A Book-a-licious Story

Review and Interview: Shinobi by Cole Gibsen

2014-06-04T08:00:00.000+08:00

Publication Date: March 8th, 2014
Finished Date: May 3rd, 2014
Publisher: Flux
Format: Paperback
Pages: 312
Series: Katana #3
My Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:

Rileigh is ready to celebrate.

Things have been quiet (as quiet as life can be for a reincarnated samurai), she's graduating high school, and her boyfriend, Kim, has finally regained his lost memories. But the urge to celebrate is short-lived when she realizes that if Kim can remember, chances are her (im)mortal enemy, Sumi, can remember as well. Sure enough, it's not long before the reincarnated ninja attacks Rileigh and her friends. But in the aftermath of the fight, Rileigh discovers that Sumi has performed an ancient ritual that allows her to switch bodies with Rileigh . . . and it's draining her ki. Hunted by the Network (who believe Rileigh is Sumi), Rileigh must track the vengeful ninja down before her own powers completely vanish.

My Review

*Received a retail copy from NOQ Store*

As far as the history of conclusions goes, SHIONOBI isn’t the best of conclusions for a series, but I think it’s still pretty darn awesome.

With Sumi’s and Kim’s memories gone, Rileigh plunges herself neck-deep into Order missions. Drown out the pain, get her mind over the fact that Kim doesn’t remember her anymore. As Rileigh celebrated graduation day with her motley crew of ex-samurai and best friend, Quentin, Kim makes an appearance and they find out that he has regained his memories – and so did Sumi.

I can’t even begin to describe how much trouble Rileigh and Q gets into because of Sumi’s new evil scheme, but I definitely didn’t expect it at all! Three-quarters of me loved the new twist, but the other quarter… It’s like how a protagonist gets out of a situation with a then-and-there newfound power. Sort of like Ms Cole is taking the easy route for an exciting new plot? It’s similar to how I feel about Sumi’s electric magic. I understand if a villain has magic in X-Men, but not in the world Ms Cole has created. It’s a stretch for me to understand Rileigh’s Ki powers because there are texts and stories about chi flow and whatnot in Chinese (or was is Buddhist?) history, but not electricity, zapping powers. Just…no. Then came this soul-switching thing? Even though this is an urban fantasy? I don’t think so.

I love the increase in screen-time for Rileigh and Kim! Even through unprecedentedly difficult circumstances (and I’m not even kidding/exaggerating), Kim shone like a true samurai in shining armor (I know it’s lame, but hey, I got my point across). His name still chafes at me – I mean, why can’t they just call him Gimhae which is his real name, instead of calling him by his family name – but my respect for him just tenfold-ed. One bad point for more Ri-Kim time was that we didn’t get to see much of Braden, Drew and Michelle, and they sort of faded into the background. Their characters and personalities pretty much hollowed out and they became very 2D and generic as secondary characters.

Whitley’s role in SHINOBI took on greater significance, and kudos to Sumi for new levels of creativity and desperation! Though with the continued flashbacks to Japan in the 1490s, I’m starting to understand the hatred and desperation in Sumi…and to empathize with her. There did come a point where I resented Gimhae more than Sumi, and that’s a plus point to Ms Cole’s great writing. Sumi, or rather Chiyo, did whatever she could to survive even after months of torture (yes, it was gruesome), but Yoshido judged her for it. Dude, you didn’t even make an effort to search for her body after news of her supposed death reached you, and you judged her for becoming the head of the bandits? Not cool.

The flashbacks were haunting and beautiful, and shed so much light on the complex relationship between our protagonists. I’m not usually a fan of dual-time writing styles, but I thought it really enhanced the story in the case of SHINOBI. One final adventure for Rileigh & crew, with lots of twists and plot curves that is as unpredictable as it is exciting. This is a short novel and KATANA is still my favorite, but I’d recommend SHINOBI to fans of the series or to otakus (anime-lovers) like myself!

P.S. I’m still bitter about Gimhae being called Kim. Every time I think Kim, a girly man pops into my head.

NO.

My Rating

Enjoy a 15% discount for any purchase made at NoQ Store!

Just enter the coupon code: BOOKALICIOUS, at the

checkout. Discount ends 7/31/2014!

I actually did an interview with Cole after I read SENSHI, which was way back last year when it was just released in March. I wanted to post it to celebrate the release of the book, but alas, school work was crazy cause it was my A Level year last year. So I wanted to post it together with my SHINOBI review when it was released, but...yeah enough excuses. (Cole, if you're reading this, I'M SORRY!!)

Anyway, Cole was so kind to agree to an interview, and she was SO PATIENT with my many questions. So, without further adieu.

Author Bio

I love writing, day-old chinese food, and my nail polish is always chipped. My YA novel, KATANA, will be released, spring 2012 by Flux. You can check out my website at www.colegibsen.com Word to your mother. (But seriously, you should call her. She worries.)

Connect with Cole:
Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

An Interview with Cole Gibsen

CYP: Hi Cole! Thanks for coming over to the blog today!

1) First things first, tell us a little about yourself. Something that cannot be found on the Net or maybe something that even your family doesn't know about?

Cole: I’ve taken up the blues harp. I started taken lessons over a year ago. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about the harmonica and the blues that has always called to me. At first, I felt a little silly, but now I’m so glad I decided to learn. It’s so much fun!

2) What are some of your interests/hobby? Do they have any connections to how you came up with the KATANA series?

Cole: I’ve taken martial arts for years, everything from akido to kick boxing. And if there’s one thing I learned while taking martial arts, it’s that I’m really bad at martial arts. It’s much safer (and less painful) to write about it instead.

3)What is the story behind the series? The inspiration behind it? Was it like a BAM kind of thing, or did the storyline slowly flow to you as you did or looked at something?

Cole: The idea for the KATANA series came to me one night after having my butt kicked in taekwondo. I remember nursing my black eye with an ice pack and looking up at a poster of Bruce Lee on the wall just wishing his spirit would possess me long enough so I could finally win a fight. Needless to say, that never happened.

(LOL, awesome start to an awesome series! XD)

4) How about the characters? Was Rileigh an imitation of a friend? Was Kim Gimhae (SQUEE) based on your own fantasies?

Cole: Rileigh was based on the girl I wanted to be in high school; funny, snarky, and for the most part, confident. And Kim, well, you could definitely say he was based on a fantasy of mine. *grin* I’ve had a long-standing crush on Bruce Lee and it definitely leaked through to the pages of my book.

5) Did the magic element of Senshi come with the original plot? Or was it something you thought of along the way to spice things up a little? (Mainly about the electric thing going on for Whitley in Katana and now his reincarnated employer)

Cole: I was inspired by the many books I read on historical Japan. Magic and mysticism were a big part of their belief system. Even today, you can search for videos on Youtube and find men lighting fires with ki energy alone. It’s amazing!

6) How many books are you planning for the KATANA series? (Please say you don't see an end in sight yet.. :D)

Cole: Ha! So far there are three planned…but I would never say never. *grin*

(PLEEEZZZZZZ let there be more!!)

7) Which character do you like to write the most? Which character did you like the most? Which one turned out the best, in your opinion? Did the plot and characters turned out the way you wanted them too?

Cole: Like any author, I think all my characters are fun to write. But my favorite scenes are the ones with Rileigh and Whitley. There’s something about that “I hate you but I need your help” relationship that is so much fun to put down on page. For the most part my characters behaved, but when I wrote book three, someone betrays someone else and even I had no idea that was coming.

(Ri and Whitley kinda reminds me of Allison and Jackal in The Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa...kinda...)

8) Just a random thought, but why make Kim the only Asian? Why not all be Americans or more Asians or more nationalities?

Cole: It was important to me to show that that spirits were genderless and raceless. That’s why Michelle, who was male in the first book was female in the second. In my world, gender and skin color doesn’t matter when you reincarnated. Bodies are just shells and the only thing that remains constant was a person’s spirit. I actually had more nationalities in the first draft, but my agent at the time was concerned that was far-fetched and too convenient. Looking back on it now, I wish I would have kept it.

9) Are there any tidbits about future installments that you can share?? ;D Or any deleted scenes that you want to share?

Cole: Book three was my absolute favorite to write. In it, I answered a lot of hanging questions and revealed the origins of one of my most hated characters. It was important for me to show my villains didn’t wake up one day and decide to become evil. It happened gradually and with good reason.

10) I'm suffering from withdrawal now that I've finished reading Senshi... Do you have any good book recommendations that are similar to your series? What are some of your favorite books/series/authors?

Cole: Oh my goodness, yes! There are so many great Asian-themed books recently out and coming out. A few to check out are INK by Amanda Sun, THE TOKYO HEIST by Diana Renn, STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff, and JET BLACK AND THE NINJA WIND by Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani.

(Definitely check out Stormdancer. It's one of the best YA Fantasy/Steampunk I've ever read.)

11) What made you start penning down all these crazy stories?

Cole: I always wanted to be a writer, but I lacked the self confidence to try. It wasn’t until the economy ate my small business in 2007 and I was faced with unemployment. Suddenly I had to figure out what to do with my life. I figured, if ever there was a time to write, this was it!

12) Another random question, do you watch anime or read any manga series??

Cole: I haven’t in awhile. I’m so ashamed. I think the last manga I read was the Vampire Hunter series. But I do have a running subscription to The All New X-Men. I get a lot of my inspiration from comics.

(Personally, there's this manga series called Shinobi Life I stumbled upon accidentally when searching up SHINOBI on GR. It's GREAT!! I gobled up all lordknows how many volumes in 2 days.)

Rapid fire questions!

1) Pen and paper or Microsoft?
Cole: Definitely pen and paper for outlining and a keyboard for actual writing.

2) Asian folklore or Middle Eastern myths (think Greek, Roman and Egypt)?
Cole: ASIAN ALL THE WAY!

3) Hot chocolate or whiskey?
Cole: I’ll take a beer. *grin*

4) Favorite movie?
Cole: This changes daily. But as of now, The Avengers.

Thankyousomuch, Cole! :)

-------------------------------------------------------

And thanks, everybahdy for visiting the blog! Do y'all like ninja stories? Any favorites/recs? :))

Celebrating SHIELD OF WINTER's Release!!

2014-06-03T16:45:00.000+08:00

DUUUuuuUUUuuuuDESSSSS!! VASIC'S STORY IS HERE.

One of the four books I've been anticipating the most!!! Hawke, Kaleb, Vasic, and of course, Aden. All of them has always been so enigmatic and disgustingly (though unintentionally but undeniably) sexy.

To celebrate the release of Shield of Winter (AHHHHHHHH ITZHEREITZHERE), I've put together a mini interview with (the super amazing) Ms Singh and her assistant, Ashwini (Guild Hunter! Hah), and a giveaway!

For those who hasn't read the series (which is nigh impossible, cause if you're into Paranormal Romance (PNR), Nalini Singh is like the first thing that pops up along with JR Ward, Ilona Andrews, and like Larrissa Ione), don't venture beyond here cause there will be spoilers!

By Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling #13
Publication Date: June 3rd, 2014
Publisher: Berkeley (US)/Gollancz (UK)

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Synopsis:

“The alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) draws us back into her extraordinary Psy-Changeling world, a world torn between violence and peace, passion and ice..."

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch—if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.

For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake…

Having rebuilt her life after medical “treatment” that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness…

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Nalini Singh is passionate about writing. Though she’s travelled as far afield as the deserts of China, the Highlands of Scotland, and the temples of Japan, it is the journey of the imagination that fascinates her the most. She’s beyond delighted to be able to follow her dream as a writer.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand. You can contact her directly through her website: www.nalinisingh.com. While visiting the site, Nalini invites you to join her newsletter for up-to-date news about both the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series, as well as fun exclusive extras, including free short stories set in her worlds.

You can also find her online at twitter.com/NaliniSingh, and facebook.com/AuthorNaliniSingh.

A (Mini) Interview with Nalini Singh

CYP: Hi Nalini! Thank you so much for agreeing to have this interview with me!

Nalini: Thanks for the invitation!

1) I'm sure you get this question a lot, but... What made you start to write seriously? Like when did you make up your mind that being an author will be your legit career?

Nalini: I've always made up stories in my head, but it was as a teenager that I began to try to write full-length novels and began to explore what it took to get published. It was a number of years and many manuscripts later before I could become a full-time writer.

(I should have phrased this as "did you have any doubts about being an author initially?" Damnnnn. Oh well)

2) Which books in each series are your favorite? Or rather, which book gave you the most satisfaction when you've reached the The End?

Nalini: I can never pick a favorite. I spend twenty-four hours a day with the characters when I write, and I must be passionate about them all if the story is to resonate with the reader.

3) You've mentioned that the changeling series arc will end in another two or three books including Shield of Winter right? Is the number more definitive now or still unclear?

Nalini: The story arc that began with Slave to Sensation will likely end with book 14, though it's possible I'll need another book to wrap things up. I won't know that for sure until I begin writing. However, after that, I'd like to do what I call my "tangent" books, about characters and parts of the world we haven't had a chance to explore in depth to this point.

