Mar 30, 2014

Review: The Lure by Lynne Ewing

Title: The Lure
Author: Lynne Ewing
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: 2.11.2014
Pages: 288
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Issues, Gangs
Series: No
Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 3 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Fifteen-year-old Blaise Montgomery lives in the gritty outskirts of Washington, DC, where a stray bullet can steal a life on the way to school. Drugs and violence are the only ways to survive, so Blaise and her friends turn to gangs for safety, money, and love. When Blaise is invited to join Core 9, one of the most infamous crews, she jumps at the chance. Though her best guy friends, Rico and Satch, warn her about the danger, she agrees to be beaten for a minute straight as part of the gang's initiation ritual.

Now Blaise is finally part of a crew. A family.

But things get only more dangerous when she becomes a member of Core 9 and tensions with a rival gang heat up. Trek, the head of Core 9, asks Blaise to be his "lure," the sexy bait he'll use to track down enemy gang members and exact revenge. Rico and Satch tell her it's a death sentence, but Blaise can't resist the money and unparalleled power. As Trek puts Blaise in increasingly dangerous situations, she begins to see that there's more to lose than she ever realized-including Satch, the one person who has the power to get under her skin. With death lurking around every corner, should Blaise continue to follow the only path she's ever known, or cut and run?

Review:
I was so excited to learn about this book. I love gritty, emotional stories that deal with real life issues, especially when set in my own backyard. OK, so DC is a more like a 2 hour drive, but still! Lynne Ewing lured me in with THE LURE.

From the beginning you knew things were only going to get worse for our heroine. Blaise is a tough girl, struggling to find her place in a crazy world that she has no escape from. My heart twisted at what she had to go through—from the horrific ways girls are initiated into the gang (either being jumped in or pulling a train—and I don’t mean a locomotive) to the sad way she lived in squalor with the grandmother. It’s a brutal, terrifying world that all too many teens live in.

But then things started to go south, and not for Blaise, but for the book. What started as a hard-hitting, pull no punches book about gang life turned into some fantastical, wildly outrageous story that wasn’t believable at all. Things started to decline around the middle point of the book and once we were sliding downhill, there was no stopping the inevitable train wreck at the bottom.

I gave this book 3 stars because the beginning was brilliantly written. It’s truly a shame that the book devolved into something I typically see on daytime soap operas. It was so far-fetched ridiculous that I could only sigh and shake my head. I do recommend trying this one, if for nothing except the beginning, especially if you’re unfamiliar with inner city gangs and gang culture.
 Buy: Amazon

Mar 28, 2014

Review: Archetype by M.D. Waters

Title: Archetype
Author: M.D. Waters
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Publication Date: 2.6.2014
Pages: 384
Genre: Adult, Dystopian, SciFi, Romance, Mystery
Series: Archetype #1
Source: ARC from author

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Emma wakes in a hospital, with no memory of what came before. Her husband, Declan, a powerful, seductive man, provides her with new memories, but her dreams contradict his stories, showing her a past life she can’t believe possible: memories of war, of a camp where girls are trained to be wives, of love for another man. Something inside her tells her not to speak of this, but she does not know why. She only knows she is at war with herself.

Suppressing those dreams during daylight hours, Emma lets Declan mold her into a happily married woman and begins to fall in love with him. But the day Noah stands before her, the line between her reality and dreams shatters.

In a future where women are a rare commodity, Emma fights for freedom but is held captive by the love of two men—one her husband, the other her worst enemy. If only she could remember which is which. . . .

Review:
This is one of those reviews that is so frustrating to write because all I can really say is, “OMG! Buy and read this book immediately …. But I can’t tell you why.” In one of the best debuts I’ve seen in years, M.D. Waters has drafted such a complex, layered world that peeling one single layer back could potentially expose the entire story. And I refuse to deny readers of that, “Holy sh*t” moment that comes while reading ARCHETYPE.

Emma is a complex girl with a lot of issues, the least of which being she wakes up with no memory to a gorgeous man standing over her saying he’s her husband. Never mind the voice that keeps whispering in her head and the dreams she has of another man. Emma has a lot to deal with, and you can’t help but cheer and root for her as a reader.

Mystery lovers will be thrilled over the twists and turns, romance lovers will swoon over multiple scenes, and scifi lovers will be in heaven. Waters is a powerhouse writer with a bright career ahead of herself. Thankfully the sequel, PROTOTYPE, will be out later this year! I, for one, cannot wait to get my hands on it!

