Monday, August 05, 2013

{Review} Fire with Fire will leave you gasping for more! @JennyHan @siobhanvivian

Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn, #2)When sweet revenge turns sour… Book two of a trilogy fromNew York Times, bestselling author Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...






When my friend over at WTF Are You Reading told me that this was on Edelweiss I about flipped out! I had been sent an ARC of book one Burn for Burn and loved it.  So I went on to Amazon and snagged me a finished copy of Burn for Burn so I could reread it. And again I loved it!  So I started Fire with Fire and well I loved MOST of it.  I love that these authors took a contemporary ya book and added a wonderful paranormal theme to it and well for the most part it is working.  I only had one issue in Fire with Fire that I really hope works out in book three!  I will say this that if that one chapter (if you have read it you know what im talking about) is not explained in book 3 it will make this trilogy a mess.  

Ok so Fire with Fire was just wow amazing!  These authors need to write more books with each other! The girls are back in book two of the Burn for Burn series and well their scheming is going to get someone hurt in more ways than one!  This book is filled with guilt and unsaid feelings.  This series really reminds me of John Tucker Must Die (which was funny).  I so cant wait for book three to come out!  Which is entitled Ashes to Ashes and is due to come out in 2014!  
"*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."
About the Author: 

Jenny Han is the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series, Shug, and the Burn for Burn trilogy. She is also the author of the chapter book Clara Lee and The Apple Pie Dream. A former children’s bookseller, she earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. Visit her at DearJennyHan.com.

Siobhan Vivian is the author of the young adult novel The List, as well as Not That Kind of Girl, Same Difference, and A Little Friendly Advice, and the Burn for Burn trilogy. A former editor for Alloy Entertainment, she received her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. Visit her at SiobhanVivian.com.


Pre-ORDER THE BOOK 
BAM | BN |AMAZON
"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.


If you havent read Burn for Burn here is the First Chapter:

CHAPTER ONE
LILLIA
I’M SITTING ON MY BATHROOM COUNTER, TRYING TO remember what the makeup lady at Saks told me about how to do eyeliner on Asian eyes. Only . . . I can’t think straight.
I think she said to wing it just the tiniest bit. I do my right eye first, and it looks okay. I’m finishing up my left eye when my little sister, Nadia, bangs on the door so loudly that I jump.
“Lil! I need to take a shower!” she yells. “Lilli-uhh!”
I pick up my hairbrush and then reach over and unlock the door. Nadia rushes in and turns on the water. She sits on the edge of the tub, in her big soccer T-shirt with her shiny black hair mussed up in the back and watches me brush my hair. “You look pretty,” she says, her voice scratchy with sleep.
Do I? At least the outside is still the same.
I keep brushing. Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, done. I brush my hair twenty-five strokes every morning. I’ve done it that way since I was little.
Today will be like any other day.
“But I thought you weren’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day,” Nadia adds.
I look down at my sweater. It’s new—white cashmere, soft and snug. I’m wearing it with my white short shorts. “Nobody follows that rule anymore,” I tell her, hopping down from the counter. “Besides, this is winter white.” I swat at her butt with my hairbrush. “Hurry up and get in the shower.”
“Do I have time to curl my hair before Rennie gets here?” she asks me.
“No,” I say, closing the door behind me. “Five minutes.”
Back in my room I start filling my brown saddlebag with my school things, like I’m on autopilot. My new pen and the leather planner my mom got me as a back-to-school gift. Lollies. Cherry ChapStick. I try to think if I’m forgetting something, but nothing comes to mind, so I grab my white espadrilles and head down the stairs.
My mom is in the kitchen, wearing her robe and drinking an espresso. My dad bought her one of those fancy espresso machines for Christmas, and she makes a point of using it at least once a week, even though she prefers tea, and even though my dad is hardly ever at home to see her use it. He’s a doctor, the kind who does research. For as long as I can remember, he’s been working on some new drug to cure cancer. He spends part of the month working at a lab in Boston, and he gets sent all over the world to present his findings. He was on the cover of some science journal this summer. I forget the name of it.
Gesturing to the plate of muffins, my mom says, “Sit down and eat before you go, Lilli. I got those sugary ones you love.”
“Rennie will be here any minute,” I say. When I see the disappointed look on my mom’s face, I take a muffin and wrap it in a napkin. “I’ll eat it in the car.”
Touching my hair, she says, “I can’t believe you’re a senior in high school. One more year and you’ll be away at college. My pretty girl is grown-up.”
I look away. I guess I am grown-up now.
“At least I still have my baby. Is Nadi getting ready?”
I nod.
“You have to look out for Nadi now that you’re at the same school. You know how she looks up to you, Lilli.” My mom squeezes my arm, and I swallow hard. I do have to look out for Nadia better. Not like how I did on Saturday night, when I left her at Alex’s party. She was with her friends, but still.
I should have stayed.
Rennie’s horn honks outside, and I stand up. “Nadia!” I yell. “Rennie’s here!”
“Just one more minute!” Nadia shrieks back.
I hug my mom and head for the garage door.
“Take a muffin for Rennie,” she calls out as I close the door behind me. Rennie wouldn’t eat it anyway. She goes off carbs at the start of every cheerleading season. She only lasts about a month before she gives in, though.
In the garage I slip on my espadrilles, and then I walk down the driveway to Rennie’s Jeep.
“Nadia’s right behind me,” I say, climbing inside.
Rennie leans over and hugs me good morning. Hug her back, I tell myself. And I do.
“Your skin looks awesome against the white,” she says, eyeing me up and down. “I wish I could get as tan as you.”
Rennie’s wearing tight jeans and an even tighter lacy scoop neck top, with a nude cami underneath. She’s so tiny, I can see her rib cage. I don’t think she’s wearing a bra. She doesn’t have to. She’s got a gymnast’s body.
“You’re pretty tan too,” I say, clicking my seat belt.
“Bronzer, baby.” She puts on her sunglasses and starts talking a mile a minute. “So here’s what I’m thinking for the next party. It came to me in a dream last night. The theme will be . . . Are you ready for this? The roaring twenties! The girls could wear flapper costumes with, like, a feather headpiece, and long beaded necklaces, and then the boys could wear zoot suits and fedoras. Hot, right?”
“I don’t know,” I say, looking out the window. Rennie’s talking so fast and so much, it’s making my head pound. “The guys might not be into it. Where are they supposed to find that stuff on the island?”
“Hello, it’s called the Internet!” Rennie taps her fingers on the steering wheel. “What’s taking Nadia so long? I want to get there before everybody else does so I can claim my parking spot for the year.” She presses her hand down on the horn—once, then twice.
“Stop,” I say. “You’re going to wake up my neighbors.”
“Oh, please. The closest house is, like, half a mile down the street.”
Our front door flies open, and Nadia comes running down the steps. She looks tiny against our massive white house. It’s different from most of the other houses on the island—modern lines and lots of glass. My mom helped design it. It was originally our summer home, and then we moved to Jar Island for good before my freshman year. I was the one who begged to move here, to be with Rennie and my summer friends.
My mom waves at us from the front door. I wave back.
“So are you yay or nay on the twenties party?” Rennie asks me.
I honestly don’t care, but I know my answer matters to her—which is why I feel like saying nay.
But before I can, Nadia is at the car, her hair sopping wet. She’s got on her new jeans and the black top the three of us bought together when we went shopping back in July. That feels like forever ago.
She climbs into the backseat. I twist around and say, “You should have dried your hair, Nadi. You know you always get colds when you go around with wet hair.”
Breathlessly she says, “I was scared you guys would leave without me.”
“We wouldn’t leave you!” Rennie cries, turning the wheel. “We’re your big sisters. We’ll always look out for you, honey bun.”
Something nasty is on the tip of my tongue, and I swallow hard to keep from saying it. If I say it, we’ll never be the same again. Even worse than now.
We pull around our circular driveway and down the road.
“Cheerleading practice is at four,” Rennie reminds me, bouncing in her seat to the music. “Don’t be late. We need to evaluate the fresh meat. See what we’ve got to work with. Did you remember to bring your mini camcorder so we can tape them?”
I open my bag and look, even though I know it’s not there. “I forgot.”
“Lil! I wanted to evaluate them later tonight in HD.” Rennie lets out a grumbly sigh, like she’s disappointed in me.
I shrug my shoulders. “We’ll deal.” That’s what we’re doing right now, isn’t it? Dealing? But Rennie’s clearly better at it than me.
“Nadi, who’s the prettiest of all your friends?” Rennie asks.
“Patrice,” Nadia says.
Rennie makes a left, and we pass the small rental cottages that populate Canobie Bluffs. I focus on one in particular. There’s a caretaker outside closing it up for the season, now that it’s empty. I think it’s Reeve’s dad. He’s bolting the shutters on the first floor windows. He hasn’t gotten to the master bedroom yet. Those ones are still wide open.
I turn my head away, and out of the corner of my eye, I look at Rennie. Just to see if she has noticed it too. But there’s nothing there—no recognition, no alarm, nothing.
“Nadi, you’re so much prettier than Patrice. FYI, I’m only taking the cream of the crop for the varsity squad,” Rennie says. “Let me know if there’s anyone you want to cheer for, and I’ll hook it up.”
Immediately Nadia says, “Alex. Can I cheer for Alex?”
Rennie gasps. “Ooh! You better ask your sister. He’s her boy toy.”
“Rennie, be quiet.” I say it more snappishly than I intended, and she makes a face to Nadia in her rearview mirror. I take a breath. “Nadia, there’s a whole line of junior and senior girls ahead of you for Alex. We can’t show favoritism like that. I mean, how would it look, us giving a senior starter to a freshman? Besides, you still have to try out. You haven’t made the squad yet.”
At this, Rennie nods. “Lil’s right. I mean, you’re basically in but we have to treat you the same as everybody else. Even though you’re clearly special.” Nadia wriggles in her seat like a puppy. “Oh, and make sure to tell your friends that if they’re even one minute late, they’re going to b... 