4) How about the Guild Hunter series? How many books are we looking at currently? Is the ending clear in your head already?

Nalini: I'm contracted up to book 8, and I plan to do more books after that. I know where the series is going, but I'm not sure how many books exactly it'll take to get there. Also, I want to give all of the main characters a chance to tell their story - for example, I wouldn't want to end the series without writing Aodhan's book. So for now, there is no set number. It will take as long as it takes, and when it's done, it's done. :-)

5) For the Guild Hunter series, will the next few books be in Elena/Raphael's POV or some other couples'? (Sorry, I'm a super big fan of theirs and was kiiiiiinda - just kinda - disappointed when Shadow was announced to be in Ash/Janvier's POV)

Nalini: I just finished writing Archangel's Shadows, so I'm giving myself some time to think about the next book. Whatever happens, you will see Elena and Raphael (they're a strong presence in Archangel's Shadows, too), but I'm fairly certain they won't be the main characters in the next book. That said, I reserve the right to change my mind. ;-)

6) How about the Psy-Changeling series? Will Aden be the next?? :D

Nalini: Yes, Aden's book is next. :-)

(AHHHH A CONFIRMATION!! ADENADENADEN *coma*)

7) Will you be writing novels/novellas about the other changelings? (Like Teijan and the falcons?)

Nalini: I would like to do this after completing the main Psy-Changeling story arc. I'd definitely like to explore the falcons and the sea changelings, for example. I'm not so sure Teijan will get a book or a novella of his own - it's more likely his story will be told through the series, but again, that could change. I let my characters drive the stories, so sometimes, they surprise me.

---------------------------------------

Can you imagine how awesome it is to be able to ask your favorite author of all time questions you've been dying to ask? I SQUEALED like a pig in heat. Haha, kidding, but yeah I was crazy happy when Ashwini said I could have a mini interview with Nalini (she's so busy on tour, tho I am bitter she isn't coming to Asia...or more specifically Singapore. Sighpie). Crazy happy.

In conjunction with the interview, Nalini also agreed on a giveaway for a paperback of the US edition of WILD INVITATION. (Cooper and Grace's story is inside!!! GUYS, one of my favorite couples here!! Just saying, haha.) It will be personalized to the winner and she's making this giveaway international. Awesomeness all the way around.

This giveaway will last for a week, so it'll end next week Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Good luck! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting! If anyone has read SoW, please tell me what you think!!! Letz discuzz Vasic's awesomeness.

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

2014-05-27T22:58:00.002+08:00

Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Finished Date: May 26, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 432
Series: The Grisha #2
My Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Review

*Received a retail copy from NOQ Store*

SIEGE AND STORM is reminiscent of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, IMO. It’s got the whole gloomy outlook and landscape, a growing evil force, a girl looking for the objects that will hopefully bring an end to said evil thing down pat, but with a tad more romance and politicking.

S&S starts off where SHADOW AND BONE ended, with Alina and Mal onboard the Verhadder, sailing for the shores of Novyi Zem where they hope they’ll earn enough coins to travel out of the Darkling’s insidious reaches. But we know how these stories go, don’t we all? Happy ever after never comes easy. The Darkling survived the Fold, gaining a horrible scar and terrifying new powers and soon catches up to them. He has plans for Alina and Mal, but along the way, they meet unexpected allies – though Malina are still unclear of said allies’ true motives and allegiance – and barely escapes the Darkling.

This story has a very different style of plot layers than most other High Fantasies. Most others have complex storylines, a number of other subtle plotlines happening concurrently as the main story arc. However in S&S, it’s about mindplay as much as politic maneuverings, betrayals, deceptions and the ultimate battle/showdown between good and evil. During their short stay in Novyi Zem, Alina is happy, but she is also not. She feels this loneliness and discontent because she’s got to hide her powers and she can’t ever wield it again if she and Mal are to live in the shadows. She doesn’t like it, but what the Darkling said was true – they are similar, and no others will ever be like them.

Throughout the novel, most of Alina’s issues happens inside her head and with the new love interest – who I’m still pretty conflicted about – the pace of the story did slow down quite a bit. There wasn’t as much adventure and fighting as the previous installment, though there were plenty more problems dished out to our protagonists. I did like seeing more of the world outside Ravka though, and of course the new characters that were fleshed out.

The new love interest, Sturmhond, is a privateer with a secret identity with a very off-hand, witty attitude that can turn steely and dangerous the next second. Alina prefers to call him pirate though. He’s…well, he’s cool and funny and the captain of a very awesome bunch of crew and his secret identity is even more awesome… but I’m still Team Mal cause nothing shouts true love like a guy that gives up his present, his future, his friends and his other passions just to be with and protect his girl, so, GO MAL! Beat that stuck-up pirate! Hahaha, moving on.

After helping Alina and Mal escape the Darkling, Alina feels the guilt and burden of the lives lost in Novokribirsk where the Darkling used her powers to expand the Fold, and of the bajillions other Ravkans now that the Fold is constantly expanding. She feels responsible for these people, and so she goes back to Ravka and devises a plan to, well, essentially to save the world.

I feel that Bardugo did a superb job with the internal turmoil in Alina. I feel and surprisingly sort of understand her obsession with finding the amplifiers, her confusion of whether or not it is her thirst for power or genuine desire to save her people, and the rift that it causes between her and Mal. I can feel her helplessness as it happens, her heartbreak and feeling of inevitability. I was just so invested in her I read S&S in two sittings! I did feel a little dirty after putting it down though, because the decisions Alina had to make were terrible and I did just go through it all the way with her.

THAT ENDING. I pity Alina and ARGH, Mal. What is a girl supposed to do with you. I’m Team Mal, but…ARGH, I can’t put this into words! The situation between them isn’t anyone’s fault, and I just can’t stand this…situation. ARGH.

Anyhoo, I thought that SIEGE AND STORM is another brilliant addition to the High Fantasy genre and definitely an awesome sequel to an amazing debut.

P.S. I really don’t get the draw for the Darkling that other girls are squealing about!! He’s not really a bad boy, brooding type. He just seems…relentlessly annoying and weird…and old. :/

My Rating

Enjoy a 15% discount for any purchase made at NoQ Store!

Just enter the coupon code: BOOKALICIOUS, at the

checkout. Discount ends 7/31/2014!

Excerpt + Giveaway: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton Blog Tour

2014-04-21T20:00:00.000+08:00

RecruitZ by Karice Bolton
Afterworld #1
Publication date: December 27th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

Synopsis

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Kobo

Karice Bolton

About the Author

Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.

(CYP: I'm a BIG fan of bulldogs!! Especially French bulls and other flat faces like pugs. :D)

Connect with Karice: Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Other works:

(Covers lead to Goodreads)

I gripped the console as I watched the twitches and spasms of the zombies’ movements closing in on us. They were everywhere…the grass, the sidewalk, the driveway. There was no mistaking the rotting, grey flesh that exposed the muscle and bone of the undead. They were something I’d run from countless times, but this time we had nowhere to run. The undead had us trapped. They would rip us to shreds in an instant.

“I think some of ‘em are new,” I said, turning my attention back to Gavin.

There were some clean-looking zombies staggering toward us, their flesh mostly intact. That made no sense. The outbreak had been contained for months. There should be no freshly infected roaming around. Everyone had been vaccinated. The only stragglers evading capture had been around awhile, so their bodies were beat up badly by the time they were caught. Not these.

“Let’s hope not,” he murmured, not bothering to look out the window to confirm nor deny my suspicions.

“We can’t run. They’d totally get us before we got away,” I said, hoping he’d correct me, tell me that we had a chance.

He didn’t.

He slammed his fist into the steering wheel and looked over at me. When the outbreak happened, we never looked back. We were always on the move, running from the disease that took our families and friends. That was the key to survival. Never stay in one place. Always stay on the move. Now we had nowhere to move. I glanced over at Gavin and saw the fear in his eyes. Even with everything we’d encountered, his eyes had never held this amount of terror.

“Babe, whatever happens…”

“Knock it off,” I said.

“We have nothing to fight them with, and a horde this size needs a distraction.”

“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, shaking my head. The fear was pulsing through me at an unstoppable rate. “We didn’t live through the outbreak to die now.”

There's a tour wide giveaway going on for an Amazon Gift Card of $50! Giveaway is international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

By the way, if you're looking for more giveaways by Karice, she holds many, many giveaways on her website's blog. So if you follow her newsletter (I do :), you'll get notified whenever she decides to hold one.

Anyway, thank you for visiting! To view the tour's master calender, visit Xpresso Book Tours.

So I (finally) Watched Divergent...

2014-04-14T04:23:00.001+08:00

...AND IT. WAS.

AWESOME. I meant awesome.

Let me just say that the casting this time was even better than (wait for it) Twilight, Beautiful Creatures, and yes, even Hunger Games (not that I'm an advocate for anorexia, and it's not that I expected a ~~boner~~ ~~haha, ops~~ visible-bone-kind-of-skinny girl. I just needed someone less...voluptuous) and I'm thinking even Fifty Shades. Though I will not get into my grievances with Fifty's casting now.

Maybe some other time. Soon... Oh wellzie.

Anyway, YES, I thought Tris/Shailene would be just another Young Adult (YA) Dystopian heroine with the ass-kicking, very Katniss Everdeen but with more romance (yes, I've been privy to all the Four-gush fests). But she wasn't. I felt that the fact that Tris being born into Abnegation made her a whole lot more relatable than other YA heroines of the same genre. Let me explain this.

The Katniss Category of YA heroines -- which includes characters like Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Defy by Sara B. Larson, and Rose from the Vampire Academy series -- are trained to hunt and fight, to be on survival mode since they were little. And they're good at it. It's a thrill to read about them and for just a fraction of time, imagine ourselves possessing agile, knive-wielding hands, nimble feet and warrior bearings. On the other hand we have the Tris Category of YA heroines -- think Elisa from the Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson, Meghan from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa and Alice Bell from the White Rabbit Chronicles by Zena Showalter. They are born like us. They are down-to-earth, calculus-learning, normal humans who lead normal human lives till they are forced into a situation where they have to pick up their big-girl, army-prints panties. They react the way you or I will react, and they think along the same tracks as us. That's their main attraction point, and I think it grabs our attention subtly. At least, this is why I loved Tris so much. This, and her unflinching loyalty, her guts, smarts, wits, and just about every aspect of her.

~Four to Tris

Then there's Four/Theo James the man himself. I mean, wow, where do I start!

Found this at Epic Reads

He's so cool, so sweet, so badass, and he's not too perfect either. But that just enhanced his sexiness, so. I WANT A FOUR TOO. BOO.

The only thing that I thought could've been made more convincing was Tris' fears. Some were valid, but some were just...weak? I mean, what most people fear, I believe, isn't what can kill us. Or at least kill us quick. It's either something caused by a past trauma, or pain, or something that will make us lose some precious marbles. For me, lock me in a room with ~~a ghost~~ and seriously, I don't think I would make it out of the room quite the same --or alive-- anymore. (Fuck that is one scary-shit image)

Other than that, I loved the movie. Everything flowed smoothly and for someone who didn't read the book, it was pretty dang amazing and understandable. Unlike City of Bones, Percy Jackson 1 and 2, and and Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows Parts I and II where large chunks of story had to be deleted or ALTERED (this should be punishable by law) and non-readers were left scrambling to their reader friends to ask what in Merlin's Pants is happening.

Back when HP was still understandable.

So anyway, I would rate this a 5/5 amazeball stars as a book reviewer, but in terms of movies, it's a 9.5/10 for me. The casting was spot-on, the directing was amazing, the action sequences and fight techniques were very unique and exciting, the plot was an on-the-edge-of-your-seat, breathless kind of exhilerating and the romance was PERFECT. It's the kind of romance I've been waiting for in a movie for all 19 years of my awesome teenage life. Heh.

I would definitely recommend this to fans of YA Dystopia. Or actually if you like YA and your romance to go with lots of action and a good save-the-day kind of story, DIVERGENT THE MOVIE is just the right tea for you.

My Rating

Publication Date: February 28th 2012
Watched Date: April 12th, 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tengen Books
Series: Divergent #1
My Rating: 5/5!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Blog

Blurb from Goodreads:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

P.S. LOTS of news about Insurgent the movie on Veronica's blog! (1) It will be out March 20, 2015!! (2) There'll be a new director cause Neil Burger was working furiously on Divergent and they had to start filming right away. SOOOOO EXCITES.

P.P.S. I loved the movie so much I wanted to pick up Divergent and the series right away. But, being anxious me, I went to spoiler myself...about Allegiant's end... AND NO. I will not subject myself to that. So nope, I don't think I'll be picking this series up, though I'll definitely watch it through. (I'm FURIOUSLY HOPING that the screenwriters write a better ending. Though that will be unfaithful and I'd be shooting my own arse with the whole punishable by law thing, but I think this warrants an exception.)

