Blog Tour for Shadowed (Fated #3) by Sarah Alderson; Character Interview

Shadowed (Fated #3)
by Sarah Alderson
Release Date:  March 31st, 2013 

Publishers: Self - Published 
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Get Severed (Fated #2) Free: Amazon UK / Amazon US  

Fate has won.

The realms have been severed...but the fight’s still far from over.

It’s been three months since the devastating battle that closed the way through between this world and the demon realms but Evie’s still reeling from all she's lost.

When news reaches her that a group of Originals is on the prowl in LA and growing in numbers, Evie must decide whether to join the rogue Hunters in a final battle or fight her fate one last time.

The way through might be closed.
But that doesn’t mean Evie’s got closure.

Character Interview with Evie

 

Spoiler Alert!

 

Q: Evie, what do you think about Cyrus’ actions at the end of Severed?

E: I’m still trying to piece it all together. He couldn’t have known what would happen. Not for sure. Yet he did it anyway. I just wish I could see him again, speak to him. I wish I could go back and… it was so obvious what he was planning and I didn’t see it. I think of how differently everything could have gone if we’d known the truth from the start.

Q: Evie, do you believe in fate given all that’s happened to you?

E: The prophecy came true didn’t it? Everything the Sybll predicted happened. The way through closed. So I guess I do believe in fate. But I wish I didn’t.

 

Q: If you hadn’t met Lucas do you think you might have fallen for Cyrus?

E: If I hadn’t met Lucas I wouldn’t be alive. He saved my life. More than once. And Cyrus? Come on. The guy had more girlfriends than Hugh Heffner. He was way too sure of himself and so arrogant – that’s not my thing.  But yeah, I don’t know, he was a contradiction wasn’t he? I didn’t know him well enough but, what he did? At the end? How was that anything but brave as well as completely stupid? And I wish now I’d known him better. The real him that is. But I’m not sure anyone got to see that side of him.

 

Q: Describe Lucas in five words

E: Quiet, passionate, lethal, gentle… gone.

 

Q: And Cyrus?

E: arrogant, noble, annoying, flirtatious, brave.

 

Q: They both sound like they had lots of contradictions?

Yes, I guess. They both had exteriors that hid the real them. I don’t know what the real Cyrus was like though, I never had a chance to meet him. But I think beneath the swagger and bravado there was a nobility. One of the last things he said to me was ‘chivalry’s not dead.’

 

While Lucas was trained as a killer, one of the Brotherhood. I saw him kill, I saw him fight, but at the same time he was one of the softest spoken, kindest and gentlest people I’ve ever met.

 

Q: So what now?

E: The way through is closed but I have a score to settle.

 

Q: Would that score involve Victor?

E: It would.

 

Q: What are you going to do if you find him?

E: When I find him I’m going to kill him.

Author Bio: 

Having spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where Sarah now spends her days writing by the pool.

She finished her first novel just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.

A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012 and it's sequel, Severed will be published on November 12th, 2012. 

Losing Lila, was published August 2nd, 2012.

You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com

Author Interview with Maggie Stiefvater; Author of The Raven Boys

The Raven Boys 
by Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: September 18th, 2012

Publishers: Scholastic Press

Pages:  409
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Author Interview with Maggie Stiefvater

1) What was your inspiration for writing The Raven Boys? 

It was a big combination of things, but the very first thing to inspire me was Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. I read it and re-read it as a teen. It was full of Welsh mythology and was set in contemporary Wales and England. It also aches with magic. I knew back then that I wanted to write a series like that. 

 2) How long did it take to write? 

The first one took eight months and the second has taken fourteen. I'm not sure why they take so much longer to write than my other novels — I used to write my rough drafts in four months. Possibly I need more caffeine.

 3) Are any of your characters most like you? 

Oh, probably James from Ballad. It's told in first person and I let him make all the jokes I would make. Also he plays the bagpipes, so we have that in common. 

 4) Do you have a favourite quote from The Raven Boys? 

Another blogger asked me that and I said Ronan's rotten joke from the Latin class scene, but I'm also a fan of most every line that describes a car. 

