This is the third edition of the Book
Bellwether here at Uniquely Moi Books! So just what is it? The Book Bellwether
is my collection of, simply put, highly anticipated books that are to be
released! I want to share them with you along with their information. I hope
that you find them as appealing as I do! I hope you enjoy this new feature. And
would love to hear all feedback.
Sweet Evil
by Wendy Higgins
Release date: May 1st 2012
Published by: Harperteen
I have had the opportunity to review this one and found it highly engaging and full of so much anticipation!
What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.
Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Lucy in the Sky
by Anonymous
Released on: May 1st 2012
Published by: Simon Pulse
I've read Go Ask Alice and fell in love! I am very excited to read this one. If you haven't read Go Ask Alice, I strongly urge you to and I'm sure you'll be head over heels for this one as well.
The author of this diary began journaling on her sixteenth birthday. She
lived in an upper middle class neighborhood in Santa Monica with her mom, dad,
and Berkeley-bound older brother. She was a good girl, living a good life...but
one party changed everything. One party, where she took one taste—and liked it.
Really liked it.
Social drinking and drugging lead to more, faster, harder... She
convinced herself that she was no different from anyone else who liked to party.
But the evidence indicates otherwise: Soon she was she hanging out with an edgy
crowd, blowing off school and everything she used to care about, all to find her
next high.
But what goes up must come down, and everything—from her first swig, to
her last breath—is chronicled in the diary she left behind.
What She Left Behind
by Tracy Bilen
Released on: May 1st 2012
Published by: Simon Pulse
If this one isn't loaded in high action and suspense, I don't know what is. I'm dying to find out what's inside of this one!
In this suspenseful thriller, Sara and her mother are going to secretly escape her abusive father—when her mother mysteriously disappears.Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it. With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.
The Weepers: The Other Life
by Susanne Winnacker
Released on: May 3rd 2012
Published by: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books
I have read, loved, and devoured this book. It does have a strong resemblance of The Walking Dead, which I love.
Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.
Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.
While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.
Hemlock
by Kathleen Peacock
Released on: May 8th 2012
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
This has been one of my most anticipated this year. I am not a huge fan of weres but I fell in love with the storyline. A must read for sure!
Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.
Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.
Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.
Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.
Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.
Fated
by Alyson Noel
Released on: May 22nd 2012
Published by: St. Martin's Press
I sadly haven't read anything from this author, but I am anxious to give it a try! Fated sounds breathtaking!
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.
There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.
Saturday, March 31, 2024
Friday, March 30, 2024
Interested in participating in Midsummer's Eve Hop?
It's a great thing to share your love of books, and joining in a Hop is a great way to do it! Is there a soon to be released book coming out that you want to share with others? A book that you fell in love with and want to spread the love for it? Or, maybe a simple gift card so that someone can choose their book of choice is the way you want to go. This year, I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and myself are co-hosting The Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop and I would LOVE for you to join in the fun! It's also a great way to discover new blogs!
This Hop runs from June 20th to the 26th at midnight. Every blog that participates will be in charge of their own giveaway. Your blog and the item for giveaway MUST be family friendly. It is up to you to choose what you want to give away. It must be appealing to authors, fellow bloggers and readers.
* Both your blog and your giveaway must be family friendly * (No steamy covers/images or erotica)
Please keep your giveaway simple - No more than 5 possible entries per person.
(1 mandatory & up to 4 optional)
To participate please add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis following your blog name: (Int) (US/Can) (US)
This Hop runs from June 20th to the 26th at midnight. Every blog that participates will be in charge of their own giveaway. Your blog and the item for giveaway MUST be family friendly. It is up to you to choose what you want to give away. It must be appealing to authors, fellow bloggers and readers.
* Both your blog and your giveaway must be family friendly * (No steamy covers/images or erotica)
Please keep your giveaway simple - No more than 5 possible entries per person.
(1 mandatory & up to 4 optional)
To participate please add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis following your blog name: (Int) (US/Can) (US)
Ghostly Author Interview with Derek Taylor Kent
Have you ever wondered who the man behind the ghost is? Surely a ghost can't write a book! Am I right on this one? Today at Uniquely Moi Books I have had the pleasure of interviewing Derek Taylor Kent, the guy who claims to be the ghost of Derek from SCARY SCHOOL! Let's see what he has to say about all of this shall we?!
1.) Can you share with us a little about yourself?
I'm an author, screenwriter, and performer based out of Los Angeles, California. Aside from writing the Scary School series with HarperCollins and more fun series to come, I also love cooking, songwriting, and playing basketball. On the side, I teach children’s writing and young adult writing for Writing Pad in Los Angeles (writingpad.com). Sorry if that sounded line an online dating profile, not intended that way. Unless you're cute :)
2.) Favorite scary movie and favorite cartoon?
Favorite scary movie is Silence of the Lambs. Favorite cartoon is... hmmm... i was a cartoon addict when I was kid. I loved muppet babies, duck tales, X-men, The Tick, and Batman the Animated Series.
3.) I love how SCARY SCHOOL is scary and absolutely hilarious at the same time. Very entertaining. Did you ever intend for it to be just scary?
No, I'm a comedy writer by nature, so comedy definitely has a way of creeping and lurking its way into everything I write. My first goal was to write the funniest children's book ever, and second to give kids a few good frights along the way. Hopefully I succeeded :) I want kids to laugh at least three times every page.
4.) I have to ask how you came up with some of your very off-the-wall characters. I loved the creativity and uniqueness that each character has.
Many of the characters are based on famous horror movie characters that you already know, like Freddy and Jason. I thought it would be fun to imagine what it would be like if they all went to school together back when they were kids, and maybe also offer my own take on their origin stories. There's also the T-rex from Jurassic Park and in Book 2 of Scary School that comes out June 26, you'll even get read about what one of the most famous horror writers was like when he was a kid at Scary School!
Most of the other characters are ones I came up on my own, many inspired by elements of my own personality or kids I knew in school. I will usually start off with a basic problem that every kid goes through and then give that character a "scary" characteristic that heightens the problem. For instance, Petunia has trouble making new friends (something a lot of girls go through), but it's much worse considering she's completely purple and has bees flying around her all the time since she's half-flower, half-girl.
5.) Would you step inside of SCARY SCHOOL?
