Guest Review: The Whisperer by Fiona McIntosh

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Whisperer by Fiona McIntosh
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on April 14, 2015
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

In this adventurous retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, the lives of a runaway royal and a carnival worker become intertwined as each is compelled to fight for his life and family. Fans of The Sixty-Eight Rooms and Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy won’t want to miss this.

Lute is a prince, next in line to the throne. Griff is a poor carnival worker who does the heavy lifting while the malevolent ringmaster orders him about. But there’s something special about Griff: he can hear the thoughts of everyone around him. And one day, he begins to connect with Lute’s mind, even though they’ve never met and are miles apart.

When Lute must run for his very life, Griff may be the only one who can help him. In a journey over land and sea, these heroes battle deadly foes and make unlikely allies, including a host of magical creatures and their caretaker, a bitter old dwarf, and a mysterious lady pirate. When the boys finally come together, they will learn they are connected in ways they could never have imagined, ways that may save them—or cost them both their lives.

A message from Meredith: Hey everyone! Today, I have True here with a guest review for The Whisperer by Fiona McIntosh

You can find Leah on Wattpad and on Twitter!

Without further adieu, here’s True’s review! Enjoy!

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The Whisperer by Fiona McIntosh is about two boys from different worlds. Lute is a prince and Griff is a poor carnival worker, but Griff isn’t ordinary. He can hear the thoughts of everyone around him and that leads him him to connect with Lute’s mind. When trouble follows in the form of Lute’s uncle, Griff is the only one who can help.

I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t the best book ever, but that’s on me. It just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I did enjoy it for the most part. The writing was really good and so was the storyline, but I just couldn’t get into it.

It kinda reminded me of the princess and the pauper, but with a different plot. If you like adventure and mythical creatures, this read is for you. There are many perspectives to the book and each character deals with different struggles and situations. Parts of the book are humorous and will make you smile like when Griff hears the thought of people around him.

Overall, the book is pretty good and I encourage fantasy/paranormal readers to pick up a copy.

Review: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Mar1

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas
Published by HarperTeen on February 21, 2017
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

The Girl of Fire and Thorns meets The Queen of the Tearling in this thrilling fantasy standalone about one girl’s unexpected rise to power.

Freya was never meant be queen. Twenty third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and would much rather research in her laboratory than participate in the intrigues of court. However, when an extravagant banquet turns deadly and the king and those closest to him are poisoned, Freya suddenly finds herself on the throne.

Freya may have escaped the massacre, but she is far from safe. The nobles don’t respect her, her councillors want to control her, and with the mystery of who killed the king still unsolved, Freya knows that a single mistake could cost her the kingdom – and her life.

Freya is determined to survive, and that means uncovering the murderers herself. Until then, she can’t trust anyone. Not her advisors. Not the king’s dashing and enigmatic illegitimate son. Not even her own father, who always wanted the best for her, but also wanted more power for himself.

As Freya’s enemies close in and her loyalties are tested, she must decide if she is ready to rule and, if so, how far she is willing to go to keep the crown.

I was really excited when I first heard about this book, but also nervous. I was excited because I LOVED the title and cover (GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS cover) and the plot sounded beyond intriguing. I was nervous because I read A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas back in 2015 and it was a disaster – I didn’t connect with the characters, I was bored by the plot and I felt let down by the ending and the surprise sequel, which I did not read. But I’m all for giving authors a second chance, if their new book sounds epic. And in this case, I’m so, so glad I did! This book wasn’t without it’s issues, but it was overall an enjoyable read and a HUGE improvement from A Wicked Thing.

First of all, can we talk about the fact that this book is a YA fantasy stand-alone?? How often does THAT happen?? It’s a nice break from all the fantasy trilogies and series out there. But after reaching the end of the book, I must say.. I actually wish there WAS going to be a sequel. This first book was basically all about securing Freya’s reign and finding the murderer. But now that the murderer has been dealt with, I’d love to see Freya’s ACTUAL reign, see what kind of a queen she’ll be. I still have a lot of questions that I want answered!

Freya herself was epic and incredibly relatable. She was a bit timid in the beginning and maybe even a bit of a puppet for her advisors – but only until she regained her footing, made some allies and really had a chance to let everything that had happened sink in. I mean, I don’t blame her for her confusion in the beginning – she was twenty third in line to the throne! She never imagined she’d be queen! It was a LOT to take in. But once she accepted her fate, she really began to bloom. This is VERY specific, but in my opinion, you see a clear and obvious change in Freya on page 342. At that point, you can truly see that she has grown into a more confident woman who knows what kind of queen she wants to be. At the same time, she did make some rash decisions that could have had severe consequences. But I think that was all part of the learning curve.

There were a LOT of secondary characters. I read the first 100 pages of this book really fast and then didn’t pick it up for two days (because life, not because of the book), and I actually had to go back to page one and skim 130+ pages to remind myself of who everyone was. But I don’t want to say that’s the fault of the book, necessarily. I think it was because of my reading situation.

I really liked Madeleine Wolff and William Fitzroy, but I had a very difficult time trusting them – along with Holt – for obvious reasons. I’m intrigued with the way all of their stories ended, though, and would love to see what happens to them next in a sequel.