{Review + Interview} Glasswings #ElisaKlevenBooks @SamiJoLien

Glasswings: A Butterfly's StoryClaire, a glasswing butterfly whose transparent wings reflect her lush home, finds herself lost in the city after being separated from her family. She doesn’t know how they will ever see her, but she finds new city friends, a pigeon, an ant, and a ladybug, who search for the flowers Claire needs to live. They come upon a tiny urban garden, and as Claire drinks from the flowers’ nectar, she pollinates more flowers. Soon the garden—and Claire's clear wings—fill with color, allowing her family to recognize her at last. Together they create an oasis for all to enjoy.  Facts about glasswing butterflies and pollination complete this beautiful and educational picture book. Kleven’s latest offering is as colorful and delicate as a butterfly’s wings—a treasure that can be cherished for years.





Biography of Author/Illustrator Elisa Kleven
Children’s book author and illustrator Elisa Kleven has touched the lives of thousands of kids and their parents over the past two decades with stunning storytelling accompanied by gorgeous drawings in her more than 30 published books.
Kleven grew up in Los Angeles and has lived in the San Francisco Bay area since moving there to study at the University of
 California, Berkeley.
Kleven’s latest book “Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story” released Spring
2013 from Dial Press, and her forthcoming title this September, “Cozy Light, Cozy Night,” is one of four featured titles of the debut children’s press Creston Books.
Other favorites among readers include “Welcome Home, Mouse,” “The Paper Princess,” “The Lion and the Little Red Bird” and “Sun Bread.” She has provided illustrations for Arthur Dorros’ “Abuela,” Jose Luis Orozco’s “De Colores” and Thacher Hurd’s “The Weaver, among others.
Kleven is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She has been recognized nationally with awards and honors from the American Library Association, the New York Times, the Junior Library Guild, School Library Journal and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.


Q and A with Elisa Kleven

Had you always wanted to write children’s books?
It was a childhood dream of mine, which I think began with my love for Hans Christian Andersen’s transporting fairy tales, and the joy I felt looking at the marvelous pictures in my favorite books.
Why did you choose to feature the glasswings butterfly in your latest release?
I was intrigued by the creature’s transparency and delicacy. I loved the idea that they could take on the colors of whatever surrounded them (they’re known as “Espejitos,” Little Mirrors, in the Latin American countries where they’re found), and I marveled at their fluid identity. I was also impressed that this incredibly fragile creature could accomplish so much as a pollinator.


