Cover Reveal: Need by Stephanie Lawton

Need by Stephanie Lawton

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: May 17, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Isaac Laroche is cursed. All he wants to do is hide out and feel sorry for himself. Never mind that he got caught sleeping with his seventeen-year-old piano student, or that he abandoned her when the truth was exposed.

Isaac’s feisty high school sweetheart has different plans. Heather Swann has returned to their hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to regroup after breaking up with her troll of a fiancé. She’s restless and looking for a diversion, but she bites off more than she can chew when she sets her sights on rehabilitating Isaac with her unorthodox sexual, mental, and physical plans.

The two quickly reconnect, but their happiness is threatened by family secrets, old vendettas and the death of a beloved father-figure.

Can Heather handle Isaac’s baggage, or will her own come back to haunt them both?

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

FIND WANT:

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Need is the adult follow-up to Stephanie's novel Want, which is a new adult story. I have not read either of these YET, but the covers are absolutely stunning. I want to own them for the covers alone! They match brilliantly, and from what I've heard, fit the story very well. I cannot tell you how badly I want to read these!

What do you think of the cover(s)? Have you read Want?

Big thanks to Stephanie for allowing us to join in the reveal!

Blog Tour: Book Review + Giveaway: Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) by Carrie Butler

Today, we are happy to be a part of the Strength Blog Tour

hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.

Find the other tour stops here.

Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) by Carrie Butler

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: March 7, 2013
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
389 Pages

When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation--and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do--even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.

(Upper YA/New Adult)

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:

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Tour-Wide Giveaway Details:

- Five winners will receive an e-copy of Strength by Carrie Butler

- Open Internationally

- We are not responsible for lost and/or damaged packages

- Ends 04/01/2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review:

I must be honest and say that I wasn't sure that I was going to like Strength, but I requested to be a part of the blog tour because it sounded so interesting and I wanted to give new adult another chance to blow me away. I am so glad that I did because Strength was a delightful surprise!

Rena is a college student, who until she runs into outcast Wallace, is pretty normal. Intrigued by his reputation for having psychotic breaks in his dorm room, Rena begins to spend more time with Wallace. Wallace is reluctant to share the truth with a too-curious Rena, but as the two fall for each other, it becomes harder and harder to hide secrets. Soon Rena is swept into the dangerous world of Wallace's supernaturally-powered family and must fight with him to save his family from war.

I loved this book. I loved it. It was extremely entertaining, so much so that I read it in one day. The plot, prose and relationships between the characters were fascinating. I could barely put it down to be productive. There was just something about it that drew me in and locked me there until the very end. Even then, I was sad that this first part of the journey the author provides her audience was completed. And finding out there is no news on book two was heartbreaking because I am not ready to let go of these characters!

Wallace and Rena were a great couple. They are both strong, brave (sometimes irrational) characters. Easily relatable and realistic interactions made for a smooth progression of the story. Rena is one of my favorite female leads for this line alone, "'Feels like I'm going to kick you in the face if you don't stop bugging me about it.'" I talk like that all the time, and this may be the first time I've read of someone using "my threat." Wallace was hot, too. He's a bit of a typical character, minus the sleeping around, but he was sexy and sweet and swoon-worthy times ten. These characters were just awesome. While I cared most about Wallace and Rena, I really liked the way the minor characters were involved. No one felt out of place, or forced. (Though, I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I wanted to punch Cole in the junk several times.)

This was definitely an original tale. From what I've read thus far, new adult novels have not impressed me. Strength helped turn that around though, because while it was directed for an older age group, it was not focused on sex, or outrageous stereotypes. Most of the other new adult novels I've read have been extremely sexual, to the point where I was annoyed rather than intrigued. There are some minor religious themes in this. Normally, I am turned off by stories that really incorporate religion, but I found that in Strength, the story was actually enhanced by it. Though I must be honest and admit, there was one scene where I noted annoyance.

Overall, Strength is a good read for fans of paranormal new adult novels. Fun and sexy, this was an excellent debut. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel! (Also, yay for another story set in Ohio. BAM! Love it.)

Thank you to Giselle from Xpresso Reads and Carrie Butler for letting us be a part of this tour!

I received an e-copy of this novel for my honest opinion and review from the author.

ARC Review: Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
256 Pages

Thirteen-year-old best friends Stephen and Marco attempt a go-for-broke heist to break into the high school prom and get Marco onstage to confess his love for (and hopefully steal the heart of) Benji, the adorable exchange student and bass player of the prom band. Of course, things don't always go according to plan, and every heist comes with its fair share of hijinks.

