YA Review: Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Deity
Series: Covenant #3
Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: November 6th 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 360
Purchase: Indie / Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary:

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

Review:

Wow…talk about putting my heart and my head through the wringer. This book was an absolutely amazing and perfect third book for this series.
There are so many things that happen in this book that you are afraid to give any of it away. You want everyone to experience it with fresh eyes like I did. I have to say though where I thought book two gave much for team Seth to lust after I feel like book three is definitely for team Aiden and oh yes I’m on team Aiden. I wasn’t sure he could get any yummier than he already is but he most certainly did. We see Aiden really come out of his shell in the book and I mean really. I just wanted to crawl into the pages and hug him.
Oh Alex, so naive sometimes. There are things I wanted to scream at her, it’s kind of like watching a horror movie and you want to yell, “Don’t open the door!!” At least there were moments I felt that way. I can see her reasons for her actions but sometimes I just slapped my forehead and though you silly silly girl. Alex has evolved so much through this series and it amazes me how she is still growing and maturing. I think by the end of the series she will be a force to reckon with and it’s more than just being an Apollyon.
I continue to be team Aiden all the way, but I never doubted I would be. I also continue to love the side characters; each one has their importance to the book that cannot be ignored. Which is good since Deacon will be my brother-in-law when Aiden marries me…… :o)
Enter the Gods; you didn’t think they could stay out of this forever. I’m a big fan of mythology and sometimes books will reference them but not actually bring them in. Well they are a part of this series now in a big way and I love it. The part that they play in the grand scheme of things fits perfectly and is well done.
Romance? Ya this book has it to the nines. I actually set the book down and walked away for a day because I wanted to savor the wonderful moment before Sh*t hit the fan.  Hit the fan it did, this book had me on my toes like no other. I don’t want to give anything away because it’s one of those books that you want to experience every moment for the first time yourself.
To sum it up, this book is absolutely Amazing!! I finished it, and then stared at it….maybe hugged it a little. Then went online to stare at the release date for Apollyon and then roamed around not being able to read another book since this one had me in knots. So I say run out and buy it!! Stand outside the store at midnight if you have to!!

Book Haul: Sunday Post


Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
 
So I've had myself on a book buying ban and have written one of these in a while. Even though I shouldn't be buying books. Well I still am. I've actually been trying hard to catch up on reading but my Nook went missing for a few days (this is what happens when you have kids). Plus this is my favorite month to kids outside and running around. There has been a lot of exciting happenings on the blog. All giveaways that are listed are still open!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I've been working on catching up on reviews. Sometimes I think I take too long because I want to make sure the review does a book justice. So I have some scheduled for this week! Yay.
 
So what books did I get this week. Just one, but I waited anxiously by my mailbox for it
 
 
 
 I'm so excited to step back into the world of Fey, although I thought it was going to be in hardcover but it's in paperback. I'm kind of in a paperback mode right now anyway.

I made a new banner for my page too. It took me a while to get it the way I want it. So it might be switched over already. Hopefully all goes well with the switch.

YA Review: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Pure
Series: Covenant #2
Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Format: Paperback
Pages: 329
Purchase: Indie / Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary:

There is need. And then there is Fate
Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.
When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude or killing her.
When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.


Review:

This installment was pretty heart wrenching. I’m pretty sure Jennifer L. Armentrout wanted to make sure she not only ripped my heart out but stomped on it a little. Big things happen in this book and Alex’s actions are not without consequences.
Alex was a little tamer I think. It’s interesting how her character has changed from book to book. From Daimon, to Half-Blood to now Pure. She is still “irrational” and wild but there but it seems she is more aware of that the things she does effect more than just her own life. I think the ending events in Half-Blood helped her make this transition.
So I am sorry, I did like Seth better in this book but there is just something off about that boy. I’m still 100% team Aiden. I feel like Seth has definitely changed and especially the way he treats Alex. I just feel like there’s a darker side to his intentions. While even though Aiden might not admit to it, he does everything for Alex simply because he cares about Alex.  Aiden comes across as being duty bound but I think in the case of Alex, it’s more about keeping her safe. He would rather protect her than get what he wants whereas Seth. Not so much. Aiden has his hot headed moments but Seth seems to have almost no control. Maybe reading so many books has made me less trusting. I don’t we will see.
The pacing was perfect and I of course found myself stealing away a few minutes even if it meant I could only read about 10 pages. I didn’t want to put it down and it’s one of those series where having 5 books is going to kill me! Absolutely!
This book has a pretty powerful punch to it. I don’t want to give anything away but those leering Furies statues are not just for show. Freaking creepy. We also learn more about the New York covenant and how the council works. We get some peeks into their meetings. There were parts of this book that had my heart breaking and not always the way you would think.  I don’t want to give too much away on the plot because there are a ton of things that happen in this book that I think will be important as the series develops. Plus plenty of plot twist, I think Jennifer L. Armentrout has that mastered.
A great side character, Leon has quickly become a favorite of mine. I love the way you can tell he cares about the other characters even though he doesn’t show it. He’s a strong presence throughout the book. Also Caleb, Deacon and Luke make me laugh.
I started this series because I was a fan of The Lux series and I can tell you I’m at a point that I’m not sure if I could choose between the two. Just another amazing series from Jennifer L. Armentrout and I am most certainly a fan-girl now.

