Everbound

My Review:

Ok I'm writing this like seconds after finishing the book! And I must say that the first 100 pages didn't have me going, I almost put it down. But then the book really started taking off. And the ending was such a cliff hanger that I am going to be dying until I can finish the series. As I really didn't see it coming when I probably should have. This book will pull you in and you will feed of it for a 100 years. For those who do teams. I'm so team Jack and Cole needs to be sucked dry by a shade if you ask me. I did like him before this book and in the middle of this book. But now he needs to die (a horrible painful death)  I can't wait to see what Ashton has in store for Nik and Jack. 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Release Date: January 22, 2013 | Series: Everneath

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity—a debt that should've been hers. Now she is living a borrowed life, and she doesn't know what to do with the guilt. And every night, Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away. No matter how she tries to reach for his hand, she can never find it.
Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen—and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to help in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.
Nikki and Cole, along with Cole's bandmate Max, descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they'd anticipated—and more deadly. From a Lake of Blood and Guilt to Sirens' alluring tricks to insurmountable walls of rock and flame, the trio is given every reason to turn back and give up. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack—even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.
In this breathtaking sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we'll go to for the ones we love.

BUY THE BOOK

BAM | BN | Amazon

› Visit Amazon's Brodi Ashton Page

Biography

First-time author Brodi Ashton received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Utah and a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. Brodi has an active following on her blog, which can be found at www.brodisashton.blogspot.com. She lives in Utah with her family.

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

Another Look At Everneath!

My Review:

I was reading this a second time so I could refresh my brain on what happened. I don't know if I liked it more this time or the first time around. Right before reading this book again. I had just finished The Goddess Inheritance. Which is also a story of the Greek gods and Persephone. The differences is that while The Goddess Inheritance is serious it brings with it a humor that Everneath just doesn't have a lot of. Now that isn't to say Everneath wasn't good. Because it was. I love this series to pieces and I'm so happy that they sent me an ARC of Everbound (review to post tomorrow). Everneath just brings more drama and mystery vs. humor. This is defiantly a book I will read again in the future and I can't wait to hear more from Nik, Jack, and even Cole. I have been sucked into the Everneath and its not letting me go anytime soon. If you would like to see my first review please go HERE 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Release Date: January 24, 2012

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray (January 24, 2012)

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.
Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

WHERE TO FIND EVERNEATH 

BAM | BN | Amazon

› Visit Amazon's Brodi Ashton Page

Biography

First-time author Brodi Ashton received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Utah and a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. Brodi has an active following on her blog, which can be found at www.brodisashton.blogspot.com. She lives in Utah with her family.

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

January 2013 Giveaway

For January 2013 my first giveaway will be a signed ARC of Across the Universe.  I don't remember where I got it from. But it has been sitting on my shelf for some time now.  So I thought that this month was the time to give it a new home.  So enter below!  And thanks for checking out my site!  Hope to see you back soon! 

Book Description

Release Date: January 11, 2011 | Series: Across the Universe

Book 1 in the New York Times bestselling trilogy, perfect for fans of Battlestar Gallactica and Prometheus!
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SURVIVE ABOARD A SPACESHIP FUELED BY LIES?

Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She has left her boyfriend, friends--and planet--behind to join her parents as a member of Project Ark Ship. Amy and her parents believe they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, three hundred years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, cryo chamber 42 is mysteriously unplugged, and Amy is violently woken from her frozen slumber.

Someone tried to murder her.

Now, Amy is caught inside an enclosed world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed's 2,312 passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader. And Elder, Eldest's rebellious teenage heir, is both fascinated with Amy and eager to discover whether he has what it takes to lead.

Amy desperately wants to trust Elder. But should she put her faith in a boy who has never seen life outside the ship's cold metal walls? All Amy knows is that she and Elder must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill again.

