Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Renhala Tour & Giveaway



Renhala  
(Renhala #1)
Amy Joy Lutchen 

Release Date:
September 27, 2012

Genre:
Adult Fantasy

Reading Level:
Adult










Description:
Kailey Rooke, timid accountant, dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.
A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon to the Higher Ones. Kailey slowly starts revealing new talents, and Gunthreon is fascinated with what she starts achieving.
She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and attempts to toughen up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers (including a dragon, woodsprite, six-hundred-pound greble, her faithful female canine companion, and a "giver"), falls into an unexpected love triangle, deals with her sexy and flirtatious best friend’s “issues,” and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon. 
On her mission to save Renhala, Kailey will find herself running from life-threatening disasters, such as greble Tartarin, who likes to remind Kailey that when he catches her, he plans on eating her brains with ice cream; she'll run from the deadly meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others. Kailey will also run into the possibility that a centuries-old Renhalan rumor is true, that advanced technology existing in Kailey's realm shortens all life spans.
As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.






Amy Joy Lutchen

Born in Chicago, Illinois, a few days prior to watching her first movie, at a drive-in theater. Yes, drive-in theater. And yes, her mother believed she was possessed by the devil after said first movie.
Grew up in the Chicagoland area and graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where she simply became a number, but decided it was a good number.
Loves cooking (mostly candy-cooking), gardening (putting holes in the ground for perennials, DONE!), designing and constructing jewelry (everything from silversmithing to lampworking), and living with her wonderful husband, two children, black Labrador, and frog—and maybe even the chipmunk family that likes to destroy her aforementioned perennials.
Also hopes that you enjoy her writings, and won’t criticize her for her aversion of eating things in multiples of three.

Website  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter  |  Facebook



Excerpt: 
Six o’clock means she’ll be here at seven, and that gives me plenty of time to get ready. I can hardly believe I’m the one who initiated a night out, but I’m riding the minute possibility that a few really strong, dirty martinis will crumble a few emotional walls of mine tonight. I’m willing to give it a try, but damn well know the probable outcome: me sitting, totally sober, while already-drunk Amber downs the countless drinks bought for her from overly-anxious meatheads.  
I switch on the radio and get dressed while lightly shuffling to “Good Vibrations,” by Marky Mark. As I check myself out in the bathroom mirror, I stare, unhappy with the somewhat low-cut shirt I chose—too revealing. While taking the shirt off, I bend over to plug the iron back in, and then the power suddenly goes out, engulfing me in total darkness. 
I freeze for a brief two seconds. Then whirl about, using my hands as eyes in the darkness, searching for any weapons in my bathroom. Realizing that two previous nights ago I walked away with a pocket knife usually stored in the medicine cabinet, I grab my cuticle scissors in one hand and my hairspray in the other. Kioto had only been moaning in her sleep that night I moved the knife, but it sounded so alien. Alien. Alien-like grunting.
The guttural sound of grunting from my assaulter’s throat echoes through my mind as I stand motionless, frozen from fear, remembering the noise as he tore off my cotton panties the day of the assault. I lay there, on my stomach, on top of my newly made bed, staring at Bear—a feeling of despair so great and overpowering pulsing through me. I also remember, too painfully, the blood-curdling scream that escaped my throat as I pleaded to anyone listening, a higher being even, to please save me. Don’t let this happen to me. This shouldn’t be happening to me. I wouldn’t survive feeling that hopeless again.
After my eyes adjust, and as I wait for the sound of footsteps or breathing, I hear neither, so I peek around the door and see Kioto lying on the ground, head turned toward me—possibly perturbed by the roaring sounds emanating from my chest. I walk, shakily, with weapons still in hand, toward the window and I see the whole block is out. A quick check toward the sky reveals the approaching storm. I collapse on my couch and cry like a baby, doubting my ability to function like a normal human being ever again. Kioto walks toward me, and slowly licks my blackened tears from my face. “Thanks, baby,” I say as I snuggle into her and regain my normal breathing. 
I wipe my running mascara from my face and gather my composure. A glance at the clock tells me that Amber should be here soon. Sooner than I can fix my makeup, the power goes back on, giving me another heart attack when “Kung Fu Fighting” starts blaring throughout the apartment. What a wonderful start to the evening.
Amber arrives at 7:15 and lets herself in with the key I gave her last week, which was supposed to be for emergencies only. She is absolutely stunning. Her long, straight blond hair complements the lime-green baby-doll dress and her black stilettos. She’s only five foot three, so the extra four and a half inches brings her closer to eye level, but not for long. I decide to wear my knee length, heeled, black boots with my new taupe silk tank top and black pants. I grab my father’s ring off my dresser and slip it into my pocket.  
She stares at me and says, “Girl, I need some of that leg length. If you die, can you donate your legs to me?” I laugh and tell her only if she shares some of the endowment on her chest. She’s about a thirty-two E, compared to my thirty-four B. 
“You sure you’re ready to do this?” She emanates sincerity.
I shake my head no as the tears fill my eyes and I grab my purse.

