Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Overview:

Sky, a senior in high school, meets Dean Holder, a guy with a promiscuous reputation that rivals her own. From their very first encounter, he terrifies and captivates her. Something about him sparks memories of her deeply troubled past, a time she’s tried so hard to bury. Though Sky is determined to stay far away from him, his unwavering pursuit and enigmatic smile break down her defenses and the intensity of the bond between them grows. But the mysterious Holder has been keeping secrets of his own, and once they are revealed, Sky is changed forever and her ability to trust may be a casualty of the truth.
Only by courageously facing the stark revelations can Sky and Holder hope to heal their emotional scars and find a way to live and love without boundaries. Hopeless is a novel that will leave you breathless, entranced, and remembering your own first love.





Sarah's Review:
Wow! Wow! Wow! What an amazing book! I seriously couldn't get enough of this book! Holder may have just taken Edward Cullen's place in my heart. I don't think I will be able to start another book until I'm done with the hangover of this one. It was an easy book to follow with all the different twists and turns that were thrown in there. Not once did I have to go back and re-read a part to figure out what just went on. I can't wait to read the next book for this series and her other books she wrote. Colleen Hoover may have gotten a new stalker, I mean fan. This was a completely mind blowing wonderful book.


I received this ARC from Netgalley/Atria Books.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

August Online Book Club Giveaway

On August 17th, 2013 from 11:00am to 1:00pm CST we will be discussing For Darkness Shows The Stars by Diana Peterfreund for our Monthly Online Book Club. You can find more details about this event and future months here or check out our events tab on our facebook page.

We hope to see you there.

Book Overview: It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen's PersuasionFor Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.


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Box Of Books Giveaway

Since I currently have books coming out of my ears, not literally but you know what I mean, I am giving away a box of books to one lucky follower. The box of books are all paperback and new. There is one book which is an autographed copy and two advanced reading copies. I will also be tossing in some swag which I collected from the RT Convention and BEA. Good luck to all that enter.


The box of books includes:

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New Releases for June 18th





 Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan

Emma’s struggle with an abusive home life came to a heart pounding conclusion in the final chapters of Reason to Breathe. Now everyone in Weslyn knows Emma’s secret, but Carol can’t hurt Emma anymore. Some are still haunted by the horror of that night, and some must face the repercussions of their choices. Fans of Rebecca Donovan’s debut novel will discover there’s still much to learn about Emma’s life.


 Boy21 by Matthew Quick

Basketball has always been an escape for Finley. He lives in broken-down Bellmont, a town ruled by the Irish mob, drugs, violence, and racially charged rivalries. At home, his dad works nights, and Finley is left to take care of his disabled grandfather alone. He's always dreamed of getting out someday, but until he can, putting on that number 21 jersey makes everything seem okay.

Russ has just moved to the neighborhood, and the life of this teen basketball phenom has been turned upside down by tragedy. Cut off from everyone he knows, he won't pick up a basketball, but answers only to the name Boy21—taken from his former jersey number.

As their final year of high school brings these two boys together, a unique friendship may turn out to be the answer they both need.


 Star Cursed (The Cahill Witch Chronicles Series #2) by Jessica Spotswood

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.


 The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

When fourteen-year-old Irene Sauvelle moves with her family to Cape House on the coast of Normandy, she's immediately taken by the beauty of the place—its expansive cliffs, coasts, and harbors. There, she meets a local boy named Ishmael, and the two soon fall in love. But a dark mystery is about to unfold, involving a reclusive toymaker who lives in a gigantic mansion filled with mechanical beings and shadows of the past.

As strange lights shine through the fog surrounding a small, barren island, Irene's younger brother dreams of a dark creature hidden deep in the forest. And when a young girl is found murdered, her body at the end of a path torn through the woods by a monstrous, inhuman force, Irene and Ishmael wonder—has a demonic presence been unleashed on the inhabitants of Cape House? Together, they'll have to survive the most terrifying summer of their lives, as they try to piece together the many mysteries and secrets hidden in a town torn apart by tragedy, amidst a labyrinth of lights and shadows.


 Proxy by Alex London

Knox was born into one of the City's wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.


 Tarnish by Katherine Longshore

Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court—and to convince the whole court they’re lovers—she accepts. Before long, Anne’s popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice—but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart's desire and the chance to make history.


 Venom by Fiona Paul

Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut

Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman—with a bloody X carved across her heart—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of secret societies, courtesans, and killers. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a poor artist with a mischievous grin . . . and a habit of getting into trouble. Will Cassandra find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, romance, and mystery weave together in a novel that’s as seductive and stunning as the city of Venice itself.


 The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.



 Sovereign by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

Nine years after Rom Sebastian was thrust into the most unlikely of circumstances as hero and bearer of an unimaginable secret, the alliance of his followers is in disarray. An epic battle with The Order has left them scattered and deeply divided both in strategy and resolve in their struggle to become truly alive and free.

