Lola's Reviews

Blog Tour: Masked (The New World #2) by Janelle Stalder

2014-02-12T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog for Masked, the second book in The New World series by Janelle Stalder.

Masked (The New World #2)
by Janelle Stalder

Blurb:
Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.

New Berlin, 2040. Rebels prepare to fight against the New World Order, bent on bringing down the world’s greatest tyrant. One girl wanted nothing to do with it, content to keep her head down and make the best of this new world. That is, until she has no choice but to work with the rebels and infiltrate the NWO headquarters. Every moment she spends there puts her in danger, especially when one man, the second in command to the New World leader, continues to make his way into her every thought. She must stay focused and protect not just her mind and body, but also her heart. Will she be able to complete her task without being unmasked? Or will the one man standing in her way ruin it all?

You can add Masked to your to-read list on Goodreads

Excerpt #1:
What I have gotten myself into? She asked herself for the millionth time since she’d agreed to do this. If it hadn’t been for the fact that her evil, sadistic father was holding her sister captive, there was no way Bridgette would have been doing anything to help the rebels. She’d long ago decided to make the best out of the new life she’d been forced to live, and that meant no involvement with the group of men set on destroying the new government. Considering her father was their leader, she definitely hadn’t wanted any part in this. But once again life had thrown her a curveball in the form of her sister, and she was forced to play along. At least until she planted the bomb.

Her back felt sticky with sweat beneath the fabric of the uniform she wore. All she wanted to do was strip out of it, pull off the mask her sister had been wearing for the last five years – how Charlotte had stood it, she had no idea – and take off the boots that were a size too small and pinching the crap out of her toes. Instead she had to deal with Roman, who had caught her in the hall. And of course, Bridgette had done the first thing that had come to mind, which happened to be to turn and run like an idiot, locking herself inside this room.

And here is another excerpt, form slightly further into the first chapter

Excerpt #2:
    Finally they came to a set of double doors. Roman opened them, standing back to let her enter first. She kept her gaze away from his as she walked by. The heat off his body had her swaying a bit, but she forced herself to keep going.

    The room was dark, and clearly a man’s domain. There was nothing feminine about the deep, burgundy walls, leather chairs, and large, wooden desk. Standing in front of floor-to-ceiling windows was her biggest obstacle yet, Ludwig Tennebris. Crap, crap, crap. She stopped just inside, watching him as the prey watches a predator. Roman was scary, but Ludwig, he was terrifying. He didn’t give off the same sort of strength that Roman did. His was more an aura of unpredictability; a man who could and would do anything and everything at any moment. She didn’t like men like him. She liked to know what to expect, and she doubted that would ever be the case with the New World leader.

    His eyes swung to hers, his blonde hair messy, probably from running his hands through it. She could tell he was agitated, which didn’t bode well for her.

    “Finally,” he said, stepping closer to her. The desk remained between them, a fact she was thankful for. “How are you feeling, Di?”

    Bridgette paused for a second. She had forgotten that most of the New World soldiers thought Charlotte’s name was Dinah. It made her wonder why Roman called her Lottey. It also shocked her that Ludwig had asked how she was. If she was being honest, she wasn’t expecting that. From the look of him, she had thought he was going to start yelling, not look genuinely concerned for her.

About the Author:

Janelle Stalder was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario. At an early age she developed a love for literature. Her debut novel, Eden, was the first book in a series of four, released in September of 2011. The second book, Eden-West, was released in July of 2012, and the third book, Eden-South was released in March of 2013. The fourth book of the Eden Series, Eden-East, will be release at the end of 2013. She is a strong supporter of other independent authors, and loves to interact with her readers. When she's not writing, Janelle is at home with her husband, two children, Aiden and Elora, and her two furry children, Alice and Lily. She now resides in the small town in Ontario in her old, possibly haunted, century home.

You can find her here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter

Blog tour: Beasts of Burdin by Alex Nader

2014-02-11T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for Beasts of Burdin by Alex Nader. In this post you'll find out a bit more about this book and there is an awesome tens list from Alex about his ten favourite foods.

Beasts of Burding
by Alex Nader

Blurb:
Demon hunter Ty Burdin hung up his guns, knife, trench coat and fedora a year ago. Bags packed, hands washed of all demon politics, he’s done. Forever.

In fact, to get far far away, he dragged Nora, his rockabilly secretary, from Miami to the Tennessee mountains where he’s lived a life of peace—if peace can be defined as drowning in scotch and taking private eye jobs to keep the lights on. Jobs for real people. Not demons.

No demons.

He’s retired from that. Remember?

Demon hunters aren’t a dime a dozen, though, and when Ty’s brother asks him for a favor—just one—what’s a brother to do? Agreeing to take down one hillbilly demon shouldn’t take that long. In. Decapitate. Out. Favor complete. Back to the office where Nora and his bottle of whiskey are waiting.

Unfortunately for Ty, staying retired doesn’t seem to be in the cards, and an avalanche of bad luck draws him right back to an agency he despises and the career that nearly cost him his sanity.

This time, Ty has no way out and will have to face his own demons just to survive.

You can add Beasts of Burdin to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Beasts of Burdin here:

And now for the Alex his tens list:

Hello indigenous peoples of the internet and loyal readers of Lola’s blog. I’m glad to be here and I hope you find my offerings acceptable. I don’t come with words of writing or list of movies or anything quite like that. I’m here today to talk to you all in my serious voice, about a very serious subject. Yup, game-face on ladies and gents, we’re going in. Put on your snorkels, cause it’s about to get deep.
Ah-hem…
In a vague grouping by genre, sort of, I bring to you: My ten favorite things to stuff in my face.
Desserts first, because I’m a dessert first kind of guy. Ladies can talk about chocolate cravings all they want, but I can put away an entire cake in less than twenty-four hours. That’s right, I spit in the face of diabetes like an unworthy jousting opponent in the lists.
1.    Cheesecake – I used to love the Jello no-bake cheesecakes, but over the years my cheesecakery has refined. I now prefer the good stuff. Topped with fruit is good, infused with dark chocolate of some sort is better. A local cheesecake shop has got moonshine cherry cheesecake that I have yet to try, but it’s on my bucket list right next to skiing down a mountain of $100 bills.
2.    Black forest Cake – Chocolate, cherry, and whip cream for icing. It’s a trifecta of awesome. Plus, my wife likes to throw some chocolate chips in the whip cream to make it even better. Yeah, she’s an awesome woman.
3.    Red Velvet Cake – Food Network has a Paula Dean RVC recipe that is purely wonderful. I would link it here, but I’m lazy and yes, I am on an acronym basis with my desserts. Get over it.
4.    Tiramisu – This is another one my wife does wonderful things with. She follows some unknown recipe in her head that results in liquor soaked cake madness. It’s good in a restaurant, but at home it’s a godsend. Seriously, next time she makes some I’ll share some with you. Actually, who am I kidding? I don’t share dessert.
5.    Tamales – We’ve moved on to main courses. Things are heating up. Literally, the food is getting hotter. Desserts are cold or room temperature. Tamales? They are best served as hellfire incarnate. And if you’ve never had an authentic tamale made from someone from Mexico, I feel sorry for you my friend. It would be like having never met the person who owns the feet that stomped your grapes in to wine.
6.    Tacos – Sticking with the south of the border here. What could be better than tacos? Really? Have you got anything? Didn’t think so. No, you in the back, put your hand down. Yeah, no, your opinion doesn’t count. Tacos rule. End of story.
7.    Stir Fry – So maybe tacos weren’t the end of the story because I’m still talking. Okay, I’ve shifted east; far east. Meat and vegetables and unhealthy amounts of oil unceremoniously dumped on top of some nice rice. Unless you go to one of those hibachi places where they cook on your table, then I guess you food is ceremoniously dumped on the rice. Big difference, I suppose.
8.    Cheeseburger – Good ol’ ‘Merican burger. That’s what life is all about. They are best served from gas station grills because I’m pretty sure they use motor oil to grease the grill and that’s okay by me.
9.    Chili – Another staple of life. I don’t even care if it has meat in it. Beans and some form of spiced tomato mixture and I am freaking golden, but if you’ve got some ground beef, drop it in there, would ya?
10.    Chimichurri Steak – Last one. Chimichurri steak is one of my all time favs. Here I’ll even give you a half-recipe of my favorite way to enjoy it. Find and follow a recipe for the marinade, any will do. Then, while the steak is grilling, stir-fry some bell peppers and onion. I prefer red bell, but you can use whatever makes you happy. It’s your food, I’m just a writer. Once the pepper/onion mix is almost ready you drop some provolone cheese on top to melt. Now, put down a bed of romaine, then steak, then peppers/onion/cheese. It’s like a chimichurri philly cheesesteak salad. You can also drizzle with olive oil, but that’s unnecessary as you should have plenty of oil from the veggies. Also, I leave the parsley out of my marinade because I hate it, but the choice on that is yours, choose wisely.
There, you can’t say I never gave you nothing, so you should probably go buy my book now. It is completely void of delicious recipes like the one above. BAM! I’m out.
(Note: in # 10 I used the word “Chimichurri” three times and spelled it different every time. I even got it correct once.)

About the Author:
Alex lives in the tourist infested hills of east Tennessee with his amazing wife/muse and three superb children. He would tell you more about how awesome they are, but you probably wouldn’t believe him. When he’s not hanging out with them he’s making pizzas. When he’s not doing that he’s working at a bookstore and occasionally he jots a few words down. He’s a big fan of good music, good storytelling, and mixed martial arts.

He once wrote a short story about pirates to his wife via text message that blossomed into a full length novel and never stopped after that.

You can find Alex here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter

And there is a tour wide giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: I See London by Chanel Cleeton

2014-02-05T08:30:00.000+01:00

I See London
by Chanel Cleeton

Blurb:
Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

My review:
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I first came across this book when I saw the cover reveal on a blog I follow and I thought the blurb sounded really good. Unfortunately this ended up being just an okay book for me. It's just another New Adult book and while it has some unique elements, it just wans't enough for me. The focus of this book is mostly on the romance, the characters and the story. There isn't a lot of attention for things like the actual lectures the main character takes or exploring the city of London, which I did expect. On the other hand the book has a nice pace and I did like the writing style. It was an easy book to read and I did enjoy it, despite some of my issues.

The story is about Maggie, a good girl who studies a lot and end up going to the International School in London. Where she seemingly transforms in a girl who likes to party, lusts after two boys, meets some new friends and studying comes second to that.

Also life at the university in this book is very different than how I experienced my time at university, it just felt really different. The focus more on partying and less on studying and talking about classes, but that can be because I studied in the Netherlands and other schools might be different. Or it may just be because I was that girl that studied a lot an didn't go out much. The uni in this book jst felt more like High school to me than uni, with the way people acted.

There are also some problems I has with some of the plot, like how everyone at the International School seemed crazily rich. And then there was the prologue, which just felt off and even afer finishing the book I had no idea how it related to the rest of the story. And I had some other issues which I won't mention here, because they would be spoilers. There was a scene towards the end of the book that just felt wrong to me and I found myself skipping most of the scene. Also I expected to learn more about London and really connect with the city as the location seemed important, but in fact it felt more like the background, it could just as easily be just another random big city.

I mentioned before that the characters are one of the focusses of this book, but I mean this in the sense that the character relationships and their actions are important. I felt that while the focus seemed to be on the characters, at the end of the book I still felt like I didn't really know most characters. The characters we get to know the best are Maggie, Samir and Fleur and I still sometimes didn't understand why they acted a certain way. It was difficult to relate to them, because I couldn't get a good idea of who they are. There are also some characters like George and Michael who made an appearance sometimes, but by the time they made an appearance I had trouble remembering who they where, because we don't learn a lot about them and they didn't really make an impression.

