Pandora’s Wonderland: I Am a Teenage Bookaholic (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Isabel from Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews here with an epically awesome guest post. Isabel is awesome and bookish! I love talking books with her! So, without further adieu, please welcome Isabel!

~*~*~*~*~*~

For more, visit Isabel’s blog and see what she has to say about the birth of YA. Find it here!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thanks to Isabel, we have an awesome swag giveaway for you guys! This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!! :)

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is INT

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: What Makes A Good Retelling (Guest Post + Giveaway)

May31

So today, I have the AMAZING Kaitlin from Reading is My Treasure here with an epically awesome guest post. I’ve been friends with Kaitlin for as long as I’ve been blogging! I love chatting with her about bookish things! So, without further adieu, please welcome Kaitlin!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hi everyone! First of all, I want to say thank you to Meredith for allowing me to write a guest post for her blogoversary celebration! I’ve decided to write about retellings–mainly what I what I like them to have, but I also have some book recommendations for all of you.

What I want to see in a retelling:

I want to read something creative. Unique spins on well-known (or lesser known) stories are one of my favorite things about reading retellings.
I want to read a retelling that holds the essence of the original story in some way. It’s nice to see some of the same themes and images that made that story memorable.
I want magic. Or just paranormal/futuristic elements. I’m not against contemporary retellings, but generally, I don’t enjoy them as much. They don’t seem to hold the kind of creativity I’m looking for.
I want the retelling to stand on its own and not be too much like the original story. If its not different enough, it doesn’t feel . . . completely like the author’s own work. (This is how I felt while reading the last retelling I read. It felt too much like the original story, even though it had a lot of twists.)
I want the retelling to be memorable! This applies to all books, but when it comes to retellings, I want to be able to remember how the author twisted the original story and formed their own.

My favorite retellings:
(These books are on Epic Reads’ chart of YA retellings. There are retellings of fairy tales, classics, and mythology.)

Cinder is probably the most creative retelling that I’ve read and really enjoyed. I had that book in mind when I was writing about what I want to see in a retelling.

Eon is a Asian mythology retelling, and I love it. If you love dragon books, you must read it!

Masque of the Red Death, The Madman’s Daughter, and A Curse as Dark as Gold stand out to me as I look at all the retellings I’ve read. I tend to like a retelling more if it’s set in the past (or the future, but I haven’t read as many of those).

Retellings that I’m dying to read:

I’ve only read one retelling or Alice in Wonderland, one of Rapunzel, and none relating to The Wizard of Oz, but I want to read all three so bad! They just seem like something new–and each of the above books seem to have so much creativity put into them.

I would also love to read books retelling Finnish myths, Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Sherlock Holmes. I also want to read more retellings of Asian mythology, Edgar Allan Poe, and classics.

That’s all I have for this post! If you have any recommendations for me, please let me know. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Along with Kaitlin’s wonderful post, we have an epic prize to give away! Signed copies of Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer!! This giveaway is US only, but fear not! We have INT giveaways going on in our Grand Prize Giveaway which you can enter here! We also have an international giveaway going on here!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is US Only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: My Top Ten Recommendations for 2014 (Guest Post + Giveaway)

May29

So today, I have the AMAZING Crystal from Crystal in Wonderland here with an epically awesome guest post. Crystal is one of my most amazing friends. She’s epic, bookish and so, so sweet! I don’t know what I’d do without her! So, without further adieu, please welcome Crystal!

~*~*~*~*~*~

So I’m super excited to be helping out with all the blogoversary festivities!! I hope you enjoy it with tons of books, cupcakes, and confetti!

I’m seriously the WORST at coming up with guest posts so I decided to do something simple and just let you in on my top ten picks of 2014 so far! I’m also going to be giving away a book of choice from The Book Depository. :D You can choose one of the books I recommended or any book your little heart desires!

These are seriously in no particular order. I just went through my Goodreads list and narrowed it down to my top ten, and let me tell you…it was REALLY hard! I’ve gotten lucky and read a lot of really awesome books this year!

My Top Ten Recommendations for 2014

(Each book title below is linked to GR)

1. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This book is still the one I have read the fastest this entire year. I was on the edge of my seat and needed answers IMMEDIATELY for everything. This is definitely an awesome YA Thriller.

2. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Yes ANOTHER Armentrout book, this lady just knows how to write a good book. Basically this book was amazing all around but ROTH. I will never look at a Demon the same again. EVER.

3. Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens
This is one of those books that really dive into some major issues and it touched me on a personal level. At the end of reading it I wanted to take it and pass it out to every girl who has ever been in this situation just to show there is hope, you do have a voice and you aren’t alone.

4. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
A unique dystopian that kicked it up a notch for me. Filled with action and fast paced and I loved every minute of it. Definitely ready for the sequel!

5. Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
This is definitely my top fantasy of the year so far. I flew through this book so dang fast and I didn’t see the majority of the plot twists coming. Blackburne did a really awesome job at hitting me with the unexpected. She also knows how to fill me with angst and anxiety over certain people and their relationships!

6. The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
Any book I ever read by Mead will always be on my top list of any kind. She is my absolute favorite author and this book was another fantastic one to go on my shelf. Plus everyone knows my book hubby is in here! ADRIAN ♥♥

7. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
MATT FINCH. MATT FINCH. MATT FINCH. Seriously the guy is the best. I dare one of you not to love him. The story was also fantastic and it had an amazing friendship that was a main part of it.

8. Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Stolarz
Basically this book scared the crap out me so I want you all to read it now and be as terrified as I was so I don’t feel like such a baby. Even though I was scared (seriously SCARED) I still majorly need the sequel and really loved the book, and I’m not one of those people who typically reads or even watches horror.

9. A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller
Major fan of historical fiction and Waller wrote a fantastic one. The heroine was really tough and stood out in her era. It was an amazing story focusing on feminism and suffragettes. This is definitely one that I can read over and over again.

10. The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
This chic used The Art of War as a how-to guide to win back her ex. First off that is just a brilliant new twist in contemporary novels period. Then there is Micah….the hottie with mohawk who adores his little sister and basically made me swoon the entire book.

~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks to Crystal, one lucky International (US/CAN/INT) reader will get a book of their choice worth up to $20! This giveaway is INT, as long as The Book Depository ships to you for free!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is International (TBD MUST ship to you for free)

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-Stacee and I are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: Top Ten Books I Would Cut A Bitch For (Guest Post + Giveaway)

May27

So today, I have the AMAZING Stacee from Adventures of a Book Junkie here with an epically awesome guest post. Stacee is like my Blogging Fairy Godmother. She spoils me and I adore her for it! I’ve known her for almost as long as I’ve been blogging and I’d be completely lost without her! So, without further adieu, please welcome Stacee!

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Meredith asked me to do a guest post for her blogoversary, I immediately agreed. But when she told me that I could pick any topic and write pretty much whatever I wanted, I was a bit perplexed. As you may know, I don’t really participate in all of the memes and weekly round-up topics that other blogs do. I had no idea what I was going to do.
And then it came to me!

Before we get started, I feel like it’s necessary to mention that excluding the number one spot, the top ten list below is not in ranking order. I want all of them equally as much.

I present to you, the Top Ten Books I Would Cut A Bitch For.

10. Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Because Daemon. Do I really need to give a better reason than that?

9. Scarlet #3 {currently untitled} by A.C. Gaughen
THAT ENDING FROM LADY THIEF? AKSJDFLASJDF;LAJKS

I feel like this series hasn’t gotten the love it so rightfully deserves. If you haven’t read it, it’s a retelling of Robin Hood and Scarlet kicks ass and I highly recommend it.

8. Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Thankfully this comes out soon and I don’t have to wait too much longer. Mal + The Darkling + Sturmhond = a very happy Stacee

7. Deliverance by CJ Redwine
Another second book in a series with a wicked ending that made me want to scream. Logan and Rachel are some of my favorite characters and I’m so excited to see what happens after the set up from Deception.

6. Sisters’ Fate by Jessica Spotswood
I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO ANGRY AT THE ENDING OF A BOOK TWO. After finishing Star Cursed, I immediately emailed Jessica with all of my feels. Kudos to Jessica for making me rage and want to cause serious bodily harm to a fictional character.

5. Isla and the Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Because I hear that there’s more with Étienne and Cricket. Plus, I’ve always liked Josh and Stephanie knows how to bring the swoons.

4. Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard
This is probably one of my favorite series out there. I’ve already read this book and it was phenomenal. I can’t wait to get a finished and signed copy in my greedy hands to complete the set.

3. Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
If you know anything about my reading habits, know this: I am extremely picky about the fantasy books I read. I’ve been in love with the Throne of Glass books from the beginning and they’re definitely in my top 5 of books EVER. I need everything Sarah’s ever written right now.

2. Ensnared by A.G. Howard
WET JEB FTMFW. The End.

1. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
You had to see this one coming, right?

I’ve definitely got some theories on what the outcome is going to be and I’m pretty sure that it’s not even close to whatever mindfuckery Michelle has in store for us. The ending of Evolution slayed me {yes, worse than Star Cursed did} and I’ve never needed answers like I do with this series. I would do horrible, horrible things to get my hands on an early copy.

There you have it. All I have left to say is:

~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks to Stacee, we have one SIGNED paperback copy of Die for Me by Amy Plum to give away! This giveaway is US only, but fear not! We have INT giveaways going on in our Grand Prize Giveaway which you can enter here!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-Stacee and I are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Meredith’s Mind #4: Planning for BEA… At the Last Minute

May26

By now, with BEA (Book Expo America) just days away, everyone is probably sick of seeing BEA-related posts. Unless you’re like me and attending BEA for the first time – then you’re positively DEVOURING any and all advice you stumble across.

So here’s the deal: At first, I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to attend BEA. I applied for a Press Pass and was denied – That’s fine and I understand why it happened; it’s just, it took so long to hear back from them about it that I was pressed for time in registering and buying my ticket. And then, when I was finally ready to buy my ticket, some transportation issues arose. For those who don’t know, I live outside NYC and was planning to commute in each day. But then things came up. So I wasn’t sure if I was going and I didn’t want to plan and get excited, only to find out I couldn’t go. Bottom line, I didn’t want to get my hopes up!

Then a wonderful blogging friend saved my BEA Butt by agreeing to let me crash at her apartment. And so here we are, two days away from BEA and I haven’t finalized my conference schedule, haven’t made a packing list and haven’t started packing, obviously. I haven’t even pulled my suitcase out of the attic yet.

So, if you’re like me and behind on planning, fear not! I’m going to share with you everything I’ve learned so far!

But first… I’m going to share with you some things about myself to prepare you guys for the socially awkward meet-and-greet! This idea is credited to Jessica @ Lovin’ Los Libros. You can find her post here!

1. So, I’m NOT photogenic and I HATE putting my picture out there (yet I do STS vlogs, go figure). But here it is, so you can pick me out in a crowd more easily:

2. I’m a TOTALLY awkward hugger. Unless the other person initiates the hug, I always wonder if they actually WANT to hug and then I hesitate and it’s awkward. But I DON’T mind hugs, so if you’re a hugger, go for it! Just a heads up!

3. I’m really, really shy… Like, someone I went to high school with once told me everyone thought I was a bitch and a stuck-up snob because I didn’t make eye contact with anyone in the hallway between classes… But I was just painfully shy. Once I get to know you, I get chatty and you won’t be able to shut me up!

And that leads me to Things About Me Number 4…

4. I’m ridiculously nervous when it comes to approaching people. I tend to get nervous and sulk away. So if you see me/recognize me, feel free to make the first move! (That sounds so wrong, but ya know what I mean!). And if we make eye contact and I look away, I’m NOT snubbing you!! I’m just shy and, most likely, working up the courage to come say hi!

5. The final point I want to make is this: I’m BAD with faces. I could stare at a person’s picture for hours and still have trouble recognizing them in real life. So if I’m scanning the crowd and look right past you, I’m SO SORRY! Just run up and yell at me!

So that’s everything, I think. Bottom line: I’m totally composed on here and on Twitter because I can type something out and read it over ten times, making sure it sounds perfect. But I can’t do that in real life! So yeah, the excitement is there, but so are the nerves! Please excuse my quirkiness and COME SAY HI if I don’t have the guts to do it first :)

OKAY… Now that the fun stuff *COUGH sarcasm COUGH* is done… As promised, here is a short list of everything I’ve learned so far in preparing for BEA:

1. Professional versus Comfortable. Dress professionally, but wear comfortable shoes – even if that means sneakers (just make sure they’re clean and new looking!). This seems to be the number one piece of advice from every blogger, author and industry insider I’ve spoken to. BEA is a professional trade show. That means you are representing your company and/or your blog/vlog. You want to make a good impression! You’re going to be meeting many, many people and you never know who you might network with. You want people to remember you for the RIGHT reasons.