 5) Can you tell us what your working on right now? 

I'm knocking around the big pieces of the third book in the Raven Cycle, editing the third faerie book, copy-editing the second Raven Cycle book, and drafting a collaborative middle grade project for Scholastic. I can't draft two novels at the same time, but I can work on projects in different stages quite happily. Oh, I also have a secret project that I'm kicking to see if it will kick back. 

 6) Out of all the books you've written, which did you enjoyed writing the most? 

Oh, writing The Scorpio Races was bliss. It had been fermenting in my brain for so long that it feels as if it just fell out. I also adored writing the last third of The Dream Thieves. 

 7) Will you ever consider revisiting the Shiver characters? 

I cannot imagine myself ever returning to Sam and Grace's story, more on that here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApB_kgtJGI0. 
Everyone else? Well, it's not pressing . . . X

Author Bio;

All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

A Joint Review for Ditched by Robin Mellom

Ditched: A Love Story
by Robin Mellom
Release Date: January 10th, 2012

Publishers:  Disney-Hyperion

Format: Hardcover 

Pages: 277
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US/ The Book Depo 

There's a girl.
Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

And there's a boy.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

Then there's a ditch.
But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together--stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress--exactly how she ended up dateless...with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven.

To get the whole store, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?

Hey guys, today we have a special guest on the blog today who is taking part in a joint review with me - Jasprit from The Reader's Den. So thank you for joining us! =)

What I enjoyed about this book:
Jasprit: I enjoyed that Ditched wasn’t your typical read. I assumed that it would be a cute, light and fluffy read, but it actually had a deeper meaning behind the story. A story of a girl who at times could be annoying, but was trying her utmost hardest to lose this reputation that nearly everyone held of her for so long and have a good time with her prom date Ian. I enjoyed watching Justina’s character development and my opinion of her change too. But mostly what I enjoyed was how this story was told. We were given snippets into Justina’s prom night via the stains or marks she was left with from the unfortunate night. There were some nice pretty pictures starting each chapter off and then we’d get a back story into what each stain represented. I enjoyed guessing what each stain could represent and then learning the back story behind each one.

Donna: I have to agree with Jasprit on this one. Ditched: A Love Story wasn’t your typical read. I had also assumed it would be a cute read and I had kind of already predicted how the story would go, but once I started reading, I totally had it wrong. The main character; Justina, really had to go through the ringer in order to process her feelings and of course, figure out how one of the best nights of her life goes so wrong. The love interest; Ian, comes across as a jerk to start with but as the book progresses you can see that it’s Justina that has everything mixed up. I really enjoyed how the story was told, it was through flash backs of the night while Justina was telling her story to two random women she meets and although it story dragged at times, it was still enjoyable. 

What surprised you the most about this book:
Jasprit: Certain characters development over the course of the book. I especially enjoy a story more when I initially make quick assumptions about a particular character, but then as the story progresses, the characters end up taking me by surprise and changing my original assumptions I had completely. This happened to me with quite a few characters in Ditched.
Donna: Definitely the humour and the amount of crazy in this book. Robin Mellon gives our main character a fantastic personality – she’s bold and brave, she’s not afraid to say what she thinks (this isn’t including Ian because come on, all girls get nervous around boys, lol) but she’s a teenage girl that just really wants a fantastic night and because of that, it’s makes her do crazy things. Each character we are introduced comes with another crazy idea and I liked reading about it.  

Favourite scene:
Jasprit: When Justina, the two Mike’s, Serenity and Bliss go to try and track the rest of the party down. This entire scene was like a character building process for Justina. She was forced to spend time with girls who she normally wouldn’t have spent time with and had been judgemental about, but from spending time with them, she learned that they were girls with really helpful ideas and opinions.
Donna: When Justina really learns what Ian feels for her, he turns up to aka rescue her and it’s a really sweet moment in front of a lot of witnesses. 