And then there is a love triangle, from the moment I read the blurb I already had my expectations about whom Maggie would choose in the end and even from the start of the book it was obvious too. There just didn't seem to be a competition and I didn't like the moments she spend with the 'wrong guy' as it seemes obvious to me she didn't like him the way she liked the other guy and he just wasn't interesting. I didn't care about him and just wished Maggie would open her eyes and realize they had nothing in common and while she thought he was hot, they didn't have any chemisty or anything else.

Also it is worth mentioning that this is actually the first book in a series and not a standalone as I first thought. The ending was pretty open, but also nicely wrapped up this school year, so it was a good ending too.

To conclude: I did enjoy this story, but it was different than I expected and ended up just being okay for me. The pace and the writing style was nice, but I has some issues with the story and had difficulties relating to the characters. The love triangle felt off to me and it was obvious with whom she would end up from the beginning.

You can add I See London to your to-read list on Goodreads

Blog Tour: Taut by JA Huss

2014-02-03T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the Taut blog tour. I'll be sharing some information about the book with you and my review!

Taut: The Ford book
by JA Huss

Blurb:
Ford Aston is known for many things. Being an emotionless, messed up bastard, a freakishly smart social outcast, and a cold, domineering master who keeps "pets" instead of girlfriends.

And after Rook broke his heart, he plans to keep it that way.

Ashleigh is known for nothing, and that's exactly what she's got going for her. She's broke, stranded in the mountains with a three month old baby, and Ford Aston is screwing with her head.

Big. Time.

And she plans to mess with his right back.

It's a coy game at first, filled with flirting, and innuendo--but Ford soon realizes something is not quite right with Ashleigh. In fact, something is seriously, seriously wrong and the closer they get to their final destination, the closer Ford gets to the truth.

One night of devastation, self-loathing, and emptiness turns into the best thing that ever happened to Ford Aston. But one day of in-your-face reality threatens Ashleigh's whole existence.

My Review:
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review

As soon as I finished Panic, the last book in the Rook and Ronin series, I have been looking forward to read Taut. Ford is such an interesting character and I couldn't wait to read and learn more about him. Then I started seeing some teasers around the web and I got the feeling sex was going to be the main focus of this book, I am glad that when I started this book I quickly found out that isn't the case. There are some hot sex scenes in this book, but it's not all about the sex. This book has a great story and there is so much character development.

Taut starts where Panic ended, with Ford talking to Rook on the new years eve party and then walking/running away from her. Then Ford get's stranded in the mountains while trying to escape and he meets Ashleigh, a young mother with her baby, who also got stuck in this village. And Ford decides to help them. From the beginning it's obvious both characters are running, but Ashleigh still keeps a lot of secrets for a long while. Nearing the end there is this big plot twists I didn't see coming, it was so well done. The possibility of this happening didn't even cross my mind. As soon as I started Taut I just wanted to sit down and read the whole book in one sitting. Ofcourse life got in the way, but I still managed to finish it pretty quikcly, especially concerning my readign spead for the last few books. And the last one-third I ended up reading in one sitting and staying awake till 2 past midnight because I coudn't stop reading and had to know how it ended.

There are only two small things that bothered me in this book. First is this explanation at the beginning of the story about how smart Ford is (he has an IQ of 190) and I thought that part was a bit overdone, I did google this and the internet says it's actually possible to have an IQ of 190, but I still thought it was a bit too much. And how he talked in russian first and learned that form only watching one show? I get it he is smart, but this was a bit too much. Second I felt the ending was a bit rushed, it was a great ending, but there are some scenes towards the end that felt a bit rushed. While the pace was great the whole book, the pace suddenly seemed to pick up a bit too much towards the end.

Ford was such an interesting character in the Rook and Ronin series and it wa sgreat so see things form his perspective and how he views things. He is such a great characters and has this unique way of thinking and trying to show people he doesn't care, while in fact he does. In this book you see Ford his soft side and it's amazing to see. Ashleigh was a great character too and I loved how she acted around Ford, she was messed-up, but she was also still a strong character and told Ford what she thought and wanted. She didn't just follow orders, she was deviant and fought for what she wanted. The baby Kate is also a great addition to the story. When I first heard Ford would fall in love with a women with a baby, it felt like an impossible situation, but apperantly it isn't.

The romance is well done and developed gradually, they grow closer and closer, but it still takes them both a long time before they admit it. It was so awesome to see their relationship grow more and more every day. The romance is really done well in this book.

While this book is a spin-off from the Rook and Ronin series, they don't play a big role at all. Thay are mentioned, but they make very little actual appearances. This book really focusses on Ford and Ashleigh.

To conclude: I really loved this book, as soon as I started reading I didn't want to put this book down. The story is great and I loved seeing the characters develop and their romance grow. The romance was done really well. It was also great to see things form Ford's point of view and see his soft side.

You can add Taut to your to-read list on Goodreads
You can buy Taut here:
- Amazon
- B&N

You can view the trailer for Taut on youtube

About the Author:
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links:
- Website
- Goodreads
- Facebook
- Twitter

Blog Tour: Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas

2014-02-01T08:30:00.000+01:00

This is my stop during the blog tour for the Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours . The blog tour runs from January 20 till February 2, you can view the complete tour schedule on the Nogiku series blog tour page on the website of Lola's Blog Tours.
So far this series contains two book: Removed (Nogiku series #1) and Released (Nogiku series #2).I'll share links to my reviews of both books and the author has written an awesome tens list/ guest post about bento boxes and her ten favourite things to put in them. And there is tour wide giveaway!

Removed (Nogiku series #1)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: September 11, 2013

Blurb:
Duty knows no family. Love has no price. Secrets can cost you everything. Twenty-year-old Sanaa Griffin, a sweet and smart half-Japanese girl, is about to get more than she bargained for when she wishes for love and excitement on New Year’s Eve 3103. Mark Sakai, who knows more about her than any stranger should, thinks Sanaa is the perfect person to spy on the heads of the three biggest Japanese clan leaders in Nishikyo. He wants her to gather enough evidence to keep them from going to war when they land on Earth’s colonization planet, Yusei. Nishikyo, built by the Japanese 300 years ago to house the rest of mankind, is failing and everyone is preparing to leave. Sakai has known Sanaa’s family all her life but she knows nothing of him! And despite all the time they spend together, he keeps his distance from her. Then one day, he brings her to Jiro, his nephew, to learn sword fighting, and it changes her life irrevocably. Between falling in love with Jiro and the information she is gathering on the clans, Sanaa realizes Sakai is holding back secrets about her family and her deceased parents, secrets as to why she was chosen for this job, and learning the truth puts her and all of Nishikyo in danger.

You can read my review of Removed here

You can find Removed on Goodreads
Want to view some inspirational images for Removed, visit the Removed inspirational Pinterest board

You can buy Removed here:
- Amazon (Paperback)
- Amazon (Kindle)
- Barnes & Noble
- iBookstore
- Kobo
- Wattpad

You can watch the trailer for Removed here:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPzShpFemIg&w=640&h=360]

Released (Nogiku series #2)
by SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: December 17, 2013

Blurb:
**Contains spoilers for those who have not read REMOVED (Book 1) Left in the desert to recuperate from her injuries, Sanaa Itami paces the floors and contemplates her mistakes. She trusted too easily, and now people she loved are dead, killed at the hands of men coming to assassinate her. Sanaa feels beaten, but life awaits her at home. While Nishikyo recovers from the earthquake, negotiations for Sanaa's eventual rule on Yusei continue. New allies must be made, new friendships brokered, new skills acquired -- at all costs. Life at the top of the chain is complicated and lonely, though. With relations in Sakai clan rocky and uncertain, Sanaa must learn to trust others again more than she's willing. Who amongst the clans is left holding a grudge? And will the new family Sanaa has found with Jiro support or betray her? From Nishikyo to Yusei, RELEASED, Book TWO of the Nogiku Series, is the second book in a captivating New Adult post-apocalyptic romance series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

You can read my review of Released here

You can find Released on Goodreads

You can buy Released here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo

And now it's time for SJ Pajonas her guest post about bento boxes and the top ten things to put in them!

What are bento boxes?

Bento boxes are the equivalent of a packed lunch. The boxes themselves come in all shapes and sizes, some with compartments or little plastic lidded containers to hold a multitude of food. Bento boxes can be utilitarian or they can be fun! I’m dying to own a really cute Hello Kitty bento box with matching chopsticks. Collecting bento boxes could easily be an obsession of mine. I really need to stay away from ebay.

In REMOVED, Sanaa is always on the go. The poor thing barely has time to eat much less date or have any kind of life outside of what Mark Sakai has tasked her to do. Sanaa relies on bento boxes for breakfast to get in a quick meal. Her favorite breakfast item is inarizushi which is sushi rice stuffed in a thin fried tofu wrapper that is both salty and sweet. I love these too. I wish I could eat them every morning for breakfast!

In general, a bento lunch will have at least 3 items but most likely more. Noodles or rice, salad, fish or meat, vegetables, dumplings, sushi… The variety is staggering. And a well-prepared meal by mom or a significant other conveys their love to you through food. What’s better than that?

So, to get you started, here are my top ten bento box ideas:

10. Leftovers - I know this sounds like a cheat but it’s really the best way to get your bento started. You had beef stew last night for dinner, so put that in the box, add fresh carrots, a wedge of cheese, a packet of crackers, and a cookie and you’re good to go.

9. Onigiri - This is a Japanese staple food! Rice balls usually stuffed with something. You can stuff yours with cooked tuna or salmon, or try seaweed, or slice up some cucumbers and avocado to go inside. Buy a onigiri mold because they really help to get the ball into a shape for placing in your bento. Tip: place sheets of nori on the side to wrap your rice ball before eating. Don’t wrap them ahead of time! The nori will be wilted and tough to eat if it gets moist.

8. Hard-boiled eggs - And not just any hard-boiled eggs, get some egg molds! Ebay has hundreds of these and you can also buy them on Amazon. When you make your hard-boiled eggs, peel them while they’re still hot and press them into the mold. It’s important to do this while they’re still warm, otherwise it won’t work well.

7. Sliced meats - Or if you’re a vegetarian, your usual protein like baked tofu or even the fake deli meats, if you enjoy them. A protein in the meal that you can either handle with your fingers or chopsticks is a great addition.

6. Assortment of cut vegetables - Carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes. If you like Asian vegetables, go with seaweed salad, cooked lotus root, or bamboo shoots.

5. Veggie Sushi - Sushi is pretty easy to make at home. You’ll need sushi rice, nori, your vegetable of choice (avocado, carrots, cucumber, etc), and sushi rice seasonings (rice vinegar, sugar, salt). Cook your sushi rice in the rice cooker and add the seasoning. Then you can use plastic wrap and nori to roll it up. Here is one of many of great videos on Youtube to help.

4. Fried noodles - Go Asian and make fried noodles! I like these because they taste good cold. I’ll admit these fried noodles using packaged ramen look awesome. And these Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Noodles look like a winner as well.

3. Cut Sandwiches - Take you favorite sandwiches and cut them down to a more manageable size. Either slice them in half diagonally or use a large cookie cutter to spruce them up a bit.

2. A small dessert - I like to add a few packaged cookies or treats. Nothing too big. Fruit is also a good choice.

1. Create a theme - This is where it gets fun. Look through the Japanese Bento Box Ideas Pinterest board I made and get a feel for bentos that are themed. Lots of people do this as a hobby! Hello Kitty, Bunnies, Totoro, Cats, Hearts, Flowers, Ninjas… Whatever your passion, you can make it happen in a bento.

Hopefully these give you some ideas! If you’re wary of making your own, your local Japanese restaurant will usually have lunch bentos specials. Try one out!

