Sunday, March 31, 2013

[Repeat The Week] #3


A week's worth of blogging fun, recapped in this handy little space

This is was the third week of SLR! It's been a little crazy because of the new promotion and getting ready for Easter (I explain more in my new meme Reality Check) but I managed :) High five for another week!
  • Reality Check - New Meme hosted by Spiced Latte Reads. Check it out!



post signature

Saturday, March 30, 2013

[Book Review] The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back



The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back
The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back 
Sariah Wilson 
Genre: YA Chick Lit
Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.

First of all: WHY DOES THIS BOOK HAVE A HIGH RATING??
My rating: 1 Star.

 photo tumblr_m43smursnU1qzleedo1_r1_500_zpsb6bd1515.gif

I want to keep this review short because I’m pretty sure this book killed few of my brain cells. I.FEEL.ABSOLUTELY.NOTHING. It’s like I read the book but I couldn’t connect with the characters even though the story line wasn't that bad. The main character, Mattie Lowe, was insecure, doubtful, with low self-esteem. And I’m sure that this was author’s intention of making her seem that way but personally I found it very annoying. Oh no, Jake looked at the pictures of himself that I drew and even though he’s joking around about it, she thinks the world is about to it. get over yourself. Also, there was no real conflict or climax. The only “enemy” that was in this book was Mercedes but what happens? Oh yeah, she gets suspended and everyone is happy. *Yawn*

So... THE END. 

post signature

[Reality Check]

Real life check-in Meme hosted by Spiced Latte Reads

Good afternoon all of my lovely bookies! I decided to create a new Meme called Reality Check to focus only on our personal life. I hope to do this every week to do a recap of what happened over the week. Anyone can do this meme as well and feel free to use the graphic.

Got a promotion & Preparing for Easter!
This week has been so busy for me! First of all, I finally got the promotion at work that I have been waiting for. I used to be a receptionist and now have officially work in Purchasing Department. No more phones, no more Customer Service phone calls. I can just sit in my cubicle and peacefully read my ebooks (woohooooo!) & they finally hired a replacement so I was training her this whole week. Now I can relax and get some Seattle sunshine that we rarely see.    And it's also Easter! This could not have been a better weather for it and I am so excited for tomorrow! Me and my mom were cooking some Kulich (Russian Easter sweet bread) and coloring eggs. So much fun! Anyone else was having some good sunshine and getting ready for Easter?  


post signature

Thursday, March 28, 2013

[Book Blitz] Grimm Diaries - Prequels 11-14


Grimm Series. Prequels 11-14
10.5) Happy Valentine’s Slay by Wee Willy Winkie The real Sandman Grimm sheds a light on what happened in Jawigi, and tells about how some of the teens in Sorrow spend their Valentine’s Day.

11) Children of Hamlin by the Devil The Devil tells the story of the Piper of Hamlin, who he really is, the historical events he witnessed, and his relationship to Ladle Rat. Most of all, why they call him the Black Death.

12) Tooth & Nail & Fairy Tale by Jack Madly Jack Madly stole a sack full of baby teeth from Bluebeard’s enchanted castle, which reminds him of when he first met the Tooth Fairy when he was a child; a memory he wishes to forget.

13) Ember in the Wind by the Little Match Girl All the Little Match Girl wants is to sell her matches so she uses the money to eat and find  shelter from the cold. But no one in the cruel city of crowded London helps her. Eventually, she learns something about who she really is, and it changes her life forever.

14) Jar of Hearts by the Queen of Sorrow The Queen of Sorrow, still trapped in the Dreamworld summons Cassandra, the fortuneteller, to ask her about the identities of Lost Seven. The problem with Cassandra is that she’s cursed that her predictions will never be believed. The Queen is still determined to believe her, but it will cost more than she can bargain for.

The book will be on sale for $0.99 During the release period which starts on March 28th and will last until Sunday, March 31st!! Don't forget to get your copy today!!

AUTHOR BIO


Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters      I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales.      I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.






Author Links:






post signature

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

[Book Blast & Giveaway] The Unraveling Avery Snow



The Unraveling of Avery Snow
As Avery Snow settles into her life and relationships with those around her, she fights to forget her past lives. All of which she spent with Landon, who still has no recollection of who she really is. It seems better that way. Even though she still feels a draw to his soul, she chooses to ignore it.