2. Be Polite and Respectful (!!). Going back to rule number one – You’re going to be meeting agents, publicists, editors, authors, etc. Are you a blogger who wants to work in publishing one day? Then you may very well meet your future co-workers at BEA, if not your future boss. Be polite, professional, respectful. Avoid foul language and inappropriate jokes. Even if you think you’re saying things just to your friends, you never know who will walk by or who can hear you from the next booth over.

3. Business Cards! Sadly, if you don’t have business cards already, it’s likely too late to order them. VistaPrint is pretty good about express shipping, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg. However, if you DO have business cards, BRING THEM. This ties in with rules one and two – you never know who you’ll meet and network with. Trading business cards allows you to stay in touch with those you make connections with.

4. Bring an external battery charger. I’ve been told numerous times by numerous people that the Javits does NOT have any outlets for you to use. Not to mention it seems to be a black hole that sucks out all your phone’s battery within an hour or less. And if you really want to take pictures or share things on social media, your battery will drain even faster. Plus, since your phone is your lifeline for meeting up with friends, you’ll be in trouble if it dies on you.

5. Don’t be an ARC Hog. This is another piece of advice everyone has been talking about. Seriously, don’t grab every single ARC just because you can. Think of it this way… There are only so many copies available. What if you grab an ARC you’re only mildly interested in and, because of that, someone who was dying for it can’t get a copy? Better yet, what if YOU desperately want something and every copy is gone by the time you try to get it because every person who was mildly interested in it just grabbed it? Plus, is it really necessary to leave BEA with 100+ books, half of which you may never read? And, another thing? Don’t be greedy… Don’t grab multiple copies! Same logic – it deprives others who might desperately want it.

6. Bring Food or Starve. Okay, not really. But I’ve been told food at the Javits is yucky and over-priced. Plus, you could end up waiting in some sighing lines for over an hour and might have to rush from one signing to another, with no time for food inbetween. Bring granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, candy bars – whatever will be yummy and satisfying. Personally, I like granola bars that have peanut butter and lots of protein because they’re filling. Also, while water is your absolute best option, some drinks like Gatorade and Vitamin Water have electrolytes, which help keep you from becoming dehydrated.

7. Authors are People, Too. They are going to be signing hundreds of books for people. Some signings are only half an hour long. Don’t get upset if an author looks/sounds tired or isn’t up for chatting or taking pictures. Be kind and respectful to them and thank them for their time. They’ll remember that kindness and appreciate it!

~*~*~*~*~*~*

So I think that about covers everything. I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch of things, but no have no fear! I’m including some links below to blog posts by other bloggers who have similar posts. Some of them are seasoned BEA-goers and are able to provide better advice than I can!

The wonderful bloggers at Owl Always Be Reading have a whole blog post with nothing but links to BEA advice posts. Be sure to check it out here! It’s like a one-stop free-for-all.

The epically amazing (and generous) Jenna @ Jenna Does Books has kindly shared her ENTIRE BEA spreedsheet, which has a huge list of autographing authors, broken down by day. If you stop by her blog and download the Excel document, be sure to leave her a comment, thanking her for her generosity! Find that blog post here!

Katie @ Katie’s Book Blog has some wonderful advice about not spending all your time in the autographing lines and discovering new authors. Check it out here.

Shae @ Shae Has Left the Room has a six-part series filled with BEA advice – everything from packing to getting your badge to BEA etiquette. Find them all here!

Nicole from YA Interrobang has a Google Doc FILLED with an extensive list of YA signings, panels and galley drops. Check it out here!

Not sure what to do after BEA each night? Don’t want to just hang around your hotel room/apartment? Julie at Bloggers[Heart]Books has a great list (with dates, times and locations) of some after-hours events that are open to the public! Check it out here!