Only if Johnny the Sasquatch kid had my back. But luckily, all of you can test whether you'd be too afraid to enter Scary School or not if you go to the website at www.ScarySchool.com. You can tour the school. Meet the students and faculty. And there's also lots of fun easter eggs. If you beat the video game on the website, you will win the weirdest trophy ever. And after you finish Book One, you'll have to go back to the website in order to unlock the secret last chapter that will lead you straight into Book 2!
6.) Will we ever get to hear about any events that take place on the school bus?
I've actually had a school bus chapter written for a while, but it keeps ending up getting cut out. it will make it in eventually, but not in Book 2. Possibly in Book 3 or 4.
7.) Did you have any input in the illustrations?
A little bit. I will throw out ideas if I had something specific in mind, and I will check the drawings to make sure there are no mistakes or inconsistencies, but for the most part, it all comes from the amazing talent and imagination of Scott M. Fischer - one of the best children's illustrators in the world! You can check out more of his art at fischart.com
8.) Do you think that we'll get to meet new characters in all the books to come?
Yes, you will meet LOTS of new characters in all of the books to come!!
Thank you so much Derek!
Make sure you get ready for the newest release of SCARY SCHOOL: Monsters on the March by preordering today! You can find it on Amazon.
Thursday, March 29, 2024
Review: Scary School
Scary School
by Derek the Ghost
Published by: Harper Collins
Released on: June 21st 2011
Hardcover
237 Pages
Rating: 5/5
I must say that when I first heard of Scary School, I assumed it would be a very interesting and really cool place to go. It is bad to assume. This is where you send your children if they are so terribly horrible that you are bald from pulling out your hair. Don't be surprised if they never make it back home. I can't even begin to fathom what goes down on the school bus.
Derek the Ghost is the tour guide throughout your journey inside of Scary School. To answer the question, yes he died at the school. That's how bad it can be. With characters so bizarre and imaginative, you'll be entertained the whole way through. I couldn't help but be creeped out by Mr. Spider Eyes. In the end, he gets to be a treat himself! Then we have Nurse Hairymoles. I'm not so sure it's a good thing to go to the nurse when she treats your ailments and gives you another issue entirely in return. Job security! I mustn't forget to mention the principal. I think her name tells enough about her. Principal Headcrusher. Enough said right?! You'll be flying through the pages, and the halls of Scary School, meeting many unusual creatures. A most entertaining read!
Received for review purposes from the publisher.
by Derek the Ghost
Published by: Harper Collins
Released on: June 21st 2011
Hardcover
237 Pages
Rating: 5/5
I must say that when I first heard of Scary School, I assumed it would be a very interesting and really cool place to go. It is bad to assume. This is where you send your children if they are so terribly horrible that you are bald from pulling out your hair. Don't be surprised if they never make it back home. I can't even begin to fathom what goes down on the school bus.
Derek the Ghost is the tour guide throughout your journey inside of Scary School. To answer the question, yes he died at the school. That's how bad it can be. With characters so bizarre and imaginative, you'll be entertained the whole way through. I couldn't help but be creeped out by Mr. Spider Eyes. In the end, he gets to be a treat himself! Then we have Nurse Hairymoles. I'm not so sure it's a good thing to go to the nurse when she treats your ailments and gives you another issue entirely in return. Job security! I mustn't forget to mention the principal. I think her name tells enough about her. Principal Headcrusher. Enough said right?! You'll be flying through the pages, and the halls of Scary School, meeting many unusual creatures. A most entertaining read!
Received for review purposes from the publisher.
Tuesday, March 27, 2024
Review: The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers
The Vanishing Game
by Kate Kae Myers
Published by: Bloomsbury
Released on: February 14th 2012
Hardback
353 Pages
Rating: 3/5
The Vanishing Game is a story about Jocelyn and her determination to find her twin brother Jack. The same brother who Noah, being Jack's best friend, thinks is dead. Starting from the old Seale House that has been charred from the fire that they once lived in, their foster home. They experienced horrid and painstaking memories in. The same house that strange things happen in. Jocelyn, now having only clues in the form of letters from some stranger named Jason December to go on to find Jack. I struggled through this one. I felt as if the story was much too scattered and had trouble holding on at times. Not sure if we should focus on the brother or the mysterious old house.
Jocelyn refused to give up. She wasn't backing down and although Noah thought Jack was dead, he was still by Jocelyn's side and helping her the whole way. Good thing too because things certainly weren't seeming to be normal. People coming from out of nowhere and trying to hurt them. Are they being watched? At one point, Noah thinks it's Jocelyn. There are many clues to be solved and many mysteries to be unraveled. In the end, I was left shocked, dumbfounded, and saddened by it all. I certainly didn't expect what was to come.
Received for review from Bloomsbury.
by Kate Kae Myers
Published by: Bloomsbury
Released on: February 14th 2012
Hardback
353 Pages
Rating: 3/5
The Vanishing Game is a story about Jocelyn and her determination to find her twin brother Jack. The same brother who Noah, being Jack's best friend, thinks is dead. Starting from the old Seale House that has been charred from the fire that they once lived in, their foster home. They experienced horrid and painstaking memories in. The same house that strange things happen in. Jocelyn, now having only clues in the form of letters from some stranger named Jason December to go on to find Jack. I struggled through this one. I felt as if the story was much too scattered and had trouble holding on at times. Not sure if we should focus on the brother or the mysterious old house.
Jocelyn refused to give up. She wasn't backing down and although Noah thought Jack was dead, he was still by Jocelyn's side and helping her the whole way. Good thing too because things certainly weren't seeming to be normal. People coming from out of nowhere and trying to hurt them. Are they being watched? At one point, Noah thinks it's Jocelyn. There are many clues to be solved and many mysteries to be unraveled. In the end, I was left shocked, dumbfounded, and saddened by it all. I certainly didn't expect what was to come.
Received for review from Bloomsbury.
Friday, March 23, 2024
Giveaway Pack: Deadly Little Secrets...
Up for grabs today are the first three books in this series.
Deadly Little Secrets, Deadly Little Lies, and Deadly Little Games
by Laura Faria Stolarz
This Giveaway has Ended
Rules:
13+
US only
Winner must respond within 48 hours
Ends March 30th
Winner is:
Jacinda Hinten @ The Reading Housewives
Thursday, March 22, 2024
Review: Threads of Life by Jessica Kristie
Threads of Life
by Jessica Kristie
Published by: Winter Goose Publishing
Paperback
117 Pages
Rating: 4/5
I love the words of Jessica Kristie. Heartfelt, touching, and all that we can relate to in some way. Loss that we all go through. Memories we keep in and never forget. Memories that run through our head at odd and unexpected times. Hurt and pain that is so hard to bare, yet there is no choice. Loneliness and loss. Wounds left to heal. But it is left up to us to heal them. The choice is ours.
