Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Title: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Paranormal / Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK
Published: March 8th 2016
Page Number: 698
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

 

REVIEW

 

It's been a long time since I've had anything to do with the Shadowhunter world and I'm being honest when I said I was scared to delve into Lady Midnight. I had heard the great reviews and I know Cassandra Clare is one of my all time favourite authors, which is what made me nervous. What if I didn't like the book?

 

Well, luckily enough I actually loved Lady Midnight. In fact I think this one is Cassandra most richest story yet. It jumps straight into the story 5 years after the events of City of Heavenly Fire and follows Emma Carstairs who's out for revenge on the people who murdered her parents, now she has even more problems when humans and faeries are turning up dead, burned, drowned and covered in unusual markings.

 

Now it did take a while for the story to really take off. Until page 140 not much was going on. We were getting to know the new characters, their personalities and lives and the issues that surround the LA Institue, which is fun and all but once the story got going then it went to a whole new level. Emma's character only grew in maturity and getting to see her relationship and feelings for Simon blossom in a realistic way was so refreshing. I also loved Mark and Kieran together. My only question with those two is on Kieran's sexuality, which has nothing to do with the book but my curious mind is wanting the answer. I also really appreciated the family orientation in this book, Julien being a father to his younger brother and sisters made me appreciate what I have in life.

When we find out who's behind the murders I'm being honest when I say I was left disappointed, only because I really liked that character. They were loving and fun but it also made total sense since that character also left you feeling uneasy as to why they acted a certain way.

With Cassandra's beautiful writing and a deep, rich world I'm one hundred percent sure that all Shadowhunter fans will love this book just as much as her previous series. My only not to future readers would be to make sure you read 'Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy' as it really helps and slowly introduces some characters who will turn up into the Lady Midnight book.

 

 

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Review: Under the Lights by Abbi Glines

Title: Under the Lights (The Field Party #2)
Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK
Published: August 25th 2016
Page Number: 336
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary:

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.  

 

REVIEW

 

After finishing up the first book in this YA series by Abbi Glines I had one thought in mind: I want more. So much more. The small town romance mixed with the drama and football. It reminded me of watching episodes of Friday Night Lights with a cup of cocoa on a Friday night as a child while having me dream of living the life of the rich.

 

That was until I read this book.

 

Abbi Glines delivers a book filled with drama. I thought RuPauls Drag Race could only bring the type of drama that has me shook but Under the Lights had me Shooketh. It was an addicting read that I honestly could not put down until I finish the last page of the book but that doesn't always mean it was a brilliant read.

 

Now don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book. I loved our main character Willa and how strong and honest she was about her past and what she wanted for the future. I saw so much of younger self in her. I also loved Gunner and how much he grew and developed as a character. He showed there was more to him than just a rich spoilt brat. And together their romance was something different all together.

 

But then we have the confusing part of the story, mainly in our third main character Brady. For me he didn't fit in the story, I grew tired of his POV. He was whiny and unlike the character I read about in Until Friday Night who came across as someone who'd do anything for anyone and wore his heart on his sleeve. I'm not sure if Abbi had him in the book for the added drama or because she saw him as a vital character in Willa and Gunner's story but I think the story would have been delivered better without his overdraught POV.

 

Despite the mishap in the series I'm still super excited for book three, After the Game, which focuses on Riley and Brady. I'm sure Abbi will use her power of writing luscious romantic scenes to pull me in and use the drama to keep me hooked.

 

 

 

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Review: Beast by Brie Spangler

Title: Beast
Author: Brie Spangler
Genre: YA Contemporary / Retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published: October 11th 2016
Page Number: 336
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary:

Tall, meaty, muscle-bound, and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesn’t look like your average fifteen-year-old, so, naturally, high school has not been kind to him. To make matters worse, on the day his school bans the two things that let him hide, his hat and his long hair, Dylan goes up on his roof, only to fall and wake up in the hospital with a broken leg—and a mandate to attend group therapy for self-harmers.

Dylan vows to say nothing and zones out during therapy—until he meets Jamie. She’s funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. She’s also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his superficiality. As Jamie’s humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends. But there is something Dylan doesn’t know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasn’t listening. Something that shouldn’t change a thing. She is who she’s always been—an amazing photographer, a true romantic hidden inside a realist, and a devoted friend, who is also transgender. Will Dylan’s hang-ups about himself cause him to lose the best girl he’s ever known?