Again, sorry for the brief review, but spilling one small secret could unravel all the others. Trust me when I say you need to read this one as soon as you can get your hands on it!



Buy: Amazon

Mar 27, 2014

Cover Reveal: Run To You 4-6 by Clara Kensie

I am so freaking excited to share with you guys the next three covers in Clara Kensie's brilliant RUN TO YOU series. These books are a little different - they're serial novels, meaning they are shorter but packed with non-stop action. 

So, here they are:


About the Author
Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.

Author Links:

Review: Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: Conjured
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: 9.3.2013
Pages: 368
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: No
Source: ARC from a friend

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.
At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined. 

Review:
I will never think of a circus the same again! I honestly have never read a book quite like this. Nor have I ever read anything about a circus. This book is a confusing, bewildering ride on a never ending coaster paralleled with Inception.

I have got to give it to Sarah in the way she writes. I was reading the beginning, and I promise you I was giving this book the stink eye while reading with my cocked sideways. I had no ideas what was going on or who was who and why they were there. But all of that confusion and ???? popping up over your head is perfect with Eve. It allows you to become her and understand her struggles. You learn with her. And as her pieces fall together, you slowly out them together in your head.  With the way she wrote this, you are literally in Eve's shoes. It allows you to form a "relationship" with her.

Not only was Eve made to become a part of the reader, but so was everyone else. Sarah put so much emotion into characters that it was actually quite touching. I'm pretty sure I had a stray tear at the end. These characters are easily imaginable. And that's something I love about books.

I couldn't put this down (I'm surprised I didn't get in trouble at work). It was so riveting and intriguing I just couldn't stop until I was done. I would love to hear more about Eve, Zach, and The Triplets as I call them. Second one? Maybe, please. 


Buy: Amazon

Mar 26, 2014

Cover Reveal: Sharing You by Molly McAdams





SHARING YOU by Molly McAdams
On-sale 7/1/14 | ISBN: 9780062299406

Twenty-three year old, Kamryn Cunningham has left all she’s ever known and moved to a small town where no one knows her name, who her parents are, or her social status in the horseracing world. Months after opening her own bakery and evading attempts of being set up by her new best friend, she meets Brody. But Kamryn fights the instant pull between them because there’s a detail she can’t dismiss. Brody’s married.

To say that twenty-six year old, Brody Saco has had a rough marriage would be an understatement. After marrying his pregnant girlfriend, he spends the next six years in a relationship filled with hatred, manipulation, and guilt involving a tragedy that happened five years earlier. When he keeps running into his sister-in-law’s best friend, Kamryn, he can’t ignore that she makes him feel more with just one look than his wife ever has; and soon he can’t continue fight his feelings for her.

When staying apart proves to be too difficult, Brody and Kamryn enter a relationship full of stolen moments and nights that end too soon while they wait for Brody to file for divorce. But the guilt that comes with their relationship may prove to be too much for Kamryn, and Brody might not be strong enough to face the tragedy from his past in order to leave his conniving wife.


Image Map

Waiting on Wednesday: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly waiting to get into our hands.


This week I'm waiting on....


By: Livia Blackburne

About MIDNIGHT THIEF:
Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. 
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner—and danger is a way of life.

Why I Want It:
I admit, I didn't know about this book until recently, but it is totally my thing. It sounds like an amazing novel and Livia is a debut author! I can't wait to see what world she creates!

MIDNIGHT THIEF will be released on July 8, 2014 from Disney-Hyperion

Mar 25, 2014

Release Day Party: The Shadow Prince by Stacey O'Neale



Today is release day for THE SHADOW PRINCE by Stacey O'Neale! Help us celebrate the release of this amazing novella and enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!




 Every sacrifice has consequences.
Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?




Available for FREE on Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Also available in PRINT from Amazon



a Rafflecopter giveaway





Photoshoot-21
Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland.
When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging,
watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and
hanging out with her husband and daughter.
Her career in publishing started as a
blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes
young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books
always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.
Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on
Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You
can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.

Mar 24, 2014

It's Not You, It's Me

So recently my awesome friend, Andye of ReadingTeen, posted about if there was one book she would recommend to everyone. She may have called me out a bit in it because I simply cannot love one of her favorite books - Harry Potter. I've tried, believe me I've tried. But I have come to the conclusion that there are 4 types of books that I just can't do. 

