The Fairytale Nerd

Possession Scavenger Hunt

JoAnne — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Today we’re here to celebrate the completion of the Possession series by Elana Johnson! ABANDON came out on June 4, and I hope you’ve been participating in the series scavenger hunt! Today I’m bringing you one of the stops!

Once you know what city in the Association we’re visiting today, GO HERE to fill out the form to enter to win today’s prize (a series swag package), as well as an overall scavenger hunt prize: signed paperbacks of the entire series, as well as digital copies of the two short stories (REGRET and RESIST) that round out the Possession series + a $50 Amazon gift card.

“Emotion pumps through every scene of this thriller. Given all the urgency and action, the novel’s ending may surprise readers as the heroic adventure turns into a tragic love story.” –School Library Journal

“The end is satisfying in a full-circle way and is set up for a third novel in this world. Some recent dystopian novels with a similar them are the Matched series by Ally Condie and the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver.” –VOYA

“A thrilling, fan-pleasing sequel.” –The Deseret News

Available now!

The fight for independent thought becomes a matter of life or death in this sizzling and intense conclusion to the Possession trilogy.

Your clue for the scavenger hunt today: Jag fears this city above all others.

And go Electrifying Reviews where Alex has an exclusive interview with Elana — and another clue to discover which city in the Association we’re visiting! Then be sure to ENTER TO WIN the grand prize signed paperback giveaway + Amazon gift card.

To enter the daily swag package giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter below.

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If you get lost, you can always go to Elana’s blog to find your place. Happy hunting!

Possession Scavenger Hunt appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

Fill-In-The-Blanks Interview with Colleen Hoover, author of Hopeless

JoAnne — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Today, Colleen Hoover visits The Fairytale Nerd for a fill-in-the-blanks interview! Everyone please welcome Ms. Colleen Hoover!

About Colleen

I love music. LOVE music. Namely The Avett Brothers, Lumineers, Pink, Eminem. I have eclectic taste? If you have any recommendations, send them my way! I’m addicted to diet pepsi and could tell you in a taste-test which restaurant it came from. It’s a serious addiction, I tell you. I get stoked whenever I get a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request…so request me, dangit! If you want to know when I have new books out or just want to be inundated by random, pointless blog posts, follow me at www.colleenhoover.com Avoid my Twitter at all cost. It’s propaganda.

Fill-in-the-Blanks Interview

Note: Colleen’s answers are in PINK.

I slept a while ago.
I am terrified of publicity.
I never thought I would be in the position I am in today.
First kisses are best when they’re from Holder.
Chocolate is the best meal in the whole wide world.
When I was a kid, I read Judy Bloom over and over and over…
When I am home, I am happy.
My favorite drink is diet pepsi because it’s the best in the whole wide world.
Travis,Lucas, and Marcus. Oh my!
True love exists, but doesn’t come easily.
I believe The Avett Brothers are the best band in the history of bands.
You know I am in love (with my characters) when I’m writing for days on end without coming up for air.
Books are a great escape.
Creating stories is what I enjoy doing most because I can’t imagine not having an outlet. However, I never want it to turn into work.

About Hopeless

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies.In this #1 New York Times bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, author of Slammed and Point of Retreat, Sky meets Dean Holder, a guy with a reputation that rivals her own. Holder has the ability to invoke feelings in Sky she’s never had before. In just one encounter he leaves her terrified yet captivated and something about him brings up a rush of memories from the past that she’s worked so hard to bury away. Sky knows Holder is nothing but trouble and tries to keep him at a distance, but he is adamant about learning everything he can about her. Sky finally caves to his unwavering pursuit, but she soon finds out that Holder isn’t the person he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life changes forever.

Excited to read the sequel?

Fill out the Rafflecopter Form for a chance to win LOSING HOPE, which comes out on July 9th!

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Fill-In-The-Blanks Interview with Colleen Hoover, author of Hopeless appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

DNF List from January 1st to May 30th 2013

JoAnne — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 17:14:00 +0000

A few months ago, I ranted about how the number of books tossed to my DNF (did not finish) pile are increasing at an alarming rate. I make it a point to always finish the books I’m reading no matter how boring, how scary, how disturbing they are. But recently, I’ve been DNF-ing too many books, and it scared me.

The following are the books I permanently classified as DNF. I said permanent because I also have this save for later pile – the books that I’m still interested in reading, although I stopped reading at some point. I will get back to them sooner or later. On the other hand, I will not continue reading those permanently classified as DNF.