REVIEW

 

I've had my eye on Beast for quite some time now and when I finally sat down to read it I was left feeling a little deflated. My goal for 2017 is to read more books that feature diversity. Whether that be in sexuality, religion, ethnicity. I just want to be more open minded that I am. I was hoping Beast was going to educate myself and other people on what it means to be transgender and transgender issues in regards to dating, however, I felt like the way the author portrayed the issues was in a way that felt under valued and not all there.

 

At least it did to me.

 

Dylan and Jamie should be seen as a guy and girl in love but it's continuously brought up, even by Dylan that she's just a girl with a penis and it left me feeling uncomfortable. I wanted to see acceptance even though I know not everyone is. I just thought Dylan would have had a more positive attitude towards it even after he accepted it the first time. Two steps forward and a hundred steps back is how you'd describe their relationship. So naïve.

 

However, what I really enjoyed about the book was the loving support from Dylan's mother. She embraced it, knowing all the hardship Dylan would go through and went and educated herself on gender and sexual identity. That warmed my hard as I know so few LGBT people get that in their life times. I also really loved how passionate Jamie was about life. She never let anything get in her way, she stood open and proud, which paired with Dylan's strong personality despite his insecurities really endearing.

 

I know my review is slightly negative but I'm trying to get the point out there that transgender issues are so important to portray correctly. I'm passionate about gender identity, always will be. I want people out there who want to educate themselves a little by reading fictional works to be a little educated with each book they read.

 

 

 

 

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ARC Review: The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Title: The Sun is Also A Star
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Published: November 3rd 2016
Page Number: 384
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?  

REVIEW

 

How do you review one of your favourite books of 2016? It's answer: You don't. Well you do write a review but it will never do the book justice, especially when it's written by one of my now favourite authors, Nicola Yoon.

 

The story itself is....different. Now when I say different I don't mean it badly, in fact I mean it in probably one of the best ways possible. Essentially this book isn't told by two protagonists. It's told by many. Our main focus' are of course Daniel and Natasha but then we get little chapters from people they meet along the way in their journey of falling in love with each other. Whether that be one of the security guards Natasha sees at one of the offices she visits or it be the depiction of the word love. We get details to in sense create a love story that goes beyond the legal measures of love.

 

When I first started the book I initially just completely felt for Natasha. She's a protagonist that's very easy to love. Not only that but you garner a shit ton of respect for her. She's 12 hours away from being deported back to a place that's basically foreign to her, she's losing the friendship she's made since she came to America but most of all she's losing out on her dream. And if I'm being honest I did expect her to just let it get to her. Did she? Nope. She went out of her way to try everything so that her and her family could stay. She pushed and pushed and pushed until she got somewhere. And along that path is where she meets Daniel. A wannabe poet whose parents just want him to go to a great school and have a successful life where he won't need to worry about money like they both did.

 

Sadly Daniel never really understood that. He just saw it as his parents wanting him to do something that wasn't for him, especially as his brother had just failed at his first year. And while Daniel being the wannabe poet he's also a lot of a hopeless romantic. When he falls in love, he falls deep. And he falls deep in love with Natasha. Despite her hesitation.

 

I just honestly want everyone to read this book and love it like I do because it's a book I know I will treasure for a long time to come. I'll have that pull to reread it and I know I'll feel the exact same way I felt when I first read this book but only on a bigger scale. It's smartly, beautifully written and so good I want to shout it from the rooftop of my house.

 

 

 

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A copy of the ARC was sent to me for a honest review.

 

The Problem With Forever Blog Tour | Book Review

Hey guys, so today I'm taking part in the blog tour for Jennifer L Armentrout's recent release 'The Problem With Forever'. I was so excited when I got the chance to take part because I really enjoy Jennifer's books. In fact there's even a character who pops up in the popular 'Lux Saga' who shares the same surname as myself. Which was weird. Now today is the official last day for the tour so I am held to some pedestal, however, today's review will not be the same as everyone else's because sadly I've not read the full book. At the time I had a decent amount of hours at work that allowed me to stay up to read but that changed recently, and to the point where I'm working 11 hour shifts every day. It's stressful, but I'm enjoying it.

