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!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday: Venom by Fiona Paul

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!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Venom by Fiona Paul
Published by Philomel/Penguin
On Shelves Now!

 

"Falco shook his head. 'How terrible it must be to be a member of the noble class.  So many rules.  Such restraint.  You must feel like a caged bird, battering its wings against the sides of its golden prison."  ARC, pg 71

 

"Falco turned around and gave Cass a look that chilled her.  'Don't ask questions,' he said, 'and I'll tell you no lies.'" ARC, pg 151

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

First off, I love this cover!!!  The purple mask is gorgeous, and I love it against the gold script.  I just finished this book two days ago, and I am so ready for the next book (Belladonna) to come out!  This one started off a little slow, I will admit; but once I was about 100 pages into it, I couldn't put it down!!  I really enjoyed Falco, and his witty and cavalier attitude.

 

I would definitely recommend this to fans of historical romance!

 

AVOW by Chelsea Fine Sneak Peek

Check out the SNEAK PEEK from...

AVOW
Archers of Avalon, Book Three

*****

 

CHAPTER 1

Scarlet had her memories back, which meant two things.

She knew where the Fountain of Youth was. 

And she was mad at Tristan.

Still clutching a bloodstained knife in her hand, she marched through the graveyard and glanced over her shoulder at the green-eyed boy she’d loved for centuries. “By the way, you suck.”

“Wow,” he said.

“I can’t believe you tried to kill yourself.”

“I was trying to keep you alive.”

“Agh. Spare me your sacrificial agenda.” Another memory hit her and she turned to face him, her blood boiling. “And you let me wander around with amnesia for two years before meeting me?”

He opened his mouth, but Scarlet cut him off. “And then you let me date Gabriel? What the hell, Tristan?”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “First of all, I was supposed to die. So I didn’t think intervening in your love life was any of my business. Gabriel made you feel happy and safe and I wasn’t about to screw that up for you. And second,” he raised his voice over the protest on Scarlet’s lips, “the reason I didn’t ‘meet’ you for two years was because I didn’t think I’d be able to follow through with killing myself if you and I were, you know…pals.” His eyes glinted.

She scowled. “Well that was selfish of you.” Turning, she resumed her walk through the dark cemetery.

“You think I was selfish?” Scarlet could almost hear his jaw drop as he followed behind her. “You’re the one who shut everyone out. You’re the one who kept secrets and stole stuff and ran away—“

“I had to run away,” she snapped.

His voice rumbled in anger. “Did you have to die too?”

Spinning around to face him—again—Scarlet met his hard eyes in the darkness. “I wasn’t trying to die.”

“But you did,” he said coldly.

They stared at each other for a moment, heartbreak colliding in the space between them. Because of her connection to him, Scarlet could feel the hurt and fear pulsing through his veins as his eyes traced over her in the moonlight.

But she could also feel the love heating his core as he took her in. And it was the love—that undying fire that blazed in him and burned through her—that stole her words away as she looked at him.

He was so beautiful. Even standing in a graveyard, covered in dirt and blood, he was striking. His dark hair fell wild around his face and his green eyes shone in the moonlight.

A shiver of desire ran through him--or was it her?--and Scarlet clenched the knife in her hand so she wouldn't do something stupid. Like crush her mouth to his and claw at his clothes until there was nothing between them but heat and skin. But that would, of course, lead to death.

Everything always led to death.

Tristan softened his voice as he scanned her face. “What happened in your last life, Scar? What are you hiding?” 

Scarlet's chest tightened at his question.

Millions of Avalon stars winked from above and reminded her of a time when she and Tristan spent their days in the trees and everything was fair; everything was simple.

Nothing was simple anymore.

He tilted his head and repeated,"What are you hiding, Scar?"

She could feel his heartbeat echoing inside her soul; powerful and constant, as his emotions swam into her.

Patience... Love... Worry...

Could she tell him the truth about the fountain? The whole truth?

The truth that would undo any hope they had of a happy ending?

She opened her mouth—

“Holy crap! Did you guys see that?” Nate jogged up to them with a knife in his hand, a grin on his face, and a trickle of blood running down his neck. “I totally kicked Ashman ass over there! I was all like hi-ya and you wanna piece of me? I was a super slayer! Buffy’s got nothing on me.”

Scarlet shut her mouth and shifted away from Tristan’s searching eyes as Nate continued.