P.P.P.S. Thanks for reading all the way!! Y'all deserve a big CYP virtual kiss. Hahaha, and lotsa chocolates and fruity champagne. Virtual, of course. ;)

Dreaded DNFs (4)

2014-04-10T13:00:00.000+08:00

[NUMBA FOUR]

Another round of crushed hopes and dreams and sad faces...

Haha kidding. K, so.

The Keep
By Veronica Wolff
The Watchers #4

--Thoughts--
Is it just me, or is the story getting more and more lacklustre? Drew is losing her kick, and her lovey-dovey-ing with Carden ain't what it once was. I mean, they're still awesome together, but I'm not feeling the heat. Maybe it's my weird reading mood lately. Anyone read this yet? Any comments?

Stopped at 14%.
Link to Goodreads

Prince of Shadows
By Rachel Caine

Blurb from Goodreads

A thrilling retelling of the star-crossed tale of Romeo and Juliet, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Morganville Vampires series.

In the Houses of Montague and Capulet, there is only one goal: power. The boys are born to fight and die for honor and—if they survive—marry for influence and money, not love. The girls are assets, to be spent wisely. Their wishes are of no import. Their fates are written on the day they are born.

Benvolio Montague, cousin to Romeo, knows all this. He expects to die for his cousin, for his house, but a spark of rebellion still lives inside him. At night, he is the Prince of Shadows, the greatest thief in Verona—and he risks all as he steals from House Capulet. In doing so, he sets eyes on convent-bound Rosaline, and a terrible curse begins that will claim the lives of many in Verona…

…And will rewrite all their fates, forever.

Stopped at 4% (haha, yeahh..)
Link to Goodreads

--Thoughts--
This was perhaps one of my most anticipated 2014 release after I read this excerpt of Benvolio meeting Rosaline! It was looking up until the pace sort of flattened out and...stayed there. The prose was also very Young-Adultish, too YA for a historical retelling. Well, at least for me. I'm going to put this down for awhile and maybe pick it up later. The literature girl in me disapproves but...a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Bitter Sweet Love
By Jennifer L. Armentrout
Dark Elements #0.5

Blurb from Goodreads

In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series THE DARK ELEMENTS, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.
Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

Stopped at 24%.
Link to Goodreads.

--Thoughts--
I swear to Mother Unicorn I loved WHITE HOT KISS (book 1 in series), but I'm not sure why I didn't click with Jasmine in BSL... Maybe cause the story focused more on the romance than a good ol' kicking villain ass arc. If you know me, you'd know that I don't like any form of contemporary romance (except maybe Fifty Shades. I'll always love Fifty no matter who he marries. :P Haha) But I just feel there's too little action to really amp up my excitement, so...

Remnants: Season of Wonder
By Lisa Tawn Bergren
The Remnants #1

Blurb from Goodreads

In the first book of the new futuristic dystopian series from author Lisa T. Bergren, the chosen remnants must work to redirect humanity’s course.

The year is 2095. Gifted teens known as Remnants have been chosen and trained to act as humanity’s last hope to rectify the horrors that are now part of everyday life.

The Community has trained these teens as warriors and assigned them Knights of the Last Order as protectors. Together, they are a force that will be difficult to bring down.

But the Sons of Sheol, of course, are determined to do just that. As the Remnants begin their mission to course-correct humanity by saving and protecting key individuals, their enemies move to stop them, placing the entire world in peril.

Bestselling author Lisa T. Bergren presents the first book in her new YA futuristic dystopian series—The Remnants Novels—fitting in with the current dystopian trend in the marketplace.

Stopped at 6% (this is because the book is THICK)
Link to Goodreads.

--Thoughts--
I won an ARC of it from Lisa's site and I was actually pretty into Dystopian around then (mood reader syndromes) and was quite excited to pick Remnants up. But...even though I was aware that Ms Bergren was very into religion and her books almost always has Christianity infused in her books, it has never been quite so prominent. Every other page in the first few chapters talks about the Maker. Maker this, evil people that. Ohhhhh, the Maker has brought us together (and everyone was in this primeval cave). And being a free thinker (though I am agnostic), it really got to me in a bad way. A little bit is fine, like in her River of Time series, that was cool and daisies, but if rubbing it in my face in a preachy manner kind of turns me off. Yeah, gonna put this down for awhile.

Dragonfyre
By Donna Grant
Druid's Glen #6

--Thoughts--
I bought and picked this up on a whim. Yeahh, I have never read any Donna Grant book before, and I've never touched any Druid's Glen book before and I picked up book 6. It sounded good, and come on, everyone craves a little dragon romance a little once in awhile. And Miss Grant is a big name in PNR...but I didn't really like her writing style in DRAGONFYRE. Maybe it's because it was written in 2009 (or maybe even before that), but nah, the writing was a little...disjointed.

Stopped at 12%.
Link to Goodreads.

Wicked Winds
By Sharon Kay
Solsti Prophecy #1

Blurb from Goodreads

SHE GREW UP THINKING SHE WAS HUMAN

Born with the ability to command the wind, Nicole Bonham spends her life hiding her gift. Deciding to take control of her power, she dispenses her own brand of vigilante justice in Chicago’s worst neighborhoods. Stealth and surprise are always on her side.

UNTIL A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A WARRIOR DEMON

Lash demon Gunnar prowls Earth and several supernatural realms to help maintain peace among the immortal species. His chance encounter with Nicole creates a hurricane of sparks between them, and he can’t let her out of his sight until he discovers her true identity. In his two hundred years, he has never seen a creature like her.

PLUNGES THEM BOTH INTO A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE

Nicole and Gunnar race to discover who - or what - is stabbing the city's most destitute residents and stealing their blood. The fire that forged their bond explodes into white-hot passion, weaving their souls together on an unexpected level. Haunted by the past, Gunnar's fiercely protective instincts battle with her need to defeat the creatures she was born to fight. As they track the mastermind behind the attacks, will Nicole’s unique talent unwittingly send her straight into his lair?

Stopped at 6%.
Link to Goodreads.

--Thoughts--
WICKED WINDS was another whim book. I arrived at my university admission interview 2 and a half hours early (YEAHH fml) cause I read the time wrongly so I was browsing through Goodreads and saw WICKED WAVES (book 2), so I went to search up on book 1. I've always LOVED elemental stories and movies (Go Katara!) so I picked this up even though I don't read self-published books all that often (I'm not against them, I'm just...wary). I think that the entire idea of vigilante justice is cool, but a couple of girls becoming experts in martial arts and Tae Kwan Do in what, 3 years? And TWO girls defeating THREE muggers twice their size? Nope, I'm not convinced. To top it off, Nicole sounded like ME. Maybe me a few years ago when I was in my early teens. And she's supposed to be 28 yo. So no, the YA/MG writing style isn't for me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been pretty angsty lately and in a reading slump... I am eagerly awaiting for my order of Shinobi by Cole Gibsen, Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo and Oracle's Moon by Thea Harrison to come though! Hopefully those bestsellers will knock me out of this funk. :))

Any good finds or DNFs lately?

Book Discounts for Everyone!

2014-04-10T08:00:00.000+08:00

I've recently discovered a few websites and online retailers for BOOKS and I think they're awesome and worth sharing. I'm only going to talk about 3 websites, 2 of which I've known for some time already, but still. So.

NoQ Store - This is the Singapore-based (FINALLY A SINGAPORE-BASED BOOK RETAILER) e-commerce arm of TIMES PUBLISHING.

In a good way. And the best part was, a representative from NoQ Store sent me an email to offer a $40 discount for me to buy books for review purposes and a 15% discount for all my readers for any purchases made at NoQ Store!!!!!

The thing about NoQ is that, it's like a friggin' Book Depository in Singapore for me, cause they price their books cheaper than the other MNC retailers in Singapore like Kinokuniya. For example, the price of a hardcover of Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo at Kinokuniya is $30 odd while NoQ price it at $18. AND, they offer free shipping within Singapore for orders above $25. Just like Amazon for Americans. AWAZINGBALLS right? (Yes, that was intentional.)

So, to enjoy this discount, you have to follow me via GFC, email, Blogloving, RSS, Facebook, Twitter... Hahaha, kidding. Just use the coupon code BOOKALICIOUS at the checkout section. (But I'd appreciate the follow. :) This coupon will last till July 31st, 2014.

Reader Giveaways - If you sign up for Reader Giveaways' newsletter, you'll get daily updates of free books and books priced at $0.99 every day. Plus, they hold many giveaways every month. Prizes include gift vouchers, kindles, y'know, awesome book stuff.

Free Book Friday - For those of you who haven't heard of FBF, it was founded by author Jessica Brody (of Unremembered), and it gives away approximately three books, ranging from YA to adult fiction, every Friday. It's pretty cool, and it gives away bestsellers too like Defy by Sara B. Larson and Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott, and some pretty awesome adult Historical Romances and PNRs, thrillers, y'know. Even though I haven't won anything so far, it's a pretty cool website that I think y'all would like to visit. :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, I hope y'all have a super Thursday today and happy book shopping!

Excerpt + Giveaway: Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis Provost Blog Tour

2014-04-09T18:51:00.001+08:00

Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis Provost
The Copper Legacy #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Spence City
Date of Publication: June 25, 2013

Synopsis

Sara had always been careful.

She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.

Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Jennifer Allis Provost

About the Author

Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, two birds, three cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.

Connect with Jennifer: Author Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Chapter 1

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

My office, like most modern offices, cranked the air conditioning down to Arctic proportions during the summer months. Consequently, we workers arrived in the morning dressed in sandals and sleeveless tops, donned heavy sweaters upon reaching our desks, and ended up shivering by noon. Ironically, when our workday ended we were hit by a wall of oppressive heat the moment we stepped outside the main doors. No, this wasn’t a flawed system in the slightest.

That day, I wasn’t having it. I had the grand idea of spending my lunch hour outside, away from the icy wind stiffening my fingers and chilling my neck. After I unwound myself from the afghan I kept in my desk (and only used in the summer months), I gathered up my lunch and my phone and headed out for an impromptu picnic in my car.

What I hadn’t considered was that the office runs the air conditioning so cold because it was, well, hot outside. Very hot, in fact. So hot that the cheese was melting in my sandwich and the lettuce looked like something that had washed ashore months, maybe even years, ago. I was parked in the shade and had taken down my car’s convertible top, but I still couldn’t manage to get comfortable. I’d already shed my sandals and cardigan, which left me wearing my sundress and…

Dare I?

I glanced around the parking lot of Real Estate Evaluation Services, the ‘go-to firm for all your commercial real estate needs’, according to the brochures. No one, human or drone, was taking a noontime stroll, and, by virtue of my being on the far side of the lot, no cars were near mine. Most of my coworkers didn’t even have cars, so the lot was rarely more than half-full. What was more, from where I sat, I couldn’t even see the office.

I dared.

I took a deep breath and channeled my inner wild woman, then leaned the seat back and slipped off my panties. Removing that small bit of cotton made an incredible difference, and the heat became somewhat bearable. Enjoyable, even. Was that a breeze?

Ignoring my decrepit sandwich, I fully reclined the seat, set the alarm on my phone, and closed my eyes. A nap. Now that would make today bearable.

Suddenly, he is there.

Here.

Kissing me, holding me.

I know I’m dreaming, because he’s perfect. His lips are soft but insistent, his hands gentle. I glide my fingers across his back, feeling thick cords of muscle, before sinking my fingers into his hair. It’s superfine, like cobwebs, and when I crack an eyelid, I learn that it’s silver. Not gray or white, but the elegant hue of antique candlesticks and fine flatware. Cool.

I squeeze my eyes shut again, not wanting the dream to end any sooner than it has to. He kisses me once more, and I can’t help melting against him. His hand travels up my leg, up past my hip… shit! No panties!

I try twisting away, but he already knows. I feel his mouth stretch into a smile, and he moves to nuzzle my neck. “What’s your name?” he murmurs.

“Sara,” I reply. “Yours?”

“Micah.” By now, his hands have traveled to my waist, and he slides one around to stroke the small of my back. “Why did you summon me, Sara?”

“I didn’t,” I protest. “I don’t know how.” I would say more, but he nibbles a trail from my neck to my shoulder, and pushes my dress to the side. As for me, I let him .

Micah raises his head, and I get a good look at him for the first time. His eyes are large and dark gray, like thunderheads, his features chiseled into warm caramel skin, and his unruly mop of silver hair seems to float around his head. He wears an odd, buff-colored leather shirt, made all the odder in this heat, and matching leather pants and boots. Boots?

“You did summon me,” he insists. “My Sara, you must tell me why.”

“Does it matter?” I ask. I pull him back to me, kissing him with all the passion I’ve never felt with anyone during my waking hours. Micah kisses me back, fingers deftly unbuttoning my dress while his other hand rubs my lower back. I’ve never felt so free, so alive as I do in Micah’s embrace, and I have no intention of rushing this. None at all.