If you’re a blogger interested in attending the blogger meet-and-greets, Alexa Loves Books has a blog post with more information, such as dates, times and locations. Find it here.

Stacking the Shelves #19: In Which I Explain How Socially Awkward I Am!

May26

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Books I Mentioned:
Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold
Unforgettable Summer by Catherine Clark
Vampires of Manhattan by Melissa de la Cruz
Catch A Falling Star by Kim Culbertson
Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore
Blood Work by Kim Harrison
Unite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead
Dark Days by Kate Ormand
Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland
Vivian Divine is Dead by Lauren Sabel
The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
The Treatment by Suzanne Young

People I Mentioned:
Celeste Pewter @ The Reading Nook Reviews
Emma @ Awkwordly Emma
Kierra @ The Word Mineur
Melissa de la Cruz
Nikki Wang @ Fiction Freak

Publishers I Mentioned
Epic Reads (AKA Harper Teen)
Harper Voyager
Macmillan

And to find out more about the epic joint-Blogoversary event with Kayla and Stacie, visit their blog, A Wonderland of Reading
.

Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

May25

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Published by Tor on September 24, 2013
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

Though Vicious started out amazing, fast-paced with wonderful characters, the last 90 pages or so really dragged. I felt satisfied with the ending, but unsatisfied with the way we got to the ending.

Victor was a great character. There’s just something about him – He sees himself as the villain, but as one of the main narrators of the story, it’s hard to view him as the villain. He’s so likable and he has an interesting sense of humor! He definitely had a dark side and he kind of scared me at certain points. The end was kind of hilarious, too. I love how his twisted mind thinks!

Eli was such a complicated character. I wanted to hate him and the atrocious things he did. But he was SO convinced what he was doing was for the greater good and to protect people that it made it hard to see him as a villain. His conviction that all EO’s were evil, based on his experience with Victor, was so strong that, sometimes, it was hard not to agree with him and think he was right. But then he would do something heinous and you’d hate him again. The ending, like I said, was hilarious, though. And I think he definitely got what he deserved.

To be honest – and maybe this was just me – I kind of pictured Eli and Victor as Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along. Seriously, maybe it’s just me. If you know what Dr. Horrible is, let me know if you agree! And if you don’t know what Dr. Horrible is, well… GO WATCH IT ON NETFLIX NOW!!!

I really loved the secondary characters in this book. Sydney was young and innocent, yet forced to grow up fast. She had an amazing, scary power that she had to learn to control and she had to do dark things with it. She never should have been put in that situation. There was one thing with Sydney’s power at the end, though, that.. Eh. It got kind of annoying and repetitive. And maybe it was meant for shock value? To scare readers and keep us guessing? But it happened twice and it was.. Annoying. Like a false lead. It felt needless, like a trick. Maybe it’s just because the book was dragging at that point and I just wanted it to end, but it was kind of annoying. I also loved Mitch. He was like a big, scary teddy bear. I liked that he questioned Victor and I liked how he took care of Sydney. But again… Something at the end.. Meh.

Serena was awesome. I know she was supposed to be a bad guy for so many reasons, but I had some trouble viewing her like that. In my opinion, Eli twisted everything to make her believe him and side with him. Though she was the one who could technically control him, he put his own little spell on her. She believed in him and his cause and, since she had no one else, she went along with it – like in a cult. Without Eli’s influence, I think she would have used her powers for good, not evil. I LOVED that she put Eli in his place and talked back to him. It was hilarious. Also, she kind of reminded me of Ridley Duchannes from Beautiful Creatures. Anyone agree?

For the most part, this book was fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. At several points, my heart was pounding like crazy, waiting to see what would happen. The characters were great, the plot and writing were great and I LOVED the blurred lines of good versus evil and right versus wrong. It really makes you wonder: If a bad thing is done with good intentions, is it good or bad? I was really sad when the last 90 or so pages began to drag, though. I was hoping for an epic, out-with-a-bang ending. I LOVED the ending itself and cracked up at Victor’s genius, but getting to the ending was painful.

Overall, I mostly enjoyed this book. I think reading the first 100 pages in September and then not reading the rest of the book until eight months later definitely might have put a damper in my enthusiasm and, for that reason alone, I definitely still recommend this book. Victoria Schwab is a great writer with a brilliant imagination and I would still tell people to read ALL her books because she’s awesome and they’re awesome.