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:
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Review:

I just adore Hannah Moskowitz. She's perfect and I love her. Of all the books that I've read by her, Marco Impossible may be my favorite. It's real and sweet and meaningful and absolutely heartbreaking in the best of ways. I cannot stress how much love I have for this book. 

Stephen and his best friend, Marco, are almost in high school. It's the end of eighth grade and many changes are hovering over them. Marco's about to get a new little sister. Stephen's older brother is going to college. And the big whammy, Marco is transferring school for high school. This not only is affecting their friendship, but also Marco's love for Benji. In order to reveal his feelings, Marco comes up with the Heist--his plan to sneak him and Stephen in to the high school prom so that he can confess to Benji, who is a member of the prom band. The road to completing the Heist is lovely, and messy and a learning experience for not only the audience, but the characters themselves.

Moskowitz easily transitions from making her readers angry at Marco, to loving him, to hating him, to crying because of him. That may be another reason I love this so much. Everything felt real. I almost felt like I could be Stephen because his thoughts, actions and emotions were palpable. There were parts where I was so captivated by the novel and so taken with the characters that I could hear my heartbeat in my ears and was covered in goosebumps. I'm a very emotional person, almost to a fault, and one thing I know this author can provide is emotion. 

What I love most about Hannah's books is how realistic she makes the characters. Their thoughts, feelings and actions are ones we often think, feel and see in real life. That makes them relatable. Our connections to them are immediate and natural because we all have had times where we have felt this way. They always make the story heartwarming, and often as well, heart-wrenching--though of all of the books I've read by Hannah, this is the most tame (at least, compared to Fishboy).

My only "complaint" is that I wish this had gone a bit into the future, because I would've liked to see how Marco got on with his baby sister, and how their friendship held up with their separation …but the world may never know and I'm oddly okay with how open-ended some things were. Maybe it's just because Hannah wrote it and Hannah is the goddess of all.

Of course, I'd recommend it. To any and everyone. It's a fantastic middle grade on the cusp of being a young adult. Marco Impossible is a book that I could read over and over again and never stop loving. It's very short, very sweet and reveals its point beautifully.

I received an e-copy of this novel for my honest opinion and review from the publisher via Netgalley.

Top Ten Tuesday (53)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

This week's theme is: 

Top Ten Books at the Top of My Spring To-Read List

Since these are at the top of my list, they all have me feeling all: asdkjfnaksdnf;akdnfaksdfal;skdnfalskdnfa

Gimme!

1. The Eternity Curse (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
2. The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) by Rick Yancey
3. The Collector (Dante Walker #1) by Victoria Scott
4. This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E Smith
5. Lover At Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood #11) by JR Ward
6. Touch & Geaux (Cut & Run #1) by Abigail Roux
7. Dead Silence (The Body Finder #4) by Kimberly Derting
8. White Lines by Jennifer Banash
9. Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness #1) by Lili St Crow
10. Acid by Emma Pass

What books are at the top of your list?

Teaser Tuesday: Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

-------------------------

"'Please do not ask him about the kidney stones. He's been referring to one as his first child, Irving, all morning.'"
Chapter Thirteen: Senior Connections, ARC Page 135
Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

-------------------------

Book Review: Prophecy (The Dragon King Chronicles #1) by Ellen Oh

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: January 2, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
320 Pages

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:

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Review:

I really like books that spin off Asian heritage. My love of the Eastern culture is pretty recent, but I will admit to having an addiction. I expected Prophecy to blow my mind, and I was really looking forward to read Ms. Oh's take on a Korean fantasy world. Too bad I noted that I was bored within the first ten percent.

I honestly cannot think of anything positive to say about this novel besides the gorgeous cover. It fooled me into thinking this novel would be amazing. The premise was glorious. Demons, murder, prophecies and royalty? It's everything a fantasy lover could wish for! The cover makes you believe that dragons will be involved, and they really weren't… Boy, was I in for a shock when instead of the epic story filled with dragons, magic and swords, I got swords and a tiny bit of magic!

Kira is the king's niece, the prince's bodyguard and the only female in the army. These are not the only things that makes her an outcast. She's also a demon slayer, which makes those around her immediately fear her. After her home, Hansong, is invaded, it is up to Kira and a small group of her companions to unfold to the Dragon King Prophecy and save the people and the kingdom.

