Current Giveaways

Click on the book cover to head over to the giveaway page for these books! None right now :)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Book News! (Kindle/Nook Alerts, Cover Reveals, etc.)

Just wanted to pop in and share some excited book news with you all! Firstly, the cover for If I Die by Rachel Vincent has been revealed! She posted it on her blog. I think it's beautiful, and can't wait to get my hands on it!


Secondly, one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray is available on Kindle for $0.99!!! This offer will not last long, so get it while you can!

ALSO! Even more amazing is that, for the first time ever, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is finally available on the Nook for $0.99 as well! I'm so happy about this, as I'm a Nook user, and I've been dying to have it on there! Again, the 99 cents won't last long (Ramona was going to bring it up after a week, but I talked her into a month!) so get it fast!



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Blogging Break!

Hello my lovely followers!

I just wanted to let you know that I will not be posting anything from today forward until June 1st. I realized that with all the craziness going on in my life right now, I've neglected reading. So, I'm taking a month off from blogging to read some great books, and then come back fresh with oodles of reviews and such. I promise, I'll be back June 1st on the dot. :)

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CONTACT ME! PLEASE READ!
I WILL be answering emails. If you need to get in touch with me, please, email me at lolitamuse9@gmail.com.

(Even though I will be on break, if something of great importance comes up, I will post about it. But for now, see you in June!)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

WINNER of the 400 Follower Giveaway!

I hosted a giveaway of I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder in celebration of reaching 400 followers, and now we have a winner!

And the winner is...

zombie girrrl

Congrats! I'll be sending the book out soon. :) Thank you for entering, and thank you to everyone else who entered the giveaway! For those who didn't win, trust me, there are many more giveaways coming soon. :)

Monday, April 18, 2011

Character Interview: Ryder and Lucian from Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale

First of all, hello boys! Glad to have you join me on the blog! Okay, onto the questions:
This one for Ryder. Describe the first thing you thought of Lily the first time you saw her. Did you somehow know that she would be the one? Was it love at first sight?

Hi Ashley. Thank you for having ... um (slants Lucian a disparaging glance) us over. (Smiles at me) Um, yeah, it was pretty much like you said, love at first sight. You see, Lily had been away for almost a year, looking after her sick aunt down in the south, and we hadn’t met yet. During that year I proposed to her sister —

(Lucian snorts, rolling his eyes. Ryder pauses) And what is your problem? (he asks Lucian)

Do you ever wonder how it might’ve been like if you had just married your fiancĂ©e?
(Lucian asks, smirking)

Ryder ignores him, turning back to me. As I was saying, yeah ... She came back home, we were introduced, I took one look at her, and I knew we were all in deep trouble. (He smiles) Turns out I was right.

Lucian, why are you such a jerk? More importantly, why are you such a hot jerk? If it doesn’t work out with Lily, (which I have a sneaking suspicion it won’t), I’m totally free. Call me anytime. ;-)

(Lucian turns on the charm faucet and bats his really long, eyelashes at me) Tsk, tsk, tsk... (shakes his head) Ashley, sweetheart, don’t you know anything? (Um, no, not really, when he looks at me like that) I’m hot because I’m a celestial being, pet. (Shrugs indifferently) But, I’m only half celestial, hence the jerk part. Besides, (fixes his eyes on me and, OMG, he is sooo hot!) girls don’t mind hot jerks (he’s almost whispering now. And still staring at me) You don’t mind I’m a jerk, now, do you? (Help! Air! Finally breaks eye contact, shrugging again. Phew!) You’re too much of a good girl for me, pet. (Grins playfully) You wouldn’t know what to do with me.

This next question is for the both Ryder and Lucian. How does it feel knowing that both of you are in love with the same girl?

(They both speak at the same time) Ryder: “I don’t care.” Lucian: “It sucks.” (They glare at each other) Ryder adds, “It doesn’t matter, Ashley. Lily made her choice.” (He smiles, sweet and warm.)

