Dec 27, 2013

Book Blast: Trinkets, Treasures and Other Bloody Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Three months ago, I lost my foster sister, Sienna, to the darkness. As in blood magic and chaos and general mayhem. No one saw it until it was too late, but I should have. Now, I have a wounded heart and soul that I can’t even reveal to anyone around me, because I’m supposed to hate Sienna with the fiery passion of the justified. And I do. I just wish I didn’t feel so lost without her, so unsure of the path I thought I had carved for myself, and so outclassed by the powerful Adepts constantly by my side these days. I’m not even sure if they’re with me for my own protection or because my shiny new powers are rare and valuable. Assuming I ever figure out who or what I am, and how my magic actually works.
Even chocolate can’t save the day every time … just most of the time. At least I’ve got that going for me.
    


 Giveaway is open International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meghan Ciana Doidge is an award-winning writer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She has a penchant for bloody love stories, superheroes, and the supernatural. She also has a thing for chocolate, potatoes, and sock yarn.

Novels – After The Virus, Spirit Binder, Time Walker, Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic – Dowser #1, Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic – Dowser #2
  

Novellas – Love Lies Bleeding Website: http://www.madebymeghan.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeghanCianaDoidge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcdoidge
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4897363.Meghan_Ciana_Doidge

Dec 26, 2013

Recent Reads: Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen


Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Publication Date: February 26, 2013

 
Format: Ebook
Source: Netgalley and HarlequinTEEN

My Rating:



Goodreads Synopsis:
My kiss can kill.

I used to be ordinary Samantha Day, but that's changed. Now, after one dark kiss from a dangerous boy, I can steal someone's soul…or their life. If I give in to the constant hunger inside me, I hurt anyone I kiss. If I don't…I hurt myself.

Bishop is the one whose kiss I crave most, but if I kiss him, I'll kill him. Then there's another boy, one I can't hurt. One whose kiss seems to miraculously quell my hunger. They're both part of a team of angels and demons that's joined forces in my city to fight a mysterious rising darkness, an evil that threatens everyone I know and love. I just wonder if I'll be able to help Bishop—or if I'm just another part of the darkness he's sworn to destroy….

NIGHTWATCHERS: When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising…

Review:
It has been a while that this book has been sitting in my Kindle needing to be read, and I FINALLY got around to it. I feel like such a slacker.

What I remember of Dark Kiss was a series of angels and demons and Sam, the main character, who has a crazy supernatural past that she does not know about. I have to say that Wicked Kiss helped bring a lot of the key plot points out again for the slacker of a reader that I am. It took key plot points from Dark Kiss and reiterated quite well in the rise and fall of this new book.

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM DARK KISS

Samantha has no soul; it was taken from her by her crazy aunt in an attempt to unleash chaos into the town of Trinity. While this would be a sucky situation for most, Sam is using it to her advantage, to learn about her new-found powers while also having to control her unending hunger for souls from others. In Wicked Kiss, Sam must come to terms with her soulless existence or find a way out of it by retrieving her soul from the guy who took it. Luckily this book picks up almost immediately after the end of the last one, no summer lag time, no year or two later schemes. That is one of the things I really liked about the plot, it really shoved the reader right back into the plotline. 

While I liked that aspect there were a few things that I was more keen on noticing reading the second book that the first, for example, there was a lot of instalove or even just flat out attraction going on.  Between Bishop and his demon brother there was a lot of tension when it came to who wanted Sam more, it was amusing, don’t get me wrong, but all of a sudden Kraven wanted in on the fun? It was a little strange.

I found Sam to be both strong and whiney at times, it was either her throwing a typical teenage tantrum or being wise beyond her years and I doubt most teens are like that, one way or the other, not both.

I did really like the plot, it kept me pulled in and I read the book in one sitting. Like I mentioned it picks right up where Dark Kiss left off and just keeps running, there are more greys to deal with, more angel/demon teaming up to vanquish them, more crazy people showing up to haunt the town and even an appearance of more of Sam’s family… Overall it was a very captivating read.

Dec 25, 2013

Recent Reads: Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone


Publisher: Disney Book Group, Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: October 8, 2013

 
Format: Ebook
Source: Netgalley and Disney Book Group

My Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis:
Calling Anna and Bennett's romance long distance is an understatement: she's from 1995 Chicago and he's a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco. The two of them never should have met, but they did. They fell in love, even though they knew they shouldn't. And they found a way to stay together, against all odds.

It's not a perfect arrangement, though, with Bennett unable to stay in the past for more than brief visits, skipping out on big chunks of his present in order to be with Anna in hers. They each are confident that they'll find a way to make things work...until Bennett witnesses a single event he never should have seen (and certainly never expected to). Will the decisions he makes from that point on cement a future he doesn't want?

Told from Bennett's point of view, Time After Time will satisfy listeners looking for a fresh, exciting, and beautifully-written love story, both those who are eager to find out what's next for Time Between Us's Anna and Bennett and those discovering their story for the first time.

