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The Trap by Andrew Fukuda
Expected publication: November 5th 2013
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Series: The Hunt, #3

After barely escaping the Mission alive, Gene and Sissy face an impossible task: staying alive long enough to stop an entire world bent on their destruction. Bound on a train heading into the unknown with the surviving Mission girls, Gene, Sissy, David, and Epap must stick together and use everything they have to protect each other and their only hope: the cure that will turn the blood-thirsty creatures around them into humans again. Now that they know how to reverse the virus, Gene and Sissy have one final chance to save those they love and create a better life for themselves. But as they struggle to get there, Gene’s mission sets him on a crash course with Ashley June, his first love . . . and his deadliest enemy.

I loved the first two books in this series, so I’m looking forward to the final book.

Have you read this series? What are you waiting on?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings. There is a new discussion question each week. You can find all the details on her page. Hope you all decide to join!

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This week’s question: Let’s talk banned books. How do you feel about book banning? What are some of the banned books you have read?

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I believe there are a lot of books that should be banned. Not only banned from people reading them, but banned from existence. Burn them, I say!

Yeah, right. Of course I’m against banning books. Obviously there are certain books that should be banned from certain places. I wouldn’t be okay with 50 Shades of Grey being in a middle school. But should it be banned in general? No. Just because I’m not a fan doesn’t mean I have a right to forbid other adults from reading it.

As  far as reading banned books, I certainly have. C’mon, have you seen some of those lists of banned books? I’ve read banned books and didn’t even know they were banned or challenged. It’s ridiculous. It”s interesting to see how certain states, counties, or schools will ban a book while a different school will use it as part of their curriculum. For instance, I read To Kill a Mockingbird in school, but it’s banned in some schools.

I think parents should determine whether a  book is appropriate for their child or not. Then again, some parents jut don”t have a clue. I used to hang out in my grandparent home office/library all the time. One day I gravitated to a book called Christine by Stephen King. Heard of it? Yeah, I bet. I was only in 5th or 6th grade and only took interest because the title is so similar to my name. I read it and loved it. Then I started reading Dean Koontz and John Saul. My mom and I were in a used bookstore when I was in 8th or 9th grade buying a Koontz book, and the older guy working there had a problem with me reading them and said in a dickish tone to me “would you want your daughter reading this?” I replied “As long as she’s reading.” He shut up and I never gave him my business again. And I gave him a lot prior to that. Moral of the story? I’ll read whatever the eff I want!

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Title: Full of Grace
Author: Misty Provencher
Published: April 18, 2013
Publisher: Self-pub
Series: Companion to Hale Maree
Source: I won my copy

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Running about 7 bananas strong on shots from Hale and Oscar Maree’s wedding bar, what happened between Landon Grace and Sher Traifere was supposed to be a one time thing. A quickie on a romantic night. Sher wanted a fast evening of fireworks to remember on the dull horizon of her life; Landon wanted to get his mind off his psycho ex by feeling Sher’s curves. By the end of the evening, a secret of Sher’s complicates Landon’s attempt to escape the girl’s chainsaw giggle.

Some one-night-stands just can’t be finished in one night. Even more complicating, this one rises back up with a hard shot of morning sickness and an entire repertoire of questions. The most important being: how much pull does a guy really have in a woman’s choice to pursue or terminate a pregnancy?
And in this case, how clever can he be about stealing her pants?

I loved Oscar and Hale’s story in Hale Maree, so I was excited when Misty announced there would be a companion novel. Then add the fact that it’s about Landon and Sher makes me a happy camper. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Misty so far, and Full of Grace is no exception.

You really don’t need to read Hale Maree before reading this, but it’s nice to do so. Full of Grace picks up where Hale Maree left off, except now we’re getting Landon’s POV. Landon and Sher have a one night stand at a wedding, but it doesn’t end there. That one night is life changing. Sher becomes pregnant but doesn’t think she’s ready to have a baby and end up just like her mom. Landon, on the other hand, wants to give it a chance. To give them a chance.

I love Landon and being in his head; he’s calm, funny, and truly a good man. I was cracking up even when he got in his obsessed “stalker” modes or his damn pant stealing scheme. Poor guy, though, I thought Sher was going to give him an ulcer at times. I adored Oscar in Hale Maree, but Landon is now my #1 guy out of the two. Sorry,”Ocklar,” your boy showed you up.

Even though we only got a small glimpse of Sher in Hale Maree, I liked her. Then at the beginning of Full of Grace she was driving me crazy with the giggling and I wondered if I was going to be able to put up with it. But it actually turned out to be really funny, especially getting Landon’s different reactions to it. Sher is a little spitfire, though, and I loved it. I honestly wasn’t expecting her to be so feisty, which was a pleasant surprise. I really like how she and Landon balanced each other out perfectly.