Overall, I’m really, really happy I picked this up. Everything I couldn’t stand about A Wicked Thing was much improved in Long May She Reign. Thomas’s writing was SO much better and I liked the characters a LOT more. Though the book was still a bit long (in my opinion), it was a much faster read, with far better pacing, and it held my attention way more. I’m really glad I gave Rhiannon Thomas a second chance and I’m very excited to see what she does next.

I definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, especially if you love reading about royalty, intrigue and a good murder mystery!

Blog Tour: To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough (Author Interview)

Feb23

Hey guys! I’m so, so excited to be on the blog tour for To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough (Tor Teen, February 7, 2017)! You can find my review here – I absolutely loved this book! First, here’s the cover and synopsis:

Erin Blake has one of those names. A name that, like Natalee Holloway or Elizabeth Smart, is inextricably linked to a grisly crime. As a toddler, Erin survived for three days alongside the corpse of her murdered mother, and the case—which remains unsolved—fascinated a nation. Her father’s identity unknown, Erin was taken in by her mother’s best friend and has become a relatively normal teen in spite of the looming questions about her past.

Fourteen years later, Erin is once again at the center of a brutal homicide when she finds the body of her biology teacher. When questioned by the police, Erin tells almost the whole truth, but never voices her suspicions that her mother’s killer has struck again in order to protect the casework she’s secretly doing on her own.

Inspired by her uncle, an FBI agent, Erin has ramped up her forensic hobby into a full-blown cold-case investigation. This new murder makes her certain she’s close to the truth, but when all the evidence starts to point the authorities straight to Erin, she turns to her longtime crush (and fellow suspect) Journey Michaels to help her crack the case before it’s too late.

Goodreads | Amazon | IndieBound
Find More Buy Links Here.

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And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Question: To Catch a Killer sounds BEYOND amazing. What inspired you to write it?
Answer: I LOVE mysteries and I LOVE forensic shows, even before they were labeled forensic shows. Quincy ME, CSI, NCIS, Bones, even Veronica Mars—you name it, I watch it. The idea for To Catch a Killer came during a phone call to a friend of mine who moved to Denver, Colorado. I asked how his kids were doing in their new school. His son, Tyler, was in high school and I was worried about how the change in schools would affect him. He told me that Tyler was extremely happy there and it was largely due to his high school forensics class. I was like …what? Where can I sign up for that? I wrote down: three girls solve mysteries in high school forensics class. And, the idea was born. I was already writing for children’s television and had never seen a show or a book about teens using forensics techniques. I knew in that instant that this idea was MINE!

Question: Catch a Killer was described as being NCIS meets Veronica Mars. Do you think that’s an accurate description?
Answer: Yes, Catch a Killer is definitely a mash-up of Veronica Mars and NCIS because the issues and the stakes in Catch a Killer are very high and very personal to my protagonist, Erin, in the same way they were personal and very high for Veronica. Erin has a detective eye but to prove her case she uses actual forensic procedures which is a lot like Abby Sciuto in NCIS. Erin’s personal story is full of raw, untempered emotion which collides with the cold, hard facts of science.

Question: Do you feel pressure to live up to that description for the sake of fans of those shows?
Answer: I definitely feel the pressure, but also the glory. But I’m such a fan of these shows that I feel like I know what the fans want to see and I’m trying to keep my stories stocked with all of that fun stuff. When I say “the glory” I mean that I’m extremely proud to add my contribution to this genre. In the whole scheme of things I might have written and sold another type of book and that would have been fun. But this book is from my heart. To Catch a Killer is part of ME.

Question: I’m sure you had to Google some pretty interesting things while writing this book! Can you share one (or several) of the craziest things you had to look up?
Answer: Oh boy! My google history is terrifying. We have a joke in my family that if anyone disappears, I will be the prime suspect because I’ve probably googled a million ways to kill someone…dispose of the body…obliterate fingerprints…you name it. One of the craziest things I searched for, though, was googling for “how to create a stain that looks like real blood.”

Question: According to your bio, you’ve written everything from TV scripts to series concepts, comic books, children’s books, business plans and magazine articles. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned, across the board?
Answer: Only one? What I’ve learned from what has really been a life-long writing career is that no matter how accomplished you are, there’s always more to learn. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. And most importantly, always…ALWAYS offer a hand to the writers who are still finding their way. Other writers helped me and I do my best to pay the favor forward.

Question: In your bio, you said, “My transition from film to fiction was harder than I thought it would be.” Can you elaborate?
Answer: I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, but I always thought I’d be a journalist. I believed I didn’t know how to create made up stories, that I needed a true story to work from. While I was in college, I landed a job at an animation studio as a script typist. Truth be told I didn’t type all that well. But I was congenial and got along with the crazy writers. They are the ones who ultimately helped me transition into writing for the studio. In fact, Catch a Killer is dedicated to the man who gave me my first script assignment and who remained a friend for life.

