For What It's Worth

BEA 2013…..the food post (aka – the one y’all keep buging me to post) Warning! It’s loooong

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

I tried to get my BEA book post up in a timely fashion but then you’re all…where’s the food post?? I want the food p*rn post! SO demanding!! lol But here you go!

I promise to take a real camera next time because my phone takes the worst pictures, especially in low light conditions.

My first welcome to NYC snack was from my hotel – warm chocolate chip cookies from the Double Tree Inn

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The BEA breakfast of champions. Or more commonly known as…the only food available at Javits Center that early in the morning.

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But my favorite place for breakfast is Good Enough to Eat. No matter what I order it is always delicious. Plus the have strawberry butter to go with their fresh biscuits! Can I just say that bacon pictured was the best bacon I’ve ever had. It was thick, crispy and cooked so perfectly it melted.

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We wanted to try a few new places this time so we stopped for dinner at The Meatball Shop. (excuse my bad photos – low lighting made for blurry pics)

Each table has an erasable menu with a marker. You start by checking off the “naked balls” of your choice – beef, pork, chicken. veggie or the special, then pick your sauce and your sides.

The meatballs were good but it was the side dishes that were a standout. We got beef & pork meatballs – tomato & mushroom sauces with mashed potatoes, a cold roasted vegetable salad with a lemon vinaigrette (that was SO good!) and spinach.

Then dessert! You can make your own ice cream sandwich by choosing your cookie & then your ice cream. We made one using ginger snap cookies with vanilla ice cream YUM.

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Another new discovery was Café Blossom, a vegan restaurant that a friend of mine had recommended. I’m not vegan but I love my veggies and grains too! We loved this place so much we ate at two of their locations, on two different nights.

We had Garlic Herb Gnocchi (not pictured) AMAZING, a quinoa salad with black beans, veggies & a guacamole topping, Smoked BBQ Tempeh with potato salad and fresh pico de gallo which was delicious! Cheesecake (meh) and chocolate mousse (yum) for dessert. The next night we brought a friend and had Roasted Vegetable quinoa, Seitan Marsala, Fettuccini Alfredo.

I highly recommend this place whether you’re vegetarian or not.

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We also tried a few new snack food places...

Bee’s Knees Baking Company. They have cake in a cup! We had the Chocolate Salted Caramel (the most popular flavor) and Honey Bourbon (which was so strong that I’m pretty sure I got drunk from it)

Pie Face – mini pies – both sweet and savory. We bought a several sweet pies (pumpkin, chocolate cream cheesecake and apple crumble) but I would love to go back and try more! If you ever go you MUST try their Aussie iced coffee! Iced espresso blended with ICE-CREAM! Why are we not doing this in the US???? It’s a travesty. It would kill the Frappuccino.

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Two places we MUST go to every NYC visit is Tea & Sympathy for my scones and clotted cream (not as gross as it sounds – promise) and Magnolia Bakery. I’ve tried a lot of cupcakes in NY but these are still my favorite. I like the size and delicate texture with the fluffy buttercream frosting. They remind of the cupcakes my mom used to make when I was a kid. I also got their banana cream pudding this time. It’s made with nilla wafers which apparently everyone thinks is unusual but that’s how my mom made it all the time when I was a kid. the recipe is right on the box.

I do want to try this place the next time we visit NYC. I was just all cupcaked out at this point. I know…shocking! lol But I guess even I can have too many cupcakes.

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Eataly the restaurant/ Italian food Disney like theme park boasting Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich as partners. It’s crazy busy there and overpriced but the food is top quality and delicious.

We had a cheese/meat sampler, then pasta & pizza – ummm….forgot to take a picture first. It was good.

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Shake Shack! I can not go to NYC and NOT get Shake Shack. They have the best hamburgers and shakes. YUM. YUM. YUM.

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And the last place we went to was a totally new experience for me that I’ve been dying to try. My hubby & I were lucky enough to be invited to Dim Sum with Pam Midnyte Reader and Kate – Midnight Book Girl. Dim Sum intimidated me because I have no idea what the food is. Pam had been before but the rest of us were newbies at her mercy.

The place was HUGE with food being carted around and you choose what you want to share with the table. A lot of of it is in dumplings so you have no idea what is inside. It’s a gamble (even though they tell you, it’s a generic answer– like pork. Okay but what part of the pig exactly??) I just kept saying – no chicken feet!

It was a little overwhelming at first and there were a few misses but almost all of it was amazing! Especially the dumplings (pic – top rt). OMG –they look bland but are so sweet and delicious. I also asked for tofu (pic – bottom rt) , expecting those firm cubes to mix with rice and Pam brought me a bowl of what could best be described as gelatinous, chunky goo. She had this face that said…hey – this is what you asked for lol Since I ordered it I decided to give it a shot. It was SO good. Really creamy like a dessert with a sweet honey flavor. We all ended up loving it. HUGE surprise.

I really have to try Dim Sum again. I will investigate it further beforehand though so I’m not as intimidated and (hopefully) know what I’m asking for.

So that’s it guys! I love BEA and all the books but thing I look forward to most is the food.

Book Blogger Confessions: BEA/ALA

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question: BEA, ALA. Have you ever been before? If you've been before, share your experiences; both pro & con. If you haven't gone before, do you participate in online events like Armchair BEA? Do you hope to go one day? Do you feel too intimidated to go? Are you jealous of the big book hauls and tweets during the events? (question from Julie – My 5 Monkey’s)

I have been to BEA several times and the Mid-Winter ALA once. I love going. When I’m there in the midst of it I can get rather grumpy. The lines are killer and the days are long but once it’s over and I get to sleep for a few days I’m already looking forward to next year. If you’re looking for a nice way to chat with authors and calmly peruse books, BEA is not it. ALA was slightly calmer but it can get crazy too. Even so, I really enjoy going and have met wonderful people. You just have to go in with the right attitude and not worry about trying to get ALL the books.

The pros: Meeting other bloggers and getting to chat with authors and of course – the books!
The cons: LONG lines and aggressive people. Possibly the cost. Those free books aren't’ really free after you pay for flight/hotels/food etc.

I think Armchair BEA looks like a lot of fun and way more informative than the real thing. I sort of envy you guys who participate sometimes. You probably get to connect with each other more than those of us who attend the real thing.

I was incredibly intimidated the first year but once you figure out the layout and realize the authors are so nice (& even kind of nervous themselves) it’s easy. Most people worry most about not knowing anyone but that’s the LEAST of your problems. You will meet so many people while you’re stuck in line lol

Since I get the book hauls I can’t be jealous of anyone else lol Just speaking in general terms I don’t get jealous of book hauls. Life is too short to worry about what other people are doing and I always have too many books already anyway. Sometimes I get a little envious of people attending the Romantic Times convention. It seems to me that they actually have time to meet authors, attend awesome panels and spend time with each other. Not just running around like maniacs all day. That sounds lovely to me. Even if I didn’t get one book out of it.

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Hey everyone! Pam and I are a changing the frequency of Book Blogger Confessions to just the first Monday of every month. We’ll announce the next month’s topic at that time.