Now what exactly was wrong with Prophecy? It was completely predictable. The characters were obnoxious, few seemed realistic and none of them were likable. The writing was an unsettling combination of modern and historical. I honestly couldn't get a good idea of the exact era the story was supposed to take place in--so obviously, the world-building is dreadful. This needed so, so much work.

It's almost impossible to like a book when you don't like any of the characters. And these characters were not easily to like. Personally, I didn't like any of them--to the point where I don't remember anyone's name besides Kira. The were unmemorable. No one else felt "solid," if you will. Kira's relationships with everyone were awkward. I absolutely could not stand her cousin, the prince. He might have been my least favorite character, which is sad because that means I liked the villains more than him.

The author really focused on the wrong aspects. She didn't write characters to connect with, or a captivating plot. She seemed to want to fill the story as much as possible instead. I mean, had the book been expanded, it held enough to really make an entire series! So much happened in such a small book. …I've never read a fantasy novel as short as this. I know that longer doesn't necessarily mean better, but Prophecy desperately needed some extra girth. So many details were brought into play, but nothing was expanded on enough to help the audience understand. The information that needed to be in the story was left out.

By the time it was over, I felt immensely relieved. FINALLY, I COULD START A NEW BOOK! But there was also some disappointment because I wanted so much for it to be good, but it fell totally and completely flat. I'm extremely annoyed because Prophecy was an utter mess. Nothing about the book made sense to me. It just did not work.

I won a copy of this novel in a giveaway and received an e-copy from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Edelweiss.

Cover Reveal: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
216 Pages

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:

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What a fantasically gorgeous cover! When it was released a two weeks ago, I was thrilled because I seriously enjoyed Trish's debut, Something Like Normal. It was one of my favorite reads last year, and I am so looking forward to Trish's sophomore release because I'm sure that it will be just as amazing. What is the wait so long! (And I really hope it's not that short, because that may not appease my need for more of this author's work!)

What do you think of the cover?

ARC Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold #1) by Jane Nickerson

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
352 Pages

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

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FIND THE BOOK:

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Review:

Do you see this cover? It's eye-catching and absolutely gorgeous. The coloring and the font? Sold. I immediately signed on for Strands of Bronze and Gold. I had extremely high expectations. After finishing, I'd have to say they were too high. Strands of Bronze and Gold has the makings of a horrifying thriller, but ended up being more like a festival of boring.

Sophia Petheram has been asked to join her godfather, a Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, at his home in Mississippi after the death of her father. She's always been fascinated with the man and accepts his invitation willingly. The longer she spends in Wyndriven Abbey, the more of Cressac's past appears. She hears rumors of several wives and red hair, just like her own. Though he charms and attracts her, Sophie knows that Cressac's secrets may just lead her to destruction.

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a reimagination of the classic tale of Bluebeard. Excuse me while I had in shame because I'm never read the original. I honestly picked the book up because of the cover. I know, I know. You shouldn't judge a book by its cover… BUT LOOK HOW PRETTY. Too bad the content doesn't fit with it. A book that begins with a quote from The Brothers Grimm should be fantastically creepy and that was just what I was looking for. Too bad only the last eighty percent (minus the ridiculous epilogue) was creepy. The rest was the idiotic laments of Sophie. Honestly, most of the book was just main character complaining about her love life. The plot moved slowly, at a pace I probably would've enjoyed had I connected with the main character. 

It doesn't help that I can't figure out the time span of the story. The timeline is pretty sketchy--as is the era being written about. Half the time, I felt like I was reading about the Victorian age, but then we're told that we are in the South before the Civil War. There was a lot of head-scratching, though I did approve of Sophie and her family's belief in equality. That may have been the only thing I liked about them…

The main character is too insecure, too dim and too naive for my taste. I, more often than not, was annoyed by her. Sophie is a character that was written with the best intentions, but is extremely cringe-worthy. She acted rashly, irrationally and didn't seem to have a smart bone in her body. The book would've been much better had it been written from the perspective of Bernard, or Bernie as Jen and I so lovingly call him. He is the only reason the story had some elements of eery suspense. Sophie's siblings did little to enhance the story. In fact, I loathed them almost immediately. I can understand needing help, but they way they push her around just angered me. And she let them! ARGH! Sophie lacked a figurative backbone.

Strands of Bronze and Gold was a real disappointment. I especially cannot get over the last chapter. Just when things were looking up, the finale ruined it. I don't believe I will be finishing this series--as much as it kills me to walk away. The frustration just isn't worth it.

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.