My phone screamed for attention, thus ending the best dream that had ever been dreamed. Ever. I fumbled to silence it, then shook myself back to reality. I still felt warm and glowy from the dream, almost after-glowy. It wasn’t until I stretched and got tangled in my clothing that I noticed anything was amiss.

The straps of my dress had slid down around my elbows, and the dress itself was unbuttoned to my waist. What’s more, my bra was all askew and a nipple was dangerously close to freedom. I shot a quick glance around the parking lot as I fixed my clothing; luckily, there was no one around, either of the human or robotic drone persuasion. I hoped no one had gotten an eyeful of how I was apparently fondling myself in my sleep.

Some dream. Soon enough, I got the top half of my dress squared away and reached into the passenger seat, only to come up empty. My panties were gone.

Great. Either one of my coworkers had found me sleeping and stolen them, or a randy squirrel had absconded with my delicates. Hoping for the latter, I stuffed my feet back into my sandals and returned to the office and my ever-growing mountain of paperwork.

Speaking of the mountain there was a fresh sheaf of reports on my desk, ready for sorting. My title, if it can be called that, is Quarterly Report Collator.

This impressive moniker means that I have the ability—no, make that the responsibility—to place various documents and reports in their proper order, usually alphabetically. I’ve even been known to utilize ascending numbers when the occasion warrants, a feat those who get paid far more than I do cannot seem to manage. As long as they keep paying me, I’m fine with my place on the food chain, low though it may be. It sure beats the alternative--a luxurious but caged life as a sellout government shill, performing spells on command as if they were parlor tricks. My family may have lost much, but we still have some pride left.

I dove right into the heap of reports, for once appreciating the mindless work since it gave me the mental space to dwell on my dream lover. Why would a man in my dream claim that I’d summoned him? And what was with his getup? Micah had looked like he should be playing the part of a swashbuckling hero in a trashy romance novel, not hanging around in the parking lot of a midsized corporation specializing in commercial real estate acquisitions and liquidations.

And his name: Micah. I was certain that I’d never heard it before, which puzzled me. If I were going to create a dream lover, wouldn’t I give him a regular name like Tom or Joe? A name I was at least familiar with?

I swiveled in my chair and called up my search engine. We are not, under any circumstances, supposed to use this bit of technology that is standard issue with each and every one of our ergonomically correct workstations. I’m not quite sure what the punishment for internet usage is, but I’ve always imagined ninjas dropping out of the ceiling and hauling me off to their lair. After enduring a mild torture session, I’m given a cup of hot sake and sent on my way.

I could have waited until I got home. I had a nicer computer and better, faster internet access than the office does, but I couldn’t wait. Not while the image of Micah’s thundercloud eyes still burned in my memory, inciting not-safe-for-work thoughts.

I typed in Micah: define, and the results page immediately listed a bunch of Biblical references. Mmm, not exactly helpful. I clicked around for a while until I found one of those sites that specialized in the meaning of names. It read thusly:

Micah ( mī ' kə ) he who resembles God.

Huh. My dream man was certainly attractive, but I didn’t know if I’d go so far as to call him a god. Then I remembered that there was a type of stone called mica, which also seemed like an unlikely source for me to pull a name from. In the midst of typing mica: stone, I was interrupted.

“Hey, beautiful.”

I glanced up and saw Floyd, the office sleaze, hovering at the edge of my cubicle. Better and better. I clicked off the browser and nonchalantly swiveled away from the keyboard. To throw the ninjas off my trail, of course. “You and Juliana heading over to The Room tonight?” he asked.

The Room is a local hangout, stocked with stale beer and watered-down liquor, not to mention a floor that has never, ever been mopped. Not. Even. Once. But it’s cheap and close to the office, so we all go. Since I started working at REES, I’ve been a regular. “We haven’t discussed it.”

“Everyone’s going,” Floyd pressed. “C’mon, I’ll buy you a drink. You like gin and tonic, right?”

I heaved the stack of reports from my lap to my desk and uncrossed my legs, squarely planting my feet in order to deliver the Keep Away From Me speech to Floyd yet again, when I remembered my lack of undergarments. Quickly, I snatched my afghan from where I’d tossed it before lunch and spread it across my lower body like a shield.

“Whatever,” I mumbled, which Floyd counted as a victory.

“See you there,” he drawled. I hate him.

I spent the rest of my shift with my thighs clamped together, having mild anxiety attacks whenever I stood. Or sat. Or reached for anything. Needless to say, by the end of the day I was more than ready for something eye-wateringly alcoholic. Juliana, my best friend and REES’s office manager, was game, as she usually was, and we made it to The Room in time for happy hour. Normally, I feel like I’m in her shadow, what with her long, dark hair, matching eyes, and the body of a pre-war pinup girl, but tonight I didn’t care. Right about now, a little overshadowing was just what the doctor ordered.

After a few bowls of pretzels, and more than a few cocktails, I confessed my al fresco state, to which Juliana and I clinked glasses and downed a few shots in honor of my missing panties. Floyd, the scum, welshed on his promise of gin and tonic. I really do hate him.

The tour-wide giveaway prize pack includes a signed copy of Copper Girl, swag, and a necklace inspired by the token Micah gives Sara.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting, and good luck for the giveaway! For the master calender for the entire tour, visit Bewitching Book Tours.

Obsidian Eyes by A.W. Exley Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

2014-04-02T20:00:00.000+08:00

Obsidian Eyes by A.W. Exley
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: March 24th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis

1836, a world of light and dark, noble and guild. The two spheres intersect when seventeen-year-old Allie Donovan is placed at the aristocratic St Matthews Academy. More at ease with a blade than a needle, she finds herself ostracised by the girls and stalked by a Scottish lord intent on learning why she is among them.

She begins to suspect the underlying reasons when soldiers arrive to see her friend, Zeb, a mechanical genius. On the hunt for answers she breaks into his underground laboratory. There, Allie discovers he is not just constructing sentient mechanical creatures, he is building a devastating new weapon for the military.

The guilds want the weapon and Allie is trapped by ties of blood. She must obey the overlord of the guild and deliver up her friend, unless she can rely on bonds of friendship, to save both their lives.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

A.W. Exley

About the Author

Books and writing have always been an enormous part of Anita’s life. She survived school by hiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, she overcame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning to read hieroglyphics.

Today, Anita writes steampunk novels with a sexy edge and an Egyptian twist. She lives in rural New Zealand surrounded by an assortment of weird and wonderful equines, felines, canine and homicidal chickens.

Connect with Anita: Author's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Allie's heart pounded; an echo of her footsteps on the hard slate floor of the hallway. As a guild child she learned to wield a knife like noble girls learned needlepoint. Swords and throwing stars were her pianoforte and deportment classes. Her sparring partners were often boys, so why did this particular one make her pulse run faster than a bolting horse? 

He had circled her with the easy grace of a dancer. His hair draped over his forehead, so black it bordered on blue, cut short on the nape but rangy in front, almost obscuring that pale grey gaze. Eyes so mesmerising she thought a wolf watched her. Pure predator looked out, assessing her weaknesses. Her skin burned under her tunic where his arms held her. The memory of his lips at her neck made a shiver pass down her body. 

A foolish reaction or worse, a deadly mistake.  Her mind whirled as she traced her path to the girls' dormitory. She flung open the door to the room she shared and pressed it shut behind her. With short, quick movements she stripped off her loose cotton pants and kimono top and threw herself on the bed clad in just her chemise and knickers. 

Lying back she stared at the ceiling. Her roommate, Eloise, had painted an intricate sky scape during her long internment at the school. A dark blue night-time sky with constellations painted in swirls of gold and silver stared back at her. The walls were a forest of climbing vines fit to conceal Sleeping Beauty. Eloise was a genius with her hands whether painting, sewing, or dissecting wild life. 

Allie gathered her thoughts and calmed her mind, before she dressed for class. The colours over her head reminded her of the harem, where the walls were decorated with tiles painted in azure blue, startling orange, deep green, and sunshine yellow. The brilliant mosaics were a hard contrast to the lush silken drapes and velvet floor cushions so large she used to curl up on one, like a kitten in a lap. 

"I wish you would stop killing my frogs!" The genius in question had stirred and risen from her bed only to find the lifeless amphibian on her desk. 

"Stop reanimating them and I wouldn't have to," Allie countered, rolling over on to her stomach. "And to be fair I don't kill them, I just disconnect them. How can you sleep with their limbs twitching and jerking? It woke me up again this morning."

--Thoughts--
There's a little Steampunk, a little High Fantasy, a bit of Victorian England, and a dash of YA Romance. Any takers yet? ;)

Tour-Wide Giveaway:
Google Chromecast, and 5x swag. Open to US and Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting! For the tour's master calender, go to THIS LINK.

Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2014-04-02T13:00:00.000+08:00

Publication Date: Febuary 25th, 2014
Finished Date: March 2nd, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC
Series: The Dark Elements #1
My Rating: 4.5/5!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

My Review

I'll be frank - WHITE HOT KISS reads more like a fan fiction, with a more colloquial, YA style of writing. In fact, most of JLA's works have the same tone of voice - snarky, witty, and ultimately enjoyable, but with a healthy dash of YA colloquialism thrown in. For me, sometimes it works out, other times it can really turn me off big time. I wasn't a big fan of the later part of her COVENANT series, I discontinued the LUX series after ONYX...but I loved UNCHAINED (JLA's adult PNR series). Fortunately for me though, WHK read more like UNCHAINED, and I inhaled the book in two sittings.

There is a lot to gush about WHK, and the first thing, of course, is the GARGOYLES! They're wicked cool and they're almost like dragons...but darker. Edgier. And cuter. Haha! They sleep in stone-form for defense reasons cause their stone covering is literally impenetrable. By force or by fire. Wicked cool reimagining of gargoyles.

Then there is Roth. Zayne...not that much. Other than his awesome name, he ain't got nothing on Roth. Not only does Roth possess the standard requirements for a sexy YA/NA hero - y'know, the whole sometimes-brooding-sometimes-hilarious, mischievous but protective thing they've all got going on - but the sacrifices he makes and the things he does for our protagonist, Layla, places him on a whole new level. My respect for him grew like tenfold after the end, and is making me CRAY^2 waiting for STONE COLD TOUCH to see what happens to him. (He reminds of Robin "Puck" Goodfellow from THE IRON FEY series by Julie Kagawa.) And Layla and Zayne, of course. Heh.

There was a lot of teenage angst in WHK, both in high school and in the relationship department, but there were the other complexities of the Wardens and Demons that made WHK a more engaging read. It's not all black and white with the races. The Wardens might seem like the good guys, siding with the angel and ridding the world of pesky, trouble-making demons. But as Layla hang out with Roth more often, there are certain things that the Wardens ingrain into the younger Wardens and Layla aren't true.

Being half-demon, half-Warden, Layla has always longed to fit in. To be one of the good guys. To be able to shift and take to the skies. Too bad all she got from her mixed blood is to be able to distinguish demon from human/Warden, tag them, lighting them up for patrolling Wardens to kill, and that pesky soul-sucking kiss ~~from~~ ~~to hell~~. At least this skill allows her to feel more useful in the battle against the demons and ridding the world of evil. But Roth is determined to open her eyes to reality, that not all demons are as bad as they seem.

Are the Wardens brainwashing their young to hate the demons? What if there are demons that aren't, well, evil and she's been helping the Wardens kill them? And where does that place her in the entire scheme of things?

Another reason why I like JLA's writing style is her way of revealing things, and building her worlds bit by bit, letting the plot progress while giving us nuggets of information along the way. It's a smooth world-building process, and the pace never gets compromised. There's no huge info-dumping when it comes to the history of the Wardens and demons. But I can feel the tension between the two factions and shown just a nugget of the why and their history.

Altogether a very enjoyable, pretty steamy (and angsty), fast-paced read with a minor cliffhanger ending. I'd recommend this to fans of THE IRON FEY series, UNCHAINED by J. Lynn (JLA), and THE GUARDIAN LEGACY series by Ednah Walters.

*Review copy courtesy of Harlequin Teen via Netgalley*

My Rating

Stacking the Shelves (5) + Book Forecasting

2014-02-22T23:29:00.000+08:00

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books we got this week.

Another quiet week, but I got something exciting! It's a YA Dystopian and by a favorite author of mine.

Won

Publishing Date: February 26th 2014 (though the edits are just done, I'm not sure how accurate this date is)

Blurb from Goodreads:
In the first book of the new futuristic dystopian series from author Lisa T. Bergren, the chosen remnants must work to redirect humanity’s course.

The year is 2095. Gifted teens known as Remnants have been chosen and trained to act as humanity’s last hope to rectify the horrors that are now part of everyday life.

The Community has trained these teens as warriors and assigned them Knights of the Last Order as protectors. Together, they are a force that will be difficult to bring down.

But the Sons of Sheol, of course, are determined to do just that. As the Remnants begin their mission to course-correct humanity by saving and protecting key individuals, their enemies move to stop them, placing the entire world in peril.

Bestselling author Lisa T. Bergren presents the first book in her new YA futuristic dystopian series—The Remnants Novels—fitting in with the current dystopian trend in the marketplace.