Cover Reveal: Predator by Janice Gable Bashman

May23

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

PREDATOR by Janice Gable Bashman

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

JBashman_M9B_Predator_REV2_900x1350

“Predator is a fast-paced, creepy page-turner! Bashman had me at the opening sentence and she’s still got me. I want more!”

Nancy Holder, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Rules

The hunt is on!

Sixteen-year-old Bree Sunderland must inject herself with an untested version of her father’s gene therapy to become a werewolf in order to stop a corrupt group of mercenaries from creating a team of unstoppable lycanthrope soldiers.

When Bree went with her scientist father to Ireland, she thought it would be a vacation to study bog bodies. She never expected to fall in love with a mysterious young Irishman and certainly never expected to become the kind of monster her father said only existed in nightmares. Dr. Sunderland discovers that lycanthropy was not a supernatural curse but rather a genetic mutation. When they return home, her dad continues his research, but the military wants to turn that research into a bio weapons program and rogue soldiers want to steal the research to turn themselves into unstoppable killing machines.

Bree’s boyfriend Liam surprises her with a visit to the United States, but there are darker surprises in store for both of them. As evil forces hunt those she loves, Bree must become an even more dangerous hunter to save them all.

Predator gives the werewolf legend a couple of new spins by introducing the Benandanti (an actual folkloric belief that certain families of Italy and Livonia were werewolves who fought against evil), as well as a modern scientific approach to mutation and the science of transgenics.

Title: PREDATOR
Publication date: October 14 , 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Janice Gable Bashman

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Janice Gable Bashman

Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Wanted Undead or Alive and Predator. She is managing editor of the The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers’ ezine). Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she at work on her next novel. Visit her at janicegablebashman.com.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: A Matter of Forever by Heather Lyons (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

May20

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.

A Matter of Forever by Heather Lyons
Series: Fate #4
Published by Cerulean Books on May 13, 2014
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

It all comes down to this . . .

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.

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

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the A Matter of Forever tour! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! Heather is amazing and I absolutely LOVED this book!!!! I hope you enjoy my review!

This book shattered my feels, brought me to tears and filled me with more joy than any other book ever has or ever will. Heather’s writing is so melodic and she crafted a gorgeous ending to an incredible series, one that will stay with me forever.

I feel like I say this every time, but Chloe has grown SO much from the first book to now. She started out as a young, frightened (though never helpless) girl and matured into a bright, strong, mature young woman. She fought harder than she has ever fought before. She knew when to give up, when to ask for help and when to keep pushing until she achieved her desired goals. She also knew when to let go… But I can’t explain that because of spoilers.

Jonah was… Wow. And Kellan? Omg.. Wow… First of all, I just want to say this: You know a love triangle is amazingly well-done when you root for one person, but know the MC will end up with the other – and you’re perfectly okay with that, because you know, deep down, it’s meant to be. Now, for those of you who know which Team I’m on, this may seem like a spoilers, though I can assure you, it’s not. And for those of you who don’t know which Team I’m on, you’ll need to read the books to truly find out! But it needed to be said because Heather is such a brilliant writer, she managed to pull off one of my all-time favorite love triangles EVER. And she did it in such an amazing way, I’m completely satisfied with the way things ended. I’m still heartbroken over certain things, but I’m completely satisfied.

It’s hard to say which twin matured more in this final book. For Jonah, he got over his trust and anger issues. He was no longer like a ticking time-bomb, ready to explode. When things needed to be asked or said, he asked them and said them. He was open and honest and so, so good to Chloe in this book. Then there was Kellan. Kellan had to grow up a LOT in this series. He had to accept so many things. In the past, he ran away from his problems rather than face them. But in A Matter of Forever, he accepted things and faced them head-on. He didn’t run; rather, he came to a mature decision, weighed the pros and cons and did what he felt was best for everyone involved.

Of course, no review of a Fate book would be complete without mentioning how much I adore Astrid, Callie, Cora, Cameron, Will, Raul and so many others. Unlike some books, where secondary characters are just that – secondary and in the background, Heather has crafted these amazing characters, family and friends, people you wish you could know in real life. I don’t want to say too much and spoil things, but I’m truly happy with where their stories ended – though still heartbroken for some of them.