› Visit Amazon's Beth Revis Page

Biography

Beth Revis grew up in western North Carolina reading CS Lewis and Madeleine L'Engle. Her debut novel, a sci fi novel for teens who don't like sci fi, is ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (Penguin). The first of a trilogy, it tells the story of a girl born of Earth but cryogenically frozen for a centuries-long trip across the universe and the boy born on the ship who she meets when she's woken up fifty years too early. The sequel, A MILLION SUNS, will be published in January 2012, followed by the third in the trilogy in 2013.

WINNER IS  LAURIE M. FL, USA

TMI Tuesday!: In-Laws

So with the new year finally here. I thought that is was time to get off my butt and start posting my Featured Days again!  So I have skipped Monday since I wanted to start these now on the first! 

 So here is TMI Tuesday!  

 For this TMI Tuesday we are going to be going to my husband's grandmother's house.  

Yes the Dreaded In Laws. (hope they aren't reading this) We don't see them very often as

1. they live in Orlando which is about 2 hours away on a good day.

2. Gas its costly

3. The house is always baking hot

 4. Well we just don't get a long.

 I don't think anyone really gets along with their in-laws.  They don't like my mother (sometimes I don't her either but hey she is my mom)  I don't know. I don't think they like me cause well for one thing I'm Pagan. For another I have tattoos. lol (now my husband has one and wants more).   They don't like that my husband doesn't call them. But they don't call him either.  It's a very bad cycle and I don't see an ending to it any time soon.  Well thats my TMI for this week.  

How do all of you deal with your in-laws?  Comment below and 1 lucky winner will win this! 

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

As every couple discovers when they get married, you don't just acquire a spouse when you wed — you get the whole family! Whether it’s navigating a culture clash, kibitzing in marital squabbles, spoiling the grandkids, or ducking out on the holidays, this book can help. Those who’ve lived to tell about it weigh in here. Packed with stories, advice, humor, and the hard-won wisdom of hundreds of others who’ve survived those problems and more, this fun, fast-paced book is a perfect — and useful — engagement or wedding gift.

Fill this out for next weeks TMI Post. 

 I will attempt to get to all topics.  

If your topic/question is used you will receive a free Ebook! 

New in 2013

Thought I would pop on here and fix this post.  Posting things from my phone just suck. lol they really need to update the app.

Well here is a list of things that will be for 2013 which is slowly coming our way. As i'm writing this we have an hour left.

1. Giveaways: I will be doing monthly giveaways. This will be at the bottom of my site as well as on my Rafflecopter on my Facebook Page.  I will also create a post for it.  So if you want more info on the book there will always be a link under the Rafflecopter to get to that post.  
2. I will be doing every single Hop via I'm A Reader Not A Writer.  So you can see the hops the day they post, Via Her site, or you can always click the pic on my side bar that says Click Here For Hops.  That will list all of the hops that I have done as they post.  
3. Featured Days:  I will again be doing my freatured days M-F will all have something posted from now on.  
1. Monday Note- Simple list of what I have finished, Started, and TBA list
2. TMI Tuesday- This day will be filled with questions and topics from you!  There will always be a form you can fill out at the end of each post as well as a chance to win a book. 
3. Author Wednesdays- I really wanted to start doing more Interviews.  So Wednesday is going to be nothing but author interviews.  If I dont have one than it will be skipped. 
4. Blogger Thursday- This day will be questions and info about blogging from the people who do it best.  Those whom blog. 
5. Witchbox Fridays- So Friday will be my In My Mailbox or in my case Witchbox.  This will be a video as soon as I get my sound fixed.  But for now it will be a post.  It will include all of the books that I have gotten that week.  
6. Saturday/Sunday Videos-  This will be a short vid about what is coming the following week.  
4. Reviews:  I will be posting reviews EVERY DAY!  I know I'm NUTS!  But I have been reading up a storm!  I don't know when I sleep.  