But you will get a review from me today, because I plan on reviewing the entire 109 pages that I've read of the book so far.



Title: The Problem With Forever
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Mira Ink
Published: June 1st 2016
Page Number: 384
Rating: N/A

Summary:

When Mallory was a kid, she was bounced from one horrible foster home to another. At thirteen, a terrible accident got her removed from the group home where she was living to a hospital where she met the parents who would adopt her. But when she starts a new school and encounters an old friend from the foster system sparks start to fly

REVIEW

At the moment I am currently 109 pages into this frustrating, yet entirely unputdownable novel. Part of you is wondering why I'm calling it unpoutdownable if I'm finding it frustrating and the truth is I'm just one of those people who is nit picky. Certain things scream out to me where other people would barely notice it.

For now my thoughts on the book are basically not that great. The beginning of the book really captured my attention and I liked the protectiveness that came from Rider. However everything that came after that kind of fell flat for me. I'm not enjoying Mallory or Rider as main characters. Mallory's anxiety is realistic but the whole insta-love between them both isn't something I can get on board with. There's also slight picks that just irritate me. Rider being one of the main stars of the book although he's only been in 3 or 4 scenes. And then you have Mallory's annoyance with her parents when all they've done is brought her out of her shit life and given her something great. They're the reason she is where she is and so far she's not exactly acting grateful.

To be honest, I think I'm starting to fall out of love with YA all together. Maybe it's because while I'm 20, I feel like I'm even older. My emotions are changing and I'm just responding to more NA books instead because I relate a lot more. Hell, I don't know. All I do know is that so far I'm not impressed and I do want to read the book because I know what Jennifer L Armentrout can do. I'm interested in the storyline, I'm just not buying into these characters.

 

 

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Review: The Crown by Kiera Cass

Title: The Crown
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA Dystopian
Publisher: Harper Collins Kids
Published: May 19th 2016
Page Number: 278
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:
In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own.

Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

REVIEW

It's bittersweet that this series has finally come to an end. As everyone knows, The Selection series was meant to have ended after 'The One' and I did mourn a little after that book. And then Kiera announced that there were going to be 2 more books to the series, which I'm not going to lie, made me happy. I love the world and the characters that Kiera creates because she does it so well.

The Heir wasn't my favourite book in the series, and Eadlyn certainly wasn't a favourite character but Kiera Cass ended the series in a way that shows so much character growth, not just as a teenage girl but also as a Queen. Getting to see her interact with the boys and fight between what she must do as Queen and her heart was special. Eadlyn is young and teenagers fall in love quickly. We're all in or nothing at all.

Who did Eadlyn end up with?

I'm not going to tell, I don't like posting spoiler reviews, especially when it comes to a series. All I will say is that I think everyone will be happy with the outcome. I know I certainly was. But that's the beauty of Kiera Cass, one of my absolute favourite thing about her as an author is how she creates male characters that you root for. You haven't got to like them all but in some crazy way you love them none the less.

For me it honestly felt like Kiera had written this book for us, her readers. She gave us everything that we already love about her series and added that extra bit of panache. I know that I for one will be excited to see what else Kiera has to write.

 

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Review: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

Title: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Genre: New Adult
Publisher: Sphere
Published: August 8th 2013
Page Number: 400
Rating: 4/5

 

Summary:

 

For Kayden, suffering in silence was the only way to survive. If he was lucky, he could keep his head down, do as he was told, and make it through the day. But one night it seemed like his luck-and his life-might finally end . . . until an angel named Callie appeared just in time to rescue him.

Callie has never believed in luck. Not since her twelfth birthday when everything was taken from her. After the worst was over, she locked up her feelings and vowed never to tell anyone what happened. Now, six years later, she continues to struggle with the painful secret that threatens to consume her.

When fate lands Kayden and Callie at the same college, Kayden is determined to get to know the beautiful girl who changed his destiny. Quiet and reserved, Callie still fears letting anyone else into her world. But Kayden is certain that Callie has come back into his life for a reason. And the more he tries to be a part of her life, the more he realizes that, this time, it's Callie who needs to be saved . . .  

 

REVIEW

 

I've actually had a bad experience with a Jessica Sorensen book in the past, so I was very hesitant to start The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden. But I'm so glad that I gave Jessica another shot because I absolutely adored this book.

