31 March 2014

Review: Model Position by Kitsy Clare

Model Position by Kitsy Clare
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Release Date: February 16, 2014
# of Pages: 85
Book Format: e-Book
Synopsis: For Sienna, love and art are perilous games. Is she ready to take that gamble?

Sienna is a beautiful, talented artist poised on the precipice of soaring into the glamorous, yet cutthroat Manhattan art scene.

Dave Hightower is a hooked-up, handsome heir to the hippest gallery in NYC, Gallery Hightower.

Erik is the live drawing model with his sizzling green eyes fixed only on Sienna.

Three’s a crowd, so Sienna must make a choice: date Dave and ride the fast track to landing a show at Gallery Hightower and hobnobbing with the art glitterati, or follow her heart and take a chance with Erik, the stunning male model who’s stealing her heart. But Erik has some worrisome secrets, and who in their right mind would make live modeling their career? 

Dare Sienna throw away her chances of hitting it big to follow her heart?


My Review:
I received Model Position by Kitsy Clare from the publisher and this is my honest review. 

When asked to review this short novella I was excited because I have been meaning to read more adult books lately and getting on that was short enough for me to read in one sitting was great because of how little time I have to read lately! The book was awesome and by the end I was definitely wanting more! Now I am not sure if this is going to be a series or if it was just a short book to get readers ready for this new author, I will have to do a little research on that. 

Model Position was a cute sort of love/ambition story about a girl named Sienna who is an aspiring artist. Her character was okay, I did not really fall in love with her for a few reasons. The first is because in the beginning she was into her friend Dave, but as the story went on she was more or less using him for the people he knew which was not cool, people that do that just do not strike me as good people. Also we did not really get to know her as much as readers should get to know their main characters. The deepest thing we got was that her mother had been through like 3 divorces and that Sienna really liked being an artist. I was really hoping to get to know her a little better. 

To be honest I liked Dave even though I imagine some people would say he was arrogant and a jerk. But I feel like I felt for him because Sienna was treating him kind of crappy so I definitely liked Dave, I feel like we learned more about him and the other male character then we did about the actual main character. I find it funny that I feel like this now because looking back at the notes I took while reading I said I did not like dave because he seemed like a rich jock but I guess I changed my mind huh?

I just have to give Erik his own paragraph because I just fell in love with his character. In the beginning I was kind of like “yeah he is definitely a player and she is stupid for getting close to him” but he proved me very very wrong so I was very happy about that. The author did a great job describing him as well I had to keep myself from drooling over him while reading.

Overall the book was just what I was looking for. It had the perfect amount of romance and regular character activity which in this case would be art. Although the book ended abruptly which angered me because I was getting into the part it ended on. Everything else about the book I enjoyed I just wish it would have had a better more satisfying ending.





27 March 2014

Cover Reveal: Discovery by Brina Courtney


Discoveries can be dangerous. Discoveries can be deadly. 

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

...until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

  Now a guy looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.


About The Author
Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs. 

26 March 2014

Book Spotlight: Miss Mabels School For Girls by Katie Cross

Let's welcome Katie Cross to the blog to celebrate the release of her YA fantasy, Miss Mabel's School for Girls, which releases March 27th, 2014!

For me, writing a book involved a lot of staring at a computer screen, slapping the delete button, pulling my
hair out, and Pinterest.

Oh, yes. You heard right. Pinterest.

The power of Pinterest comes from the images. I always find photos that I want to remember and have access to, so I pin them to a board for later reference. So, I thought to myself, Hey, I'm releasing my first book, Miss Mabel's School for Girls. Why don't I give the readers something to look at in anticipation of the book?

So instead of a boring interview where I talk about how great I am, I'm here today to take you on a visual tour to give you a few ideas of what you can expect to find in this exciting new young adult fantasy novel, Miss Mabel's School for Girls.

Wrought iron fence:
There's a wrought iron fence around the outside of the ancient manor that is Miss Mabel's School for Girls much like this one. It's known for creaking in the wind.