HOP: Happy New Year 2013

Thanks for stoping by for this hop!  I hope that you enjoy your stay!  For this hop I will be giving away a copy of The Mistaken.   To see the rest of the hop links please click here!

Hope you check back for more Blog Hop Fun!

I will follow you back if you leave your link below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Promo Wednesdays!

So you need to get your cover or book trailer or you just want to get some free PR!?  Well look no further!  All you have to do is fill out this short form and ill email you back to get all of the info and have it posted for one of my Thursday Promo days!

Review: Level 2

My Review: 5 Stars

YAY DEBUT NOVEL TIME! When I FINALLY started this one! I thought I was going to hate it. I am so over angel books that I don't really want to see another one!  However, with the angels promising to be the bad guys in this one. I thought why not. So this one turned out to be really good.  It was slow in the beginning which is why it took me so long to really start it.  But, once I did I couldn't put it down! This is deffinatly one that I will be getting in a finished copy!  Ps. Dont forget to check out my Pinterest link for my Highlights from this ARC. 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Release Date: January 15, 2013 | Series: Memory Chronicles (Book 1)

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (January 15, 2013)

In this gripping exploration of a futuristic afterlife, a teen discovers that death is just the beginning.

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.

Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Find Level 2

Amazon Hardback | Kindle | BAM Hardback | BAM Nook | Barnes and Noble

Publisher

Lenore Appelhans moved frequently growing up due to her dad’s US Air Force career. To date, she’s lived in six countries and visited nearly sixty. She currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany, with her illustrator husband Daniel Jennewein. Level 2 is her first novel. Visit her at PresentingLenore.blogspot.com, where she has been blogging about YA lit since 2008.

Find Lenore Appelhans

Blog | Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Publisher

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

Review: V is for Virgin

Author Kelly Oram

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.

Links:

Blog |  Twitter |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

My Review: 4 Stars
For those who might wonder about content based on the title -
From Kelly: The book has a great overall message and promotes good strong moral values. For a book all about sex, there's not anything even close to a sex scene in it, but because of the nature of the topic there is a lot of innuendo/sexual humor and some name calling.

This one was great!  In a world where if you make it high school as a virgin is almost un heard of. This book brings a new look to what it means to be one.  Wherever your choice be it to have sex before you were married (yet I did this one) or to wait until your wedding night.  Its always up to you.  You are the one who will have to live with that decision.  No one can make it for you!  This book was a fast read and was so good.  So if you don't know what to choose read this and think about it some more!

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Publication Date: December 5, 2012

• File Size: 1453 KB
• Publisher: Bluefields (December 5, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

When Val Jensen gets dumped for her decision to stay a virgin until marriage, the nasty breakup goes viral on YouTube, making her the latest internet sensation.

After days of ridicule from her peers, Val starts a school-wide campaign to rally support for her cause. She meant to make a statement, but she never dreamed the entire nation would get caught up in the controversy.

As if becoming nationally recognized as “Virgin Val” isn’t enough, Val’s already hectic life starts to spin wildly out of control when bad boy Kyle Hamilton, lead singer for the hit rock band Tralse, decides to take her abstinence as a personal challenge.

How can a girl stay true to herself when this year’s Sexiest Man Alive is doing everything in his power to win her over?

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

V is for Virgin Tour Schedule

December 23rd
Bibliophilia, Please - Interview or Guest Post
Crossroads Reviews - Review
FLY HIGH! - Guest Post

December 24th
Reviewing Shelf - Review
Bookworm Lisa - Review & Interview or Tens List

December 26th
Every Free Chance Book Reviews - Review
Mom With a Kindle - Interview or Guest Post
LDS Forever Friends Book Nook - Review
The Itzel Library - Review

December 27th
Reader Girls - Excerpt
Karey White - Review
Paulette's Papers - Tens List
Reading Lark - Guest Post

December 28th
Day by Day in Our World - Review
Debbie's Inkspectations - Review
Emily's Crammed Bookshelf - Interview or Guest Post
My Devotional Thoughts - Review

January 2nd
Wall-to-Wall Books - Review & Author Interview

Tour Giveaway

$30 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Open Internationally
Ends 1/6/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event #3: The Magic of Christmas

"Today Crossroad Reviews and Tours is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. 