Lucian hisses, “Sometimes, piddling meat, minds are only made up to be changed.”

Ryder smiles confidently, “Then it’s too bad that Michael sent you to gaga land and threw away the key, isn’t it?” (Lucian looks like he’s ready to do some damage, so I have to intervene)

Lucian, if you could become a human, would you? Why?

You mean, would I give up my angelic powers to be with Lily? (Talk about being direct! And again ... with the intense eye contact) In a heartbeat. For any other reason? Not in a million years. Humans are (he grimaces, then points at Ryder) well, they’re like him (he says dismissively. Ryder just shakes his head)

Ryder, if somehow Lily never came back again, would you find someone else to love?

Honestly, I don’t think I’d be anywhere in this world if Lily wasn’t a part of it. I was born to love her. You know what I mean? (Oh, my knees are so weak!)

All right boys, our time is almost up, so I have one more question: Do you think, assuming the circumstances were different, the two of you might not hate each other so much?

(Again they both answer at the same time.) Ryder: “Not a chance!” Lucian: “Sure. I could always hate his guts more.” (They’re glaring again and I think I’ll go because the tension in this room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Bye now.)

________________________________________________________

Thank you SO MUCH to Ryder and Lucian for stopping by, and to Ramona for, well, for being her. :)))



Where to find Ramona:

About Ramona Wray
I was brought up in Romania by my grandparents, a couple of fantastic storytellers who filled my childhood with magic and stories about witches (vrajitoare), vampires (vampiri), fairies (iele or zane) and so much more. I grew up with a strong sense of the supernatural and from that to sitting down at a desk and crafting my own fantastic tales was only a small step, which I took early. I wrote poetry, even a few novels, short stories and essays, some of which occasionally appeared in the local newspapers. 



The fall of the Communist bloc in 1989 brought about a great deal of change in Romania. To this day, the younger generations have welcomed and continue to welcome the opportunity to work and live abroad. It was what I chose for myself as well. 


Ten years later, I'm married, mother to one little boy and currently living in Plymouth. For the past decade I lived in a few places, traveled to a few others, and learned, and adapted, all the while searching for a place to fit in. There has been a lot of change, but the important things stayed the same. They usually do...I never stopped writing, no matter where I went or what I did. Switching from Romanian to English has taken some time, but today I couldn't even imagine going back. It's important to chase our dreams, no matter what stands in the way, and the only way to do it is by moving forward. Always forward. 



I read, write (and sometimes even breathe) YA fiction and my own contribution to the genre comes in a blend of romance, paranormal, and thriller. My first published novel, Hex, a witch & angel tale, is both a supernatural romance and a mystery. 


What I love: books (I read at least one every week), languages (I speak a few), ballet (and ballroom dancing, and any other kind of dancing with the exception of Russian Kazachok which, as it turns out, can result in serious injuries), vampires (as any other respectable Romanian) and pie (to make, eat and share). 
What I'm grateful for: my soft-spoken husband, my beautiful son, my loving family, my wonderful friends from all over the world and for being alive.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

In My Mailbox (26)/ Q&A with My Hamster, Jasper

Since I had a suckish IMM this week (only 1 book) I decided to make up for it by bringing Jasper back in front of the camera. Beware, when Jasper and I get together, insane things happen. I have a Q & A session with him, in which some frightening things are revealed about everyone's favorite hamster!




Book:
Stay by C.C. Jackson

In all seriousness, comment with any book related questions you may have for Jasper! He will be more than happy to answer them!

That's all for this week, my delicious blueberries. Let me know what you got in the mailbox!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

What A Blogger Gets: Friendship


I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while, but I never really came up with the right words to say. But, here it is.

Being a dedicated blogger comes with mountains of responsibilities, lots of controversy and stress, and sometimes it can seem overwhelming. There have been several times that I’ve almost said “Screw this, I don’t want to deal with this shit.”

