Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout Blog Tour & Giveaway

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Goodreads |  Amazon |  Barnes and Noble

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Fill in the blank fun with JLA:

1. I wouldn't care if Cora Carmack wrote an encyclopedia, I'd still buy it.

2. Before I sit down to write for a long stretch of time, I need coffee.
3. The character that's the easiest and/or most fun to write in the LUX series has been Katy.
4. The character that's the most difficult to write in the LUX series has been Daemon.
5. My favorite scene and/or chapter to write in OPAL was Chapter 33.

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OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Entangled Publishing

ON shelves now!

Reviewed by: AmyG (Big Sis)

Sister's say: Out of this World (wink wink) and Heart Obliterating

What can I say that I haven't already said about Jennifer?  Probably nothing, but the girl has staying power.  She's a writing maniac, and I'm not quite sure who she made a deal with to produce this many amazing books in the short time she has been writing!  It honestly should make everyone speechless!  We are so not worthy!!!  

OPal is yet another one in the win column for JLA.  I found it different from the last 2 novels in the Lux series, but not in a bad way.  OBSIDIAN and ONYX are full of angst and snarkiness that Daemon so easily exudes.  They are both about the journey that Katy and Daemon were taking toward each other.  However, Daemon and Katy are in a new place now.  They are together  for real and are trying to deal with the fallout that was ONYX.  Katy is suffereing from the choices she made and deep betrayal of Blake.  The relationships in OPAL are completely different.  In a way, Daemon and Dee have switched roles.  Now, Dee and Katy's relationship is the volatile one and at times it's painful to watch. It's hard to see anyone that is dear to you suffer pain, and Dee's pain leaks from pages.  I feel like this book was about everyone coming to terms with Katy now being a permanent part of their family.  With that comes some serious fireworks, you can imagine how Andrew and Ash feel about that, plus, to Dee, Katy is a constant reminder of what she lost.

Dawson is also back, but he's a different Dawson than the one we met in SHADOWS.  A lot of what we saw of him, was completely sucked out by what he endured at the hands of the DOD.  His only desire is to get Beth back.  He's constantly trying to get to her no matter the danger he puts himself in.  The desperation he feels to have her back gave me an eerie feeling the entire book like there was a great hammer hanging above my head just waiting to drop.  

That feeling didn't come and go just with Dawson though.  Throughout most of the book, JLA treats us to a happy time in the lives of Dawson and Katy.  They spend time together, have fun and fall more in love.  There's some kissy scenes and more that had me in a puddle on the floor!  We see a new side of Daemon.  he's fun, spontaneous and very obviously in love with Katy.  So much good happens in their relationship that I was literally scared to turn every page.  My heart rate was high, and I was anxiously anticipating having my heart brutally ripped from my chest!

Needless to say, my forshadowing heart was spot on and that hammer fell and crushed me into a million different pieces!  It was so worth it though!  I read one part at the very end of OPAL so many times that I lost count! (those of you who have read this, know which part!) So, if you haven't read it yet, yes it is painful but without pain we never know true joy!  I have every faith in JLA and of course Deamon and Katy that everything will be okay!  The only truly, truly painful part is the wait for ORIGIN!

So all in all, OPAL was a wonderful time of watching Katy's and Daemon's love grow, and now the testing of that love is at hand! I can't wait to see what happens next!

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USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on:  Twitter |   Facebook |  Goodreads |   Website |   Blog

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And now for an ublievable giveaway from Stacey at Entangled!!!

a signed copy of OPAL!!! Signed by Jennifer and Pepe!!!

(US only pls)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's the OPAL TRAILER!!!!

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. 

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Goodreads |   Amazon |   Barnes and Noble 

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn. Find Jennifer on: 

Twitter |  Facebook | Goodreads |  Website |  Blog

Teaser Tuesday: Gravity by Melissa West

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

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Gravity by Melissa West
Published by:  Entangled Publishing
Releases TODAY!!!!!

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

My teaser:

"'Danger lies with those who ignore the signs.'" eARC, Location 121-122

"It's like gravity disappears when he's around and I'm lost, no longer sure of anything." eARC, Location 126-126

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I really enjoyed this book.  It was different, and it doesn't hurt that Jackson is strong and handsome!  Ari is a kick butt heroine, and I really enjoyed watching her strength and assurance.  This is definitely a quick read with a sweet romance, and I'm ready to see what Book 2 has in store for us.

Be sure to come back and check out my stop on the Gravity Blog Tour next Monday!

Leave me your link for your TT!