Question for Monday, July 1st:

Author interactions. Have you ever emailed an author to tell them you loved/disliked their book? As a book reviewer, do you think we should cross that line?
Do you mind when authors re-tweet or comment on reviews? Does that intimidate you in any way in regards to review writing, knowing that they may be reading it?
Do author interactions - both pro or con - change how you view their work?

Book Blogger Confessions follow up post: Book Tours/Guest posts

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:32:00 +0000

Last week we discussed book tours and author guest posts for Book Blogger Confessions. I mentioned in my answer that I have run into a few issues and came up with guidelines that I send to authors first to avoid any miscommunications.

Quite a few people asked about it so I decided to post them here. I try to keep it short and simple but I’m always reevaluating and updating the guidelines as I run into new situations. For example I recently added the – it must be an original post – line after seeing the same guest post on several blogs. I will probably also be adding something about a timeframe for receiving a post. I’ve been getting them too close to the wire lately and I find myself scrambling to format the night before it’s scheduled.

I hope it helps. The authors seem to appreciate it because often they aren’t sure what will work for each blog either and I am willing to be flexible if it would make for a better post.

Let me know if you have anything to add or any thoughts on the guidelines in general.

Guidelines:

-The feature would consist of an original guest post.

-Length: approximately 500-700 words. (Does not include author bio/book summary) Topic of your choice but please keep in mind that I review books of all genres, including YA, so no overly graphic language or sexual content.

-You must include your own links/author bio/photos/ when you send me your post if you want them included.

-If you include purchase links, please keep them to no more than two.

(*Note – this may not seem like a lot but I was getting 8-10 links included sometimes and I think readers glaze over at that point. Agree? Disagree?)

-Feel free to include a giveaway but it is not required. If you do please let me know if it's US/International and what format (print/digital etc)

Topic reminder for Monday June 17th:

BEA, ALA. Have you ever been before? If you've been before, share your experiences; both pro & con. If you haven't gone before, do you participate in online events like Armchair BEA? Do you hope to go one day? Do you feel too intimidated to go? Are you jealous of the big book hauls and tweets during the events?

* More information about Book Blogger Confessions here.

BEA 2013 wrap-up!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Another BEA has passed and I survived! It seems like a badge of honor these days with the increasing crowds.

I am really happy to report that I felt like the overall behavior of bloggers, librarians and publishers was MUCH better this year. Sure, there are always a few people that get pushy or greedy but overall I felt there was a sense of camaraderie and cooperativeness about getting books rather than being competitive and downright nasty as I’ve witnessed the past few years.

I made a point this year to spend more time talking to my fellow bloggers and meeting up with friends. I got fewer books this year than in the past but even what I got is too many. You don't think you have that many until you get home and go oh f*ck! The few books that I had accidently grabbed duplicates of (I have my hubby with me so it happens a lot) I brought back much to the shock of the publishers lol

Every year Book Expo America seem to get more organized. Publishers have almost everything scheduled now. That’s kind of a blessing and a curse. It’s very difficult to schedule all the signings and book drops since almost everything has a line starting one hour before. Unless we invent cloning technology stat, you just can’t be everywhere at one time. On the other hand – schedules mean people aren’t storming a publisher booth trying to trip people to get a book.

Allegiant seemed to be the YA book that was being pushed the most even though it wasn’t there much to everyone's disappointment. Veronica Roth was there signing posters and speaking at the author’s breakfast so a lot of people expected a surprise drop of the book. I figured they wouldn’t just because they were so stringent on book #2.

Soooo…I was really horrible about taking pictures this year but here are a few pics of the books I picked up this year.

These are a few that I went to BEA really wanting. Several of my friends loved Reboot by Amy Tintera so I’m looking forward to that one. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell was the LONGEST line (for a booth signing) that I was in for all of BEA – it was crazy - but she was SO nice!. I wanted The Coldest Girl in Cold Town by Holly Black because how awesome is that title??? And Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles because she hasn’t had a book out for awhile.

I fell in cover love with these books. I didn’t know a thing about any of them but they all sound so interesting.

Reality Boy by A.S. King
The Beginning of Everything by Robn Schneider
Ink by Amanda Sun
Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart
The Ward by Jordana Frankel

Here are all the books in pile form…

I didn’t bother with too much swag this year but I did grab a few fun things.

I’m Always Book Tipsy book bag from Sourcebooks, Parasite by Mira Grant swag including hand sanitizer from Orbit Books.

Mustache on a stick. Not sure what that was for but it seemed like a fun way to torture Figment when I got home. I think he’s saying…Mom & Dad went to BEA and all I got was this lousy mustache.

The best part was talking to my blogger friends and making new ones even if it’s while we’re stuck in a line or passing each other by to run to the next line…at BEA it’s ALL about the lines!

I realize this is probably the lamest – most boring BEA post I’ve ever written but I got back from BEA, was home for one day and had to take a three day road trip so I’m beyond tired. Apologies! I’ll try to do better with my BEA/NYC food wrap-up post. I think that’s more requested than my book one anyway.

Saturday Spotlight: Soul Taken by Katlyn Duncan

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

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I’ve known Katlyn as a book blogger/reviewer for several years. She gave up her review blog – I Just Wanna Sit Here & Read - last year to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. And she did it! On June 4th her first book, Soul Taken, was published by Carina UK.

Congrats Katlyn!!

Here are the details and links….check it out!

Soul Taken by Katlyn Duncan

Release date: June 4th, Carina UK
Genre: YA Paranormal
ISBN: 978-1-472-01709-3

Summary:

After-life just got a lot more complicated

Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body.

Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…

To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next! ~ Goodreads

About the Author

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

Buy Links

Amazon UK | Amazon USA

Contact Links
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Carina UK

Review: Wait for You (Wait for You #1) by J. Lynn

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?
And some things are worth fighting for… ~ Goodreads

Review:
I picked up this book because of Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog – excellent review. I was in the mood for a sexy read and J. Lynn (aka: Jennifer L. Armentrout) usually delivers on that front.

I wasn't really expecting how serious this book gets though. When we first meet Cam, the smoking hot, arrogant college student that Avery literally smacks into before her first day of class I was like oh man….I can't like this guy. Maybe I should stop reading now before this story becomes one of those hot asshole guys providing sexual healing to the repressed/damaged girl. But this story and Cam are so much more.

Avery and to some extent Cam have things that they're keeping secret from each other but Cam insists on beginning a relationship with her no matter how many times she turns him down. Like I said this boy is arrogant. He KNOWS he's hot. He KNOWS he can hook with any girl around and he KNOWS Avery can't stop looking at him with hungry eyes but instead of being bossy and overly sexual like I expected, he's patient and woos her by baking cookies and bread for her, showing up at her place every Sunday to make her breakfast and asking her out every single day. He's actually absolutely freaking adorable. He even has a pet turtle named Raphael. I just really fell in love with this guy. Avery and Cam form a nice friendship first while still managing to stir up quite a bit of sexual tension.

However sexy this book is there is a dark undercurrent as an incident from Avery's past threatens to ruin her budding relationship with Cam. This was handled really well and not glossed over which I appreciated even though Wait for You was heavy on the romance/sexy times.

