Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray

The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray

ARC received from Spencer Hill Press

Release Date:  October 22, 2013

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  A terrifyingly disturbing story of one man’s love and madness

A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die

Elysian Fields—supposedly the perfect place to hide away from a worldwide epidemic.  But, take a look behind the curtain (or through a crack in a wall), and you will see that this world is the true nightmare.  Mary Gray has created a fantastic, psychotic thriller of a novel.  Think about those creepy scenes in a horror movie---an empty room, pictures falling off the wall, silent—except for the mangled music box slowly playing a childhood favorite in the corner.  You know that feeling you get—that sinking feeling that consumes your and fills you with fear?  That’s this book!!!  It will immediately plunge you into a abyss of perfect terror, and at no point will you ever feel safe again.

I liked “Persephone,” Mary’s main character for the most part.  I thought she was strong and smart, and I admired her for not letting this psychotic yet mesmerizing man tear her apart.  At the same time, I felt like she was very wishy-washy at times.  Her loyalties didn’t mesh with her feelings, and it seemed like, on some level, she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.  She could see Teo’s evil leaking from every pore, but there was a part of her that still wanted him.  This was the part of her that really bugged me.

The best character in this book is, by far, Teo, the villain.  She is so well written that you can hear the inner workings of his twisted mind.  He was completely insane and creepy, yet seductive at the same time.  Not seductive enough for me to like him even an inkling, though.  He is pure evil, and Mary did a great job of showing how madness and intelligence walk the same line.

I loved the literary aspect of this book.  I am a huge fan of tragic love stories, and this novel takes them to a new level.  We see them modernized and manipulated into something twisted and sick.  What an amazing idea and concept!!!  I loved it.

There were some things that bugged me, though.  First off, the description says that Teo is the “older man” who stole her heart.  So, right away, I had this picture of an old guy in my head.  Creepy much.  Teo is actually only 24, so I don’t think they should have described him in that way.  He wasn’t old at all, in fact, he is supposed to be gorgeous—but I had a hard time moving away from the “older man” comment.

The other thing that bugged me was some of the pacing.  I wanted a quicker pace that followed Teo and Persephone a bit more closely.  It wasn’t a slow pace, so don’t think that, but there was just some down times that I wished would speed up.

Overall, this is a great and unique read; and I highly recommend it to fans of tragic love stories, old classics, and creepy psychotic thrillers!

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Blog Tour Schedule and Links

 

The final dates and stops are as follows:

October 8 - Interview (Fantasy Book Addict - Stacey) http://www.fantasybookaddict.com

October 9 - Book Review (Books Live Forever - Jenea) www.booksliveforever.com

October 10 - Interview (Kiki's Bookshelf - Savanna) kikisdreambookshelf.blogspot.com

October 11 - Guest Post (The Bookshelf Sophisticate - Katelyn) http://bookshelfsophisticate.blogspot.com/

October 12 - Interview (Falling for YA - Emily) www.FallingForYA.blogspot.com

October 13 - Book Review (YA Sisterhood - Jennifer) Http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/

October 14 - Interview (Fragments of life - Precious) Shusky20.blogspot.com

October 15 - Guest Post (Two Chicks On Books - Jaime) http://www.twochicksonbooks.com

October 16 - Book Review (Harley Bear Book Blog - Melissa) http://harleybearbookblog.blogspot.com

October 17 - Book Review (Lost in Believing - Alison) http://lostinbelieving.wordpress.com/

October 18 - Guest Post (Jessabella Reads - Jessica)  http://www.jessabellareads.com

October 19 - Book Review (Stuck In YA Books - Amanda) lovesbooksreviews.blogspot.com 

October 20 - Guest Post (The Book Goddess - Jana) http://jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.co.uk/

October 21 - Interview (Swoony Boys Podcast - Meg) http://www.swoonyboyspodcast.com/

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Dollhouse-Asylum-Mary-Gray/dp/1937053644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381076356&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dollhouse+asylum 

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dollhouse-asylum-mary-gray/1113472601?ean=97819370

 

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Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY!: Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hey everyone!  We are SO excited to be hosting the blog tour for Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout today.  JLA is one of our favorite authors, and she never fails to deliver an amazing read.  Apollyon is definitely one of those amazing reads.  If you have not started reading this series, then I implore you to go buy them all RIGHT NOW!  This series is one of my all-time favorites.  It has everything--Greek Gods, Kick Butt Heroine, TWO super steamy guys, and an all-out, action-packed plot.