For now everything is fine. Her boyfriend, Dallas, has opened a new restaurant. Her friends, Ianni and Kerri, are settling into their lives as well. But when news of a new Dark Guide is revealed, Avery is forced to start thinking about the life she truly leads. One that is very abnormal. One she is desperate to forget. This Dark Guide is determined to make Avery pay for the death of someone she held dear.

Now Avery’s life has gone from seemingly perfect to falling apart. What will be at stake next? Her life? Her love? And who will be there in the end to help her up off the ground? 

Even the strongest love can unravel. 

Will Avery be able to hold it all together, or will she just let go?


Are you an Avery Snow fan?
The highly anticipated sequel to The Many of Lives of Avery Snow is here!

The Unraveling of Avery Snow 
by Christy Sloat

Enter below for your chance to win the ultimate fan prize pack


Chat LIVE with Christy Sloat
Twitter Party, March 26, 10 am EST
#AverySnow

And get your own copy of The Unraveling of Avery Snow

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.


post signature

Monday, March 25, 2013

[Book Review] Hopeless


Hopeless (Hopeless, #1)Hopeless - Colleen Hoover 
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

I LIVED THIS BOOK! I LIVED IT SO FREAKING MUCH!!!
5 STARS FOR AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, AND HOPELESS BOOK! 
 
 photo 70511305d1452bbbba2605ea158e1ea2_large_zpsa64d6719.jpg

“When I touch you, I’m touching you because I want to make you happy. When I kiss you, I’m kissing you because you have the most incredible mouth I’ve ever seen and you know I can’t not kiss it. And when I make love to you—I’m doing exactly that. I’m making love to you because I’m in love with you.”


“The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you.”




SUMMARY. Sky was adopted thirteen years ago, or that’s what her mother, Karen, told her. She didn’t remember who her father was and she didn’t really had the urge to find out. All of the memories from her childhood were faded away and she didn’t feel like exploring any of it. She was happy. She had Six, her amazing best friend, and she was finally going to a real high school after being homeschooled for many years. Her love life has never been very advanced despite anything that she tried because she never felt anything. The only reason why she would make out with guys is because it made her feel numb. One day she goes to get some groceries and meets Holder, beautiful and absolutely hot guy that makes her get butterflies and feel like she can’t even remember her own name. It feels like she known him her whole life and his words… It’s like he always knows how to say the most perfect thing. But it’s not until she finds out the truth about herself, about Holder, Karen, and even her father who makes her wish she never find out in the first place. 

 photo 97bbd2d85ac922e4b1e033f5223a717c_zpsbb237001.jpg

THOUGHTS: O.M.G. I CRIED.I cried so much, I still want to cry just thinking about it. I seriously never thought that just a few words can bring that kind of a twist to the story and makes my heart ache for her. I usually don’t tell any of the books to my boyfriend (mostly because he doesn’t really care) but I made him listen to this one! After every single twist I would start cussing and crying and had to tell him what was going on! I could tell he liked it as well. But back to the book. I think that I have never seen a more beautiful writing. There were so many kissing scenes and each one of them just made you feel like it was their first kiss. I got blushed a couple of times during the book and it was nothing more than kissing. I love how caring Holder was and how the feelings were expressed all throughout the book. Fascinating! But seriously though. Read this book, it will make you cry and you will love it. 


post signature

[Cover Reveal + Trailer] Tragic


Tragic by J.A. Huss
Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s portfolio. 

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

Tragic by J. A. Huss - Trailer


  



AUTHOR BIO
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author links:



post signature

Sunday, March 24, 2013

[Repeat This Week] #2


A week's worth of blogging fun, recapped in this handy little space

This is was the second week of SLR! Getting past 200 followers mark and over 1,000 page views - Thank you so much for everyone that stopped by and commented! Even with this week because a finals week, I've been pretty busy but I can't stay away from the blog.

Reviews

Memes

  • Teaser Tuesday - Talented. This one was hard to do without reveling anything from the book!
  • Waiting on Wednesday - COVETLooks like it's going to be a great hit and the cover is amazing! Expecting release on September 17th, 2013.
  • Feature & Follow -Q this week: What's your guilty pleasure? + Bloghop
  • Know Me Better - 5 questions to answer about yourself. + Bloghop


post signature Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Saturday, March 23, 2013

[Know Me Better] #2


Weekly Meme hosted by I am Reader, Not Writer in which she chooses 5 questions to answer that gives a chance for your readers to know you better. 

I invite you to share your answers to these questions as well.  You can share them as a comment on this post or share them on your own blog and link up to this post.