Only 49 truly alive followers remain loyal to Rom. This meager band must fight for survival as The Order is focused on their total annihilation. Misunderstood and despised, their journey will be one of desperation against a new, more intensely evil Order. As the hand of this evil is raised to strike and destroy them they must rely on their faith in the abiding power of love to overcome all and lead them to sovereignty.

SOVEREIGN wonderfully continues the new testament allegory that was introduced in FORBIDDEN and continued in MORTAL.


Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

When immortal warlock Magnus Bane attends preliminary peace talks between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders in Victorian London, he is charmed by two very different people: the vampire Camille Belcourt and the young Shadowhunter, Edmund Herondale. Will winning hearts mean choosing sides?

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Author Spotlight/Interview: Sangu Mandanna


Bio.: Sangu Mandanna was four years old when she was chased by an elephant and wrote her first story about it and decided that this was what she wanted to do with her life. Seventeen years later, she read Frankenstein. It sent her into a writing frenzy that became THE LOST GIRL, a novel about death and love and the tie that binds the two together. Sangu now lives in England with her husband and son.

Follow Sangu: WebsiteTwitterFacebookGoodreads



Interview With Sangu Mandanna

What are your must-have accessories while writing?

--My Macbook! Or any laptop, really. I do sometimes do a little bit of writing on my phone, but I can't really get into it unless I'm working on the laptop. I've never been able to write for long on paper, either. I normally also need my phone close at hand so that I can flick quickly between music, Evernote where I store a lot of my notes, and the Word document open on my Mac. I'm apparently a very technologically needy writer!

Do you have a playlist you listen to while writing? If so, what were some songs while writing The Lost Girl?

--I do have a playlist for every project I work on. Sometimes songs overlap because they're just very writing-friendly in general, but mostly the music is specific to the book in some way (an appropriate melody or really fitting lyrics or something like that). A couple of songs on the LOST GIRL playlist were Coldplay's 'Fix You', 'Set the Fire to the Third Bar' by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright, and 'White Blank Page' by Mumford & Sons.

What's a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

--I'm not as disciplined as I should be, so I don't set a specific daily goal - it's usually something along the lines of I'd like to finish this chapter today or I've got to finish this scene. A typical working day starts at about 1pm, for short bursts at sporadic intervals (usually because I'm working around my toddler's routine!), and goes on until about midnight when I will either call it a day or work for a long solid stretch until about 4am. I used to write at my desk, always, but these days I write on the sofa, in bed, on the floor - anywhere and any time, really!

What advice would you give anyone who wanted to be an author?

--It's a bit of a cliche, but never, ever give up. Honestly. This is a hard kind of thing to do. You're always going to be rejected and you're always going to feel like it's too much work and heartache and it's just not worth it. But it is. If this is what you love, stick to it and never give up. It will be worth it. (Oh, and be nice to people! Publishing is a small world and no one wants to be known as the rude, arrogant jerk who thinks he or she is better than everyone else.)

What books have most influenced your life most?

--It's really hard to answer that, because every time I fall in love with a book I feel like it's had a huge impact on my life! I suppose a few of my most favourite favourites are the Harry Potter books - reading those books and waiting for the next ones was such a huge part of my life for about ten years and I feel like they shaped me in a lot of ways - and of course in some ways Frankenstein had a huge influence on me because it inspired THE LOST GIRL!

Which two words best describes The Lost Girl?

--Heartbreaking, eerie.

What was your inspiration for The Lost Girl?

--Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It put all kinds of ideas into my head about stitching together a human being, and the nature of a monster, and what makes us human. All those things wound up being the heart of THE LOST GIRL and Eva's story.

Did you put anything about yourself into Eva's character?

--I didn't consciously do so, no! When Eva appeared in my head, she was her own person and I never really had a say in what she's like or how she behaves. But she did appear in my head and I suppose that means a part of me is in her character - in all my characters! In Eva's case I suppose the greatest similarity would be that we're both very stubborn and stick to our guns even when - ahem - we probably shouldn't!

Would you want an echo for yourself or someone close to you?

--That's tricky one! I don't think I would, not when echoes are replacements and not the same thing, though I can understand why someone would want one. But echoes are supposed to be spare bodies, vessels for the soul to shift to after death, and in those circumstances an echo would be a second chance. I'd want that. I shouldn't, I suppose, but having lost someone I love I think it's very tempting to take anything that means you can get someone you love back.

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

--You know, I don't think I have any questions that I've never been asked! Interviewers tend to be awesome that way and always ask the best questions.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

--At the moment I'm working on a darkish fantasy about a girl who wants to find her mother's lost memories and punish the thief that stole them and, in the course of doing so, becomes something that gives a city hope. It's not finished and it's not official and unfortunately it's in no fit state for me to share anything from it - but I'm loving working on it!

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

--Thank you. Not just to those of you who have read or plan to read my book, but to those of who you have read this interview and made it all the way through! Thank you for all your support and enthusiasm, it means the world to me. (And thank you, Lisa, for having me here!)