Potions bottles:
Potion bottles hold oh-so-many possibilities. Witches love potions, and the witches in Miss Mabel's School
for Girls are no exception. These particular bottles contain a variety of spices and herbs, all of which you can win during the launch giveaway March 27th-30th!

Peacock feather:
Miss Mabel loves peacock feathers. They represent beauty and vanity: her two favorite virtues.

Green mossy tree:
Miss Mabel's School is located in Letum Wood, a lush, expansive forest that hides many secrets. Some of these secrets catch up with Bianca Monroe, our sixteen-year-old heroine, in the dark of the night.

Trees/forest:
This is another view of Letum Wood as you'll expect to find it in the summer. It's lush, gorgeous, and a little on the dangerous side.


Old book photo:
A grimoire is a book filled with magical spells, a kind of magical diary passed through generations. This grimoire is available to win during the launch day giveaway! Head over to www.missmabels.com to find out how you can participate.

Hopefully these photos gave you an idea of the exciting adventure you'll find in Miss Mabel's School for Girls! Now, get your Pinterest on and start spreading the word! Visit www.missmabels.com to find out how to enter the giveaway and win lots of free stuff!


About the Book:

Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.

Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.

Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.



About the Author:
My world revolves around my husband (who is a major hottie), my Vizsla's, and the mountains.

I wear hiking boots instead of heels when I need to feel powerful, and on a bad day, I love a weightlifting workout. Actually, I love it on a good day.

I don't eat bread because my thyroid doesn't like it, although there are days I miss it. Especially ciabatta. Sweet potatoes are kind of my thing. Cookies too.

I write because I never stopped.

Visit me at www.kcrosswriting.com

Giveaway:

Go to www.missmabels.com and click on the 'giveaway' tab for more information. Enter to win a potions chest, an apothecary bag of herbs and spices, an old spell book that opens to hide apothecary herbs, amazon gift cards, and more! The giveaway lasts from March 27th at 7am to March 30th at 10 pm


23 March 2014

Review: Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Release Date: May 13, 2014
# of Pages: 256
Synopsis:  A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.



My Review:

I received Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel from Around The World ARC Tours and this is my honest review. 

Second Star is a standalone novel about a girl named Wendy, who has just graduated high school and is trying to keep her life together even though the disappearance of her twin brothers John and Michael is tearing it to shreds. One night after graduation Wendy finds herself being rescued from the water by Pete, a mysterious surfer that she suddenly feels drawn to. Not knowing whether she is drawn to him because of her brothers or because he is a cute guy she decides to track him down in hopes that him and his “family” will help her find her brothers.

From the beginning of the book until the end I loved Pete's character. There were a couple of times my trust for him wavered but he never really did anything that really made me hate him, which was hard especially when Jas came into the picture. Jas is the bad boy that lives across the beach from Pete. Him and Pete used to be good friends until Jas started dealing drugs and now they are enemies. I can’t exactly tell you why Jas became such an important part in the story because it involves spoilers but boy does he. 

The other characters in the book were great too. I loved the other guys Hughie, and Matt, they lived with Pete and they were really open with Wendy even when she was some stranger invading their territory. The only character in the whole book that got on my nerves enough to not want to read about them anymore was Belle. I mean I understand that she was upset because her boyfriend broke up with her and Wendy was suddenly in his life but they way she went about some things was just wrong and it made me hate her. The other characters that angered me a little were Fiona which was Wendy's best friends and then Wendy's parents, and they only reason why I say this is because they absolutely would not believe her no matter what she said they just thought she was crazy and sure maybe she was but it does not matter you are supposed to be there for your loved ones not ignore them the way they did. 

Other than that there was only one thing that really annoyed me about this book, and again I can’t really say what because it will give off spoilers but a good portion of the book was Wendy discovering Kensington and then with what happened at the end it was just confusing which annoyed me because I had no clue what was real and what was not. So near the end the author did not do a good job distinguishing between real and fake, but the rest of the book was good enough for me to want to read more of her books. 