 

From Page 1, us readers know that this book isn't going to be the happy-go-lucky type, but the tear-your-heart-out type, and I really loved that. The writing immediately captures your attention and drags you into the messy lives of Callie and Kayden. You grow to love all the characters chapter by chapter, and by the end of the book you are completely rooting for them, cheering them on from the side lines.

 

I mentioned earlier that this story was incredibly dark and I have to warn you guys of trigger moments, because the book deals with depression, rape, self-harm and abuse. And while I know these are difficult subjects to bring up in general, but Jessica did a very good job on portraying them. I knew exactly how Callie and Kayden felt because I've been in their shoes before. Not with rape or abuse, but with depression and self-harm. It was one of the darkest times of my life and seeing it through different eyes was so refreshing. So thank you, Jessica.

 

While I loved my time reading Callie and Kayden's story, I have to admit that there were a few times where my eyes rolled and I sighed in annoyance. In places the story became over dramatic, and the fact that everyone around Callie and Kayden suffered from dark pasts just wasn't believable. But I'm still super excited for the next book in the 7 book series.

 

 

 

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Review: The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard

Title: The Perfectionists
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Contemporary/Mystery
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: October 2nd 2014
Page Number: 272

Summary:
In Beacon Heights High, Nolan Hotchkiss is king. His charm, wealth and good looks are deceptively seductive, and many are the students whose lives and reputations have been ruined by it. All while Nolan continues to reign, unquestioned and undisrupted. Until now, that is.

Mackenzie, Ava, Julie, Caitlin and Parker seemingly don't have much in common. Each has their own friends, dramas and goals. But one thing they do share: they all have a deep hatred of Nolan Hotchkiss. And they all think it's about time he paid for what he's done. They come up with the perfect murder - a hypothetical murder, of course. It's all wishful thinking ... until they wake up one morning to find that their wish has come true. Nolan has been killed - in exactly the way they planned. The thing is, they didn't do it. So who did?

Review:

 

I received this book from the Publishers for an honest opinion.

 

Sara Shepard is the author of the Pretty Little Liars series and my expectations for this Duology was high, sadly it didn't really hit the target. I felt like I was reading a reincarnation of Pretty Little Liars and not a new and original story. However, I did really enjoy it and the little twists that went on throughout the story.

 

This story is meant to be a mystery, but I kind of felt like the Mystery element wasn't in this book. I mean, there was a Mystery, but I felt it was too predictable and I guess that's why I tend to stay away from these type of books, because I always manage to guess who the suspect is. With the way it was written - in different POV's - I felt like it wasn't always clear who the character was and threw me off course, but after about 60 pages, I got used to it and it started to flow very well.

 

The writing is very simplistic and very easy to follow, which I think all contemporaries/mysteries need to be. They need to be confusing, but also easy to understand. What I wanted from this book was a spark, which I never got. Pretty Little Liars is an okay series, the earlier books were brilliant, but I can't help noticing the similarities between the both.

 

My other little problem was that I wasn't always captivated through out. Some scenes I got bored of and skipped a few pages, which shouldn't naturally happen. Sometimes with small books under 300 pages, I tend to find that I lose interest quickly because they rush it all and with this one I didn't feel that. I felt it was a bit dragged out. The cliffhanger at the end definitely didn't make me want to read the next book, but I may give it a chance to see how it wraps up.

 

Overall, I somewhat enjoyed this book. I just wished it was a more original idea. 3/5 stars!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

"Seriously beautiful and unique. I have no idea why I waited so long to read Slammed."

 

 

Title: Slammed

Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: January 2012
Page Number: 352

Summary:

 

Layken's
father died suddenly, leaving her to gather every ounce of strength to be a pillar for her family, in order to prevent their world from falling apart. Now her life is taking another unexpected turn…

Layken's mother gets a job which leads to an unwanted move across country. However, a new home means new neighbours… and Layken's new neighbour is the very attractive Will Cooper.
Will has an intriguing passion for slam poetry, and a matching passion for life. The two feel an irresistible attraction but are rocked to the core when a shocking revelation brings their romance to a screeching halt.

Layken and Will must find a way to fight the forces that threaten to tear them apart… or learn to live without each other.

 

Review:

 

You all know how much I love Colleen Hoover. Her books are always beautifully written and have deep messages hidden within them, and this one was no different.