Received from the publisher for review.
by Jessica Kristie
Published by: Winter Goose Publishing
Paperback
117 Pages
Rating: 4/5
I love the words of Jessica Kristie. Heartfelt, touching, and all that we can relate to in some way. Loss that we all go through. Memories we keep in and never forget. Memories that run through our head at odd and unexpected times. Hurt and pain that is so hard to bare, yet there is no choice. Loneliness and loss. Wounds left to heal. But it is left up to us to heal them. The choice is ours.
Received from the publisher for review.
Wednesday, March 21, 2024
Blog Tour- Blind Sight featuring Guest Post from Eliabeth Hawthorne
Thanks for stopping by today! I am part of the blog tour featuring Blind Sight. Blind Sight is a very creative idea to see through the eyes of two people, not just one. You get to hear the aspect of the same story through different eyes. Eliabeth is here today to speak about it all! I also want to add that there is something special happening for creative commenters. Details are below.
That's the major premise behind how Blind Sight is written. Anyone who has ever listened to grandparents talk to each other without their hearing aids knows how funny those conversations can be. What one of them says is not always what the other one hears. Or trying to understand someone when their mouth is full, I wanted to capture the misunderstandings that occur when the perspective is limited to a single point of view, but I couldn't do it alone.
I was first inspired by Tom Stoppard who turned Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet into the comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Tom Stoppard's play follows the plot of Hamlet through the point of view of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, giving them their own voice and own plot so that even though it is the same story line, it is a very different story. It was exactly what I expected out of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
I made a few futile attempts to write the same story from different perspectives and eventually let the idea drop. I couldn't get the two sides different enough to where it felt like two different voices, but then I met Ermisenda on an RP site of all places. She was a brilliant writer, but more than that, she made me a better writer. We played off each other in a way that I just can't explain unless you've ever found that other RPer with whom you just click.
It was a true partnership, making Blind Sight a superior novel to anything we could have put together individually. It wasn't working from an already written manuscript and trying to put a new spin on it. We worked together every step of the way, literally RPing scenes over MSN and Skype since we live half a world apart.
Eliabeth Hawthorne
PRIZES: Did you enjoy the guest post? You could win a gift card and I could win one too! Just leave a comment about the post below and you're entered in the drawing.
Learn more about Blind Sight: A blind girl drawing is abnormal even on the magical island of Edaion where leaves brush themselves into piles in the middle of the night. So when Odette Reyes, a girl blind from birth, begins to experience ominous side effects of the island's "gift," her brother Leocardo and best friend Aniela must figure out what the doctors cannot. As an immigrant, Leocardo is not biased by accepted rules of magic and determines that Odette's drawings are premonitions. Aniela grew up with magic and knows premonitions are impossible. She determines Odette is a medium channeling voiceless spirits.
Who is right? Whose eyes will you read through?
Both books are "volume one" you can read one without the other and still get a complete story, but you won't see how the characters interpret the same situation differently.
Buy the book! Both volumes are available as an e-book for Kindle (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.) and Nook (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.) Don't have an e-reader, pick up a PDF on Smashwords (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.)
The paperback special edition will be available in the fall (northern hemisphere).
The authors:
Eliabeth wrote her first mini-series in second grade when the teacher told her she was not old enough to write a chapter book. Regrettably, for fear of turning into a starving artist, Eliabeth played it safe in college and is now a recent William Jewell graduate with a BA in International Business and Japanese. She now returns to what she truly loves, creating worlds for people to escape to and characters for them to fall in love with. Ermisenda began writing Harry Potter fan-fiction at the age of twelve and started developing her own writing at fourteen when she joined play sites and completed her first crime novel at fifteen. Although her favorite genres were crime and fantasy, she reads a bit of everything. Driven by the desire to evoke the kaleidoscope of emotions her favorite authors are able to, she kept writing. Growing up bilingual amongst her Spanish family in Australia, she found a love and deep appreciation for language and the power it wielded. She is now a Psychology major at the University of Newcastle. Together, they write as Ermilia.
Connect with us! We love to talk to our readers.
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads (Eliabeth / Ermisenda)
Tumblr
Twitter
Inspirations from literature and bad table manners
There are two sides to every story.That's the major premise behind how Blind Sight is written. Anyone who has ever listened to grandparents talk to each other without their hearing aids knows how funny those conversations can be. What one of them says is not always what the other one hears. Or trying to understand someone when their mouth is full, I wanted to capture the misunderstandings that occur when the perspective is limited to a single point of view, but I couldn't do it alone.
I was first inspired by Tom Stoppard who turned Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet into the comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Tom Stoppard's play follows the plot of Hamlet through the point of view of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, giving them their own voice and own plot so that even though it is the same story line, it is a very different story. It was exactly what I expected out of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
I made a few futile attempts to write the same story from different perspectives and eventually let the idea drop. I couldn't get the two sides different enough to where it felt like two different voices, but then I met Ermisenda on an RP site of all places. She was a brilliant writer, but more than that, she made me a better writer. We played off each other in a way that I just can't explain unless you've ever found that other RPer with whom you just click.
It was a true partnership, making Blind Sight a superior novel to anything we could have put together individually. It wasn't working from an already written manuscript and trying to put a new spin on it. We worked together every step of the way, literally RPing scenes over MSN and Skype since we live half a world apart.
Eliabeth Hawthorne
Now, if you aren't interested in reading through the eyes of Aniela, you can always read through the eyes of Leo, written by Ermisenda Alvarez. Better yet, you can get the full experience and read BOTH!
Learn more about Blind Sight: A blind girl drawing is abnormal even on the magical island of Edaion where leaves brush themselves into piles in the middle of the night. So when Odette Reyes, a girl blind from birth, begins to experience ominous side effects of the island's "gift," her brother Leocardo and best friend Aniela must figure out what the doctors cannot. As an immigrant, Leocardo is not biased by accepted rules of magic and determines that Odette's drawings are premonitions. Aniela grew up with magic and knows premonitions are impossible. She determines Odette is a medium channeling voiceless spirits.