As much as I enjoyed Wait for You I did feel like I've read similar themes before in books like Easy by Tammara Webber, The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay & Pushing the Limits by Katy McGarry and I think they all did it slightly better but Lynn's characters are very different and kept the story fresh along with a great supporting cast of friends and Cam's family.

This is a minor complaint and it didn't ruin the reading experience for me but I did notice several spelling and grammatical errors.

Final thoughts: This book was far more more serious than I was expecting and I was very happy about that. While being very sexy at times it doesn't shy away from the tough subjects that threaten to derail Avery and Cam's fragile new relationship. There is kind of a glut in the angst filled New Adult genre right now and Wait for You It's not the best book I've read on that front but it’s still very good and a stand out because of the characters.

Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! Wait for You

Review: Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all. ~ Goodreads

~ Source: Copy provided by Harlequin Teen for my honest review

Review:Pushing the Limits is a hard act to follow and I wasn't sure it could be done. While I have to admit I didn't love it quite as much as PtL, Dare You To is a very good book and a worthy companion novel in the the Pushing the Limit series.

Although this book could stand alone from the series, I think it would be better to read Pushing the Limits to understand Beth’s background and her relationships with a few of the characters that appear in Dare You To.

We learn much more about Beth's home life and past. It is ugly. Her mom is just the worst and I loved that McGarry didn't sugar coat it or give an easy out. Real life isn't always pretty with easy solutions to life's problems. What she did do was introduce Beth's uncle Scott. A man from Beth's past who helped her as a child but abandoned her for his own dreams leaving her at risk with a drug addicted mom and her string of abusive boyfriends. He didn't realize how bad it had gotten but is willing to step in and take responsibility for Beth now. As you might imagine after living on her own she's not all that thrilled with the rules and restrictions placed on her by a guy who hasn't even been around for years.

I think anyone who has read Pushing the Limits and met Beth wants her with Isaiah. I would go so far as saying that's what everyone expected. They are both broken and have been each others strongest support system for a long time. McGarry took a huge risk by making Isaiah a big part of Beth's story in this book without making him her romantic lead. He doesn't just fade away and in fact you love him even more. That makes it very difficult to be on board with Ryan the jock who asks Beth out on a dare. Ryan isn't just a dumb jock though and has quite a few demons of his own to overcome. Problem is (for me anyway) is that whatever Ryan is going through pales in comparison to what Beth and Isaiah have to deal with. I liked Ryan but for the longest time I wasn't convinced that he was the right choice for Beth. I was clinging to Isaiah.

As the story progresses though I saw in Ryan what I saw in Noah with Echo in Pushing the Limits. A steady strength and determination that never wavers when it comes to Beth. She doesn't always make it easy for him and he has to step outside his comfort zone if he wants things to work out with her and he does. They come from very different backgrounds and as I mentioned Ryan's issues are not even close to what Beth has to deal with but there is the common thread of fear of abandonment between them.

There was a point when I was like AHA! Ryan is THE right guy for her and the bright future I had been dreaming for her and Isaiah seemed wrong and even dysfunctional. It also helps that Beth is quite clear about her feelings for the guys in her life. She wasn't wish washy. She was straightforward, honest and mindful of everyone's feelings.

Final thoughts: Kate McGarry writes steamy, gritty and angst filled YA like nobody's business. I think my stubborn loyalty to Isaiah and not being a fan of misunderstood jocks kept me from falling right into immediate love with Dare You To but I was won over. AND the next book is Isaiah's - Crash into You. Whew! that boy needs a HEA stat! There was an excerpt for his story at the end of Dare You To and after reading it, I think McGarry made the right choice with Beth and Isaiah even if it was hard for me to accept at first.

Author: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy the book! Dare You To (Harlequin Teen) Release date - May 28, 2013

Book Blogger Confessions: Blog tour, publicity posts and blogger traffic

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question: Does participating in book tours/cover reveals and author guests post drive traffic to your blog? What type of problems have you encountered when hosting them? (please keep it civil - no names or calling specific people out) As a blog follower, are you ever turned off by these kinds of posts? How much publicity is too much?

Unless it’s a tour for a very popular book (especially YA) or combined with a big giveaway I don’t notice a large increase in traffic.

It kind of makes me laugh when I get a pitch for a guest post that promises to “drive traffic” to my blog. They rarely do and I only accept guest posts because I’m either interested in the book/author or I think my followers would be. They’re actually a lot of work to put together so I wouldn’t bother otherwise.

The one problem I’ve run into a few times is realizing that the post sent to me was not original and had already been posted elsewhere. It never occurred to me that could happen. Otherwise I haven’t had any big problems hosting an author or tour….just a few annoyances such as them not including covers and links. That drives me crazy because then I have to spend a lot of time looking everything up myself. I also hate when you receive the post the day before it’s supposed to go up. Like I said these things can take awhile to format.

I came up with a list of guidelines for authors who want to guest post on my blog. I find it much easier for everyone that way. I have a specific post length, nothing R rated, that it must be an original post, how many links allowed etc. That has cut down on a lot of miscommunication and problems.

As a blog follower, are you ever turned off by these kinds of posts? How much publicity is too much?

I do think some of the tours and cover reveals get out of control. When my whole stream is filled with the same book on the same day I tend to get turned off rather than interested. But I know they work so I can’t really fault anyone for doing it.

I also don’t like tours that last 2-3 weeks or get bloggers to compete with each other. From what I’ve seen it gets really ugly which is definitely not something you want to see with a blog tour.

The really long tours don’t add a lot of information and the guest posts tend to be filler or all awesome reviews. I can see how it would get difficult for an author to come up with that many original posts so I think it benefits everyone to keep it on the shorter side.

*** I’m away for BEA but I will get back to all the comments and links!!

Review: Bronze Gods (Apparatus Infernum #1) by A.A. Aguirre

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 30 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Hy Breasil is grimmer than it used to be.

Before the Architect closed the door, there were regular crossings, and a great war decimated both humans and Ferishers. The native fae who refused to treat with the invaders faded; their bodies withered and died, stranding them as hungry, angry spirits that haunt the countryside.

That means there’s always trouble brewing in Dorstaad.

Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko work for the Criminal Investigation Department, keeping citizens safe from things that go bump in the night. He’s a hardboiled cynic with an uncanny sixth sense; she’s determined to justify her promotion as the first female detective in her division. Together, they’re trying to keep a black tide from drowning the city.

But when the second body surfaces, murdered with the same type of infernal device, the entire CID must face the truth. There’s a madman on the loose, twining magic and blood… and only Mikani and Ritsuko can unravel the intricate, lethal conspiracy before the Royale killer completes his macabre plan, unleashing old, forbidden magic on an unsuspecting populace. If the maniac succeeds, it could mean the end of everything. ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Review:
Grimspace (Sirantha Jax #1) was the first Ann Aguirre book that I read. I did not like sci-fi. I now love reading sci-fi.. Then I heard she was writing a YA dystopian – Enclave (Book #1 in the Razorland trilogy). I was desperate to read that book and see what she could do with YA and it’s now one of my all time favorite series. My point is that I think Ann Aguirre can write any genre and knock it out of the park.