So here they are, my DNF pile from January 1st to present…

Oh! And please note that these are not reviews. I am merely stating my reasons for DNF-ing them.

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Stopped at 30 per cent. DNF-ing a JLA book? Are you out of your mind??? I couldn’t believe it either. But I just couldn’t connect with the main character. Whatshernameagain? Yeah, her. I expected to love and adore this book just like all the other JLA masterpieces, but I didn’t. And that is so sad.

Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) by K.A. Tucker

Stopped at 35 per cent. I really wasn’t suppose to toss it to the DNF pile. But I thought there was nothing original about the plot. In a sea of heart-breaking NA novels, this one sank. I thought there was nothing special. Plus, I didn’t feel the connection between the main characters. No spark, and that is bad for a romance novel.

Arcadia Burns (Arkadien #2) by Kai Meyer

Stopped at 40 per cent. I liked the first book, Arcadia Awakens. The shifter slash mafia concept intrigued me. But this sequel bored me to death. There were hardly any dialogue. The paragraphs were – gawd, help me! – in blocks. Although interesting, the plot was too slow for my taste.

Connected (Connections #1) by Kim Karr

Stopped at 36 per cent. I know a lot of people liked this book. Sadly, I’m not one of them. It plays with the idea of love at first sight and soul mates and all that sh!te, but I’m not convinced at all. And what’s with this: What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice? That doesn’t even make sense.

There you go. To those of you who loved any book listed above, please don’t get angry. LOL! It’s nothing personal. I just didn’t click with the book.

It’s not you, it’s me.

DNF List from January 1st to May 30th 2013 appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

Losing Hope Pre-Order Giveaway

JoAnne — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 00:10:10 +0000

I’m re-reading Hopeless by Colleen Hoover despite the fact that I am on a bloggy break. It’s just so amazingly romantic. Holder is THE perfect book boyfriend. I’m very excited to get my hands on a copy. That’s why I’ve decided to do a Losing Hope Pre-Order Giveaway. I’m spreading the love…

Title: Losing Hope
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Hopeless #2
ISBN: 9781476746562
Expected publication: July 9th 2013 by Atria Books

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts. In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery. Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him… Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

Fill out the Rafflecopter Form for a chance to win!

And yes… this is international (as long as Book Depository ships to the mailing address that you will provide). The contest will run until the 30th of June. Please read my contest policy. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Losing Hope Pre-Order Giveaway appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

JoAnne — Sun, 26 May 2013 17:25:53 +0000

Title: Temptation
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Series: Temptation
ISBN: 9780373210541
Published: June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Buy: Amazon
Rating: ♛♛♛

Your heart misleads you. That’s what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other’s arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won’t be. Because he’s Amish. And I’m not.

Fast Track Review

BOOK REPORT CARD:

	Rating
Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.0
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0

I’ve always been curious about the Amish. Their way of life is something that interested me since… forever. And it’s so good to find a YA book that gives me exactly that.

The thing I loved the most about this is how the Amish way of life was presented. It was presented gradually and without being too textbook-ish. The details and the explanations actually blended very well as the story was told, and so I commend the author for that.

The story was told in the alternate POVs of Rose and Noah. Needless to say, those two are as different as can be. Rose is a typical teenage girl. While I liked her spunky character, I didn’t find her character interesting. Her voice is genuine, but there’s nothing unique about her. Like I said, typical – in every way. On the other hand, I loved Noah’s character. He thinks like an adult. He has the emotions and the concerns of an adult. He acts like an adult. His needs are different. In other words, there is nothing typical about him.

More about Noah…

He is probably the most intense YA lover boy I have ever encountered. Like I said, his concerns are atypical for someone his age – looking for a wife, having children, and work. He is pratically a man. He is mature. But I can’t help but feel annoyed at him because he treats Rose as someone below him. I can’t really complain about this because I know this is an Amish way of life thing. It just made me uneasy.

And because lover boy is intense, the romantic scenes were sort of intense too! The two love birds definitely have very strong feelings for each other. But like I said, they have different needs in life. One cannot seem to grasp the values of the other. And that leads to major misunderstandings. And lots of drama, too. Noah’s intensity and devotion have a tendency to scare teenage girls. Heck, I’m in my twenties, and if the guy I’m dating for a week talks about marriage and babies, I would RUN. Fast!

All in all, Temptation is a very intriguing read. If you’re looking for a different kind of forbidden love, then you simply must read Temptation!