This week, we are posting our favorite Children's, Winter or Christmas story. 

This is one of our favorite pagan stories to tell during this time of year!  I hope that you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Today I wanted to share a story that I share on my blog every year. It is the first in a series of stories about the Sabbats, geared towards kids. Hope you all enjoy.

“Grandfather can you tell us a story?” the children asked in unison as they ran up to the old man reclining peacefully by the fire.

The old man sat up straighter in the chair, took a puff from his pipe and asked with a grin, “What story should I tell? What story do you want to know? You there,” he said pointing to one of the children, the smallest, “you haven’t had a turn to ask for a story in quite a while. So you pick, tell me what you want to hear.”

In a small voice, the child said “Grandfather can you tell me of the story of the first Yule? I always liked that one the best.”

With a clearing of his throat and another puff on his pipe, the Grandfather started to spin the tale of the first Yule.

“We all know that Yule is at the end of December. When the night and the day are equal to each other. But the story really starts much earlier. In fact over a month earlier. For you remember that in August the Harvest Lord laid down his sword of power and went away to Summerland to rest. Well the Goddess missed her husband so much that she began to grow old just with the grief alone and that is why we have Winter. The time when the Earth grows barren and cold.

“Well the Goddess because of her sadness after a time, left us also and went on a journey to Summerland to try and find him. Now she doesn’t die now, she only goes on a vision quest. But she is gone so long that at Samhain her body passes on and when she is found frozen in the forest two weeks later a wake is held for her in the Holly King’s drinking hall.

“It took over a week for all the faeries and other mourners to come.For they came from all corners of Creation. But there was one unexpected guest, an old woman. She was so old that she almost looked like a walking skeleton. So of course everyone there was mean to her out of fright and disgust.

“Yet when she greeted the Holly King, calling him her Son, everyone realized with much fright that this was the Goddess returned to them. The very Goddess whose death, they were there to mourn.

“So angry was she, that she was treated so poorly, the Goddess passed a prophecy to the Holly King. That she had within her the Oak King, soon to be reborn. And for rebuking her the Holly King would pass to Summerland upon the birth of that child.

“Now this scared the Holly King that he decided to lock the old Crone away in the top room of the tallest tower in all the world. Then he walled up the doors and all but one of the windows so that she is trapped within the room at the top of this tower. The window he left open so that he could have the birds fly food to her.

“Now he did this hoping that he could escape the doom that was foretold to him. But the Crone knew that the birth of her child was her only hope of escape. The Crone then wove magick and took the light and warmth from the Sun, and passed it to her son. So that in just four weeks, she gave birth to the Oak King. Who ever after was also given the name of the Sun King. For he was born fully grown and glowing with a golden light so bright that it caused the dying of the Sun to be reversed.

“Those four weeks of magick are why we light the candles for the four weeks before Yule. One candle for the first week and two for the second and so on until we have four candles lit on the night of Yule. This represents the growing light inside her as outside the Sun grew weaker.

“But the birth was hard on the old Crone, so hard that she slipped into a sleep very near to Death. So the Sun King in his anger thinking that his mother was dead, flew out the lone window as a large golden eagle. All across the Earth he hunted the Holly King, Lord of the Wintertime. Finally cornering him at the shores of a great ocean.

“And when he found him he threw his magickal spear at him and destroyed him. The spear hit the Holly King so hard that his body just vanished. But don’t worry, for the Holly King simply reappeared in Summerland. When he got there he found the Crone in one of her other aspects, the Young Maiden.

“She spoke to him of prophecy and the Wheel of the Year. She spoke of the new cycle that had been made in the last year. That the events of the last year would repeat themselves forever and ever.