Can you tell us a little about your forthcoming title “Cozy Light, Cozy Night” from Creston Books?
The book presents a year of everyday wonders, giving children an opportunity to snuggle up with a parent and enter into a warm, cozy world, where even the planets are tucked cozily into bed along with the shining stars.
I was inspired by my appreciation for how the small things in life give us comfort and make us happy. I, for instance, enjoy taking a hike with my dog in the incredibly beautiful landscape we live in. I find extreme pleasure in sharing a meal with family and friends, curling up at the end of the day with a good book, or the quiet magic of creating art in my studio. Life would be a cold, hard struggle without access to coziness. I hope my book will provide children, who are often so stressed, over scheduled and steeped, for better and for worse, in technology, with a little piece of coziness, too.
“Cozy Light, Cozy Night” brings the simplest yet most magical details of each season to life.



You have done both the poetic text and luminous illustrations for than 30 picture books in your career. As you write, are you picturing the scenes in your mind, and do they end up looking the same once you start drawing?
I picture the scenes in my mind, then try my best to translate them to paper. Sometimes I’m disappointed with how they come out, and sometimes pleasantly surprised. Creativity is not always controllable!



Do the words always come to you first for a book, or do you visualize something and decide to write a story around that sometimes?
Sometimes the words come first, and sometimes the pictures. In the case of “Cozy Light, Cozy Night,” they came together. I thought of the things that bring me the most joy (warm sand, soft snow, summer light, autumn leaves, snuggling with my family and animals), and suddenly words began clustering – in rhyme, no less – around the images. Of course I rework many drafts of a story, including this one, until it feels as finished as it can be.


This book was so colorful and wonderfully fun!  There is always so much to look at with these books and it makes them a joy to read!  Both my girls enjoyed having this book here to read and will love it forever I'm sure!!  We cant wait to get some more of this author's books.

Sunday, August 04, 2013

{Review} Highland Guard Series @monicamccarty


What’s sexier than a man in a kilt? How about Special Ops in kilts. The Highland Guard series marries Monica’s love of strapping, sexy Highland warriors with her other love for navy SEALs and black ops. Think Suzanne Brockmann meets Braveheart.
Where the legend of the Highlander began... Journey back to the time of Braveheart, when Scotland was fighting to free itself from English tyranny, and Robert the Bruce was fighting for a crown. To defeat the superior forces of the heavy mounted English knights, Bruce knows he needs a new kind of warrior. He looks to the barbarian lands, to the most feared warriors in Christendom, to the ultimate guerilla fighter... to the Highlander.
Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Bruce handpicks eleven warriors to form a secret elite fighting force like the world has never seen. They are the ultimate “Special Forces,” the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare and brought together into one elite fighting force known as the HIGHLAND GUARD. Bound together in a secret ceremony, they are a phantom force, identifiable only by their extraordinary skills, their war names, and the lion rampant tattooed on their arm.
Vowing death before surrender, Bruce’s band of shadow warriors will stop at nothing but invincible warriors will face the one thing they can’t defeat: love, and the remarkable women who claim their hearts.


Monica McCarty
About this author

What do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.

Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started s
wiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.

In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.

For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.

After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.

With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).

Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.

So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.

And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?






Decided to review this series as a whole.  This series was amazing! Sexy, Sensual, and just plan yummy! I loved the fact that these are filled with history!  I love it when an author explains things to the reader and it makes me feel that I am really in that time!  Cant wait for more from this author!

"*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." Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

{Review} Harmony @keithbrooke

Harmony
The aliens are here, all around us. They always have been. And now, one by one, they're destroying our cities. Dodge Mercer deals in identities,Hope Burren has no identity and no past, but she does have a multitude of voices filling her head. In a world where humans are segregated and aliens can tear worlds apart, Dodge and Hope lead a ragged band of survivors on a search for sanctuary in what may be the only hope for humankind.The aliens are here, all around us. They always have been. And now, one
by one, they're destroying our cities.