Question: What books do you recommend for readers who love your books and want to read something similar?
Answer: I recommend anything written by April Henry… Gretchen McNeil… or Bill Cameron. They are terrific mystery authors and their books have both inspired me and kept me awake at night.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: Always! Writers are like sharks. If we stop writing…we die! I am working on a High School Zombie story…a middle grade Valkyrie adventure and a thriller road trip love story. Whew!

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About the Author:

Sheryl Scarborough worked as a story writer and series developer in children’s television before receiving her MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College, where she studied under Rita Williams-Garcia, Tom Birdseye, and Susan Fletcher, among others. She currently lives and works in Kalama, Washington. To Catch a Killer is her debut.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

Guest Post: Roam by Erik Therme (Giveaway)

Feb22

Hey everyone! Today, I’m super excited to have Erik Therme, author of the recently released Roam, here for with a guest post! Plus, thanks to Erik, we have a really great giveaway! First, here’s more about the book:

Three strangers, each searching for something out of reach.

Sarah Cate, celebrating her twenty-first birthday, is pushed over the edge after car trouble strands her in the middle of nowhere with an angry, unstable boyfriend.

Kevin Reed, a troubled adolescent abused by a loveless father, roams the night in his black Camaro, looking to pay forward one of the few acts of kindness he’s ever received.

Scotty Mason, plagued by profound guilt and completely detached from his world, is haunted by the unshakable fear that something inside him is dangerously broken and cannot be fixed.

When their lives intersect in an unsavory hotel with a bloody history, all three will struggle to exorcise their personal demons, unaware that a bigger threat is looming . . . and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Like Joshua Gaylord and Daniel Kraus before him, author Erik Therme explores the angst of disconnected youth in his enthralling and powerful Roam. Therme’s darkly tinged novel is an unforgettable tale of three errant souls brutalized by life’s cruel circumstances, and a remarkable night of discovery and violence that will change them forever.

Goodreads | Amazon

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And now for the guest post! Enjoy!

THE WRITING PROCESS
Erik Therme

I’m a high-maintenance writer.

Don’t misunderstand: I’m not one of those “I’ll-only-drink-one-brand-of-bottled-water-and-only-eat-red-jellybeans-at-my-book-signings” types of authors . . . those luxuries are reserved for big shots like Stephen King and Craig A. Hart. If I’m invited to do a book signing, I’m thrilled if they give me a chair and a pencil.

No, my high-maintenance issue is much more serious. For me to successfully put words on the page, I need to carefully set the stage and ease into my book. Writing, for me, is the equivalent of sliding into a scalding hot bath by first inserting a toe, followed by a foot, all the while hoping I don’t slip, break my neck, and drown. Getting into the right mindset can be a challenge, which is why I have a system in place that hasn’t failed me yet.

First and foremost: room temperature. My writing lair gets cold—especially during the winter months—so foot coverage is mandatory. I’m currently rocking Mogwai slippers from the movie Gremlins, but any movie-based footwear will do. I also run a space heater to maintain a steady stream of warm air. Once the temperature is exactly 70 degrees (I joke, of course—anywhere between 70 and 70.5 is acceptable), it’s time to crack open my beverage. Morning writing sessions require a cold Mountain Dew (chilled to an ICEE slush consistency in the freezer for 20 minutes), while evening sessions merit a classy alcohol-based beverage like Bud Light. Tea and water are also acceptable, but only in moderation. My bladder isn’t made of steel.

Next comes darkness. Or I should say: dimness. Not of the mind or soul, but of the actual room. My lair is in the farthest corner of our basement, as it’s the perfect place to escape noise and distraction. The window has been carefully covered with Styrofoam, parchment paper, and a massive Rent movie poster, ensuring not even a glimmer of light can peek through. On my desk are two small lamps—each producing a soft glow to illuminate my character sheets and time lines . . . and also so I can easily locate my beverage.

Music is the final, and possibly most important, ingredient. First drafts demand loud and intense heavy metal (bands like Archons and Slayer fit the bill nicely), while rewrites require more concentration, thus softer music, in the form of movie soundtracks. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard are two favorites, while Bear McCreary is always a close third. Tip: Headphones are invaluable to help drown out those pesky sounds of the “real world” that might seep in from upstairs.

Now it’s time to get down to business.

Once the dual monitors hum to life, I open my work-in-progress and get ready to think about writing. But first, Facebook must be checked to see how many times my hilarious cat post has been “liked,” or if anyone has shared the link to my latest novel. If not, two new posts are created (carefully adhering to the strict cat/book—book/cat formula), and from there, it’s off to Twitter, where I cleverly retweet other people’s posts, instead of taking the time to create my own. (I suck at Twitter.) Amazon is my next destination, where I check the sales ranking of my novels (if I were shameless, this is where I would mention the titles as Mortom, Resthaven, and Roam), before finally moving to goodreads, to see if there are any new reviews since I last checked on my phone fifteen minutes prior.

And with that, the writing can finally begin . . . unless I need to stretch my legs and reset the process.

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And now for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a copy of Roam! Giveaway is US only. To enter, leave comment answering this question: If you were stuck at an unsavory hotel with a bloody history, would you survive the night? Giveaway ends 2/28/17 @ 11pm EST. Good luck!