YA Mythology Giveaway Hop!! Win a copy of Everneath by Brodi Ashton

 
So it's no secret that I'm a HUGE fan of Greek mythology and that I get pretty excited when I read a book and recognize what stories they are based off of. This is one of those books. Both this series and the Goddess Test series draw a lot from the story of Peresphone and Hades. Nothing wrong with that, I've always thought maybe Hades was misunderstood and just looking for love. :o)
 

 
Back when I was reading this book I spent a large amount of time looking at this cover. Absolutely beautiful. Honestly I can not get enough of it but I imagine I don't need to own two copies of this book and therefore I'm giving one away to you lucky people. It's your chance to read the first in the series before number 2 comes out and it also has a beautiful cover. So since this is from my personal stash I have to mail it out, which is why the giveaway is US only. That makes me sad but I have no idea how much international shipping would be.

Book Summary:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.




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See the full list of participating blogs at For Those About to Read or I Am A Reader Not a Writer






Blog Tour & Giveaway: Matt Archer: Monster Hunter by Kendra Highley

#MattArcher @KendraHighley
Hosted by YA Bound
For Complete Tour Schedule Click Here

I'm happy to be a part of the Matt Archer: Monster Hunter Blog Tour....this is the month for it of course! I'm also happy to be able to give you a little more insight to Kendra C. Highley. Check out the inteview below.

Kendra C. Highley Interview (Craft Focused)

How did you start your writing career?

As a kid, I was always either reading or making up stories. My first attempt at publication was entering a short-story contest in fifth grade. I can’t remember what my story was about exactly, but I think a magic coin was involved. I won honorable mention—there was a ribbon! I was very proud.
Ten years later, during my sophomore year, I had to write a short mystery story for English class. I gave it to my mom for proofreading, and she told me I should think about writing a book. The idea stuck, but it took me a while to get started—life was busy. An English Lit degree, lots of unfinished manuscripts and twenty years later, I finally got serious about my craft. Now it’s truly become my passion; I love putting words on the page. It has a deeper meaning for me, too…my mom passed away right before I turned eighteen, so I’m glad I finally followed her advice.
Has someone helped or mentored you in your writing career?

There’s a pretty long list of people who’ve mentored me as I started working toward publication. I’ve been very lucky to have a crew of amazing beta readers who push me to improve. They’ve been there every step of the way.
When do you find time to write?

I typically write whenever I can cobble together a half-hour. Sometimes that’s my lunch hour, sometimes that’s after everyone goes to bed. I try really hard to get at least an hour in a day, and longer on the weekends.

Where you do get story ideas?
The cellar of my imagination is pretty overcrowded. I’ve always loved story-telling and make-believe, spending the time during my work commute creating tall tales. Sometimes I get ideas from something I overhear, or from things my kids tell me, but usually stories tap me on the shoulder and whisper, “Write me.” Kind of weird, huh? I tell people, “I hear voices, but it’s okay—I’m a writer.”

What is the hardest part of writing your books?
Probably the rough draft phase. I love the madness of the blank page and blinking cursor, but since I don’t work by an outline, when I get stuck, I’m really stuck.

Where do you research for your books?

I do a lot of internet research. Because there are military elements in Monster Hunter, I spent a lot of time on the US Army website. I also hit the library frequently. Luckily for me, a few of my beta readers (as well as some friends) served in the Army, so I had good fact checkers. But I love the internet. When I was in school, it would take hours in the stacks at the University library to find information I can gather in minutes now.

What does your family think of your writing career?
My family has been very supportive. I worried about it at first, given the time writing a novel takes. I’m married with two children and I work full-time—finding writing time always means sacrificing something else (usually housework or TV time). But my husband and kids take it all in stride. My son loves Matt Archer – it started out as a story for him and he is Matt’s #1 fan. My daughter thinks it’s cool that Mommy writes books. And my husband is always there when I feel like quitting, telling me to keep going. Without their support, this would have been very hard.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

Believe it or not, yes. It was a little scary at first, but my husband has a very good eye and is an awesome proofreader. He’s always the last person to read the manuscript before sending off a final draft.