1. Faeries: I don't know what it is about these creatures, but I see the words "fae" or "faeries" and I'm out before I even started. Now, to be fair, I have tried these books. I tried reading several different series' by highly acclaimed authors (The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, and Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston). I was bored within the first five chapters and DNF'd all of them.



2. Mermaids: Not sure why this one doesn't wok for me. I adore The Little Mermaid, but something about half humans with scaly tails just doesn't work for me. Maybe it's because I find it freaky that they breathe underwater? Again, I have tried different series (Fins by Tera Lynn Childs and Tempest by Tracey Deebs) and clearly it's not meant to be.



3. Ghosts: Here's the thing: I am very much a girl who craves a good romance. All of my favorite books have some sort of romantic aspect to them. With a ghost, what can you do? Does the main character die so they can be together (depressing)? Do they both put their lives on hold to engage in a pointless relationship (even more depressing)? I tried reading Tara Hudson's Hereafter series and I just don't get it. She's a ghost. A dead, no longer living entity and he is still kickin'. What future can they have?!



4. Witches: I can't exactly pinpoint what it is about witches that doesn't work for me. And this includes wizards and warlocks, too. Which means sadly it includes a series about a boy wizard who is destined for great and amazing thing and spawned 8 hit movies, 7 massively popular books and countless devoted fans ... except me. (I am not naming this series by name because I was forbidden to by someone who could legit inflict bodily harm on me.) But I have also tried reading Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton and Half Bad by Sally Green. 


Exceptions to the rule:
There are always exceptions, right? Some books just break through my mental barriers and work for me.

My faery pick: Wings series by Aprilynne Pike
My mermaid pick: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks* (I haven't read this yet, but am giving it a try because Jen raves about it)
My ghost pick: The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz
My witch pick: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

The good news is that my co-blogger doesn't have the same issues I do, so she happily reviews all of those types of books. 



Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Title: Maybe Someday
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria
Publication Date: 3.18.2014
Pages: 384
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Series: No
Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

Review:
While I am a fan of new adult, I have never read Colleen Hoover before now. I have heard great things about her books, but MAYBE SOMEDAY was my first time with her, and I can easily see why she has amassed such a loyal, devoted fan base.

Hoover writes with passion and heart - she bleeds that into her characters on every page. She does a great job of bringing them to life and pulling emotions from a reader. Several parts made my heart clench and my stomach churn. It wasn't hard to enjoy Sydney and Ridge and watch them fall in love. And I especially thought the music aspect was a great touch.

The only fault I found with this story, and it could be because I'm burning out on new adult and the same recycled material (especially in the contemporary genre), is that I felt like I had read this before. There was no real surprise, no jaw dropping moment that left me craving more or staying up late to finish. It lacked the spark that kept it firmly in the good, but not epic, category for me.

Hoover is a great writer who can craft a very enjoyable story. But I liken this to a ride in the country on a lazy summer day with the windows down. It's sweet and relaxing, but I'm the girl who would rather go bungee jumping than for a drive in the country.
Buy: Amazon

Mar 21, 2014

Gabrielle's 5 BEA Tips for 2014

BEA is so exciting! When I was invited to go by Hannah I could not stop thinking about it. All the books and people I might meet. I asked a ton if questions and tried to prepare myself. Well, I was pretty prepared but I was still a little overwhelmed.

This is my second year going and I am already freaking out a little bit. I know there are a lot of veterans to BEA but I thought I would give a little helpful advice to the newcomers. There are a lot of important things to prepare and I think they are all equally important so please don't take the order as such.

1.  Shoes and clothes - You want to be presentable. You are going to be meeting lots of professionals. I found that a lot of people wore jeans and nice tops. If you wouldn't wear it out to a casual dinner, don't wear it. No one wants to see undergarments or all your skin. This is something to be proud of and I think you should convey your seriousness about books and blogging by looking the part. Just don't be frumpy. Shoes are another huge thing I found were a life saver. I brought a couple pairs and was extremely thankful for my tennis shoes.  You will be doing a lot of walking and standing. Good support is key!