“And although the Holly King had passed away now, he now knew that he would return just past the height of Summer to take the Sun King’s place again.

This is why the Holly King, as Santa Claus, brings us gifts every year to make up for the Winter that he brings with him. But he only brings presents to good little boys and girls because he wants us to learn to not be mean like he was to the Crone on that first night that he met her so long ago.

“Now back to the Sun King, when he returned to the Crone he saw that she wasn’t really dead but only asleep. So he went out and found a large log, the first Yule Log, cut from the largest Oak he could find. In hopes that this would revive the Goddess. And for their lifegiving properties he decorated her room with evergreens. Even bringing in a tree and decorating it with his light.

“But all this magick did was to make her youthful again, so that now she was a beautiful youthful Maiden. Yet she still slept a deep sleep almost near death.

“So you see my grandchildren there are good reasons why we do the things that we do at Yule. They served a purpose long ago and it is good to recognize and honor that. “

“But Grandfather,” spoke up the eldest, “What happened next? I know the Goddess didn’t stay asleep forever. Please tell us more.”

Shaking his head, the old man said, “Lunch is overdue and I’m hungry so let us go to eat and then I will tell you all another tale. I will tell you of what happened next to the Goddess and to the Sun King. I will tell you the story of the first Imbolc.”

To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour  for a list of participating blogs."

"As part of The Magic of Christmas, WinterHaven Books is hosting a give-away that will include a Children's or YA book bundle to be shipped to an elementary school or library of the winner's choosing. The winner will be offered a few options and they can choose what bundle and location to ship to within the United States.  Good luck and happy holidays!"

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Mia's Heart

My Review: 4 Stars

I am so glad that I got to be on the tour for Mia's Heart.  Because I would have never found Dante's Girl!  

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Publication Date: June 22, 2012

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.

Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, "You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto," even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I've learned something from every one of them.

Let's start with the fact that Dante's world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of Great Britain on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don't care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante's girl.

My heart just might be crazy.

********

Dante's Girl is book one in The Paradise Diaries.  It is followed by book two, Mia's Heart.

 My Review: 4 Stars

Ok so glad I got on this tour!  I even snagged book 1!  I was so blown away by this book!  It is a deff. MUST READ!

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2012

My name is Mia Giannis.
I am seventeen years old.
I live in Valese, Caberra.

This has become my mantra and my lifeline, having recently lost my memory due to a scary natural disaster.

Yeah. I have amnesia. Messed up, right?

You don't know the half of it.

Not remembering anything has turned my world upside down. My parents try their hardest to “remind” me of who I was, but it doesn't feel right. Or, if what they're saying is true and that really was me, I'm not sure I like that person very much.

And then there’s my love life. Apparently, Gavin Ariastasis is my oldest and best friend in the world. Also, apparently, we’ve never dated. But now, noticing him for what feels like the first time, he’s making my heart do somersaults. He knows me inside and out—the real me. Plus, he’s sexy and charming as hell. Sounds perfect, right?

But then... there’s the new guy. Quinn McKeyen – tall, gorgeous and deliciously American. His mischievous grin and slow Midwestern drawl turn my insides to mush in two seconds flat making me question who I really am and what I really want.

Seriously. What am I supposed to do with all that?! I feel torn between them, but I barely even know who I am, let alone what I want.

I just hope my indecisive heart will clue me in. And sooner rather than later…before I lose what little of my mind that I have left.

Mia's Heart is Book Two in the Paradise Diaries. It is preceded by Dante's Girl.

Check out Dante's Girl - the first book in the Paradise Diaries Series  

Goodreads | Amazon | BN

About Courtney Cole

website | twitter |  facebook | facebook fan page

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could.
She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds.
Every Last Kiss is her debut novel and she followed it with the rest of The Bloodstone Saga (Every Last Kiss, Fated, With My Last Breath and My Tattered Bonds).
Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolewrites.com