But then that one things happens that completely turns everything around, and it makes me thankful everyday for blogging, and for continuing to blog. If it hasn’t happened yet, trust me, it will.

The one thing for me was this: I made a friend.

I’ve made several wonderful and fantastic new friends since I started blogging, and I love you all. :-) But there is one friend that I have made that has gone above and beyond what she started out to be. She’s become a confidant, the person I can lean on, a true friend. And that means more to me than any book I could ever read, or whatever else.  It’s a great feeling, to know that’s she’s there for me, and I will definitely be there for her, whatever it is.

I still don’t feel like this post completely articulates exactly what I want to say. I don’t think anything ever will, because how can you put friendship into words? But I just wanted to say thank you so much for being my friend. 

Review: Revealers by Amanda Marrone


Author: Amanda Marrone
Pages: 268
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: YA Paranormal
Reading Level: 13 yrs old+
Dominant Themes: Witches

Witchin' ain't easy.

Jules has a rebellious streak, a massive crush on Connor, and the abilities of a Revealer witch. By day, she and her coven friends seem like typical high school seniors. By night, they have the power to make werewolves, vampires, and ghosts reveal themselves, so they can destroy them. It's not exactly cheerleading, but at least the girls know they're doing the world some good.

One by one, Jules's friends turn eighteen and are initiated into the coven's inner circle. And one by one, they are getting completely freaked out. Jules is the youngest, and though her friends are too scared tell her what's going on, something's clearly not right. As her birthday approaches, Jules realizes she's got to find out what's behind the shadows of her coven before it's too late to save her friends...and herself. But what she discovers may be too powerful for even the toughest witches to defeat.

Witches are just hocus-pocus, bippity-boppity-boo… right? Wrong. For Jules and her friends Dani, Zahara, Margo, and Sascha, being a witch is a full-time job. They’re part of a coven of Revealer witches that hunt and kill the evil creatures that lurk in the shadows of the night. The clean up crew consists of the only two male coven members, Michael and Connor. When the girls turn eighteen, they are initiated into the inner-circle of the coven, and all the secrets are revealed to them. But will they like what they hear? Jules is the youngest, and as she watches the changes in her newly-initiated friends, she begins having second thoughts on whether she truly wants to be a witch.

Meanwhile, her relationship with long-time crush Connor blossoms. But they must keep their love secret, as it’s against the rules for the girls to have relationships before the age of eighteen. But is he really what he seems? Startling revelations come to light, and the whole coven is thrown into chaos. Can Jules and her friends stop it?

As Amanda Marrone’s sophomore novel, I must say I was impressed. Revealers was a few steps up from her first novel, Uninvited, with more dynamic characters, and lots of originality. The Revealer witch idea was unique; I’ve never read about witches like that. The background to the witch coven added mystery and intrigue, and really made me enjoy the novel. These witches still retain the age-old stereotype of flying brooms and cloaks billowing in the wind, but bring a modern feel to it by having otherwise normal teenage girls hold the power. It’s fast-paced, and for once, the romance is only a minor sub-plot—very hard to find in today’s paranormal fantasy.

I admit, I could see the ending coming from a mile away, but I still enjoyed Revealers nonetheless. It was uncomplicated, but in a good way that made it easy and quick to read. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars

Friday, April 15, 2011

Review: Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

Author: Julie Chibbaro
Pages: 304
Publisher: Anetheum Books for Young Readers Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 13 years old+
Dominant Themes: Disease, Typhoid, Germs, Science


A mysterious outbreak of typhoid fever is sweeping New York.

Could the city’s future rest with its most unlikely scientist?

If Prudence Galewski is ever going to get out of Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls, she must demonstrate her refinement and charm by securing a job appropriate for a young lady. But Prudence isn’t like the other girls. She is fascinated by how the human body works and why it fails.