I won this a while back and was just gifted a copy through Netgalley by Lisa herself a few days back cause the edits are just completed. I LOVED The River of Time series to bits, the early reviews are pretty dang good and I'm starting to really dig the Dystopian genre, so I'm pretty hyped about Remnants: Season of Wonder.

There's been some pretty amazing releases so far for 2014, and there are a few more this two weeks that I wanna do special mentions for. I'm pretty out with new releases nowadays, but these are just some of the books I've been salivating for for weeks/months/a year.

My most anticipated releases according to release date:

Publishing Date: February 24th, 2014
Zombies, Horror, Romance, Action, Boomz

Blurb from Goodreads:
***A Standalone Horror Romance coming February 2014***

A note about this book: Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 – couples were often thrust into marriage together with short courtships, racism was widespread and not overly frowned upon, and women had little to no rights. What wouldn't fly in today's day and age was unfortunately the norm back then - it is worth keeping that in mind when reading this book.

Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

Just look at that cover... So desolate and perfect. And we get legit zombie romance without the risks of any zombies falling in love with their food this time!!

Publishing Date: February 25th, 2014
Demons, Gargoyles, YA, Romance, JLA (Goodreads link)

Blurb from Goodreads:
One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Instead of angels vs demons, we have GARGOYLES vs demons, plus lots of romance? Slay me.

Publishing Date: March 8th, 2014 (IT'S FINALLY WITHIN EYEBALLING RANGE)
Ninjas, Star-crossed Lovers, YA, Romance, f-ing favorite series of mine (Goodreads link)

Blurb from Goodreads:
Rileigh is ready to celebrate.

Things have been quiet (as quiet as life can be for a reincarnated samurai), she's graduating high school, and her boyfriend, Kim, has finally regained his lost memories. But the urge to celebrate is short-lived when she realizes that if Kim can remember, chances are her (im)mortal enemy, Sumi, can remember as well. Sure enough, it's not long before the reincarnated ninja attacks Rileigh and her friends. But in the aftermath of the fight, Rileigh discovers that Sumi has performed an ancient ritual that allows her to switch bodies with Rileigh . . . and it's draining her ki. Hunted by the Network (who believe Rileigh is Sumi), Rileigh must track the vengeful ninja down before her own powers completely vanish.

One of the only proper ninja romances out there but this series is my one and only <3.

Other notable releases:

(Covers lead to Goodreads)

I usually only follow or feature books that I myself will actually read, so for a more comprehensive list of releases this coming week, you can refer to Giselle's Fresh Batch post every week at Xpresso Reads. It's amazing and very easy to follow. :))

--------------------------------------------------------

Any super anticipated reads this week or the next? :)

A Letter from Josh + Giveaway: Magic Within by Sara Fitzgerald

2014-02-22T19:35:00.000+08:00

Magic Within
by Sara Fitzgerald
Publisher: Champagne Books
Publication Date: February 2014

Synopsis

Nancy, a purple-haired witch, has never fit in with the kids in town. She has always felt something was deeply wrong with her. When Josh, her best friend, is attacked by a werewolf, Nancy seeks a potion to save him from the werewolf curse within him. But Josh’s fate--werewolf or human--is his to decide, when the potion is injected during his transition at thefull of the moon.

Nancy, too, must make a choice. Her mother, her best friend, and a steadfast young man all see the magic within her. Can she finally accept who she is and give love a chance?

Goodreads | B&N

Sara Fitzgerald

About the Author

Sara Fitzgerald is a best selling author for Champagne Books. She lives wtih her husband and daughter in the Rocky Mountains. She loves romance, writing, reading, walking her dog and spending time with her family.

Connect with Sara:
Author's Website | Goodreads

Other Works of the Author:

and many more

(Covers lead to Goodreads)

In the blackness of the night, Josh growled from deep inside his body. The pain was intense. More than anything he’d experienced. He gasped and stared at the alluring full moon. His body violently twisted.

He looked at his contorted hands; claws were forming. He was changing into a werewolf. This couldn’t be possible. He never even tasted human flesh and yet he’d always envied the power and freedom of Eric. To have no restraints. Nothing to constrain his behavior. Pure freedom.

“No!” he screamed into the night. Not him. Yet the stupid darkness had always appealed to him. He had even wanted to be a bloodsucker. Did evil lurk within his soul? Was this his fate? To be changed into a monster?

He frantically looked for Nancy, Nick and his sister. They were floating barely above him on the broomsticks. Horror flooded their faces, and tears filled his sister’s eyes.

Samantha dipped her broom lower. “No, Josh, please don’t do this.”

Nick raised his gun. Nancy quickly pushed it down.

Josh’s body quivered. “Kill me.”

A Letter from Josh…

(Click to enlarge the letter)

Liked what you've read?

Sara is giving away an ecopy of MAGIC WITHIN to one reader here at A Bookalicious Story. Giveaway is international and will end March 8, 2014. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting!

ARC Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

2014-02-21T23:57:00.001+08:00

Publication Date: April 1st, 2014
Finished Date: February 16th, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Format: eARC
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
My Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

My Review

STOLEN SONGBIRD is rather like an amalgamation of Hobbit The Movie and Alice in Wonderland, telling of young Cécile's unwitting abduction to Trollus, homeland of the trolls, beneath the ~~Lonely~~ Forbidden Mountain, a magical tale full of intrigue, deceit and whimsical, off-with-her-head monarchs. As her debut book and start to a new fantasy series, STOLEN SONGBIRD's pretty amazing!

A (not so brief) Rundown

Under the fallen rocks of the Forbidden Mountain is rumored to be home to a whole city of a mystical species - the trolls. To enter Trollus, one must navigate the labyrinth of tunnels and evade the sluag, a slug-like creature that nullifies troll magic and strikes fear even in the hearts of the mighty trolls. It is said that Trollus contains piles of gold and riches (ahem Erebor), but many who ventured in never returned.

Cécile de Troyes is a farm maiden of Goshawk Hollow but with the voice of an angel. During a trip home from the city one day, she came upon an old friend but was kidnapped and brought to Trollus to marry the troll prince, Tristan de Montigny. Apparently, the trolls were cursed centuries ago by a human witch to never be able to step foot out of the mountain and a prophecy was told that a marriage between the troll prince and human girl with hair like fire, blue eyes and an "angel's voice" will break the curse.

But it didn't.

Cécile has always dreamed of the romantic wedded life her friends have gossiped wistfully about, but Tristan is far from a loving husband. He is one of the most handsome dudes she has ever laid eyes upon but he is also crude, rude, mostly cold and always confrontational. He picks fights with her at every opportuninty and sleeps on the couch. But in the darkness of the gardens where Cécile goes to sing to calm her riotous emotions, Tristan lets down his guard enough for her to see another side of him - the kind, gentle and loving side.

As Cécile comes to know, Trollus is not just about the amazing architecture and beautiful glass gardens (no sunlight). Humans and half bloods with little or no magic are seen as little more than slaves and any small misstep gives their owners the right to sentence them to be left in the tunnels to be sluag fodder or anything the owner sees fit. A rebellion is brewing and the factions are not clearly delineated. Tristan may seem like an insolent brat six out of seven days, but Cécile knows there is defeinitely more to him than he's showing. What does he do in the early hours of morning, sneaking out of their room and palace? Where does he factor in in the rebellion? And what has any of it to do with her?

My Thoughts

Kudos to the author for her effort to reimagine trolls - from 3m, club-swinging, wart-covered monstrosities (I'm thinking of the one in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) to an intelligent, magic-wielding race. Some look human (just 10000000 times more beautiful), but some are disfigured and some not even remotely human-looking. However apart from that, the concept is really just taking the characteristics of Shakespeare's faries and naming them trolls. Jensen's trolls can't lie which makes them experts at the art of manipulating words, their promises are binding, their thank-you's are favors to be repaid, they have True Names which enables full control over the troll whose name is known, and one of the side characters, Anäis (yes, their names have lots of squiggly-wiggly or dots on top of their alphabets) mentioned that the name for their people isn't trolls, it's "Fai--" then she stopped herself. Well now, it's not that difficult to complete her statement now.

So I didn't really buy the "fresh" new idea of trolls.

But the plot is full of political intrigues, deceptions, and dangers for our protagonist that I was pretty invested in her story. It may be subjective though because like the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, STOLEN SONGBIRD is about Cécile finding out about trolls, their issues (the social discrimination and off-with-your-head variety) and her transformation from scared maiden to strong woman who found love and her determination to help in the rebellion. There is a sort of non-ending at the end, a sort of closure but we're not even close to the true ending. Just like how Bilbo and the dwarves were dropped off some god-forsaken cliff in the middle of nowhere and the Lonely Mountain was a speck in the horizon and the show ends. Yeah, something like that.

Not to say that it wasn't a good read (Goodreads, haha), Jensen had a very descriptive, simple yet witty style of writing. I loved the typical, easy countryside way of life at Goshawk's Hollow (Gordric's Hollow?!?!), the terror Cécile felt when she was in the sluag tunnels, the awe she felt at Trollus and her heartbreak when she thought that she was doomed to have a loveless marriage. There were quite a few secrets revealed along the way and plot curves dished out, and the alternating POV, which most of the time serves only to unveil secrets early and lessen suspense, worked pretty well here.

The characters!!! Apart from Tristan and Cécile, I thought that the secondary cast of characters were pretty fleshed out. We get to see glimpses of who each of them were really like and all of them had their own distinct personalities - there is mysterious but fiercely loyal Marc with a face split in half, each half having handsome features but freaky when seen as a whole; the Queen and her sister Duchesse who are joined together at the back so one of them has to walk backwards; the twins Vincent and Victoria who're constantly competing to see who should be Baron/Baroness of their house though their competitions are mostly jokes (like archery but with only one foot on the ground and with blindfolds on).

I don't want to spoiler anything more, but I'd definitely recommend this to fans of YA Fantasy. It's got the complicated political drama, the whole-new-world feel and magical boomz of a good fantasy, it's just that I felt that the plot and emotional development were dragged out too much that sometimes it felt like we were going in circles and the ending didn't give enough of a closure for me.

That said, though, there was a tiny part near the end that hinted at a parallel world that lives alongside Trollus and the outside world. This series is heading in a very promising direction with lots of action, suspense and romance, so yes, I will be picking up book 2 to see where Jensen takes Cécile and the rest of the crew.

~eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Strange Chemistry. Thank you!~

My Rating

{Late Post} Stacking the Shelves (4)

2014-02-19T00:36:00.000+08:00

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books we got this week.

Another quiet week, but I received some really cool swag from Dani Harper which I requested some time ago but I didn't know if she would send overseas, so yeah I was super excited when I saw a package in the mail last week. :DD

Sorry for the lousy lighting and positioning! I'm still super busy cause of my crazy 10 hr/day new job so it's midnight now and I'm tired. But anyway, YES THAT'S the newly released cover for Storm Bound!! So I'll be doing another coolio swag giveaway again. Maybe when Storm Bound releases? ;)

Status Update

As for books I've read, I've read Haze by Paula Weston, The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard and the ARC of Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen releasing on April Fool's Day this year. Stolen Songbird and Haze were pretty not bad! Both 4 stars each but The Almost Girl was. AWESOME. I'm not sure why the reviews on Goodreads aren't as boomz as I thought it would be, and there are a surprising number of 1 star reviews. Well, it's a 4.5-5 stars to me. <3 Haha, now I just gotta find time and some brain juice to do up my reviews.

Non-bookish stuff: The remaining rest time I spend on this new Korean drama called The Inheritors/The Heirs. It's a very exaggerated love triangle drama involving super rich high schoolers and this poor female protagonist. Haha, it's the sort of thing that I let my inner-princess indulge in once in awhile. It's pretty not bad, and the casting is SUPERB. See trailer below.

Ok, it's a super bad and uninformative trailer, but the show's much better. :))

My Reading Pile for this week will include:

Scarlet #2 (the long awaited sequel)

Blurb from Goodreads

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

Star Thief Chronicles #1

Blurb from Goodreads

She might only be twenty-three, but Renna Carrizal is the most notorious thief in the galaxy. There’s just one problem – all she wants is to get the frak out of the business.

But when Renna rescues an injured boy from the warehouse she’s casing, she finds herself on the run from the mob instead of enjoying retirement on a garden world. Turns out, the kid was a plant to lead her to MYTH, a top-secret galactic protection agency.

MYTH needs Renna’s special skills, and they make her an offer she can’t refuse – unless she'd like to spend the rest of her life on a prison ship. To make sure she does her job they shackle her with a MYTH watchdog, the handsome but arrogant Captain Finn.

A former mercenary-turned-galactic-hero, Finn happens to have his own dirty secrets. Secrets that Renna wouldn’t mind uncovering for herself. Together, they discover an experiment to develop illegal cybernetics that will create an unstoppable army. The intended target? The human star fleet.

Now Renna must use her skills as the Star Thief to pull off the biggest job of her career – saving the galaxy. And herself.