The secondary characters were great, too. I was happy that we saw Oscar and Hale and got a tiny glimpse into how life is going for them. And Sher’s mom with a bb gun …. priceless. Another character I really liked was Gina, Landon’s lesbian sister. I’m crossing my fingers that Misty with give us a book featuring Gina’s story. It could be a companion novel to this companion novel. Seriously, though, Misty keeps giving us such great characters, that I wish she would continue on with a series that features a new couple even book.

Full of Grace covered a serious topic and was sad at times, but overall, it was a really fun read. Between all the banter, sexy time, and sweet moments, it was just all around entertaining. You must read both of these books. Must!

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Hale Maree by Misty Provencher
Published: November 19, 2012

My Review | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Once a high school drop out and runaway, Misty Provencher became a college grad, and is now a full-time novelist with a close knit family. She doesn’t do labels well. While she can ride a motorcycle, knows how to Karate chop, and has learned enough French, Spanish, and Sign Language to get herself slapped, Misty’s life is the ruse she uses to connect with people. She is totally enchanted with them and spends her days trying to translate the soul bouquet of her muses into words.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

2 Tour Wide Giveaways

#1 – Open US Only
: a Rafflecopter giveaway
#2 – Open International a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Well, I know last week I said I’d probably have a post about my lack of being around, but I just haven’t felt like it. I don’t want to get into specifics, but I’m having kidney issues that leave me feeling sick and lethargic. Most of the posts that have gone up were scheduled. I have some for next week too, but  after that it’s up in the air. Hopefully I’ll feel up to getting some stuff done. I’ve been trying to still get around and visit blogs when I can, and I appreciate everyone who continues to visit. ♥

On the blog

• Submerged by Nicole Sobon – Guest post & giveaway.

• Tell Me Something Tuesday – Blogging events.

• Waiting on Wednesday – Elysian Fields by Suzanne Johnson.

• Announcement - Apocalypse! Sign-up for the blog hop.

• How Beauty Loved the Beast by Jax Garren – Review ♥

Books

• The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark – For review. 3rd book in the Fairwick Chronicles.

• Blackbrooke by Emma Silver – Purchased.

• Seeker by Jolene Perry – Purchased.  3rd book in the Shadows trilogy.

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Apocalypse! Blog Hop is coming up. Click on the image to find out more and sign-up.

Title: How Beauty Loved the Beast
Author: Jax Garren
Published: May 13, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Tales of the Underlight, #3
Source: Publisher for honest review

It’s all been leading to this.

Jolie Benoit has become a skilled agent of the Underlight, relying on her savvy to complete assignments while Sergeant Wesley Haukon was out of commission. But an unexpected clue to the Order of Ananke’s diabolical scheme rattles Jolie, and she turns to Hauk for comfort.

It’s been years since Hauk took comfort from the touch of another person, though his love for Jolie is deep and powerful. Uncomfortable in his skin, scarred by a terrible fire, he is unable to give in to the pleasures that Jolie so desperately wants to grant him.

Meanwhile, the Order is lurking in the shadows—and when they strike, the blow is swift and terrible. Hauk and Jolie scramble to fight for their community, but with the future of the Underlight threatened, no one is safe. And Hauk will never be the same…

Well, it’s over. No more Hauk and Jolie. I’m going to miss them. How Beauty Loved the Beast is the final book in the Tales of the Underlight novella trilogy, and it was the steamiest of all!

This book picks up a couple weeks after the last one left off. Hauk and Jolie are finally together, but Hauk is still struggling with letting Jolie see him in all of his scarred and disfigured glory. But if anyone can get Hauk to shed his clothes, it’s Jolie. It’s no easy feat, though. I really like that the story mainly revolve around Hauk an Jolie’s relationship. Yes, the whole Order of Ananke vs. the Underlight story line is great too, but I love when what’s going on between Jauk (Holie?) is the focus.

I think this was the longest of the three books, and for good reason. Like I said, it’s also the steamiest. I love that Hauk knows Jolie can handle herself. Even though all he wants to do is protect her, he knows she’s not some helpless chick and will crack a few skulls when need be. Hauk is the kind of bad boy I like. He has tattoos, piercings, and can take on ten thugs without breaking a sweat, but he’s such a kind soul and would do anything for Jolie. And of course I love Jolie and her fearlessness. Also, what I really like is that Jolie is confident with Hauk regardless of his looks, and that she hates when people assume that a girl like her wouldn’t be with him just because he’s ugly.

