Sunday, May 31, 2015

May Wrap Up!


   Hey Y'all!

   So this month was once again a busy one, and I count on the first half of June being the same. For July and August everything should be back to normal again. Either way I had a bunch of exciting stuff happen this month! 
   This month I died in Ikea. Yup you read that right, I died in a Ikea. Adi Alsaid participated this month in Twitter Fiction Fest and used me in his story by killing me off! Let me tell you, when you forget that you signed up to die and start getting interesting tweets on Twitter, you become a little panicked LOL. Overall it was a fun time! You can read Adi's story here!
  BEA was this month! Unfortunately I was not there this year but I will be heading to Chicago for next year! I will finally get to meet some of my close friends from online. Seeing everything that went on this month just made me all that more excited for next year! You know how I designed Adi Alsaids bookmarks? Well a bunch of those were handed out at BEA too! So it was exciting to see them in pictures!
   And finally A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Heir released this month! I'd already read ACOTAR in January and ADORED it but It was fantastic to see everyone else love it as well.
  
   That was it for this month! I hope your month went as well as mine did!

   Now for the bookish stats!

Books Read:



Book Haul:


Books Reviewed:


Movies Reviewed:


June Books I'm Excited For:






Thursday, May 28, 2015

Book Review: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 28th, 2015
Read: May 9-13th, 2015
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Series: Talon, #2
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Source: Bought



Description from GoodReads:




   Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant. 



   Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George. 


   A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?


Review:


Relax, oh paranoid one. I doubt there'll be Talon agents hiding in the potted plants.
   I think I've come to the conclusion that this series is just not for me. I know I loved every other piece of work that Kagawa's produced, but something with this one just bothers me waaaay too much.  The series just had too much of a rebelling/Government overthrowing feel rather then a dragon feel, and at this point I just can't stand those anymore. I've had my fill of them for a long time.
   Rogue had some of the same problems Talon did, like Riley. We got to know him a lot more in Rogue and one thing that I noticed was his age. The book kept having chapters where we'd go back in time and see Riley as a Basilisk, like 12 years back. If Riley was a 'hatchling' then that would have made him at least 15-16, adding the additional 12 years that would make Riley 27/28 years old. This means a 27/28 year old has feelings for a 15/16 year old. I am not okay with this, this screams pedophile in my book.  Even if dragons lived longer and age wasn't much of a difference, this was definitely a nope for me. This along with the 'inner dragon' urges, I just couldn't find myself truly enjoying the book.
   Ember in Rogue came off as a immature little girl, and honestly I felt sad that she was written like this for Rogue. In Talon at least she had the sense to know when not to do something or if it was too dangerous. In this one she was just a mess. Nope, I could have done without her character.
   Where Rogue did have some problems for me, it was still a fantastically written book. Kagawa knows how to keep her viewers interested, even when you utterly despise two of the three main characters.
   This series may not be for me, but I'm at the point where I'm too invested in the series that I just have to continue it. I will be picking up Soldier when it releases.


Rating:


Favourite Quote:


" A flame that burns twice as bright lasts half as long." ~ Riley


Recommend to People Who Enjoy:


Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dragons, Hunters, Shapeshifters, Overthrowing Governments




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Book Blitz: The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry


   A huge fan of Historical Fiction and YA? Then do I have the Book Blitz for you! Today I am hosting the Release Day Celebration for The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry! I'm super excited for this one and I hope after today you will be too!




The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry


Release Date: May 26th, 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: Pagan Jones, #1
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages


Description from GoodReads:


   Pagan Jones went from America's sweetheart to fallen angel in one fateful night in 1960: the night a car accident killed her whole family. Pagan was behind the wheel and driving drunk. Nine months later, she's stuck in the Lighthouse Reformatory for Wayward Girls and tortured by her guilt—not to mention the sadistic Miss Edwards, who takes special delight in humiliating the once-great Pagan Jones. 

   But all of that is about to change. Pagan's old agent shows up with a mysterious studio executive, Devin Black, and an offer. Pagan will be released from juvenile detention if she accepts a juicy role in a comedy directed by award-winning director Bennie Wexler. The shoot starts in West Berlin in just three days. If Pagan's going to do it, she has to decide fast—and she has to agree to a court-appointed "guardian," the handsome yet infuriating Devin, who's too young, too smooth, too sophisticated to be some studio flack. 

   The offer's too good to be true, Berlin's in turmoil and Devin Black knows way too much about her—there's definitely something fishy going on. But if anyone can take on a divided city, a scheming guardian and the criticism of a world that once adored her, it's the notorious Pagan Jones. What could go wrong?