--------------------------------------------------

As you can see, it's all about the thieves this week. ;) I'm only going to add 2 books to my immediate TBR for now cause I'm a mood reader and my this pile tends to change almost every alternate day. So yeah. :)

Any good books recently read? What's on your immediate TBR pile now?

Book Blitz + Giveaway: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton

2014-02-18T23:56:00.000+08:00

RecruitZ by Karice Bolton
Afterworld #1
Publication date: December 27th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

Synopsis

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo

About the Author

Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.

Books currently available:
*Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) – Feb. 28th
*Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1)
*The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
*The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
*The Camp

Karice would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she can.

Author's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Excerpt #1

“We can’t run. They’d totally get us before we got away,” I said, hoping he’d correct me, tell me that we had a chance.

He didn’t.

He slammed his fist into the steering wheel and looked over at me. When the outbreak happened, we never looked back. We were always on the move, running from the disease that took our families and friends. That was the key to survival. Never stay in one place. Always stay on the move. Now we had nowhere to move. I glanced over at Gavin and saw the fear in his eyes. Even with everything we’d encountered, his eyes had never held this amount of terror.

“Babe, whatever happens…”

“Knock it off,” I said.

“We have nothing to fight them with, and a horde this size needs a distraction.”

“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, shaking my head. The fear was pulsing through me at an unstoppable rate. “We didn’t live through the outbreak to die now.”

I gritted my teeth, grabbed the civilian anti-zombie kit from under my seat, unzipped it, and looked for anything inside that might help. We were instructed to drop these kits off at government collection stations. I was grateful we never got around to it.

Gavin held down the ignition and reverse buttons at the same time in a vain attempt to override the safety sensors.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

“Try rebooting the car. Turn it off and take the key out. Give it a few seconds and slip the key back in. Maybe if you pop it in reverse before the car can sense the zombies, it’ll let us reverse,” I directed.

He nodded, biting his lip, and turned off the engine allowing the moans of the horde outside to be heard. I took a deep breath and looked out my window that was now completely blocked by tattered shirts and non-oozing wounds pressed against the glass. It would only be a matter of time before they began to break through the glass. The moans turned into a chorus of humming.

“One-Mississippi-two…” Gavin’s words wrapped around me.

I prayed silently to the same God I’d prayed to many nights before. He listened then and I hoped he’d listen now.

I grabbed two knives that were in the kit and flipped the blades open, locking them in place. The anodized orange handles were larger than the actual blades. Not comforting. I handed one to Gavin.

“There’s still a Louisville Slugger on the floor behind us,” Gavin said. His brown hair was cut short. That was one of the first things he did after we were vaccinated. A haircut and a shave to celebrate our survival. He still looked young but not as young as we both did before the outbreak.

I slid toward the center console, crawling as far from the passenger window as I could get. Gavin’s breathing was heavy, and I felt the heat rolling off him as he continued to struggle with what we were facing.

I dug around in the bottom of the bag for the zombie deterrent. My hand clasped around the ADD, also known as the Audible Distraction Device, and I dropped the kit to the floor.

The car rocked back and forth as the number of beasts grew on both sides, creating a trance-like rhythm that was terrifying.

“Grab the bat,” Gavin instructed, his voice low.

Excerpt #2

“One-Mississippi-two…” Gavin’s words wrapped around me.

I prayed silently to the same God I’d prayed to many nights before. He listened then and I hoped he’d listen now.

I grabbed two knives that were in the kit and flipped the blades open, locking them in place. The anodized orange handles were larger than the actual blades. Not comforting. I handed one to Gavin.

“There’s still a Louisville Slugger on the floor behind us,” Gavin said. His brown hair was cut short. That was one of the first things he did after we were vaccinated. A haircut and a shave to celebrate our survival. He still looked young but not as young as we both did before the outbreak.

I slid toward the center console, crawling as far from the passenger window as I could get. Gavin’s breathing was heavy, and I felt the heat rolling off him as he continued to struggle with what we were facing.

I dug around in the bottom of the bag for the zombie deterrent. My hand clasped around the ADD, also known as the Audible Distraction Device, and I dropped the kit to the floor.

The car rocked back and forth as the number of beasts grew on both sides, creating a trance-like rhythm that was terrifying.

“Grab the bat,” Gavin instructed, his voice low.

I slid my hand to his knee, squeezing it hard before I reached behind us and grabbed the wooden weapon.

The challenges we faced living off the land paled in comparison to what we faced confined in this car.

Gavin turned the engine on and sunk it into reverse, only to be stalled right where we were.

“Pedestrians in minimum safe distance,” the car warned again.

“Shut up!” I shouted at the car’s inhuman voice.

An oily residue smeared against the glass all around us from their bodies touching and gliding along the surfaces. They were crawling on the hood, metal pops sounded with every dent created. Their bodies slowly snaked up the windshield as they climbed toward the roof. Their mouths opening, jaws clicking as they tasted our scent. That was all we had separating us from zombies—glass. It would be only a matter of time before they mangled the metal above us and shattered the glass around us.

“If I get out of the car, I can distract them and you can run. I need you to run,” he said slowly, his eyes locking on mine.

“No way. I’m not—”

The glass shattered, interrupting my objection. The shards of glass crumbled down the door and into Gavin’s lap. Several mismatched arms shoved their hands through the nonexistent barrier, reaching for Gavin as I let out a scream and lunged with the knife in hand.

“Don’t watch what happens, babe. Promise me you’ll look away,” his voice pleading, as he struggled against the fleshy fingers that twisted and pulled at his shirt.

Thoughts

My very first zombie book was a mess and a DNF for me. I didn't see a point in any part of the story and I couldn't see a plot whatsoever as I read it. From then on I swore off zombie novels. Until one of my favorite authors of all time (JULIEEEEE Kagawa!!) wrote a zombie novel and I thought, if someone can rid my aversion to zombies, it'd be her. And holy baloney, she did. The Blood of Eden series is now up on the pedastal with all my other favorites even though the level of romance in that series is laughable. It's her writing. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's so good.

Along the way I did come across other YA zombie novels and they've been good! Reading the synopsis for RecruitZ reminds me of all the good things I love about a good zombie story and other stories. For one the protagonist looks super badass (always major brownie points), and the plot and all sounds like a really promising dystopian.

Anyway, there's gonna be TWO giveaways below and I hope y'all enjoy it! Go read RecruitZ! It's definitely on my TBR pile, I'm just debating whether or not I should request a review copy of it. :P

Every blog participating in the blitz from Febuary 17th to 23rd will be giving away an ecopy of RecruitZ. So yeah, I'm giving one away too! *COOLIO* It's going to be international and the giveaway here will end 2 weeks from now on March 4th, 2014. Good luck! :))

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Prize Giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card + a zombie kit (incl. an I heart Zombies tee and some other zombie things)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting! :))

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter

2014-02-15T23:08:00.000+08:00

Today is the day! The cover of Gena Showalter's THE QUEEN OF ZOMBIE HEARTS is here! We're so excited to be able to share this with you as it joins an already stunning set! Ready to see it? Not quite yet lets take a look a the first two covers in the series!

First there was ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND...

Then came THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS...

Now get ready to EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!!!

----

Official White Rabbit Chronicles website

On-sale date: Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Add it to your TBR! Goodreads

Pre-order your copy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Official book description

I have a plan.

We'll either destroy them for good, or they'll destroy us.

Either way, only one of us is walking away.

In the stunning conclusion to the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, Alice "Ali" Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's ready to take the next step with boyfriend Cole Holland, the leader of the zombie slayers…until Anima Industries, the agency controlling the zombies, launches a sneak attack, killing four of her friends. It's then she realizes that humans can be more dangerous than monsters…and the worst has only begun.

As the surviving slayers prepare for war, Ali discovers she, too, can control the zombies…and she isn't the girl she thought she was. She's connected to the woman responsible for killing—and turning—Cole's mother. How can their relationship endure? As secrets come to light, and more slayers are taken or killed, Ali will fight harder than ever to bring down Anima—even sacrificing her own life for those she loves.

Thoughts: It looks intense! Haha, and a really cool rendition of the Queen of Hearts. She does look a little insane huh?

About Gena:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, the Angels of the Dark, the Lords of the Underworld, and the Otherworld Assassins series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine, and have been translated in multiple languages. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and menagerie of dogs, and truly believes love conquers all.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | The White Rabbit Chronicles Facebook

Giveaway Details

1 complete set of The White Rabbit Chronicles (first 2 sent as soon as the giveaway is over and the winner will get the first hardcover of book 3 when it's available!) US/Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (3) + Cover Reveal + Giveaway + Interesting Book Finds Phew

2014-02-12T09:00:00.000+08:00

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books we got this week.

It's been SOOOOOOOO quiet lately that I only got one book last week. But oh what a super incredible book I can't wait to get started on it. It's the first ARC (advanced reader's copy) I have requested on Netgalley in a super long time - bout 2 years - and the first time I'm requesting from this publisher. This publisher has championed many popular books and they're quite popular (and I go on random hiatus) so I wasn't sure if I would be approved. SO YES, not a small amount of squealing ensued when I received the approval email.

Netgalley eARC

Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
Expected Publication: April 1st, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry/Angry Robot Ltd

Blurb: For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Goodreads | Author's Website | Netgalley

Status Update: Just finished Haze by Paula Weston and The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard over the last 3-4 days. LOVED tAG, Haze was not bad but wasn't a favorite. tAG is almost a fave. I'm a quarter into SS and I'm kinda digging it so far.

This is supposed to be posted Feb 11, 9am EST, but that EST suffix is screwing with me so I'm just going to post it 24hours after Feb 11, 9am here in Singapore.

The Shadow Prince
Mortal Enchantment series #0.5
Expected Publication: March 25th, 2014
Publisher: Phoenix Reign Publishing

Blurb: Every sacrifice has consequences.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

This prequel novella will be FREE and available on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble on March 25, 2014!

About the author:

Stacey O'Neale

Biography

Stacey O'Neale started her career in publishing as a blogger turned publicist for two successful small publishers. She loves to write stories with swoony paranormal heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.

When she's not writing, she loves blogging and fangirling about books on twitter. Occasionally, she leaves her computer to go outside.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

------------------------------------------------

It's been awhile since I've last browsed through Netgalley, but here are some interesting finds:

- Stolen Songbird by Daniella L. Jenson (Strange Chemistry/April 1st, 2014)
- Enmity by E.J. Andrews (Harlequin Enterprises Australia/April 1st 2014)
- Dangerous by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury USA Children's Books/March 4th 2014)
- Dancing with Dragons by Lorenda Christensen (Carina Press/March 17th 2014)
- Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina (Angry Robot Ltd/Jan 7th 2014)

There were a few others like Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper and Knight Assassin by Rima Jean but I can't seem to find their URLs. Oh wellz, Rachel (Fiktshun) does this Netgalley finds thing regularly and she includes contemporary romance too, click HERE to see. I'm pretty narrow when it comes to ARCs cause I try to be strict with myself to reduce my DNFs, so yeah, her list would be more comprehensive. :)

(And I don't know how she does it but she's really super up to date with all the releases even though she's so busy. *kowtow*)

------------------------------------------------

What'cha guys reading currently and any recent awesome finds??

Review + Giveaway: Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon

2014-02-12T00:40:00.000+08:00

Publication Date: September 5th, 2011
Finished Date: January 9th, 2014
Publisher: Self-published
Format: eBook
Series: The Alexa Montgomery series #1
My Rating: 5/5!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa's instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.

My Review

My Summary **May contain minor spoilers**

Alexa Montgomery suffers under the strict tutelage of her Mother outside of normal schooling - in the arts of battle and combat. It's exhaustive, it's scary and it's painful. Her Mother turns into this unfeeling predator when it's time for one of her lessons. Alexa is also made to run to school with her younger sister, Nelly, every morning even though the bus passes by their house. It's annoying, but who'd dare bring it up against her Mother?

Unbeknownst to her, Alexa's being trained to come into her powers as a Sun Warrior, strongest of all the races but also hunted to extinction years ago. During an attack by Lamias - a breed of vampires that are ruled by instinct, who look beautiful though they have shark teeth, and are aggressive things that crave blood - Alexa makes the heart-shredding decision to save her sister by leaving her Mother and taking her sister into the woods and to a safe place her Mother pointed out to her just a day before.

With some help from a friend and a contact, they manage to arrive at Two Rivers - a lush and beautiful city behind tall walls surrounded by two rivers that curves around the walls. At Two Rivers, Alexa, Nelly and a friend meet Wolf-sons, Searchers and Brocken vampires. They are assigned to dorms with their respective species but since Alexa is the one of a kind, she is sent to live and train with the Brockens who serve as the city's warriors. Alexa's a sort of celebrity there, being part of a legendary race, but is she the only one that senses something is amiss in the city? Why is their form of entertainment gladiator-style blood sports? Why are there only healthy, young, good-looking people in the city? Many people she has come to meet seem to believe that she'll be some sort of savior - but what do they need rescuing from?

