Feature and Follow #4 (I'M FEATURED!)

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

1. When did you start blogging?


I started blogging eight months ago- on the 24th of March! I remember that day so clearly, because I was supposed to be studying for my physics final, but was too excited with blogger and everything bloggy to concentrate!

2. What is your favorite part of book blogging?

I'm going to answer this in two parts (cheating, I know, but still:P)

-- the whole array of new books I've gotten the opportunity to read- that I wouldn't have heard of or seen, due to the fact that I live in India!
-- the second is that I have the freedom to do what I want with my blog- I can write any way I feel like, play around with posts and the overall layout when I want, and just the sense that this is entirely my own (which is big, to someone who is still in school- in my country at least!)

3. What type of books do you mainly blog about?


I mainly blog about YA books, as, well, they're awesome- and I'm a young adult! I do some NA, and some Adult, but very little.

4. What are your favorite books?


Even if someone held me at gunpoint, I could never answer this question. So, I usually go with the most recent- favourite book I've read- Blackfin Sky by Kat Ellis! P.s. It's BRILLIANT!

5. What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?


The answer is the same as my second- that I've gotten the chance to dig deeper into the world of books, with freedom to do what I want, and also, all of the AMAZING books I've won! 
What books would you give to newbies in your favorite genre? (Ex. I'm a newbie to high fantasy and EVERYONE said to ease into it with the Throne of Glass series!) - Suggested by Take Me Away...

I don't really have a favorite genre, so I'm going to go with a couple:

1. Contemporary- (I'm going with all the 'classics' in the YA world here)- The Princess Diaries, or the first ever YA book I read- Teen Idol!

2. Dystopian/ Adventure- Harry Potter (but they can be overwhelming) so I'm going to have to go with The Hunger Games!

3. Conspiracy Theories- If people are REALLY into this genre, I would recommend any Dan Brown book, or any Scott Mariani book.

4. General Recommendations:
-- We Were Liars
-- The Fault In Our Stars
-- The Grisha Trilogy
-- Stolen Songbird!

Thanks for stopping by! If you leave me a comment with your link, I'll be sure to check your blog out and follow you!!
P.S: This site prefers a BLOGLOVIN' Follow!

The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden- Trailer Reveal

Author:Alys Arden
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Synopsis: Seven girls tied by time.
Five powers that bind.
One curse to lock the horror away.
One attic to keep the monsters at bay.
* * *
After the Storm of the Century rips apart New Orleans, Adele Le Moyne and her father are among the first to return to the city following the mandatory evacuation. Adele wants nothing more than for life to return to normal, but with the silent city resembling a mold-infested war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal will have to be redefined.
Events too unnatural – even for New Orleans – lead Adele to an attic that has been sealed for three hundred years, and the chaos she unleashes threatens not only her life but everyone she knows.
Caught suddenly in a hurricane of eighteenth-century myths and monsters, Adele must quickly untangle a web of magic that links the climbing murder rate back to her own ancestors. But who can you trust in a city where everyone has a secret, and where keeping them can be a matter of life and death – unless, that is, you’re immortal.





AUTHOR BIO:
ALYS ARDEN grew up in the Vieux CarrĂ©, cut her teeth on the streets of New York, and has worked all around the world since. She still plans to run away with the circus one day.

www.facebook.com/TheCasquetteGirls
www.thecasquettegirls.com
www.alysarden.com
Embed code:

100 Followers Day 6- Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Ian Reading- Review, Interview and Giveaway

Author: Iain Reading
Publication Date: December 2012
Part of A Series?- Book 1 in the Kitty Hawk Series
Review Copy: Paperback via the Publisher
Blurb Description: Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.


**GIVEAWAY**
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**INTERVIEW**
How does it feel to have the Kitty Hawk Series out there for the world to read?

It is actually a really great feeling.  One of the things that I love most about putting these books out there is the feedback I get from various readers.  It is fascinating to see what aspects of each book resonate with readers and I can say that quite often the feedback I hear has inspired me and pushed the future stories into different directions than I had originally planned.  In that sense it's like a collaboration between author and reader.  So...  if you read the books and happen to find anything about them particularly interesting, then don't be scared to post some reviews on Amazon saying how you feel.

What inspired you to write the book?