19 March 2014

The Boyfriend List by R.S. Novelle


The Boyfriend List by Renee Novelle
Release Date: February 10, 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Synopsis: The Boyfriend List follows twenty-year-old Reagan in her quest for the perfect relationship after a somewhat tragic spring break breakup leaves her disillusioned about love… again.

Reagan had always prided herself on making levelheaded, practical, analytical decisions about everything. Everything, that is, except where guys are concerned. Which was proven to her, once again, when her “boyfriend” opts to take another girl on their oh-so-romantic trip to his lake house. In order to prevent future heartbreak, she creates a checklist of all the qualities she wants in a man, and vows not to give her heart away again until she can determine if they fit every last criteria.

After scouring campus with her two best friends in her tricky journey, her detective work returns a pile of unworthy rejects, and it seems as though her choices are narrowed down to only two options: the hot stranger who’s inspired her new project, and her best guy friend Ian, who she’s always kept at bay due to his perceived playboy reputation.

Reagan gets more than she bargained for with her new set of rules, however, and is surprised to find that love, and the perfect boyfriend, may have been within reach the entire time. But will Ian’s reputation ruin his chances to prove his worth? And can Reagan let go of her insecurities long enough to even give him a chance?

The Boyfriend List is a light, New Adult romance about friendship, trust, and learning to let go in order to embrace what real love can offer.

Book Links:

Meet The Author:
Renee’ Novelle is Preceded by a long line of published family members, including Pulitzer Prize nominated author and Poet Laureate of Kentucky Jesse Stuart.

As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems. 

Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of 75 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention. 

In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. She writes psychological and paranormal thrillers, as well as contemporary fiction and new adult fiction. For a complete schedule of upcoming releases, please visit www.RSNovelle.com

Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you're meant to be.

Author Links:

Q&A With the Author:
Where are you from originally? 
Originally I was born in the tiny little town of Ashland, Kentucky. But we moved pretty quickly, and I grew up almost all of my life in Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!). Living in a city that kind of revolves around the college there, and is comprised of mostly college students gave me some great material for my upcoming New Adult stories.

Tell us your latest news? 
I’m so, so excited to have just released my first New Adult romance! I had so much fun writing this book, and I really hope that readers will be able to connect with the characters. I had originally planned it as a single title, but I’ve received so many requests asking for more of Reagan and Ian that I’ve decided to turn it into a trilogy! I’m really excited to explore the next step in their journey together.

Where do you get your ideas?

It depends on what genre I’m writing in. Sometimes they come from real life events and experiences. Other times they’re inspired by pieces of a news story I’ve heard or something in the community. But lately my muse likes to drop them into my head at 3am while I’m trying to sleep.

What is your writing process?

I generally tend to think of the title first (I work backwards like that), and then form the general concept of the story around that. I sit on this for weeks, months, even years in some instances until I feel like I know the story and characters well enough to plot the whole thing out. After writing a detailed outline, I start the first draft and edit as I go. Then I give it one or two more edits before passing it on to my proof readers/beta readers. I tend to write quickly, so once I have an outline and commit to writing a story, I usually have it done in 2-3 months.


Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?

I think I pull aspects of personalities from my real-life friends, but there isn’t a character that is completelysomeone I know. I based a lot of Ian’s characteristics, the way he loves and his attentiveness to those he cares about, around the person I’m in love with. They’re very much alike in that regard. And I’ve had friends like Petra in the past who are so outgoing and confident in every situation.

Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?

Absolutely! I think as a writer it’s hard not to. You want the characters to be relatable and feel real, so I’m constantly giving them my own insecurities and strengths, and relying on my own experiences to portray a particular moment. But even more than that, I often find that my characters are enjoying myfavourite type of coffee or tea, or that the color nail polish that I’m wearing as I write a scene is the color they’re wearing as well.


Tell us about your cover. Did you design it yourself and if you did where did you get the inspiration?