2. Snacks/water - I think I would have died if Hannah didn't tell me to do this. We went and bought a few things including water bottles to hold us through the day. There are venders inside and down in the small cafeteria. But I didn't want to spend the money or get out of line. Snack bars, goldfish, and water will be your stomachs saver. I wouldn't want to faint in the front line of a signing due to lack of food and water. You will get hungry! (Hannah here: I did not take my own advice and Gabrielle had to catch me on Thursday before I faceplanted on the Penguin booth carpet because I hadn’t eaten and was dehydrated. I literally stumbled and would’ve gone down if she hadn’t grabbed me.)

3. Bags - These are super important. What are you going to carry all the books and swag you get?  I would suggest a few decent size ones. You  don't want to break your back either. Something with wide straps will be better on your shoulders. And bring a suitcase that you can check in the luggage area to take them back to your hotel with. Also keep in mind how your traveling home. I DO NOT suggest packing them all if you’re riding a train. Trying to lug a suitcase full of books in a train terminal is ridiculous. Trust me, I know. Mailing books is also a good idea so make sure you get the times of the post offices around you.

4.  Layout - If you have never been the Javits Center it's kind of hard to get an idea of everything. But try your best to remember where everything is in accordance to what entry you will go in. Take the map with you. You can look at it while you’re sitting in line. There are a lot of booths so it's easy to get turned around. I just followed Hannah, lol. But I eventually got the hang of where everything was and knew what I was looking for.

5. Time management - This is also important if there is a lot you want to do. They have schedules of galley drops, sometimes, and for signings and the other events for each day. It was very helpful to have the itinerary Hannah made for us. It let me get what I wanted but also allowed me down time to just meander or even get in line for something else.

The biggest help for me was Hannah. Having someone who knows their way around and how to go about everything was essential in my not freaking out when I walked in, or in the planning stages. If you can find someone who can help you through this it would be a lot easier. Be polite! There are people who will not be very nice if you are trying to get something they want. Just relax and go with the flow. Obviously, if there is something you want don't walk uphill through molasses during winter, but you get the idea. I don't want to be the pic on twitter of flying elbows over a book. Doesn't look very professional to the venders. If you don't know something or want some help getting it together, there are a lot of people who have attended and would be willing to share their knowledge with you! Have fun, get excited, and train for a triathlon beforehand.





Mar 19, 2014

Cover Reveal: Boomerang by Noelle August




About BOOMERANG:
Welcome to BOOMERANG, the hottest startup in the coolest city: Los Angeles, CA. Why? Because it’s about no-strings, no-fuss relationships for those on the rebound and those who crave connection without all the baggage of long-term promises. While it’s THE dating site for the millennial gen, their offices are even steamier than the hook-ups the website produces.

But that buzz is fading as Boomerang struggles to grow, the solution? Find two brilliant interns and give them a crack at turning this ship back to shore.

Enter MIA GALLIANO and ETHAN VANCE. These young strangers—Mia an aspiring filmmaker, and Ethan at the end of a collegiate sports career—are both bright and motivated. And for very different reasons, although they’re both hungry and way up for the challenge.

But things go wrong from day one. For one thing, Ethan and Mia aren’t strangers. The night before their stint at Boomerang begins, Ethan and Mia meet at a bar and fall into bed together. Or so they think. They’re both hazy on the details. They just know it’s aaaawkward when they share a post hookup taxi…to the same place.

Will the competition get to them, or do they have a future together?

On-sale 7/15/14; ISBN: 9780062331069;William Morrow Paperbacks; Pages: 304; $13.99

Mini Reviews: On Dublin Street Novellas by Samantha Young

Title: Until Fountain Bridge
Author: Samantha Young
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 6.13.2013
Pages: 111
Genre: New Adult, Novella, Contemporary
Series: On Dublin Street #1.5
Source: Purchased eBook

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Ellie Carmichael had a crush on Adam Sutherland, her brother, Braden’s, best friend, for years, and although Adam treated her with proprietary concern he made it clear he thought of her only as a little sister. 

Over the years, as Ellie’s crush develops into love, her romantic idealism makes it difficult for her to move on. To make matters worse, as she’s gotten older, Adam’s attitude has changed toward her. His affection for her is now joined by attraction, but his loyalty to Braden, and his fear of losing the only family he has, stops him from claiming Ellie the way she wishes he would. 

But one night his attraction is put to the test, and as much as Adam would like things to remain the same everything changes between them in a simple brush of the lips. 