It was the Kitty Hawk character herself who inspired me to write this book.  After the idea originally came to me (and I Googled it to be sure that no one else already had come up with it) I felt myself pulled more and more each day to write Kitty Hawk's world into existence.  She had a life of her own from the very start and was quite impatient to get going on her adventures.

Tell us a little about your main character:

Kitty Hawk is a really great lead character and one that I admire very much.  She is a pilot – an excellent one at that – with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane that she's using to fly around the world.  Every stop along the way brings her to new places, cultures, landscapes...  and of course, new mysteries for her to solve.  She has kind of a knack for getting herself into trouble and finding mystery.

Do you follow a writing schedule- or have a writing spot? (Please elaborate with pictures if possible)

The closest thing to a schedule that I follow when writing is to try and pace myself every day so that I take a walk and thinking about where the story is going for the next few thousand words.  Having that sorted out in my head, I then sit down to actually write it.  The key thing being to never write further than I have already sort of gone over in my head.  And I wish that I had a nice writing spot, but I am afraid it's just a regular old IKEA desk with a run-down old Dell computer sitting on it.

What is your opinion on negative reviews?

I think that negative reviews can be very disheartening to receive.  But I can honestly say that I often don't disagree with some of them.  The negative points that some reviewers have made are often things that I myself feel that my books could probably be a little stronger on.  But I always say that a person can only write the book that they are capable or writing, as much as they might WANT to write something bigger, faster, better, stronger, whatever.  

If Kitty Hawk were turned into a movie, you dream cast would be:


Oh, it would be so amazing to see a Kitty Hawk movie!  I would really love to see her little red and white plane soaring through the skies of Alaska, the Florida Keys and beyond.  And people often ask who I think would make a great Kitty Hawk.  And I usually answer that I really have no idea.  I can't really think of any actress who would really 100% fit the role.  Perhaps there is someone perfect out there dreaming of being a movie star as much as I would dream of having the books turned into movies.  And that actress is probably absolutely perfect.

**MY REVIEW**
When Iain Reading's publicist emailed me a review request, I felt like I was going back to my Nancy Drew days! Those days when the only thing I could and would see were my yellow hardbound books, and nothing else!

So, when my review copy finally arrived in the mail, I shrieked and got to reading right away! 

Just a Gist: My initial premise, about 50 pages into the book- was that Kitty Hawk is a somewhat more grown-up and modern Nancy Drew- but BRILLIANT just the same.

Kitty herself was a perfect character- with her confidence, up- for- anything spirit (sushi!) with a kind hearted and helpful attitude,  and even her flaws that Iain Reading portrayed perfectly- with the tiny doubts in the back of her mind about her decisions- and even her being tongue tied around boys (Edward Cullen- hilarious!)

Never before have I seen so much detail in a book- so much research put in that I actually felt like I was flying over the oceans with Kitty! The history, the accuracy and even Edward- everything was just BRILLIANT!

I can't really say much, but it did take a while for me to get into the book- mostly because of the minuscule font, but a great read- that I can't talk much about without giving something away!

My Verdict:

I can't WAIT to get my hands on the next few books!

100 Followers Day 5- The Love Match by Lily Maxton- Review, Interview & Giveaway

Author: Lily Maxton
Publisher: Entangled- Scandalous
Publishing Date: October 13th 2014
Part of a Series?- Book 3 in the Sisters of Scandal Series
Blurb Description: Hampshire, 1818

To her family, Olivia Middleton is a problem of the most vexing sort. With her older two sisters married off, Olivia is now the target of her mother's matrimonial scheming. Shy and somewhat plain, Olivia prefers the thrill of a gothic novel to the hunt for a husband. And as far as her family is concerned, something must be done. But Olivia has no interest in the men paraded before her-except, perhaps, the sought-after bachelor William Cross. But she's not about to inflate his already oversized ego by telling him so.

William has sworn never to wed, but that doesn't mean he can't enjoy women. What he excels at most is flirtation... unless the woman is question is Olivia Middleton. She barely bats an eyelash at his most creative compliments. She laughs at his attempts to flatter her when other ladies would swoon. William is reluctantly intrigued by Olivia, particularly when he discovers the passion simmering beneath her wallflower facade. A passion that should be to his benefit...

Because he's determined to impress her, by fair means or foul...


**GIVEAWAY**
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**INTERVIEW**
1. The Strangest Situation you've ever been in:

There was a time when my family and I were driving home from a trip. We were on the interstate, passing by a cemetery, and a naked man with a mask on ran through the cemetery right when we went by.  I don’t know if that’s a “situation” per se, but it was definitely strange.