Favourite character:
Jasprit: Ian, he was a character who we hardly got to see much of in this story, but learning about the things he did or said through other characters definitely helped me to hold his character in high regard. Unlike Justina I wasn’t quick to make bad assumptions about his character, I was patient enough to wait out for the truth, which I’m glad that I did, as it certainly paid off in the end.
Donna: I’d love to say Ian because he was a great love interest but he didn’t really get much of a spotlight, so I’ll go with Justina, because I loved her as a person. She makes mistakes like any normal teenager does and I loved that not everything wasn’t perfect in her world.

Favourite quotes:
Jasprit: “Ian was the guy who would call to check in on me three days before my period started because he knew I’d be acting erratic, even though I explained it was perfectly normal for a girl to curl up in bed with a hot water bottle. One day, he finally realized I didn’t need his emotional support; I just needed licorice and Motrin. But what I loved most about our friendship was the way he said my name... always dripping with adoration. And annoyance. I had always figured that’s what had drawn Ian to me. My adorably low tolerance for PMS mixed with my annoying all-black wardrobe. It was sexy to him.”

“That one”, I said, pointing to a punk Tinker Bell with ripped wings and fishnets and combat boots. She was the spitting image of me. She was supposed to be sweet and beautiful, but she was ripped and torn. 

“Ian did look good the day he wore that green shirt, it was true. But it wasn’t the shirt that changed everything. It was the licorice and Motrin. He knew when I most needed help. He always gave me what I needed. Peanut butter cookie. Daisy ring. That crease. It never was the green shirt.”

Donna: “All I could think about was throwing something at her— something made of glass. Or spikes. Or a viral disease. They really should invent Herpes In A Jar for moments like these” 

"It's true. I'm not that girl anymore. And there will be a time when I'll be The Girl. It is all about timing--and one day when I'm not planning it, and organizing it and strangling it, love will become possible. There won't be any more leapfrogging. We'll land in the exact spot at the same precise moment. And I will wait."

General thoughts and final rating:
Jasprit: 3.5 stars. Ditched was more than just a book with a fluffy, sweet cover, it was a novel about a girl on a journey to discover herself,  but ultimately just have a good time with her prom date. It was sad that Justina’s prom night didn’t end up being as one that she would remember in the years to come, but did result in her being a better person in the end.  
Donna: 3 stars. Ditched: A Love Story was a quirky and fun read, one that really takes you on a journey of self-discovery and first love. I really enjoyed it and although Justina’s night wasn’t what her and us as readers wanted it to be for her, I think she got so much more from that night that she will cherise even more. 

A Review for Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1) by H.D. Gordon

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: March 15th, 2013
Finished Date: March 17th, 2013

Publishers: Self - Published 
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle 

Pages:  Unknown
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars. 

Sign up's for the Newsletter here!
http://hdgordon.com/

Book Trailer done by H.D. Gordon while writing for inspiration
http://youtu.be/-W10dR3mvJY

The Review: Fans of HD Gordon’s Alexa Montgomery Saga (AMS)will already be familiar with the main character of Shooting Stars as we met her in the final book and boy did she make an impact, it looked like she could give Alexa a run for her money so I was so happy when I found out Surah Stormsong was getting her own series. The synopsis may be short and sweet but to be honest, it hits the mark pretty well. Hundreds of years ago, Princess Surah suffered a tragedy that broke her heart…. At the same time, so did a common boy… both found solace in each other forming a connection that would remain despite never seeing each other again…..until now. 
“There’s a storm comin’” – Brad Milner 
No truer word had been spoken by the bars patron as a chain of events begins to unfold, starting with the murder of a highborn woman and the theft of the Black Stone which in the wrong hands could give great & evil power to the beholder. Called in to investigate, Surah finds herself face to face with the boy from her childhood – Charlie - only this time he’s all man and that connection can still be felt. Both are keeping secrets, both of their lives will be put on the line…. Can they trust in one another?