Blog Tour: Conjure by Lea Nolan

 

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Lea Nolan couldn’t read until the third grade. After a lot of hard work she finally got the hang of it and devoured any book she could find with a shiny Newberry Award sticker on the cover. Today she writes the stories she sought as a teen—smart paranormals with bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance and a sprinkle of history. She holds degrees in history and women’s studies concentrating in public policy and lives with her heroically supportive husband and three brilliant children in Maryland.

Social Media links:
Website: http://www.leanolan.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooApprentice
Group blog: http://honestlyya.blogspot.com/

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Conjure by Lea Nolan

eARC received from Entangled Publishing

Release Date:  Available Now

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

“Only white magic can fight black.  Just like only light can defeat darkness.”

Curses.

Larceny.

Spells.

Impromptu make-out sessions.

These are just a few of the things you will run in to while reading Lea Nolan’s Conjure.  Emma, Jack, and Cooper are spending the summer on the perfect island setting—beautiful beaches, crashing waves, ancient ruins.  It’s the perfect vacation, especially since Emma is head over heels for her brother’s best friend, Cooper.  The summer is the perfect time for her to get a little closer to him.  However, their perfect summer vacation is shattered when Jack becomes obsessed with finding pirate treasure, and in the course of his search, unleashes a terrible curse upon himself. 

I enjoyed the idea of this book—the pirate treasure, the curse, and the magic to reverse it.  The book starts out with a bang when the three of them find a message in a bottle at the beach.  From that moment, Emma keeps getting the willies.  I liked how honest Emma was, and I loved how she would sketch in order to play out her hopes and frustrations.  I did bother me a bit that she was so young (14), and I felt that her immaturity played into the fact that the three of them keep getting deeper and deeper into trouble. 

My favorite part of this book was the minor characters, Miss Delia and Maggie.  Miss Delia was strong and confident, and I liked that there was an air of mystery surrounding her.  She becomes Emma’s teacher, and I felt like Emma was much more mature when she was around her.  I liked that Emma much more than the Emma around Jack and Cooper.  And then Maggie—I loved that you couldn’t guess what her motives were.  Is she good or evil?  I had absolutely no idea, and that made it so much better!  I mean, you get very little information about her, and the entire book, I kept asking myself, “Who is she?”  I really liked that her character was unpredictable.

As for the major characters—Emma, Jack, and Cooper; they were interesting in their own right, but there was nothing stand-out about them.   Jack was the most annoying character I’ve ever read—and I know that it is supposed to be that way to show his obsession, but I got to the point where I just wanted to skip over him every time he opened his mouth.  It got so bad that I actually w

ished the Creep would explode his entire body.  Again, I believe this was intentional, it just still annoyed me.  And then we have Cooper—hottie.  I liked Cooper—he was sweet and endearing, and I felt like he really cared for Emma and Jack.  I think lots of readers will really like him, but I wish he would have done something to make himself stand out more.  However, even if Emma and Cooper didn’t blow me away, I did enjoy their romance.  You want a sneak peak, don’t you?  Why not…

“The only thing that keeps me from collapsing back onto the sand are his strong hands that reach to caress my back.  I melt, consumed by the electric inferno building in my belly.  ‘You’re amazing,’ he whispers, ‘Kissing you is better than I imagined.’”

Overall, this story was cute and unique, although slow.  There were some great moments, like when Emma and Cooper must steal and important artifact, or when Emma and Cooper kiss for the first time; but I felt like the parts between lagged with unnecessary details.

I recommend this to readers who want something different (hoodoo, curses, pirates), and who don’t mind reading through slow parts to get to the action-packed and steamy moments.

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Want to purchase Conjure?  Use the following sites.

 

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conjure-lea-nolan/1109672878?ean=9781620610978
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1620610973/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0Gqnqb1CVCX0Q%20
Powells: http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781620610978-0
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Conjure-Lea-Nolan/9781620610978
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781620610978
Books-a-million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Conjure/Lea-Nolan/9781620610978?id=5502287164493

OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout Cover Reveal

No one is like Daemon Black.
When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.
But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.
Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Who else is dying for this book?!?!?!  I know I can barely contain myself!  I am still floored by the amazingness that was ONYX!  If you just crawled out from under a rock and haven't read this series, then I IMPLORE you to do so immediately!  You will honestly never be the same, and you like the rest of us, will become slightly obsessed with Jennifer L. Armentrout!  Plus, it doesn't hurt that Pepe and Stella are just so dang gorgeous!!!  So let's celebrate this cover reveal and the awesomeness of JLA by just staring at this cover all day!!!