2. The weirdest thing about you:

I have some obsessive-compulsive tendencies. I’ll do things like check that the stove is off or the door is locked like four times in a row. It drives my husband crazy.

3. This Or That:
-- Skimpy Dresses or Ball Gowns
Ball gowns (or it would be, if I ever went anywhere with a really fancy dress code)
-- Alone Time or Go To A Bar
Alone time
-- Chinese or Italian
Chinese

And now, onto your masterpiece:

4. The Love Match is a Novella- is it a part of a series? And how did it all come alive in your head?

Yes, it’s the third in the Sisters of Scandal series. The first two books are also novellas, featuring Olivia’s sisters. I’m working on a fourth installment in the series right now, and that one should be novel length.

I think everything really started with Cale Cameron (from The Affair). I wanted to write a rakish hero who owned a bookshop, because a love for the written word is a very sexy trait in a man. And then I needed to find his perfect match, so I paired him with Elizabeth, a high born lady who longed for an escape from society’s strictures. And I found that I really enjoyed writing about Elizabeth’s family, so I thought her sisters should get stories, too. One thing just kind of flowed into another.

5. What does it feel like to have your books out there, for the world to read?

It feels awesome and at the same time it feels terrifying. I love writing and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But putting something you’ve written out there is scary because writing is such an inherently personal thing, and I don’t think it will ever stop being scary. Though I do think the love by far outweighs the fear.

6. What is your opinion on Negative Reviews?


What negative reviews?  So, in seriousness, there are different kinds of negative reviews which tend to fall into two main groups—the constructive/reasonable or the unconstructive/unreasonable. The first type is great because those types of negative reviews can help pick out weaknesses in the writing or story and that can make you a better writer in the future. The second type is best ignored or they’ll make you go completely insane.

**MY REVIEW**

Just a Gist: I can only wish there was more- even for a novella! 

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet- I wish (with ALL my heart) that this book was a full length novel and not a novella- I mean, I could see all the elements of a GREAT historical romance, but the book was way too quick for it.

When the bookish Olivia gets invited to a week long soiree, her mother feels that it's the perfect time to go "husband hunting" She is awkward when it comes to social niceties and would love nothing but to get away from everyone and everything and dream herself into a book...

But you pretty much got all of that from the synopsis, and the fact that Olivia and William's attraction would pretty much be like bees towards honey, but, again, I just wish there was MORE. More courtship, more flirting, more everything.

All in all, a book I would have given a five star rating is there was, well, more.


100 Followers Day 4- Every Ugly Word by Aimee Salter- Review, Interview and GIVEAWAY

Author: Aimee L. Salter
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Publication Date: July 29th 2014
Part of a Series?- Stand-Alone
Blurb Description: When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school bullies taunt and shove her. She can’t go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.

Her older self has been through it all already—she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop.


**GIVEAWAY**

a Rafflecopter giveaway
**INTERVIEW**
1. 5 Things you would change about yourself if you went back to high school

1. My hair.
2. My jeans.
3. My penchant for looking “different” by wearing mismatched socks and stuffing my pants into the aforementioned mismatched socks.
4. My aversion to sunscreen.
5. The way I compared my insides with everyone else’s outsides and genuinely believed they had it better, were better, deserved more, and/or that there was something wrong with me—some kind of flaw that had magically missed everyone else.

2. The cheesiest line (pick up or otherwise) you've ever been told:
“That ass is going to get you in trouble. Just sayin’.”
Interestingly, that is also the most recent line I’ve been fed. And as an almost-40-year-old wife and mother, I was oddly conflicted at hearing it.

3. This or That
-- University or High School: 
UNIVERSITY. Hands down. No contest. Nothing left to see here.

-- Italian or Chinese 
You have no idea how long I stared at those two words, weighing up my internal pros and cons. Seriously. I love food. So…. My answer is food.

-- TV shows or movies- 
TV shows that went off air five years ago without me ever watching them, so if I discover that I love them I can watch an endless marathon without answering my phone or, you know, showering.