With a stroke of luck, she lands a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of the fever bound to change medical history. Prudence quickly learns that an inquiry of this proportion is not confined to the lab. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, she explores every potential cause of the disease. But there’s no answer in sight—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. Strangely, though, she hasn’t been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in a new scientific discovery?

Prudence is determined to find out. In a time when science is for men, she’ll have to prove to the city, and to herself, that she can help solve one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century.
Prudence has always been interested in medicine and science-- ever since her brother died. But she’s stuck in a girl’s preparatory school learning to be a prim and proper secretary. But then she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to work in the office of Health and Sanitation, and help track down diseases and stop them in their tracks.

The concept of the novel was original and intriguing, and actually made my skin crawl a little. Julie took a little piece of history and created a story from it, blending real life people with fictional ones of her own as well as tid-bits of science and medicine. I had never heard of the story of Typhoid Mary, but it seems like something awful to have lived through, especially for Mary herself. She was simply an Irish woman looking for an honest day’s work cooking for people, but little did she know that she was leaving a trail of disease and death wherever she went.

Adding to the scientific journey of uncovering the cause of Typhoid and how to stop it is a story of maturing and leaving childhood behind, as well as dealing with loss, and the wonders and sorrows of first (and unrequited) love. Prudence sees the world through much different eyes after her experience with the scientific community. She also embraces the fact that women cane be-- and are-- just as smart as men, and pursuing a career in medicine and science is a viable and completely attainable option for her.

The book is written in journals by Prudence, and the chapters aren’t too long, making this not only an entertaining read, but a relatively quick one as well. There are illustrations scattered throughout the book, supposedly drawn by --, detailing the new discoveries and interesting happenings of the day. I thought this added to the general ambiance of the novel, and made the overall reading experience much more entertaining.

The only issue I had was that I never felt any form of deep connection or understanding with any of the characters, even Prudence. Since it is told from the personal perspective of Prudence as she looks back on her day, we only get to see her point of view on certain people. I didn’t like or dislike any of the characters, I was just kind of apathetic.
Part historical fiction, part scientific mystery, Deadly is sure to be an engrossing and possibly eye opening novel. I recommend it for avid fans of historical fiction. I give this novel 3.5 stars out of 5.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Review: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen


Author: Anna Godbersen
Pages: 433
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series or Standalone: 1st in series
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 13 yrs old +
Dominant Themes: Society, Wealth, Marriage


Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn. Irresistible boys with sly smiles and dangerous intentions. White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. This is Manhattan, 1899…


Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan’s social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among the New York socialite elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth’s and Diana’s golden futures.


With the fate of the Holland’s resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city’s gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan’s most celebrated daughter disappear…

Anna Godbersen’s debut novel, The Luxe, was engaging and well written with descriptive prose and vivid imagery. The story revolves around five protagonists—Elizabeth & Diana Holland, Lina Broud, Henry Schoonmaker, and Penelope Hayes—who find themselves struggling to find love and a sense of self-confidence, while dealing with backstabbing friends and scandals at every turn in the high society of the late 19th century New York.

I didn’t get too emotionally involved with the characters, because I felt that they remained aloof and untouchable, but I did like them. Diana is my favorite, because she has a rebellious streak in here that is very ahead of her time. She’s impetuous and a rule-breaker, and I loved her. The only characters I absolutely could not bring myself to even tolerate were Penelope and Lina Broud. Those two just annoyed me.

I usually don’t read too much historical fiction, but after reading The Luxe, I certainly want to read not only more of this series, but more of the genre in general. The Luxe is a true diamond in a sea of jewels, and stands out among prominently among the rest.

Godbersen’s writing style was eloquent and flowed well, and was certainly not lacking in description. This is what, for me, set The Luxe out from other Victorian-set fiction that I’ve read. Even though at times the descriptions could be a little over-bearing, it didn’t detract too much from the novel as to make me dislike it. Although some paragraphs can be skimmed through without damaging your impression of the novel.