 So, I really enjoyed this. As I mentioned earlier, Surah had been a stand out character in the last book of the AMS and I was looking forward to meeting her again. I can’t help but compare her to how she was then to how she is now and whilst she is a great character, she seemed more formal, stoic and guarded in her own world whereas she was bad a$$ when facing Alexa, maybe it was because the reason she had to confront Alexa was now gone and not controlling her, that this is what we have left, BUT – I know she is in there still so I’m happy to ride the story. I think she is at her best in bad situations and there can only be more of those to come. I absolutely adored her pet/friend Samson, he is one of the only ways we see a softer more vulnerable side to Surah – I don’t want to say too much but I love him – simples. The story, with it being a first book is full of world building and getting to know the characters. This world seems different from the AMS even though it is set in the ‘same’ world and again seems very formal, think royalty/highborn with magic in abundance and commoners with little or next to no magic – did someone mention an uprising?. We have a ready made bad guy with a history that just begs to be told, a potential waiting in the wings kinda bad guy & possibly a puppet master all set up to bring multiple threats to this series. We have a kind of fated love romance thing that seems to just about be sprouting and the only thing missing is a prophecy, I’m willing to set that aside for some soul mate action though (pretty please) ;) It was an exciting read told from multiple POVs (which I’m starting to actually like) opening up a world not just filled with magic but also with new people, places, animals etc. and even though it is set in a world we have read about before, it feels new, like we haven’t been there before and the expansion gives the author so many possibilities because if I can be interested in a jungle with an animals POV, it’s got to be good right? Also, even though I’ve mentioned the AMS a few times, this could actually be read without reading those and the reader wouldn’t feel like they were missing anything. This is a great start to the Surah Stormsong series though and I look forward to more. 

Blog Tour for Hell's Hollow by Summer Stone; Review

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: March 14th, 2013
Finished Date: March 11th, 2013

Publishers: Self - Published 
Source: For Review (My Secret Romance Blog Tour) 

Format: Kindle 

Pages:  182
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

When Seraphina was younger, she healed her best friend's injured hand. Terrified by the inexplicable cure, the girl shunned her. From that day on, Seraphina found herself without friends, a freak and an oddity. And so she obeyed her mother’s rule to refrain from using her innate ability, heeded her mother's warning that its use could land her in the local mental health facility alongside her aunt and grandmother.

But when sixteen-year-old Seraphina finds a mysterious, wounded boy hiding in the hollow in the woods behind her house, she can't hold out against the overpowering urge to help him. She is drawn to him each night, and as they come to know one another, their irresistible attraction blooms.

She longs to uncover his secrets — where he comes from and why he's hiding and how he came to be so wounded — and to share her own, though she knows it's forbidden. And while her healing touch seems to be helping him, it's hurting her. When the symptoms of psychosis — experienced by the women in her bloodline who used their powers — begin to plague Seraphina, she is faced with the unbearable choice of saving her sanity or the boy she’s come to love.

The Review: Hell’s Hollow was a good read. Seraphina is quite the loner in a small town where she lives up to her familys’ reputation as the local wierdos and who could blame them thinking that when her Grandmother and Aunt are currently residing in a mental health clinic, driven crazy by their ‘gifts’. Not Sera though, not if her mother has anything to say about it. Ordered to never use her gift of healing for fear of ending up where her relatives are, she must resist the tug she feels to heal the injured – be it animal or human. However, one day she feels the tug towards the Hollow, a strangely powerful and mystic place that only the females from her bloodline can tread upon and low and behold, that tug leads to a boy, a boy who would need her kind of help and who she would most definitely like to help. As their time together grows, so does their relationship and as they uncover each-others secrets there is an intense connection, Sera feels compelled to heal him - but at what cost to herself? Is this boy worth her heart & her sanity?

So this was a good read, I liked both of our main characters Sera & Zach, they felt very naïve & vulnerable, each having a similar sort of sheltered existence but under different circumstances. The way they were around each other was very sweet as their relationship blossomed. I liked Sera’s struggle throughout this not just with her gift but with her sanity and I liked how that was backed up with the visits to her Gran & Aunt which gave us a glimpse at what was at stake if she used her gift. I liked the premise of the whole book, I liked what that meant for her family & the town as it all connects to a certain place with a dark history. The background of it all was very interesting and it’s a shame we didn’t get that story in the beginning of the book, I like a bit of folklore and it tied in lovely to the story. I thought it was going to mainly be a boy meets girl with gift, she heals him & they fall in love, kind of story but this has a bit more to it, a bit of mystery & a whole lot of skeletons in the closet which was great!. I liked the way that her Gran & Aunt’s mental health were portrayed, nothing too dark with it being YA but also fitting enough to have an impact on Sera’s outlook on life. All in all, reading this is a great way to spend a few hours. 