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Goodreads ***Barnes and Noble***Amazon

Follow this link to an ~~~ EPIC CONTEST ~~~ Announcement. You will want to bookmark this page!

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on:  Twitter |  Facebook |  Goodreads | Website |  Blog

Inbetween by Tara Fuller Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway!

Hey everyone!  The YA Sisterhood is SOOOOO excited to be able to kick of the Inbetween Blog Tour with a review and giveaway!  A big thank you to Entangled Publishing for giving us an ARC to read and review!!  Make sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the end of this post to win your own ecopy!

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Inbetween by Tara Fuller

Arc received  by:  Entangled Teen via Netgalley

Release Date: 8-28-2012

Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say: Romantic and Resplendent

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky — and unending — lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

If you were to ask most people where they want to go when they die, their answer would, I assume, be Heaven.  However, if that someone has read about Tara Fuller’s oh so yummy reaper, then they might just answer, the Inbetween!  Inbetween is charming and fun-- a love story that shows you just might be life after death.

While this is not the first story I’ve read about reapers, I still say we need more!  I really enjoy these paranormal characters—I love that they can be good or evil, or toe the line between both.  I love that each story can invent a new aspect of them, so it’s never old.  And I fall head over heels for the ones that just won’t give up on the idea of love—even when they’re dead.

This story follows Emma as Finn, a reaper who loves her, tries to protect her from the evil soul, Maeve.  I will admit, at first I was frustrated because Finn can’t touch Emma!  I was sure the romance was going to be lacking and I was going to want to put it aside for something with a little more….corporealness?  Is that a word?  Um…I’m going to declare that the International Council for Words just said that “corporealness” is a word.  Anywho, I was pleasantly surprised.  While I still wish there could have been more steam, I found the romance to be sweet and intoxicating. 

Emma is an interesting main character, and while I was not blown away by her, I still felt a small connection to her.  She has been plagued by “accidents” all her life, not knowing these accidents were caused by Maeve.  However, she doesn’t let the constant threat of death hang over her like a dark, ominous cloud.  Instead, she decides that she is going to try and take charge.  I liked that confidence while it lasted.  Unfortunately it fizzled out, and she became the innocent victim once again.  While I like the fact that Finn or her best friend Cash has to play knight in shining armor, I still wish she would have had a bit more attitude and strength as a main character.

One of my favorite characters is Cash, Emma’s best friend.  He is portrayed as both a good and a bad guy.  What do I mean?  He’s the boy your mother warned you about—you know the one.  The player.  The partyer.  But, with Emma, he’s caring and different.  He doesn’t treat her as some girl to kiss and toss.  His relationship with her is lasting, and it really gives insight into his brokenness.  I won’t say anything else because I don’t want to spoil it, but I can assure you we will see much more of him in the next book.

And finally…we have Finn.  I like Finn, but again, I was not blown away by him.  He’s charming and head over heels for Emma, but at times, he seems a bit whiny.  He wants to take charge, but as a reaper, there are rules that keep him in the shadows.  I loved with Finn was willing to break those rules, but then it seemed like he began to cower.  I wanted to see a strong, confident, in your face guy willing to fight back—even if the odds were completely stacked against him.  But, I understand why he couldn’t be like this.  I mean, he’s a reaper, not an angel—so it’s not like he has all these powers at his disposal.  I think he will be a definite new book boyfriend for many girls, but I tend to lack my guys a little on the bad side J Like Easton…but we won’t go there, you have to read it!

My favorite part of the story (of course) was the evil Maeve.  I can’t help it, I’m a villains girl.  She’s dark and twisted, and she is set on revenge.  I loved waiting to see what she was going to do next!  And let me tell you, she does not disappoint.  I will say, that I wish there would have been more of her—to show how much she has disrupted Emma’s life.

The only warning on content I have is the teenage drinking.

Overall, Inbetween was a flirty and fun read, and I will definitely be checking out book 2 in the future.  The romance was sweet and the story was well written.  Tara brings the Inbetween to life in the few snippets we get of the past, and she definitely brings hell to life with the quick looks of torture that realm can bring!  Tara Fuller brings new meaning to the term star-crossed lovers.  Thrust apart by death, separated by life and death, will Emma and Finn ever get the happily ever after they deserve?  Read and find out!  You won’t be disappointed.