The cover is one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen. That dress is simply the embodiment of loveliness, and I feel that it represents the novel perfectly. Bravo do whoever designed the cover!

Overall, I enjoyed this novel very much, and am looking forward to finishing the series soon! I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Review: Swoon by Nina Malkin


Author: Nina Malkin
Pages: 421
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series or Standalone: Has a sequel
Genre: YA Paranormal
Reading Level: 15 yrs+
Dominant Themes: Revenge, Ghosts, Freaking Insanity


Sin is coming… Prepare to swoon.


Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him -- but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent -- and irresistible -- adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.


What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

Swoon is a dark and twisted tale about a girl with powers that she can’t quite control. These powers get her, and the rest of the town, into quite a bit of trouble when she gives life to a ghost who was determined to get revenge on those who wronged him centuries ago. In the chaos and insanity that ensues, Dice finds herself dangerously drawn to her all-too handsome accidental creation.

This was one of those books that will only have two extremes of reactions: total love, or utter hate. With a book dealing with the kind of  things that Swoon deals with, there really is no in-between. I personally loved it. It was breathtakingly, extraordinarily amazing. 
Much different that other paranormal books out there, Swoon will have you swooning.

Nina Malkin wrote in an interesting and lyrical way while still managing to capture the mindset of teenage girl. Dice’s voice flowed, creating a vivid and realistic narrative movie in my mind as I read. Even with the more mature elements, Nina handled them nicely by glossing over them and wording them in a, erm, gentler way.

As always, characters make or break a novel. And there is much controversy over Sin. Is he a jaded man whose pain and loss have spurred him to do these things? Or is truly off his rocker insane?  How could anyone love, or even like a psycho like that? Well, that’s the beauty of this novel. It’s up to your own interpretation how you handle Sin. I will say that I personally loved him. Even though he had did have moments of frightening craziness, he also had all-too seductive moments, as well as heart-wrenchingly sad ones. Dice was strong and level-headed most of the time, trying to do damage control. But even she was lost to the seductive charms of Sin.  Somehow, though, she managed to keep it all together. She was an endearing heroine, multi-faceted, and relatable.

I recommend Swoon to anyone looking for a thrilling and exhilarating, yet dark and alluring paranormal romance. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Review: General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn


Author: Sharon Shinn
Pages: 342
Publisher: Speak
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Fiction
Reading Level: 13 yrs old+
Dominant Themes: War, Military


The Aebrian military has infiltrated yet another country.


When seventeen-year-old heiress Averie Winston travels with her guardian to faraway Chiarrin, she looks forward to the reunion with her father, who is commanding general; seeing her handsome fiancĂ©, Morgan; and exploring the strange new country. What she finds is entirely different from what she expected. Although the Chiarizzi appear to accept the invading army, rebels have already tried to destroy them; Morgan is not the man she thought he was; and she finds herself falling in love with Lieutenant Ket Du’Kai, who himself comes from a conquered society. Can the irrepressible Averie remake herself in this new world?

A great novel that really captivated me, even if it lacked in action at times. Shinn created a beautiful world that was very believable, along with complex and deep characters. Shinn’s writing style flowed seamlessly, weaving a world plagued with war, yet seen through the eyes of the conquerer.

Sharon Shinn is a fantastic world builder. She brought to life the world of Chiarrin and its people, illustrating their customs and way of life. I could see the parallels in this novel between Shinn’s world, and our world, and that made it even more interesting to read. It was almost a ‘read between the lines’ message about our world today.

Averie was my favorite character, as she was headstrong and obstinate. Although some of her decisions were foolish and impulsive, and sometimes she was a little slow to catch the obvious, she was an enjoyable character to have her story told. We watch her come to the realization that the world around her was different than what she was used to, and what right did her country have to change that? And reading her transformation as she became aware of her surroundings, and of her true feelings for those around her, were some of the best parts of the story. Her blossoming relationship with Ket Du’Kai was my favorite aspect of the novel, mostly because I also loved him as a character.