My Thoughts

I. Love. Alexa. I wouldn't go so far as to say she is completely unique in her badass-teenager-who-can-kick-asses-three-times-her-size way, but she's cool. She had this way about her that was very relatable; Her anger and despair when shit hits her fan makes her more human and I come to empathize and connect with her.

Gordon's style of writing helps too. It's reminiscent of Jennifer L. Armentrout's style, that colloquial, witty, off-hand kind of feel, but with a little something more that makes it unique. Every chapter is jam-packed with tension and action, and it always ends in a way that compels your fingers to flip the page. It's addictive and you can never get enough of it. Right now I'm itching to pick up the next instalment, HALF BLACK SOUL, but I shall resist because it is midnight.

At the beginning, we are introduced to Alexa's borderline-tyrannical Mother - not to say that she doesn't care for her daughters, but she's just a little on the harsh and crazy side for a mother - and her sweet younger sister, Nelly. Nelly isn't trained to fight like Alexa, but she isn't oblivious to the things around her. She knows how hard Alexa's trainings are, and she's always there for her. She's like this little angel with a contagious smile and innocent way about her. The sisterly bond between them gives another dimension to this story and it was really heartwarming to see the kind of loyalty they inspire in each other.

The secondary cast that we are introduced to later on includes Wolf-son, Jackson, a classmate from her human high school, the handsome and charming boy that befriends and sticks up for her even when she was shunned by her other schoolmates (and who is funny and has this mid-western drawl); Kayden, the intense, stoic, protective Brocken vampire warrior that, believe it or not, is more kickass than our little Sun Warrior heroine; Tommy, rich, resourceful and laidback Brocken classmate; Camillia, mysterious Queen of Two Rivers; Daniel and some other Two Rivers citizens. Other than Alexa and Nelly, the other characters weren't developed quite as much as I'd liked, but I believe that we'll be given more insight into each of them throughout the series. But from what I've read so far, they're all growing a little on me.

There were certain loopholes and issues that weren't addressed in the novel, however. The biggest question that bothered me the most was, if there was a walled city (complete with two rivers as moats), why isn't it on the map, and is that even allowed in the US?? Wouldn't the government probe, and wouldn't the media be all over it like white on rice? There were also quite a fair bit of grammatical errors, but since BLOOD WARRIOR was self-published (salute to you, H.D!) and really the story was just so fast-paced and awesome that they didn't bother me as much as it would have it they appeared as frequently in most other novels. Testament to the brilliance of BW.

It's been ages since I've last read a YA UF novel that's hooked me so completely, and I don't remember ever shelving another self-published book as a favorite, but BLOOD WARRIOR definitely is. I've gotten very wary and cynical when it comes to love interests because I've been reading too many jerkfaces and insta-attractions recently, and too many typical aloof beautyfaces that they all just blend together, but I actually gave a damn about Kayden and Jack.

I wouldn't say that the introduction to BW was the best I've ever read, but the story itself is amazing. I was looking for a kickass heroine much like Alexa Hollen in Defy by Sara B. Larson cause I was suffering from AlexaHollenWithdrawalSyndrome, and BW had the closest blurb I could find at the time and it did not disappoint. (Though I still prefer Defy over BW, BW is good in its own UF ways.)

P.S. Y'know how the council that runs Two Rivers is made up of two men and three women? I mean, Go, Girl Power! It's usually a one female or all male party up on the foodchain, so hi-five, H.D!

My Rating

I was so excited after I read BLOOD WARRIOR that I immediately wrote down my review for it (cause I didn't want the fresh feels to fade) and emailed H.D. to request for her to do a guest post and giveaway on the blog. I wanted to share this book with all of you cause even though it's been released for some time already, some of you might not know such a superbly crazy good book is out there (like me till now, sighzzz) so yeah, share the love and all.

H.D. is VERY generously giving away three (3) paperback copies of BLOOD WARRIOR to three US ABS readers. Giveaway is open to readers with a US address and ends Feb 26th, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Random Musings (7): The Abhorent Trend of Book-Judging

2014-01-15T19:23:00.000+08:00

Have you ever felt judged when you're reading Twilight in school/work?

Have you ever felt embarrassed to be reading Fifty Shades in the train with it's characteristic grey cover terrifyingly visible for all fellow commuters to stare and judge?

Have you ever felt ashamed to be holding a book with a half-naked hunk on the cover out in public?

Well, I'd say those are just society's ill-informed stereotypes at work. I find it so annoying that people who have no right to judge a book judge and think they're all "righteous/mature" to tell a reader to continue reading a book pegged by the public as childish/unscrupulous/not-intellectual or publicly judge a reader leading to said reader feeling self-conscious and even stop reading that particular genre altogether. They think that the book is so and so, so the reader must also be immoral and stupid and all that crap. But you know what? They can go screw themselves because:

Firstly, I can assure you that the majority of them hasn't even read the book yet. And a large proportion of those idiots base their misguided impressions of those books on the poor book's adapted movie, which in most cases do not do justice to the book in question. (And many a times do not follow the events and descriptions in the book all that religiously.)

Secondly, if you want to judge a book, pease be sure to actually like that particular genre. It would be even better if you were an avid reader of that genre too.

Let's say I'm a fan of those political high fantasy with lots of magicky warfare, do I go off and rate a YA contemporary romance? NO, because of course I'd find the book too slow and fluffy for my liking. Say I'm a fan of non-fiction self-help, do I go off and judge a BDSM erotica? HELL TO THE NO, because even a person with half a brain knows why. IF I'M A PERSON WHO DOESN'T EVEN LIKE BOOKS, DO I GO AROUND SPREADING MY PREJUDICED OPINIONS ABOUT A PARTICULAR BOOK? Especially a book about to be made into a movie?

Not only are you going to incur the wrath of fans, you are also going to affect ticket sales on premier day and that's going to affect the author's livelihood and be a total assface.

Reviews are meant to assure potential readers of a book's quality, so any bad reviews will just deter them when it could've been a favorite read. So, just don't fucking pick up the book with all yer biased, preconceived prejudism all-ready to rate it a one star.

Ooo, I think Twilight is lame, therefore I am sooo mature and sooo cool.

Please, spare me.

Actually, talking about Twilight brings me to another issue that's been bothering me for awhile. But just to end off with the Twilight thing, it's not that I'm a twihard or anything, but I read this post on Jennifer L. Armentrout's Facebook page (for the life of me, I cannot find that post. It was posted a few weeks ago I think) about how people always sneer at the mention of Twilight but how it deserves some respect. While I would agree that the love triangle wasn't the best I've ever read or the most nicely executed one, it was a book that precipitated the entire YA craze and prompted Hollywood directors to take up novels to turn them into films. It might not be top-notch, but it was what made reading popular again and that in itself should warrant some respect. It's like Wonder Girls in Kpop - they might not be the most talented girl group or the most beautiful, but they brought Kpop to the world.

Fifty Shades may not be written in the most lyrical or beautiful of ways, but come on, how many people actually knew the word erotica even existed before Fifty made it famous? (And the fact that it has a series when most other eroticas are standalones just proves that it has a proper plot.)

Ok, so about this other topic, it's about books being made into films. Is it a boon or bane?

(This discussion will be shorter, I promise.)

This has obvious boons of course, such as authors getting their well-deserved rewards for all their hard work and for bringing such amazing colors into us reader's lives, but for a reader... For me, really, I just don't think it's all that great.

Other than Hunger Games, I thought that all the other books-to-movies were a bust. More often than not the books being adapted are thick with shitloads of information and beautiful descriptions that the movies can't incorporate or pull off. They have budgets, limited screen time and ultimately, there are some things that are just humanly impossible to enact. Like the ethereal beauty of faes or feral handsomeness of predatory changelings.

Then there are those who do not follow the book at all. Just look at the mess Percy Jackson the movie made of the book. (Have you watched Sea of Monsters?? Holy shit) And TMI IMO didn't do justice to the book at all.

Yes, that is Clarisse with ~~a recycled rice sack~~ the magical golden fleece.

Now I'm seriously afraid for Fifty Shades cause from the movie stills being released/leaked... :((

And then there's Karen Marie Moning's quote from Darkfever:

I'm just saying that books being made into films might not be all rainbows and celebration. Fan of the books will always have their own ideal imagining of said books in their bookish minds, and it's - I wouldn't say heartbreaking, but it comes close - really saddening when a good book attracts the wrong kind of attention and garners haters for it.

--------------------------------------------------------

Wow, thank you for staying with me all the way!

What's you view on public stereotypes and books being adapted into movies? Have you ever wanted to punch someone for judging you for reading a book they haven't read yet?

Accidental Cover + Book Discovery: Deluge and Grim

2014-01-14T15:20:00.000+08:00

Deluge
The River of Time #4
by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Expected Publication: Somewhere in 2014

Blurb

From Author's Website:

The fifth and final installment in my River of Time Series, following Waterfall, Cascade, Torrent, Bourne & Tributary. Find out what has happened to our beloved characters, making their way in medieval Italy, as they encounter the plague, continue to battle with Firenze, and weather medieval life…forever.

Goodreads | Author's Website

N(o preorder links yet)

--Thoughts--
Apparently the cover for Deluge was out in December and I didn't know about it but now I do but... IS. THAT. GABI AND MARCELLO'S. DAUGHTER?!?! HOLY COW, IMSOEXCITEDCANYOUTELL?? #shoutycapitals

Grim
Expected Publication: February 25th 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Blurb from Goodreads

Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today:

Ellen Hopkins
Amanda Hocking
Julie Kagawa
Claudia Gray
Rachel Hawkins
Kimberly Derting
Myra McEntire
Malinda Lo
Sarah Rees-Brennan
Jackson Pearce
Christine Johnson
Jeri Smith Ready
Shaun David Hutchinson
Saundra Mitchell
Sonia Gensler
Tessa Gratton
Jon Skrovan

Goodreads | Amazon

--Thoughts--
Am I the only one who didn't know about this anthology???? Dammit. Haha, but look at all those authors up there!! It really is some of the best voices of YA Lit. I wanted to wait for Wednesday to feature this in my WoW post but nah, I'm excited and I shall post this NOW. I stumbled upon Grim while browsing through Netgalley and thought I should share this for the benefit of those who were out-of-the-loop for awhile like me. *sniff*

----------------------------------------------------------------

Did you have any exciting book discoveries recently? :)

Cover Reveal: Lover, Divine by A. Star

2014-01-14T14:58:00.001+08:00

I don't normally take part in cover reveals cause one of my pet peeves is covers. I'm sorry but I usually judge a book by its cover. Covers tell me a lot about a book - genre, mostly, but you can sort of tell the writing style of the author from a cover, whether is it more romance-heavy or action-based, and whether it's self-published or traditionally published. That's why I'm afraid I won't like the cover when it's sent to me in advance but I'd still have to post it since I agreed to take part in the reveal. But this book is about GREEK GODS AND MYTHS, so of course I had to take part.

Lover, Divine
by A. Star
Series: Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1
Expected Publication: February 25th 2014
Genres: Adult, Mythology, Romance

Blurb

Born into one of the wealthiest families in Ireland, Siobhan Law has status, privilege, and a secret: The Greek gods of Olympus and their kingdom in the clouds are real, and her family acts as one of their agents on Earth.

When the beautiful immortal celeste Liam Argyros shows up claiming to have come to Earth to deal in the affairs of the divine, Siobhan finds herself unable to resist his charms. New to the game of passion and seduction, she quickly ends up in over her head, sinking deeper with every attempt Liam makes to win her over.

But Liam’s divine mission is far more complex than she ever imagined and nothing is truly as it seems. Because Liam has a secret of his own: He is Apollo, Olympian god of the Sun, and his mission will never be complete until he has claimed Siobhan’s heart forever.

Goodreads

Kudos to Regina from Mae I Design for designing the cover!

A. Star

About the Author

A. Star is a fan of dirty passion. She likes to read it, and she damn sure likes to write it. Her first adult romance/fantasy novella is called Invasion, an alien romance about sacrifice. Lover, Divine is the first release from the Mythos: Gods and Lovers series. Future releases under A. Star include, King, Desired (Mythos: Gods and Lovers #2), the Love & Steampunk series, the Purr, Inc. stories, and more.

Connect with A:
Author's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Dreaded DNFs (3)

2014-01-13T08:00:00.000+08:00

Here it comes again... Sigh...

Jet Black and the Ninja Wind
by Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani

Blurb from Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Jet Black is a ninja. There's only one problem--she doesn't know it. Others do, however, and they're scheming to capture her and uncover her secrets. When her mother dies, Jet knows only that she must go to Japan to protect a family treasure hidden in her ancestral land. She's terrified, but if Jet won't fight to protect her world, who will? Stalked by bounty hunters and desperately in love with the man who's been sent to kill her, Jet must be strong enough to protect the treasure, preserve an ancient culture, and save a sacred mountain from destruction. In Jet Black and the Ninja Wind, multiple award-winning author, poet, and translator team Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani make their first foray into young adult fiction with a compulsively readable tale whose teenage heroine must discover if she can put the blade above the heart--or die trying.