Praise for Pagan Jones:


   “With a hint of Hollywood glam, mystery, and a time period unique to the YA genre, Berry treats readers to a can’t-miss story. She finds a winner in Pagan, a Marilyn Monroe-like teen actress with a tale that will appeal to younger and older fans alike.” – RT Book Reviews
“Well paced historical thriller. Scary in all the right places…” – Kirkus Reviews


   “Pagan Jones, though, is nobody’s pawn. This is a well-plotted balance of Hollywood glitter and international political conspiracies during the Cold War, and the historical backdrop is meticulously set. Pagan is a smart, charismatic heroine given depth by her struggles with alcoholism.” – Booklist


   “Berry’s noirish writing blends the blinding spotlight of Hollywood, the sexy world of espionage, and real-life events to create a fast-paced spy thriller” – Publisher’s Weekly




Writer, crypt-explorer, bodysufer, Nina Berry is the author of THE NOTORIOUS PAGAN JONES and the OTHERKIN series. Born in Honolulu, she now writes books for teens from her secret lair in Hollywood. 





(Ships in US Only | Must be 13+ To Enter)


   Thanks for stopping by!



Saturday, May 23, 2015

Book Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Release Date:  May 26th,  2015
Read: April 21st-27th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Series: The Cage, #1
Format: ARC, 400 pages
Source: From McNally Robinson in exchange for an honest review for their Two Thumbs Up program



Description from GoodReads:


   Taken from her world without warning.
   Trapped in an alien environment.
   Falling for her captor.

   When every move is being watched, sixteen-year-old Cora Mason's only chance for escape may be within the arms of the enemy.

   A beautiful and powerful otherworldly species has taken six teenagers captive in a human zoo-where they are the exhibits. Now, far from home and each harbouring secrets about their pasts, the tenuous group must fight for leadership and a chance to return to Earth...if they can trust each other.
   

Review:


   Sometimes mistakes are worth making.
   The Cage was one of my most anticipated books of early 2015, the synopsis had me needing to read the book within seconds of reading it, and then came the gorgeous cover. The need for this book was unreal.
   You could in many ways connect with the characters in The Cage, because each character was completely different in their own ways with the exception of one thing. The senators daughter, the army boy, the model, the genius and the illegal trader, you could find a bit of yourself in all of them. 
   The characters of the book were described in the synopsis as being captured and held captive in a human zoo, it was a new idea for me, and it was definitely an exciting one at that. Except I found for The Cage that it really couldn't be considered a zoo but rather a lab with scientists doing experiments on the captives in their cages. When I think of Zoos I think of people viewing animals held captive and having their photos taken, with The Cage it was more along the lines of the captives being watched.
   The way the "aliens" are built and described in the book was my favourite, they were described as beautifully creepy looking. Tall, unnatural colours, and their eyes, oh goodness. They were close to human looking but also weren't, so it made it easy to picture them and place them into the book alongside the human characters. A lot of alien books tend to make the aliens too human looking in books, I'm glad it wasn't that way with The Cage.
   The Cage definitely had a major science fiction feel to it, it would be the perfect book for people who enjoy obviously Sci-Fi and for fans of space and advance technology.
   I really enjoyed The Cage and look forward to see what everyone else thinks of it! The wait is officially on for me and it's sequel!

   You can find my review on McNally Robinson's Two Thumbs Up review page here.

Rating:



Favourite Quote:


"A smile can hide so much. A smile can be a lie." ~ Cassian

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:


Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dystopian, Adventure, Aliens



Thursday, May 21, 2015

Book Blitz: Gabriel by Nikki Kelly



Hey Y'all!

   Welcome to the Gabriel Book Blitz!
   Today I have for you an exclusive interview with the fabulous author, Nikki Kelly herself! I hope you enjoy!


Gabriel by Nikki Kelly


Release Date: October 27th, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Series: The Styclar Saga #2
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages


Description from GoodReads:


   The handsome Angel from Lailah gets center stage in this continuation of Wattpad sensation Nikki Kelly’s romantic and action-packed series about mortals, vampires, and angels.

   Gabriel is an Angel Descendant. He's also an ally to a generation of vampires who want to break away from the demon who controls them. His faith in the power of good over evil wavers, however, when he discovers that Lailah, the woman he considers his only true love, may be both angel and demon. Is their love enough to overcome the dark forces who are ready to go to war with Gabriel, the vampire Jonah, and the angel and vampire forces? And can Gabriel compete with Jonah, who is also in love with Lailah?

   Once again, Nikki Kelly looks deeply into the heart and soul of good and evil to create a romantic, action-packed reading adventure.



   




Will we get a peek at Styclar Plena in the current action of the book or are we doomed to just hear about from Gabriel's memories only?


Lol doomed you say?! I can tell you exclusively, here in this interview, that in Book3 we get to go to to third dimension, and the first dimension (Styclar-Plena) in the current action of the book ;)


I need a sneak peak! What's going to happen with Jonah? *waves #TeamJonah flag*


...Now that would be telling ;) You can, however, get a sneak peek through the Gabriel cover reveal blog tour, where I shared 6 excerpts form Book2: http://www.thestyclarsaga.com/blog-tour/


Can you describe this second book in a tweet? (140 characters)


Just when you think you know... you have no idea ;) #TheStyclarSaga #GABRIEL #NoMercy


Best gif that describes Jonah and another for Gabriel?