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About Tara Fuller:

Tara Fuller writes novels. Some about grim reapers​. Some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

Website/Blog/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/ The Book Depository



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Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

ARC received from Entangled Publishing

Release Date:  6-12-2012

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Charming, Cool and Captivating

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, Chosen Ones follows Tess into the dark world of the chosen ones, genetically engineered superhumans, complete with strength, intelligence, and good looks who are programmed to hate humanity’s downfalls.  In light of the war that was destroying the world, Americans put all their wisdom and resources into creating this race meant to protect us, but, will their programmed hatred of us be our own undoing?  As Tess falls deeper and deeper into their cruel world, she discovers a conspiracy that will shake the foundation of their world.  What will happen when the truth comes out?

I loved the idea behind the Chosen Ones—I mean, who hasn’t at one time or another, wondered if technology would bring forth the end of humanity?  Am I being melodramatic here?  I’m gonna go with no…after all, if I was the only one who ever ventured into this type of thinking, then we wouldn’t have movies like Terminator or The Matrix, or books like Chosen Ones!!!  Technology is both light and dark; and I love when authors bring forth the darkness that can come from too much power in machines.

But, the themes of science are not the best part of the book.  For me, the best part was the references to Frankenstein.  I might be biased because in my own book that I am currently writing, I also use quotes from Frankenstein.  However, I just love that the parallel is there between the ugly and grotesque monster created by Dr. Frankenstein and the beautiful and strong chosen ones.  They are completely the opposite in every way—Frankenstein’s monster wanted to be gentle, but through difficult circumstances, he was forced to become a monster.  The chosen ones care nothing of gentleness—they are there on a mission and the mission is the only thing that matters.  I loved seeing how the two books relate!

If you’re not a person that likes to dissect the different themes of a book, you will still enjoy this book because the characters are great!  I loved Tess as a heroine—she’s smart and doesn’t take any flack from anyone.  At times Tess is not smart and she finds herself in difficult and dangerous situations—but isn’t that realistic?  We don’t always do the smart thing—many times our emotions guide us, and for Tess, her emotions are her guiding light.  She might try to suppress them and feel nothing because its easier that way, but I think that shows her true feelings and passions even more.  It’s great to watch her grow and learn to love, even when she knows it could bring great pain.

And then there’s James…the blue-eyed, imperfect (because of a small scar) chosen one who will completely steal your heart.  He struggles with his true nature, and he wants more than anything else, not to be Frankenstein’s monster.  The insight we see into him as we get to read his notes on this book are captivating and heart-wrenching.  Plus, I love a guy that fights against his nature!  He’s not your dark, mysterious and hauntingly handsome ya boy.  You know where he stands from the beginning—you see his struggle and his desires all over him, and that just makes me love him more!  He’s a sweet-natured, loving guy who was built to be a killer—I can’t wait to see what happens when he’s pushed to his limits.

The only flaw in the book is that the flow can be slow at times.  Instead of your steady built up to a climax followed by a resolution, there are quite a few up and down moments…more like multiple hills on a roller coaster instead of one big hill.  But, that truthfully didn’t bother me that much.  From other reviews, many people are complaining about the lack of background for why the war started, etc.  That, again, didn’t bother me that much.  I mean, America’s a post-apocalyptic wasteland—and the afterward is where the story lies.  So who cares how it got that way??

Tiffany Truitt created a world where nothing and no one can be trusted—where the future is wasting away and freedom is a relic of the past.  This debut novel is gut-wrenching and heartfelt, and I can’t wait to find out what’s next for Tess and James.  Full of secrets, lies, and betrayal; Tiffany Truitt creates a world where desperate humans become Dr. Frankenstein, creating a monster no one saw coming.

Pretty Amy Blog Tour and Giveaway

Today we have the pleasure of hosting the Pretty Amy Blog Tour from Entangled Publishing.  We have the honor of reading a guest post by Lisa Burstein about her life in high school and how it influenced her book.  We want to thank Lisa for taking the time to give us a little insight into her world.  Don't forget to check out the Rafflecopter below to enter to win an e-copy of Pretty Amy!

Don't forget to check out my review of Pretty Amy here.

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I did not go to my senior prom. I wanted to, desperately, but no one asked me. I had boyfriends in high school, but usually they were younger (juniors when I was a senior) and also not the “prom-going’ type. It's not like one of them would have asked me to my senior prom. I guess I could have asked them, but for some reason that felt wrong to me. I wanted to be asked. During high school I was a girl who acted like she didn't want to go to her prom, to football games, to pep-rallies, but really I did. I just didn't feel welcome at any of those places. I just didn't feel like the other people who were at those places really cared whether I was there or not; so it was easier to HATE all that. Much easier to pretend that I didn't want to belong.