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

An Excerpt from Descendant by Nichole Giles

JoAnne — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:35:00 +0000

Title: Descendant
Author: Nichole Giles
Series: –
ISBN: 9781936850679
Published: May 1st 2013 by Rhemalda Publishing
Buy: Amazon

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted. Blessed—or cursed—with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he’s a missing piece of her own soul. Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she’s not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it’s not just Abby’s life at stake.

An Excerpt

In this scene, Abby and Kye are searching for one of the highly sought-after Arawn Keys (ancient artifacts believed to have sealed a demon civilization in an underground prison) in a high-security American landmark, which they have sneaked into during a time when it’s closed. This landmark is very high off the ground. And, um, they’re about to be caught. Or are they?

Two loud bangs echo in the lower stairwell and we both freeze. Another bang, then footsteps coming our way. My heart thuds as I look around, futilely wishing for somewhere to hide.

Muffled voices and clanging announce someone—or several someones—climbing the ladder.

“Someone’s coming,” I whisper.

“Time to go.” Kye wraps the pendant in the cloth and shoves it in his pocket. He tosses me the backpack and straps my heavier bag across his chest, his eyes darting around the room. “Guess we’re not going down the way we came.” His gaze lands on a door. I assume it leads onto the observation deck. Kye tries the knob.

It’s locked.

He pulls, twists, and bangs, but it doesn’t budge.

Overwhelming fear threatens to consume all logical sense when I imagine spending the night in a New York City jail cell.

“Kye! They’ll arrest us. We shouldn’t be up here.”

Our eyes meet, and my terror is mirrored in his. He kicks the door. It doesn’t open. He kicks it again. On the third try I grab his hand and kick with him, and finally the door flies open. We climb onto the observation deck and push the door closed.

The cool evening wind buffets my ears and whips my hair. The sun has set, leaving only a rim of golden orange on the horizon. Kye unzips his backpack—still on my back—and digs in it, producing a lumpy black bag. He dumps the contents on the ground, mumbling, and sifts through, finding some black straps and threading them between his legs. After hooking the straps to his belt, he connects them with a metal ring and attaches a smaller bag to his buckle. All this is managed in a matter of seconds, as if he’s done it hundreds of times before.

From the bag attached to his waist, he loops the end of a thin, high-tech cable through another metal ring and attaches it to the bottom portion of the iron railing. Once he’s satisfied the cable will hold, he pulls on a pair of fingerless gloves. “Do you trust me?”

“Uh.” I stare at the ground hundreds of feet below. “Do I have a choice?”

He tests the cable again and swings his leg over the railing, letting out more slack from the bag at his waist and wrapping it under his backside, holding with his right hand.

“What are you doing?”

He swings his other leg over and braces against the rail, waiting. “Not getting arrested.” He holds an arm out, looking expectant. “Come on. Climb over and hold on to me.”

I shudder. Being arrested doesn’t sound quite as scary as dying. “Kye …”

He glances away from his white knuckles, searching my face. “You trust me, right?”

Angry voices bark in the torch room. “They were here. I knew they snuck up here the moment I took my eyes off them. Look at this mess!”

“Well, there’s only one way down, and we would have run into them. They’re up here somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Abby!” Kye hisses. “Come on.”

An Excerpt from Descendant by Nichole Giles appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

The Sunday Story #52 + Bloggy Break Notice

JoAnne — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:58 +0000

The books I got this week.

Sunday Post hosted by Kimba at Kimba The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts (ARC)
Spartan Frost (Mythos Academy #4.5) by Jennifer Estep (ARC)
Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #2) by Bethany Griffin (ARC)

Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, KTeen, and Greenwillow Books!

Weekly Recap

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Shiela at Book Journey

Hi my lovelies!

I would like inform you guys that I will take taking a bloggy break for a month. If you have been following my blog posts recently, I have mentioned a few times that I have a new job, and it is taking up most of my waking life. I am still adjusting to the load and the stress, and so YA books and blogging have to take a back seat for a while.

For this reason, I will not be able to post regularly. This is not to say, however, that I will not be posting at all. I have a few scheduled posts ready for you.

Last week, I finished:

Nothing.

This week, I plan to read:

Hmmm…

Probably…

Nothing. Something. I don’t know.

They say it takes three weeks to form a habit. So maybe after a month at work, I will get used to the stress and the deadlines and everything in between. Then I’ll be able to manage my time well, and eventually have time for reading and blogging.

Book News:

Sarah J. Maas sold another series to Bloomsbury called A Court of Thorns and Roses! And it’s new adult romantic fantasy… Read the good news HERE.