This novel won’t appeal to everyone, though. If you’re a fan of Robin McKinley, or of high fantasy novels, you may enjoy General Winston’s Daughter. I give this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars

Monday, April 11, 2011

Author Guest Post: Ramona Wray


As part of the Hex Book Tour that I’m spearheading, author Ramona Wray is joining us today with a guest post. Here it is:
Ramona: Hi guys. Thank you, Ash, for having me, and for coming up with this brilliant idea for my guest post - Characters we love to hate and hate to love. How do you write a character like Lucian, with whom the reader both hates and loves?”
Well, for one thing, I’d say you have to have some love for bad boys (no, not the actual individuals, but the concept of someone who, essentially, is bad to the bone). I think there is a terrible beauty to a character that is absolutely, purely, 100 % either bad, or good. For a while, I did toy with the idea of making Lucian all-bad, but here’s what I think. I think perfection can be perceived as flat. I’m a hardcore reader myself, and yes, I can appreciate the aforementioned purity but, at the same time, I don’t want to read about someone I can’t identify with. Because life is far from perfect and likewise, people - good, or bad - aren’t all good, or all bad. As a reader, you want to be able to relate to the characters, even to the villains. You want to be able to follow the drive behind their actions. You want to be able to answer some questions before the writer does it for you. Reading should be a fulfilling experience, one that lets you feeling a bit smarter than the rest, a bit special, definitely inclined to read more. 
So this was my general line of thinking while I shaped and reshaped Lucian. I wanted him to live up to his status as villain but, at the same time, I tried to “flaw” his predictable halfling cruelty by adding something that would make him a little less alien in the eyes of a reader: some human touch. 
I love flaws. I love when a good guy slips up, and I definitely love the moments when a villain forgets to be the villain. Lucian was hard and manipulative, but that’s not why we love him. We love him for his Achilles’ heel. We love his arrogance because it makes his surrender to Lily that much meeker. We love his cruelty because he’s using it to defend her. We love his diabolical ways because they make him seem petty, because all his schemes only target one thing: getting the girl. And that’s what paints him human, making it possible to relate to him, regardless of his otherworldliness. 
How do you write someone like him? Essentially, you have to make his flaws, his qualities as well.  

Thanks Ramona for this awesome post!

These are the rest of the dates for the tour. Be sure to check them out!

April 18th- Call Me Crazy
April 22nd- Oktopus Ink
April 29th- Dreaming In Books
May 6th – Consumed by Books
May 13th- Mundie Moms
May 20th- Reading Teen



Sunday, April 10, 2011

In My Mailbox (25)

Hey! Got some amazing books in this week's In My Mailbox, as well as a great gift that makes me smile incessantly. Check out the vlog!


Books:
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
Favorite by Karen McQuestion
Life On Hold by Karen McQuestion
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

AND


Thank you again to Ramona who sent me those gorgeous flowers! My clothes are starting to smell like lilies, and it's wonderful. :) 

And thank you to Allison from Harper Teen, Megan from Goldberg McDuffie, and Amazon Encore for sending me some great books! 

What did you get in your mailbox? Link in the comments! 

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Blog Tour! Hex, a Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray


Hey guys! I have some very exciting news. A while ago, I was contacted by Ramona Wray to review her novel, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale. Since then, Ramona and I have kept up a continuous correspondence that eventually led to me offering my services in the form of setting up a blog tour for Hex. She agreed, so that's just what I did! I contacted some great blogs, and here's the lineup:


April 18thCall Me Crazy
April 22ndOktopus Ink
April 29thDreaming In Books
May 6th – Consumed by Books
May 13thMundie Moms
May 20thReading Teen


Be sure to stop by and check out everyone's reviews, as well as other goodies like guest posts by Ramona, interviews with her, and giveaways of Hex!

On Monday, I kick off the tour with a guest post from Ramona on the topic of "characters we love to hate." Don't miss it!