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About the Author:

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering for his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his seventeen-year-old. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty places in the world UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Television Tuesday: Breaking Up (Or Not) With a Television Show

Feb21

Television Tuesday is a fun feature in which I chat with you about all things television!

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This is a post I’ve wanted to write for a long time. Originally, I was going to do three separate posts – one about falling out of love with The Vampire Diaries and one about falling out of love with the Walking Dead, and why I would give each show a second chance. The third post would have been more general, dealing with breaking up with shows.

Then, back in April 2016, I saw a tweet that REALLY annoyed me and, because of that tweet, I REALLY wanted to write my “breaking up with TV shows” post. However, I was going through some very difficult life things and I fell into a blogging slump and never got around to posting. My desire to write this post was renewed tonight, though, when I saw this on Instagram:

I don’t even know where to start with this crap. I don’t know what makes me more angry, the person who said “NOT EVERYTHING IS MEANT TO GO YOUR WAY” or the person who said you’re only a “TRUE” fan if you watch the whole show, regardless of the direction it goes in.

*Takes deep calming breaths.”

I can’t, you guys. I can’t with the bullshit and nastiness. I’m sorry for my language, but WTF?!?!?

Let’s start to unpack this, mkay?

First of all, f*ck anyone who says you aren’t a true fan if you take a break from watching a show. How dare you say that to someone? There are MANY definitions of “fan” and just because you grow weary of a show DOESN’T mean you’re not still a true fan. Same goes for those who start a show late. So the hell what? It doesn’t matter when someone starts watching or for how long they watch. If they watched at all and enjoyed the show at all, they’re a fan. ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE IS WRONG. You do NOT get to decide whether someone else is a fan or not.

“NOT EVERYTHING IS MEANT TO GO YOUR WAY” — Um. Sure, yeah. Not everything can go the way you want it to go. That’s life. But the whole POINT of watching a show is that you HOPE it will go the way you want it to go. You hope certain characters will prosper, you hope certain relationships will happen, you hope certain plots will either go on forever or end as quickly as possible. And if things DON’T go how you HOPE they will, OF COURSE you’re going to get upset and (potentially) want to stop watching – that’s natural and it’s OKAY!

When a show you love and have been watching for years starts to go south, it’s stressful. You’ve committed however many years to it and it can feel like losing a friend. That show has been a constant companion for you. You care about the characters. You’ve grown used to seeing them once a week. The idea of NOT seeing them anymore can be painful – I mean, this all depends on how much you’ve fallen for the show, of course. If you’re obsessed, it’ll hurt a LOT. If you’re not at that level of obsession, it might just suck a bit. Either way, you’ve committed time to that show and now it’s letting you down and it’s disappointing.

Despite the disappointment, sometimes you don’t want to abandon the show. I know for me, personally, the biggest reason I continue watching a show that’s gotten iffy is because I’m praying it will get better and I want to stay current with it for when (if?) that happens. Because if it gets better and I’m not current with it, it can be hard to find the time to play catch-up. Catching up becomes a burden and, unfortunately, sometimes it just doesn’t happen and you never end up watching the show again, despite your desire to try.

Another good reason to keep watching? Though a show is (overall) disappointing you, sometimes there are STILL certain elements or characters that you LOVE and you want to keep watching for those elements and/or characters – even when the negative stuff outweighs the positive stuff.

To put this into perspective, I’m going to talk about my love/hate relationship with The Vampire Diaries, which I broke up with during season five (accidentally, honestly: I missed a few episodes for family things and the damn CW skipped two of the episodes on their website, so I wasn’t able to watch them before season 6 aired and then, well, I just fell further behind and gave up). I’m sure I’ll get hate for “dissing” TVD (not my intention in using it as an example).. But I just don’t care anymore.

This whole post has been a giant rant (which wasn’t the plan until I saw that TVD confession tonight and got pissed), so I might as well keep ranting.. I started watching TVD when it first came on. I loved the first few seasons, but then things started going downhill.

I loved Nina Dobrev when she was on Degrassi: The Next Generation playing Mia, a teen mom. So I was REALLY excited when it was announced that she’d be on The Vampire Diaries. I hadn’t read the Vampire Diaries books, but I’d heard amazing things about them and was eager to see Nina in another role.

After a few seasons, however, I was disappointed with Nina’s acting and with the direction Elena was going. The Doppelgängers were getting out of hand (I LOVED Katherine, but that was it) and I couldn’t STAND the Originals when they were first introduced. I also HATED when Elena first became a vampire. Plus, I’m a big Delena fan, so obviously I wanted her to end up with Damon; however, the back-and-forth of it all was SO annoying. One episode she’s with Stefan, then she’s with Damon, then she’s back with Stefan. I don’t mind love triangles, but it was exhausting. And let’s not talk about how many times Stefan and Damon flipped their emotions off and became evil, because.. Well, it happened a LOT. Too much..?

I kept watching because I was five season in and invested. I wasn’t crazy about Elena anymore, but I still cared about her and wanted to see what would happen to her. I wanted to know who she would end up with. I LOVED Caroline and Matt, so I was eager to see how their stories would end – and I also totally ship Steroline (no hate), so I was excited to see what their fate would be. And I’ve ALWAYS loved vampires so, first and foremost, I enjoyed watching it for that aspect.