Soon lust, love, jealousy and heartbreak combine to force change upon their relationship… and Adam discovers the hard way that life is too damn short to spend it on regret.
                                                                                                                                                                      
Review:
Ever since I read ON DUBLIN STREET, I have been wanting the full story of Ellie and Adam’s relationship. The way Samantha Young wrote them made me crave to know their story. In ON FOUNTAIN BRIDGE we get just that.

Told through a series of flashbacks via a journal, I felt a little disconnected from the story. I almost wish this would have been a full-length novel so that Young had more time to spend on details. Regardless, as a fan of the series and this couple, I was so happy to learn anything about their history.

Watching Ellie and Adam the Couple learn about each other from years earlier was fun, but frustrating, because you knew they would always be hitting road blocks in this novella. (They don’t get together until ON DUBLIN STREET.) But still, I loved the glimpse into their pasts.

Buy: Amazon

Title: Castle Hill
Author: Samantha Young
Publisher: NAL
Publication Date: 12.3.2013
Pages: 97
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Novella
Series: On Dublin Street #2.5
Source: eARC from publisher

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
A Joss and Braden Novella

Braden Carmichael never imagined he’d fall as hard and as fast as he did for Jocelyn Butler. He also could not have anticipated how difficult it would be to convince her to give in to love. But now that he has her, he’s never letting go. He’s got it all planned—the passionate proposal, the dream wedding, the sexy Hawaiian honeymoon—even the perfect family they’ll start.

After trying to flee from her painful past, Joss is finally allowing herself to embrace the future. But when things start moving faster than she anticipated, she finds herself panicking over something Braden can’t understand. After everything they’ve been through, Joss is sure that their love can survive even her worst fears. But, this time, she may push Braden too far—and risk losing everything all over again…

Review:
It was so nice coming back to Joss and Braden, the couple that kickstarted my love of Samantha Young’s On Dublin Street series. That book has always been my favorite, and this quick glimpse into the world—and ongoing saga of Joss & Braden—was a welcome treat.

I love Joss’s spirit. I’ve loved her since I read ON DUBLIN STREET years ago. And that hasn’t changed. But she’s also a little broken and needs someone who gets her, which is where Braden comes in. Braden never tries to “fix” Joss. He just supports her the best he can, and yes, they both mistakes along the way.

At 97 pages, this is a very fast read. There is some drama, but some seriously swoony times with my favorite couple. All in all, this was a great way for Young to let readers stay connected with the duo that started it all.

Buy: Amazon

Mar 18, 2014

Review: A Breath of Frost by Alxyandra Harvey

Title: A Breath of Frost
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: 1.7.2014
Pages: 496
Genre: Paranormal, Historical
Series: The Lovegrove Legacy #1
Source: ARC from ublisher

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. 

Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies. 
Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away? 

Review:
Who said chivalry was dead?! Well, you certainly get a wonderful look at what it was like when you meet Emma and her interesting cousins. Not only would I love to be in their time but to find out your a witch like this, and have all this happen to you seems quite exciting.

I love how Harvey gave each of the cousins their own unique identities, even Cormac has something I like. You got a real piece of everyone's mind and heart. While you get to know them in their struggles, they still end up surprising you. My favorite part about these lovely ladies was how I could relate to Gretchen. She seems just like me, well, how I would be if I was made to wear fancy dresses with lots of layers and be a debutante.

You know how people said when you were younger if a boy picks on you it means he likes you? Well, this gives you another level of getting picked on, while subtly getting saved even f you don't know it. The little tiff between these two is amusing and childish yet you understand it, as the time warrants such behavior.  I am thinking of all the possible outcomes for them and will still probably be wrong but they are great together!

I have always wanted to know what it would be like to love else where. Or be someone else. The details Alyxandra shoved at you (in a good way!) made me envious of Emma. I really felt like I was walking with her down the streets, cowled in a cape. Or running through the forest hiding in trees. It was all very real to me. This is definitely a book I will read again if not for the story then for the amazing imagery.
While I loved this book immensely and CANNOT WAIT for the next one, I felt as if it was slow I start, almost to wordy. Obviously, it wasn't bad enough to put down and I'm grateful I didn't! This is definitely a good read. 


Buy: Amazon

Mar 17, 2014

Blog Tour: The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by MG Buehrlen


I am so happy to welcome M.G. Buehrlen onto the blog today to help promote her debut THE 57 LIVES OF ALEX WAYFARE. I have heard a lot of glowing things about this book and I can't wait to dive into it for myself!