“It was life and death out there, guys. Life and death. They just kept coming at me and I just kept putting them down.” Nate took a moment to catch his breath. “I mean, sure, I screamed like a girl a few times and accidently stabbed myself at the beginning, but still. I feel amazing! For the first time in five hundred years I feel alive.”

Moving his gaze away from Scarlet, Tristan eyed Nate's neck. “You’re bleeding.”

Nate touched his wound and drew back bloody fingers. “I’m bleeding. Haha! I have a battle wound. Oh, this is so awesome.” Tucking his knife into his waistband with a smile, he looked around. “Where’s everyone else?”

Scarlet’s stomach churned as reality whooshed in and slapped her in the face. “Raven kidnapped Heather.” Saying it out loud had emotion crawling up her throat.

Nate’s face fell. “What?”

With a deep breath, Scarlet summed up the evening’s events. “Raven is actually Clare—Heather’s boss at the coffee shop—not Laura. Laura was working for Raven, but Raven killed her and dumped her body in a grave—”

Ohmygoodness. Laura was really dead.

Scarlet blinked.

My guardian is dead.

More emotion wiggled up her throat and she quickly swallowed, trying to keep her focus on the things at hand.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Then Raven had an Ashman kick the crap out of me so she could kidnap Heather and hold her ransom for the map to the fountain. And the lifeforce between Tristan and I shifted. So I can still feel his emotions, but he can’t feel mine anymore.”

Thank God.

If Tristan were still able to sense her, he’d know she was freaking out. Not just about Heather or Laura. But about the fountain and what finding it would mean.

A sick feeling swirled inside her gut.

“And because the lifeforce shifted, Scarlet now has her memories back,” Tristan added, sliding his eyes to her.

Nate blinked. “What? I go slaying for ten minutes and I miss everything—wait.” His eyes shot to Scarlet. “Does that mean you know where the fountain is?”

Scarlet hesitated.

It was decision time.

No truth? The whole truth? A vague truth?

“Yes,” she said, going with vague. It was always safer to start vague. “But we need to rescue Heather before we do anything else.”

Her heart started to hammer at the thought of her happy friend being held hostage by a vengeful witch with a drug problem. So many things could go wrong.

So many things already had.

Nate nodded. “Did you see which direction Raven took her?”

Looking around the cemetery, Scarlet shook her head and let out a groan of frustration as guilt swamped her soul. “This is all my fault. I should have stayed by Heather’s side. I should have protected her.”

Tristan scanned the premises. His coat was sliced open in several places and dark splotches of blood slowly seeped through the shredded fabric of the black T-shirt he wore beneath.

His immortal body wasn’t healing like it should, which meant his wounds had been inflicted with Bluestone weapons.

Not good.

“Dude.” Nate caught sight of Tristan’s injuries. “Are you okay?”

Tristan looked down at his stained clothes and shrugged as if the slashes in his skin were more of a nuisance than anything else. “I’m fine. The cuts are shallow. Where’s Gabriel?”

Scarlet furrowed her brow. “He came with me to the coffee shop, but he was gone when I came out. He wasn’t with you guys?”

They shook their heads and worry crept through Scarlet’s veins.

“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” Tristan looked calm as he glanced around, but Scarlet could feel concern coiling inside his chest. “Why don’t you two go look for him at The Millhouse and I’ll search the rest of the graveyard.”

Scarlet nodded.

Good plan.

Split up. Find Gabriel. Rescue Heather.

And stay away from the fountain.

Okay, that last part might be difficult since Amnesia Scarlet spilled the beans about the freaking map, but whatever. She could still throw them off. She could lie.

She’d been lying for years.

As Scarlet and Nate headed out of the cemetery, Tristan walked deeper into its shadowy depths. Distant music from the ongoing Avalon carnival drifted through the night air, making the wind sound eerily happy as it wrapped around headstones and swept through Scarlet’s hair.

Putting her knife away, she rubbed her head where it still throbbed from the blow Raven had dealt her with the business end of a crossbow.

One more reason to hate the crazy witch.

Everything was so screwed up—

A sharp pain darted up Scarlet’s body and twisted around her insides with liquid fire until she doubled over. Sinking to the ground, Scarlet clutched her chest and stomach, afraid her skin might split open and empty her insides all over the grass. She tried to suck in air, but her lungs wouldn’t work.

Nate dropped down beside her with terror in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

The fire turned to ice and wrapped around her organs and bones, squeezing without mercy. Scarlet couldn’t help but cry out loud.