Giveaway:
Tour Grand Prize:
Open internationally
$100 Amazon gift card
Two Renhala magnets
Goodies: Blackberry Sage tea by Republic of Tea and Mighty Leaf's Organic African Nectar tea

a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Wednesday, May 8, 2013

*Cover Reveal* Obsession by Jennifer L Armentrout




Obsession
Jennifer L Armentrout

Release Date:
May 31, 2013

Publisher:
Entangled's Covet

Reading Level:
Adult






Description:
He’s arrogant, domineering, and… To. Die. For.
Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.
Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something…unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.
Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?





# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout 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.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.




I am excited for this release! Anyone else feel the same way?



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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Mirror of Shadows Review & Giveaway




Mirror of Shadows
T. Lynne Tolles

Release Date:
September 1, 2012

Source:
Review Copy Provided*

Reading Level:
Ella McKaye returns home for her grandmother's funeral to find she's inherited a ton of money and a run down mansion she never knew existed, called Grey Manor. Her greedy mother is appalled when the will stipulates specifically that Ella can't give her any of the inheritance. She quickly throws Ella out of her home forcing her to take up immediate residence in the spooky old mansion.
Within minutes of entering her new home she has a strange interaction with a creepy old mirror in the main hallway and the ghostly inhabitants of the past get more and more agitated the longer Ella's there. Nearly fatal back to back accidents make Ella start to wonder if she's angered some ghost or if there is something more sinister at work. Will Ella unravel the deadly mystery before she becomes a ghost herself? Or will fate take
another one of the Grey ancestors to the grave.

Teaser Sentence(s):
He looked absolutely mortified as he grabbed a dishtowel and held it in front of him as if to hide the fact he was in his underwear. Of Course the boxers could be seen from all edges of the dishtowel, making Ella want to giggle at his sudden realization of his lack of pants.

My Thoughts:
Mirror of Shadows was a nice paranormal mystery.
Elle was a very independent protagonist. She wasn't dependent on a man to come in and save the day, even though that did keep happening. I was happy she didn't come off as being perfect. She even made herself look a little crazy at the beginning when she first met Jeremy. I hated Matt straight from the beginning, but I love Jeremy. He was the silent, keep-to-himself type, and that drove me crazy wanting to get to know him. Jeremy was another character who wasn't perfect. He was handsome and, obviously, likes cats, but he was far from flawless and had a somewhat bad background. There was not any insta-love or hooking up, so I have my fingers crossed for a follow up book with more on Elle and Jeremy's relationship.
Jeremy and Elle were well written and, to me, felt like they could be real people. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story. It was fun (and creepy) trying to figure out the secrets of Willow along with Elle. Who was she? Why did she die? Is she good or bad? What the heck is up with that mirror in the hallway? The ending was good, and I would recommend this to anyone who wanted a clean, paranormal romance.