Here are some great Japanese food blogs too, to get you started:

- La Fuji Mama - Rachael, an American woman that lived in Japan, dishes out fantastic and easy meals with a heavy emphasis on Japan (she also cooks many cuisines from around the world)
- Just Hungry/Just Bento - These two blogs will give you everything you need to know about Japanese food and plenty of recipes to make.
- Humble Bean Blog - I love this blog because it’s divided easily into the types of recipes available. You’ll find a recipe for each part of your kaiseki meal here!
- BentoLunch.net
- Happy Little Bento
- Bento Monsters

About the Author:
S. J. Pajonas loves all things Asian and has been in love with Japan for as long as she can remember. Writing about Asia and Japan came naturally after studying the culture and language for over fifteen years. She studied film and screenwriting first and eventually segued into fiction once she was no longer working a full-time job.

Released is S. J. Pajonas’s second work, book two of four in the Nogiku Series. The first book in the series, Removed, is described as “a wonderful story” with “engaging characters, seamless world building, and an action packed plot.” It’s an “up-til-3am-because-I-read-it-in-one-sitting book.” She also writes contemporary romance and her upcoming first book in the Love in the Digital Age series will be published in 2014.

S. J. lives with her husband and two children just outside of New York City. She loves reading, writing, film, J- and K-dramas, knitting, and astrology. Her favorite author is Haruki Murakami and favorite book is The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

You can find and contact her here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Pinterest
- Flickr
- Instagram
- Tumblr

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of the Nogiku series. These are the prizes you can win: Amazon Gift Cards, copies of REMOVED, and eBook copies of two fantastic Japanese books: JAPANESE SOUL COOKING and THE SAKE HANDBOOK. Both will be gifted through either Amazon (kindle) or Barnes&Noble (nook).
Here are the links to both books on Amazon:
- Sake Handbook on amazon
- Japanese Soul Cooking

You can enter the tour wide giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Replacement by Rachael Wade

2014-01-30T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for The Replacement. As soon as I got the tour invite for this book I knew I had to read, the original cover and the blurb attracted me to this book and I am glad I could be part of this blog tour as I really enjoyed this book. I'll share some information about this book with you and my review of this book!

The Replacement
by Rachael Wade

Blurb:
*Contains sexually explicit content and mature subject matter, including language and elements of abuse.*

A gritty New Adult drama about a young woman’s self-destructive quest to find purpose, self-worth, and love in a broken world.

My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.

No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.

All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.

My Review:
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review

Something about the blurb grabbed my attention and I knew I had to read this book. This book didn't disapoint. It's an great book, with lots of hot sex, but also a great story. It's about a girl who is broken and does bad things, but there are still people being able to see the good in her.

I really like this author's writing style and the story flowed really well, the pacing was done and I liked the fact the author didn't shy away from the difficult parts in the story that had to be told too. It's a greaat story and while I didn't have time to read a lot I still enjoyed and wanted to know what would happen next. There is a scene towards the end that felt a bit rushed and it just felt off to me in comparison to the rest of the book, but the ending was great. There was also a scene somewhere in the last half that felt a bit unnessecary and din't really fit the feel of the rest of the book, but again these are just some small points and scenes that bugged me a bit. Overal this was a really enjoyable story!

At first I didn't know whether to like or hate Elise, she was a likeable character, but some of those things she did. I wondered how she could live with herself, but she was realy honest about it and she didn't know how else to be or act. As the story progessed there was a point that I really couldn't stand what she had done, but then it starts to get better and I did like her. There are some great side character too Ryder, Jay and Natalie are all great side characters whom really came alive. I really liked these 3 and how they gave Elise a chance, a chance she really needed. Elise grows a lot during this story. This story is about her and it was great to see her grow so much.

It sounds a bit weird to talk about romance if you know the main character sleeps around with every men, but it's there. The romance was done well, although there where a few points in their relationship I could't stand. They both did a few things in a situation, that I think could've been handled better, but I understand why they did it too. Ryder is such a sweet character and he was really good for Elise.

To conclude: I really enjoyed this book, I had some difficulties decided whether to hate or like Elise at first because she does some terrible things, but she still manages to be a likeable character. There where a few scenes I didn't like and a part that felt a bit rushed. The romance was done really well too. I really enjoyed this book and the author's writing style and I plan on picking up more books written by this author!

You can add The Replacement to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy The Replacement here:
- Amazon
- B&N

About the Author:
Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. Visit her at www.RachaelWade.com and www.LightsOnOutreach.com, or come chat with her on Twitter via @RachaelWade

Author Links:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

And there is a tour wide giveaway, which you can enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: One Night in Santiago by Audra North

2014-01-28T08:30:00.000+01:00

One Night in Santiago
by Audra North

Blurb:
Lily Stanton's vacation goes from bad to worse when a storm strands her in a foreign country, arguing with an arrogant—and very sexy—stranger over the last available hotel room.

Successful CEO Bruno Komarov wasn't expecting the gorgeous woman checking in at the reception desk to challenge him over a room. Even more surprising, he actually enjoys their exchange.

But when Lily proposes a compromise—she'll take the bed and he can sleep on the couch—Bruno pushes his attraction aside and assures himself that this can remain strictly business. After all, they're both adults capable of keeping their hands to themselves. They'll share the room, get a good night's sleep, and be off to their respective destinations in the morning.

What could possibly happen in just one night?

My Review:
This book was a real impulse buy. I saw it on a blog and I really liked the sound of the blurb and decided to buy it with some gift card money I had left. Normally I am not a fan of short stories, but this one pleasantly surprised me. Sure it's short, but for such a short story it contains a lot of story and we even learn a lot about the two main characters.

While a lot of short stories feel rushed and like the story wasn't really meant for a short story, One Night in Santiago was well paced and it tells the story it has to tell in this short amount of pages. One Night in Santiago is a fun and quick read about two starngers who decided to share the last hotel room and then start to fall in love. It did felt like they got to know each other a bit fast, but there was enough talk and learning about each other that it didn't feel like there was only lust, it really felt like there was more between these two. Even though this story is the perfect lenght I am curious what would happen next.

We learn quite a lot about the two main characters in this story. There is enough about their personality, work and family situation to make them feel like real people. The author has a great writing style and I was surprised how much depth and backstory she managed to fit into this novella. I had expected the focus to be on their attraction to each other, and while there was a lot of that they also talked and got to know each other.

To conclude: One Night in Santiago is a short and fun story. There ie enough information about the character to make them feel real and while there is a lot of attraction between the two characters, there is also talk and getting to know each other. If you want to read a nice short and fun read that doesn't feel rushed I would certainly recommend this one. I am certainly curious to read more books from this author.

You can add One Night in Santiago book to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy One Night in Santiago here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo

Blog Tour: London Falling by TA Foster

2014-01-27T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my tour stop during the blog tour for London Falling. I'll be sharing an excerpt from the book with you and there is some information about the book and a tour wide giveaway!
The blurb of this book sounds interesting and as if this will be a fun read!

London Falling
by T.A. Foster

Blurb:
It’s London’s senior year and she only needs one class to graduate. She just didn’t expect her final assignment: fall in love.
Communication 224 has a reputation for giving out the most unique projects of the semester. When London James and Beau Anderson signed up for the class they had no idea they would be paired up together, much less spend an entire semester working on their final grade.
Professor Garcia tasks them to produce a study on the hit reality show, Love Match, a show about strangers falling in love on over the top dates. London and Beau decide to debunk the popular show’s fantasy portrayal of romance. Determined they can date the entire semester and not fall for each other, the classmates share blogs about their dates and start a website where everyone can follow their dating experiment. Resisting their growing attraction for one another is harder than they thought.
London is in for the toughest class of her college career. The headstrong and success-driven student discovers there might be more important things in life than an A.

You can add London Falling to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy London Falling here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo

Excerpt:
Beau opened the door for me as we exited the pottery studio. I pulled my coat around me tightly and rubbed my arms.

“Do you need a ride or something?” Of course, he wasn’t wearing a coat, but I thought I saw him shiver.

“I walked. I’m only a few blocks away.”

“What kind of bachelor would I be if I let you walk home? It’s late. I’ll take you.”

“Ok. Where are you parked?”

“Right here.”

He pointed to a black and chrome motorcycle wedged between two giant SUVs. He handed me a helmet as he climbed on the bike. With a flick of the wrist, the bike roared to life.

“Coming?” He patted the seat behind his back.

I had never been on a motorcycle before. They were noisy and scary. I was sure my mom would have a heart attack if she saw me climbing on the bike right now. I slid one leg over the side until my body aligned with Beau’s. I tried to sit up straight, so I wasn’t pressed so close to him.

“Hold on tight.”

He grabbed my hands and locked them around his chest. The muscles under his shirt felt as hard as I imagined. Wait, I hadn’t imagined what they would felt like, had I?

He walked us backward and then revved the bike forward, leaving the wine bar and Pottery Paints behind us. Funny, I was freezing, but I loved the bike. I felt free, even wrapped around Beau.

Within minutes, he pulled into my gravel driveway. Not sure how long I should keep my hands on his chest, I dropped the embrace as soon as he took off his helmet.

“Thanks, Beau. I had fun tonight.” I hesitated before handing him the helmet. I didn’t know how fake dates were supposed to end. Nina’s nagging voice echoed in the back of my head. She would want me to invite him in. Instead, I spun on my heels and walked toward the front door. “See you in class.”

“Night, London.” He revved the engine a few times and spun out of the driveway.

What was it I called Beau only a few hours ago? Regular? After our fake date tonight, I wasn’t sure that was entirely true. I watched his taillights round the corner. I needed to get inside, start working on the blog, and stop thinking about Beau Anderson.

About the Author:
T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children and two canine kiddos.

Her long love affair with books started at an early age, and as soon as she was able, she transformed imaginative stories into words on paper. Time Spell is T.A.’s debut novel, and the first in a series about a very adventurous, clever, and magical girl named Ivy.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:
- Blog
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Goodreads

And there is a tour wide giveaway! Which you can enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Post # 58

2014-01-26T08:30:00.000+01:00

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.

This has been a crazy week, full with research, stress and worrying. Yeah switching seemed like a nice idea last week, but this week I really got into it all and there is so much to know and learn and I was so afraid of messing something up, but eventually it all turned out fairly easy. And so here it is my first Sunday Post on my new blog!

I love wordpress so far and I have been trying out some cool plugins, I am so glad I made the move, even though it was a stressfull week. I might make a post about my switching experience later this week, but I am not sure yet.

I had some trouble finding a good theme for my blog and everyone I tried just didn't feel right. Then my boyfriend bought the Tweak Me theme from Creative Whim for me and I love it! You can tweak everything and I was able to make my blog look exactly how I want it to. And see how all the links are dark green now? I know using blue is usually prefered, but dark green fits the rest of my design better and I still think it's obvious they are links.

If you have any trouble with comments, links or anything else just let me know. I think I made sure that everything would run alright, but you never know for sure until people are actually visiting your site..

Today I'll be spending my day a theme park with my boyfriend and his parents. I am normally not a big fan of theme parks, but the theme park we're going is really nice for a theme park, so I hope it will be fun. I probably won't be responding to comments and commenting back till later today or tomorrow. I hope you all have a fun sunday! And please let me know what you think of my new blog, I would love to hear your opinions!

This week I posted about:
- Blog Tour: Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen
- Book Blitz: Taut by JA Huss
- Blog Tour: Royal Pain (Sweetwater Creek #1) by Danielle Doolittle
- Cover Reveal: When I Break by Kendall Ryan

Book Haul:

- Astral Tide (Otherborn #2) by Anna Silver - e-copy - for review - Goodreads

Current Giveaways (can also be found in my sidebar):
- New Adult blog tour wide giveaway
- Tour wide giveaway The Darkest Day by Emi Gayle
- Cover reveal wide giveaway Synchrony
- cover reveal wide giveaway The Problem With Crazy
- E-copy of Otherborn (Otherborn #1) by Anna Silver
- Tour wide giveaway Royal Pain
- Taut blitz wide giveaway
- Tour wide giveaway Golden Dunes of Renhala

Tours open for sign-up on Lola's Blog Tours:
- Review Opportunity Chills:A short story collection by Saran Sabati - sign-ups open till further notice
- Cover Reveal: Face Time by SJ Pajonas - sign-ups open till 12 February

Cover Reveal: When I Break by Kendall Ryan

2014-01-23T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is the cover reveal of When I Break by Kendall Ryan.