 

Slammed tells the story of Layken, a teenager who falls madly, truly and deeply in love with her teacher. For me student/teacher relationships are normally a big no-no, because most of them have a huge age gap of up to ten years, but this one was only three years and both Layken and Will were adults.

 

Once I started reading Slammed for my 24 hour read-a-thon I never knew how much of an affect it would have on me. Page after page, after page. I continued to read and I literally could not stop. I was intertwined into Layken and Will's story of love and hardship. Some of the slam poetry was beautiful, like seriously beautiful, and only one really stood out for me and gave me goosebumps. It was Will's poem.

 

I used to love the ocean.
Everything about her.
Her coral reefs, her white caps, her roaring waves, the rocks they lap, her pirate legends and mermaid tails,
Treasures lost and treasures held…
And ALL of her fish in the sea.

 

Yes, I used to love the ocean,
Everything about her,
The way she would sing me to sleep as I lay in my bed
then wake me with a force that I soon came to dread.
Her fables, her lies, her misleading eyes,
I’d drain her dry
If I cared enough to.

 

I used to love the ocean,
Everything about her.
Her coral reefs, her whitecaps, her roaring waves, the rocks they lap, her pirate legends and mermaid tails,
Treasures lost and treasures held.
And ALL of her fish in the sea.

 

Well if you’ve ever tried navigating your sailboat through she stormy seas,
you would realize that her whitecaps are your enemies.
If you’ve ever tried swimming a shore when your leg gets a cramp and you just had a huge meal of In-N-Out burgers that’s weighing you down,
and her roaring waves are knocking the wind out of you,
filling your lungs with water as you flail your arms,
trying to get someone’s attention,
but your friends just wave back at you?

 

And if you’ve ever grown up with dreams in your head about life,
and how one of these days you would pirate your own ship and have your own crew and that all of the mermaids would love only you?
Well, you would realize…as I eventually realized…
That all the good things about her?
All the beautiful?
It’s not real.
It’s fake.
So you keep your ocean,
I’ll take the Lake.

 

Depite this book being very moving, there was also a lot of funny moments. One of my favourite moments was when Caulder and Kel decided they wanted to be cancer infested lungs. It's obviously a serious topic, especially as Layken's mother has lung cancer, but I loved that she made them the outfit because it could be the last time she ever got too.

 

Another favourite moment was Lake's poem in class.

 

According to the thesaurus... and according to me... there are over thirty different meanings and substitutions for
the word
mean.(I quickly yell the following words; the entire class flinches- including Will)
Jackass, jerk, cruel, dickhead, unkind, harsh, wicked,
hateful, heartless, vicious, virulent, unrelenting, tyrannical, malevolent, atrocious, bastard, barbarous, bitter, brutal, callous, degenerate, brutish, depraved, evil, fierce, hard, implacable, rancorous, pernicious, inhumane, monstrous, merciless, inexorable.
And my personal favourite—asshole.

 

Slam poetry is all about expressing yourself and sometimes when you feel so much then it bursts out of you. All those feelings combust together and create something unusual, but real. Very, very real.

 

You should never let this book fool you. It may be a Young Adult novel, but the message behind it is deep. In fact there are a few messages in this book that really were very relatable. Layken was just one character with her story, but there was also Will and his story, Layken's mother's story, and Eddie's story. And the best thing is that I understood every single one of them.

 

I'm still thinking about this book. I'll still think about this book in a few months time. This book was pure perfection and nothing can ever change that. I give this book 5/5 Stars! (I'd give a million if I could, Colleen.)

 

 

 

Cover Reveal: Wicked by Jennifer L Armentrout

Holy cow, y'all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8^th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!

 

Amazon

WICKED Synopsis: Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans. Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart. Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

 

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Blog Tour: Reasons Not to Fall in Love

Reasons not to Fall in Love

  

By: Kirsty Moseley

Release Date: June 6, 2014

Genre: Romance

 Synopsis

Young mum Bronwyn Reynolds is devoted to her little boy Theo, but she’s married to a not so devoted husband! Juggling two jobs to make ends meet, Bronwyn’s self-esteem is at an all-time low.

Enter Harrison Baxter.

Harrison is confident, flirty and breathtakingly handsome – and everything Bronwyn’s husband is not! What’s worse is that she knows every sexy thought about him is forbidden, which makes him all the more tempting.