I was excited for Bronze Gods because this was Ann's first foray into steampunk (that I'm aware of anyway). In this case, co-authored with her husband Andres who brings very strong world building skills to the table. I’m not a huge fan of steampunk but I had faith that she/they could convince me. As expected, I loved it.

The series opens with the tale of a centuries old feud between the Ferishers (Fey) and humans. While this war seems to be a thing of the past, old wounds are unearthed after the gruesome murder of a daughter belonging to a prominent family. Longtime partners in the Criminal Investigation Division, Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko are brought into solve the murder. They quickly realize that there is more to this case. Old, poweful magic is involved and there may be more victims.

Mikani and Ritsuko are the biggest strength of Bronze Gods. Their chemistry both smolders and explodes off the page with them barely touching. She is organized and pragmatic while he is messy and relies on magic to solve his cases. They have a strong Mulder & Scully from the X-Files vibe going on. It was so interesting to see their awkward realization that they may be attracted to each other. They’ve been working together for years but have always been in other relationships and unavailable until recently. What I loved though is that the romance while promising to be intense, takes a back seat to the central plot of solving the case.

The murders are terrifying & gruesome with the race to save the next intended victim leaving the reader tense with anticipation.

There are shifting POV’s not only between Mikani & Ritsuko but also between two other characters. At first I couldn’t understand why and honestly wasn’t very interested but it all tied in to the main plot and I ended up very invested in the outcome. The secondary characters were very well developed and added yet another layer to this already intricately woven story.

What surprised me most about this book was that this wasn’t so much steampunk (although there are a few steampunk elements – kind of creepy ones) as it was Urban Fantasy/Noir and they all blended together beautifully. The thing about Bronze Gods is that the world building is always happening – almost without you even noticing – until the pieces all click into place.

Final thoughts: The Aguirre’s have created a fascinating new world that unfolds at an almost languid pace yet you can cut the tension, both sexual and otherwise, with a knife. Fantastic, complex characters with plenty of twists and turns that have me wondering where the heck Apparatus Infernum book #2 - Silver Mirrors will take my beloved Mikani and Ritsuko next.

** There was a fun blog tour for Bronze Gods, hosted by Maja - The Nocturnal Library, You really should check it out. Instead of the typical guest posts/interviews, Ann and Andres shared Mikani and Ritsuko’s notes while investigating the case. Start at the blog tour link then follow along using the links at the end of Maja’s post.

Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter
Buy the book! Bronze Gods (An Apparatus Infernum Novel)

Waiting on Wednesday: Here Without You (Between the Lines #4) by Tammara Webber

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 29 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Here With You (Between the Lines #4)

By Tammara Webber
Release date: August 6, 2013

Everyone has secrets.

Some are buried so deep, their existence is forgotten.
But a secret never told can turn into a lie.
And in love, a lie is one thing:

Poison.

Here Without You is the fourth, final book in the Between the Lines series.

********

I am SO excited about this book.

SO EXCITED!

Tammara Webber has gained a lot of attention (deservedly so) for the New York Times Bestselling New Adult novel Easy but I fell in love with her writing several years earlier with her YA Between the Lines series.

I was so happy when she announced there would be a 4th book to conclude the storyline. Everything was wrapped up nicely in book three, Good for You, and yet…there was more story to tell.

There’s a small blurb for the book but on Tammara’s website she says that the storyline will feature Reid, Brooke and Dori. Oh boy am I nervous about this one! Reid has come a long way from the self centered playboy in Between the lines (book #1) and Brooke….I’m not sure I can ever like her but I have a feeling Tammara will find a way to break me down. I also can’t wait to see how Dori is going to fit into all this. I’m sure she’s in for an especially rough ride.

As you might be able to tell, you really need to read the books in order. I’m going to include my review links to the first three books below and they all have purchase links included.

And my oh my…how that cover makes my heart melt.

My reviews for the series: Between the Lines | Where You Are | Good for You

Review: Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 28 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he'll forget about her while he's away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh's friends suggest she text him a picture of herself -- sans swimsuit -- to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits "send."

But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb takes revenge by forwarding the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. As her friends and family try to distance themselves from the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone -- until she meets Mack while serving her court-ordered community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he's the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh's photo -- and didn't look.

Acclaimed author Jennifer Brown brings readers a gripping novel about honesty and betrayal, redemption and friendship, attraction and integrity, as Ashleigh finds that while a picture may be worth a thousand words . . . it doesn't always tell the whole story. ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC copy provided by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for my honest review

Review:
Sexting. This is such a timely topic that brings home all the repercussions of technology and teens in todays world. I can honestly say that I am SO glad that I am not a teenager growing up under the harsh glare of Twitter/Facebook/YouTube and cell phones. I was already a sensitive kid that got picked on and I don't think I would make it out well adjusted having my life and mistakes played out for my high school - and sometimes the world to see. But I digress…

In Thousand Words, what starts out as a drunken dare to send Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, a nude picture of herself so he won't forget her when he leaves for college spins into an out of control scenario that ruins Ashleigh's life and Kaleb's future.

Because Ashleigh is under 18 she & Kaleb (who is over 18 yrs old) are accused of distributing child pornography. Ashleigh receives community service and unless Kaleb can get her to forgive him for sharing the picture and talk the judge into leniency he could become a registered sex offender ruining his chances at ever becoming a teacher and even have restrictions visiting his parents since they live near a school.

There are so many things from this story that touched a nerve with me and had me screaming at the book or taking a long look at the crime vs the punishment. Ashleigh gets community service as punishment. I'm like punishment for what?? It's a picture of herself. Dumb yes but why should she be punished? Isn't it bad enough that she's constantly harassed and all the adults have decided to make an example of her and her family? What about all the other people sending and re-sending the picture?
My blood just boiled at the judgment Ashleigh's classmates and fellow community service group pass on her. The guys constantly proposition her and the girls are jealous that their boyfriends have her naked picture on their cellphones. The thing is, this is the ONLY time Ashleigh has ever done anything like this. Kaleb is a total ass but I couldn't help thinking that labeling him a sexual predator was excessive.

Told in alternating present and past tense we are able to get a full picture of what led to Ashleigh doing such a dumb thing and Kaleb's equally stupid retaliation after their breakup and the current repercussions for both of them. What's scary is that everything these two say and do is pretty standard in any high school relationship/breakup. This could happen to anyone of of us. All of us have acted on impulse and raw emotion at some point. The thing about the internet is that you can't take it back. Ever.

Ok - so it sounds like I'm raving about the book at this point but….even though it stirred a lot of emotion because of the topic and it made me question things I didn't feel that strong of a connection to any of the characters. I didn't especially like Ashleigh (which is fine - she doesn't need to be perfect) she learns a lesson obviously but still came off self centered and snobby most of the time. I'm not sure what to think of Kaleb. He's portrayed as the perfect boyfriend at first and then seems to go off the rails at some point. Drifting apart is ok but he gets downright ugly about things. Was he always a selfish asshole? I couldn't really tell. Ashleigh's friends are immature and deserved a lesson or two as well. The one bright spot is the boy she meets at community service, Mack. He kind of anchors the whole story and Ashleigh but I found him so much more interesting that I kept wanting to hear his story instead. Their interactions were the best because he brings out another dimension to Ashleigh and not in a romantic way which I liked.