Review:
Time After Time is the sequel to Time Between Us, and after reading Time Between Us I did not think that there was going to be another book. I was happy to learn that this book would arrive this fall and that it would be told from Bennett’s point of view instead of Anna’s.  I think that this book was just as good as the first one but for different reasons.

In book one, I was taken aback by the way that time-travel worked so easily (and not so easily). I had just read other time-travel books that I was NOT ok with so this was a welcome change. Needless to say the time travel is still wonderful in this installment but what really catches the reader (or at least myself) was that we finally learn how Bennett feels about everything that happens to him.

In Time Between Us, he is the bad boy time traveler who is there and then gone again, who may or may not use his powers for good, all while Anna ponders the implications of it all. In Time After Time, we learn how tormented Bennett really is by his abilities and how stressful it can be for him. That he is really not the bad boy at all but a stressed out, freak of a kid, who wants some normalcy in his life but is in love with a girl from a completely different time period from his own.

I think that learning more about Bennett really made this book stronger than I originally thought it would be. The relationship between Anna and Bennett is bizarre and amazing and these books gave the readers something that other books haven’t, both sides of the story (to a degree).
 

Dec 24, 2013

Early Reader Review: The Last Christmas by Gerry Duggan

The Last Christmas by Gerry Duggan
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: December 3, 2013

 
Format: EBook
Source: Netgalley and Image Comics for Review

My Rating
Goodreads Synopsis:
The writers behind the hit series Deadpool present the sad, funny, and true story of Santa Claus - after the apocalypse! After tragedy strikes the North Pole, Santa turns his back on humanity and gives up on Christmas. Even though the world has been completely overrun by naughty men, there's still one boy that believes in Santa. But could that be the biggest mistake of his life?

Review:
The Last Christmas is a mash-up of a Christmas tale with a zombie apocalypse and how Santa reacts to the destruction left behind by the undead and marauders. Upon seeing this as an offering from Netgalley and Image Comics, I was intrigued: 1. Because it was Christmas related—‘tis the season and all, and 2. Because …um zombies! Duh! You really cannot go wrong with brain craving crazies. The graphic novel is just that: GRAPHIC, there are zombies and death throughout and Santa is not your typical jolly St. Nic. On the contrary, he is a badass.

I should also say that this novel only got three stars out of me, there have been so many amazing artists throughout my time reading that while this book and story were interesting and not the norm, the images were not the very best I have seen, do not get me wrong, the artist was amazing and I am envious of the talent. That being said there was a lot more violence than I expected.

Santa, like I mentioned above, is not jolly, nor even nice most of the time. He is drunk, a bit of a pain, and more or less horrible person – all for good reason, he misses Mrs. Claus, but still. I hate seeing Santa in such a macabre fashion.

I did enjoy the story, Santa is distraught and trying to die, but can’t because there is still a child that believes in him, so he is doomed to magical immortality until the kid stops believing. Santa has to choose between his own life and the lives of the few others that still survive after the zombies take over and that is heartwarming and even interesting.

I LOVED the last few pages of the book and the allusion of more to come in the way of Santa as a zombie-hunting Rambo type. So I leave the decision up to you, if you like a gory, off-kilter, drunken Santa type story, this is for you. If you are more partial to the happy St. Nic checking his list, leave this one be.


View all my reviews

Dec 23, 2013

Blog Blitz: G&A with Cameron Jace author of Insanity +Giveaway

Insanity by Cameron Jace
Publication date: December 20th 2013
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:
After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder is now a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. Only a hookah-smoking professor believes otherwise; that he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll’s paintings, photographs, and find Wonderland’s real whereabouts. Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the wonderland monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science.



Purchase:


Q: Is insanity an Alice in Wonderland retelling where fact and fiction intermingle like in your previous series the Grimm Diaries?
A: It’s not quite a retelling of Alice in Wonderland as much as inspired by it. It has all the whimsical and nonsensical wonderland fantasy parts, but it’s more grounded to reality because it happens in our time. Fact and fiction do walk side by side in this book. For instance, Lewis Carroll is present as character himself.

Q: Why did you call it Insanity?
 A: Well, insanity is the main theme of the book. All what Alice has seen could be interpreted as madness in many ways. Also, when you read the book, it’s insane. I mean like really insane. You will either love or hate it. I don’t think there is a middle zone.

Q: Is the story told from many point of views like the Grimm Diaries?
A: Just a few, but most of the story is Alice’s personal journey.

Q: The Grimm Diaries was filled with research, how much did you put in Insanity?
A: I think the research in Insanity is even greater than the Grimm Diaries. The book is also more action oriented. Alice travels from Oxford, London, Vatican City then Belgium in a couple of days. Each city had to be researches and connected with Lewis Carroll and his books.

Q: The blurb says Alice’s sanity can only be proved through Lewis Carroll’s photography and writing. We thought this is about Wonderland.
A: It’s about Wonderland. The idea is that all puzzles, action scenes, and even romance have a Lewis Carroll background to them. The main reason why this book came to my mind is my fascination with both Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll himself. If you learn the reasons behind each character and location in his book, you will love Alice in Wonderland even more. It’s no coincidence that we all relate to the book. It’s a masterpiece.