--Thoughts--
I have always been absolutely fascinated with ninjas and of course their love stories, but the only good ones I have very luckily stumbled upon so far are only 2. I thought Jet Black was going to join those 2 to make it 3, but no. I mean, it sounds AMAZING and it has a freaking 4.37 average rating on Goodreads. It's getting rave reviews and being recommended left and right. Dude, how can it be so bad.

Choppy paragraphs, awkward dialogues and events, slow pace, a little excessive descriptions at times, INSTANT ATTRACTION OMG, and have I mentioned weird dialogues and glacial pace?

Angelbound
Angelbound #1
by Christina Bauer

Blurb from Goodreads

Eighteen year old Myla Lewis is a girl who loves two things: kicking ass and kicking ass. She’s not your every day quasi-demon, half-demon and half-human, girl. For the past five years, Myla has lived for the days she gets to fight in Purgatory’s arena. When souls want a trial by combat for their right to enter heaven or hell, they go up against her, and she hasn’t lost a battle yet.

But as she starts her senior year at Purgatory High, the arena fights aren’t enough to keep her spirits up anymore. When the demons start to act weird, even for demons, and the King of the Demons, Armageddon, shows up at Myla’s school, she knows that things are changing and it’s not looking good for the quasi-demons. Myla starts to question everything, and doesn’t like the answers she finds. What happened seventeen years ago that turned the quasi-demons into slave labor? Why was her mom always so sad? And why won’t anyone tell her who her father is? Things heat up when Myla meets Lincoln, the High Prince of the Thrax, a super sexy half-human and half-angel demon hunter. But what’s a quasi-demon girl to do when she falls for a demon hunter? It’s a good thing that Myla’s not afraid of breaking a few rules. With a love worth fighting for, Myla’s going to shake up Purgatory.

--Thoughts--
4.20 average rating on Goodreads and on some book bloggers' Best of 2013 list. How bad can it be? Well, maybe it's because of my recent reading funk, but I found Angelbound a little boring, too colloquial for my liking, and the protagonist had this really arrogant and...shallow way of thinking and voice. I might revisit it again in the future.

I am also currently putting Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff on hold. NOT that it was bad or anything. Contrary to that, Jay has this really cool way of describing and building his amazing world, but people who've read his books knows his writing style is more poetic (in a way. I can't really describe it), so I need to be in a certain mood to read it. And currently I'm in a Fantasy/Romance-heavy YA mood. Don't judge me k, but I'm also in a love-triangle mood. Haha, yeah so I'm reading Defy by Sara B. Larson. It's also getting great reviews so I'm hopeful. :)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

What are you guys currently reading? Any DNFs recently? Or fantabulous reads that you'd like to recommend?

Best of 2013 and My Predicted List for 2014

2014-01-11T10:00:00.000+08:00

(Covers lead to Goodreads)

As you can see my favorite adult reads are dominated by Nalini Singh books. What can I say? I'm a biiiig fan of that amazing woman. Hehe.

And then of course there's:

And then of course there are those that do not yet have a cover (and maybe even title):

The Bone Season #2, Guild Hunter #7, Night Prince #3, Undone by J. Lynn, and many many more. They're mostly the sequels to my favorite series. And basically several weeks worth of Waiting on Wednesdays, haha!

And my first 2014 favorite belongs to a book self-published a few years back in 2011 called Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon (planning my review and giveaway for it :). I LOVED it, and I'm currently reading Defy by Sara B. Larson which I have been DYING to read for MONTHS and I'm so loving it right now. :))

---------------------------------------------------------

What are some of your favorite reads of 2013? 2014 releases that you're on the verge of storming the author's home to get pronto?

Winners!

2014-01-10T17:31:00.001+08:00

From the first batch of giveaways for last month's Christmas Countdown event. :)

Winner of...

an ecopy of Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne: #31 Leeanna
an MP3-CD audiobook of Storm Warrior by Dani Harper: #79 Kassandra A.
a mystery swag pack: #720 Angela H.
a paperback of The Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist and swag: #260 Rachelle H.
choice of Kindle copy or paperback of Banquet of Lies by Michelle Diener: #65 Mary P.
an ecopy of Darkness by Katie Reus: #375 Cynthia M, #65 Linda L.
an ecopy of First Surrender by Katie Reus: #545 Carly W, #305 Ann V.
an ecopy of Tears of Tess and QQ by Pepper Winters: #165 Shamara C.
a beautiful bracelet by Olivia Hardin: #50 Mary P.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Lots and lots of winners this week. :)) All of y'all mentioned above have been emailed. Please check your spam/junk box if you haven't received anything from me yet.

Didn't win? There are still 2 giveaways running:

Five ecopies of Pemberley Mistletoe: A Pride and Prejudice Christmas

and a paperback of choice from the River of Time series are up for grabs. :))

And more giveaways to come~

Thank you so much for visiting!

{Late post} Christmas Countdown--2 days to go!

2014-01-10T16:13:00.001+08:00

Countdown Christmas is an event at A Bookalicious Story to celebrate the coming of Christmas in 2 weeks time. There'll be fun interviews, Christmassy excerpts and giveaways just brimming with bookish-goodness ranging from YA Fantasies to New Adult Contemporary Romances to Adult Historical Romances. I hope y'all will join in this celebration! The more the merrier, aye? ;)

So, the next guest we have for this late Christmas Countdown is one of my FAVORITE YA authors of all time, a time travel romance novelist who is a huge fan of olden day Italy...

Lisa Tawn Bergren!

About Lisa

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 40 books, with more than 2.5 million copies sold. Her most recent works includes a YA series called River of Time (Waterfall, Cascade, Torrent, Bourne & Tributary), God Gave Us Easter, a devotional called Upside-Down Prayers for Parents and the Grand Tour Series (Glamorous Illusions, Grave Consequences, and Glittering Promises). She’s currently at work on a new YA series called Remnants, coming out in 2014.

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing, and working on ducks with her husband, Tim (RMrustic.com). Tim’s a worship leader, graphic designer and duck-sculptor. They have three kids–Olivia (18), Emma (15) and Jack (10).

The Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Connect with Lisa:
Author's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Waterfall
The River of Time series #1

Blurb

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Other books in series:

Glamorous Illusions
The Grand Tour series #1

Blurb

When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Other books in series:

Season of Wonder
Remnants #1
Expected Publication: Febuary 24th, 2014

Blurb

In the first book of the new futuristic dystopian series from author Lisa T. Bergren, the chosen remnants must work to redirect humanity’s course.

The year is 2095. Gifted teens known as Remnants have been chosen and trained to act as humanity’s last hope to rectify the horrors that are now part of everyday life.

The Community has trained these teens as warriors and assigned them Knights of the Last Order as protectors. Together, they are a force that will be difficult to bring down.

But the Sons of Sheol, of course, are determined to do just that. As the Remnants begin their mission to course-correct humanity by saving and protecting key individuals, their enemies move to stop them, placing the entire world in peril.

Bestselling author Lisa T. Bergren presents the first book in her new YA futuristic dystopian series—The Remnants Novels—fitting in with the current dystopian trend in the marketplace.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Other works by LTB:

And MANY more. (Covers lead to Goodreads)

Character Interview with Marcello and Luca Forelli from the River of Time series

A week ago...

*clang, clang* "Damn, that's a $10000000000 down the drain.." I said as I stared at the broken pottery. Well, I read about the time leap the Bettarinis made and did some finagling to get a pass into this tumuli. You never know until you try and all, right?

Spotting the handprints at the other end of the room, I tiptoed cautiously across and placed my hands on them.....

A week later...

I sat down in a trattoria in Siena for a brief chat with Marcello and Luca.

CYP: Hey, I can't believe my luck, I actually found you guys! Thank you for taking time off for this, by the way! What's with this dress anyway? It's all tight and stuffy. Y'all should try it some time to appreciate the pains women of your time go through. Hehe.
But anyway, how's the keep so far? It took quite a beating for the past few years, dinnit?

Marcello: It's taken fine form. The Betarrinis have assisted us in making some improvements that all enjoy. A number of latrines, an additional well and proper barracks for our guard. All damage has been repaired and fortified.

Luca: I was rather partial to the old place...

Marcello: *rolls eyes*

CYP: Talking about the Betarrinis, how's Gabi doing? And the blonde beauty? Any progress so far, Luca? *smirks*

Marcello: Gabriella is wonderful. I never thought it possible for a man to fall more in love with a woman the longer he knows her.

Luca: *hand to chest* She wounds me, daily, by her refusal to spend every waking moment by my side. But I continue to attempt to woo her.

CYP: Hahaha, well, the best are always hardest to get and all, huh. How would the both of you describe the past...how long has it been since you've met the Bettarinis? How would you describe the time it's been since they've arrived?

Marcello: An earthquake.

Luca: A tornado.

CYP: It's surely been quite a whirlwind of a time, hasn't it? If y'all had a whole month off from all these constant bickering, politicking and fighting, how would y'all spend your time? Private honeymooning or a big family beach party kind of thing?

Marcello: I am not familiar with this term, honeymoon.

Luca: I think she's referring to the weeks after your marriage.

Marcello: *sly smile* Well then, yes, I'm all for long, languid weeks full of honeymooning.

Luca: And I've never been to a beach party. But I would most definitely be for that.

CYP: Ugh, so predictable, you two haha. Luca, how would you describe Marcello? And Marcello, how would you describe Luca? No word limit, haha.

Luca: A brutish lout.

Marcello: A cad.

*brief, playful scuffle*

CYP: Marcello, I can't help but ask...are y'all making babies yet? Any plans?

Marcello: *takes deep breath and widens eyes, nods soberly* Gabriella is with child now.

CYP: HOLY cow!! Congratulations!! Luca, how bout you? What are your plans for now? Would you prefer to stay on the front lines or stay home to woo Lia?

Luca: All is quiet at the moment so I am pleased to be with her a great deal of time. At least every minute I am free and I can find her.

CYP: You do that. How's Lord Greco doing, by the way? He is well?

Marcello: He seems quite well. Adjusting to his changes in fortune, both good and bad. Of course, the love of a good woman has helped him too.

CYP: Yeah, it would. Good for him, though! How's the relationship between Siena and Firenze now?

Luca: As I said, it's quiet, but there are always rumblings. It's like a thunderstorm on the distant horizon.

CYP: Abrupt change in topic now, if y'all had a choice, would you like to go to the future, where Gabi and Lia came from? Aren't y'all curious at all?

Luca: I'm curious, of course. I'd give my right arm to return with them, at least for a time. And they're frustratingly closed mouthed about it. Something about disrupting the time continuum further by sharing too much.

Marcello: God put us here, in this time, in this place, for a reason. In the same way, he brought them to us. I will not mess with it further.

CYP: Ok, time for the rapid response questions.

Favorite food?

Marcello: Bread, fresh from the oven.

Luca: Wine.

*Marcello hits him on shoulder*

Luca: Ow! Grapes, preferably fed to me by Evangelia while we lounge beneath the trees on the hills...

CYP: Favorite weapon?

Marcello: *confused look* Sword, of course.

Luca: Sword. But have you glimpsed my Lia with a bow? It's worthy of a portrait.

CYP: Dine with Lord Barbatos or be skinned alive?

Luca: I'm partial to skin. Dine with him, if I could stomach food in his presence.

Marcello: Dine, then skin him.

CYP: Thank you for your time, guys! It's been fun. :)

Lisa is very generously giving away one (1) paperback copy of the winner's choice of a book in the River of Times series. Giveaway is open to wherever TBD ships for free (which is almost every country) and ends Jan 21, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for visiting! You can refer to the master calender of events on Day 1's post. :)

A Book-a-licious Story

Review and Interview: Shinobi by Cole Gibsen

Celebrating SHIELD OF WINTER's Release!!

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Excerpt + Giveaway: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton Blog Tour

So I (finally) Watched Divergent...

Dreaded DNFs (4)

Book Discounts for Everyone!

Excerpt + Giveaway: Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis Provost Blog Tour

Obsidian Eyes by A.W. Exley Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Stacking the Shelves (5) + Book Forecasting

A Letter from Josh + Giveaway: Magic Within by Sara Fitzgerald

ARC Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

{Late Post} Stacking the Shelves (4)

Book Blitz + Giveaway: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter

Stacking the Shelves (3) + Cover Reveal + Giveaway + Interesting Book Finds *Phew*

Review + Giveaway: Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon

Random Musings (7): The Abhorent Trend of Book-Judging

Accidental Cover + Book Discovery: Deluge and Grim

Cover Reveal: Lover, Divine by A. Star

Dreaded DNFs (3)

Best of 2013 and My Predicted List for 2014

Winners!

{Late post} Christmas Countdown--2 days to go!

Stacking the Shelves (3) + Cover Reveal + Giveaway + Interesting Book Finds Phew