Author Bio;

Summer Stone loves immersing herself in the worlds that live inside her mind. When she's in the real world, she likes kicking back on the beach, exploring new places, reading (of course) and eating rich, gooey chocolate. She loves spending time with her husband and kids, which she does as much as she can. Summer writes young adult and women's fiction, both supernatural and contemporary, realistic and looks forward to sharing her novels with you!

Website: http://summerstonebooks.blogspot.co.uk/

A Review for Immortal Trust (The Curse of the Templars #3) by Claire Ashgrove

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: March 26th 2013

Finished Date: February 5th, 2013

Publishers: Tor Books 
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback

Pages:  464
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

When archaeoloist Chloe Broussard acccepts the contract to lead a dig in Ornes, France, she has no idea she will uncover the Veil of Veronica. When she does, she discovers a danger far greater than the demons she's confronted since childhood. Azazel wants her, as well as the Veronica, and his chosen minion is her brother. Her hope lies with immortal Templar Knight Lucan. Her life depends on oaths she knows nothing about.

For countless centuries, Lucan of Seacourt has lived with the knowledge that his brother killed their family. Now, as Azazel's darkness eats away at his soul, old betrayal stirs suspicion. He trusts no one. Not even the seraph who can heal his dying spirit.

With the fate of the Almighty hanging in the balance, Lucan must find faith in something more terrifying than the dark lord's creations. He must learn to believe his heart.

The Review: I just love this series <3

Immortal Trust is an excellent addition to The Curse of the Templars series. This book gave not only a different location but a different feel from the first two. This time around we join Lucan, Caradoc & Gareth as they travel to Ornes, France where a very important relic is about to be uncovered by an archaeologist – Chloe Broussard – who is about to have her world turned upside down because…you’ve guessed it….. she is a seraph and the saviour of Lucan of Seacourt. Lucan goes into this mission knowing that Chloe is his and decides to take a rather different approach than that of Merrick & Farran, he decides that he will court Chloe, get her to fall in love with him as a man before he springs the Templar situation on her. There is no denying the chemistry between the two but Chloe has been hurt before and has some serious trust issues regarding the opposite sex so she is very reluctant to start something with luscious Lucan. Adding to the her worries is the strange behaviour her brother Julian is displaying and his obsession with their finding - the Veil of Veronica, little does she know but Julian is possessed by evil as we see Azazel change his tactics in the hunt for the relics and for the Seraphs themselves. Can Lucan woo Chloe into taking her oaths? Will Chloe let her guard down long enough to let Lucan in? and more importantly… will she believe?

As I said, ‘I LOVE THIS SERIES’ – so I don’t think I could ever fault the books, this did indeed take on a different feel and thought it brought a nice change and gave the series a lift. This time we venture to Europe, the setting was beautiful, I enjoyed the descriptions of the surroundings, the dig itself was very interesting and even the day trip to Picardie had my curiosity going. I wanted to see these places and the details in the architecture that are described, there are very few times in books where I’m so interested in locations but this was one and I told myself I would google some of the places so I could see them for myself.
 I loved that this book took on a more romantic feel, the author writes her male leads so well, it’s hard not to fall for these big, strong, brave, heroic protectors and the devotion they show to their women just gets me every time. It was super sweet how Lucan wanted to court Chloe and make her fall in love with him before she found out about everything, he tried to learn from Merrick & Farran’s mistakes. We must remember that they are from a different time & place, that these modern women are being thrust into their lives and most of them have no clue what to do, taking the caveman approach and failing but I felt that he made more of an effort to understand her, his love for her was shining through & his protective side came across so well and not overbearing as strong Alpha males can be, he had only just met her and he was devoted to her <3 I liked the banter between them, how they opened up to each other, their little spats and even how he read her eyes but especially Chloe’s softening towards him – just lovely.
The threat also took on a different more sinister feel in this as Azazel seems to have changed tactics and a couple of surprising revelations come about, one being his allies, another being why he is so interested in the Seraphs and lastly how he is going about his quest for the relics especially when Chloe’s brother is possessed for such a reason. This is a new thing and makes you wonder what’s in store for the future Seraphs?  What will he use against them? I really like the direction it seems to be going in and I’m always left wanting more. This series is the closest thing to historical romance you will get me reading, I love the Templar history, the snippets of information we get here and there, it all adds to my curiosity and what better way to get some history across with it as the backdrop to never ending, good vs evil war with a strong supernatural feel, surrounding a fated love sent from the heavens – personally, I can’t get enough! 