 The use of Norse gods and goddesses was a major plus. We got a glimpse of how they play into the story before, but they are a lot more prevalent in this book. I really liked the mix of fairytale and mythology. Going into a fairytale retelling you pretty must know how the gist of the story plays out, but the author kept me wondering about certain things all the way through.

Overall, I enjoyed How Beauty Loved the Beast a lot and thought it was a great end to the trilogy. I will definitely read whatever Jax Garren writes next.

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How Beauty Met the Beast: My Review | Goodreads | Amazon

How Beauty Saved the Beast: My Review | Goodreads | Amazon

Apocalypse! An eight day blog hop hosted by Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings, Maja@ The Nocturnal Library and Christy@ Love of Books. Starting July 13th we will kick off the event with a eight day blog hop giveaway. To participate in the Blog Hop you must:

• Host a giveaway on your blog with a dystopian/apocalyptic theme. You can give away a gift card for the reader’s choice for an end of the world type book, an ebook or a book or anything bookish that relates to the theme.
• All posts must be up by Midnight on July 13th and run through July 20th.
• To sign up add your name to the linky list.
• Grab the banner and use it for your post. Be sure to link back to the host blogs for the complete blog hop list or use the linky code which will be provided right before the post goes up.
• Any blogs that don’t have their posts up will be deleted.

Linky is at the bottom of the post!

The second way to participate in Apocalypse!

• Post an apocalyptic/dystopian feature on your blog any day from July 13th-20th.
• For your post you must spotlight an apocalyptic/end of the world/ dystopian book (i.e. review, author interview or guest post, etc.) and then host a giveaway for the book.
• Each day of the event all three of the host blogs will have a linky list for you to add your link and we will be helping to promote your posts on Facebook and Twitter.
• If you want to email me (loveofbooks-blog@yahoo.com) your date and book I can also do a daily spotlight on my blog if you get them to me ahead of time.
• A schedule will be posted soon so keep checking this page!

Heidi, Maja, and I will be hosting and highlighting some fantastic authors and books during the eight days along with some fantastic giveaways so be sure to tune in!

Thanks so much for joining Apocalypse!

Apocalypse! It is NEVER too late for a good book!

Grab the buttons and help spread the word! The end is near!

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This is Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

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Title: Elysian Fields
Author: Suzanne Johnson
Publish Date: August 13, 2013
Publisher: Tor
Series: Sentinels of New Orleans, #3

An undead serial killer comes for DJ in this thrilling third installment of Suzanne Johnson’s Sentinels of New Orleans series

The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi.

New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren’t random—an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard. Namely, DJ.

Combatting an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn’t easy. Jake Warin’s loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world’s most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex Warin just turned up on DJ’s to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.

Suddenly, moving to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte’s pirate wench could be DJ’s best option.

I love this series! Adding a serial killer … an undead serial killer into the mix makes me even more excited. And I can’t wait to see how DJ deals with all her boys.

What do you think? Have you read this series yet?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings. There is a new discussion question each week. You can find all the details on her page. Hope you all decide to join!

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This week’s question: What are some of the blogging events have you done in the past? What kind of events do you enjoy? What events will you be participating in this summer?

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I’ve participated in a variety of events and enjoyed them all.

I participate in read-a-thons, even though I end up spending most of the time socializing.

Read-a-longs are fun too. That’s how I discovered on of my favorite series and the love of my life. Any guesses? Yup, my Atticus from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. ♥

I’ve also participated in the Something Wicked event in October and interviewed Jeyn Roberts. I love her Dark Inside series! I’m pretty sure this even will be happening again this year.

More recently I co-hosted the Fire & Ice event in February and had a lot of great authors on. Some were Katie McGary, Jodie Meadows, Victoria Scott, and many more.

This summer I will co-host an apocalypse themed event with Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings & Maja @ The Nocturnal Library. It will run July 13th – 20th. I’ll have a post for it soon, but you can find out more on Heidi’s blog for now. I’ll have some great authors and giveaways for this, as well: Demitria Lunetta, Annie Walls, Megan Crewe, and more.

What about you? Are there any other blogging events coming up?

Ahh, the start of a new week. Are you ready? Me neither. But I do have something for you all! Today I have a stop on the Submerged blog tour with a guest post by author Nicole Sobon. You can also enter a giveaway at the end of the post. Just click on the banner above to follow the rest of the tour hosted by Itching for Books. Enjoy!

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Title: Submerged
Author: Nicole Sobon
Published: February 14, 2013
Publisher: Self-pub
Series: Outbreak, #1

After a mysterious virus makes its way into the United States, the government demands that states seal themselves off from one another and do their best to protect their surviving residents. When the state of Florida is bordered off from the surrounding states, Taylen Fincher, a seventeen-year-old girl with a yearning for her former life finds herself wondering how much of what they’ve been told is true.