This Week's Questions

  • What is the kindest thing anyone has done for you?
  • What is most memorable about your high school years?
  • Have you ever gotten up early for a "black Friday sale"?
  • Were you named after anyone?
  • Would you bungee jump, skydive or something similar?


Answers

What is the kindest thing anyone has done for you?
This is a hard question... I don't know why but it really is. I think the latest kindest thing that somebody done for me was help me get out of the small parking lot in Downtown Seattle. The man stepped out of his truck and guided me through so I didn't hit anybody. I thought that was so nice because he was a stranger and you never should trust anyone in Downtown Seattle lol

What is most memorable about your high school years?
Definitely being a Team Captain for  Varsity Soccer Team. We weren't that good anyways and always lost games but it was an amazing experience. 

Have you ever gotten up early for a "black Friday sale"?
Actually I never have! I spent an all-nighter and went to s sale but never woke up for it. I'm terrible at waking up early so if I go to sleep - nothing can wake me up. Even my 4 alarms that I have set up lol

Were you named after anyone?
I am. My real name is Elvira and I was named after my dad's cousin who lives in Moldovia. I've never met her but I heard a lot of stories and she's amazing!

Would you bungee jump, skydive or something similar?
HELL YEAAAAAA! I'm planning on doing both this summer and thinking about being a guide for river rafting as well. Totally excited!

Now it's your turn! Share an answer to one or more of these questions as a comment or post your answers on your blog and link up here! If you are posting on your blog you can grab the linky to include with your post if you would like to do so.

post signature

[Book Review] Jenny Pox



Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, #1)Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan
Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.

Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.


Overall Rating: 4 stars


PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS
 
SHORT SUMMARY:
Jenny Morton has lived her whole life in fear of hurting someone. If someone touches her, they will have the “Jenny Pox”, a term that kids her age made up in kindergarten where she had her first “accident”. Jenny Pox is like a plague that spreads through a person’s body and if she pushes the energy hard enough, she can even kill someone. Because of this she was forced to wear gloves so that she wouldn’t touch anyone. Little did she know that she was not the only one with powers that were similar to hers. Ashleigh, her worse enemy, used her powers to manipulate people and wanted to rule the country and raise a little army of her own. Seth, who at first was Ashleigh’s boyfriend, could heal people and was the only one Jenny could touch because he was her opposite. One day Ashleigh goes too far and the whole town has to suffer for it.

“Will you keep me safe?” she whispered.
”I promise.”
”Then I’ll go anywhere with you.”

 photo tumblr_mjsgpvWgnS1rlct59o1_500_zps0ccb6974.gif


THOUGHTS:
First of all: WHAT THE HELL??? From the beginning this book was very slow paced and then BAMM! All hell breaks loose and Jenny goes crazy. But I guess I can’t blame her, especially when something like this happens to the love of her life. Carnage! Blood! Death! Revenge! This was a romantic horror gore fest. Do love. The last 20% of the book or so has been insane and I’m still trying to recover from it. The detailing, the horror is just so insane, I can’t believe what I just read. This is one of the books that you cannot just forget that easily. I thought that this was going to be a romantic, high-school story but honestly, the author surprised me. If you do read it, make sure you know that the story is VERY slow paced until you reach about 80%. Be patient and I’m sure you’ll get the same reaction as I did.



post signature

Thursday, March 21, 2013

[Feature & Follow Friday]

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

This weeks Question:

Q: What is your guilty pleasure as far as reading? Is it a genre, or is it a certain type of book?

Crazy action & sex scenes that get intense. Either I am at work or at home, I always forget about everything and just focus at the book. You will not able to get through me until the scene ends. I think that's why I love so many books. I blame it all on those intense, crazy, mind-blowing parts of the book. 

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
  5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
  6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog

post signature

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

[Book Review] Talented



Talented by Sophie Davis 
When Talia Lyons was just a child, her parents were murdered before her eyes. Offered a choice between accepting their fate and exacting revenge, Talia trains to become one of the country’s deadliest assassins in order to kill the man responsible for their deaths: Ian Crane. Luckily, Talia was born with a gift- the ability to read and influence the minds of others. At sixteen, Talia is poised to graduate from the McDonough School for the Talented, where she learned to control her abilities. Now there is only one obstacle standing between her and the retribution she craves... Talia herself.