A Review for Seven Night Stand by Nicole Helm

Posted by Jess
Release Date: February 6th, 2013
Finished Date: February 26th, 2013

Publishers: Entangled 
Source: For Review

Format: e-book

Pages:  217
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Reality TV scout Vivvy Marsh loves her job, but she'll lose it if she doesn't find a hit. When she’s sent to Kansas to scout a show, it looks like a bust...until she meets sexy pilot, Nate Harrington. His family would make the perfect show to save her career.

Nate can’t deny his attraction to Vivvy, but no way can he let this show take off. The Harrington family is riddled with secrets, and she wants it all out in the open. For the next seven days, he’s going to stop at nothing to keep her out of his family's business, even if it means keeping her distracted in his bedroom.

The Review: I received this book for review. I enjoyed it to some extent. I find it really hard to connect with books like this and I always end up only giving them three stars.

As a story goes it was just ok for me. I didn't quite get the full concept of the reality show or why it was really being considered as a story, it just felt a little unrealistic to me. However the characters I did like. Vivvy was a strong woman who knew what she wanted out of the visit to Harringtons and she wasn't leaving without it. The relationship that then later stemmed between her and Nate was good. It caused some friction between the two and although their chemistry was obvious they still didn't believe they were at all right for each other. The romance wasn't overly instant, but you could definitely see the attraction between the two from the get go.

As far a pacing goes, it was well paced for what needed to be told, I did get bored in some places, but Nicole Helm must have done something right as in most parts I couldn't actually put the book down. 

Although I am only giving this 3 stars, I did enjoy it like I said, but I just can't always seem to connect with these types of books, I don't know why I think it must be the story or the setting or maybe the characters.

Overall it wasn't a bad book, not at all, it was all just ok for me. I wouldn't read it again but I do think if you happen to come across it somehow, give it a go. Nate is hot so that pretty much helps you get through most of the book. It is however, worth a read if you get to it.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for allowing me review this title.

Marissa Meyer comes to the UK; Author Interview + Giveaway (INT)

Marissa Meyer is coming to the UK! 

On March 26th, 2013 she will be visiting Waterstone's in Bromley at 6pm. 

I'm gutted I won't be able to make it - as you know I'm from Birmingham and it's difficult for me to travel during the week due to work. Anyway, if your a fan of Marrissa's work then we highly suggest you get yourself to Bromley, so you can meet this awesome author. 

To celebrate her UK tour, Marissa has stopped by today for a quick Q&A with us along with an international SWAG giveaway. You can enter below.

1) What was your inspiration for writing The Lunar Chronicles?

I entered a writing contest a few years ago in which the host had listed about ten random prompts and writers had to choose two of them to include in their stories. My two prompts: set it in the future and include a fairy-tale character. My contest entry was a sci-fi version of Puss in Boots and I had so much fun writing it that I thought I would try to do an entire series of sci-fi fairy tales! (The ironic part of that story is that only two stories were submitted for the contest—and mine didn’t win!)

A couple months after that I was drifting off to sleep when the lightning bolt struck: Cinderella… as a cyborg! I crawled out of bed and spent about an hour brainstorming and jotting notes. Thus, The Lunar Chronicles was born.

2) Which book was the most challenging to write? 