What do you think makes a good story?
For me, the characters have to resonate. I love pulse-pounding action, but if I don’t care deeply for the characters, the story won’t leave me with a lasting impression. Tug at my heartstrings, make me identify with the main character, and I’ll drown in the story, then tell everyone I know they should read this book.

What books have most influenced your life?

Well, I have a degree in English Lit, so I’ve had the good fortune to exposed to a lot of great literature. I adore Jane Austen. Her prose is so witty and wry, and her characters are well-drawn. I didn’t even feel like it was homework with the Profs assigned her books as reading. In the young-adult/middle grade space, I vividly remember discovering Cynthia Voigt’s books in sixth grade. Dicey’s Song was unlike anything else I’d read, but so beautifully written and compelling, I read it—and the rest of the Tillman series books—over and over. Voigt’s fantasy novels (The Kingdom series), especially Jackaroo, are amazing as well.
Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

I learned two things from better writers who were kind enough to critique for me early on:
        1) Kill your darlings. This is basic advice, but I really struggled with it. I’d be enamored with a brilliant (or so I thought) piece of prose and really work hard to keep it, even if the scene did absolutely nothing to forward the story. It took a while to beat that advice into my head, but it was necessary.

        2)Don’t let your villains become “moustache-twirlers” or your heroes be “goody-two-shoes.” Shades of gray in characters is of vital importance. The scariest villains are nuanced; you understand why they’ve gone bad and identify with them a little bit. The most memorable heroes usually have to overcome some kind of personality flaw to succeed. Without the nuance, they become cookie cutter.

How do you react to a bad review of your book?

I’ve tried to develop a thick skin. Every piece of feedback is meaningful, so I try to learn from each review, even if what I’m learning is when to ignore something or when to follow the advice. There’s been a lot of press lately about authors reacting unprofessionally to poor reviews, and it can have repercussions for all of us, so letting tough reviews roll off is usually the best course. Especially since everyone knows there are trolls upon the internet. Or, to quote Kristin Lamb: “Don’t feed the trolls.”
Are the names of the characters in your novels important? How and why?
I tend to sneak a few significant names into all my manuscripts. In Matt Archer, Colonel Ryan Black is named after my husband and several of the soldiers are named after family or former co-workers. The funniest one is probably Uncle Mike. My brother-in-law is named Mike, and I named Matt’s uncle after him as a joke, intending to change the name later. But the fictional Uncle Mike didn’t want his name changed. No matter how many times I tried to use something new, I’d catch myself typing Mike, so I left it as is. The real Uncle Mike thinks that’s pretty funny.

What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?

Chocolate, a sense of humor and patience. No matter how many words I crank out, writing a novel is a process, not an event. This is hard for me, because I’m kind of impatient by nature. One of the things I have to tell myself over and over is “the book won’t be done in a day.” Then I go eat some M&Ms. That usually helps.


Do you have a Website or Blog?

Yes! Please visit www.kendrachighley.com There you’ll find book excerpts, news, and the Monsters and Mayhem blog.  

The Book:

Matt Archer: Monster Hunter (Matt Archer #1)
By Kendra C. Highley
Release Date: 08/18/12
Paperback/e-book
299 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Fourteen-year-old Matt Archer spends his days studying Algebra, hanging out with his best friend and crushing on the Goddess of Greenhill High, Ella Mitchell. To be honest, he thinks his life is pretty lame until he discovers something terrifying on a weekend camping trip at the local state park.

Monsters are real. And living in his backyard.

But that's not the half of it. After Matt is forced to kill a strange creature to save his uncle, he finds out that the weird knife he took from his uncle's bag has a secret, one that will change Matt's life. The knife was designed with one purpose: to hunt monsters. And it's chosen Matt as its wielder.

Now Matt's part of a world he didn't know existed, working with a covert military unit dedicated to eliminating walking nightmares. Faced with a prophecy about a looming dark war, Matt soon realizes his upcoming Algebra test is the least of his worries.

His new double life leaves Matt wondering which is tougher: hunting monsters or asking Ella Mitchell for a date?
 



 
About the Author:

Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.


 
 

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Thanks for stopping by!






Feature and Follow


Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too!

Q: What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form.