A few major plot points (like the fate of her father's job - what happens to Kaleb) were brought up and either wrapped up quickly or brushed over. I wish the story stayed a little more focused overall. The intensity level was up & down.

Final thoughts: Interesting and relevant story about teenagers and the consequences of social media. I would recommend it just to get a dialogue going, especially between teenagers and parents but the writing was a little inconsistent and kept the story and message from being as powerful as it could have been IMO.

Author: Goodreads | Website
Buy the book! Thousand Words

Guest post with Jessica Lave–Quiet on the Set

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

When her screenplay gets accepted to a local LA film festival, 23-year-old Rylie Cates heads to Tinseltown, where she is thrust into the spotlight as her career takes off.

As she struggles to live up to her newfound success, Rylie meets the people who will become her friends, her guides to the city and the movie business, and ultimately, her “LA family.”

Despite her best intentions, deciphering the politics surrounding her new career proves difficult, and she unwittingly makes a few enemies on her path to success.

Confronted by scheming studio executives, philandering movie stars, and the perpetual lure of the bottle, Rylie relies on her new friendships to help her navigate life, love, and business in Hollywood.

********

Please join me in welcoming author Jessica Lave to the blog today to discuss her process for developing her stories and characters.

I always love reading about “the behind the scenes” of writing.

*********

Puzzling Out Plots and Piecing Together Characters

Every writer gets to know the eternal question: where do you get your ideas? For some, the story starts with a very vivid character that creates the circumstances of the plot. For others, the plot comes together first and the characters are inserted into it and developed around it. Depending on which one comes first, I approach the story development in a different way.

Plot First

If I get an idea for a story before I know any of the characters, I work backwards building characters that would fit into that type of story. With a basic plot in mind, character histories are more limited—by setting, circumstances, even occupation. For me, having a plot in mind first is like a puzzle where I have the photo on the box to refer to as I fill in the pieces. It’s still difficult to put all those little pieces in the right places, but I have a general idea of where they’re supposed to go, and each one builds on another, making the picture (story) clearer with each piece I add.

Character First

On the other hand, having a character idea come to me first is more of a challenge. It’s like having the same puzzle, but flipped face-down, so I only have the edges to fit together, and no photo to look at while I put the pieces together. Having the character first is tough simply because there are so many possibilities to choose from. There can be any number of settings, backgrounds, and paths that character might follow.

With so many options, building a character’s background and personality is partly personal preference, partly creative liberty on the part of the writer, but it’s logical, too, because the characters and their backgrounds must be believable. Chronology, a character’s intellect, and even birth order may factor into their development.

What’s in a name?

Choosing names is always fun. It’s why television shows make an entire episode out of choosing a name when there’s a baby on the way. It’s because everyone has an opinion about names, especially if it’s a character they like. Can you imagine if James Bond was called “James Secretan” instead, as Fleming had originally planned? I can’t. It just doesn’t fit.

As a writer, choosing a name is extremely important because the name has to fit with the character, with their place in the setting, their history, the rest of their family, and their personality. Even if you have a great character in mind, if the name falls flat, the character may seem flat, too.

How you’ll know my characters

Part of the pleasure of writing is that I can have adventures; I can say and do things I might not normally do, without confronting the risks and dangers that some of those things might pose for me in real life. So, I tend to live vicariously through my characters. They can go on vacations, break into their boss’s office, or head into a militarized zone in the jungle without batting an eye.

My characters also have a tendency to be strong, outspoken, and much more outgoing than their creator. I tend to be very by-the-book, tactful, and quiet, especially around people I don’t know very well, but I like my characters to be a little gutsy and to make friends easily. It opens up more doors for them as the story progresses, and it often makes them more entertaining to read about.

However, while the characters in my books may curse like a bunch of sailors and chat up every person they meet at a party, I also like to maintain a level of introspection and thoughtfulness in them. Extroversion is easy to write, but the conflict and inner turmoil can’t show through without having a character look inward from time to time.

A great plot is nothing without memorable characters to play it out, but great characters don’t just spring up out of thin air—it takes a lot of planning and a lot of time for an author to get to know them and develop them to their full potential.

Author BioBy day, I work in a cubicle tending to an e-commerce website. By night, I blog, I review television shows and films, and occasionally, I settle down long enough to write a novel. I’ve always had a diverse set of interests, which has led me to study everything from ethics to yoga to film, but the one thing that has stayed consistent is my enthusiasm for writing. Writing is my way of bringing all of my interests together—I may not be able to speak six languages, pick the lock on a door, or cook a five-course meal without a recipe, but I can write about a character who can, and that’s the next best thing!

Visit me on my website: www.JessicaLave.com
Follow me on Twitter @jessinsists
Check out my other books on Goodreads
Buy Quiet on the Set on Amazon

One of the best YA series you’re not reading: Riders of the Apocalypse by Jackie Morse Kessler

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

The Riders of the Apocalypse series by Jackie Morse Kessler has been on my mind for a while. It just concluded with the release of the final installment Breath.

For the life of me can’t figure out why you’re all not reading this fabulous series! There was a lot of fanfare when Hunger was released but then the hype sort of died out but the writing continued strong as ever.

This is a YA series that deals with disorders that effect many teenagers today. Anorexia, cutting, bullying and depression but in a way that is action packed, not preachy and even filled with humor. In each book the protagonist is forced to confront their issues by taking over as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. For example, in Hunger Lisabeth has to deal with solving world hunger while she herself is anorexic.

The only thing I can think of is that people are afraid of *issue* books but I promise this series addresses them in such an intelligent, realistic yet witty way.

I encourage you all to give this series a shot. Below is a brief synopsis for each book with a link to the full length ones on Goodreads.

HUNGERLisabeth Lewis is seventeen, anorexic...
and the new Famine, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.RAGE

Sixteen-year-old self-injurer Melissa Miller exchanges her
razor blade for the sword of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

LOSS

Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard, the most bullied kid in school, is tricked
into becoming the new Pestilence.

BREATH

When Death himself has given up on life, only eighteen-year-old Xander Atwood can help. But Xander has a secret--one that may be the end of everything.

Source: Jackie Morse Kessler

Full summary descriptions and add to your Goodreads shelf

Need more convincing? A portion on the proceeds from each book are donated these wonderful charities: National Eating Disorders Association, To Write Love on Her Arms, The Alzheimer’s Association.

Links:My review of Rage
Interview with Jackie Morse Kessler

Basia’s Bookshelf reviews from the series: She loves this series as much I do and has written fantastic reviews for Hunger | Loss | Breath

Buy the books!

Desire by Design Blog Tour: Top Ten List of Favorite Music

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Desire by Design

He stole her job, and now she's stealing his heart.

Eve Doucette finally almost has it all. She's free from her mistake of an ex-husband and just landed her dream job: project manager for a new City Hall and drafter of the final design. That is, until a handsome architect sweeps into town to commandeer her blueprints.