Who is right? Whose eyes will you read through?
Both books are "volume one" you can read one without the other and still get a complete story, but you won't see how the characters interpret the same situation differently.
Buy the book! Both volumes are available as an e-book for Kindle (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.) and Nook (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.) Don't have an e-reader, pick up a PDF on Smashwords (Aniela's vol. / Leocardo's vol.)
The paperback special edition will be available in the fall (northern hemisphere).
The authors:
Eliabeth wrote her first mini-series in second grade when the teacher told her she was not old enough to write a chapter book. Regrettably, for fear of turning into a starving artist, Eliabeth played it safe in college and is now a recent William Jewell graduate with a BA in International Business and Japanese. She now returns to what she truly loves, creating worlds for people to escape to and characters for them to fall in love with. Ermisenda began writing Harry Potter fan-fiction at the age of twelve and started developing her own writing at fourteen when she joined play sites and completed her first crime novel at fifteen. Although her favorite genres were crime and fantasy, she reads a bit of everything. Driven by the desire to evoke the kaleidoscope of emotions her favorite authors are able to, she kept writing. Growing up bilingual amongst her Spanish family in Australia, she found a love and deep appreciation for language and the power it wielded. She is now a Psychology major at the University of Newcastle. Together, they write as Ermilia.
Connect with us! We love to talk to our readers.
Blog
Goodreads (Eliabeth / Ermisenda)
Tumblr
Tuesday, March 20, 2024
Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano
Fever
by Lauren DeStefano
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released on: February 21st 2012
Hardback
341 Pages
Rating: 5/5
When it comes to The Chemical Garden series, I first discovered the rare beauty deep within the pages of WITHER. My heart went out for Rhine, yet I couldn't help but think that it could be much worse for her. Now, DeStefano has introduced us to FEVER. A provocative and captivating novel that left me breathless and in awe. I couldn't imagine how it could get much better than WITHER, yet it did.
Rhine has fled the mansion along with Gabriel and so far, all is well besides the fact that now they really have no plan. Just get to her brother Rowan, but that is many states away. Coming along to some lights, Gabriel thinks they mean safety, Rhine can't help but think that it's best to avoid them. This is where I wish Rhine would've stepped in and said "I told you so" but she didn't. Coming up to numerous tents, it is where they are introduced to Madame Soleski and her ladies she sells. Rhine and Gabrielle won't be walking away from this one. I can't help but shake my head at her, wishing she would've stayed at the mansion. Was it really that bad?
As things get worse, and a van is brought in for Rhine, the same van she has been in before, they both realize they need to find a way to run. It's soon after that, that a very unexpected guest arrives and they get their chance, only to be lost and now stuck with a small child. This is even worse. This is just horrible. I just want to cry for her, I am so saddened by all her struggles. And as she sets out to find her brother, she finds loss and heartache. Unexpected events have occurred and Rhine's struggles aren't anywhere near over.
Purchased at Amazon.
by Lauren DeStefano
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released on: February 21st 2012
Hardback
341 Pages
Rating: 5/5
When it comes to The Chemical Garden series, I first discovered the rare beauty deep within the pages of WITHER. My heart went out for Rhine, yet I couldn't help but think that it could be much worse for her. Now, DeStefano has introduced us to FEVER. A provocative and captivating novel that left me breathless and in awe. I couldn't imagine how it could get much better than WITHER, yet it did.
Rhine has fled the mansion along with Gabriel and so far, all is well besides the fact that now they really have no plan. Just get to her brother Rowan, but that is many states away. Coming along to some lights, Gabriel thinks they mean safety, Rhine can't help but think that it's best to avoid them. This is where I wish Rhine would've stepped in and said "I told you so" but she didn't. Coming up to numerous tents, it is where they are introduced to Madame Soleski and her ladies she sells. Rhine and Gabrielle won't be walking away from this one. I can't help but shake my head at her, wishing she would've stayed at the mansion. Was it really that bad?
As things get worse, and a van is brought in for Rhine, the same van she has been in before, they both realize they need to find a way to run. It's soon after that, that a very unexpected guest arrives and they get their chance, only to be lost and now stuck with a small child. This is even worse. This is just horrible. I just want to cry for her, I am so saddened by all her struggles. And as she sets out to find her brother, she finds loss and heartache. Unexpected events have occurred and Rhine's struggles aren't anywhere near over.
Purchased at Amazon.
Monday, March 19, 2024
Cover Change and Reveal: The Earthquake Machine by Mary Pauline Mowry
I am honored to present to you, a new cover front for THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE by Mary Pauline Mowry! The new cover will be available in just a few weeks!
The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda's world but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda's life is her family's Mexican yardman, Jess. But when the INS deports Jess back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation. Determined to find her friend Jess, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Boquillas, Mexico. There a peyote-addled bartender convinces her she won't be safe traveling alone into the country's interior. So with the bartender's help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jess. Thus begins a wild adventure that explores the borders between the United States and Mexico, adolescence and adulthood, male and female, English and Spanish, and adult coming-of-age and Young Adult novels.
It definitely comes across as enchanting! I love the new cover!
Saturday, March 17, 2024
In My Mailbox (49)
What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.
The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs. Here's what I got this week, how about you?
The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs. Here's what I got this week, how about you?
A special thank you to Harper Collins and Marissa for the trade!
Friday, March 16, 2024
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop
I'm back, and participating in another great Hop! This is the second annual Lucky Leprechaun Hop. The rules are the same, but I'll post them for any new people cruising through.
13+
Ends March 22 at Midnight
Winner has 48 hours to respond
Open to EVERYONE
What's up for grabs?
Enter Here
Winner is:
Alexia22
13+
Ends March 22 at Midnight
Winner has 48 hours to respond
Open to EVERYONE
What's up for grabs?
Giveaway has ended
Pretty Crooked
by
Elisa Ludwig
Winner is:
Alexia22
I ask that you please do not leave your email address in the comments.
Also, don't forget to check out the other great participants!
Review: Empty by Suzanne Weyn
Empty
by Suzanne Weyn
Published by: Scholastic Press
Released: October 1st 2010
Hardback
183 Pages
Rating: 4/5
Shall I say, a very perceptive take at the way the world could possibly end up in future years? Empty is a story about young teens and their survival during times of struggle with ridiculous prices of gas and other goods do to shortage of oil. Can you even imagine paying twenty dollars a gallon? What about seventy?
