a time to get to the surprise inside.

And just when I thought I had things finally figured out, Busby would throw in another curve ball and completely unwind everything I had thought I had woven into a nice neat package.

This story kept me on my toes, constantly trying to figure it all out and left just wanting more.

West's journey through his whole ordeal was so done so well, the nightmares, comas, dreams, even the people he talked to (and didn't really talk to) all kept so mysterious and unbelievable yet completely believable at the same time. I loved the slight paranormal aspect as well.

This whole book was a masterpiece of twists and turns and dark corridors. Nightmares and dreams, visions, of truths and half truths, of reality and make believe and I absolutely loved every minute of it.

Anything that Busby happens to write in the future will be immediately purchased by me, I loved her writing that much.

Guest Post: A Bitten Shame Blog Tour!

Bitten Shame

Book 2 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy
By Olivia Hardin

Genre:  Paranormal/ Romance

Number of pages: 232

Amazon  BN  Smashwords

Book Description:

Jill Prescott returned from self-imposed seclusion to help save her best friend Devan’s life. Throwing herself into Devan’s problems and bringing an evil organization to its knees might just be the distraction she needs to keep living without the only man she’s ever loved. Her life changed forever when she was hired to spend a week with Doc Massey.

On the day she became a vampire her youthful innocence ended, but Doc’s love rescued her from being consumed by the darkness. The shadow of that former life continues to loom over her, keeping her from realizing her own self-worth. Running from her past only brings her closer to a destiny that is inextricably connected to what she is trying to escape…

Every gift has both a reward and a price, because All of it fits…

Author Bio:

Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement.

With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she's generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.

Blog:            www.oliviahardinwriter.com

Twitter:        https://twitter.com/OliviaH_Writer

Facebook:    http://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5354958.Olivia_Hardin

Youtube Trailer:    http://youtu.be/9I0C2V6DFUQ

Guest Post! 

I had some expectations for my blog tours. Typical stuff: gain exposure, sell books, get some reviews, build a following. As I’ve reached the end of this particular tour, I’ve realized how much I’ve really gained in the process of publishing my second novel. I just needed to that the time to look around... 

 

Perhaps the most exceptionally fabulous and surprising, I made a friend. This isn’t just any friend. This is an “I will love you until the day I take my last breath” sort of friend. Recently she and I remarked that we are kindred spirits and soul sisters. It was really just a chance encounter. She read <em>Bitten Shame</em> and somehow one of my greatest wishes was fulfilled. My words, my characters, my story, touched her soul. I was humbled, ecstatic. I was also awed when I began corresponding with that beautiful lady and realized how special it truly was to be able to connect with her. I am honored that she calls me a “dear friend.”

 

When I answered a set of interview questions about a week ago I was shocked to realize there was something very important I didn’t know about my heroine, Jill Prescott. The question was simple. Who inspired Jill? No one, I told myself. She was just a complete fabrication. But the more I told myself that, the more a certain face pressed upon my mind.

 

Jill was a real person, someone I love dearly. She’s someone I’m not nearly as close to as I’d like to be. She’s someone I have the highest hopes and aspirations for and yet we cannot seem to connect. Jill is the person I believe my loved one coulda, shoulda, woulda been. Jill is the personification of my hopes for her. And though I can’t name her here, I continue to think of that lovely girl and I hope that the positive, buoyant and promising thoughts I’m sending to her might reach her soul and allow her to realize her potential.

 

So I’m waxing back and forth today, remembering that writer I was just four or five months ago and the one I am today. Ah, the journey is so sweet and for a moment I forgot to look around and enjoy it for a while.

 

~Olivia

 

Review: The Wedding Cake Girl by Anne Pfeffer!

Title: The Wedding Cake Girl
Author: Anne Pfeffer
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Bold Print Press (July 24, 2012)
Source: Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars!!

Goodreads Description:
 Seventeen year old Alexandra spends so much time helping others realize their dreams that she never has time for her own. An expert ocean diver and reluctant maker of wedding cakes, she longs to leave roses and frosting behind to study oceanography. Alex’s mother won’t have it—needy and dependent, Mom can’t run the family wedding cake business on her own.

No matter what Alex does, things only get worse for her. When she risks her life to save a tourist while scuba diving and becomes the local hero, Mom's angry with Alex for going diving at all. Mom also discourages Alex's new friendship with the insanely wealthy Jeremy, a fun boy with a secret. Then, Alex's best friend, Zack, a hunky island guy, starts to take an interest in her as well. The problem is, he's dating another girl.

As Alex struggles to learn where she stands between her two difficult and confusing Prince Charmings, it occurs to her that maybe what she really needs is a Prince Charming for Mom. If she doesn't do something, she will make cakes all her life and die in her "Sue's Wedding Cakery" apron with a spatula in her hand.

This story features a colorful island setting, dangerous underwater diving adventures,a family of billionaires, and lots and lots of buttercream. It is Alex's journey toward not only finding love, but learning how to step forward and take control of her own life, a rite of passage that faces all young readers.

Please message Anne Pfeffer if you'd like a review copy sent to you in advance of publication. You don't have to be a blogger, if you promise to just post your honest review on goodreads!

My Review:

I absolutely love coming of age stories. I love the feeling of endless love and hope that most of them have. That tomorrow will be better and each new day is just that, a new day and a new beginning.

And okay, maybe I am a sucker for the first kisses and the first loves and yes, even the first heartbreaks. There is just something about them that feels so real and makes me remember all those wonderful times in my life as well and how growing up can sometimes be painful but it can always be a heck of a lot of fun too.

Alex was a great character. I really felt for her. She had to be the grown up and the responsible one when she was at a time in her life when she should have been able to go out and have fun and be carefree.

She had hopes and dreams for herself that her mom just didn't seem to want to help her with or even believe in and it really made me all the more sad for her and even angry on her behalf.

But she doesn't let it get her down. She doesn't sit back and accept things, she goes out and she makes changes, changes to better her life and her situation. Some of them are hard and some she still doesn't have all the way figured out but the fact is she doesn't sit idly by and let life pass her by.

This really is a great coming of age story with a heroine that you will love and some really great hot guys that aren't bad themselves.

I had a hard time putting this one down and was very happy with the ending. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.