Enter below to win a copy of Mirror of Shadows + some swag. Open internationally.

T. Lynne Tolles

T. Lynne Tolles is a lifelong avid reader of all things paranormal and now is a writer of new adult paranormal romances for readers 15 to 115. She grew up in the sunny California San Francisco bay area. She's the mother of two, wife to one and pet mom to three cats and Newfoundland dog. 
Blood of a Werewolf is the first of five books in a series called, the Blood Series. Other titles include Somber Island and Mirror of Shadows - both unrelated to the series.




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*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for my opinion.

Monday, May 6, 2013

The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey #3)


The Iron Queen
(The Iron Fey #3)
Julie Kagawa

Release Date:
January 25, 2011

Publisher:
Harlequin

Pages:
368

Source:
My Personal Copy

Reading Level:
Young Adult






Description:
My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back. ~Amazon

Teaser Sentence(s):
He favored me with another patient look. "And how much experience do you have with swords and weapons in general?"
"Um." I glanced down at the saber in my hand. "Thirty seconds?"

My Thoughts:
Okay, I am trying to figure out where to even start here. At first I was worried. I thought the book had a really slow start. It took until about half way through before the story picked up. 
The Iron Queen is book 3, so by now I know all the characters pretty well. I was thrilled that Ironhorse was mentioned as much as he was, and in his own way played a very important part in helping make things easier on Meghan and her companions. 

"Be quite, Goodfellow," Ash growled, peering into the shadows with narrowed eyes. "We're not alone."
"Yeah? How do you figure that, prince? I don't see anyone" (Puck)
"The cait sith has disappeared."
"...crap." (Puck)

I love Puck and Grimalkin. Usually, I do not like talking cats. There are very few exceptions to this for me. (Cheshire Cat, Salem) Grimalkin is absolutely one of my exceptions. His attitude is just how I think every cat thinks-a little stuck-up and only looking out for themselves. Although, I do believe Grim helps more selflessly than he is given credit for. He doesn't always make a bargain or gain something in return. 
Puck also has an I-don't-give-a-crap attitude that makes me love him even more. He is continuously loyal to Meghan. Even after she hurt him, and broke his heart. He is still always there when she needs him. Always trying to make her happy, even if it's at his own expense. He is the perfect best-friend.

'And he stayed there, kneeling beside me, holding my hand in his. Something splashed the back of my hand, cold as spring water, crystallizing to my skin. A faery's tears.'

Ash wrecks havoc on my emotions. It only takes about 2 sentences involving him to break my heart. For a dark, winter faery, who hardly ever shows any emotions himself, his scenes get to me the most. I do not know how Julie Kagawa manages this, but Kudos to you, Julie. Ash makes the series for me. I am super excited the next book, The Iron Knight, is his book. (yay!) 

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Friday, May 3, 2013

Everdark (Dark Ink Chronicles #2)


Everdark
Dark Ink Chronicles #2
Elle Jasper

Release Date:
June 7, 2011

Publisher:
Signet Eclipse

Pages:
336

Source:
Borrowed 

Reading Level:
Adult






Description:
When Savannah tattoo artists Riley Poe is ambushed by an undead enemy, she inherits some of the traits of her attackers-and a telepathic link with a rampaging vampire. Now, she's experiencing murder after murder through the victims' eyes. And her new powers will not be enough to stop the horror-or the unending slaughter. . .

Teaser Sentence(s):
Sitting around a roaring campfire on a Georgia barrier island at night with a handful of centuries-old vampires, Gullah conjurers, and adolescent boys with vampiric tendencies made for a way more interesting crowd than any other I'd ever hung with in my wild teenage years, or in my adult years, truth be known. No lie- it was surreal. Bizarre. Oh, and Zetty-can't forget the big Tibetan.