Things are tough in Sage Valley for Tom and his friends, but it's about to get worse. When fuel stops being delivered to the gas stations because it has to be sent overseas to help with the war, it starts effecting them in ways they never imagined. Tom and his family were already struggling, dealing with power outages, now this? To top it off, it gets rough when the trucks that make the deliveries to all the shops in town can't make it all because they are short on gas as well. Luckily, Tom's friend Gwen has a brother who somehow has connections and can get him some gas. It might not be much, but hey, it's something right?!
Things get from bad to worse when Tom finds out that the house behind him is on fire. The house that belongs to Gwen. Due to all of the illegal storing of gas that her brother did, it caught the house on fire. Even more awful is that both kids are under age and their mother ran off with her last boyfriend so now they have nowhere to go, and refuse to go into state custody. Gwen hauls off and heads up into the old mines to take cover. Good thing too, because a bad hurricane is coming in.
What Gwen finds can help them all, but selfishness ends up getting in the way for so many. This book really opens up your eyes to how wasteful one might be and how greedy and rude people are. I can't imagine living like this, but sometimes you don't have a choice. With the way the economy has been the past few years, who knows? If we all come together, we can make things easier, help each other out. Love, not hate. So many want to fight when it comes to the end. It doesn't have to be that way.
Received from Vivien for trade.
by Suzanne Weyn
Published by: Scholastic Press
Released: October 1st 2010
Hardback
183 Pages
Rating: 4/5
Shall I say, a very perceptive take at the way the world could possibly end up in future years? Empty is a story about young teens and their survival during times of struggle with ridiculous prices of gas and other goods do to shortage of oil. Can you even imagine paying twenty dollars a gallon? What about seventy?
Things are tough in Sage Valley for Tom and his friends, but it's about to get worse. When fuel stops being delivered to the gas stations because it has to be sent overseas to help with the war, it starts effecting them in ways they never imagined. Tom and his family were already struggling, dealing with power outages, now this? To top it off, it gets rough when the trucks that make the deliveries to all the shops in town can't make it all because they are short on gas as well. Luckily, Tom's friend Gwen has a brother who somehow has connections and can get him some gas. It might not be much, but hey, it's something right?!
Things get from bad to worse when Tom finds out that the house behind him is on fire. The house that belongs to Gwen. Due to all of the illegal storing of gas that her brother did, it caught the house on fire. Even more awful is that both kids are under age and their mother ran off with her last boyfriend so now they have nowhere to go, and refuse to go into state custody. Gwen hauls off and heads up into the old mines to take cover. Good thing too, because a bad hurricane is coming in.
What Gwen finds can help them all, but selfishness ends up getting in the way for so many. This book really opens up your eyes to how wasteful one might be and how greedy and rude people are. I can't imagine living like this, but sometimes you don't have a choice. With the way the economy has been the past few years, who knows? If we all come together, we can make things easier, help each other out. Love, not hate. So many want to fight when it comes to the end. It doesn't have to be that way.
Received from Vivien for trade.
Thursday, March 15, 2024
Review: Starters by Lissa Price
Starters
by Lissa Price
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Released on: March 13th 2012
Hardcover
352 Pages
Rating: 4/5
Starters has such a great and original concept, not to mention the ability to hold you down and keep you reading until finished. From the first few pages, I held my own heartache for Callie and her brother Tyler. As you learn about Prime Destinations and the money that it holds for Callie, she can't help but be intrigued by the idea. With her parents gone, having died because they didn't get the vaccine, it is up to Callie to take care of Tyler, not to mention herself.
The money that Prime Destinations holds can secure them far beyond their means. All she has to do is simply let an Elder use her body to do as they may for the time frame they paid up to. The concept is quite creative. An Elder ranges around one hundred years of age. Callie knew deep inside that something was wrong with this company, but even I couldn't help myself, urging her to do it. Life for them is far beyond easy. They have now lost everything they had and are struggling to find stability.
No sooner than Callie committed to do it, I started having my doubts. Many suspicions racing through my head, just like Callie with her own. One thing she never expected is the connection she had with the Elder, the hatred that reigned down upon her, or that her help was needed badly. Her help was crucial for what was to come. Will she ever get through this? Or will she be stuck, leaving Prime Destinations to do as they like?
Received for review purposes from Netgalley.
by Lissa Price
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Released on: March 13th 2012
Hardcover
352 Pages
Rating: 4/5
Starters has such a great and original concept, not to mention the ability to hold you down and keep you reading until finished. From the first few pages, I held my own heartache for Callie and her brother Tyler. As you learn about Prime Destinations and the money that it holds for Callie, she can't help but be intrigued by the idea. With her parents gone, having died because they didn't get the vaccine, it is up to Callie to take care of Tyler, not to mention herself.
The money that Prime Destinations holds can secure them far beyond their means. All she has to do is simply let an Elder use her body to do as they may for the time frame they paid up to. The concept is quite creative. An Elder ranges around one hundred years of age. Callie knew deep inside that something was wrong with this company, but even I couldn't help myself, urging her to do it. Life for them is far beyond easy. They have now lost everything they had and are struggling to find stability.
No sooner than Callie committed to do it, I started having my doubts. Many suspicions racing through my head, just like Callie with her own. One thing she never expected is the connection she had with the Elder, the hatred that reigned down upon her, or that her help was needed badly. Her help was crucial for what was to come. Will she ever get through this? Or will she be stuck, leaving Prime Destinations to do as they like?
Received for review purposes from Netgalley.
Wednesday, March 14, 2024
Giveaway: When Destiny Knocks by Heather M. White
I have for you today, WHEN DESTINY KNOCKS ebook up for grabs. Not one but two copies will be given away.
Heather M. White has been kind enough to offer them through Uniquely Moi Books to you!
16 year old Karlie has had a pretty normal life... But when her Mom dies she is forced to move over 1,000 miles away to live with her Dad. That's when things start getting weird.
She can't explain the earthquakes that nobody else feels, or why she no longer sleeps. But most of all she doesn't know why she trusts Shane so much, even though his Dad wants her dead.
Suddenly, Karlie's normal life is turned upside down and she enters a world she never dreamed could really exist.
There will be two winners.