Now, looking back and reflecting on it, I actually really liked the Originals. And Elena made a pretty badass vampire. Plus, as a vampire, she wasn’t as vulnerable and fragile.

If I were to re-watch TVD from season one, I don’t think I’d hate everything I hated the first time around. Or, I wouldn’t hate it as much, I don’t think. Chances are, I’ll NEVER like the Doppelgänger storyline, no matter how many times I watch. But I also know in advance that those storylines are coming, and I can brace myself for that – And this is exactly why I think it helps if you watch a show through and then re-watch at least once. Once you know what’s going to happen, you’re prepared – you know when and how the storylines you hate will end, which is like a giant light at the end of a tunnel.

So… Yeah. I don’t even know what else to say on this subject. I’m just seriously tired of people who get angry at other people for watching a show despite complaining about it. People can do whatever the hell they want. I don’t agree with “hate watching,” but people can do it if they choose and no one can stop them, it’s their prerogative. Breaking up with a show can be an emotional decision. It’s a very personal thing and you can’t tell people to quit a show just because you’re tired of them complaining. It doesn’t work that way.

So next time you see someone railing against a show, maybe don’t attack them for it? You don’t know how long they’ve been watching, why they’re (still) watching or if they’re in the midst of deciding whether or not they want to KEEP watching. And don’t ever, ever question their level of fan loyalty. You have NO right to make that judgement. Take your judgy, negative ass elsewhere.

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So, what are your thoughts? Have you ever broken up with a show? Are you considering breaking up with a show? Did you break up with a show and then give it a second chance? Let me know in the comments!

Also, KEEP YOUR COMMENTS KIND. Do not attack me for my opinions and do not attack other commenters. Rude comments will be deleted!

Feature Tour: The Fate Series by Heather Lyons (Excerpt)

Feb17

Hey everyone! I’m so, so excited to be on the feature tour for Heather Lyons’ Fate series. The Fate series is absolutely amazing, as is Heather! Today, I’m really excited to share with you an excerpt from A Matter of Fate, book one in the series. This is an excerpt from chapter one. Enjoy!

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A MATTER OF FATE – Chapter One Excerpt

I am a chronic daydreamer.

Not so much because school bores me—in fact, a number of my classes are pretty interesting. No, I tend to daydream about escape routes. Places to run to when the inevitable, predetermined outcomes of my rigid life leave me no other choice. If it’s possible, even in the tiniest way, just how would I break away from what Fate and family has set before me?

Florence is currently my favorite spot to imagine disappearing in. It’s a city of impossible beauty and history, one I’ve longed to explore. Maybe I’d become an artist there— not that I’m artistic by any means, but maybe I’d be inspired to be something new. Different.

There’s also the possibility of New England. My parents took me there once when I was little, the only time I’ve ever been outside of California. My father went for work, and while he was busy, my mother drove me to a number of little towns running up and down the coastline. One particular small city in New Hampshire is rooted in my memory, where flowers practically raced in bursts of color straight to the ocean’s edge. It was incredibly charming, the perfect sort of place to go and be someone—anyone, really—who isn’t me.

Are you kidding? snorts a little voice in the back of my mind. C’mon, why pick these places, when there is a much better place for you, and you know it?

Inwardly, I groan at the thought. My conscience has always been far too opinionated.

I move on, wondering what sheer anonymity would be like—to simply be a girl in a nondescript place, serving pancakes and mugs of coffee to weary travelers on long journeys. The land would be flat and golden as far as the eye could see, and driving through it, with the windows down, I’d be able to smell sweet grass in warm air.

And there’s the far north, where the Northern Lights illuminate the sky. I’d be speechless upon seeing them for the first time, standing in snow while gazing upon ribbons of color streaking across the stars. I wouldn’t have to be anyone there, either. I’d be just another person, in another small town, making my own choices.

I don’t bother looking up when the classroom door creaks open, because I’m still imagining those Northern Lights, still wondering how liberating it’d be to feel so small and insignificant for once. For as long as I want.

A voice breaks through, though. One impossible to ignore. “Excuse me,” it says, “I’m new to the class.”

My entire body freezes, all except my heart, which goes berserk. Because I know this voice, and this can’t be real.

He’s not real.

The ground under me shifts. It’s like an earthquake—not the rolling kind, but the jarring sort that comes out of nowhere, hits you hard, and then disappears just as quickly. The kind that leaves you stunned and wondering if it happened at all, it moved so fast. All I can do is reach out and grip the edges of my desk and pray I don’t fall out of my seat.

Because it’s not an earthquake. It’s a shift, and I’m the only one in the room who can feel it. A quick glance once the ground settles confirms this. Everyone is working, talking quietly to one another, or watching the front of the room. There are no signs from anyone that anything had just happened.

But something did.

And he’s standing in front of the classroom next to Mr. Snook.

I blink a few times as I stare at him, trying to determine if I’m actually awake. Every time I open my eyes, though, he’s still here. Oh my gods. He’s here.

