Thursday, November 27, 2014

*Update* #7

So, I changed some colors up around here, and I finally added my custom-made header. Now, I need some opinions on how it looks. Is the orange text too hard to read? Should I change it back to the light grey/off-white color I was using? Do you guys like my new header or was the old one preferred? Anything else you would like to see change? Please, please leave me some comments and let me know what you guys think!


**Edit** I switched the orange to a yellow color. I think that is easier to read. Do y'all?

Monday, November 24, 2014

Nocte (The Nocte Trilogy #1)


Nocte
(The Nocte Trilogy #1)
Courtney Cole

Release Date:
November 3, 2014

Publisher:
Lakehouse Press

Pages:
320

Source:
My Personal Copy

Reading Level:
New Adult



Description:
Save me and I'll save you...

My name is Calla Price. I’m eighteen years old, and I’m one half of a whole. 
My other half-- my twin brother, my Finn-- is crazy. 

I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I’m terrified he’ll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me.

I’m doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I’m drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline. 

Dare DuBray. 

He’s my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I’m afraid, where I belong, where I’m lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me. 

He has the power to destroy me. 

Maybe that’s ok. Because I can’t seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt. 

Why? Because of a secret. 

A secret I’m so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. 

You won’t either.

Teaser Sentence:
"...I'm not a trekkie. I'm a die-hard Whovian. I don't think I can be both."

My Thoughts:
There is not much I can say that the description doesn't tell you without letting in spoilers. And I absolutely do not want to spoil anything if you have not read this. Nocte is a piece of literary art.The story sucks you in, and the characters are well written and likable. I find that when you read a lot of books, the way most of us do, you tend to be better at picking up the subtle hints and predicting endings. I never saw the twist at the end of Nocte coming, And OMG was it a twist! It was definitely not something you could have predicted. My only fear with continuing this series is that the first book was so great I am scared the next installment won't be able to hold up to the first. I still have a lot of hope for it, and cannot wait for it's release date. I would give Nocte more than five stars if my scale went that high! I recommend you drop whatever you are currently reading, and start reading Nocte. You can always go back to what you were reading once you finish.


Friday, November 21, 2014

Just Breathe (Just Breathe Trilogy #1)

Just Beathe
(Just Beathe Trilogy #1)
Heather Allen

Release Date:
November 12, 2012

Publisher:
  ....... 

Pages:
272

Source:
Kindle Freebie

Reading Level:
Young Adult


Description:
Ever Harding, an average teenager with a passion for swimming is about to turn eighteen. Out of the blue she has been dumped by her long time boyfriend, which is the ultimate of tragedies in her life. Little does she know that on that fated eighteenth birthday, she will have to make a choice that will change her life as she knows it, forever.

A month before her birthday, Ever meets Jack, a mysterious new boy with mesmerizing eyes. He affects her like no one else. This meeting sets things into a whirlwind she never would have dreamed. With Jack's guidance she discovers a family line that leads her to the sea. She must make the ultimate choice, stay on land where life as she knows it, won't change, or go and live in the sea as a mermaid with Jack.


Ultimately her choice sets into motion an even bigger decision, in which she has the fate of a race of people, in her hands. The people in the sea are in a feud, she will tip the balance. She must battle the ageless moral dilemma of prejudice and race. Once she comes to terms with her life changing choices, she must ask herself, Did I make the right decisions? and Is Jack really who I think he is?

My Thoughts:
Ugh, I just don't even know what to say. I did not finish this book. I tried and tried and tried. At about 80% I gave in and just stopped. The first person point of view in this book is just terrible. It really was the breaking point for me. That and long run-on sentences you had to read twice to understand.
The main character, Ever, is whinny and annoying. Sadly, it's her point of view that the story is told from. I just could not connect with Just Breathe. There was no liking for Ever or Jack or their relationship. Some of the plot was likable, but over all, this just wasn't my book.
I did not get to the ending, so I have no idea if there are any big plot twists or cliffhangers. I was so miserable reading this book that I decided I didn't care to find out.



Thursday, November 20, 2014

Anomaly (Schrodinger's Consortium #1)

Anomaly
(Schrodinger's Consortium #1)
Tonya Kuper

Release Date:
November 25, 2014

Publisher:
Entangled Teen

Pages:
400

Source:
eARC

Reading Level:
Young Adult


Description:
Reality is only an illusion.

Except for those who can control it...

Worst. Birthday. Ever.

My first boyfriend dumped me-happy birthday, Josie!-my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl's tonsils. Oh, and I'm officially the same as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening...

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My Family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he's the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead...


Teaser Sentence:
'I flicked on my light, shut the door, and my Benedict Khan and Benedict Sherlock posters welcomed me home.'

My Thoughts:
Anomaly is real-life science meets science-fiction with lots of betrayal and secrets. It was most definitely a good read. 