This giveaway is open to EVERYONE 13+
Ends March 20th
This Giveaway has ended
Winners are:
Caitlin
and
Randa
Tuesday, March 13, 2024
Harbinger Giveaway!
Up for grabs is one copy of
Harbinger
by
Sara Wilson Etienne
This giveaway is open to ages 13+
US only
Ends March 21st
Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
I would love it if you would follow me on Linky Followers but it is not required.
This Giveaway has ended
Winner of Harbinger is:
TayteH
Highly Anticipated Book Bellwether (2)
This is the second edition of the Book Bellwether here at Uniquely Moi Books! So just what is it? The Book Bellwether is my collection of, simply put, highly anticipated books that are to be released! I want to share them with you along with their information. I hope that you find them as appealing as I do! I hope you enjoy this new feature. And would love to hear all feedback.
Belles
by Jen Calonita
Release date: April 10th 2012
Published by: Poppy
I am very excited for this one. Reading the synopsis I just fell in love with the concept of it. I actually just received it and looking forward to it!
Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.
Taken at Dusk
by C.C. Hunter
Release date: April 10th 2012
Published by: St. Martin's Press
I just love this series. The whole being away at camp thing just intrigues me. I am anxiously awaiting this release.
Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.
Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.
Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.
Glimmer
by Phoebe Kitanidis
Release date: April 17th 2012
Published by: Balzer + Bray
I have read Glimmer but still wanted to share it with you. It was such a fabulous read. It had me hooked from the beginning, sitting on the edge of my seat.
What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?
And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?
When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.
Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.
Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Released on: April 24th
Published by: Harperteen
I love what the story is about on this one. The idea is phenomenal. I am very eager to dive into this novel and find out more!
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Ascend
by Amanda Hocking
Released on: April 24th 2012
Published by: St. Martin's Press
I haven't had a chance to read Torn, but I loved Switched, so I am eagerly awaiting this one too. I'll need to get caught up so I can be ready by released date! A wonderful series!
Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself. If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe. But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them?
The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end.
Everything has been leading to this moment. The future of her entire world rests in her hands—if she’s ready to fight for it.
Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin
Released on: April 24th 2012
Published by: Greenwillow Books
What first drew me to this book was the cover. I do love a pretty cover! Covers aren't everything though, so once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to add this one to my shelves.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.
Belles
by Jen Calonita
Release date: April 10th 2012
Published by: Poppy
I am very excited for this one. Reading the synopsis I just fell in love with the concept of it. I actually just received it and looking forward to it!
Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.
Taken at Dusk
by C.C. Hunter
Release date: April 10th 2012
Published by: St. Martin's Press
I just love this series. The whole being away at camp thing just intrigues me. I am anxiously awaiting this release.
Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.
Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.
Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.
Glimmer
by Phoebe Kitanidis
Release date: April 17th 2012
Published by: Balzer + Bray
I have read Glimmer but still wanted to share it with you. It was such a fabulous read. It had me hooked from the beginning, sitting on the edge of my seat.
What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?
And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?
When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.
Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.
Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Released on: April 24th
Published by: Harperteen
I love what the story is about on this one. The idea is phenomenal. I am very eager to dive into this novel and find out more!
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Ascend
by Amanda Hocking
Released on: April 24th 2012
Published by: St. Martin's Press
I haven't had a chance to read Torn, but I loved Switched, so I am eagerly awaiting this one too. I'll need to get caught up so I can be ready by released date! A wonderful series!
Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself. If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe. But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them?
The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end.
Everything has been leading to this moment. The future of her entire world rests in her hands—if she’s ready to fight for it.
Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin
Released on: April 24th 2012
Published by: Greenwillow Books
What first drew me to this book was the cover. I do love a pretty cover! Covers aren't everything though, so once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to add this one to my shelves.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.
Monday, March 12, 2024
Review: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
by Lynn Weingarten
Published by: Harperteen
Released on: December 27th 2011
Hardcover
352 Pages
Rating: 5/5
I'm really not quite sure just how this one slipped past me, but I hadn't heard of it. With so many out there, I guess it just happens sometimes. This one is NOT to be avoided though. A very fast paced, light and eager read. I was very easily caught up in Lucy's world, feeling her love and heartache. I wanted so badly to help her. To ease her pain from her broken heart. And when it came time to teach others a lesson? I was game for that too!
The first day of school, and it had been all summer since Lucy had seen her boyfriend. Eagerly waiting with a surprise she knows he's not going to resist, she awaits on bouncy toes. When Alex arrives, she doesn't notice he's acting funny. She's too full of excitement. It's after she reveals her plans for him that he gives her the big and powerful blow in the gut. He doesn't want to be with her anymore. The part where I want to hit him. The part where Lucy denies what he says. She doesn't believe him and walks around in denial. She believes he'll come to his senses.
Being oh, so in love at the end of the school year, they had signed up for the same classes and now Lucy is stuck seeing him the majority of the day. How pathetic is this? How painful for Lucy. Her best friend Tristan tries his hardest to be there for her, but he just doesn't seem to do the trick. It's when Olivia makes her presence along with a touch of magic, inviting her into a world of no more heartache. All she as to do is break someone else's heart. But she has seven days to do it. Lucy can do this, no problem, but she has a few ulterior motives up her sleeves.
Purchased at Amazon.
by Lynn Weingarten
Published by: Harperteen
Released on: December 27th 2011
Hardcover
352 Pages
Rating: 5/5
I'm really not quite sure just how this one slipped past me, but I hadn't heard of it. With so many out there, I guess it just happens sometimes. This one is NOT to be avoided though. A very fast paced, light and eager read. I was very easily caught up in Lucy's world, feeling her love and heartache. I wanted so badly to help her. To ease her pain from her broken heart. And when it came time to teach others a lesson? I was game for that too!
The first day of school, and it had been all summer since Lucy had seen her boyfriend. Eagerly waiting with a surprise she knows he's not going to resist, she awaits on bouncy toes. When Alex arrives, she doesn't notice he's acting funny. She's too full of excitement. It's after she reveals her plans for him that he gives her the big and powerful blow in the gut. He doesn't want to be with her anymore. The part where I want to hit him. The part where Lucy denies what he says. She doesn't believe him and walks around in denial. She believes he'll come to his senses.