“Tristan!” Nate called, checking her pulse before pulling at the skin beneath her eyes to check their color.

Usually when Scarlet felt pain of any sort it was because her heart was failing. And when her heart started to fail, her eyes would glow and her nose would bleed. But this didn’t feel like heart failure.

This felt like something else entirely.

She squeezed her eyes shut and grimaced until the agony started to subside. Her muscles loosened, her lungs started to expand, and soon Scarlet wasn’t hurting anymore.

Out of pain, but still very confused, she opened her eyes to find Tristan crouched beside her.

His green eyes were glowing into the night as panic oozed from his pores. “What just happened?” He searched her face.

Good question.

Scarlet rubbed her chest to make sure all her insides were where they were supposed to be. Yep. Still in one piece.

Phew.

“She just collapsed in pain.” Nate turned his eyes from Scarlet to Tristan. “Dude. You need to calm down. Your eyes are super green.”

Tristan rubbed a hand over his mouth, still looking at Scarlet. “It must be the transition. Maybe when the curse shifted we switched places, putting Scarlet in pain without me, just like I used to be in pain when I was without her.”

Well crap.

That would suck.

“I guess that would make sense.” Nate scratched the back of his head. “Especially since her pain went away when you walked back over to us.”

Scarlet stood from the ground and brushed the cemetery grass off her pants as Tristan and Nate rose to stand beside her.

A surge of guilt rolled through Tristan and Scarlet hurried to reassure him. “I’m fine now—”

“You’re not fine,” he snapped. “You fell to the ground in pain when I was only thirty feet away from you.”

Yeah.

That was weird.

Nate pressed a finger to his lips. “If the lifeforce reversed your roles—”

“Oh no.” Scarlet’s eyes widened as the possibility sank in. “If our roles have been reversed, does that mean my touch can make Tristan sick? My touch can kill him?”

She took a step away from Tristan and felt his pounding heartbeat soften. Stepping back up to him, the pounding resumed. “Oh no. No, no—”

“Okay. Don’t freak out.” Nate held a hand up.

Too late.

“His heart responds to my nearness.” Scarlet shook her head as her chest tightened in despair. “No, no, no.”

This couldn’t be happening.

“So it appears the curse has shifted,” Nate said calmly. “We can handle this.” He held up a calm hand to match his calm face and calm eyes as he looked at her. “All we need to do is make sure you two stay within close range of one another so you don’t writhe in pain, but far enough away so Tristan doesn’t, you know, die.” He shrugged. “Easy. We’ll just reenact the ten-foot rule between you guys.”

Nate stared at them. Waiting.

“What?” Tristan said.

Nate rolled his eyes and thrust his hands in between Scarlet and Tristan, pushing their bodies away from one another. “Ten feet. There you go. Now let’s go find Gabriel so we can get our Heather rescue on. Then we can finally find the Fountain of Youth and cure everyone of this God-forsaken and completely obnoxious curse.” Turning, he headed down the street toward the Millhouse.

Scarlet and Tristan slowly followed after him in stunned silence. 

She was killing Tristan with her very presence.

Glancing at him under the yellow glow of the streetlamps, Scarlet ran her eyes along his profile as he stared forward with a clenched jaw. He was fierce. He was patient. He was everything she loved.

And he was dying.

Divulging the truth about the Fountain of Youth was no longer an option. Tristan’s life was at stake.

To hell with happily ever after.

Available December 11th! 

Grab the first two books in the Archers of Avalon series!

ANEW (book one)          AWRY (book two)
Kindle  Paperback  Nook           Kindle  Paperback  Nook

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Hover by Melissa West

Hey everyone!!!!  Today, we are super duper excited to be a part of the Hover cover reveal!!!  I just recently read Gravity, and I really enjoyed it!  It was action-oriented with a sweet romance, and I can't wait to see what happens next!  (Especially after Gravity's ending!)

You can read my review of Gravity here and while you're there, be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY to win an ecopy of the book!!!  AND be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to win a paperback of Gravity!  TWO CHANCES TO WIN!!!!  Does this day rock or what??

So....without futher ado!

 

Stay tuned in the coming months for the official blurb and trailer.

 

***************************************

 

Pre-order Buy links:

Amazon-http://www.amazon.com/Hover-The-Taking-Melissa-West/dp/1620610930/

BN.com-No link yet

Chapters-http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Hover-Melissa-West/9781620610930-item.html

Book Depository- http://www.bookdepository.com/Hover-Melissa-West/9781620610930

Melissa’s links:

Website-http://www.melissawestauthor.com/

Blog-http://m-b-west.blogspot.com/

Twitter-https://twitter.com/MB_West

Facebook-http://www.facebook.com/MelissaWestAuthor

Goodreads-http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5287439.Melissa_West

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrate 10 Years of Coraline!!!