Book Description:
Eva's life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination - an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her 'other', if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it's like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she's ever known - the guardians who raised her, the boy she's forbidden to love - to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.


Review by Lisa: Loved this book! This is definitely an emotionally charged dystopian book that plays on real life issues, of seeking your identity and places this issue with a moral conflict. The writing was superb. The emotions which were portrayed not only the main character Eva, but with all the characters, were so real and raw. This is definitely a book that will stick with me for years to come.

Review by Sarah: Very interesting book! I was a little lost in the first chapter or so but the story came together and it was amazing!




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Thursday, June 13, 2013

Author Spotlight/Guest Post: Grace Burrowes


Bio: Grace Burrowes grew up in central Pennsylvania and is the sixth out of seven children. She discovered romance novels when in junior high (back when there was a such a thing), and has been reading them voraciously ever since. Grace has a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a Bachelor of Music in Music History, (both from The Pennsylvania State University); a Master's Degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University; and a Juris Doctor from The National Law Center at The George Washington University. Her debut novel, The Heir was chosen as a Publishers Weekly Top Five Romances for 2010, and is the first in an eight-sibling historical romance series published by Sourcebooks Casablanca.

Follow Grace: FacebookTwitterWebsiteGoodreads


Guest Post

Why Scotland is a Perfect Romance Novel

I’m headed back to Scotland later this year if all goes according to plan, this time with a tour that travels from one folk music pub/site-seeing destination to another. I’ve chosen this tour because it’s small, once upon a time I obtained a degree in music history, and I don’t think I could manage driving on the other side of the road myself if I were driving from pub to pub (or even from museum to museum).

Then too, on my previous trips, I’ve been privileged to take in much of Edinburgh, a lovely, lovely city chock full of history and personality. I traveled up the coast to Aberdeen, too, and then spent a week writing in a cottage on grounds at Balmoral Castle. I’ve seen Her Majesty headed off to church, traveled both sides of the River Dee, and tramped all around the royal policies in the long, sweet hours of early summer gloaming.

Balmoral Castle 
But how do you really get to know a country?

By spending time with the people, I think, the same as—for me—a romance novel is driven by its characters. The setting is important—what would Scotland be with its majestic peaks, cozy pubs, lochs, and sea coast?—and the dramatic events also carry great weight.

Coo
If I have a the hero search frantically for his niece’s lost bunny, that sets a different tone than if he’s bent on revenge for wrongs committed during a war. (An interesting book might make him choose between those two, now that I think of it…).

Similarly, Scotland’s character is in part defined by its history—the wars; the clearances; the brilliance in science and industrial innovation; the immigration; the Uniting of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland that took place under a Scottish monarch. But what becomes of Scotland today depends on her people and the choices they make now.

So too, does a romance novel’s pacing and plot depend on the choices the characters make—or dodge. My hero in the foregoing story might see that he’s facing a choice between being useful to his loved ones (and the bunny), or remaining mired in the violent past. He might send minions to find the bunny, or minions to go after his enemy. He might find the bunny then seek justice. He might confront his past unexpectedly while pursuing the bunny, his lady by his side.

The entire book depends on his choices.

When I go to Scotland, I’ll be sampling the whisky, admiring the scenery, and learning more of the country’s history and culture, but mostly, I’ll use my time to learn just a little bit more about her characters—I mean, her people.
Sean Connery
What characters have been most memorable to you? Did the author use their nationality to help shape their character? To one commenter, we’ll give a signed copy of “The Bridegroom Wore Plaid,” AND a NOOK HD e-reader.


 
Book Overview: 
HIS FAMILY OR HIS HEART--ONE OF THEM WILL BE BETRAYED...

Ian MacGregor is wooing a woman who's wrong for him in every way. As the new Earl of Balfour, though, he must marry an English heiress to repair the family fortunes.

But in his intended's penniless chaperone, Augusta, Ian is finding everything he's ever wanted in a wife.



GIVEAWAY TIME! Thank you so much Grace for your awesome donations and the awesome guest post. 


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A Night With Some Fierce Reads Authors

On Wednesday June 5th I made the drive across town for the Fierce Reads Book Tour that stopped here in Las Vegas. On the panel was Anna Banks (Of Poseidon), Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone), Jessica Brody (Unremembered) and Emmy Laybourne (Monument 14).




It was such a great panel to listen to them talk.  They talked about what inspires them to write, what inspired their books and how the see themselves as writers.

I asked them, "What do they do to get out of the funk of writers block."  Some had normal answers about centering themselves, to it's just a mental thing and they avoid that kind of negativity in their minds.  And then there was Anna Banks answer.  Which was very graphic and funny because she calls it, "Writers Constipation." I think there might have been a few gasps between the silence when she was describing her "writers block." But she was so funny talking about it and how she could fix it.  When you let a shy silent type talk they give amazing answers. lol

These ladies did a great job answering every one's questions and interacting with themselves along with the audience.




Make sure you enter to win some swag I picked up at this event.

 
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