And now, on to your masterpiece:

4. What inspired you to write Every Ugly Word?

In terms of the actual premise of the book, it was reading the website www.dearteenme.com in which authors write letters to their sixteen year old selves. It got me thinking what would happen if I spoke to my teenage self—how she’d react, what she’d do (namely, she’d argue with everything I said, especially the compliments, and nod-and-smile when I gave advice, then go out and do whatever she wanted anyway).
As for the content of the story . . . well, it isn’t MY story. But I was bullied to atomic proportions, so I did draw on my own emotional experiences to drive that part of Ashley’s journey. And as soon as I did, it became obvious (through early readers) that people were going to resonate with those experiences. So I tried to incorporate some hard truths (and some beautiful truths) I didn’t learn until I was out of my teens, just in case they could encourage someone who’s in that place now.
I don’t believe in preaching through fiction. But I’ve had my life changed by stories in the past. If I can inspire hope in any young woman through Ashley’s story, I’ll die happy.

5. Give us a little on you main character, Ashley:

Ashley is a normal girl—she’s insecure, she’s in love (or at least, she thinks she is), she’s funnier and smarter in her head than in her skin. She’s often underestimated by those closest to her because they’ve stopped seeing her and started seeing what they’ve decided she is. I tried to make her real.
For the record, she isn’t me. I know that sounds weird, but I get that question a lot. She really isn’t me. And the events in her life don’t mirror mine. But her emotions do.
She’s a young woman who’s been mistreated a lot. In many ways she’s her own worst enemy—and I think that’s a part of her that many readers get frustrated with. But in telling this story I couldn’t ignore the fact that more often than not, we are fueled more by our failures than by our successes. Ashley makes many, many bad decisions. But she’s also weighed down by burdens put on her by others. Things she has no control over and shouldn’t have to deal with.
In short, her life is crap. But pretty soon she’s going to figure out that the crappiness she lives every day is molding her into someone worth being.


6. What is the significance of Ashley having an "Older Me"?

I could have titled this book A Fictional Setting and Course of Events Creating the Opportunity for Me to Outline Nuggets of Advice I Would Give Myself if I Could Talk to My Teenage Me.
In other words, I put myself through therapy for the two years I wrote this book, then gave myself a happy ending. Sort of.
Read it. You’ll see what I mean.

7. If there was one thing you could say to your following characters, what would they be?
-- Ashley's Mother 
“Stop convincing yourself the problem is Ashley and accept that it’s your own insecurities that make you feel so miserable.”

-- Finn- 
Because I know Finn much better than the reader gets to know him, I’d say “You have two choices. You can let all the pain of what’s happened in your life burn you up until you succeed in incinerating everything in your life that has any value, or you can suck it up and get some help. It’s time to realize that making other people hurt won’t make you happier.” I’d also say, “I want to help.”

-- Matt- 
“You absolutely can be the kind of man you want to be—not the man your father wants to mold you into. So stop listening to his voice in your head and start trusting your instincts. You’re smarter than you know.” (On a bad day I’d add “Denial is not a river in Egypt.”)

8. Your dream cast, were Every Ugly Word turned into a movie:
Because I’m a terrible acting snob (i.e. I know what really good acting looks like and I’m awfully judgmental of mediocre talent) I’d embarrass myself by naming forty-somethings for their skill rather than their appropriateness for the role. So instead, I’m offering a visual diary. Here are some images of the main players that look very similar to the ones I see in my head:

ASHLEY
MATT
KARYN




Thank you so much for having me, Aditi! This has been a blast!

**MY REVIEW**

Can I just start by saying, that this book is BRILLIANT?!

The synopsis is vaguely endearing, and the cover a great representation of what the book is about, and I couldn’t help but falling SO SO SO in LOVE with this book. I swear, this book is ALL FEELS!

When you read a book with the central theme on bullying, you expect the laughing in the hallways, getting taped to the toilet seats bullying, but Every Ugly Word brings out the other kind; the subtle, and equally painful, if not even more kind.

Ashely is just a normal girl- whatever ‘normal’ stands for. In love with the most popular guy, who also happens to be her best friend (you know the clichĂ©, right- that he can see her as nothing more?) who just happens to be dating her tormenter (most popular girl, who acts like an absolute angel, but is actually a TOTAL bitch) after her fallout with the cool crowd.

All normal, right?

Except, for one, tine thing. She can see herself. In the future. Through a mirror. And the ‘Older Me’ talk to her, advices her, guides her. But the ‘Older Me’ has a secret- something she doesn’t want the one now to make. One that she can’t even tell her.