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As part of this epic feature tour, we were also asked a question: If you had a power like Chloe, tell us what that “power” would be and how you would use it?

I think #MyFATEPower would be Creator. I know Creators have a LOT of responsibility on their shoulders, but I think it would be fun to take this power and focus it on one aspect of Creating – like in controlling the weather and the elements (water, fire, lightening, etc). This makes me sound so evil, haha. But I just think it would be epic!

Update: Someone kindly pointed out to me that Elementals are actually a thing in these books, which I had forgotten (it’s been awhile since I read them!). So, clearly, that’s what I’d be! Haha :)

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Other books in the Fate Series:

A Matter of Fate, Book 1

Chloe Lilywhite struggles with all the normal problems of a typical seventeen-year-old high school student. Only, Chloe isn’t a normal teenage girl. She’s a Magical, part of a secret race of beings who influence the universe. More importantly, she’s a Creator, which means Fate mapped out her destiny long ago, from her college choice, to where she will live, to even her job. While her friends and relatives relish their future roles, Chloe resents the lack of say in her life, especially when she learns she’s to be guarded against a vengeful group of beings bent on wiping out her kind. Their number one target? Chloe, of course.

That’s nothing compared to the boy trouble she’s gotten herself into. Because a guy she’s literally dreamed of and loved her entire life, one she never knew truly existed, shows up in her math class, and with him comes a twin brother she finds herself inexplicably drawn to.

Chloe’s once unyielding path now has a lot more choices than she ever thought possible.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
iBooks | Kobo | B&N

Beyond Fate, Book 1.5

There are always two sides to every story . . .

His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone’s expectations of him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his dreams, one he’s never told anyone about, including his twin brother.

Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren’t always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes, you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride.

* Beyond Fate is Jonah’s point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and is a companion novella.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
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A Matter of Heart, Book 2

No longer in high school, Chloe Lilywhite is now living and working in Annar, the Magicals’ city-state plane of existence. Since moving, she’s joined the Council, gone on missions with the Guard, moved into her own apartment, and enrolled at the University of Annar. Plus, she’s happily engaged to be married to Jonah Whitecomb, the literal man from her dreams, not to mention her Connection. While she still struggles with aspects of her craft, Chloe feels like she’s finally coming into her own, especially after a difficult year that had her questioning nearly everything in her life.

After a brutal attack by the Elders, her life is turned upside down once more. Accusations fly throughout the Council and Guard, forcing Chloe to confront her worst fears about what’s she’s capable of as a Creator. And then there’s the matter of Kellan Whitecomb, Jonah’s twin brother and Chloe’s ex, who resurfaces after disappearing months before. Although Chloe chose Jonah, and despite their best efforts, the two find it hard to stay away from one another.

But no matter what Fate throws at her, Chloe is determined to take charge of her life, even as it begins to spiral out of control.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
iBooks | Kobo | B&N

A Matter of Truth, Book 3

Not long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away.

Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.

*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
iBooks | Kobo | B&N

A Matter of Forever, Book 4

Chloe Lilywhite has struggled for years to find her footing in a series of dangerous and demanding worlds. Creator, first tier Council member, and one of the most powerful Magicals in existence, she was little more than one of Fate’s pawns. But now, Chloe is back home and ready to call the shots. She knows what she wants and who she wants to be.

Except the Elders never got the memo.

Annar and Magical-kind are under attack. The lives of Chloe’s loved ones, and life as they know it, are at stake. Chloe’s the key to taking the Elders down, but they won’t go quietly into the night.

This time, neither will Chloe.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
iBooks | Kobo | B&N

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About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

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Cover Reveal: Fanning The Flames by Chris Cannon

Feb15

Today, I’m revealing the cover for Fanning The Flames (Going Down in Flames #4) by Chris Cannon (March 6, 2017). So, are you ready to see the cover??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

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..
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Here we go!

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!? I LOVE it! And now here’s more about the book!

Bryn McKenna has it all, including her smoking-hot knight turned live-in boyfriend, Valmont. Even though she’s a hybrid dragon, she’s finally fitting into the new shape-shifting dragon world that’s become her own. But her grandparents want to ruin everything by making Bryn’s nightmare of an arranged marriage to Jaxon Westgate a reality. It doesn’t help that Jaxon’s father is on a witch hunt for Rebel sympathizers and Bryn finds herself in his line of fire.

If she doesn’t say, “I do,” she’ll lose everything. Good-bye flying. Good-bye best friends. Good-bye magic. But if she bends to her grandparents’ will and agrees to marry Jaxon, she’ll lose the love of her life—her knight.

Add it to on Goodreads!

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About the Author:

Award winning author Chris Cannon lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and her three dogs, Pete the shih tzu who sleeps on her desk while she writes, Molly the ever-shedding yellow lab, and Tyson the sandwich-stealing German Shepherd Beagle. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures and snarky contemporary romance.

Connect with Chris here!

Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (Blog Tour)

Feb15

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (Blog Tour)

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Published by Thomas Dunne on February 7, 2017
Pages: 448
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Hey everyone! I’m BEYOND excited to be on the blog tour for Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (February 7th 2017 by Thomas Dunne). If you follow my blog/social media, you know how much I LOVED this book and how obsessed I am with it! I’m so excited for book two, I don’t know how I’ll survive until next year!!!