I designed the overall concept and feel of the cover, but I worked very closely with a professional graphic artist to bring it all together. I understand my limitations, and I think it’s very beneficial to utilize professionals whenever possible. And I enjoy the collaboration of working with someone else, bouncing ideas off each other and watching the process of the image coming to life.


Coffee or Tea?

Coffee!!! I live for caffeine. But a nice cup of tea helps me unwind after a long day of writing.

What do you do outside of writing?

I also still write as a freelance journalist for magazines. But when I’m NOT writing, I enjoy the beach, going to concerts or musicals, trying a new restaurant, or exploring a new city. Since I spend so much time at my desk, I really enjoy activities that will get me outside and active.


Giveaway:

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08 March 2014

In My Mailbox 94


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi over at The Story Siren and to be completely honest, I have no idea who is hosting it now haha :)






Borrowed:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry 
Son by Lois Lowry

Review:
Time To Retire by Jon Foyt
All You Need Is Love by Marie Force
Girls Love Travis Walker by Anne Pfeffer (Currently Reading)

From work:
The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson

Paperback Swap:
Harvesting The Heart by Jodi Picoult

Bought:
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Legend Trilogy Box Set by Marie Lu
Angelfall by Susan Ee
The Writers Idea Book
642 Things To Write About

Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you though, also leave me links to your book hauls, IMM's, etc!

05 March 2014

Book Blitz: Being Hartley by Allison Rushby


Being Hartley
Release Date: 11/2013

Summary from Goodreads:
Fifteen-year-old Thea Wallis was born to entertain. Her mother, Oscar winning actress Cassie Hartley, thinks differently and has kept her daughter out of the spotlight since day one. Coming from showbiz royalty, it hasn't been easy to go unnoticed, but mismatched surnames, a family home in Tasmania and a low-key scriptwriter father has made this possible.

Just like her cousin Rory on the hugely popular TV show Saturday Morning Dance, Thea loves to dance. She learns the show's routines off by heart each week, despite her mother's attempts to convince her that dentistry would be a far more fulfilling career choice.




However, when Rory goes off the rails in LA, Thea's mother is suddenly left with no choice at all – Rory needs them and to LA they must go. Within forty-eight hours, Thea finds herself a long way from Tasmania and living her dream – on the road to Las Vegas with the Saturday Morning Dance team.



It doesn't take long before Thea's talents are discovered and she's offered everything she's ever wanted on a plate, including the dance partner she's had a crush on forever. But, as her mother has always told her, Hollywood dreams come at a price. Thea soon realizes she will have to work out just how much she's willing to pay. And, ultimately, discover her own way to be Hartley.

Available from:

Request a copy of Being Hartley here!

About the Author
Allison Rushby is the Australian author of a whole lot of books. She is crazy about Mini Coopers, Devon Rex cats, Downton Abbey and corn chips. You can often find her procrastinating on Twitter at @Allison_Rushby or on Facebook.  That is, when she’s not on eBay, or Etsy, or any other place she can shop in secret while looking like she’s writing…


Author Links:
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****GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Release Day Blitz: Love on Hold by Robin Shaw

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Love On Hold - Release Day Blitz
By Robin Shaw
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 3/5/2014




Millionaires Mariah Culver had finally thought that when she had something good, it’d last—until she discovered that the man she was set to marry in two months had betrayed her. Devastated, Mariah regrets that she’d trusted another man after the first love of her life, Aaron Wilkins had broken her heart. When Aaron Wilkins comes back into town, he turns her world upside down by bringing back feelings to the surface that she’d thought vanished along with his swift exit from her life.

Aaron Wilkins wouldn’t have come to his hometown of Bloomfield Township, Ohio if his parents hadn’t put their feet down. They didn’t just want him to visit his hometown; they wanted him to move back home for good. Aaron comes to realize that he can’t stay home if Mariah Culver isn’t by his side.

Robin Shaw
Robin Shaw is a hopeless romantic who loves to read and write about romance. She believes that life is filled with enough unhappy endings and enjoys penning tales in which her characters get to have their HFN or HEA.