Q: You said Insanity is more of a TV pilot. How so?
A: I did write it as a novel but also as TV pilot. The reason is that once you get the idea of the book, the possibilities are infinite, and incredibly amusing. When outlining my plot, I found out it would take books and books to write it. So I wrote one story with a beginning, middle, and end. It’s satisfying on its own, but if I succeeded in peaking your interest you should like to read the next books. The beauty of it is that once you read one book, each other book will be a story of its own. It’s very much like a TV series.

Q: Anything you want to add?
A: I wish everyone and awesome Christmas and a Fantabulous new yearJ And if I messed with you childhood memories of Alice in Wonderland a bit, don’t hate me. Lol.
Giveaway 1: Cover2CoverBlog Giveaway
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Giveaway 2: Blitz Giveaway
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AUTHOR BIO
Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales.  I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.

Author Links:




Dec 22, 2013

Building the Book Pile #72: Christmas is Coming!!!

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Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 


Giveaways Going on NOW!   

       

   

  
Click pic to be taken to the giveaway!

Others may be linked on the right sidebar :) check them out!

  
What's Happening?!
Big News: Cover2CoverBlog is hosting a Reading Challenge and I am giving away $15 to Amazon to one of those who joins the challenge!! Click the Button to Join UP!

http://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/cover2coverblogs-winter-challenge.html

 

Coming up on the Blog...


Blog Blitz: Q&A with Cameron Jace author of Insanity + Giveaway
Early review: The Last Christmas Graphic Novel
Blog Blitz: Trinkets, Treasures and Other Bloody Magic + Giveaway



Books This Week:
Witch's Brew & The Gleaning & Book 3 by Heidi Kline for review for tour

Where You'll Find Me by Erin Fletcher & Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout from Entangled Publishing for review

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner from Random House Audio for review.
Thanks to Entangled, Random House Audio and Heidi Kline for books this week. 

Have you missed anything?


Early Reader Review: Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Vol 2
Blog Tour Review: Christmas in Dogtown  

  Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up post! Happy Reading!

Dec 21, 2013

Winter Challenge Plans!


Here are my plans for the next two weeks (wish me luck, I will add more if I can...):




Want to join the challenge? Sign up HERE!!!!

Cover2CoverBlog's Winter Challenge!

Happy Holiday's Readers!

Now is the time where I start panicking, it is almost the new year and I still have SO MANY BOOKS to read!

I have some time off in the next two weeks, so I decided to share the love and create a way for all of us wonderful readers to get together and finish our reading goals (or add more to them) before 2014 arrives.

So what is in it for you? How about some books?! Even better, how about some money to buy books????

Have I got your attention?  $15 to Amazon for your choice of goodies. When 2014 hits I will use random.org to choose a winner from those who linked up.

WANNA JOIN?! It's so easy, write a post (on your blog, facebook, twitter ...wherever) and link-up telling me what you want to read in the next 2 weeks! and keep me updated with how you do... #ReadALLtheBooks

Dec 20, 2013

Blog Tour: Review -- Tale Spins by Michael Mullin

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tale spins 

Tale Spins A trilogy of alternative fairytales and retellings. Discover the real Snow White story through the eyes of Creepy, the unknown 8th dwarf! Meet a teen princess who hires "The Frog Prince" witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school! And learn how the giant, boy thief and magic beans tale truly went down!





Tale Spins are a few retellings or alternate fairy tales,  dwarves, princesses, witches, it is just what you expect of fairy tales; only these are so much more fun. They are written as poetry, rhyming and very witty. They kind of make you want to talk in verse after reading them. At first I thought they were for a middle grade audience but it turns out they are geared for young adult, and I am not quite sure how sold I am on that. Yes, they are entertaining and have some moments of raunchiness that only teens and adults would understand, but the fashion in which they are conveyed -- the rhyme, verse thing is very childish. I loved it, but it was a more child friendly way to write the tales.

The tales are all very short at about 10-20 pages each and quick, fun reads; I would recommend them for the YA audience more than the MG one, but they are a little confusing in the sense of how they are put together. I think many will enjoy these creative retellings. The 8th Dwarf story was my very favorite, so interesting how things could have happened.



  Other  Praise for Tale Spins Not usually enamoured of either re-tellings or poetry I was totally taken aback by just how much I relished this trilogy of alternative fairytales and re-tellings aimed at the Young Adult market. ~Tracy (Goodreads) TaleSpins was like walking into a vintage store and finding a true treasure. This book takes the fairytales we all grew up on and gives them an interesting and modernized version that I enjoyed. ~Rose (Goodreads)




mike mullinAbout the Author
Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Pasadena. He is the author of TaleSpins, a trilogy of alternative fairy tales and retellings for YA readers. TaleSpins stories (in the 1-book collection) are "8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf"; "The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny"; and "Jack'd". Michael is also the co-author of the successful "Larry Gets Lost" children's book series. His screenplay "Zooing Time" was recognized by the WGA's Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar.



  Tour Giveaways Giveaway #1 - Open to US only
Mike Mullin Giveaway
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Giveaway #2 $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/21/14  a Rafflecopter giveaway  
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.