Dodge Mercer deals in identities, which is fine until the day he deals
the wrong identity and clan war breaks out. Hope Burren has no identity
and no past, but she does have a multitude of voices filling her head.



In a world where nothing is as it seems, where humans are segregated and
aliens can sing realities and tear worlds apart, Dodge and Hope lead a
ragged band of survivors on a search for sanctuary in what may be the
only hope for humankind.


Keith Brooke runs infinity plus ebooks, publishing the work of Eric Brown, Anna Tambour, John Grant, Kaitlin Queen, Paul di Filippo, Iain Rowan, Neil Williamson and others.
infinity plus ebooks also publishes the work of Keith Brooke, including five volumes of short fiction.
Keith is represented by his literary agent, Sarah Molloy of AM Heath.






Well this is the second alien book ive read this week.  And to say this one was disappointing is an understatement.  This one started off very well.  This is a world where aliens are already among us and are in fact controlling us!  So in this one humans are pretty much nothing but cattle.  They use us, discard us, and wipe us off the map!  This book was well written but the story itself just didnt hold my attention.  So this one I would recommend to a reader that not only wants to be challenged!


 "*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." 

Saturday, August 03, 2013

{Review} Belonging #KarenAnnHopkins



Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins

Publication date: April 30th 2013 by Harlequin TEEN
Book 2 in the Temptation Series!

Find Karen Ann Hopkins


About Karen Ann Hopkins

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.
15774969

Belonging

Book 2 in the Temptation Series 
I left everything I knew behind. 
But it was worth it. He was worth it. 
No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren’t even allowed to see each other. Not until I’ve proven myself. 
If I can find a way to make it work, we’ll be NOAH & ROSE  together forever. 
But not everybody believes this is where I belong 






Temptation_front coverTemptation

Book 1 in the Temptation series
Your heart misleads you.
That’s what my friends and family say.  
But I love Noah. 
And he loves me.  
We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other’s arms. 
It should be  
ROSE & NOAH  
forever, easy. 
But it won’t be. 
Because he’s Amish. 
And I’m not.







In a few short words I loved this one!  It was even better than book 1!  Which almost never happens! I so cant wait for the third one in this series which is called Forever and is still coming soon!  These books are great for those who want a love story with a twist!




"*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." 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Review} Pod #StephenWallenfels @PenguinTeen

Pod
A "fast-paced and engrossing" (Publishers Weekly) sci-fi novel that asks the question: What would you do to survive?When the black spheres filled the sky, anyone caught beneath them would vanish in a flash of blue-white light. Huddled indoors, the survivors were unaware if what was happening in their neighborhoods was happening worldwide.

Josh is trapped at home with his father, whose sanity is starting to erode from the endless confinement. Megs struggles to survive in a hotel parking garage where she sees human nature at its worst. For both of them, food, water, and time are running out.

And hovering patiently above them is an extraterrestrial enemy that has inexplicably declared war against humanity…







This book was so good!  So I am sure you are wondering why it got suck a low star rating.  Well that would be because nothing really happened in the book and it left so many unanswered questions that you think there is going to be a book two to explain everything.  Well you will be sadly mistaken.  This book is a stand alone mess!  From not having any information on where the aliens come from or what they did!  This 292 page book would have been an amazing opening to a series!  Or I believe that the author could have made it longer and made this an out of this world stand alone.  But as it sits it sits it was just really a waste of two hours!

UPDATE:  Well it seems that there is going to be a book two called Monolith!  I just found a little note on the authors website.  I really hope that it is better than this one and I hope that it makes up for leaving us all on the edge of a very large cliff!


 "*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."


{Review} Consume @TheClannSeries @HarlequinTeen

Consume (The Clann, #3)Publishing September 1 
Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape. As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.