I think this is a really nice cover. I like the fact that the man kisses the women on her head instead of the almost kissing pose on many books these days. I like this trend of black and white cover too, because while sometimes colours can add a lot to a cover I also love it when there is no colour at all except for the title. It certainly draws more attention to the title that way.

When I Break
by Kendall Ryan

Blurb:
Knox Bauer's life has unraveled to the point of no return. Fighting to fill the emptiness inside himself, he seeks solace in unfamiliar beds with unfamiliar women. As guardian to his three younger brothers, he can't seem to do a thing right. But this can't go on...they look up to him in every way and all he’s done lately is prove how messed up he really is. Needing a change, he attends a local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, where he finds himself tempted by the alluring instructor, McKenna.

Twenty-one year old McKenna is trying to make amends. After losing her parents in a horrific accident, she knows if she can just be good enough, maybe she can forgive herself for what happened. With her newly acquired degree in counseling, she begins leading a sex addicts group where she meets the troubled Knox and her life takes on complications she never bargained for. She doesn't have time for a bad boy who only wants to take her to bed, even if her body disagrees. The fixer in her wants to help, but trusting Knox's true motivations might take more courage than she has.

When I Break is book 1 in a new series by bestselling author Kendall Ryan. When I Surrender, book 2, will be available May 2014.
Warning: Contains a stubborn alpha male with addiction issues and loads of sexual tension between two damaged characters. Read at your own risk.

Due to mature content, it is recommended for 17+.

You can add When I Break to your to-read list on Goodreads

Author Bio:

Kendall Ryan is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the contemporary romance novels Hard to Love, Unravel Me, Make Me Yours, and Resisting Her. She’s a sassy, yet polite Midwestern gal with a deep love of books and a slight addiction to lip gloss.

Links:
- Twitter
- Website
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Instagram
- GoodReads

Blog Tour: Royal Pain (Sweetwater Creek #1) by Danielle Doolittle

2014-01-22T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for Royal Pain. I share an excerpt with you from the book and there is a tour wide giveaway!

Royal Pain (Sweetwater Creek #1)
by Danielle Doolittle
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 6, 2014

Blurb:
Falling in love can be a royal pain.

A cocktail of sex, booze, and breakneck speeds is what sends Prince Henry of Benignus into rehab. He’s expecting to skip out on lectures and smoke behind the shed. He’s not expecting Carleigh.

Carleigh Philips knows Henry is trouble. His bad-boy attitude reeks of self-importance and over-indulgence. She’s not expecting him to lift a royal finger during his time at the ranch. She’s not expecting him to be a threat to her heart.

When Carleigh’s life is on the line, will Prince Henry step up to the plate? Or will he prove he really is nothing but a phony royal pain?

You can add Royal Pain to your to-read list on Goodreads

Excerpt:
“All rise. The Honorable Judge Freeland presiding.”
The bailiff’s voice caused Henry’s brain to ricochet against his skull. He was slow to gain his feet as an elderly man in a billowing, black robe walked briskly from a doorway set to the side of the room. Henry watched his bald head reflect the light as he took his seat at the bench.
The sooner this little show was over, the sooner he could find his car and get back to Chicago. His brother was expecting him. While he wasn’t looking forward to the idea of dealing with official state business, Henry found he actually missed Alexei. Must have been the hangover.
He hadn’t been home in six months. Not since they’d issued him the ultimatum. It was either change his ways on his own, or his family had resolved they would do it for him. He knew how they wished to solve what they perceived as his problem, so Henry packed up and headed to America. Here, his only official business involved deciding which party to attend and who he was taking back to the hotel with him afterward.
“What have you to say for yourself?” The old judge’s gravelly voice made Henry realize he should have been paying attention.
“Sorry?”
“I said, after your actions last night, what do you have to say for yourself?”
“I can honestly say, sir, that I sorely regret having to take the jobs of all the night staff at the Hilton for allowing me to leave the hotel in such a condition. So if you will let me be on my way, it would seem I have some business to attend to. And I assure you, after today, you will never have to see my face again. Now, if I could be on my way?”
“Hold it right there, son.” Steel had worked its way into Judge Freeland’s voice. “I know who you are, and I believe you expect it will allow you to walk away from this without feeling any repercussions. I’m here to tell you, young man, that in that assumption, you are very wrong.”
Henry felt himself shift under the weight of the old judge’s glare.
“You will find that we treat all offenders equally here in Sweetwater. You have quite a list of offenses: DUI, assaulting an officer, public nudity.”
Public what?
“Now, see here!” Henry was outraged. Who did this backwater, sorry excuse for a judge think he was? Henry was royalty, nobility. Granted, he was currently on the outs with the family, but that didn’t change anything. He was entitled to a standard of treatment, and this old man was about to get a lesson in etiquette.
“Before you can launch into how I have offended your noble lineage, Your Highness, you should know that the District Attorney has been in contact with your embassy in Chicago. The royal family has been made abreast of our office’s suggested sentencing and has fully backed it.”
What? Those nosey diplomats never bothered to stick their noses in his business before. Why start now?
“While I cannot pass a ruling on someone with diplomatic immunity such as you, I do have this message.” Pulling a crisp sheet of paper from the manila folder he had carried into the room, the old man cleared his throat before continuing. “It is the decision of the Kingdom of Benignus that Prince Henry Xavier Bartholomew Reginald Fitzgerald be sentenced to thirty days in supervised detox at Mount Mercy Rehabilitation, followed by six months at Sweetwater Creek Ranch and completion of their sober living program. If he does not comply with our stipulations, steps will be taken to strip him of his immunity, and we will not interfere with any who wish to prosecute him for his transgressions.”
“What?”
“I believe, despite that splitting headache I’m sure you are suffering, you heard me clearly. Thirty days at Mount Mercy, six months at Sweetwater Creek, and completion of the program or jail. Your choice.”

About the Author:
With a bachelor’s degree in English, Danielle has always had a passion for the written word. Initially starting out to be a high school teacher, she soon realized writing was her calling. Danielle lives in Ohio with her family. When she’s not writing (which is rare) she’s spending time with her husband, wrangling two rambunctious boys and one rowdy little girl, and baking like she’s on Cupcake Wars.
Danielle enjoys copious amounts of coffee and dark chocolate, chatting on Twitter, and a good love story. Oh, and an Alpha hero is a must!

You can find and contact Danielle here:
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Website

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Royal Pain. These are the prizes you can win:
- a grand prize goodie bag including a handmade bookmark, 3 3x4 magnets, a Royal Pain deck of cards and a tote bag.
- 2 e-copies of Royal Pain

For a chance to win enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: Taut by JA Huss

2014-01-21T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the Taut book blitz. When I am scheduling this I am currently reading this book and it's really good so far. I really enjoyed the Rook and Roning series so I jump on every chance to promote this series and the spin-off on my blog.

TAUT: The Ford Book
by JA Huss
(Rook and Ronin Spin-off)
Published: January 20, 2014

Blurb:
TAUT IS A STANDALONE NOVEL - you do NOT have to read any of the Rook and Ronin books first.

Ford Aston is known for many things. Being an emotionless, messed up bastard, a freakishly smart social outcast, and a cold, domineering master who keeps "pets" instead of girlfriends.

And after Rook broke his heart, he plans to keep it that way.

Ashleigh is known for nothing, and that's exactly what she's got going for her. She's broke, stranded in the mountains with a three month old baby, and Ford Aston is screwing with her head.

Big. Time.

And she plans to mess with his right back.

It's a coy game at first, filled with flirting, and innuendo--but Ford soon realizes something is not quite right with Ashleigh. In fact, something is seriously, seriously wrong and the closer they get to their final destination, the closer Ford gets to the truth.

One night of devastation, self-loathing, and emptiness turns into the best thing that ever happened to Ford Aston. But one day of in-your-face reality threatens Ashleigh's whole existence.

******
Since A LOT of people have been asking here is the scoop on how this book fits in with my Rook & Ronin series:

Ford first appears in Rook and Ronin #2, Manic. He has a bigger role in Panic, R&R #3, and then he has a novella, called SLACK. This TAUT book is only FORD. It's not really part of the R&R series, as that plot has all been sidelined for this one romance book.

You can add Taut to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Taut here:
- Amazon
- B&N

You can view the trailer for Taut on youtube

Excerpt:
Luck. We are not on speaking terms, luck and I. Because my name is not Ronin Flynn. Luck loves him. Shit, if Ronin was in this predicament, he’d have broken down across from the Four Seasons, they’d tell him they only had the penthouse available, and he could have it for half price since it was sitting empty anyway. They’d send up complimentary fruit baskets and give him free spa passes to ease his worried brow.

I laugh. The sad thing is that it’s closer to the truth than I’d like to admit. Ronin is like… walking magic when it comes to life. Everything he wants, he gets. People love him immediately. They don’t scowl at him because he conjures up memories of almost blowing people up on the golf course or electrocuting boys in the skate park bathroom, or for being the town freak who read every book in the library, even the dictionary and the encyclopedias.

I have had my share of women, albeit on my own very strict no-touching terms. But Ronin has women throwing themselves at him everywhere he goes.

It’s… it’s infuriating. He’s literally a professional liar, for fuck’s sake, and all they see is sweet perfection. But when they look at me they see freak.

I’m a goddamned movie producer. I know famous people. I have a mountain home in Vail, a luxury condo in Denver, and a five-million-dollar monstrosity on Mulholland Drive in Bel Air. I take care of myself, I’m well educated, I’m not bad-looking. I’m sorta hot, actually. I know this,
I have no trouble finding sex when I want it.

And yet I get sluts. I swear. Sluts who don’t even blink when I tell them they can’t touch me.
And Ronin? He gets Rook.

She does not give one fancy fuck what Ronin’s part in our business is. Her exact words. Not one fancy fuck. She loves him, no matter what. Unconditionally. She rode a thousand miles on a motorcycle back to the place where the most horrific things happened to her, stole secret files, and almost got her legs burned off in a house fire to save his professionally lying ass.

And I get no-name pets who want me to bend them over a couch and smack their pussy to make them come.

It’s just… what the fuck? Why? It’s like I have a sign on my fucking head that says I like the weird ones.

Blog Tour: Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen

2014-01-20T08:30:00.000+01:00

This is my stop during the blog tour for Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours . This blog tour runs from 13 January till 26 January, you can view the whole tour schedule on the Golden Dunes of Renhala blog tour page on the website of Lola's Blog Tours. I'll share my review of both Golden Dunes of Renhala and of Renhala with you and an excerpt of Renhala. And there is a tour wide giveaway.

Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2)
by Amy Joy Lutchen Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: November 26, 2013

Blurb:
How do you live with a secret so dark and so deeply woven into your being that it threatens to smother your very existence, with no known way out? Use it to your advantage.
Kailey Rooke, karmelean, and now a possibly unethical karma-for-hire, has spent the past year jumping from project to project without any real hope for salvation. With repercussions from her actions at every turn, she discovers that as time goes on, she loses a bit more of herself to that which feeds on her anguish--that which is thriving inside her own body.
When a new contract to find a missing girl arises, Kailey attempts to put her past and its associated problems on the back burner, but she soon finds out that treachery and deceit lie shortly ahead in Golden Dunes, only giving face to new problems, with one leading right back to her childhood past.
She struggles to complete her contract as her own life teeters on a fulcrum, constantly tipping according to karma’s whim. How long will she keep her balance? Which way will she fall?