How much of Jonah will we see in Gabriel?


Plenty, I promise! ;) The second book may be titled GABRIEL, but it is told from Lailah's POV. The reason the book is called GABRIEL is because there is a focus on what becomes of Gabriel's 'soul' if you will. Take my word for it though, Jonah gets plenty of 'screen time' ;)


If you were FORCED (hahahahha) to help Gabriel or Jonah train to be lifeguards, who would you choose?? Obviously they will only be wearing red speedos. ;)


Sadly, I wouldn't be able to help either train to be a lifeguard as my ability in water is non-existant... That said... *has idea!* I could quite easily throw myself in and begin to drown (because that would require no acting on my part what so ever) and then they would have to jump in and save me... In fact, I think that's exactly what we should do, that way we also get to see both of the boys in red speedos.. because #HellsYes !


In 10 words or less, what can we expect from Gabriel?


A definite need to *fist pump and plenty of *face palming!

(Okay, I know that was 11, but it was close!)


What's the ONE thing about the series that you'd like readers to know that they don't know already? : )


There are elements of my own life weaved through the story telling of the entire series. When I say I gave a part of myself to these novels, I wasn't joking!


What inspired you to mix vampires and angels together?


   I wanted to tell a story about light and dark, good and evil if you will, and how things are never quite what they seem....To do this for the saga, I borrowed a little here and there from my own belief system, and I was able to create new worlds and beings, but utilize existing belief or myth on which to base them. For example, the two worlds the beings emerged from were based on the concept of Heaven and Hell. I then spun that into something else entirely. I took the myths about vampires and angels etc. and tried to demonstrate how, through storytelling and game of telephone, the idea of what they are has become quite different from the truth – the truth of course being the reality of things in my books! If you want to tell a story about light and dark, preconceived notions and perception, what two better candidates than Gabriel and Jonah, an Angel and a Vampire in which to explore those very themes!


What was the most challenging part of writing Gabriel?


Lailah picks her ship! That was not an easy thing to pen! **eep**


Lailah was such a successful start to this series, people seemed to really love it! Did that make you feel additional pressure to ensure the sequel was just as good?


When people express their love for your story it always adds to the pressure of making sure you get it right, not just for your characters, not just for you, but for the reader. But there will always be instances where the reader doesn't agree with something that happens as the journey progresses, for example which ship makes it out the port! ;) I always keep the readers in mind, but ultimately I have to be true and honest to the characters and their story, even if it means that sometimes people want to throw things at you! So yes, I guess the prospect of twitter bombs being slung my way adds to the pressure!


If you had a chance to re-live your life, what would you have done differently?


Not a single thing. Every shelf I ever stacked, every customer I ever served, every diary I ever organised... in fact, every minute of every day, all the laughs and all the tears led me tohere—and here is the most wonderful place. There is a very fine balance between having ambition and gumption to go out and make your dreams a reality, trying to find the 'good times' if you like, and being able to see and know exactly when you are in them! I'm in them now.


If a celebrity was going to play Gabriel, who would it be and why?


Alex Pettyfer for sure because he's a very talented English actor... yada, yada, yada... Okay people, lets keep it real #LeSwoon .. #NuffSaid


If you had to pick ONE song that either represents you or your books, what song would you pick? (You can totally pick one for you and one for your books if you want!)


For Styclar— Imagine Dragons:Demons For me—Boyzone:Words


Where did Gabriel and jonah come from? Any real life influences?


Gabriel and Jonah both possess qualities form my own bea :) He was a little more like Jonah when I met him (I was 16) and he's a little more like Gabriel now, but when I ask nicely he will still, from time to time, point his collar up ;)


ALSO, What do you love most about Jonah?


He's a bit rough around the edges, but give him a polish and he shines likes a diamond :)


And in case you haven't read Lailah yet. . . . 



Lailah by Nikki Kelly


Release Date: October
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Series: The Styclar Saga, #1
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages



Description from GoodReads:


   The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

   On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

   In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

   Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.




   NIKKI KELLY was born and raised only minutes away from the chocolately scent of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England. Lailah was first launched to Wattpad, an online readers and writers community. Within six months, the novel had over one million reads. Lailah is Nikki’s debut novel, and the first book in The Styclar Saga. She lives in London with her husband and their dogs, Alfie (a pug) and Goose (a Chihuahua).

   LAILAH is my debut novel, and first launched in serial form to wattpad, a readers & writers community. Within just 6months, LAILAH had over a million reads and thousands of comments and votes.

   Since then, The Styclar Saga has gone on to pick up a traditional deal with Feiwel & Friends, and LAILAH, the first book in the series is due for release on October 7th 2014.

   These days I spend my time balancing my amazing job of writing fantasy fiction, with my other, very important role of Chocolate Connoisseur. I like to multitask and do the two together. It makes me happy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads | Wattpad | Youtube





   Thanks for stopping by! I hope you decide to give the series a try!