Melissa Darnell Biography

Melissa Darnell is the author of a growing list of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction books, including The Clann Series #1: Crave, The Clann Series #2: Covet, The Source, and The Ultimate Guide to Making Cheer/Dance Gear & Gifts. Born in California, she grew up in Jacksonville, Texas and has also called the following states home since then: Utah, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Iowa and South Dakota. She currently lives in Nebraska with her husband Tim and two children, Hunter and Alexander, where she enjoys watching Whale Wars, Glee and True Blood, designing digital graphic products for the virtual world of Second Life, and of course writing her latest book. Visit her websites for news, online playlists for each of her books, and more at www.MelissaDarnell.com and www.TheClannSeries.com.






Ok maybe they did see my review a few years ago!!  Because this one was so freaking good that I dont even have words!!!!  It was a wonderful ending to a wonderful series and I cant wait to own them all!!!! Finally one of these are worthy for a 5 star review!
 "*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." Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

{Review + Excerpt} Covet @TheClannSeries @HarlequinTeen

Covet (The Clann, #2)Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. 




Melissa DarnellMelissa Darnell is the author of a growing list of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction books. Born in California, she grew up in Texas and has also called the following states home since then: Utah, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Iowa and South Dakota. She currently lives in Nebraska with her husband Tim and two children, Hunter and Alexander, where she enjoys watching Whale Wars, Glee and True Blood, designing digital graphic products for the virtual world of Second Life, and of course writing her latest book.

For information about her other books, playlists for each of her books, and more, please visit Melissa's websites at www.MelissaDarnell.com and www.TheClannSeries.com.

Melissa Darnell is represented by Alyssa Eisner-Henkin at Trident Media Group.







Ok it's official I CRAVE FOR MORE CRAVE!

This one fell short as for plot and speed.  While I did make a point from book one saying that it could have been much shorter.  I dont think anyone took my advice. (ps. I know the other book review posted yesterday but it was a repost that had been deleted.  I reviewed that one well before it came out via net galley and same with this one its a repost)  This one just wasn't as good as book one and they made a really odd love hoopla that was just really bad.  The prejudice between the Clann and the Council being well explored in this book made me very happy!  This one was very predictable and every hint just made it worse.  Now even with the flaws this one is still a four star.  As it is still a very good book.  It just had to many issues for a 5 star rating.

 "*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."



 Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
(This will scroll)
Savannah
The vampire council's private jet, a giant cocoon of white leather and exotic wood trim, hummed a false lullaby around us, trying to lure me into sleep. But even though I was warm and safe within the arms of the only boy I'd ever loved, I couldn't give in to the exhaustion dragging at my body. Not yet. There was so little time left to enjoy this doomed illusion of peace and perfect happiness. I needed to fight the urge to sleep as long as I could.
Beside me, Tristan Coleman had already lost that battle. He sat slumped in a corner of the sofa we shared near the rear of the cabin. Though his chin with its dusting of three-day-old whiskers rested awkwardly on his chest, a slight smile deepened the corners of his lips, and his arms, so solidly wrapped around me, never budged. Trying to protect me even while he dreamed.
I should have been protecting him instead.
Despite the soft leather beneath us, Tristan had to be uncomfortable. After all, unlike me, he was human and his body could only take so much abuse. When his eyelids had first begun to droop hours ago, I'd tried to convince him to move to one of the reclining chairs or to at least take the entire sofa for himself so he could stretch his long body out properly. But Tristan had refused, insisting on sleeping upright so we could continue to sit close together.
Knowing what was coming for us, I'd given in. Selfish though it was, I didn't want to let go of him yet, either.
One stray golden-blond curl, rebellious like its owner, flopped over his forehead. Carefully I reached up and smoothed it back, forcing my eyes to look past the sharp contrast between my pale skin and his rugged tan.
In a few hours, even the right to that small touch would be lost forever.
I tried to memorize every detail of his face, normally so hard with determination or blinding everyone nearby with one of his infamous grins, now softened at the edges by sleep and his mistaken belief that everything was okay. He had no idea what sacrifices I'd made to get the vamp council to release him after they had used him and his powerful, magic-laced Clann blood to test my self-control. Handcuffed to a chair in a cement-lined interrogation room next door, he hadn't heard the torturous promise I'd made to that circle of cold beings. A race I was slowly but surely turning into.
I could have told Tristan the truth after the council released us from their Paris headquarters. But I hadn't, partly because I was dreading his reaction, but mostly because I wanted to be with him, as happy as possible, every last second that we had left together.
The muscles in my chest tightened, refusing to let my lungs expand fully, and another tear slipped down the side of my nose. Stupid tears. My eyes hadn't stopped leaking for more than a few minutes at a time since Tristan and I had safely exited the council's underground labyrinth of tunnels.
Knowing what I had to do for Tristan's own safety once we returned to our hometown in Jacksonville, Texas, I feared the tears would never stop.
There were so many perfectly logical and good reasons why I was all wrong for Tristan, why I had to do as promised and stop seeing him. My mind understood. Why couldn't I make my heart agree?
Dropping his head back against the sofa, Tristan sighed and snuggled me closer. And though I knew I should move away, keep him safe by putting physical distance between us, I gave in one last time to my heart. Closing my eyes, I nestled my forehead where his neck and shoulder met, a curved space of heat and strength that seemed to have been sculpted especially for me. Drawing in a deep breath, I could just make out the lingering crispness of his aftershave left over from Friday morning, the last time he'd had access to a razor. And beneath that, the barest hint of the precious and oh-so-forbidden Clann blood he had been forced to shed for my test. A test I almost hadn't passed. A test that had nearly cost him his life.
Swallowing hard, I pushed that dangerous memory away.
Soon. I would keep my promise to the council soon. Just…not yet. A few more hours while we were escaping the laws of gravity and the Clann and the vamp council in this plane together, a few more precious memories to make before we were grounded once more so I could be sure I would remember how it felt to be held and loved by him. How it felt to wrap my arms around his waist, feel the press of his hard chest against my cheek, hear his heartbeat pounding beneath my ear. To feel the illusion of safety while cradled within his arms, his strong hands on my hip and back cupping me as if I were a precious treasure instead of the monster that I truly was…
"Savannah," a familiar voice whispered like an annoying mosquito near my ear.
"Mmm," I mumbled, wanting that voice to go away. Only one male's voice was welcome right now, and that one wasn't it.
"Savannah, wake up," Dad insisted, his whisper slightly louder but still far too soft for Tristan's human ears to hear.
Scowling, I cracked one eyelid open.
"We are an hour away from the Cherokee County Airport, and the pilot warned that we will be landing in bad weather. You should call your grandmother and mother and let them know." Dad held out a black cell phone stamped For In Air Use Only in gold letters.
I took the smartphone, and Dad returned to his recliner at the front of the cabin.
Worried my talking would wake Tristan, I tried to ease out of his arms, intending to move closer to Dad's end of the plane. But as soon as I moved, he woke up.
"Sorry," I whispered. "I need to make some calls. Go back to sleep."
"I'm all right." He tugged me back onto his lap, brushing his nose against mine in a too-familiar, silent request for a kiss. At the last second, I turned my head so his lips touched my cheek instead. He leaned his head back to search my face, his heavy-lidded gaze hurt and confused.
"We shouldn't…not until we land and you can draw some energy." Thanks to the demon Lilith, the creator of my father's race of hybrid vamps, I could drain energy with a bite or a kiss, a fact I had only recently been reminded of. As long as we were away from the ground, my kiss could kill Tristan, despite his being the son of the most powerful family of witches in the Clann. His ability to pull energy from the earth through direct contact with the ground was the only thing that had saved him a few days ago after too long a kiss with me and a fight with his fellow Clann member Dylan Williams. If I hadn't been able to drag Tristan over to some nearby grass where he could draw replacement energy, Tristan might have died that night.
He frowned but nodded, letting me slide over to sit at the other end of the short couch. As soon as I was settled again with my legs curled up between us, he rested a hand on my ankles below the cuffs of my slacks. His unusual need to maintain constant physical contact with me over the last few hours made me wonder. Did he somehow know what the council had made me agree to? Or had the council's test simply left him on edge and worried about me?
I covered his hand with one of mine and tapped numbers on the plane's phone with the thumb of my free hand.
My home phone rang four times, then the answering machine clicked on. I glanced at my watch, which was still set on Central Standard Time. It was 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday. Nanna, whom my mother and I had lived with most of my life, should be home and getting ready for church. As our church's pianist, she never missed the Sunday service. Why wasn't she answering?
I tried again, thinking maybe Nanna was in her room getting dressed. Again, I got the answering machine. Unease crept in as I left a message.
I called my mother's cell phone next. At least her whereabouts weren't a mystery. She was probably still on her latest sales trip.
Mom answered on the first ring, making me jump. Unlike Nanna, Mom seldom had a signal while she was delivering safety products and chemicals to forestry clients out in the fields and woods.
"Oh, hey, Mom. Just wanted to let you know I'm okay and—"
"Savannah! Oh thank God. I, we, your grandma…" She was on the verge of shrieking, her normally low voice pitched high enough to hurt my ears and make me wince. "I'm on my way home now. But I'm still hours away from Jacksonville and—"
My hands convulsed around both the phone and Tristan's hand. "Whoa, Mom, slow down. What's going on?"
Eyebrows pinched with concern, Tristan flipped his hand under mine and laced our fingers together. Grateful for something strong and solid to hold on to, I squeezed his hand.
"Sav, they took Nanna! They called me, and—"
"Wait a minute. Who took her?" What little warmth my body had drawn from Tristan's drained away. Had the vamp council gone after my grandmother now?
"The Clann. They called me, asking about that Coleman boy as if I would know where he is. For some reason, they think you two are involved. I tried to tell them it was a mistake, that you'd never break the rules like that. But they didn't believe me."
Oh God. The Clann knew. Dylan must have told them he'd caught Tristan and me kissing after dance team practice Friday night.
I eased my hand away from Tristan's and back into my own lap. Frowning, Tristan sat forward on the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched me.
"They insisted he was with you," Mom continued. "I told them he couldn't be, that you were on a trip with your father, and they went crazy! They said they have your Nanna, and they won't release her until we bring the Coleman boy back. I tried calling her, but she's not answering."
Holy crap. "Mom, hang on. Let me get Dad."