My Review:
I got a copy for beta read and a honest review. My review is based on the beta read, so it's entirely possible the final version is even better.

As soon as I started this book I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala. This book is even more fast paced and filled with action than the first book, but it’s also a bit darker than the first book. And I totally enjoyed it and this managed to get me about of a reading slump, I finished Golden Dunes of Renhala in 2 days.

The story start a while after Renhala ended, also it was quite some time ago that I had read Renhala and I had forgotten a lot already. I didn’t have time to re-read Renhala, but I quickly found out that that wasn’t even necessary. Just enough details are given on what happened in the first book to remind me of what happened in the first book. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story had that keep-reading-feel. It did have a few dark moments and I kept hoping Kailey would get better.

This book focuses less on the characters than book 1. There is some character development, but there were less interactions and I felt there was less attention for the side characters. Also I wished there was more romance, because there wasn’t enough of that in this book. I did like reading about all those great characters again, I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book.

While the focus in this book is on the story, there is also some world building. The world building mainly focuses on the region of the Golden Dunes and the neighboring land/country. The most part of the world building is already done in book 1 and only some bits are added in this book, like niva.

To conclude: I really enjoyed Golden Dunes of Renhala and I have to say it’s almost as good as book 1. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story is a bit darker. I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book and I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala!

You can add Golden Dunes of Renhala to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Golden Dunes of Renhala here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo

Some information about the first book in this series:

Renhala (Renhala #1)
By Amy Joy Lutchen
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: 26 September, 2012

Blurb:
Kailey Rooke, timid accountant dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.
A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting magical realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon to the Higher Ones. She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and attempts to toughen up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers/creatures, falls into an unexpected love triangle, and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon.
As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.

My Review:
Lately I have been reading many books that are quite short and fast paced, I love those kind of books, because I can start a book finish it and then quickly start another book. I didn't realize that sometimes I miss reading books that are a bit longer. When I started this book I was wondering whether to start it now or not, as it was quite long (430 e-book pages). I ended up just starting it and quickly I forgot the number of pages and immensed myself in the world of Renhala.

The book starts off slow paced and a bit confusing. I was actually wondering whether to continue it or not, because I was sure something supernatural was mentioned in the blurb and well I didn't see any hint of that in the first 50 pages. And then suddenly things start making sense, the supernatural is introduced and I was sucked into this story. The story is awesome, it's a bout Kailey and about friendship and love. About good and evil and grey. And so much more.

The characters are loveable! I couldn't wait to read more about them and I especially liked Kailey, she is such a strong girl, but also so normal at times. A few other favourites are: Lupa, Bu, Jenna, Kioto, Greer and Ladimir. Kailey meets so many interesting and nice creatures and I couldn't help but like them all, they all have these characteristics that make them unique. Although I wouldn't mind spending more time reading about all of them and learning more about them. I think the author did an awesome job creating a whole cast of likeable characters.

The evil characters were not as easy to like and I thought it was difficult to really get why they acted like they did. I would've liked a bit more insight in way they did these evil things and who they are.

The world building is also done briliantly. Although after finishing the book I still have so many questions. The author describes the world perfectly, not too much details, but enough to get a good sense of how this world looks. I also loved all the originaly touches, like the life pond and the strange creatures like the Grebles, the Meeples and the Mooncats. I do think that one book is just too less to get to know all of the world and I am would like to learn more about this amazing world.

To conclude: a great story, slower paced and longer than what I usually read, but I loved it! The only minpoints are the fact that the beginning is quite slow and I didn't get a good idea why the evil characters acted like they did. The story was original and interesting, the characters were likeable and the world building was done really well. The story was longer then what I usually read, but I only wished it was even longer, because I already miss reading about Kailey and Renhala.

You can add Renhala to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can grab your free copy of Renhala here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- Smashwords

Excerpt:
“So where did Bu run off to?” I say, quickly changing the subject. “He’s got to be as hungry as I am, or more so. I’m surprised he hasn’t smelled it already.”
Lupa, with her mouth full of gooey cheese and vegetables, says, with her finger pointed, “You’ll find Bu down that hall, through the door on the right. It will have an aquarium scene carved into it, and beautiful work, I must say.” She keeps chewing, drooling a bit out of the left side of her mouth, but she catches it skillfully with her napkin.
“SharkBoy?”
A nod is all I get as she gulps her fruit punch.
“Do you mind if I come, too?” Conner’s plate is already empty, and he stands with his hands in his pockets, looking cute and innocent.
I can’t help but allow him to follow. “Sure.” Jenna doesn’t even know what’s going on around her—her pizza is untouched—because she’s still playing with my phone. My cell phone bill will definitely be checked with more gusto come next month, because I wouldn’t be surprised to find a cross-country call to 123-456-7890. “Jenna, call this number and ask my mom if she wants to come over and hang with us.” I write down her number and slide the paper in front of her.
I pile on my plate two more pieces of pizza then go grab a few anchovy pieces for Bu. I decide to put his in a plastic Ziploc I found on the counter because I don’t want any of his anchovies touching any bit of my pizza. Conner grabs one more piece for the road as I shove the baggie in my pocket.
As we walk, Conner clears his throat. “You know, the stupid bickering we’ve been doing is going nowhere. Let’s start from scratch.” The apology—or at least that’s how I’m taking his words—releases tension in my shoulders that I didn’t even realize I was carrying until now.
My pizza balances nicely on my hand as I extend my other to shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Kailey,” I say. Conner shakes firmly, and I feel that familiar static electricity dart through my hand. “Stop with that, though.”
“Honestly, I’m not doing that. It must be you.”
“Uh, no. I don’t do that. Maybe if you’d pick your feet up more when you walk.” Our walk slows down as our voices get louder.
“I’ve never done that with anyone,” says Conner. “You’re the one with the hidden powers after all, remember? Maybe you’re like ‘Super Shock,’ the superhero, or something. No, better yet—‘Karmelean: your personal defibrillator.’ Yeah!” He laughs at his own joke, but stops quickly as his pizza slides down the front of his shirt.
“No need to reheat later, Sparky McGee!” I prance well ahead of him and find the door Lupa mentioned. The workmanship is indeed superb, giving each sea creature a life of its own, suspended in wood.
“Wow.” Some of the pizza sauce still lingers on his shirt. “This is a hundred-dollar shirt, you know,” he says. He speaks without taking his eyes off the door.
“Looks like you got robbed,” I say.
Just as he is about to return the fire, a low-pitch rumbling noise leaks from beyond the door. We look to each other and both grab the doorknob. The shock from that simple touch sends an electrical current up the door, which reaches out to each fish and anemone carved into it. For a brief three seconds, the creatures are alive, swimming to and fro across the door.
But as quickly as their lives began, they freeze and are once again carved into the door where they last swam.
“Beats the Shedd Aquarium any day!” says Conner. He turns the knob and opens the door ever so slowly, revealing the room beyond, foot by magnificent foot.
To imagine standing on the bottom of the ocean floor with all your clothes on, breathing air as schools of fish swim between your legs does not even come close to the experience even of standing in the doorway of this room. Bu floats in the center of the room, his back to us. He talks, but I cannot understand his words or see who or what he may be talking to. As I gather the courage to step inside the room, Bu’s head turns 180 degrees and he smiles. No matter how much I love and trust Bu, that simple movement still creeps me out.
“That is horror-film material,” says Conner, shaking.
“Glad we can agree on something.” As we enter the room, the door disappears behind us and the room gets very moist, as though we have entered a rainforest. The moisture grows heavier and heavier, until we are totally saturated to our underwear. Overwhelming dizziness takes over my body and I wobble, feeling as though my head might explode. I look to Conner and see gills on his neck. “No way!” I say. My words are drowned as I reach to my neck and feel my own set of gills.

About the Author:
Was born in Chicago and slept in a dresser drawer for the first few weeks of my life, marking me as a future claustrophobe.

I studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man I grew up quick), where I became a number, but decided it was a good number.

I write with plenty of snacks in hand, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes me nervous.

Author of the Renhala series.

You can find and contact Amy here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour for Golden Dunes of Renhala. Here is what you can win: signed Renhala hardcover, signed bookmark, tea(s), two fun pouches (one with a skull, the other the word "LOVE"), a snake ring and $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card.

You can enter the giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Post # 57

2014-01-19T08:30:00.000+01:00

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.

This week was okay I guess. I still didn't got a whole lot of reading done, but at least it only took me 5 days to finish my current read, that's an improvement from 8 days, right? I am already hebind on my Goodreads reading challenge and am considering whether to low my goal or just read a lot of short stories and novella's soon.

And I made the descision yesterday to switch to self-hosting with both Lola's Reviews and Lola's Blog Tours. I am already reading things about switching and self-hosting and with every new thing I read I am feeling more and more confident that I can actually do this. So if any of you know a site or blog which posted some usefull information about self-hosting and making the switch to self-hosting, please drop the link in the comments. It will probably a few more weeks before I make the actualy switch, but at least the descision is made.

This week I posted about:
- Review: Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford #1) by Kelley Armstrong - 4 stars
- Cover Reveal: Synchrony (Destiny #2) by Cindy Ray Hale
- Cover Reveal: True Colours (The Mask series #1) by Meliss Pearl
- Cover Reveal: The Problem with Crazy by Lauren McKellar
- Blog Tour: Otherborn (Otherborn #1) by Anna Silver
- Blog Tour: Vision of Shadows (Vision #1) by Vincent Morrone

What to expect next week:
- Blog Tour: Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen
- Book Blitz: Taut by JA Huss
- Blog Tour: Royal Pain by Danielle Doolittle
- Cover Reveal: When I Break

Book Haul:

- One Night in Santiago by Audra North - e-copy - bought it myself - Goodreads
- Shattered Veil (The Diatous Wars #1) by Tracy Banghart - e-copy - for review - Goodreads

Current Giveaways (can also be found in my sidebar):
- Blitz wide giveaway Sworn to Conflict
- New Adult blog tour wide giveaway
- Set of Taut/Slack signed paperbacks and $10 amazon gift card
- Tour wide giveaway The Darkest Day by Emi Gayle
- Cover reveal wide giveaway Synchrony
- cover reveal wide giveaway The Problem With Crazy
- E-copy of Otherborn (Otherborn #1) by Anna Silver
- Tour wide giveaway Vision of Shadows

Tours open for sign-up on Lola's Blog Tours:
- Review Opportunity Chills:A short story collection by Saran Sabati - sign-ups open till further notice
- Blog Tour: Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas - sign-ups open till 19 January
- Cover Reveal: Face Time by SJ Pajonas - sign-ups open till 12 February

Blog Tour: Vision of Shadows (Vision #1) by Vincent Morrone

2014-01-18T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for Vision of Shadows, the first book in the Vision series by Vincent Morrone. Vision of Shadows is published by Entranced Publishing. This blog tour runs from 30 December till 19 January, you can view the whole tour schedule on Vincent Morrone his website.

I share some information about the book, an interview with Vincent whith some favourites and this or that questions and an excerpt of the book. The prequel to this series is free to download. And there is a tour wide giveaway which you can enter at the bottom of this post

Vision of Shadows (Vision #1)
by Vincent Morrone

Blurb:
Is Bristol Blackburn about to meet the love of her life...or her killer?

After the death of her parents, Bristol Blackburn's life is thrown into chaos and she's forced to move to Spirit, a small town where shadows are stirring. As she learns to navigate her new school and figures out how to keep her psychic abilities secret from her family, Bristol comes face to face with the boy who makes a regular appearance in her dreams: the gorgeous, possibly deadly, Payne McKnight. Soon she’ll find out if Payne will be the love of her life, or the end of it — and she has no idea which possibility scares her more.