That would probably be a toss-up between CINDER or WINTER (Book 4, which I'm working on now). Cinder was difficult because there's a lot of set-up that goes into the book: world-building, character introduction, foreshadowing of some of the conflicts still to come, etc. But I of course had to try and convey all that information while still making the book fast-paced and exciting. On the other hand WINTER is the book in which everything finally comes together and all the subplots (and main plots) are finally resolved. Plus, there are just a lot of characters by this book and they're all still telling their own stories. It's a big balancing act.

3) We love the covers for Cinder and Scarlet –  what are your thoughts?

Thank you - I absolutely love them as well! I didn't have much say in them, and I was caught off-guard when I first saw the cover for Cinder. (Spoiler: there are no red shoes in the book!) But I can see now that all the book covers will be tied together with a striking red element, and I love how they pop of the shelves. The designer did a really amazing job.

4) What’s your progress with the next books in the series – are they wrote? 

Book 3: CRESS is almost-almost-almost done. I'm just working on final revisions from my editor right now. And I have the first draft written of Book 4: WINTER, and so I'll be diving into those revisions once CRESS is sent off.

5) Do you have a favourite quote from any of your books?

I really love the last line of CINDER: "But they would be looking for a ghost." I think it plays on a lot of themes that crop up throughout the book, and I was really proud when the line came to me. Of course, lots of people shook their fists at me for ending the book on such a cliffhanger, but I've always been happy with where it ended and how Cinder and Scarlet linked together.

Author Bio;

I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my fiancé and our two cats. In addition to my slight obsession with books and writing, I'm big on road-tripping, wine-tasting, and hunting for antiques. I'm represented by Jill Grinberg.

CINDER, my debut novel, is a futuristic re-envisioning of Cinderella in which Cinder is a cyborg mechanic. Release date: 3 Jan 2012.

website: http://www.marissameyer.com

twitter username: marissa_meyer

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Blog Tour for Breaking the Wrong (Sloan Brothers #2) by Calia Read; Excerpt + Giveaway

Breaking the Wrong
by Calia Read 
Release Date: March 25th 2013

Publishers: Self - Published

Pages:  304 
Buy: Currently unavailable until March 25th, 2013 

Emilia Wentworth would do anything for her sister.

For three years, Emilia has lived in the past, feeling her sister's pain and hating those who are to blame, including one of the Sloan brothers.

Finally, she has had enough. 

The only way to be free is to create a Burn List with all the people who have ever hurt her sister.
As she crosses each name off, she gets closer and closer to her final target. But, things aren't always as they seem. Loyalties are tested. Boundaries are crossed. And the truth is revealed.

Excerpt from Breaking the Wrong 

By Calia Read

I drop my leather bag on the table and start to pull out my notebook. Macsen relaxes in the seat across from me and watches. It makes me nervous. I like seeing what is running through people’s eyes, but Macsen has blinders over his, making him impossible to read.

            Awkwardly, he clears his throat. I slowly sit down and stare at him. “I’m Macsen, by the way.”

            I know him, and I know he knows that.

            My fingers lace together in front of me and I give him a fake smile. “Nice to meet you.” I deserve a reward for keeping the tremors out of my voice. “I’m Emil-”

            “I know who you are,” he interrupts. “I heard you tell Chris in class.”

            At the mention of Chris, I let out an amused laugh. He hasn’t said a word to me since the last time we talked, but in Psych class he gives me these cheesy winks and points to Macsen’s back.

            Macsen cocks his eyebrow. “You know Chris?”

            “If you consider talking to him one time as ‘knowing’ him, then sure.”

            It seems like he’s going to say more but instead, he snorts and peers at my math textbook. “Where do you want to start?” he asks.

            I settle in my chair and look at him. “Anywhere,” I say quietly. “It’s all a big blur to me.”

            Macsen leans forward and slides my textbook closer to him. Before he even looks at the numbers, he pulls out a pair of glasses.

            Macsen wear glasses. I never pegged him as a glasses kind of person.

            Some females have a fetish for muscles, big, rough hands, or even just a handsome face. Not me. Glasses on a guy make my pulse race. My inner nerd freaks out over it.