Famous architect Matt Brison is unsatisfied with his mundane life in Toronto. So when the mayor of Halifax asks him to spearhead his City Hall project, Matt jumps at the opportunity. There's just one problem: the feisty and beautiful project lead, Eve, who isn't exactly thrilled about her new "coworker" hijacking her design.

But when the sparks begin to fly, they both find themselves falling for the colleague they shouldn't want. And before they know it, their already shaky foundation might come crumbling down.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Entangled Publishing

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Top Ten List of Favourite Music by Paula Altenburg:

I really don’t listen to music when I write. I have to have quiet. I do, however, like music to relax to, and here in Atlantic Canada, we have some fantastic artists. These are a few of my favorites:

1.    Ben Caplan and The Casual Smokers - Conduit
2.    Joel Plaskett - A Million Dollars
3.    Dance Theory - A.N.A.F.
4.    Jenn Grant - Eye Of The Tiger cover
5.    Jenn Grant - Dreamer
6.    Mo Kenney - Sucker
7.    Matt Mays - Loveless
8.    The Stanfields - Death and Taxes
9.    Ben Caplan and The Casual Smokers - Beautiful
10.    Carmen Townsend - Start All Over

Tune in Tuesday: Alt-J, Ingrid Michaelson, a-ha

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! The feature was originally created and hosted by Ginger over at GReads! but can now be found over at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands.

*******

This is so weird because when I first started listening to Alt-J it was a love/hate – or I should say hate/love experience but now I’m kind of obsessed with them and can’t stop featuring music by them each week. lol

BTW – they have a great Spotify Sessions if you subscribe.

Alt-J – Something Good

Ingrid Michaelson – This is War The chorus is a bit too pop for me but I love the song and lyrics

a-ha – Take on Me The best part of the Billboard Music Awards is when Morten Harket of a-ha came out to sing Take on me during the Pitbull/Christina Aguilera performance. I loved this song and the video is STILL amazing!

Book Blogger Confessions: Adding a reviewer to your blog

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:58:00 +0000

Sunday Ramblings…& a giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:16:00 +0000

BEA is just around the corner and I have done NOTHING to get ready for it. Other than clear out older books. Which really is something I guess….because I’m really going to need the room for new books!

Anyway…this pretty much sums up my pre-BEA planning and possibly life in general.

Source: someecards.com

Incoming!

For review: (click on cover for more info)

* Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Farrar, Sraus and Giroux and Amazon Prime/Tor Teen, Hayson Manning

Bought:

Wrap-up:

Review:
Wicked as She Wants (blud #2) by Delilah S. Dawson
Crossing the Line by Katy McGarry
The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Tune in Tuesday:
Vampire Weekend, Snow Patrol, The Lumieers, The National

Help a Blogger out:
Non-love triangle series recommendations

Book Blogger Confessions topic reminder for Monday 5/20!

The Lazy Blogger GIVEAWAY!

As I mentioned earlier I’m headed to BEA and I’ve been clearing out my books. Here is one last big ass box of books I’m giving away before I go.

I’m feeling super lazy so just check out the (admittedly crappy) pic for what books are in there (There are ARC’s and finished signed books. It will be a surprise. Sorry…me = tired….but yay free box of books!)

*Update - I'm trying to get the titles listed here in between doing other things. Here are a few of them:

Destined by Aprilynne Pike - Signed
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford - Signed
The Girl in the Clockwork Collar By Kady Cross - Signed
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron ARC - Signed

Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter
The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
Fathom by Jackosn Pearce
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder - Signed to me
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsh - Signed to me

WINNER!! Is Erin!!

Review: The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:51:00 +0000

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever. ~ Goodreads

Source: Provided by Entangled Teen for my honest review

Review:
Can I just write that this is the adorable, feel good book of the summer and be done with it?

I had so much fun reading The Summer I Became a Nerd. I read the whole book in just under 4 hours and *may* have done a little bit of a book nerd happy reader dance.

This book has it all, high school angst, cute boys, secret identities, awesome friendships, VISIBLE PARENTS.

I could write a long review but these days when I have this much fun with a book I just want to leave it at that and not dissect it to death so I will just say I highly recommend The Summer I Became a Nerd. I liked it so much that I’m going to go out and buy a physical copy just so I can fill it with post-it notes for my favorite quotes (of which there were many).

I must confess that I am not a nerd. I don’t read comic books and I don’t play video games so I can not attest to the nerd accuracy of this book lol but I found all the references to be a lot of fun. Also, I understood or could easily grasp all of them despite not knowing the background.

Final thoughts: SUPER CUTE summer read! Go get it!

Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter
Buy the book! The Summer I Became a Nerd

Help a blogger out! Non - love triangle series recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:18:00 +0000

Source: stock.xching

I know love triangles exist in real life. I was even in a few when I was younger but I just don’t want to read about them anymore and I’m not knocking anyone who does. I’ve read several great series that had them and they didn’t bother me (Carolyn Crane’s awesome Disillusionist trilogy comes to mind) It’s just that they usually depress me and leave me broken hearted. Plus I would love to see a a relationship with ups & downs evolve over time without throwing in a third wheel.

I’m looking for series recommendations that have romance – minus the love triangle. I’m not too picky on the genre or YA vs Adult (although it’s almost unheard to read YA without one so I would be really happy with a YA series rec!). I would just like it to be a series with one continuing main couple. They can fight, break up, stay together the whole time….I don’t care. Just no third parties please.

There are a few that I can think of that I enjoy (see below) but I would love to find more.

Read – Adult:
Kate Daniels Magic series by Ilona Andrews (Kate & Curran)

Night Huntress series by Jeanine Frost (Cat & Bones)

WVMP Radio Vampire series by Jeri Smith-Ready (Ciara & Shane)

Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre (Sirantha & March)

YA:
Razorland trilogy (Enclave/Outpost/Horde) by Ann Aguirre (Deuce & Fade) I know a lot of people think there’s a triangle here but I really don’t see it that way – and Aguirre has said in interviews that there isn't one so that’s good enough for me.

Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth (Tris & Four)

Ghost and the Goth trilogy by Stacey Kade

Can anyone help this blogger out???

Review: Crossing the Line (pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:27:00 +0000

Katie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional”* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…

Lila McCormick, Echo's best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves. ~ Goodreads

Review:

I absolutely love McGarry's Pushing the Limits series so I snapped this novella up right away.
The events take place after Pushing the Limits and before the upcoming Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2). Unfortunately I had forgotten quite a bit about PtL so I didn't remember Lila or the funeral (for Echo's brother) that led up to meeting Lincoln. Also, I read an ARC of DYT first so there were a few things that were out of order to me. Nothing horrible but enough to make me confused for the first few chapters.

Anyway……Even though this is novella length, the fact that Lila and Lincoln have been writing to each other for just over two years sets up a nice relationship between them so that things don't feel so rushed. They have become best friends and confidants through their letters until they realize that it might might be worth the risk to go for more.

Both Lincoln and Lila have issues they need to overcome. No surprise there. lol What I like is that they force each other to be better and say what needs to be said instead of using love/sex to make everything right. In fact they take things nice and slow…while still being sexy.