And that's not even the worst of it. Strange shadows are haunting her dreams, and they're up to something that could put Bristol and the lives of everyone she loves in jeopardy.

You can add Vision of Shadows to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can find more about Vision of Shadows on the Entranced Publishing site

Want to chat with Bristol, the main character of this series? Well she has her own twitter account.

Excerpt:
    “I’ve never met anyone like you before in my life,” Payne said.
    Now it was my turn to grin. “Yeah, girls who talk to ghosts are rather unique.”
    “That’s not what I mean,” Payne insisted. “You’ve never told anyone about your secret before, have you?”
    I didn’t answer, but I didn’t need to.
    “I cannot begin to tell you how touched I am,” Payne said. “Not only that you’re helping me, but also that you trust me. I know how big a deal it is.”
    “It’s not.” I shrugged. “Not really.”
    Now Payne touched my cheek, and my skin tingled underneath his fingers. “It is. Bristol, you’re braver than I am.”
    I looked up into Payne’s magnificently dark blue eyes and saw it. The emotion that I always saw in my Payne loves me dreams. It was the look in his eyes he got when we were making love, or at least would get if we ever did. There was a connection between us that went beyond anything I’d ever known. I knew Payne could feel it, too.
    Payne brought his other hand up, gently caressing both sides of my face. In that moment there was no doubt he would kiss me. I was ready. I didn’t care about anything else.
    When I heard the laughter from behind me of a little boy, it took me a second to blink back into reality. I backed away, and Payne’s face fell.
    “We’re not alone,” I explained.
    Jared McKnight had appeared, his little dog sitting obediently by his feet, its tail whipping back and forth. Jared had his hands by his eyes as if ready to cover them. A huge smile was plastered on his face.
    “I can’t believe Payne was gonna kiss a girl!”
    I closed my eyes and sighed. Well, he was!

There also is a prequel to Vision of Shadows, called Vision of Secrets and it free to download

Vision of Secrets (Vision #0.5)
by Vincent Morrone

Blurb:
Bristol understands secrets. She's got plenty of her own, ranging from the annoying ghost that keeps showing up and attempting to sing Copacabana, (badly) to the visions of a terrifying future that is getting closer each day.

Bristol knows secrets can kill. She's getting flashes of a boy racked with guilt over his secret. And a girl who's prank might lead to someone's death.

Vision of Secrets is a free prequel introduces you to Bristol Blackburn before the explosive events in Vision of Shadows and let's you see how a young girl deals with her Visions of Secrets!

You can add Vision of Secrets to your to-read list on Goodreads. You can download Vision of Secrets for free from smashwords

Now for the interview I did with Vincent!

What is your favorite season?
Winter. I like the cold. Plus it’s the holiday season. Days off of work, and big meals. I like big meals!

What is your favorite time of the day?
Meal time! Usually dinner.

What is your favorite animal?
Oh, definitely a dog! I’ve got 3. A black Lab (About 4 years old), a Boxer (2 Years) and a Olde English Bulldog. (6 Months)

What is your favorite color?
Blue. But not Navy. I like bright blue.

Favorite quote from a book?
“Are you a witch or not?” Ron Weasley to Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone!

Tea or Coffee?
Coffee. But I do like to say, Tea. Earl Grey. Black!

E-book or hardcopy?
Love them both, but I’ll say eBook for the convenience.

Cake or cookies?
Cookie. Cookies & Milk. Yummy.

Cats or dogs?
Dogs. Unless it’s this cat.

Books or movies?
9 times out of ten, the book is better.
But I also do love movies!

Laptop or desktop?
Laptop, all the way! Now if only I can get mine fixed!

About the Author:
Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, Vincent Morrone now resides in Upstate NY with his wife. (Although he can still speak fluent Brooklynese.) His twin daughters remain not only his biggest fans, but usually are the first to read all of his work. Their home is run and operated for the comfort and convenience of their dogs.

Vincent has been writing fiction, poetry and song lyrics for as long as he can remember, most of which involve magical misfits, paranormal prodigies and even on occasion superheroes and their sidekicks.

As they say in Brooklyn: Yo, you got something to say to Vincent?
Check out http://vincentmorrone.com/ where you can learn about Vincent and leave him a comment. You can also connect with Vincent on Twitter https://twitter.com/Vince524 and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Morrrone.

You can find and contact Vincent Morrone here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

Vincent also participates in a group blog called YA Rush which consist of YA and NA Entranced authors. You can find YA Rush here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Pinterest

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Vision of Shadows.
Here is what you can win:
- 1 Vision of Shadows Pen
- 1 Vision of Shadows Calender
- 1 Vision of Shadows Pen & calender
- 1 Vision of Shadows Pen and calender in a Vision of Shadows canvas bag
- 1 Vision of Shadows Pen, calender in Vision of Shadows canvas bag and an e-copy Vision of Shadows

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Otherborn (Otherborn #1) by Anna Silver

2014-01-17T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the Otherborn blog tour. I share some information about the book and there is a guest post from the author about choosing character names. And there is a giveaway!

Otherborn (Otherborn, #1)
by Anna Silver
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Release Date: April 4, 2013

Blurb:
London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world.
Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her.
What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future.
When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them?

You can add Otherborn to your to-read list on Goodreads
You can read my review of Otherborn here on my blog.

You can buy it here:
- Amazon
- B&N

You can view the trailer here:

Choosing Character Names: OTHERBORN

    How fun are character names? I have long coveted the job of naming streets. I don’t know whose job that is or how they get it, but I want it. So, when it comes to my characters, one of my favorite tasks is coming up with their names. And I am not a fan of the redundant. You won’t find any Jennifers or Johns in my books. Not that there is anything wrong with those names. But when you have a streetwise teen in a walled dystopian city by day who becomes an ethereal dream shaman from another world by night, Jennifer just doesn’t cut the mustard. It doesn’t scream DIFFERENT.

    But however much I relish the idea of naming my characters, most of the time it’s a far less exacting job than I would hope. I don’t often make up endless lists or visit baby name sites on the internet. Especially for main characters. The truth is, it usually just comes to me— just gets whispered into the dark, cobwebby recesses of my mind in the character’s own voice. And I go with it. I don’t question them often. But there are a few exceptions. Sometimes I get to spend more time contemplating a minor character’s name and feel like I really decided, or even just had a say in the process. Which is nice. At least they leave me that much.

    OTHERBORN is about a group of kids, but it’s really formed around London, who was the most critical character as I began to develop the novel. Her name was one of those fun exceptions to the whisper rule. I’d had this almost comical, dystopian/vampire idea floating in my brainspace for many years. And whenever I thought about it, I pictured it happening in a dank and dirty, punk-dystopian London. But there was one problem, aside from the fact that by the time I decided to write it vampires were being overdone and I’d been told paranormal humor was frowned upon in YA. The problem was that I’d never actually been to London. And to top it off, I loathe research. So setting any kind of novel in London was probably a poor idea. The whole concept ended up getting a complete overhaul, but in tribute to my original idea, I named the main character London.

    The names of the rest of the Otherborn came about differently. I needed a short and sweet guy name for London’s love interest. But I wanted her world to feel different. Names go through popularity phases over the generations, and I thought it was important to support the setting with names that seemed pretty different from what you might hear today, but not so different that it took you out of the novel. So, a name like Ryan wouldn’t work, because it was just too today. But Rye was perfect. I’ve never met anyone named Rye and probably never will. They might be out there, but it’s not common by any stretch of the imagination. And yet it doesn’t sound so weird that you think you’re speaking a foreign language.

    Zen was similar. A word that we’re familiar with, though not one we often associate with names. Kim was an easy choice for a character whose racial heritage was important to who he was and to the understanding of the setting. Avery was more normal. I wanted something that sounded particularly feminine, but not too dramatic. Tora needed to be even more unique, since she represented the Outroaders— those even farther outside the norm because they lived outside the city walls.

    Most of these names just popped into my head. Sometimes while writing, other times while I was doing something else, like folding laundry, or lying in bed pretending I didn’t hear the alarm clock. But once I land on a character’s name, even if I go through a few lemons first, I know the search is over. That’s who they are. They know it. I know it. And now, my readers know it.

About the Author:

Anna Silver is an author and artist living in the greater Houston area with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art has been featured in the Houston gallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. She's freelanced for private clients and small publications like the Hill Country Current. OTHERBORN, her first published novel, has been featured on 2 of Amazon's "Bestsellers" lists. She is represented by Rebecca Podos and Nicole LaBombard of Rees Literary Agency.

Author Links:
- Website
- Blog
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Goodreads
- Pinterest
- Publisher

And there is a giveaway :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover reveal: The Problem with Crazy by Lauren McKellar

2014-01-16T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is the cover reveal for The Problem With Crazy by Lauren McKellar. I have read another book by Lauren and I am really excited for this one. It sounds like a hard book to read, as it deals with a very difficult issue, but it also sounds like it would be totally worth the read. Okay let me know you the cover first and then some information about the book and an excerpt and at the end of this post there is a cover reveal wide giveaway.

I like the font of this cover and how the makeup is done around the girl's eye. The cover does seems a bit hazy, but I am assuming that is intentional. I also like how the first part of the title is written in white against the bacground and the word crazy opposite of that. Beside that the cover seems a bit too normal, it seems. I mean after reading the blurb I figure out this is going to be a crazy book, filled with emotions and difficult issues, but the cover seems pretty normal instead of crazy. Okay now a bit more about the book itself.

The Problem With Crazy
by Lauren K McKellar
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: Berto Designs

Release Date: February 13, 2014

Blurb:
The problem with crazy is that crazy, by itself, has no context. It can be good crazy, bad crazy . . . or crazy crazy—like it was when my ex-boyfriend sung about me on the radio.

Eighteen-year-old Kate couldn’t be more excited about finishing high school and spending the summer on tour with her boyfriend’s band. Her dad showing up drunk at graduation, however, is not exactly kicking things off on the right foot—and that’s before she finds out about his mystery illness, certain to end in death.

A mystery illness she is likely to inherit.

When your whole life goes from adventure and ecstasy to sad and suicidal, what’s the point? Not knowing who to love, and who to trust . . . where does it end?

The Problem With Crazy is a story about love and life; about overcoming obstacles, choosing to trust, and learning how to make the choices that will change your life forever.

*A portion of sales from this book will be donated to a Huntington’s disease-related charity (details TBC)

You can add The Problem With Crazy to your to-read list on Goodreads

And there is an awesome release day blitz event for 13 February for which you can sign-up here

Excerpt:
“And there is something else we need to tell you, dear.”
    “Deb, not now. Give ‘er a rest,” Dad interjected, his voice sounding ever more weary with each passing word.
    “What? Tell me,” I demanded, my fingers clenching into little fists. “What could possibly be worse than what you’ve already said?” Dave placed his arm protectively around my shoulders. I wanted to shake it off.
    “Maybe we should wait.” Mum eyed Dave’s hand.
    “Anything you have to say, you can say in front of him.” I shook my head. “He’s family. You know that.” Dave and I locked eyes, and he gave me a special little smile.
    “Kate, it’s not a good time.” Mum’s voice was shrill. My heart was beating like a jackhammer, thud-thud-thud, over and over at double time.
    “If you don’t tell me now, I’ll Google it. I’ll just search the disease and see what I can find. We both will!”
    Silence. Dave took my hand in his, clasping his other hand around it so I was protected entirely within his palms. Mum and Dad looked at each other, foreheads wrinkled and lips pursed.
    “The disease your father has,” Mum paused. I nodded at her. Go on.
Just tell me. Get it over with.
“It’s hereditary.”
    I struggled to breathe as Dave’s fingers slowly unlaced themselves from mine.

About the Author:
Lauren K. McKellar is a writer and editor of fact and fiction. She has worked in publishing for more than eight years, and recently returned to her first love: writing books that make you feel.