Like I said, this book is ALL about the FEELS! There was all the regular stuff that Aimee Salter managed to turn into something enchanting; something regal. Most of all, I loved how Ashely wasn’t portrayed as someone perfect- but more like a girl who makes mistakes, and it just tied everything together.

And that ENDING. HOLY GOD.


I can’t say more, honestly. You just HAVE to read it!

100 Followers Day 3: A Safe Space by E.M.Tippets- Review, Interview & Giveaway

Author: Emily Mah Tippets
Publication Date: July 12th 2014
Part of a Series?- Part #4 in the Someone Else'es Fairy Tale Series
Review Copy: Courtesy of the author via NetGalley
Blurb Description: Everyone needs a safe space.

For Lizzie Warner, that space has always been in front of the camera on her hit show, or on stage to a sold out concert arena. Since before she can remember, she’s been a star, but that may be about to change.

She’s nineteen. Her show has been cancelled and now she’s going to play the lead in a new prime time drama series, but is the world ready to take her seriously, or will she be typecast as the cute tween queen forever?

Her network has decided to be aggressive and has invested millions of dollars in an ad campaign for her show, money she’s not sure she can earn back. Her co-star can’t stand her, and the writing for the show turns out to be poor at best. The only reason Lizzie didn’t walk away from the job offer to begin with is because she’s broke, the victim of a decade of bad money management.

Then there’s Devon, the personal trainer at her gym. Arrogant and abrasive, he’s the last guy she should ever find attractive, but she has a hopeless crush on him anyway, and he doesn’t seem entirely disinterested either. In fact, sometimes he’s downright sweet to her. If only he weren’t an untamable bad boy who uses and dumps women like they’re nothing. Though Lizzie’s friends warn her to stay away, he’s the only person who can create what she needs: a safe space. But is there any way she can break him of his years' long habit of being a user?


**GIVEAWAY**

a Rafflecopter giveaway



**INTERVIEW**

1. The cheesiest line you've ever heard: 

Hard to say. People rarely feed me lines, but I was in a play in middle school and we went on tour. The principal of one of the schools we performed at got up on stage afterwards and gave a speech that seemed to last for an hour, but was probably just ten minutes, in which he said things like, "The characters in this play represent YOU. You are like these students experiencing all these things." It was line after line of pure cheese.

2. Your favourite TV show, actor and actress:

I don't have just one. The last series we watched from beginning to end was Breaking Bad. It was filmed here in New Mexico, so it was entertaining to see all the local touches. 

3. 3 of the weirdest (or funniest) things about you:

1. I took archery lessons for years and never could hit the broad side of a barn. I was so bad at it.
2. I've got a sleep disorder so I have at several times in my life had waking hallucinations. I don't recommend those!
3. Even though I grew up in New Mexico and am American, I have lived in the UK for a total of eight years, including the last two years of high school (6th form) and college (uni). Because I did part of my education over there, I still have trouble keeping American and British sayings straight. People point to lines in my books and say, "That's British, Emily. No one over here says that."
4. This Or That:

-- Pianos or Guitars - Neither - I'm terrible at playing both!
-- perfumes or deodorants - Deodorants. I'm actually allergic to perfumes so I can't even wear products with perfume in them.
-- Italian or Chinese - Okay, that is too funny because those are my most dominant ethnicities. My dad's family is from China and my mother's father's family is from Italy. I can't choose between these without denying part of myself ;-)


And now, onto your masterpiece:

5. What inspired you to write A Safe Space? Especially the cancer aspect?

When I started the book, I got a phone call from Be The Match, which is a bone marrow database, that I'd been matched with a four year old girl. I was so excited for the chance to donate and give her a shot at beating her cancer, but a couple of weeks later I got an email telling me that she "was not eligible". That can mean she recovered, but it often means the patient is too sick, their insurance won't cover a transplant, or they've passed on, so I'll always wonder what happened to her.

The concept of a safe space was explained to me by friends of mine who act. A lot of people assume actors are self confident extroverts, but quite a few aren't. The trick is knowing that the stage is a safe space.

So it was those two ideas coming together that made the backbone of this plot.
6. Tell us a little about your main characters, Lizzie and Devon?