Being oh, so in love at the end of the school year, they had signed up for the same classes and now Lucy is stuck seeing him the majority of the day. How pathetic is this? How painful for Lucy. Her best friend Tristan tries his hardest to be there for her, but he just doesn't seem to do the trick. It's when Olivia makes her presence along with a touch of magic, inviting her into a world of no more heartache. All she as to do is break someone else's heart. But she has seven days to do it. Lucy can do this, no problem, but she has a few ulterior motives up her sleeves.
Purchased at Amazon.
Friday, March 9, 2024
Review: Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala
Tell Me a Secret
by Holly Cupala
Published by: Harperteen
Released on: June 22nd 2010
Hardcover
304 Pages
Rating :5/5
People with a librarian
degree will want to add this one to their libraries' collections!
From the beginning, I felt such a deep heartfelt sadness for Miranda, otherwise known as Rand. Ever since her sister Xanda was killed in a car crash, everyone seemed to ignore Miranda. What further bothered me, was that when Xanda was alive, she was the problem child. The child that the parents couldn't stand. Miranda had always been the good one. Now, since Xanda's death, it was as if she was an angel her whole life and Miranda was the one who always acted out. Miranda always loved her big sister and wanted to be just like her. Hey, she was cool in Miranda's eyes. It's the parents that have major issues.
Miranda has faded from her longtime and rather unpopular friend Essence in order to hang with Kamran and Delaney. All Miranda wants to be is loved. Cared for. Cared about. Kamran is rather shady at times and it doesn't go unnoticed how friendly he is with Delaney. It's when school starts back up and Miranda realizes that something isn't right within herself. Surely she isn't pregnant? But truth be told, she is. It's when the news flies through not only the school, but the whole town, that my heart melts for her. Everyone sees her as an outcast. Her very own mother has already decided the future of the baby. This si the time that her mother is supposed to be there for her, not turn her back on her. Not shun her like the rest of the town.
Miranda stands tall all on her own. With an online pregnancy support group and her boss being the only people for her to turn to. Strangers. This poor teenage girl has to go through this pregnancy guided by strangers. Her family is no support whatsoever. I just want to wrap my arms around her and hug her. Comfort her in all the ways that she is missing. That she so deserves.
It's when Lexi is born that all the secrets in the family come out. The truth about Xanda, the truth about her own mother. Maybe now, this tiny little baby can help a family that was so distant, start to patch things back together.
Purchased from Amazon.
by Holly Cupala
Published by: Harperteen
Released on: June 22nd 2010
Hardcover
304 Pages
Rating :5/5
People with a librarian
degree will want to add this one to their libraries' collections!
From the beginning, I felt such a deep heartfelt sadness for Miranda, otherwise known as Rand. Ever since her sister Xanda was killed in a car crash, everyone seemed to ignore Miranda. What further bothered me, was that when Xanda was alive, she was the problem child. The child that the parents couldn't stand. Miranda had always been the good one. Now, since Xanda's death, it was as if she was an angel her whole life and Miranda was the one who always acted out. Miranda always loved her big sister and wanted to be just like her. Hey, she was cool in Miranda's eyes. It's the parents that have major issues.
Miranda has faded from her longtime and rather unpopular friend Essence in order to hang with Kamran and Delaney. All Miranda wants to be is loved. Cared for. Cared about. Kamran is rather shady at times and it doesn't go unnoticed how friendly he is with Delaney. It's when school starts back up and Miranda realizes that something isn't right within herself. Surely she isn't pregnant? But truth be told, she is. It's when the news flies through not only the school, but the whole town, that my heart melts for her. Everyone sees her as an outcast. Her very own mother has already decided the future of the baby. This si the time that her mother is supposed to be there for her, not turn her back on her. Not shun her like the rest of the town.
Miranda stands tall all on her own. With an online pregnancy support group and her boss being the only people for her to turn to. Strangers. This poor teenage girl has to go through this pregnancy guided by strangers. Her family is no support whatsoever. I just want to wrap my arms around her and hug her. Comfort her in all the ways that she is missing. That she so deserves.
It's when Lexi is born that all the secrets in the family come out. The truth about Xanda, the truth about her own mother. Maybe now, this tiny little baby can help a family that was so distant, start to patch things back together.
Purchased from Amazon.
Thursday, March 8, 2024
Giveaway: Preorder of Above by Leah Bobet
I wanted to do something to give back to all of you wonderful and amazing people that follow and support me! I am also trying something new here.
Rafflecopter!
This is my first time really using it, so hang tight with me.
I am giving away a preordered copy of
ABOVE
BY
Leah Bobet
Reading this book would make for a great break from working on your online
accounting degree.
accounting degree.
This giveaway has ended
Winner is:
Teresa Luong
it is open to everyone 13+
Ends March 24th
Review: Relatively Close by Judy Serrano
Relatively Close
by Judy Serrano
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Release Date: February 9th 2012
Paperback
283 Pages
Rating: 5/5
This is one series that I just adore! Heart pounding, blood pumping, it just screams sexiness. It has everything from passion, romance, love, danger, and excitement. Judy Serrano really knows how to keep a reader on their toes throughout the entire story! Not one dull moment in the Montiago family, let me tell you!
Picking up where Brother Number 3 left off, both Max and Hector have been seriously injured, trying to protect Lilly. Luckily, the doctor says they should both be ok after surgery. Nobody seems to worry right away when Hector is the only one to wake up from surgery. Max is a fighter. He just needs more rest, so the family just shrugs it off. I have to say that I was a little worried right alongside Lilly on this one here, and rightly so. After a year passes, and Max still hasn't woke, Lilly overhears the doctor talking about how she should move on. So is it her fault that she runs back into the warm and comforting arms of Hector? I gave up hope on Max myself. Would Max? Why must everyone love Lilly so much?
Being in Max's room and having Hector and his brother Diego talking about Lilly and what happened in between them the night before just so happens to make Max move. This is what finally gets a rise out of him. And now that he is back, he wants it like before. I can't blame him for that either, yet I totally feel for Lilly. It's when Max decides to be forceful with Lilly and once again, put his job first that makes me hate him with a passion of fury. This is the final straw with Lilly. This is what finally pushes her into the arms of Hector. Unfortunately, Max refuses to give her a divorce.
So why is it that in the end, Lilly's life is put at stake yet again, Hector does the ultimate wrong, breaking my heart just as much as Lilly's, and is on the run? Hector is supposed to be a good guy. How can he do this to Lilly? He has now made her a target.