Lauren loves to write for the Young and New Adult markets, and blogs with Aussie Owned and Read, as well as vlogging with the YA Rebels.

In her free time, Lauren enjoys long walks on the beach with her two super-cute dogs and her partner-in-crime/fiancé.

Author link:
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Website
- Amazon

There is a cover reveal wide giveaway, you can enter for a chance to win below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover reveal: True Colors by Melissa Pearl

2014-01-16T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is the cover reveal of True Colors by Melissa Pearl. Let's take a look at the cover:

This is such a pretty cover. I love the colours and the mysteriousness that the mask adds. This is one of those books I would like to know more about, because the cover is so nice. I also like the fact that the title is true colours with a cover taht features colours and how she is wearing a mask to maybe hide something true?

True Colors
by Melissa Pearl
Publication date: February 16th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Blurb:
Caitlyn Davis always cruised through life, not being the type to ruffle feathers or involve herself in high school drama…until a chance encounter with a strange, homeless man changes everything.

Suddenly, Caitlyn has the ability to see behind people’s masks. She discovers that her life isn’t as simple as she imagined and her high school is filled with secrets…some very sinister ones.

Unable to ignore her new gift, Caitlyn embarks on a mission to learn why one of her friends now appears terrified, but masks her fear behind a bright, smiling veneer. Will Caitlyn’s new ability lead her into hot water? Or is her new found vision a blessing that will expose her friends’ true colors?

Her quest will lead Caitlyn to lose friends, stand up for those in need, and even find love.

At Palisades High School every face tells a story…

You can add True Colors to your to-read list on Goodreads

About the author:
Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year. Unknown and Unseen (The Elements Trilogy) out now!

“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.”.

Author links:
- Website
- Goodreads
- Twitter

Cover Reveal: Synchrony (Destiny #2) by Cindy Ray Hale

2014-01-14T08:30:00.000+01:00

It's the cover reveal day for Synchrony, the second book in the Destiny trilogy, by Cindy Ray Hale. First let me show you the cover, then some more information about the book and there is a cover reveal wide giveaway.

I really like this cover, it matches the over of the first book! And I am wondering whether that's Preston or Isaac on the cover, he looks a bit worried.

Synchrony (Destiny #2)
by Cindy Ray Hale
Release Date: 2014

Blurb:
When her parents discover she’s been sneaking out with Isaac Robinson the forbidden Baptist boy, Mormon girl Destiny Clark decides it’s time to keep their relationship quiet. As their relationship moves to shakier ground, Destiny discovers that Isaac has a terrible secret, and she is left completely shattered.

The moment Destiny feels all hope is lost, Preston Nelson, her longtime church friend and Isaac's bitter rival, arrives like a beacon of light. It isn't long before two separate disasters strike for Preston and Destiny's best friend, Hannah. As Destiny helps them through their issues, she discovers that sometimes the best way to forget about your own problems is to help a friend in need.

Just as her heart begins to mend and her friendship with Preston begins to heat up, Isaac walks back into her life, threatening to rekindle the feelings she’d hoped to bury forever. Will Destiny and Preston find the synchrony they so desperately need, or will she find a way to forgive Isaac and return to his outstretched arms?

You can add Synchrony (Destiny #2) to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can add Destiny (Destiny #1) to your to-read list on Goodreads

About the Author:
Cindy Ray Hale lives in Tennessee with her husband and four children. In addition to being a writer, she's an avid reader and a social media junkie. At the age of 17, she wrote a short story, "Instant Harmony" which later appeared in the April 2000 issue of "New Era," the official magazine for the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Destiny is her first book and will be available for purchase November 5, 2013.

Author Links:
- Website
- Goodreads
- Twitter
- Facebook

And there is a cover reveal wide giveaway, enter for a change to win
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford #1) by Kelley Armstrong

2014-01-13T08:30:00.000+01:00

Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford #1)
by Kelley Armstrong

Blurb:
Popular fantasy author Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld series) makes her first foray into crime fiction, with the debut of a series of non-paranormal novels featuring female assassin Nadia Stafford.

Nadia Stafford is one of the world’s few female contract killers. A former cop, drummed out of the force because of a scandal, she is an expert at disguise and cool under pressure. But when fellow hitman Jack arrives on the scene, Nadia’s very private existence is seriously challenged.

A series of victims are being murdered seemingly at random all over the country — different areas, different walks of life, different MOs. There is nothing to tie them together except a random page torn out of a single book: Helter Skelter. But does the Helter Skelter killer — as the hysterical media now dub him — have a real connection to Charles Manson? Or is there something even more sinister at work?

Is this, in fact — as Jack believes — the carefully planned exit strategy of a fellow professional killer, determined to leave the life, but equally determined to clear up an old mistake? And, if so, which is the real victim?

Now, the highly suspicious and secretive hitman community will have to break their cover — at least, to each other — and help take down this killer before the cops and the Feds discover his true connection to their own secret, exclusive society.

My Review:
While I am a big fan of Kelley Armstrong, it took me quite some time to pick up her Nadia Stafford series. At first I was so into the paranormal genre I thought I wouldn't enjoy this series, then i eventually bought it and read more genres. But I still wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this series. Now I own this whole series and decided it was finally time to pick it up.

Exit Strategy is really different from Kelley her other books, but it still has a lot in common too. I love Kelley her writing style and I quickly got into this book and wanted to know what would happen next. It starts a bit slowly giving some background information about the life of Nadia, before the real story of the serial killer starts. I really enjoyed this book, there is a lot of suspense and figuring out things and sort of detective work.

I don't read a lot of books with a murder mystery, but I found out I really enjoyed them. There is just something so fun about trying to figuring out who the killer is and seeing them follow different leads.

I really liked Nadia, from the start I liked her. She is such a great character, she has the right motivations for what she does (if there even is such a things) and the author doesn't shrunk back to also shows the blacker parts of her. The side characters are nice too, I really liked Jack, he is so to the point and really Jack. I wish we got to know more about him though, because well we don't get to know alot about him because he doesn't tell and talk a lot, but he seemed like a really interesting character. Evelyn was also a nice character, although i couldn't really get a good idea of who she really was, but I think that was intentional and I would like to see more of her in the next book.

There are also some chapters from the third person view of the murderer and the victims, those chapters where a bit hard to read sometimes, because I knew they where going to die and in the chapter there was still enough to get an idea of them and their life that I felt bad knowing they would die.

To conclude: I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the next 2 books in this series, because I have the feeling they are going to be even better than this one. The story was enjoyable, although a little slow at times. The characters where great and I want to know more about them. I love Kelley Armstrong her writing style and am so glad I finally decided to pick this book up.

You can add Exit Strategy to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Exit Strategy here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- The Bookdepository

Sunday Post # 56

2014-01-12T08:30:00.000+01:00

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.

This week was a bit busy outside the blog and a bit quiet on the blog. I actually had two days without a post, which always makes me a bit sad. This week it was tiem for my second stop during the New Adult blog tour during which I featured a blogger who wrote about why she liked New Adult.
I have been reading the same book for more than a week now, even though I do enjoy it, I just don't seem to have much time to read :(. I hope to finish it today, so I can post my review next week.

This week I posted about:
- Cover Reveal: Bomb and Guns by JA Huss
- Blog Tour: Darkest Day (The 19th Year #3) by Emi Gayle - 3 stars
- Blog Tour: The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales
- New Adult Blog Tour: Fabulous Book Fiend feature
- Cover Reveal: Night and Day (The 19th Year #3.5) by Emi Gayle

What to expect next week:
- Review: Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford #1) by Kelley Armstrong
- Cover Reveal: True Colours
- Cover Reveal: The Problem with Crazy by Lauren McKellar
- Blog Tour: Otherborn (Otherborn #1) by Anna Silver
- Blog Tour: Vision of Shadows (Vision #1) by Vincent Morrone

Book Haul:

- Tethered (Birthright #1) )- e-copy - won it during a giveaway on the blog YA Story teller - Goodreads
- Taut by JA Huss - e-copy - for review - Goodreads
- Joe by HD Gordon - e-copy - for review - Goodreads
- Night and Day (The 19th Year #3.5) by Emi Gayle - e-copy - for review - Goodreads
- Fury of the Demon (Kara Gillian #6) by Diana Rowland - paperback - won it during a giveaway on the blog The Darkest Reader - Goodreads

Current Giveaways (can also be found in my sidebar):

- Blitz wide giveaway Sworn to Conflict
- New Adult blog tour wide giveaway
- Set of Taut/Slack signed paperbacks and $10 amazon gift card
- Tour wide giveaway The Darkest Day by Emi Gayle
- Tour wide giveaway The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales

Tours open for sign-up on Lola's Blog Tours:
- Blog Tour: Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen - sign-ups open till 12 January
- Review Opportunity Chills:A short story collection by Saran Sabati - sign-ups open till further notice
- Blog Tour: Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas - sign-ups open till 19 January

Cover reveal: Night and Day (The 19th Year #3.5) by Emi Gayle

2014-01-10T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is the cover reveal for Night and Day (The 19th Year #3.5) by Emi Gayle. It's the novella that takes place after the last book in this series. let me show you the cover first:

I really like this cover. The girl sitting in an original position and her red hair. And the smal blue demon in the air. The things I don't like about this cover is that it totally doesn't match with the earlier books in this series.

Blurb:
Something is wrong with Suze. His memory, his magic, even his muscles have all gone mental. If he's not careful, the underworld's version of the loony bin may be his next stop.
Not ready to give up the goat yet—if he had one he didn’t eat that is—Suze sets out to stop the mystical mayhem. Unfortunately, this isn't a fairy tale, and Suze isn't Snow White felled by an apple waiting for a kiss. Nor is he Prince Charming.
Nope, he's just Suze. A destroyer demon stuck without the one person who probably kept him sane for the last eighteen years. Mackenzie Thorne. Or, maybe, just maybe, Mac made him insane, and what was once wrong is now right.
The only thing Suze is sure of—maybe—is that he needs to find the cure. However, with boy wonder memory-less and Mac in California, he’s not even sure where to start.
Of course, once he does figure it out, everything will fall into place like a well designed set of dominoes. Where the path leads, though, is a place Suze never would have expected.

You can add Night and Day to your to-read list on Goodreads
The release date for this novella is February 10, 2014 and the price will be $.99!

About the Author:

Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years.

Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel.

You can find Emi here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

New Adult Blog Tour: Fabulous Book Fiend feature

2014-01-08T08:30:00.000+01:00

I am really excited to be part of the New Adult blog tour organised by the awesome Faye from A Daydreamer's Thoughts. Today I'll be featuring from the blog Fabulous Book Fiend and she wrote an awesome quest post about the New Adult genre. And there is an awesome tour wide giveaway, you can scroll to the bottom of this post for that. You can see the whole tour schedule here.

Okay so here is Catriona her guest post!

I only really discovered the New Adult genre last year when another blogger gave me a copy of the fabulous Losing It by Cora Carmack. I literally devoured this book and luckily Faking It was just about to be released. That too, I read in just a day. As you can see, I find New Adult a very easy genre to read, the books are so compelling that I literally can't put them down and so I think that the main reason that I read NA is that it allows me to be a bit of a lazy reader. It turns me into a lazy reader because I find the characters easy to relate to, the problems they face are those that I can completely identify with and there isn't too much sex or drama to get through as there is in adult fiction or young adult fiction respectively.

Your college/university years are the best of your life. You'll often here this said and whilst I don't agree that they are definitely the best time, who knows, the best could be yet to come, they certainly were an awesome period of my life. I spent five years at university in Glasgow I loved it so much. The majority of New Adult fiction deals with college or university age protagonists and so I think that this is another reason I really enjoy this genre. It allows me to relive what was a particularly enjoyable period of my life. I can totally identify with Bliss in Losing It being in College and trying her best to lose her virginity whilst still trying to play it cool and act like an adult!