Want to check out the rest of the tour?  Click here

AND ALSO!  Be sure to enter the giveaway after my review!  It's being hosted by Spencer Hill Press and it's international!  The prize includes a signed copy of Apollyon, signed copy of Elixir, an Apollyon t-shirt and swag!!!

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Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ARC received from Spencer Hill Press

Release Date:  4-9-2013

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Ominous, Overwhelming, and Outright Awesome!

Alex.  Aiden.  Seth.  Their past is keeping them together; their present is holding them hostage; and their future is hanging precariously in the balance.  Oh my gods, Apollyon is the akasha of Covenant novels. 

Darkness and danger have blanketed  Alex and Aiden’s world—a darkness that pulls at Alex from the inside out, and a danger that not even the gods saw coming.  As the shadows descend, everyone will have to make a choice—a choice to stand and fight or turn and run.  Allegiances will be frayed, powers will be harnessed, and love will be tested.

So we have come to that point in this series…you know the one.  The point where you’re scared to read how it all ends because you just don’t see how it can have a happy ending.  So I have this weight on my heart because this is truly one of my favorite series.  I feel like I know Aiden and Alex and Apollo and Marcus and everyone else on a personal level, and it pains me to know what darkness is coming in the fifth and final book.  But, I like that Jennifer has been able to make such an impression with this series.  I felt this way with Harry Potter, too, because I just knew the death toll was going to be high and my heart was going to break.  After reading Apollyon, I have high hopes for Sentinel—and I know it will leave a lasting impression.

Apollyon is much, much darker than the first three books.  I mean, if you’ve read Elixir, then you know the anger and the madness that plagues Alex.  SLIGHT SPOILER:  It’s brutal watching her lose herself and slowly wither away, but fear not!  For Fate has another plan, and she won’t succumb to the madness for long. END SLIGHT SPOILER  I liked the darkness in this book because it was truthful.  The world is at war, and in war, there are casualties.  I really dislike books where there is some type of war and everyone survives (Twilight, cough, cough), and so I was happy that Jennifer didn’t shy away from death.  Her sight was truthful, and though heart-breaking, it added to the tension and danger that was ever-present.

I’ve always liked Alex in the past books because she was such a smart mouth.  Her comebacks and witty jokes always had me cracking a smile, and I love that she can crack the Buffy-esque jokes when she is in danger.  It just gives her this spice that I think adds to the whole Apollyon bit.  Now, there were times when she annoyed me in this book because she got overshadowed by thinking everything was about her.  She was a bit selfish in her thinking that everyone was fighting to save her, not the millions of other lives at stake.  So for the first time in this series, I was actually bothered a bit by her, but still her strengths definitely outweighed the selfishness, and I still enjoy her more than most heroines.

And of course you want to know about Aiden, right?  Gosh, he is just the best!  He is my absolute favorite book boyfriend—strong and confident, jealous at just the right times, sexy as hell and not afraid to act on his feelings, and genuinely over-protective to a fault.  He’s perfect.  We get to see all these best parts of Aiden in this one, and lots of steamy scenes that will have you blushing and envious!  Hey Jennifer---I’m dying for some Aiden POV scenes…pretty, pretty please!  For Seth fans out there…unfortunately there isn’t much of him in this one.  That didn’t bother me, though, because I have an insane urge to kick him really hard where it really hurts.

What surprised me in this book was that my favorite part was APOLLO!  I don’t know how many times I laughed out loud at Apollo’s actions or words.  For example, at one point he calls Hermes a “punk ass bitch.”  I could just see the gods getting in petty fights where they call each other names and then get angry and start hurling balls of fire and what not—all because someone was acting like a little b***.  Plus, he always shows up at the most awkward of moments, and that just cracks me up even more.  It’s like he’s chilling out in Invisible Land and then right when he sees the most intimate or embarrassing of moments—Poof!  Hello Apollo.  Be prepared to laugh your butt off at this god!