One thing about indie writing is that you write a lot of books back to back, which means a lot of the themes and characters will be similar - not the same, but similar. Lizzie's got a lot of strong similarities to many of my heroines. She's introverted, self sufficient, and a late bloomer when it comes to romance. There are SO many books out there that get into the characters' sex lives in a graphic way. I don't see the need to add to that, so I choose to keep cutting against the grain.

Devon is a guy who had a loving family, but he saw it get torn to shreds, and that haunts him. He's not quite sure who he is or where he belongs. When I came upon this idea for a tough, bad boy who binge watches a Hannah Montana type of show when he's depressed, the idea wouldn't let me go, and the characters wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote their story.
7. Will be be getting any more if Lizzie, or a new standalone after?

I should write one more standalone to make a trilogy, but it'll be after the next several projects are cleared off my plate. Lizzie, as Kyra's roommate, will appear in the Someone Else's Fairytale books. 

8. If A Safe Space was turned into a movie, who would your dream cast be?

I have no idea! If that happened, I wouldn't have a say in the casting. I would hope the role would go to a young woman in the process of transitioning from being a child actress. There are plenty of actresses with this real life experience to draw from. Devon could be played by any one of the "it" guys of the moment (if I got lucky with the film). The hardest person to cast, in my opinion, is Kyra because there aren't a lot of roles for young Latina actresses. Hence whoever it was would likely still be pretty unknown.


**MY REVIEW**


For the record, this cover will TOTALLY put you off. The book, on the other hand, is EXTREMELY Good!

I didn't know what to expect, going into A Safe Space- with the cover portraying a girl that relied on sex appeal, and the blurb giving me another impression...

The Cover, although pretty, is VERY misleading! Lizzie Warner is your resident good girl- in HOLLYWOOD! With a conscious and heart that even I at sixteen don't possess, she was a whole new character, rather refreshing, to the book-y world! She was sweet when nobody else would be, cared when she didn’t have to and is also a nineteen year old TV show star, that has NEVER been kissed!

I mean, when was the last time you came across someone like her? In the real world, or ones you and I wish were?!

There were so many things about this book that I loved- ESPECIALLY Lizzie and Devon’s relationship- that just made me go “AWWW!” Veronica Mars, with pigtails and a whole pink entourage? Excellent!

On the other hand, I wish that there was more of certain elements of her story- like her roommate and best friend together, and perhaps, even a more sensitive mother. Anyhow, I will try my level best to get my hands on the stand- alone prequels to A Safe Space

My Verdict: 

Give it a go! Recommended!

100 Followers Day 2: Keeper of the Innocents by Kristy Centeno- Interview & Giveaway

Author: Kristy Centeno
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Date Published: July 6, 2014
Part of a Series?- Book 2 of The Witch Keepers Trilogy
Length: 276 pages
Book Blurb: Demi Redding has used her powers to vanquish demons for years, but when one shows up next door she will be forced to set both her experience and instincts aside to battle a war that has nothing to do with magic, and everything to do with matters of the heart.
As a Keeper of the Innocents, Demi’s load as a guardian reduces with only one charge to take on at a time. However, when her new foe proves to be a force she can neither see nor find, she has no choice but to doubt the so-called good intentions of the stranger one door down.
Rhyzel Connor is not your average neighbor by any means. The red specks of color in his green eyes alone sets him apart and his demonic heritage makes him an easy target. Because of who he is he can’t afford a mistake that will result in his demise, but the fact that he knows way too much about Demi quickly raises the suspicion veil over him.


There is a mission he must complete, and secrets he must fight hard to keep, but the biggest hardship he must face will be forfeiting his life in order to save Demi’s.

BOOK TRAILER: The Keeper Series by Kristy Centeno

**GIVEAWAY**
Giveaway:
--2 E-copies of Keeper of the Innocents (INT)
-- 2 E-Copies of Keeper of the Lost Souls (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the author:
Kristy Centeno is an author of paranormal romance, young adult, new adult, horror, and  contemporary romance. She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. In her journey to create memorable reads, she has delved into several genres, creating fictional characters meant to entice readers and captivate the mind. 

She is currently working on finishing off the Keeper Witches series among other projects, which include sequels to her published work. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or 
holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.