I first read Coraline by Neil Gaiman 5 years ago, and it is one of those books that has stuck with me ever since.  I even used it in my classroom every year around Halloween because my students (7th and 8th graders) loved taking a break from the AP level books to read something fun and easy.  Neil Gaiman's characters are eerie and fabulous--leaping off the page into your imagination. 

And now it's the 10 year anniversary of this wonderfully creepy story!  So, to celebrate, Neil Gaiman plus your favorite authors have come together to read Coraline in its entirety!

What authors, you ask?

Neil Gaiman
Lemony Snicket
Natashya Hawley
Neal Shusterman
Adam Rex
Melissa Marr
Lauren Oliver
Cassandra Clare
R.L. Stine
Holly Black
John Hodgman
And MORE!!!!

Want to read along?  Be sure to check out the website here



Archer's of Avalon Series by Chelsea Fine Extravaganza

Archer's of Avalon Series by Chelsea Fine

Anew (click for review), Awry, and Avow (coming Dec. 11th)

Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)

Sister's Say: This Series is Amazing, Arresting and Utterly Addicting

First up, my review of Awry:  (THIS IS A REVIEW OF BOOK 2, I'VE TRIED TO KEEP IT AS SPOILER FREE AS POSSIBLE, BUT SOMETIMES THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE IN A 2ND BOOK REVIEW.  PROCEED WITH CAUTION)

Sometimes love is meant to be. But sometimes...love is the death of you....

Seventeen-year-old Scarlet has just died. Only, dying isn't unusual for a girl under a centuries old curse that left her semi-immortal.

This time, though, she comes back to her current life instead of awaking in a new one, and she realizes the curse is changing. Together with the immortal Archer brothers, Scarlet must piece together her life and try to break the curse before her impending death comes again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I can't believe I am saying this because I loved Anew so much, but Awry is even better!  Everything I loved about Anew still holds true in Awry, but we just get a deeper look.  You know that crazy, heartbreaking, soul shattering cliffhanger that was Anew?!?!  Well, Chelsea more than makes up for the damage she caused to us with the secrets she reveals in Awry.  I just thought I loved Tristan in book 1, but let me tell you, he will steal your heart away in book 2.  And, I am totally fine with him keeping it and doing whatever he pleases with it.

Awry picks up exactly after the cliffhanger of Anew leaves off.  History has repeated itself once again (you know what that means if you have read book 1), but things are changing.  The curse does not seem to be the same.  Change is scary especially if it deals with eternity.  Everything they thought they knew about the curse can no longer be trusted.  So, the gang all has to work together to research what this all could possibly mean.  Plus, with the Scarlet's eyes flashing even earlier this time, time is of the essence.  Nothing throughout the hundreds of years of their lives so far, has ever been as important as finding an end to the curse.  I was literally on the edge of my seat, pleading with Scarlet to remember important details from her past.  I felt like there was an hourglass sitting right beside me, as I read.  The closer I got to the end of the book, the faster the sand drained away.  My blood pressure still hasn't recovered!

Hands down, the best part of this book was the flashbacks.  It was honestly like 2 books in one.  Every other chapter took place in the 1500's chronicling the the first time Scarlet met Tristan and Gabriel.  I would have been totally fine with an entire book just written about this time.  Chelsea should seriously think about writing historical fiction.  It was brilliant!  How amazing it was to see their first meetings and watch them fall in love from the beginning.  All I kept thinking is they have been watching Scarlet die for almost 500 years.  I can't imagine what it must be like to watch someone you love die over and over and being helpless to stop it. 

Tristan, Tristan, Tristan...oh my word or should I say "Hunter"!!!  Tristan was such a mystery in Anew, but I was just drawn to him.  He brings broken, bad boy to a whole new level.  The inner pain that radiates off him is off the charts!  And ladies, if you loved Tristan now, wait until you get to know him better!  He is un-freakin-believable!!!  There is no one on the face of this earth that can read Awry and not fall in love with him.  Also, what is hotter than a guy that can shoot a bow and arrow? Nothing, I tell you, nothing!  I just have no words to describe him.  Everyone just has to trust me and read this!