Received for review purposes from the author.
by Judy Serrano
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Release Date: February 9th 2012
Paperback
283 Pages
Rating: 5/5
This is one series that I just adore! Heart pounding, blood pumping, it just screams sexiness. It has everything from passion, romance, love, danger, and excitement. Judy Serrano really knows how to keep a reader on their toes throughout the entire story! Not one dull moment in the Montiago family, let me tell you!
Picking up where Brother Number 3 left off, both Max and Hector have been seriously injured, trying to protect Lilly. Luckily, the doctor says they should both be ok after surgery. Nobody seems to worry right away when Hector is the only one to wake up from surgery. Max is a fighter. He just needs more rest, so the family just shrugs it off. I have to say that I was a little worried right alongside Lilly on this one here, and rightly so. After a year passes, and Max still hasn't woke, Lilly overhears the doctor talking about how she should move on. So is it her fault that she runs back into the warm and comforting arms of Hector? I gave up hope on Max myself. Would Max? Why must everyone love Lilly so much?
Being in Max's room and having Hector and his brother Diego talking about Lilly and what happened in between them the night before just so happens to make Max move. This is what finally gets a rise out of him. And now that he is back, he wants it like before. I can't blame him for that either, yet I totally feel for Lilly. It's when Max decides to be forceful with Lilly and once again, put his job first that makes me hate him with a passion of fury. This is the final straw with Lilly. This is what finally pushes her into the arms of Hector. Unfortunately, Max refuses to give her a divorce.
So why is it that in the end, Lilly's life is put at stake yet again, Hector does the ultimate wrong, breaking my heart just as much as Lilly's, and is on the run? Hector is supposed to be a good guy. How can he do this to Lilly? He has now made her a target.
Received for review purposes from the author.
Wednesday, March 7, 2024
Guest Post w/ Terry Spear
Today on the blog, we have the awesome and fabulous, Terry Spear. Terry is the author of a wonderful series called THE WORLD OF FAE. She is here today to share with us, some very useful information on just what to do if...maybe I should just let her explain. She does a MUCH better job!
What Would You Do If…?
By Terry Spear
What would you do if your dad was one of the fae, and that knowledge and the fact you can SEE the fae could get you killed?
Keep a low profile, right?
In The Dark Fae, Alicia does, until she goes to South Padre Island in south Texas with her girlfriend, Cassie. After working odd jobs to earn enough money to visit the beach, they’re determined to have fun. Until Alicia sees one of the dark fae target Cassie and she knows the fae will play with her and break her heart.
So Alicia does what any best friend would do…attempts to thwart the fae before it’s too late. The problem is that the fae realizes there’s something different about Alicia. She’s not just a normal human girl who’s just coated his bare chest with carbonated sodas. And fighting smiling about it.
She is nearly as evilly mischievous as his kind are, but there’s something more. He thinks she can see the fae when no one but the fae can see them. Unless she’s a fae seer. And that concerns him.
Getting even is secondary on his mind. First, he has to know—can she see the fae when they’re invisible to the humans?
He should want to turn her over to his mother, the queen of the dark fae, who will most likely want to eliminate the girl. But Alicia’s already gotten under his skin. She’s more interesting than any girl he’s ever met, and he’s not giving her up…for now.
So if your dad was one of the fae and you can see the fae, what would you do?
Best to keep a low profile. But what if your girlfriend was targeted by one of the dark fae? Would you let her deal with the trouble all on her own? Or step in and make a stand?
Some would say she was being foolhardy. What’s a broken heart when being a known fae seer can get you killed?
The story doesn’t end there. Lady Sessily in The Deadly Fae, is a dark fae assassin. She’s not guild certified because the guild doesn’t accept women. But she’s actually working under her father’s name…and now she can’t get out of the game. She’s tried, turned down jobs, but then a lord arrives who wants her father to do a job and won’t take no for an answer. He’s one of the cobra fae, and deadly determined for the job to get done. She’s ready to put both the guild master’s name and this pompous but dangerous cobra fae’s name on her termination list, and then retire. But the cobra fae has a few tricks up his royal sleeves and he’s really not letting her get out of the job. Don’t you just hate it when you want to quit a job and can’t?
Then in The Winged Fae, the winged fae is fighting her mother’s choice to wed her to a dark fae, who she knows is seeing some human girl at South Padre Island. Remember Cassie? So she gets interested in a dragon fae, but the dark fae’s cousin gets in the way…and after shooting him with a sleeping dart that will make him sorry for interfering with her plans, she takes pity on him, and wants to right the wrong. Only now, she’s in all kinds of hot water for it.
The Ancient Fae is all about Deveron’s sister, Ritasia. She’s used to trying to rescue her brother and cousins when they get themselves into trouble. But now who’s there to rescue her? From around the world, a tyrant king is seeking a bride, and Ritasia, who is the most stubborn and amusing girl he’s ever met is perfect for the role. Although she doesn’t look anything like what he would envision his queen to look like as she’s digging around at an archaeological site dressed in men’s breeches and tunic. But it’s her infinity for trouble that makes him believe she’s just the one for him, except he has to make sure the unseelie and seelie worlds don’t go to war over what she’s stirred up first.
So you see, the fae don’t bring mischief just into the human world. They can manufacture it quite nicely in their own world as well. Next up is Dragon Fae. Alicia’s grandfather, king of the dragon fae, has already stated she could marry Deveron, prince of the dark fae. But her grandfather is already backing down on the agreement. And the girl that arrives at court, known as Dragon Slayer, is commissioned to see to the king’s wishes. She doesn’t like headstrong princesses, but she’s being paid enough to get the job done. Coming end of December. :)
And that’s it for now! The fae rule the world…at least they think so when they come to visit the humans. We ought to show them a thing or two. Think I will with Cassie and the dark fae who’s stolen her heart…
Thanks so much for dropping by and saying hi!
Tell me, what would you do if you could see the fae?
Terry
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terry Spear has written over a dozen paranormal romance novels and two medieval Highland historical romances. An award-winning author, Terry’s Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly’s Best Book of the Year in 2008. A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry Spear is a librarian by day and spends every spare moment writing paranormal romance as well as historical and true life stories for both teen and adult audiences. Spear lives in Crawford, Texas, where she is working on new paranormal romances! For more information, please visit http://www.terryspear.com/.
Purchase The Dark Fae and The Ancient Fae on Amazon while you prepare for Dragon Fey.
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