The cover of Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover has been revealed!

Books To Be Released This Week:

Recent Reviews:

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase
This Girl by Colleen Hoover
Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (ARC)
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland (ARC)
Ink by Amanda Sun (ARC)

Current Giveaways:

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron Series Giveaway

The Sunday Story #52 + Bloggy Break Notice appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

The Heiresses Blog Tour

JoAnne — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:06:00 +0000

The Heiresses Blog Tour stops by The Fairytale Nerd for a giveaway!

About The Heiresses

Title: The Heiresses
Author: Allison Rushby
Series: –
ISBN: 9781250039620
Published: May 7th 2013 by St. Martin’s Griffin
Buy: Amazon

In Allison Rushby’s Heiresses, three triplets–estranged since birth–are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone–least of all each other. When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London–a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things–by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother’s fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.

Want This Book?

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The Heiresses Blog Tour appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

A Teaser from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson (ARC) + Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

JoAnne — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:50:59 +0000

A Teaser from the book I am reading.

Teaser Tuesday hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

Title: The Bitter Kingdom
Author: Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #3
ISBN: 9780062026545
Expected publication: August 27th 2013 by Greenwillow Books

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she’s never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most. Riveting, surprising, and achingly romantic, Rae Carson has spun a bold and powerful conclusion to her extraordinary trilogy.

She takes a deep breath. “Once only, and then I’ll never bring it up again.”

I force my voice to remain calm. “You can say anything to me.”

The teaser comes from an advance copy. The final copy may contain some changes.

Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke & The Bookish

The books I’ve read that dealt with tough and dark subjects were mostly new adult.

Sexual Abuse…

Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden (The Coincidence #1) by Jessica Sorensen
Easy by Tammara Webber

Self-harm…

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden (The Coincidence #1) by Jessica Sorensen

Drugs…

If You Stay (Beautifully Broken #1) by Courtney Cole

Cheating…

Thoughtless (Thoughtless #1) by S.C. Stephens
The Mighty Storm (The Storm #1) by Samantha Towle

Slavery…

Sempre (Forever Series #1) by J.M. Darhower

Death of a parent…

Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover

Polygamy…

Wither (The Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano

The Realities of the Second World War…

The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman #1) by Paullina Simons

A Teaser from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson (ARC) + Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

JoAnne — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:13:18 +0000

Title: Suddenly Royal
Author: Nichole Chase
Series: –
ISBN: 1483953298
Published: April 23rd 2013 by Nichole Chase
Buy: Amazon
Rating: ♛♛

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed. Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news. While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Fast Track Review

BOOK REPORT CARD:

	Rating
Cover	2.5
Plot	2.5
Writing	2.5
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	2.5

I came across Suddenly Royal by accident. I was merely looking for prince books. Fantasy was what I had in mind. But here is what I was presented with – a contemporary cinderella story. There’s really nothing unique about the plot. Girl finds out she’s a royal. Fell in love with the prince. Blah blah blah. This kind of story has been written a million and fifty times already. Kind of reminds me of Princess Diaries, actually.

I liked the main character Samantha. She was a feisty one, and she delivered a number of funny-slash-snarky lines.

“Are you upset that you can’t stomp around like a caveman and pee on my leg?” I poked his shoulder. “I’m not a tree, Your Highness.”

She even made me laugh a few times. And that prince! He sure is charming. He is such a big flirt. What can you expect from a handsome royal who is so used to girls throwing themselves at him?

“I don’t know how we got lucky for lunch. Normally everyone is here about this time.”
“Lucky that you got me all to yourself?” Alex smiled and my face turned beet red.

He is also amazingly eloquent. He delivered some panty dropping lines such as…

“Wanting to spend a few hours getting to know a beautiful woman isn’t about being polite.” His thumb ran over my bottom lip and my breath stuttered. “I shouldn’t chase you, Samantha, but I’m not sure I can help myself.”

But the romance? It feels forced. It was too much, too soon, with too little chemistry. Everything went incredibly fast from their first meeting. So, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the romance.

Despite its faults, I did enjoy reading the story. It cannot be denied that I am a sucker for princes and princesses stories, and this just fits the bill.

All in all, Suddenly Royal was a very sweet fairy tale story. The plot isn’t complicated, and it’s a very light read. So, if you’re looking for a cute, fun read that will make you swoon a few times, then check this book out.

Oh by the way, this is new adult. Fun times ahead. *wink*

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase appeared first on The Fairytale Nerd.