You have less responsibility in your early twenties/late teens. This is another reason I feel I prefer the characters in New Adult books. They don't have as much responsibility as characters in adult fiction. They tend not to have mortgages or too much debt hanging over them. Generally there are no divorces or kids to contend with and so their problems tend to either be to do with developing their life further or that someone special they've had their eye on. I enjoy reading about this as sometimes it's nice not to add a fictional characters life problems to your own life problems in your head. There didn't seem to be any fighting over whether the dishwasher had been loaded or not in Abbi Glines's Fallen Too Far.

And yet these characters are still grown up enough to take responsibility for their actions and do something with their lives. Generally I have trouble with characters in Young Adult fiction being a little on the whiny side, a little needy and immature. Despite the fact that I know they are teenagers and they are meant to act this way, some of the characters still grate on me. Characters in NA fiction tend to be more mature and don't whine about things so much, they can go out on their own and make adventures happen without having to have a sidekick or their parents' permission. I like the fact that they have less responsibility but still more than a younger person would do, I find this much easier to read!

So the plain fact is that I read New Adult because it is an easy genre for me to read and allows me to be a lazy reader truly indulging in the wonderful escapism of a good book. I would definitely say that Faking It by Cora Carmack is my favourite New Adult book but I am looking forward to discovering more New Adult titles in 2014.

About Catriona:
I am a busy teacher but just love to escape with a fabulous book and a cup of coffee. I enjoy reading new adult, contemporary, young adult and chick lit novels although I can always be tempted to try something a bit different!

I love finding new authors, and giving/receiving recommendations from friends as well as discovering something new from one of my favourite writers. When I have time, I like to travel and I love to eat so I enjoy books which cover both of these subjects too!

You can find Catriona here:
- Blog
- Google +
- Twitter

And for those who want to participate in the scavenger hunt, you can read more about it here

Your scavenger hunt clue is:

And now for the tour wide giveaway I mentioned!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales

2014-01-07T08:30:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales

The Sorcery Code
by Dima Zales

Blurb:
From the internationally bestselling authors who brought you the Krinar Chronicles comes a captivating tale of intrigue, love, and danger in a world where sorcery is entwined with science . . .

Once a respected member of the Sorcerer Council and now an outcast, Blaise has spent the last year of his life working on a special magical object. The goal is to allow anyone to do magic, not just the sorcerer elite. The outcome of his quest is unlike anything he could’ve ever imagined – because, instead of an object, he creates Her.

She is Gala, and she is anything but inanimate. Born in the Spell Realm, she is beautiful and highly intelligent – and nobody knows what she’s capable of. She will do anything to experience the world . . . even leave the man she is beginning to fall for.

Augusta, a powerful sorceress and Blaise’s former fiancée, sees Blaise’s deed as the ultimate hubris and Gala as an abomination that must be destroyed. In her quest to save the human race, Augusta will forge new alliances, becoming tangled in a web of intrigue that stretches further than any of them suspect. She may even have to turn to her new lover Barson, a ruthless warrior who might have an agenda of his own . . .

My Review:
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb for this book sounded really interesting and that's what made me decided to sign-up for the blog tour of this book. Dima Zales had created a magical world in this book, where sorcerers are the upper class and the normal people can't do magic. The main character is against this inequality and tries to fix it, creating a human like being instead.

The story was really interesting and moved at a nice pace, there are multiple point of views and this made it easier to understand why the characters where acting like they did. I always enjoy multiple point of views in a book and I think it's done really well in this book, there aren't much overlapping scenes and it was obvious who's point of view it was. I liked the pace of the story, it was very consitent moving at the same pace the whole time. The story did was a bit predictable and I figured somet hings out before the characters did, but overal I did enjoy it. I read this book fairly quickly and when I was reading I wanted to keep reading to know what happened next, but then again when I did put it down I didn't really think about the story or had to urge to pick it up again.

One of the few big issues I had with this book is the way the story is told. It is told from a third person perspective and it's written in a bit of a distant way, which made it difficult for me to really connect with the characters. We where told of their emotions, but I couldn't feel them. I think all the characters where interesting, but the focus was definitely more on the story than the characetrs. I liked to see how Gala experienced the world and her hunger to see and experience more, although she was very naïve as well and couldn't really see what the result of some of her actions might be. I also liked seeing Augusta her point of view, from the blurb she might sound like the 'evil guy', but because we get to see her perspective it was easier to understand what she was thinking.

The world building was done well, shaping a good view of the world and even providing the reader with some history and background nessecrary to understand the current day world. I would've liked to see a map of the world though, because it was really difficult to get a view of how the world looked and where certain places where in relation to others. I did think the world was interesting and the idea of spells being possible due to another rhealm was really original.I would've liekd to learn more about how this process exactly works, but I think that might be explained more in future books in this series.

To conclude: I enjoyed this book, the pace of the story was done well and I was curious to see what would happen next. The story was a bit predictable, but enjoyable overal. The writing style made the story feel a bit distant and made it difficult to connect to the characters. I did like the world building, even though I would've liked to know more and I would've liked to see a map of the world to have a better idea what the world looked like.

You can add The Sorcery Code to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy it here:
-Amazon
-iBookstore
-B&N
-Kobo
-Smashwords

About the author:

Dima Zales is a full-time science fiction and fantasy author residing in Palm Coast, Florida. Prior to becoming a writer, he worked in the software development industry in New York as both a programmer and an executive. From high-frequency trading software for big banks to mobile apps for popular magazines, Dima has done it all. In 2013, he left the software industry in order to concentrate on his writing career.

Dima holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from NYU and a dual undergraduate degree in Computer Science / Psychology from Brooklyn College. He also has a number of hobbies and interests, the most unusual of which might be professional-level mentalism. He simulates mind-reading on stage and close-up, and has done shows for corporations, wealthy individuals, and friends. To read more, click here!

Author Links:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

And there is a tour wide international giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Darkest Day (The 19th Year #3) by Emi Gayle

2014-01-06T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is my stop during the blog tour for the Darkest Day (The 19th Year #3) I have read all 3 books in this series and I can honestly say this is a great series.
I'll share my review of The Darkest Day with you today, there is a guest post about changelings, an awesome poll and a tour wide giveaway.

The Darkest Day (The 19th Year #3)
by Emi Gayle

Blurb:
Mac Thorne’s time as a Changeling is coming to an end.

It may have taken eighteen years, but Mac did finally manage to do what the Council wanted: she chose a teacher and renounced the in-between.

There’s just one last step. She must say goodbye to her human. Forever.

After being challenged in every way possible, Mac leaves what she thought would be the easiest task for the last possible moment. As midnight on July fourth draws near, though, she hasn’t found a way to give up Winn Thomas.

Nor does she want to.

With time running out, Mac stands at a literal crossroads. Choose Winn, and she’ll be stripped of the only family she’s ever known — vampires, dragons, and her favorite demon. Even her own mother. Accept her position on the Council and rule as an equal to her twelve peers, and she’ll forget Winn ever existed.

Independence and freedom have never before been so limiting.

In this final chapter of the 19th Year Trilogy, it’s time for Mac to decide.

Responsibility? Or Love?

My review:
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review

Since the first book I have been waiting for the last book so I could finally find out what Mac was going to choose. I really enjoyed this series so far and while I think I enjoyed Darkest Day the least of the 3, it was a good ending to the series too.

The Darkest Day is a bit darker than the earlier books, more bad things happen and things get serious soon with Mac choose being so close. The beginning was interesting, then it got a bit slow and then the ending was great again. I think part of why I thought the story was slow at some point was the fact that I just wanted to know which choice Mac is going to make, the whole series leads to this point and I just wanted to know what she would choose. A lot still has to happen before that and I felt like some of the subplots where a bit unnessecary and this book could've been a bit shorter and still tell the same story. There is also this event, that just felt off, with all the danger there is, that happens? I am not going to spoil more, but yeah there was a part that I got annoyed at the book and thought why did that happen? Also around 75% Mac does something so stupid, I couldn't believe she actualy did that, but yeah she did.

Let's say that part of this book felt a bit like a fill-up till be could get to the end. And then when I got to the end, it was great. I just kept hoping for their happy ending and everyone kept hinting at a certain choice, but everything is so vague that I actually had no idea what was going to happen and sometimes I got annoyed that none of the council member would actually just say and explain things. The ending makes up for a lot, it nicely wraps some things up and while some parts seemed a bit too easy and convenient, I did like the ending.

There is some character development in this book, but not a lot. The relationship between Mac and Winn changes and develops a bit, but the characters mostly stay the same. I like Mac as a character, but really sometimes she need a good shake or someone to tell her to slow down and think for a change. Really after all she has been through sometimes I think she would've learned something, but no, she makes her fair shair of not-so-smart descisions in this book. I almost hated Maddie in this book, she was annoying and dump and I totally agreed with mac that she had something up her sleeve. Really Winn is obvious totally in love with Mac and she still thought she has a chance. Uhm no. I really like Winn, he is the more calm and serious one especially compared to Mac. He is a bit too nice and naive, but is such a nice guy and sometimes I wish mac told him a bit more and didn't leave him in the dark.

Some chapters are from Mac and others from Winn's perspective, so we get to see both sides in this book. But while we get to see Mac's point of view there is still a lot of her thoughts about her choice that she didn't share, like it all had to build up to the ending. And that was a bit tiring sometimes.

In terms of world building, this book doesn't add a lot. The little world building there is, is done in the first book and the other 2 books only add little snippets. I understand the story focusses on Mac but sometimes I would've liked to get a glimpse how live is for the other supernaturals. What they are, what they can do, where they live. There just wasn't a lot about that. And the council keeps all these secrets and rules and sometimes I wonder why. World building is one aspect this series could've had more, but mostly I think that's just me, because I want to know everything about this world.

To conclude: The Darkest day had everything from annoyance to slow moments, till emotional scenes and a lot of build-up to the ending. The whole series is working towards to the ending and I sometimes thought there was a bit too much side story in this book. When the ending finally came, I have to admit I liked it. The characters don't change or grow a lot in this book, most character stayed the same, although I started to dislike Maddie more and more as the book progressed. I wish there was more world building, but I think that's just me. After the ending, I actually found myself a bit sad that this was the end, because I wanted to read more.

You can add The Darkest Day to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy The Darkest Day:
- Amazon
- Kobo
- B&N

And there is a guest post written by the author about the inspiration for writing about changelings.

Inspiration for writing about Changelings
In classical mythology, Changelings are said to be human babies switched at birth. I decided, when I need a mythological character type, to use Changeling but to adjust what exactly it is. Why? because that's what authors do. We create and design and define based on some semblance of the known to bring out something new to our readers. This isn't necessary per se, but it is part of a writer's toolkit - to alter reality.

For me, and for Mac, the protagonist in the trilogy the 19th Year, Changeling fit what her ultimate problem is (or now was) ... what will she be when she grows up? By the very nature of the name 'changeling', we can see that there's a grand spectrum of possibility ... i.e. shape shifting. Change = just that ... a shifting of something whether positive or negative and in my world that I created, it's all about what Mac can be.

Ultimately though, because it seems, in all worlds, good things have to come to an end, that was exactly what Mac faced ... the end of her own story, the end of being 'The Changeling' and in Darkest Day, she does just that ... what defined her once, what was once the bane of her existence but also a privilege comes full circle and she has to choose one supernatural creature to be.

Forever.

And there is a poll, the question is:

What will Mac choose upon her 19th birthday?

So want to have some fun and predict Mac her choice?

Enter the poll here.

And there is a Group giveaway will include:
- One set of paperback copies of After Dark, Day After AND Darkest Day for the US
only.
- Two sets of ebooks of the complete trilogy - this is for International participants
- Three set of bookmarks of the complete trilogy - also open to international participants
a Rafflecopter giveaway