Her greatest asset may also be her undoing; while a formidable weapon in the field, Talia’s talents prevent her from both shutting off the mental connection she shares with her questionable boyfriend and blocking out the thoughts of a beguiling fellow recruit. But Talia can’t afford to have the feelings and distractions of a normal teenage girl, when her life is far from normal.

She must regain the single-minded determination that has brought her this far, or it may cost Talia her life when she finally faces Crane. And even after being molded in to a weapon of war, she’ll still have to find the strength it takes to pull the trigger.

If James Bond and Sookie Stackhouse had a love child with a yearning for vengeance, her story would be TALENTED: an adventure about powerful teenagers who aren’t afraid to embrace their fears and fight for what they believe in.


Overall Rating: 4 stars


SHORT SUMMARY: The world that the story takes place was affected by Great Contamination over a hundred years before she was born. It started with natural disasters that destroyed many small cities and devastated large industrial nations. After the disaster the world has been contaminated from nuclear reactors that were buried deep in the Earth’s surface and started to leak. The eco-system was destroyed and there were come consequences.



Horses were born with horns, fish with three eyes and even two headed pigs were reported… Leaves began to glow at night, and the bark on trees grew a fuzzy coating, stinging anything that touched it


Because of the contamination, the first generation of children was born with unnatural colored eyes and had some amazing gifts that nobody had. Morphing, Mind Manipulation, super-computer-like brain, and many more. Some people were trying to hide that their children had talents and that’s how the nation was broken into two different countries which caused a war.

When Natalia Lyons was a little girl, she witnessed her parents being murdered right in front of her. The only thing that saved her was her talents which killed all of the men. After years of training in special school for Talents, she was finally getting ready to be a Hunter, cold-blooded Operative who played a big role in the war between two countries. But aside from wanted to kill the men who took the lives of her parents, (who was actually running the riot), she wanted to feel normal and be just like a regular teenage girl. That’s why she was confused when her team partner
turned out to be a super hot and irresistible guy named Erik because she already had a boyfriend.

THOUGHTS: I do have to say that the author could have made the beginning way better. For the first three chapters there was no explanation whatsoever and it felt like you just walked in in the middle of a joke. LIKE WTFFFFF?? But then after the author starts explaining the story and you’re like: “Ohhh yea, that actually sounds like it was worth the $0 that it costs me”. But by the end of the book I couldn’t stop reading it because it was so intense. The ending was so unfair because I really wanna know what happens to Natalia now and if she’s going to survive. But I LOOOVEd the book.

Grrrrrrrrrrr it’s so hard not to give out spoilers :/


My Castings

 photo Picture1_zps0bc8ab8e.png


Natalia. Okay so I have to admit, she is pretty badass. There is some moments in the book that I just want to slap her because she’s being super annoying. She’s also very VERY clingy. Like when she tells the guys to stay with her, author adds: “I know I sounded desperate, but I didn’t care”.  That made me pull my hair out because I swear, the same sentence was repeated at least 3 times in the book. But she is tough, controlled, and bad ass. At the end I learned to love her.

Donovan. The son of the main guy who runs the country and the TOXIC. At first I loved everything about him but when he (spoiler: cheated on Natalia), I just wanted to cut his heart out. How dare he??? I’m so glad that Natalia did what she did in the book.

Erik. Ohhhhhhhh I want him now!! He is the player-type kin d of guy but he can also be very sweet when he wants to. I really just wanted to kiss the pages because it sounded so hot. –drool-


post signature

[Waiting On Wednesday] COVET


CovetExpected Publication: September 17th, 2013
What if the life you wanted, and the woman you fell in love with, belonged to someone else?

Chris and Claire Canton’s marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession and out of work for a year, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. When he’s offered a position that will keep him away from home four nights a week, he dismisses Claire’s concern that time apart could be the one thing their fragile union can’t weather. Their suburban life may look idyllic on the outside, but Claire has never felt so disconnected from Chris, or so lonely.

Local police officer Daniel Rush used to have it all, but now he goes home to an empty house every night. He pulls Claire over during a routine traffic stop, and they run into each other again at the 4th of July parade. When Claire is hired to do some graphic design work for the police department, her friendship with Daniel grows, and soon they’re spending hours together.

Claire loves the way Daniel makes her feel, and the way his face lights up when she walks into the room. Daniel knows that Claire’s marital status means their relationship will never be anything other than platonic. But it doesn’t take long before Claire and Daniel are in way over their heads, and skating close to the line that Claire has sworn she’ll never cross.




post signature