THANK YOU to Ramona for being the amazing and talented woman that she is, and more importantly for being such a great friend. And thank you to all the great bloggers who joined the tour!

Friday, April 8, 2011

400 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!

Hey! I reached 400 followers, and I figured that I would have a giveaway as a thank you for all you great followers! :)

I'm giving away a copy of I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Shroeder!





Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl gets boy back...

...sort of.

Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.

Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.


This giveaway will last until April 17th! Open to US ONLY. 


Thursday, April 7, 2011

Review: Selkie Girl by Laurie Brooks


Author: Laurie Brooks
Pages: 262
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Reading Level: 13 years old+
Genre: YA Fantasy/Folklore
Dominant Themes: Selkies


Elin Jean has always known she was different from others on her remote island home. She loves the seals that live in the waters surrounding the island and abhors the annual tradition of killing seal babies to thin the population. And if that isn’t enough to set her apart, her hands—with their thin webs connecting each finger— have marked her as a freak. Someone to be avoided.

Elin Jean’s parents have never been open with her about why she is so different, and why she must stay away from the other islanders. But it’s just a matter of time before she discovers the truth about her past and the mysterious circumstances of her birth. And when she does, she will face a choice, as the child of a most unusual union. Partly of the land, partly of the sea, she must search both worlds and dig deep inside herself to find out where she belongs, and where her future lies.

While Selkie Girl did have a very original premise, and I was excited to read it at first, unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectation of it. I wanted to like it, but I just found it dull and lagging.  The plot, to me, felt like it never went anywhere, and even though the writing was vivid and beautifully descriptive, the story itself fell flat. There were many scenes that I felt dragged the story down.

The mythology of the selkies was my favorite part of the novel, and what made it slightly interesting to read. Even though I didn’t feel a connection with the characters, I could relate the Elin Jean’s desire to join the sea, to be who, or what, she really is.

I’m a creature of the sea, so anything that has to do with the sea instantly attracts me. Mermaids, selkies, sirens, ect. Laurie Brook’s writing was wonderful, the scenery lush and so real. Neither of these two things were the problem. It was simply the plot. I feel that if something had been added to the plot to spice it up and create more suspense, I would have loved this book.

But even with an interesting premise,  great writing, and a solid mythology behind it, I couldn’t enjoy this novel. On a slightly more positive note, the cover is very beautiful.  It’s what initially drew me to the book, and I do love the cover. I just wish that the book had been better.

I’m sorry that this review is so short, but I don’t want to ramble on and on about something I didn’t like. I give this novel 2 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

TEASER! City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare


I just got my copy of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare, and since this has to be the most anticipated book of the year thus far, I figured I'd give those who do not have a copy yet a little teaser to tide them over. 

Drum roll please!! (Beware: the following scene may cause girlish squeals and/or the loss of consciousness.)

He pulled her toward him and kissed her, and for a moment she froze, suddenly very conscious that all she was wearing was a thing T-shirt and underwear. Then she went boneless against him. It was the sort of lingering kiss that turned her insides to water. The sort of kiss that might have made her feel that nothing was wrong, that things were as they had been before, and he was only glad to see her. But when his hands went to lift the hem of her shirt, she pushed them away.
-- City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare, page 241

If you just can't wait anymore, then go here to buy CoFA from Amazon! Hurry up, it's majorly discounted, so get it quick! Plus, who wouldn't want to read the awesomeness that is Jace?


Any content from City of Fallen Angels belongs to Cassandra Clare. 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Out Today: City of Fallen Angles by Cassandra Clare

Today, April 5th, City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare was released for purchase. This is the 4th book in the Mortal Instruments series.


Purchase City of Fallen Angels on Amazon
City of Fallen Angels on Goodreads

City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. 

“City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.”




Saturday, April 2, 2011

In My Mailbox (24)

In My Mailbox is started by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Great haul this week!



Books: 
Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...