The deaths in this book – and yes, I’m sad to say that there were several lives lost – dealt a crushing blow. I had to stop reading after two deaths in particular. I raged against them. I kept telling myself they hadn’t actually happen, they had to be a dream. I felt both losses just as greatly as the characters did. I’m still dealing with them, mourning the losses with a broken heart. The outcome of the one, well… Spoiler. So I can’t say, but I can say that at least the one was for the best. That’s not to say I’ll ever heal from that loss (I know, I’m speaking as if this truly happened in real life… but that’s how much these characters have come to man to me), but I know I’ll heal over time.

And yes, that brings me to say that my feels were utterly destroyed with this book. After four books and one novella, these characters have become like family to me. They feel so real and we’ve been through so much together, it’s hard to see them as fictional. Though we still have Kellan’s novella to look forward to, this is pretty much the end of this series and and I just can’t fathom it. I can’t imagine not having another book in this series to look forward to. It baffles me that this is the end and I won’t get to know what happens next for these characters.

But with that said, the ending was absolute perfection. I definitely cried several times throughout the book, but the end brought me tears of joy. I can’t imagine this series ending in any other way and I’m so, so happy with where all the characters stories ended.

This will, forever and always, be considered one of my Top Three favorite series’ of all time. I can see myself re-reading it for years to come. If you haven’t read this series, then you must. With realistic, lovable characters, a plot that is like nothing I have ever read and the most amazing, satisfying ending, I promise you, you will NOT be disappointed.

—————————————————

About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s Website | Heather’s Twitter
Heather’s Facebook | Heather’s Goodreads
Heather’s Pinterest

Thanks to Inkslinger PR and Heather Lyons, we have an amazing giveaway set up for you guys! Please enter by using the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

May19

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 Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 11, 2013
Pages: 213
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

“Take her out back and finish her off.”

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.

And that she must run.

In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die was a twisted, mind-blowing mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.

In true April Henry fashion, the book starts right in the thick of things. There’s no 50-100-page set-up, where we have to wait and wonder what will happen. The book opens with the main character, Cady, waking up in the cabin. I actually really love this about April Henry. Sometimes, those first 50-100 pages can be really slow and boring while we’re waiting for something to happen. And knowing something WILL happen, I find sometimes I tend to overlook that 50-page set-up because I’m waiting for the action to start. I can’t speak for other readers, but that’s just me. So not having to deal with that is pretty refreshing.

Cady (who’s name we don’t learn until half-way through the book), was really intriguing. With amnesia, she doesn’t remember who she is, where she is, who is after her or why. This puts not only the character in the dark, but also the reader. Just as Cady didn’t know who to trust, neither did we. Every time she made the decision to do something or trust someone, my heart was in my throat because I always wondered, can she really trust this person?

We, as the reader, are also given two possible theories for what happened, how Cady came to be in that cabin, who was trying to kill her and why. It isn’t until almost the end of the book that we learn which theory is true and, until then, the back-and-forth on what was happening almost made me dizzy with confusion, doubt and worry. It added to the question of who could be trusted and made me second-guess everything Cady decided to do.

I liked Ty a lot, but I never fully trusted him, thanks to the two different theories and wondering which to believe. But he seemed kind and caring through it all. I don’t know how believable it was that he would help a total stranger in the way he did, but we were given an explanation as to why he did what he did and I guess I can understand where he was coming from.

I loved the timeline and the big reveal at the end. It wasn’t at all what I thought it would be. Plus, just as April Henry begins her books right in the thick of things, she also ends them abruptly – not in a bad way, but I got to a point where I had 13 pages left and had no idea how she would fit everything into that last 13 pages and still wrap the plot up nicely, but she did! I don’t read many thrillers, and it was kind of fun being on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to guess what would happen and how it would end.

Overall, just as I was glad Girl, Stolen was my first April Henry book, I’m so glad I chose The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die as my second April Henry book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved seeing the similarities and differences from the first book to the second. I’m also really excited to pick up my third April Henry book because I’ve come to expect the kind of thrills, twists and turns in her books that will leave me feeling satisfied with the ending. I definitely recommend this book!