Jennifer L. Armentrout is amazing.  Her words glide effortlessly from page to page, and you will feel as if you are catapulted right into the middle of the raging war.  Alex, Aiden, and Seth are about to find themselves in a stand-off.  There will be no more sitting around waiting to die or waiting to live.  The wait is over.  The end is here.  Worlds are about to collide.

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I guess you want your letter, huh?  Well, here goes:

 

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

Hey everyone!  Today we have the pleasure of hosting the Touch of Death Blog Tour!!!  Check out my review below, and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter for the giveaway!

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

ARC received from Spencer Hill Press

Release Date:  January 15, 2013

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Intense and Romantic

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

I was so excited to start reading Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway.  From the blurb, I knew it would have everything I loved:

Mythology—Check

Sexy, mysterious guy—Check

Girl with strange powers—Check

My Fave Greek God, Hades—Check

Throw all these together with Medusa looming overhead, and you have Kelly’s book.

I will admit, it did take me a while to get into the book.  For the first 100 pages, the writing was choppy—simple sentence after simple sentence.  There were times I had to re-read sentences because they didn’t flow well, and that put a real damper on a fun idea.  Add to that that there was an abundance of telling with very little showing, and it made for a rough start.  However, after those initial 100 pages, the writing smoothed out and the romance and suspense took off, leaving me wanting to know what was going to happen next.

My favorite part of the story was how Medusa fit into the plot.  I can’t think of another mythology book out there that focuses on Medusa or her descendants, so this was completely new for me; and I enjoyed seeing a different character in Greek mythology emerge.  While we learn a bit about Medusa’s past and her descendants, there is still plenty to learn in the next book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Jodi was an up and down main character for me.  There were times when I really liked her perseverance and her get-out-of-my-face attitude.  She wasn’t the type of person to back down, and her strength really shows in her actions.  While her attitude and strength were great attributes, I felt like there were times when she was a bit daft.  I mean, how many people have to die right after she sees them for her to start wondering what the heck is going on?  If that were happening to me, I’d definitely start to wonder, “Why me?”  Now, of course, I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that my blood was poison, but I wouldn’t think that it was all coincidence either.  Jodi seems to not even notice the strangeness of it all until it is pointed out to her.  I’m hoping that she will become more aware and quick-witted in the next book.

And, as always, I must talk about the guy.  Alex—good-looking, mysterious, powerful.  Just the way I like them, and what makes him even better?  I know he’s hiding something.  Why does this make him better, you ask?  I don’t know…but there’s just something sexy about a YA guy with secrets.  You can think I’m weird, go ahead—but if it weren’t so sexy, it wouldn’t be done over and over again.  Am I right?  You bet your butt I am!!!  Alex has his jerky moments, but there are plenty of swoon-worthy ones, too.  Here’s to hoping we can get a few sizzling scenes in book 2 (because I need way more than there were in this one).

Overall, I enjoyed Touch of Death once I got into the story and past the writing flaws.  It was suspenseful and sexy, and I am really interested in how Jodi handles Hades in the future.  Oh, and Hades is hot—so yay!  Hades is by far my favorite Greek God (dark and uber-powerful---yeah!), so I am really looking forward to seeing more of him!!!

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DEITY by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany

The Sisters Say: Delicious. Delightful. TO DIE FOR. 

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. 
If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome. 
But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. 
Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH MMMMYYYY LLLLOOOORRRRDDDDD…… Deity.

I’ll try to keep this review spoiler-free. But that means it may be a whole lot of what you see above. J

I received an ARC of Deity at ALA Annual. I received so many amazing ARCS that week courtesy of so many amazing publishers, but the very first ARC I picked up to read was DEITY.

And do you know what?

BEST. CHOICE. EVER.