The only woman that ladies’ man Harrison has ever wanted is one he can never have. Bronwyn has left her mark on him, and he can’t get her out of his mind no matter how hard he tries!

Bronwyn and Harrison have every reason not to fall in love, but are they brave enough to break all the rules?

About The Author

 

My name is Kirsty. I was born in Hertfordshire, England. In 2000 I moved to Norfolk, it was there that I met my husband, Lee. Now, what can I say about Lee, apart from everyone should have one? He's my biggest supporter, and I wouldn't be where I am today without his encouragement and endless support. He is my inspiration behind most of my male leads, I always try to bring a little of him in somewhere, be it his kindness, selflessness, or just his ability to make me feel treasured.

In 2005, I was gifted with the birth of my son. He is, and always will be, the best thing I have ever done in my life. As you can probably tell,  I'm a very proud mummy. 

I have always been interested in writing, but after the birth of my son I accidentally came across an amateur writing site. After a couple of months of just reading on there, I finally plucked up the courage and posted one of my stories. I was shocked and overwhelmed by the support of readers on there and they gave me the confidence to get where I am today.

In April 2012, I self-published my first novel ‘The Boy Who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window’. And in October 2012 I took the plunge again, publishing my second novel, 'Always You.'

Lastly, if I had to sum myself up in one word, it would probably be ‘daydreamer’ – but unlike most of my school teachers, I don’t necessarily view that as a bad thing. After all, I read somewhere once that books are like waking dreams….

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Excerpt 1

There was no longer any love between us; hell, we barely even tolerated each other at times. Sometimes I even struggled to remember what it was that I saw in him the first place. Usually I convinced myself that it was his looks that I fell for, though even those had lost their appeal to me because I knew he’d rather be off sleeping with other girls than me. Ours was a marriage of convenience, even though it was inconvenient most of the time. Another reason I was with him was because I didn’t have the energy to find anyone else. I’d been young when we’d gotten together, merely seventeen, and I knew that the dating scene had moved on pretty rapidly since I was last a part of it. In my opinion, I was too old to be single again, so I’d just have to suffer and grin and bear it. Many women went through their lives in an unhappy marriage. I was no different to any of them. Not everyone found their Mr Darcy and lived happily ever after, some people just had to take what they could get and be thankful. Clearly I was one of those people.

 Excerpt 2

I blinked a couple of times, trying to come back to reality because looking at him made me feel a little weird inside. Harrison. I’d heard of this guy. He was the one who was in business with Brandon. The two of them had both been made redundant from their advertising jobs last year and had decided to go into business together instead of looking for another job. Skye and Brandon had become extremely good friends with this guy over the last year, so I’d heard. I’d never personally met him, but now that I knew who he was, I knew to stay away. Harrison Baxter was a ladies’ man and fancied himself as Bath’s answer to James Bond, apparently.

One of the gorgeous stranger’s eyebrows rose. “Married, really? Damn, all of the hot ones are always taken or gay. Why is that, do you think?” he mused, cocking his head to the side playfully.

His voice did funny things to my insides. I was lost for words. Nothing was coming out of my mouth at all, so I just looked back down at Evie who was nestled comfortably in my arms.

“You happily married?” he probed, stepping closer to me. The heat emanating from his body to mine was making me feel a little jittery and I couldn’t stand still.

No, not at all. I gulped and nodded in answer to his question, trying to ignore the feelings of lust and want that were battling inside me. It was wrong for me to feel like this. I knew it was. I was married, and although Finn cheated on me occasionally, I would never do the same. “Happy married with a child,” I confirmed, nodding. Only part of that sentence was a lie. I did, in fact, have a child – I had just never been happily married.

Review

I've read many Kirsty Moseley books and everyone I've read I've ever adored or loved, and it was no different with this short story. The book follows Bronwyn, a "single" mother - I quotate single because she'd be better off since her husband is a complete waste of time! - who over three different time periods shows her life. Kind of like a Before and After. I have to admit that the beginning wasn't my favourite part because of her husband, but it was still great seeing how Bronwyn really felt especially with Harrison. There's no spoiler in saying that Bronwyn gets divorced, I was glad she did because she deserved so much better. And once her divorce was final I really felt her open up a lot more and just enjoyed herself - Drinking, flirting - and it was great to see that her ex-husband hadn't dampened her future.