The one thing that didn't work for me was Lila's issue. She's afraid to be alone at home, afraid to go away to college alone. I could really relate to her, as a scaredy cat myself, but she was well beyond that. Barely able to go out her front door alone. While her parents were away on vacation, they left post it notes reminding her how to stay safe all around the house. O_O That seems like a pretty big thing to me but it was never explained and was resolved a little too easily.

Lincoln and Lila's story definitely could have filled a full length novel to really delve into things. But it was a sweet love story and quite enjoyable.

Final thoughts: I wish I had remembered more from PtL and read this before Dare You To because I was quite confused at first. Things are resolved a little too easily for Lila IMO but hey it's a novella and I just went with it because I liked Lila and Lincoln and I love Katie McGarry's writing - so I'll take what I can get ;-) I don’t think you need to have read Pushing the Limits to understand this novella – you just might not recognize the other characters or get as much out of is as those who did.

Author: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! Crossing the Line

Tune in Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:05:00 +0000

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! The feature was originally created and hosted by Ginger over at GReads! but can now be found over at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands.

I’m in a bit of rush getting this post drafted so I’ll just get right to it……

Diane young – Vampire Weekend A little different sound for them. I like it.

Fallen Empires – Snow Patrol I just watched a Snow Patrol concert on TV and remembered how much I loved this song when I saw them live.

Stubborn Love – The Lumineers This song is so pretty.

Sea Of Love – the National This video makes me laugh. I’m seeing them (for the 3rd time) next month! Woo-Hoo!!!

Demons - the National More The National....because why not? I like the lyrics to this song.

What are you guys listening to this week?

Review: Wicked as She Wants (Blud #2) by Delilah S. Dawson

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

The second book in the darkly tempting Blud series, featuring a vampire princess who embarks upon a dangerous journey to claim what is rightfully hers.

When Blud princess Ahnastasia wakes up, drained and starving in a suitcase, she’s not sure which calls to her more: the sound of music or the scent of blood. The source of both sensations is a handsome and mysterious man named Casper Sterling. Once the most celebrated musician in London, Sangland, he’s fallen on hard times. Now, much to Ahna’s frustration, the debauched and reckless human is her only ticket back home to the snow-rimmed and magical land of Freesia.

Together with Casper’s prickly charge, a scrappy orphan named Keen, they seek passage to Ahna’s homeland, where a power-hungry sorceress named Ravenna holds the royal family in thrall. Traveling from the back alleys of London to the sparkling minarets of Muscovy, Ahna discovers that Freesia holds new perils and dangerous foes. Back in her country, she is forced to choose between the heart she never knew she had and the land that she was born to rule. But with Casper’s help, Ahna may find a way to have it all. ~ Goodreads

Review:
While I enjoyed Wicked as They Come (Blud #1), I thought the leading man of that story, Criminy Stain, was a bit much. Almost too kooky and it was Casper Sterling who caught my attention. He was on the losing end of a love triangle and the brilliant musician has descended into a world of addiction and womanizing as Wicked as She Wants begins.

It's Casper's haunting music that lures the starving vampire Ahnastasia to him. I absolutely loved Casper and Ahna's first interactions. This is definitely not love at first sight…or even lust. Ahna's hungry and she wants Casper's blood. Now. As a former princess who has been trapped and left for dead in a suitcase for several years, she wants to regain her strength and her rightful place in her land of Fressia. She's all…"I will see your head on a platter!" but he just laughs her off knowing he holds all the cards for the time being. The cards being the blood Ahna so desperately needs. She can spew her haughty princess attitude all she wants but the fact is she has no energy to follow through just yet. Casper agrees to help bring Ahna back to her homeland to reclaim her kingdom with an orphan named Keen tagging along.

Casper doesn't have a whole lot left to live for in his life but Ahna refuses to throw him a pity party and instead forces him to embrace the choices he does have rather than mourn the loss of the ones he doesn't, while Casper and Keen teach Ahna to think of more than herself and how her actions effect others lives. What I loved about this book is that they grew from their adventure but it never once turned into a sap filled love fest. The dialogue is snappy and snarky. The love is there but they stay true to themselves and their personalities at all times. These are not warm, cuddly characters and I loved them for it.

I'm curious to hear how people feel about Anastasia. She was raised as a vampire princess and that she is better than everyone else. She's a vampire and a predator. Ahna embraces that. Servants and humans are there to please her or to be her food. Her attitude does evolve over time but she never fully loses that sense of superiority. She begins to love Casper but that doesn't get in the way of what she feels she has to do to rule her kingdom. I prefer to think of her as a strong woman who accepts her responsibilities and learned to be a better leader because of her experiences with Casper and Keen. She is a different kind of heroine though and I'm sure some people will find her abrasive. Personally, I found it refreshing.

This book is a bit darker than the first in the series. While it still has a few steampunk elements, this installment is more character driven with a paranormal feel.

One thing I was really depressed about was the lack of Casper's POV. We learn a few things through his conversations with Ahna but he just brushes over the details of his past and if you didn't read the first book you wouldn't even know all he's been through.

We also don't learn too much more about the world building this time around. That didn't really bother me because as I've said Wicked as She Wants is a very character driven story. This could be read as a stand alone but if you don't read the books in order I think you're missing out on quite a bit. Easy solution though….read Wicked as They Come first! lol

Final thoughts: Wicked as She Wants is a darker, character driven sequel to Wicked as She Comes. I enjoyed the rough around the edges Casper and his pairing with the haughty Ahna. The snarky dialogue is fast and furious without a lot of unnecessary flowery sentiments which was even funnier when it came from the young orphan Keen. There is a great dynamic between he three of them. The only thing that would have made this book better for me would have been Casper's POV. I absolutely adored Ahna but I felt like this should have been a bit more about his journey as well. Even so - I highly recommend this one.

Author: website | twitter
Source: Provided by the publisher, Pocket Books, for my honest review
Buy the book! Wicked as She Wants (Blud)

Let’s Talk! Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:34:00 +0000

Let’s Talk is a fun new meme to discuss an little bit of this & a little bit of that (not always bookish) hosted by Smash Attack Reads and A Book Obsession.

This weeks question: Do you take advantage of Freebies? or Do you think Freebies are a good selling tool for authors and publishers?

OMG YES! YES! YES! and please oh please stop tweeting the links to them! lol

I just can’t help myself with those freebies, plus they’re on the Kindle so out of sight….I’m also bad to a lesser degree with the .99 Kindle deals.

I really shouldn’t download even one more book, free or not, considering how much I already have to read but I’ve found a lot of great authors and series that way. There is no way I would have paid full price but I will always take a chance on the freebie. The only downside is that I haven’t had time to read all of them so they’re just stacking up.

I don’t really know how much it benefits authors. On one hand, as I said, I try a lot of books/authors I wouldn’t have otherwise because of the freebie. If I love it then I buy the next book release or continue with a series so that’s a win for the author but they’re not making any money on that particular book. I guess if the freebie/.99 goes over well then it helps the book ranking and gets them more attention thereby selling more books when the price is raised?? I’m guessing that’s the theory or else why do it?

It’s an addiction that I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon and I hope that it benefits authors as well.