As a fellow science nerd, I really appreciated the fact that the sci-fi parts of the story were based off real science. It made for a more believable fiction book, which is refreshing when you are always reading fantasy. I really liked Josie as the main character. I could related to her. And her love for science and Star Wars and everything else nerdy. 

Some parts of the story were a little slow. The betrayals and secrets spread throughout made me want to keep reading though. I also love stories that have multiple points of view. I know some people do not like the switch, but I enjoy getting to see the story from another angle. So, having some of the book from Reid's POV was a plus for me. 

I will absolutely be on the look out for the next installment of this series. I feel like Anomaly was a lot of world/character building, and that the next book will be even better.



Sunday, November 16, 2014

*Update* #6

Well, the past couple weeks for me have been BUSY! I  cannot even begin to describe the level of tired I am right now. Anyway, I know the reviews have been slacking around here (as well as the reading). We have been short at the bar I work for, and I have not had a day off in almost 2 weeks. All that is about to change, and I have some awesome reviews coming up soon. Who has read Nocte by Courtney Cole? I am really excited to find some time to type up that review! I have a couple great reviews in the works, and one not so great. Make sure to check back to see which books get stars and which one you should probably just avoid.

Also, I want to do a giveaway soon, but I want to gain a few more followers before I do. So, let's say when I reach 500 followers on bloglovin' I will host a giveaway. Please share my blog with anyone you think may like to follow me. As soon as I hit 500 followers I will put up the giveaway post!



Monday, November 10, 2014

Stone Cold Touch (Dark Elements #2)

Stone Cold Touch
(Dark Elements #2)
Jennifer Armentrout

Release Date:
October 21, 2014

Publisher:
Harlequin Teen

Pages:
464

Source:
My Personal Copy

Reading Level:
Young Adult




Description:
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life-no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who's pretty sure things can't get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla's powers begin to evolve, and she's offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She's finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay...  ~ Goodreads

My Thoughts:
It seems like not very long ago, during a live chat, that Jennifer L. Armentrout announced she was writing a series about gargoyles. And now, here I am writing up a review for the second book in that series. 
It's very hard for JLA to not please me. It has happened in the past, but not with this series! I loved Stone Cold Touch. Maybe not quite as much as White Hot Kiss, but I still loved it.
I guess I should go ahead and let it be known that I am team Roth. I like Zayne a lot as a character and as a best friend. But, as far as a love interest for Layla, I am Roth all the way. Roth is the crown prince of Hell, so I feel he needs a little good in his life. And he definitely needs some love. I like the idea of Zayne being a protector and friend to Layla.
Layla has definitely done some growing up. She has been lied to and betrayed so many times that she is learning she can't even trust the ones she always thought of as her family. Stone Cold Touch ends with her just about losing everything. I can't wait to see how she ends up handling everything in the next installment. Layla has grown so much as a character that I expect her to woman-up and take on the world.
This book has lots of twist and turns along the way making it stay interesting. It was very hard to stop turning pages. Bambi is almost a constant. (Who ever would have though I would love a snake so much) There is plenty of Roth and Zayne, some betrayals, and
the ending was OMG! I cannot believe we have to wait until next year to find out where it goes from here.


If you follow this series leave me a comment on which you prefer. Are you for Roth, Zayne or maybe even Bambi?



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Salt & Stone *Cover Reveal/Giveaway*


Fire & Flood
(Fire & Flood #1)
Victoria Scott

Release Date:
February 25, 2014

Publisher:
Scholastic 

Pages:
305

Reading Level:
Young Adult




Description:
Time is slipping away...

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She;s lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying-and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place? 

Victoria Scott's breathtaking novel grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go. ~Goodreads





Salt & Stone
(Fire & Flood #1)
Victoria Scott

Release Date:
February 24, 2015

Publisher:
Scholastic 

Pages:
320

Reading Level:
Young Adult




Description:
What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when every one's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win. ~Goodreads






Now that you have looked at those awesome covers, and decided you want to read this series. Enter to win them! 

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Anomaly *Trailer Reveal/Giveaway*

Releasing November 25, 2014


Reality is only an illusion.

Except for those who can control it...

Worst. Birthday. Ever.

My first boyfriend dumped me-happy birthday, Josie!-my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl's tonsils. Oh, and I'm officially the same as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening...

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My Family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he's the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead...



 



About Tonya Kuper:

Tonya Kuper is the author of Anomaly, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium Series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, releasing November 25, 2014 by Entangled Teen. She fell for Young Adult lit while earning her Master's degree in Reading Education. She's a mom to two awesome boys, an alt music junkie, a Star Wars nerd, and in love with Sherlock.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

Anomaly by Tonya Kuper

Anomaly

by Tonya Kuper

Giveaway ends November 15, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win