I love this series!  Archer's of Avalon has everything; medieval history, ancient curses, witches, archers, immortality, destiny and a story that holds you at the edge of your seat.  It's YA literature at it's best!  

For parents or anyone else concerned with content.  I would say it's safe for all young adults.  There is some kissing and some violence.  If you want more details you can ask in the comments or email me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AVOW TRAILER and GIVEAWAY

(the final book in the Archers of Avalon series)
Available December 11th

Video Trailer Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Nameless (Tales of Beauty and Madness) by Lili St. Crow

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is NAMELESS by Lili St.Crow.  NAMELESS releases on April 4, 2013 from Razorbill.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

 

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Another fairytale retelling!  Yay!  I haven't read one in book form yet, but I have seen quite a few that come out in 2013 that look great.  Nameless is one on the top of that list for me!  I can't wait to meet Cami and Tor and see what secrets they are both keeping.

 

Plus, the cover is gorgeous!!!!!  It's eye-catching and gothic--absolutely gorgeous!

 

Teaser Tuesday: Altered by Jennifer Rush

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!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Altered by Jennifer Rush
Published by:  Little Brown BFYR
Release Date:  1-2-2013

"'Hope is a waking dream.'  I let the words echo in my head.  The quore reminded me of that feeling you get when you start to wake from a dream you don't want to leave.  That crushing sensation in the center of your chest, like you are losing an important piece of yourself you won't ever get back." ARC, pg 115

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I loved this book so much!  It was one of those that I HAD to read in one sitting because I refused to put it down.  It had it all--action, intrigue, romance, murder, and mystery!  It's the best book I've read in the last few months! 

So go pre-order it today!!!

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Gravity by Melissa West

Gravity by Melissa West

eARC received from Entangled Publishing

Release Date: December 18

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Gripping and Grostesque--with a touch of romance!

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.

I had been looking forward to reading Gravity since I first read the blurb months and months ago.  The concept was new and refreshing, and I couldn’t wait to dig into Jackson’s secrets!  Now that I have read it, I will say—his secrets are definitely worth reading!  Adventurous and romantic, Gravity will lift your off your feet and send your soaring through a broken world teetering on the brink of destruction. 

The world building was my favorite part of this book.  Earth has been ravaged by war after war, to the point where nothing grows naturally any more.  As a result, humans had to reach out to the Ancients to try and bring the Earth and its resources back to life.  I found the new government interesting—how the future seemed to bleed back into the past where family lineage was the way to power; yet the technology was much more advanced than our own.  Prejudice and poverty are rife, and those in power seek to obtain perfection. 

I found Ari to be a kick butt heroine, even though she was daft at times.  Her father is one of the most powerful people in this dystopian world, and he is in charge of the safety of the citizens.  Since power is handed down through families, this makes Ari the next in line to be the sort of supreme commander.  She has ninja skills that would make Jackie Chan look twice, and she doesn’t give in to pain and vulnerability.  I liked that strength about her, and I liked that she also had a mind of her own.  She wasn’t brainwashed like you would think many who have been indoctrinated to believe something would be; instead, she looks at the evidence, weighs the consequences, and then chooses what she thinks is best for the world.  The only thing that bugged me at times is she seemed to be clueless when it comes to relationships.  There were things that she didn’t understand that were right in front of her, and that made me want to smack her at points.

Don’t. Ever. Peak.

But with Jackson Locke?  That’s just not possible!  He’s gorgeous—sculpted and made to look like the perfect human being, but he also has the hero complex that just makes me swoon.  Add the fact that he floats over Ari every night while she is asleep (hot!), and he is just full to the brim with sexiness!  But Jackson has secrets of his own, and I really didn’t see them coming.  Maybe I should have, but Melissa did a great job of making you focus on other aspects of the world and the forth-coming war that when you discover his secret, you don’t really see it coming.  Jackson made me smile—that’s how I would explain him.  He’s the guy that’s caring and can hypnotize you with a look, yet once the trance is broken, you see how dangerous and deadly he truly is.

 And The ENDING!!!!  Oh my goodness, I can’t wait for the next book to come out because I need to know what is in store for Ari and her world!  I was able to predict that something weird/crazy would happen just from the hints, but everything is still all up in the air; and I’m not really sure if I have any idea about what is coming.  So, Melissa and Entangled…..we need book 2 now!!!!  Now!!!  Please!!!

I did find a few plot holes throughout the story, but since this is just the first book, it is probably because those revelations have yet to be revealed.