{Review} Lighthouse Bay @KimberleyTweets



Lighthouse Bay
From the author of Wildflower Hill, this breathtaking novel travels more than a century between two love stories set in the Australian seaside town of Lighthouse Bay.

In 1901, a ship sinks off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The only survivor is Isabella Winterbourne, who clutches a priceless gift meant for the Australian Parliament. This gift could be her ticket to a new life, free from the bonds of her husband and his overbearing family. But whom can she trust in Lighthouse Bay? Fast-forward to 2011: after losing her lover, Libby Slater leaves her life in Paris to return to her hometown of Lighthouse Bay, hoping to gain some perspective and grieve her recent loss. Libby also attempts to reconcile with her sister, Juliet, to whom she hasn’t spoken in twenty years. Libby did something so unforgivable, Juliet is unsure if she can ever trust her sister again. In these two adventurous love stories, both Isabella and Libby must learn that letting go of the past is the only way to move into the future. The answers they seek lie in Lighthouse Bay.
Pen name of Kim Wilkins.
Kimberley Freeman

Kimberley was born in London and her family moved back to Australia when she was three years old. She grew up in Queensland where she currently lives.

Kimberley has written for as long as she can remember and she is proud to write in many genres. She is an award-winning writer in children’s, historical and speculative fiction under her birth name Kim Wilkins. She adopted the pen name Kimberley Freeman for her commercial women’s fiction novels Duet and Gold Dust to honour her maternal grandmother and to try and capture the spirit of the page-turning novels she has always loved to read. Kim has an Honours degree, a Masters degree and a PhD from The University of Queensland where she is also a lecturer. She lives in Brisbane with her young family.



The only real issue I had with this one was that she was a mistress and that the mystery she ends up dealing with is the mystery of her dead lover. I think this one would have been better suited that if the mystery was connected to our main character in a better way and not by being an adulator.

Ok now the good! This book is in the POV of the current time as well as the 1900's which works out wonderfully!  Both these stories tell the tale of two woman whom are trying to find a way to mend their hearts after loss.

This story is told by a middle man with no real connection to the story.  It was completely told by the wrong person!

 "*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."