Freshman year I tried my hardest to fit in with these "prom-going" people. These girls who seemed like they had no problems, looked perfect, acted perfect, smelled perfect. I joined the pep-squad. I helped decorate homecoming floats. I joined student council. I was even on the field hockey team (yes I wore a plaid skirt), but I kept feeling like I was just a body. Just a warm pile of skin and bones taking up space around all these people who actually belonged there. No one made me feel like I belonged there. No one made me want to belong there, but I still felt like I should want it. I still tried very hard to be wanted. I still cried in my room at night about why I wasn't wanted.

After months and months of being ignored, of being made to feel like it didn't matter if I existed, the only thing I felt like I could do was HATE. So instead of trying to be friends with them, I hated all of the popular girls. I hated everything they liked. I hated myself. It was easier than getting hurt, over and over and over again. It was better than admitting that I would never fit in with them.

Soon, I found other people who hated and we became friends. We made fun of everything the popular kids did. We hated things together. We hated ourselves together. We smoked and drank and did drugs together because that's what people who hated themselves did. That's what people who hated everything did.
I could ignore wanting to be like everyone else easily because I had other people next to me to make me forget that I had. But that all changed at prom season.

I wanted to wear a pretty dress. I wanted a boy to ask me. I wanted to ride in a limo, but I didn't dare admit any of this because the people who hated would have made fun of me. Would have ostracized me. Would have HATED me.

Since high school I have come to terms with the choices I made. The choices that felt like my only choices at the time. Writing PRETTY AMY helped me deal with these choices and what I missed out on because of them. I hope readers on both sides of the popularity coin will gain a better understanding of each other by reading it. I hope it will help girls like I was understand that other people feel what they feel too and that there are healthier ways to deal with those feelings. But, even though I have come to terms with it, it doesn't mean I wouldn’t have thrown all that away for a chance to be Prom Queen.

It doesn't mean that Amy wouldn't have.

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Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

ARC received from Entangled Publishing

Release Date:  5-8-2012

The Sisters Say:  A candid portrait of a teenager’s painful road to self-discovery

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

Pretty Amy is a heart-breaking tale of a teenager’s struggle to climb herself out of the downward spiral that has landed her at rock bottom.   Lisa Burstein shows us what it’s like to be lonely and then accepted and then outcast and vilified in high school. 

When I first started reading this book, I had a very difficult time getting from one chapter to the next because Amy was so heart-breaking.  She’s shy and insecure and every bit of her self-worth is based upon how other people see her.  She’s an avid smoker and, following her friends, tries to rebel against the normal life that haunts her.  I had a really difficult time relating to Amy because I never got in trouble in high school (my parents were teachers so I steered clear of trouble!), and I loved high school and cheerleading and prom and all the other experiences it had to offer.  With that said, I am glad I finished the book because it did get much better near the end, and I finally had some respect as Amy began to forget about the world and concentrate on herself.

Amy wasn’t the only character that caused high emotions with me­­—there were times I literally wanted to punch her parents (especially her mom) in the face.  And then stomp away, only to return and hit them again!  Being a parent, I tried to imagine myself in their situation—a child in trouble with the police for drugs; but even thinking about that, I was still angry with how her parents responded.  I won’t say any more because I don’t want to spoil it, but let’s just say, high school isn’t the only obstacle with which poor Amy must learn to deal.

So…what did I enjoy about the book?

I love Amy’s sarcastic side—that’s the only part of her that is truly her at the beginning.  She’s smug, smart, and misunderstood; and all of those characteristics come out in her sarcasm.  For example, at one point Amy is talking about her mom, “For Chanukah last year she got me an itchy sweater and Chicken Soup for the Daughter’s Soul.  The inscription read, FYI.”  This is the part of Amy that I enjoyed, and as she grows throughout the novel, we see more and more of the true Amy.

I also really love Joe, Amy’s ex-best friend.  We catch small glimpses of him throughout the novel, and although at times he comes off as a jerk, you can truly see that he has a good heart.  He is the character that brought a smile to my face and kept me waiting for more!  I do wish there would have been more of a romance in the novel because I’m a sucker for romance, and I think it would have given a slight break from the gut-wrenching torment that Amy went through day by day.

Overall, I think many readers will relate to Amy or will recognize a friend in her.  It’s a truly honest depiction of the pains that loneliness and insecurity can create, and how, seeking attention, someone can act out in the worst ways.  While this book wasn’t one of my favorites, I do believe that it will gain a large number of fans who feel for Amy's situation and who can learn from her road to realization.  Plus, the parrot, Amy's pet, is adorable!

Content Warning:  This is for older young adult readers due to drug use and extreme language.