Website *** Facebook *** Twitter *** Goodreads *** Blog

**INTERVIEW**
We would love to know more about you:
1    --5 of the funniest (or weirdest) things about you:
I’ve been told I wiggle my nose a bit when I’m nervous.
I can multitask better than anyone I know.
Sometimes I procrastinate because of lack of interest, but once I get to that point where I absolute have to do (it), I move really fast.
I like the smell of hot peppers, but cannot eat one.
I think I have a little of an obsessive disorder—when I organize my house, I can’t stand it when someone moves an item or doesn’t put it back where it’s supposed to go.

2   --The one place you would do anything to visit:
Paris, France.

    The cheesiest line you've ever heard:
Did it hurt when you fell out of heaven?

--This or That:
-- Contemporary or Mystery
I love a great mystery any day.
-- Snow or Fire
Snow.
-- Physical Books or E-Books
Both. I love the feel of a traditional book, but e-books are much more convenient.
-- Salsa or Hip-Hop
Definitely both. I love a little variety in the music I hear as much as in what I read.

And now, onto your masterpiece(s)

4    Give us a brief outline of your books in the Witch Keeper Series:
The Keeper Witches series are basically designed as a stand-alone read. Each book begins with a new story and completely different characters. In every book a new witch is introduced, and we quickly learn that she must overcome some obstacles and learn how to put any personal issues, problems, vendettas aside in order to fulfill her duties as Keeper Witches.
In book # 1 we come to know Bryn McCaskey. She’s shy, can see the dead, and lacks the ability to communicate well with others because she’s been ostracized her entirely life, but as part as her responsibilities she has to care for a Lost Soul that holds a deep, emotional grudge against witches.
In book # 2 we meet Demi Redding. Demi is a lot more confident and secure about who she is, but she doesn’t trust easily. When a demon—of all people—appears next door she has to contend with the possibility that his intentions, and his reasons for being there, might not be as bad as she’s made them out to be.
Eventually, the books will transcend beyond what I have come up with so far and feature more witches, more stories, and I hope to bring Demi and Bryn together in a special edition Keeper Witches novel in the near future.
5.      
What inspired you to start writing the series?
I’m a vampire/werewolf junkie. I’ll admit it. So this time I want to write about something different. I wanted to venture outside my comfort zone so to speak. Witches seemed like the best choice so I started there.
Once I had the first few chapters down I couldn’t stop. I became involved with the characters and their stories.
6.      If there was a singular piece of advice you could give your main characters, what would it be?
Follow your hopes and dreams. No matter how bad things get, keep moving forward. The past is the past. The only thing that matters now is the present.

7.      Where can we see you after this?

Well, I’m currently working on a blog tour for my latest release, Payback is Sweet. This is a new adult/contemporary romance novel of approximately 91,000 words, which I’m just getting around to spread the word about.
I’m also working on my latest MS, which will be a sequel to another of my YA/paranormal romance novel called Secrets of the Moon.

Thanks for being here, Kristy! It's been an absolute pleasure!

100 Follower Day 1: Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellison- Review, Interview & Giveaway

Author: Jennifer Ellison
Publication Date: May 16th 2014
Part of a Series? Book 1 in the Threats of Sky and Sea Trilogy
Review Copy: Via the author
Blurb Description: Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.

Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.


**GIVEAWAY**
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**INTERVIEW**

1. Three of the funniest things you've done/ experienced:

1) When a new roommate was moving in, we came upon a large spider in the garage. A large, FAT spider. As her foot descended to crush it, I yelled, No, wait! It might be—“
 BAM.
 Pregnant, I finished weakly, as hundreds of tiny baby spiders flew to cover the floor of the garage.

This was followed by us essentially tap-dancing in my garage to try to get as many of them as we could and frantically grabbing a broom to sweep the rest of them outside.

2) Once in college, a friend driving home (home was Orlando, Florida) was struck ill on his drive from South Carolina. He checked into a hotel for the night. I dont remember our rationale, but for some reason, we decided that we needed to go get him.
 At 7 P.M. at night.
 Oh, and one of my friends had to be at work at 5 the next day.

It was a ridiculous situation, but its one of my favorite stories. We took pictures next to the Welcome to Georgia/South Carolina signs. When mapquest took us off route (for this was BEFORE everyone had smartphones) onto a dark, misty, and rainy road, I braked so suddenly that a friend napping in the backseat fell onto the floor as I yelled Oh, hell no. Ive seen this movie. I am not waiting around for the man in the yellow raincoat and hook hand to show up.

Our friend was successfully retrieved and on the way back, we napped in a Georgia rest stop. And my other friend made it to work on time. Win.