I am in awe of this book and of Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Those of you who have been around the blog for a while, know our love for JLA. We adore each of Jennifer’s books. But DEITY might be the best one of them all! 

This book has everything you could possibly want—romance, action, suspense, and some killer plot twists. And beyond that—Jenn has a gift for writing compelling and interesting characters that we can’t help but adore.

Alex is as awesome as always—witty and strong and passionate. And in this book—she’s dealing with some pretty heavy things, namely the prospect of Awakening and what that means for her. Will she lose her own identity and will? Can she trust her own emotions about Seth or is that a by-product of the bond? She’s dealing with the fallout from that certain death in PURE, and there’s the entire situation with Aiden. Girl has got A LOT going on. It’s so fascinating to watch the way she handles these complex situations. Sometimes she’s her normal, bad A self. Other times there’s a vulnerability that we haven’t gotten to see from her very much so far.

I feel like DEITY is a book of breaking points.

There’s so much tension in this series—both relationship and plot based. And in Deity—several things (ahhh… soo vague :D) reach that point where they cannot be ignored any longer. They must be dealt with. And that sets events in motion that will keep your eyes glued to this book until it’s over.

So many HUGE things happen in this book that there is definitely NO GOING BACK. Not for Alex. Not for Aiden. Not for Seth. Not for any Pures or Halfbloods.

Seriously.

There’s no other way to tell you how epic this book is except to say that EVERYTHING CHANGES.

JLA is definitely not resting on her laurels with this one. She doesn’t pull any punches. There are twists and emotional upheavals and moments that will make you scream (in excitement, fear, and surprise—sometimes all three at once).

One of my favorite things about this book (besides Alex, Aiden, and Seth) was that we get to know the gods so much more in this installment. I won’t tell you which gods we get to meet, but there are several, and each one is pretty freaking awesome.

Like I said earlier—JLA is a master of tension, especially of the sexual variety. And this book is no exception. And just when you think you’re going to get a break, something crazy happens that ratchets up the tension even more.

I was on the edge of my seat for this book, and when I wasn’t reading, it was all I could think about.

I’m struggling to further express my love for this book without giving any spoilers away.

So I’ll leave with a couple bold, but vague statements.

1. DEITY IS THE BEST JLA BOOK SO FAR! Yep. I said it. I LOVED IT THAT MUCH.

2. DEITY IS THE BEST BOOK I’VE READ IN MONTHS. POSSIBLY ALL YEAR.

3. DEITY HAS A TWIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOOK THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. I’M TALKING EPIC PROPORTIONS HERE.

4. DEITY HAS SEXY TIMES. (that’s all I’m saying about that. I know some of you are like WHAT? Sexy times and it’s NUMBER FOUR on your list? :D )

5. OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE ONLY ON BOOK THREE OF THIS SERIES, BUT I’M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE MY NEW FAVORITE SERIES, SECOND ONLY TO HARRY POTTER, WHICH IS MORE LIKE A LIFESTYLE ANYWAY.

Have I convinced you yet? Are you salivating over this book? Screaming because you don’t have it?

Good. :D

Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books are best served with a side of tension anyway.

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Spencer Hill Press
September 18, 2012
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say:  Clever, Captivating and Contagious

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.
Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?
But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

Are you ready for another kick-butt heroine, hunky boy, and action packed story from Jennifer L. Armentrout?  Well, here is another one!  JLA, once again, delivers her legendary snark, tension, and angst that accompanies all of her novels.

Ember has the touch of death.  Everything she touches withers and dies.  Teenage years are not fun anyway, but if you add in the fact that your touch brings death, then life just plain stinks.  Life doesn't get any better from there either. Ember is raising her much younger sister alone, since her father was killed in a car accident, and her mother has never been the same since.  Through it all though, Ember is strong.  She's amazing and still has an unbelievable capacity to love even after all life has thrown at her.  She is cut from the same stock as Katie and Alex.  Jennifer knows how to create heroines that readers love, cheer for, and dream about becoming!