1. So tell us a little about Alex. What sets her apart from all the other YA heroines?

Oh, Alex. I'll tell you something about Alex. She's not your conventional heroine. In fact, she might even be the villain of her own story. While she's brave and snarky and fiercely loyal, she's also deeply flawed and lonely. But she grows throughout the book, learning from every one of the secondary characters, and she's in for a whole lot more growing pains throughout the series. 

2. And what about a swoony boy? There's a swoony boy, right?

There are several swoony boys. At least they are swoony to me. You've got Blue, the mysterious boy Alex is drawn to the most, then there's schoolmate Jensen, her childhood crush, and Levi, her boyfriend from a past life, and a few others who aren't necessarily love interests, but they are swoony in their own right. 

3. You've worked the blogger side of things for years running YABC. So that means you were totally relaxed and knew what to expect when your book hit the shelves, right?

 Ha! I wish! I was so unprepared for the author side of things. Running a blog and a social network like YABooksCentral.com, I know the promotional side of the industry backwards and forwards. But learning the author side was like learning Greek. I'm still learning, and I'm sure I will continue learning for the rest of my career. And while being a blogger has helped me know how to promote my book, it definitely didn't help me sell the book to a publisher. The blogger side and the author side are not even on the same coin, let alone on different sides. (Now I really want a Greek salad for some reason...)

4. Let's play Truth or Dare. Except this is an interview and you aren't sitting in front of me, so I'll pick for you.Truth: What's the scariest part about being published?

The scariest part about being published is the fear of failure. Of your book just sort of NOT SELLING and then publishers won't want to buy any books from you Ever Again. Most authors want long careers in the biz, but it's not a sure thing. Once you have one book published, that could very well be your last. It's not like getting a degree and then securing a steady job with benefits. This is a case by case basis. You're living book by book, like check by check. That's the super scary part.

5. And because I can, let's also do a Dare. I dare you to show us a picture of your writing space/area.

 I don't really have a designated writing spot anymore. I used to have a writing room and a treaddesk, but I've moved and I don't have the extra space anymore. So really, my writing space is anywhere my laptop takes me. Here's a pic of some revising happening at my local coffee shop, complete with iced coffee and sleeping bebe. :)

Inline image 1

6. Lastly, what can we expect for Alex next? 

You can expect Alex's next adventure to drop Spring 2015. I'm currently working on the draft, and boy do I need to get that done soon. She'll be doing a lot more traveling, a lot more missions (maybe one that hits a bit close to home), and she'll learn a thing or two about some of the bullies at school. Maybe... just maybe Tabitha isn't as bad as Alex thinks... 

Maybe. 

;-)

Thanks for stopping by, M.G.!

Thanks for having me on the blog, Hannah! Forget Greek salad, now I want bananas from Ireland... 


Official summary:
One girl. Fifty-seven lives. Endless ways to die.
For as long as 17-year-old Alex Wayfare can remember, she has had visions of the past. Visions that make her feel like she’s really on a ship bound for America, living in Jamestown during the Starving Time, or riding the original Ferris wheel at the World’s Fair.

But these brushes with history pull her from her daily life without warning, sometimes leaving her with strange lasting effects and wounds she can’t explain. Trying to excuse away the aftereffects has booked her more time in the principal’s office than in any of her classes and a permanent place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Alex is desperate to find out what her visions mean and get rid of them.

It isn’t until she meets Porter, a stranger who knows more than should be possible about her, that she learns the truth: Her visions aren’t really visions. Alex is a Descender – capable of traveling back in time by accessing Limbo, the space between Life and Afterlife. Alex is one soul with fifty-six past lives, fifty-six histories.

Fifty-six lifetimes to explore: the prospect is irresistible to Alex, especially when the same mysterious boy with soulful blue eyes keeps showing up in each of them. But the more she descends, the more it becomes apparent that someone doesn’t want Alex to travel again. Ever.

And will stop at nothing to make this life her last.


Author bio:

When she’s not writing, M.G. moonlights as a web designer and social media/creative director.
She’s the current web ninja lurking behind the hugely popular website YABooksCentral.com,
a social network for YA (and kids!) book lovers. The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare is her debut novel. M.G. lives nestled away in Michigan pines, surrounded by good coffee and good books, with her husband and son and three furbabies. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

Social media links:
Web: http://www.mgbuehrlen.com/