3) This isnt so much of a funny ha-ha story, but a funny coincidence story:

A couple of years back, I took a YA writing course online on LitReactor and made a friend. We agreed to exchange manuscripts and became CPs (Critique Partners).
 One day on Twitter, I happened to notice that she follows Kappa Kappa Gamma on TwitterAs do I. A quick Hold up. Are you a Kappa? tweet was sent and to our amazement, we turned out to be sorority sisters! It was a cool twist of fate.South Carolina.


 2. The one place you would give anything to visit:

Italy. No, no, wait, Spain. No, wait France.

Im going to cheat: Europe.

3. This or That:
-- gowns or jeans-

Oh no, youve picked two of my favorite things. Can I wear jeans UNDER my gown? Is that a thing? Maybe it should beor maybe not; Id probably be dripping sweat if I added an extra layer.

All right, Im gonna go with the gown. I can wear jeans any old time.

-- the present era or the past-

Every now and then, I complain that Ive been born in the wrong erabut then I realize that hey, I actually like being able to vote and things like that. Plus, I dont know that I would have become a writer without the support of online friends and communities. Ill stick with the present. ^_~

-- Chinese or Italian:

Italian. I LOVE me some pasta and pizza! And garlic rolls. Basically, Im big fan of carbs.

And now onto your masterpiece:

4. Talk to us briefly about your inspiration for Threats of Sky and Sea:

Threats of Sky and Sea developed when I was daydreaming on top of a parking garage one day. (I wasnt trying to be whimsical or anythingI just happened to work for my universitys parking services at the time.)
 As I motioned cars forward into parking spaces that they probably could have picked out themselves, a scene jumped into my head. In it, two girls were arguing in the woods. One pushed the other into the camp fire. And she didnt burn. That scene actually didnt make it to the final draft, but the seeds of the story started there. I could hardly wait for my shift break so that I could start writing.

5. If your book were turned into a movie, what would be your-
--dream cast-

Ah, see here is a tricky thing! First off, my dream cast is not quite age-appropriate for my novel. Secondly, I still havent found someone that really looks like Bree to me, but as for some of the other members of the cast

 Katie McGrath as Princess Aleta.


Jesse Williams as Tregle.



Richard Madden as Prince Caden.







Emma Rigby as Lady Kat.


The Burger King as The King of Egria; TELL ME HE DOESN’T SCARE THE BEJEESUS OUT OF YOU.
 






-- theme song- 

Breathing Underwater (Acoustic) by Metric. The lyrics are perfect and I really dig the vocals.

6. Your opinion on negative reviews:

Not everyone is going to like every book! Thats cool with me. Its to be expected. I dont read or interact with negative reviews of my own work because I dont need to put that self-doubt in my head, so of course I prefer them not to be @-ed to me on Twitter, e-mailed to me, or anything. But if your negative review is an honest review, it doesnt bother me that itll exist for your blog readers. Id rather honest opinions be posted about my books than false praise.

**MY REVIEW**

First, I HAVE to start by saying that the cover of Threats of Sky and Sea is Gorgeous! And, as I've previously admitted, I'm sort of a sucker for pretty covers. Also, and I don't usually say this but the title only added a mystical element to the cover.

I've taken a while to get to this book- reasons not too clear to me even, but I began and simply HAD to finish in just one day.

Brenda Perdit is a barmaid. Probably scandalous in high society in this era, but to her da, things like formalities, courtesies, and the place of the 'fairer sex' (you get what I'm trying to say, right?) are not things truly viable. Which is when she happens to meet a group of Elementals (think earth benders-shakers-, water benders- throwers-, fire benders- torchers-, and air benders - riders) and her life takes a change. You know what kind of change...

On her way to the one place she never thought she'd be, with everything she knew about her life a little white lie, and the only place she called home no more than ashes on the ground, Bree forces herself to get a reality check- nothing will EVER be the same.

Court, however, is worse than she imagined. Everything she hears is a lie, or a very carefully practiced deceptive tactic and worst of all, she's being manipulated and blackmailed into something she doesn't want to be.

“I’m beginning to feel like nothing but a marionette doll, lurching about on invisible strings.”

This book was really good- but it lacked that element- that one that turns an adventure in a heart stopping thriller. However, I will be looking to the second installment with the hope that I find what I'm looking for.

My Verdict: 


Definitely worth a read.