JLA has already given us Aiden and Deamon and now meet, Hayden!  I think I will forever have a love of boys that end with N!  Hayden is protective, smoldering, and just pure sweetness!  There are some cabin scenes in there ladies, while he is training Ember, that will just make you melt into a big puddle of mushiness!  I must mention that he is lots of broken, and yes, he had me at broken.  He has a heartbreaking history and not to mention some crazy powers that when combined together lead to fireworks!  And of course, like all good heroines, Ember must step in to help him heal that brokenness.  And no one does broken boys and their girlfriends like JLA!

Cursed is also loaded with action, and it doesn't stop until the last page.  Between training to control Ember's powers, the other talented teens, and the evil forces at work you will not be left wanting for action.  The ending had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails until I read the last sentence!  

I do have to mention, but only really quickly that some of my favorite YA books of all time are JLA's Covenant and Lux novels.  They are just some of the best books out there.  And, I do like them more than Cursed (for all those asking which I liked better), but JLA still delivers everything she does so well in this book also.  If you are tried and true fan of Jennifer, then you will not be disappointed!  I found myself saying several times through this novel, "This is why I love JLA so much!!!"  No one writes YA like she does!!!

Cursed has a great romance, and I would say that it's safe for the younger YA crowd.  Her other two series are definitely on the more mature side of YA, but parents looking for their younger teens are good to go with this one.  I would still of course always encourage parents to read these books first and decide for yourself what is appropriate for your teen.  Trust me though, you will like these books too!

Jennifer L. ArmenTourney: Grande Finale Alex vs Daemon

**click on the pic above to visit other Pure Blog Tour stops**

And the winner is....

Daemon!!!

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 10th and close at 8PM CST on April 13th. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

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Holy gods and aliens Batman!!! The finale is here, and it is BRUTAL!!! I'm completely torn as to whom to chose, one of the best heroines of all time or one of the hottest crushes in all YA bookdom!  If you haven't read either of these series, then for shame for shame!  You need to rectify that immediately!  All of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books are blow-me-away, wonderful!  Trust me you will never regret reading one of her books!  For those of you who haven't read one or both or just need a refresher, here are some short little bios.

Alexandria, Alex for short, the protagonist of the Covenant series, was born a Half-Blood but finds out that she is actually the 2nd of 2 Apollyons.  In modern day history there has never been 2 Apollyons, so she is extremely rare.  And as legend says, 2 apollyons does not bode well for the Covenant.  Alex has bravely faced every challenge that has been tossed her way, some so harrowing that even the greatest of mythological heroes would have turned back.  She is caught in a love triangle of epic proportions between Seth and Aiden in which many of JLA's readers would gladly take her place!

Daemon is from JLA's Lux series.  He's a triplet along with Dee and Dawson.  Not only does Daemon happen to be an alien, but he is possibly the most powerful of all the aliens, and there is an evil group of aliens out to steal his powers.  He's snarky, rude, uncommonly gorgeous, and has wall up around his heart the size of The Great Wall of China.  Katy manages to start knocking down this great wall slowly but surely, but even with Daemon's wall crumbling, their love is still forbidden.  The ulitmate of all bad boy boyfriends and a forbidden romance pretty makes this alien irresistable!

So after all that, best of luck in your decision on who should be crowned our favorite Jennifer L. Armentrout character!  Let the pain begin!

Jennifer L. ArmenTOURNEY Match #11 & #13

**click on the pic above to visit other Pure Blog Tour stops**

And the winners are...

Alex and Daemon!

(Should be an interesting finale, huh, guys? Bad@$$ Heroine vs. Bad Boy love interest. Whose side will you be on?)

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 7th and close at 8PM CST on April 9th. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

**The winner of these matches will face the other in the Ulitmate Covenant vs Lux Showdown next week!**

Match #11:  Alex (Seed #2) vs Seth (Seed #3)

Okay, here we go!  Let's find out who is going to rule this match between the two Apollyons!  Both are worthy, both are powerful, and both are so fan-freakin'-tastic!  As you probably know, Alex and Seth are both from JLA's Covenant Series.  Alexandria, Alex for short, the protagonist of the series, was born a Half-Blood but finds out that she is actually the 2nd of 2 Apollyons.  In modern day history there has never been 2 Apollyons, so she is extremely rare.  And as legend says, 2 apollyons does not bode well for the Covenant.  Alex has bravely faced every challenge that has been tossed her way, some so harrowing that even the greatest of mythological heroes would have turned back.  She is caught in a love triangle of epic proportions between Seth and Aiden in which many of JLA's readers would gladly take her place!  