When Troum took control of the state, he told the residents that the other states had fallen to the virus and that he wouldn’t allow the same thing to happen to them. But Taylen doesn’t believe it. She insists that there is still life outside of the state, and she is going to do whatever it takes to prove it… but her actions will cost her more than she ever expected.

Troum kidnaps Taylen’s sister, Penelope, in hopes of coaxing her into behaving – into being a submissive resident, much like the others. But Taylen isn’t one to give in that easily.

Eager to rescue her sister, Taylen will set out on an adventure that’ll force her to open her heart to the unexpected and to uncover secrets that will change everything.

How “Submerged” came to be:

 Submerged wasn’t a book that I had initially set out to write.

I had just finished writing Program 13, and I was looking for something else to work on outside of Emile’s world. Unfortunately, though, I was drawing a blank. So, like most authors, I allowed myself to get distracted by the television…which was actually a blessing in disguise.

I remember that it was a weekend and that I was watching Waterworld for what felt like the hundredth time while surfing around on the internet. Somehow or another, I stumbled upon an image from The Little Mermaid.

Taylen instantly came to mind. I had this image of her in my head, her personality, and this dystopic world. It wasn’t much, but it was a stepping stone.

(Fun fact: Submerged was originally meant to be a retelling of The Littler Mermaid, and most of the story was set underwater. Obviously, it has changed significantly since then.)

I worked on Taylen and her story for a few months. I got about 10k words in before I came to a halt. I wasn’t sure where the story was going, and I just didn’t care to finish it. So I let it sit for a few months while I worked on a few short stories (Is Love: Volume 1 being one of those stories).

It took a few months for me to go back to Taylen’s story, but when I did, I decided to trash what I had and start over. The island. The underwater setting. It was all gone. And I had a blank page and no clue where her story would take me.

I spent a few days really getting to know the character, jotting down notes, perfecting her voice, and once I did that, the story just kind of came to life on its own.

What I had originally set out to write ended up being completely different from what I actually wrote, but I love the final result. Taylen was one of my favorite characters to write, and I adored telling her story. She’s a character that I hope readers will like. She’s tough, yet relatable, and she acts solely out of her love for her sister.

Some fun bits of information you may or may not know:

• Glate did not exist in the original draft. At all. And now he’s a huge part of Taylen’s story. Go figure.
• Taylen’s parents originally died in the first draft – in the first chapter actually.
• Submerged was originally supposed to be the first of four books, with each book being a story based on a Disney character/Princess. But after rewrites, I found that no longer worked. It is now only a duology, which I actually prefer. Two books (and two shorts) will allow me to finish up Taylen’s story properly without running the story into the ground.
• In the original outline, Lex’s character died shortly after the flooding. (Yep. Lex dead and no Glate. There was definitely a reason that draft was trashed.)

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Thanks for stopping by, Nicole! I love learning how a book came about and all the little tidbits.

Nicole Sobon is a YA author of several novels, including Program 13, The Emile Reed Chronicles, Capture, No Place Like Home, and the latest Submerged. This is the first in her dystopian duology.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Open tour wide – US only

3 finished copies

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Happy Mother’s Day! Hope you all have a nice relaxing one. I know I’ve been slacking on visiting blog and stuff, but I’ll probably have a post up soon explaining my decline lately and why I’ll be on even less in the near future.

On another note, Saturday morning there was a Wipeout race near here that was a 5k with 16 obstacles. My son got 1st place but wouldn’t pose with his trophy. :-/ Everyone had a lot of fun though.

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• How Beauty Loved the Beast by Jax Garren – Character interview & giveaway. I ♥ Hauk & Jolie!

• Tell Me Something Tuesday – Most anticipated summer reads.

• Waiting on Wednesday – The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray.

• Lost & Found by Nicole Williams – Review & giveaway. Sexy cowboys are involved.

• Ever After by Kim Harrison – Review. 11th book in The Hollows & one of my favorites of the series. ♥

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Four Summoner’s Tales by various – For review. I don’t usually grab anthologies because I tend to only read one or two of the stories. I only got this for the story by Jonathan Maberry since I think it stars Joe Ledger, but the other stories sound pretty good, too.

Four terror-inducing novellas from acclaimed bestselling authors Kelley Armstrong, David Liss, Christopher Golden, and Jonathan Maberry beginning with the premise: “A stranger comes to town, offering to raise the townsfolk’s dearly departed from the dead—for a price.”

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