For me I did not see the ending happening at all. It was a GREAT ending. I was cooing completely and I just felt for both Bronwyn and Harrison because it's written on paper that they make a great couple, literally.

Overall I just really enjoyed this book. It was a nice quick read and the characters made me laugh. It's definitely a book to read if you've just finished a depressing one. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Buy Links

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Wattpad Reviews

The Cell Phone Swap by DoNotMicrowave - http://www.wattpad.com/story/1994914-the-cell-phone-swap

                                                     Summary:

Keeley accidentally swaps cell phones with a rivalling high school’s star quarterback. Unable to switch back until a week later, she must interact with the arrogant boy, passing along texts and voicemails. As she gets to know him better, she realizes there’s more to him than sexual innuendos and egotistical comments. But when identities are revealed and secrets are exposed, will Keeley’s feelings remain?

Review:

This book is no where near finished, but it is one of my absolute favourites on Wattpad at the minute. It's fun, flirty and brilliantly written. Keeley and Talon have a great, yet unusual relationship that does survive on sarcasm, but it's great because you never know what's going to happen next. He's already paid for $30 of Condoms off Keeley's card, and drank her drink. So there is still a lot that could happen. You'll just never know. 5/5 Stars!


Beating You by Lilohorse - http://www.wattpad.com/story/988884-beating-you

Summary:

Ally would like to believe that she has the perfect life but who is she kidding? She's scared to enter her home and the only place she can find safety is the ice skating pavilion which is where she meets Cooper. He's sweet, funny and makes her forget what's waiting for her at home. But if she tells him her dreaded secret can he help her?

 

Review:

Lilohorse is known for either writing fun, witty novels. Or hard gut wrenching ones. And Beating You is exactly that! It deals with child abuse, and it's beautifully done especially since Katie is only 17 or 18 and wrote this back in 2012. It's full of emotion and the romance is beautifully developed. In the Wattpad world, Ally and Cooper are without a doubt my favourite book couple. 5/5 STARS!



Convicted Love by Mamie1990 - http://www.wattpad.com/story/465457-convicted-love

Summary:

Paige loves her life as it seems fulfilled. She get's a job at as a prison guard in her Uncle's Prison. She meets some interesting characters and a guy who seems closed off to anyone. Will he open up to her?

Review:

Convicted Love was one of the first books I read on Wattpad when I joined and I immediately loved it! It made me feel like a rebel and gave me a thrill because it shouldn't happen, but it did and it's a great story. It has a sexy male lead, a kick ass female and so much sexual tension that it could cook an apple pie if you left it near them. I absolutely cannot get enough of this book, and hopefully, one day it will be published. 5/5 STARS!
 

Book Review: Goddess by Laura Powell

Book Name: Goddess
Author: Laura Powell
UK Release Date: 2014
UK Publishers: Bloomsbury
Summary:

Strikes. Starvation. Riots. Britain is at breaking-point and Aura is blind to it all.

The Cult of Artemis is the only home she’s ever known. Enclosed in its luxury lifestyle, the unrest gripping the country seems to belong to a distant world. Her dream is to serve the Goddess and taking a vow of chastity and obedience seems a small price to pay. But days before Aura is due to be initiated as a Priestess, she meets Aiden, the rebellious son of a cult insider, whose radical ideas and unsettling charm force Aura to question everything – and everyone – she knows.

Review:

I received a copy off Bloomsbury to review. That does not affect what I think AT all!

I'm going to start off and say that I did not like this book at all. I got kind of confused of it's genre. It's a Greek Mythology/Fantasy, but I kind of thought it was trying too hard to be a Dystopian and that confused me. It got lost about half way through, and it was obvious Laura Powell couldn't recover it!

The book also kind of led me on a bit. The summary suggests a lot of riots and so I thought there would be a lot of rebelisation. There was some, not enough though. The book lacked in it and it could've done a lot with the whole premise. Characters could've caused problems. Secrets could've been exposed. Some were, but they weren't shocking!!

I kind of got lost with the writing as well. It never really flowed and kind of hit a dead end for me. I got about Seventy Percent through and gave up because I could not force myself to carry on. I really wanted to like this book, I really did. I just guess me and Greek Mythology does not work.

Overall I gave this a 2/5 Stars!