Seth is the uber-strong Apollyon who is able to control the four elements:  earth, wind, water, and fire.  But, he doesn't stop there--he is the only one who can control a fifth element--akasha, which can only be described as a lightning bolt coming from his oh-so-masculine hands.  He is arrogant to a fault, and as a result, he thinks he's, we'll say Zeus's gift, to all women.  Because Alex will end up being the 2nd Apollyon, Seth has a very strong connection to her--both physical and emotional.  He's tempermental, saucy, and has the kind of charm that radiates sexiness.  If Seth were in our world--he'd be the oh-so-sexy guy who told your parents that "My girl doesn't have a curfew," and then with a tough "vroom," you'd jump on the back of his motorcyle and take off (fearing exactly what your parents were going to say when you returned).  In the coming novels, I have a feeling everything between Alex and Seth is about to explode into all out chaos, the good or the bad kind is yet to be determined!  Good luck chosing who should win, but these girl's right here, have no idea!!!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #13: Daemon (Seed #1) vs Dee (Seed #3)

Daemon and Dee, the siblings that we have all come to love so dearly!  All the girls want Dee for their best friend and Daemon for their boyfriend!  This is going to be one painful match!  If you don't know who Daemon and Dee are, here's a little info on them.  both represent JLA's Lux Series.  Both are uncommonly good looking aliens that have all kinds of awesome powers.  All of the aliens from this series are born into triplets including, Daemon, Dawson and Dee are one set of triplets.  Daemon out of all the aliens on earth is currently the most powerful.  He comes across as harsh and mean, but it's only to protect his family.  He is Katy's love interest in Obsidian even though he never wanted to be involved with a human.  It's the ultimate of all forbidden romances, that will make you fall hard for this hero!  Oh yeah, and did we mention he is super, extraordinarily, swoon-worthy!

Dee immediately befriends Katy, and soon becomes her best friend, despite Daemon's futile attempts to pull them apart.  Dee is in an on-again, off-again relationship with Adam, one of the Lux who seems to be more tolerable towards humans.  She is by far the friendliest of all the Lux, and she whole-heartedly defends Katy to all the other Lux.  She's beautiful and has a fantastic sense of fashion.  Dee's the girl that you want to be your college roomate, your maid of honor and your wedding, and the one beside you if you ever get mugged!  We love both Daemon and Dee so much and hate to see either of them go, so we wish you the best of luck in your voting decision!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Teaser Tuesday: Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen

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 two (2) "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!) 

Today's Teaser Tuesday is from Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen, published by Spencer Hill Press! So far, I'm loving the imagery and the imagination of this book! 

Life can't get much better for Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a professional football player. every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until his championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer.Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot.As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind

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"I am the one who is responsible for feeling the small ripples in the Veil when young sorcerers have their first grips... You, my young entity, created a tidal wave." -Pg. 56

"Imagination is both cradle and grave to power. She is a cycle. She is whole." -pg. 69

"Family is family; that will never change even when the world changes you." -pg 70 (LOVE THIS QUOTE). 

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I'm still in the middle of this book, review to come soon, but so far I'd recommend it for fans of fantasy, in particular what is often considered "boy books." It feels in the same vein as Harry Potter and The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima (both of which, rock)!

Teaser Tuesday: Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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 two (2) "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!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date:  October 18, 2010

Published by: Spencer Hill Press

"I really wished he'd let go of my arm, because his fingers dug into my skin and something...something else was happening.  I felt it move inside me, twisting and wrapping itself through my core, and with each coil I knew it was linking us together." (ARC p. 186)

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Stay tuned for a review of this amazing book later this week!  Add this to your TBR!  It is an addicting read that you do not want to miss!!!