My Thoughts:
Now, bad-ass Riley Poe has vampiric tendencies and is, somehow, even more bad-ass.
Riley is one of my favorite main characters. She is very independent, and doesn't need a man to protect her, even before she had 2 ancient vampires out to get her blood. Eli is a bit too overprotective of her in my opinion. I often find myself wishing he would back off some. 
After everything that happened in book 1, Afterlight, I was thrilled to get to know Seth a little better. Seth also now has vampiric tendencies, and is just as bad-ass as his sister, Riley, when it comes to fighting rouge vampires and newlings. 
I still really liked all of Eli's vampire family, especially his siblings, Phin, Luc and Josie. Luc has a great attitude. He knows Riley can take care of herself, and tries to get Eli to realize that too. Victorian is also a main part of this story. He was made to not seem like such a bad guy in Everdark. I am very curious to see how his story is played out.
Some readers may not enjoy the Gullah accents some of the characters speak with. I am from the South, so reading this comes naturally for me.  I have read a couple reviews where the reader complained of this, so be warned.
I personally enjoy this series. I know vampire stories are everywhere these days, but if you like a good smutty read with not-so-average vampires then you should check this series out. 

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Thursday, May 2, 2013

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2)



My Soul to Save
(Soul Screamers #2)
Rachel Vincent

Release Date:
December 29, 2009

Publisher:
Harlequin

Pages:
288

Source:
My Personal Copy

Reading Level:
Young Adult


Description:
When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.
So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.
The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld-a consequence they can't possibly understand.
Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk... ~Goodreads

Teaser Sentence(s):
And as the impossibility of what we were about to attempt truly sank in, I focused on one thought to keep myself calm: Weirdest. Wednesday. Ever.

My Thoughts:
I love the Soul Screamers series. I, personally, have not stumbled upon another quite like it. The series contains a lot of folklore and mythology, then some dark paranormal is added in with the grim reapers and demons. I think it makes for a good mix.
In My Soul to Save you get to know Tod much better. He is the main reason this part of the story is taking place. I am still partial to Nash, but it was nice to get to know his grim reaper/bean sidhe brother a little better. 
Kaylee is great. She is not whiney, and is insistant on saving souls. Even when the outcome doesn't look good, and she is bound to get in some kind of trouble. Kaylee always seems ready to jump in and tangle with demons. I love her brave, strong will. Nash is always suporting Kaylee, even when he thinks the plan may not be the best idea. Sometimes, I wish he would be a little more assertive with Kaylee, instead of always letting her run the show. 
I don't know why it took so long for me to find this series, but I definately recommend it to all the lovers of dark paranormal.  

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Voices of Dragons


Voices of Dragons
Carrie Vaughn

Release Date:
March 16, 2010

Publisher:
HarperTeen

Pages:
309

Source:
My Personal Copy

Reading Level:
Young Adult





Description:
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the Internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: Dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them. 
But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of war? ~book blurb

Teaser Sentence(s):
"I can't imagine you ever being afraid of us," she said, looking up at him, as large as a bus, so powerful. "That's why the military's doing what it's doing, because it's afraid of you. They think they have to do this, before you do."

My Thoughts:
Another random fact about me: I love dragons! 
Voices of Dragons was a very fun read. Dragons live in the modern world. We have given them some of the more uninhabitable land of the world. The dragons stay on their side, and the people stay on theirs. The two never interact, and it is against the law to cross any of the borders.
Kay falls into a river after rock climbing and is caught in the river current taking her into dragon territory. She befriends a young dragon, Artegal, who wants her help to perfect his speech. Kay and Artegal are both well written characters. I couldn't find anything I didn't like about them. They saw how their secret friendship was possible, and saw a world where dragons and the human race could live together. And when a war is started they do everything in their power to prove that fighting is not necessary. 
I did dislike how this book ended. I have looked everywhere trying to find any information about a sequel, but have come up empty handed. I really hope one day there will be a book 2, because I was left wanting to know what happened after their dangerous protest to stop the war.


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