Authors Links


GIVEAWAY



This Release Day Blitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours

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04 March 2014

Review: Vengeance by Megan Miranda

Vengeance by Megan Miranda 
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Book Format: Hardcover
# of Pages: 342
Synopsis: Nobody really believes in a curse. Until you know the people who disappear. Too much coincidence, you look for reason. Too much death, you grasp for something to blame. Carson pulled Delaney out and he died on the side of the road with her mouth pressed to his. Her air in his body. Troy. She told the cops it was suicide. Didn't matter. The lake released her and grabbed another. But when Decker's father dies in a pool of spilled water on their kitchen floor, all Decker can feel is a slow burning rage. Because he knows that Delaney knew that his dad was going to die. She knew and backed out of his house and never said a word. Falcon Lake still has a hold on them both, and Decker can't forgive Delaney until he knows why.








My Review: 
***If you have not read the first book Fracture do not read this review!

I received an ARC of Vengeance by Megan Miranda from Around The World ARC Tours and read the first few chapters from that ARC but the rest of it was read from a hardcover version that I borrowed from work. 

Vengeance is the sequel to Miranda's first book Fracture, which is about a group of friends who come way to close on some occasions and meet death on others. In book one Delaney just about dies, she falls through the ice on the town lake and stops breathing for 11 minutes… One of the guys from her group of friends pull her out though and save her life. The second book is about the group of friends dealing with “the curse” as the group of friends call it. 

I read the first book a really long time ago so at some points it was hard to remember some of the things the characters were referencing, but Miranda did a pretty good job at jogging your memory. Before writing the review for this book though, I went back and read my review of Fracture from two years ago and it reminded me of some things. 

There are many many things I loved about this book and the biggest thing was that while I was reading the book gave me the chills non stop, because there was so much emotion and because there was so many creepy elements to the story, and boy do I love myself a creepy story! Oh man this book came along with so many feels, I am so in love with Decker & Delaney even though they were fighting constantly throughout the whole book I still loved them as a couple! 

One thing that annoyed me near the end of the book was how confusing it got. I can’t really explain because that would be considered a spoiler alert, either way though the last few chapters were kind of all over the place and I didn’t really like that but my opinion of the rest of the book pretty much stayed the same. 

Megan Miranda’s writing is fabulous and I cannot wait to read more of it! I didn’t even know that she was writing a sequel to Fracture but I am so glad she did because this book was a great companion to it. She also wrote another book called Hysteria I believe I have it on my kindle and I cannot wait to read it!













03 March 2014

Cover Reveal: Fall Into Forever by Beth Hyland


Fall Into Forever by Beth Hyland
Release Date: March 2014
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis: Ivy McAllister had it all. Perfect boyfriend. Perfect life. Perfect future. Or so they tell her. Because one night, on a dark country road, a fiery crash changed everything…and Ivy can’t remember what happened.

Now, two years later, at a new college far from home, she tries to regain control of her life, but her plans don’t include a tattooed, motorcycle-riding, indie music-obsessed guy with his own sorority girl fan club.

Jon Priestly is the hottest guy at Pacific State University. Just ask his groupies. But with a dark past he must keep hidden, he shuts himself off emotionally and trusts no one. That is…until he meets a broken girl with haunting green eyes and secrets of her own.

Ivy shouldn’t be attracted to Jon. They’re wrong for each other in every possible way. Yet as they spend time together, something about him—everything about him—feels so right.

But when threats from her past make her question what little she does remember, Ivy must decide whether to run again or trust the one person she can’t live without.


Meet The Author:
Beth Hyland is the author of FALL INTO FOREVER, a contemporary New Adult romance coming out March 10.
A friendly Seattle girl who loves books, believes in happily ever after, and has a closet addiction to YouTube makeup tutorial videos, she married her college sweetheart and has two awesome kids.
She used to work in the tech field but prefers writing books. She also used to sell wedding dresses and cigarettes, despite the fact that she wore her mother’s dress when she got married and she’s never smoked.

Author links:





 
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