Anyway, enough babbling! Time for my review! Enjoy!

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This book was absolutely beautiful and completely intoxicating; it left me feeling breathless, like I was spinning and dizzy and knew I should stop, but couldn’t put it down. It spoke to me in ways a book never has – and I’ve been a reader all my life, so that’s a LOT of books that never spoke to me such as this one did. I was completely absorbed in the world, writing and characters.

Liesl is passionate, rash and impulsive, prone to fits of rage, to highs and lows. To self-sabotage and self-doubt. The author said something about Liesl in her newsletter and I can 100% see it. I won’t say what it is for fear of spoilers, but it explains so much and I think it fits perfectly. This thing, it’s a part of her and makes her who she is.

The Goblin King. The Lord of Mischief. The Ruler Underground. He was a complete mystery, yet he was fascinating. I wanted to know everything about him and, though I finished this book ages ago, I still do. I can’t get him out of my head. One second, he was the Goblin King – distant, cold, foreboding. And the next, he was the boy Liesl used to know – kind, caring, passionate. He was also stubborn and his moods mirrored Liesl’s, causing them to butt heads quite often. Yet even when they were butting heads, there was undeniable chemistry between them.

The writing in this book is so gorgeous and elegant. It has an old-time feel to it that I love. It was described as being based on the movie Labyrinth, but it also seems to hint at a certain Greek Myth. I don’t know for sure if I’m right or not on this, but if I am, then I’m even more in love with this book than I originally thought I was. You guys know I love Greek mythology more than anything! (I also won’t say which Greek Myth I think it is to avoid spoilers – you’ll have to read the book and see for yourself!)

I can understand why some people didn’t enjoy this book – Again, it was described as being a Labyrinth retelling and I think many people expected something closer to the movie. But in my opinion, this book is loosely based on the movie and if you think too much of the movie while reading this, you might feel a bit let down. I urge you to go into this book knowing it’s not exactly the movie. It has hints of the movie, but it is its own thing entirely, as well. If you do that, I think you’ll really, really enjoy it.

So.. *Takes shuddering breath.* I really can’t even think what else to say. This book really just blew me away, more than I ever imagined a book could. More than I thought this book could. I expected to love it, but I didn’t expect it to speak to my soul. I never thought any book would ever do that. This is one I will cherish for many years to come. One that I have a feeling I’ll want to re-read often. I (obviously) absolutely can’t wait for the second book. For more interactions between Liesl and the Goblin King. For more background and history regarding the Goblin King. For the reveal of his true name. And for so much more than that, which I can’t even put into words.

Obviously, I MORE than recommend this book. It’s the one I’ll be telling EVERYONE they should read. It’s by far one of the most amazing books I’ve read in a long time. It’s up there with Harry Potter and with Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, of which I recently finished A Court of Mist and Fury – another book that I gushed about and highly recommend. These two were by far my favorite reads of 2016 (because even though Wintersong is a 2017 debut, I read it in 2016) and I will never stop recommending them, as you can see in my 2016 End of Year Book Survey, in which you can see how often I recommended these two books!

So… Go buy this book! Go read this book! Go LOVE this book! Seriously, I can’t recommend it enough!

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About the Author:

S. Jae-Jones, called JJ, is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and the author of Wintersong, forthcoming from Thomas Dunne in February 2017.

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, she lived in New York City for ten years before relocating down to Dixie, where she is comfortably growing fat on grits and barbecue. When not writing, she can be found rock-climbing, skydiving, taking photographs, drawing pictures, and dragging her dog on ridiculously long hikes.

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And now for the giveaway! Three lucky winners will receive a finished copy of WINTERSONG (US Only)! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Blog Tour Schedule:

Week 1:
2/13: The Irish Banana Review – Review
2/14: That Artsy Reader Girl – Mood Board
2/15: Pandora’s Books – Review
2/16: Swoony Boys Podcast – This Or That
2/17: Krista’s Dust Jacket – Review

Week 2:
2/20: Emily Reads Everything – Q&A
2/21: Quite the Novel Idea – Review
2/22: A Binding Attraction – Makeup Inspirations
2/23: Fiction Fare – Review
2/24: Icey Designs – Quote Candy

Review: The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

Feb14

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles
Published by Bloomsbury Childrens Books on January 31, 2017
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-stars

For the perfect love, what would you be willing to lose?

It’s been a shattering year for seventeen-year-old Zoe, who’s still reeling from her father's shockingly sudden death in a caving accident and her neighbors’ mysterious disappearance from their own home. Then on a terrifying sub-zero, blizzardy night in Montana, she and her brother are brutally attacked in a cabin in the woods—only to be rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter they call X.

X is no ordinary bounty hunter. He is from a hell called the Lowlands, sent to claim the soul of Zoe’s evil attacker and others like him. X is forbidden from revealing himself to anyone other than his prey, but he casts aside the Lowlands’ rules for Zoe. As they learn more about their colliding worlds, they begin to question the past, their fate, and their future.