Melissa creates a world torn apart by despair and greed, where its brother against brother, friend against friend—a world where fate is manipulated, love is perilous, and truth is obscured.  So ignore the warning, and take a peak!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

 

Today we have the pleasure of hosting the Luminosity Blog Tour!  I was so excited to get to read Stephanie Thomas's book!!!  Be sure to check out my review below, and don't forget to enter to win an ecopy and Bea's necklace in the Rafflecopter's at the bottom of this post.  PLUS...keep scrolling after this post to see the OPAL TRAILER from Entangled and Jennifer L. Armentrout.

*****************************************

Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

Published by Entangled Publishing

AVAILABLE NOW!

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Gripping, Mysterious and Gruesome

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

From the moment I read the blurb about this one, I was hooked.  What’s not to love? 

A dystopian society—check

Mysterious villains—check

Dangerous dream boy—check

And then when the cover was revealed, I wanted to read it even more!  This cover is absolutely gorgeous, and I still can’t take my eyes off of it!

Enter a world where death is everywhere, where mystery abounds, and where love and hate are two halves to the same whole.  A thrill ride of a story, Luminosity won’t just bring you to the edge of your seat, it will tip you right over!

I was intrigued by Stephanie’s world because it seemed like it was set out of place and out of time.  It’s a world where paranormal powers exist and are commonplace, yet revered and feared.  It’s a world that rose from the ashes of the past only to find itself, once more, on the brink of destruction.  What I find most interesting is how it feels like there are no good guys.  The story takes place from Beatrice’s point of view (she’s a Seer), so we get a biased view of the world.  Now I think it’s a biased view, not a truthful view.  Beatrice doesn’t know much about her enemy, the Dreamcatchers, and as a result, we know little nothing about them either.  All we know is that the Seers want to kill them and the Dreamcatchers want to kill the Seers.  So that is why I say there are no good guys.  There is so much mystery surrounding their world that we know very little about why they hate each other.  Because of this, you are always on edge, wondering when a truth will surface—and when it does, whose truth will it be?  And can it even be called truth?  Stephanie’s world is a game of cat and mouse, but the question is--who is the cat and who is the mouse? 

Beatrice was an unusual heroine because I felt like she wanted to do good, but she was pulled into a bad situation and didn’t know how to fight back.  She is revered as one of the greatest Seers, yet she is unsure of herself and unsure about what she really wants.  I liked that even though she was powerful, she was still weak and vulnerable in some aspects of her life.  However, there were times when I got annoyed by her because I felt like she was being too naïve.  She was too trusting, to a point where she would trust people pointing a gun at her head.  At these points, I wanted to whack her upside the head and yell, “What are you thinking??”  Still, I was captured by her struggle because she was unaware that she was walking such a dangerous line between protector and betrayer. 

So…I know what you are wanting to know.  The guys, am I right?  There are two in this book, Gabe and Echo; and they couldn’t be more different.  Gabe is Beatrice’s best friend, but they are starting to become more than that.  I truthfully didn’t like Gabe that much because I felt he was too fickle and sensitive.  He likes Beatrice, but when Bea pays him little attention because her mind is on the war (seriously, whose mind wouldn’t be on the war?), he got all huffy and pouty about it.  Still, they had some very sweet and sincere romantic moments.

And Echo…the Dreamcatcher.  I like Echo because I always fall for the mysterious bad boy, even though we don’t really know if Echo is the bad guy.  He speaks in riddles (hot!), but he seems to know exactly what Bea needs.  They are drawn to each other like a moth to the flame, and its possible, they just might be the death of each other.  But this is what makes their relationship so compelling.  It’s built on trust when there should be none between them.  It’s raw and emotional, yet at times void of feeling.  If ever there was a roller coaster of a relationship, this would be it!  But who doesn’t love a good roller coaster?

Overall, this was a unique and enjoyable read.  There were times when the action was slow and I found myself wondering when things were going to pick up, but then the last 25% of the book came along and it was fight after fight, kiss after kiss, revelation after revelation.  I will warn you though, be ready for some gruesome and very sad moments.  There were deaths and murders that were extremely upsetting to me as a parent because Stephanie did not shy away from child death.  So, put your tough skin on to read this one.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book, and be sure to purchase your copy today!

“Everything is starting to unravel into a pool of nonsense.  And standing in the middle of the pool is Echo, handsome and tall, pleading with me to save him.  Save us.”  Pg 92

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 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!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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!