            His sharp green eyes look up at me. “Let’s just start with a few small problems.” His voice is gruff, and it’s easy to pick up on his bland tone. Somehow, he’s acting like he got roped into this. I want to remind him that he’s here because he volunteered, but I keep my mouth shut.

            He points to an equation on the page and drags his finger down. “Just start with these few problems...” His hands are rough and calloused. I expected them to be well manicured. It throws me off balance to think that he might actually lift a finger and work. “Is it okay to start with that?” he asks.

            I blink repeatedly, noticing his hand stops on number fifteen. God, I hope that’s where the problems end. I give him a short nod. “That sounds good.” 

            “Good.” Before he even finishes the sentence he picks up his book, opens it to his bookmarked spot, and I no longer exist.

            I grind my teeth together and slowly start working on the problems. Nothing makes sense, but I work through them like I know exactly what I’m doing. More than a few minutes pass, I can only tell by my stiff neck. I rotate my head and look over at Macsen. His head is still down, concentrating on the thick book laying flat on the table. I go back to the impossible problems in front of me and try to figure them out.

            It’s a complete failure. With a sigh, I drop my pencil. “I’m done,” I announce. 

            Macsen says nothing. He looks at me through his black eyelashes before shutting his book. “Hand them over.”

            Right now, I want to be broken glass and cut the hell out of him. I want to wad up the paper and drill his forehead with my messed-up answers. My hand covers the notebook as I jerk it toward him. His dark brows furrow. He puts his palm flat on my textbook and drags it toward him.

            Underneath the table, my left leg starts to bounce erratically. My eyes drift over to the wall where a clock is mounted. Forty-five minutes. It took me forty-five minutes just to do a few problems. If that isn’t promising, I don’t know what is.

            I watch his eyes scan the paper methodically. I’m waiting for him to pull out a pen and start marking my paper with everything I did wrong. But his hands are pen-free. Nothing has been marked and I’m starting to worry, because I really do need a tutor. Not someone who’s just going to pretend they know what the hell they’re doing. I need help now.

            Finally, he hands over my notebook. I raise an eyebrow. I’m not wildly self-confident. I know my struggles and I know, for a fact, that these answers are wrong. All wrong.

            Macsen grabs a pencil next to his laptop and leans across the table. His face is close enough that if he glances up from the notebook, our noses will touch. Discreetly, I scoot my chair back an inch. 

            “So,” he announces, in that same gruff manner. “You get the idea, but I notice you get stumped right here.” Macsen points to one of the problems and I’m already frowning. He catches my expression and says, “It’s not so bad. We’ll go through it a few times and you’ll understand it better.”

            I want to believe him, except he sounds so put off.

            But this isn’t new. Growing up, I had my fair share of teachers who were put off by my confusion.

            My legs cross underneath the table at the same time my arms do. “What if I don’t understand it?” I ask.

            He regards me thoughtfully and leans back in his chair. “You will.”

            “You’re so sure...”

            “Look, I know my way around math. And I’ll make sure you understand this.”

            My foot taps against the leg of my chair repeatedly. “But everyone has a different way of learning.”

            “And I’ll figure out your way.” He leans forward and taps a finger against my paper. “So, can I help you now?”

            I bluntly nod. He explains the solutions with ease, and it’s almost painful for me to admit that Melissa is right. Macsen is a math whiz.

Author Bio;

College seemed like too much stress for me. Traveling across the world, getting married, and having three kids seemed much more relaxing.

Yeah, I’m still waiting for the relaxing part to kick in... 

I change addresses every other year. It’s not by choice but it is my reality. 

While the crazies of life kept me busy, the stories in my head decided to bubble to the surface. They were dying to be told and I was dying to tell them. 

That was four years ago. Soon, the stories will be shared with you. I hope you’ll enjoy escaping to the crazy world of these characters with me!!

I'm constantly on Facebook. 'Like' me there so we can gush and talk about everything books! 

Social media links 

http://www.facebook.com/CaliaRead

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6466717.Calia_Read

http://caliareadsandwrites.blogspot.de

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