Cover reveal: Act Like You Love Me by Cindi Madsen

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:08:00 +0000

I’m thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for author Cindi Madsen’s latest book in the Entangled Publishing’s Bliss line. I loved Falling For Her Fiancé (book #1 in the Accidently in Love Series) and I can’t wait to read the companion novel, Act Like You Love Me next!

All’s fair in acting and amore...

Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.

After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.

As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?

********

Excerpt:
“Cut, cut cut!” Sawyer stood. “Was that supposed to be more passionate? Because it sucked.”

“This is supposed to be the eighteen hundreds,” Brynn said. “It can’t be too passionate or it would seem inappropriate for the time.”

The next instant Sawyer was charging up the steps to the stage. “I’m not saying it’s got to be a kiss with tongue, I’m saying you’ve got to look at each other like you’re in love so the audience will want it to work out. Our modern audience.” Sawyer shook his head. “Take it again, from before the proposal.”

It was impossible to concentrate with Sawyer standing right there, so close she could hear every shift of his body and feel his gaze on her like a weight. All her lines were swimming together.

Leo knelt, told her she was an angel. She said her line, trying to peer into his soul like she wanted to be with him, and then Leo kissed her. And it was sloppier than usual. She did her best to not jerk back, though it was her first instinct.

“Okay, that was just…” Sawyer moved in front of her. He looked at the playbook, then lowered it by his side and stared into her eyes. The air thickened around them and she could feel every thump of her heart. “What a perfect angel you are, Cecily.” He said it so tenderly, his smile close-lipped but full of joy.

“You dear romantic boy,” she said, all out of instinct because thoughts were getting fuzzy.

He leaned in and kissed her, a soft kiss with his lips barely parted. The pressure of his lips increased for a delicious moment, and then they were gone. A quick, simple kiss, but when his mouth left hers, she felt its absence so strongly that she couldn’t think about anything else for a couple seconds. Her breath was stuck somewhere in her lungs and her lips still tingled, living the sensation over and over again.

Heat wound through her body, her hands itched to reach out and touch him. And then she remembered she was supposed to. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt the whisper of his breath on her wrist as he exhaled.

“Wow, that was good,” Wendy said from the front, breaking Brynn from her trance.

Brynn stepped back and swallowed, but her throat wasn’t working right. Sawyer’s eyes never left hers, and one corner of his mouth curved up in a smug, self-satisfied way.

“It was all right, I suppose,” Brynn said, working to keep her voice steady. She crossed her arms and shrugged. “For a first-timer, anyway.” That only made Sawyer’s smile grow wider.

Brynn couldn’t help but watch Sawyer as he jumped off the stage. Funny how she’d dreamed of kissing him all the time in high school, but her fantasy wasn’t even close to the real thing. Her heart felt like it’d just been wrung out and shoved back in her.

And her scene with Leo was better. She was sure it had nothing to do with the fact that she closed her eyes and pretended it was Sawyer kissing her again.

Nope. Nothing at all.

Pre-order ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

********

FALLING FOR HER FIANCE: Goodreads | Kobo | iTunes | Amazon | Barnes & Noble (I loved this book! You can read my review here)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She is the author of YA novels All the Broken Pieces and Demons of the Sun, bestselling short romance Falling for Her Fiancé and the women's fiction novel Cinderella Screwed Me Over.

Find Cindi on: Twitter | Facebook | Website

Review: The Chocolate Rose (Amour et Chocolat #3) by Laura Florand

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:26:00 +0000

Her father’s worst enemy...

Top chef Gabriel Delange never forgave his old nemesis Pierre Manon for all the other chef had cost him.

One stolen rose...

And he most certainly couldn’t stand the sight of his own most famous dessert, the legendary Rose, claimed as Pierre’s own on the cover of his new cookbook.
A substitute victim...

But even Gabriel could hardly go through with a lawsuit when he learned the older chef had just had a stroke. Especially not when Pierre had one very cute daughter willing to be Gabriel’s victim instead.

Jolie Manon...

As a child, Jo had seen her family torn apart by her top chef father’s obsession with his work. She had given years of her own adult life to trying to pull him out of depression, after he lost a star. Now a food writer, she might be fascinated with a chef’s work, but she knew how to guard her heart. She would never allow another chef into her life.

Unless he blackmailed her into it...

Welcome to the heat and sun of Provence, where jasmine and roses climb up old colored walls, where fountains play in ancient stone villages, and where even a beast can prove he is a prince at heart. ~ Goodreads

Review:
I've read a few books by Laura Florand now (The Chocolate Kiss, Turning Up the Heat) and the thing I love most about Florand's writing is that it's more like a immersive experience rather than just reading words off the page. You can taste the food, feel textures, smell flowers. Her writing is very evocative and makes me want to travel the world or eat a giant box of chocolate. (OK - so I always want to eat a box of chocolate but still…)

In The Chocolate Rose, Jolie Manon, a food writer, has co-written a cookbook with her father. He's recovering from a stroke and Jo hopes that this project will give him the motivation he needs to make a comeback. Tiny problem. The picture she used for the cover, a beautiful chocolate rose his restaurant is famous for, is not her father's creation as credited in the book but that of a former employee, top Gabriel Delange, and he's suing them.

Jo travels to Provence to try to make a deal with Gabriel but instead is captivated by this beast of a man that takes up all the space and air of a room while still spilling his heart and feelings out like an open book.

Gabriel loves big, with everything he has, but hasn't been able to make any of his relationships work because of the hours he dedicates to his restaurant. No woman has been able to handle the late nights and being second to his creations. That is until Jo walks in. She understands his lifestyle and actually likes time alone and early morning walks. The only problem is she's seen how her own egotistical chef of a father led to a broken family and doesn't want that for herself. Gabriel is determined to change her point of view.

The great thing about this story, and something that was very unexpected to me, is that it wasn't about the lawsuit or even very adversarial between Gabriel and Jo. He has hated Jo's father for so long that you would think those feelings would carry over to his daughter but Gabriel sees that her own career aspirations are being kept down in favor of her fathers need for the spotlight. Instead, he seeks ways to build her up and give her credit. The man is definitely an alpha but not at the expense of demeaning Jo in any way.

I mentioned that Gabriel is an alpha. Jo feels completely overwhelmed by him. She compares him to a lion stalking his prey but what's funny is this lion is just a big ole pussy cat. I don't think I've ever read about a more sensitive alpha. He's always worried about being hurt or saying too much too soon to Jo and scaring her off, which he does, repeatedly, but you just have to love him anyway. His intentions are good even if his delivery is too much.

If you read the Amour et Chocolat series, you might start to see some repetitions of phrases and storylines carrying over. They are basically the same story with new characters but in this case, instead of finding that annoying, I find a certain comfort in it the writing style. I'm also a sucker for anything about chefs and food so….

Final thoughts: For me Laura Florand's writing is comfort food and I enjoy every bite. I like the whirlwind romances and talk of food, flowers and love that this series provides. I also enjoyed seeing characters from the previous books in this series make appearances.

Author: website
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! The Chocolate Rose (Amour et Chocolat, La Vie en Roses)