I really wanted to love this book – the premise was epic – but I really struggled to get through it. almost right from page one. The book is divided into four sections and section one was the biggest struggle. It was slow, the writing started off bland and I couldn’t connect AT ALL to the characters. Curiosity pushed me to continue reading and, once I got to section two, it started to pick up. I was excited, thinking it was a smart decision to push forward because things were picking up.

And then I got to page 218. And man, did I struggle. I was once again close to DNFing. I skimmed more than I read all the way through page 239 and then I tried reading again. And then the end of section three and all of section four picked up again. I actually enjoyed the ending, though it was completely predictable.

So.. was there any good in this? A little bit, actually. I loved the caving stuff. That was intriguing. I LOVED Ripper, more than any other character. I really want more of her – I want to learn about her background, who she was before. I want to see what it’s like when the Lowlands send her for a soul, as opposed to when they send X. She was just completely fascinating and I’d totally read an entire book about her.

I did love the sections/chapters that were from X’s POV, as opposed to Zoe’s. Only because I loved seeing and learning about the Lowlands and the lords. I’d much prefer a book that focused more on the Lowlands than the Overworld. Other than that, I don’t really have anything to say about Zoe and X. I didn’t connect with them, I didn’t ship them and they didn’t really interest me.

The biggest issues I had with this book delve a bit into spoiler territory, but it’s also a bit of a trigger warning so I feel I need to mention it. The man that X is after in the beginning is Not A Nice Man, as we are shown in very painful ways. The two things that almost caused me to DNF, above everything else, were: 1) the way he treated the two dogs in the book, and 2) An insinuated rape threat. Seriously, almost every time I read a book with a female protagonist that’s written by a man, there’s either an insinuated rape threat or an attempted rape scene. This happened in Harmony House and another book I read around the same time, but I’m blanking on what it was – and I may have DNF’d, because I can’t find a review of it in my files. So yeah.. Male authors: Stop doing this.

But yeah… Like, I KNOW this guy was supposed to be evil but it was almost like the author had to make him over-the-top evil so we’d see just how evil he was and why he deserved what was coming to him and it was just TOO MUCH. And it nearly made me DNF barely a few chapters in.

So… Yeah, that’s about it. I can’t think of anything else to say. I’m sad I didn’t enjoy this more. It had SO MUCH potential. But it just wasn’t my kind of book. I can’t say I’d recommend it because I really didn’t enjoy it, but I know a LOT of people loved it, so maybe give it a shot and decide for yourself.

Review: Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes

Feb12

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes

Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes
Series: Queen of Hearts Saga #2
Published by HarperTeen on January 31, 2017
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. The vicious father she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and turned the kingdom against her.

Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted Wood with only her war steed at her side, Dinah is faced with a choice: leave Wonderland forever or stay and fight her father for the throne.

When a chance encounter with one of her father’s long-lost enemies brings Dinah more allies than she ever could have imagined, war starts to feel inevitable. But before Dinah can lead her people into combat, she must confront certain truths about her heart and her destiny—no matter how dark those truths may be.

Revolution is rising in Wonderland. Dinah’s battle has begun.

I absolutely loved Queen of Hearts, the first book in this trilogy. So it pains me to say that Blood of Wonderland was a bit of a let-down. Oakes’ writing is amazing and the imagery is lush and beautiful, and the story itself was a fast read; however, the first half was absolute filler/Second Book Syndrome.

Dinah was a great character in Queen of Hearts – fierce and fiery, if not a bit spoiled. Her character development in Blood of Wonderland, however, was amazing. She becomes very self-aware of the privileged life she had. She goes through a lot, learns a lot and comes out of it ready to fight for her crown in a war that could cost her everything.

I can’t say much about Wardley without spoilers. When we left him in Queen of Hearts, he was in a very precarious position and we don’t learn his fate for a very long time. All I’m going to say is this: What I said about him in my Queen of Hearts review was pretty much right on point.

As I mentioned in my review of Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat is an incredibly devious and self-serving character, someone you wanted to trust but knew you couldn’t. In Blood of Wonderland, he was… Well, I still don’t fully trust Cheshire, but I’m very intrigued by him. Also, WTH was with that revelation he dropped on Dinah?!?! I actually believe his story, but.. Whoa… I also don’t fully trust Gorrann but he’s very protective of Dinah and I like that. I WANT to trust them both, I just don’t know yet if I can.

I was totally intrigued by the depiction of the Caterpillar in this book. I can’t say too much without spoilers, but he was pretty intense and maybe a little crazy.. Possibly? Sort of..

One thing that concerned me was the depiction of the Yurkei tribes. I could be wrong, but it seemed they were supposed to be Native American-like in their style and behavior; however, it was done in a stereotypical way and could be viewed as problematic. Again, I could be wrong in my assumptions/evaluations of this, but I didn’t feel I could write a full, comprehensive review without mentioning this.

The ending was intense and curious. I’m definitely excited for book three. Since book two was mainly filler, I’m dying for some action and I think we’ll see a LOT of action in book three as the war comes to a head and the battle begins. To the Battlefield we go!