This is an interesting question but I'm really not sure. I can sometimes get annoyed when there is too much dialogue or it's just rambled dialogue I suppose. Hmm I know I'm probably forgetting something where I think. Ugh that's annoying.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

I'm so excited to be revealing the cover to you for Shadow of the Mark. I feel like I've been impatiently waiting for this book forever! :o) I have been impatiently waiting to see what they were going to do with the cover for the second book and I have to say I love it. I love the addition of the purple hues and darker look but keeping with the same theme. So here it is!! Make sure to also enter the giveaway! 
 
 
Shadow of the Mark
Leigh Fallon
Release Date: July 9, 2013

Life for Megan Rosenberg just got a lot more complicated.

While she evoked the air element, and her feelings for Adam
intensified, a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal has been spun around her. With the Order tightening its hold, and the
reinstatement of the Mark Knights, Megan has more questions than answers as the
Marked Ones grow in strength.

New people arouse suspicion, the DeRises start behaving
strangely, and Megan begins to unravel a destiny shrouded in mystery. It’s a destiny the Order has struggled to hide,
and a destiny someone from the past…far in the past, has already laid claim to.

Alliances will be made, and friends will be lost, as the
Order’s dark secrets are revealed by the very thing they sought to destroy.

Leigh's thoughts on Cover:

I know, there's no mistaking it. This is definitely a Carrier Series cover, but that was the intention. After the amazing reception to the cover of Carrier of the Mark, HarperCollins wanted Shadow's cover to be instantly recognizable. And it is, but the new darker color palette reflects the darker tone that this installment brings, and the pink and purple really make it pop. I love it and think HarperCollins have done another amazing job. I hope you like it too.

About Leigh:
I started out life in South Africa. A year later
my parents moved home to Dublin, Ireland. When I was older and realized my
parents had moved me from exotic Durban, to sedate Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, I
was rightly ticked off.

Giving up lions for sheep, I grew up in the foothills of
the Dublin Mountains where I went to a convent school and had to contend with
uniforms, gabardines, and nuns. When not dodging the beady glare of the Sisters
of Mercy, I was devouring every book I could get my hands on.

I traveled all over Europe while working in banking and
treasury, but I gave up my calculator in favor of a keyboard and haven’t
stopped writing since. My first book, Carrier of the Mark, was published by
HarperTeen in 2011.

Our home is in Cork in the south of Ireland, but we’re currently on loan
to Massachusetts in the US where I continue to write books about magic, ghosts,
and romance, with a bit of Irish flavor.

Website / Blog Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway:

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If you haven't already, make sure to read Carrier of the Mark the first installment in the Carrier Trilogy.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction


Manga Monday: The Earl and the Fairy

Hosted by Alison Can Read
 
It's been quite some time since I've featured a manga on the blog. Not because I don't still read them, I just have tons of word document files of reviews I have to post. (which I have started scheduling finally) So it's been a few weeks since I've read this manga but I really really liked it and it kind of goes along perfect with the theme of YA books I normally read
 
Title: The Earl and Fairy
Mangaka: (Illustrator),
Volumes: 1 & 2
Released: Vol. 1 (March 6, 2012) Vol. 2 (June 5, 2012)
Publisher: Viz Media
 
Summary:
Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor,one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia’s quiet life is suddenly transformed when she is rescued from kidnappers by a mysterious young man! Edgar Ashenbert claims to be descended from the human ruler of the fairy kingdom, and he urgently needs Lydia’s help to find and claim his birthright, the legendary sword of the Blue Knight Earl. Things will never be the same for Lydia as she is pulled into a dangerous quest against dark forces!
 
My Thoughts:
 
When I saw the word Fairy in the title it immediately caught my interest. Between Greek mythology and the Fey I've been pretty immersed in it lately. I really am enjoying this series. The relationship between Edgar and Lydia is more like Sherlock Holmes and Watson. You could actually read the first two volumes and never read beyond that point if you want to. The relationship between the characters is ongoing (I'm not meaning romance) but the first particular adventure is summed up by the end of volume 2. I really liked that about this. Sometimes with manga you have 30 volumes before you get an type of conclusion. There were some things that I'm still a little confused about, mostly Edgar's past but that might be explained more in later volumes or maybe I just didn't get it. This is a good manga for someone who is a borderline manga fan. It has the elements of a YA novel but still that manga charm of having to tell the story with more pictures than words. I will continue reading the series.
Also if you are not a fan of owning a million manga books that can hardly fit on your shelves, you can actually get any Viz manga on the Nook color and tablet. It's actually not bad to read that way at all but as my husband pointed out to me. I love to collect the cover art. :o)
 
 

Feature and Follow


Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too!

Q: When you step out of your USUAL genre what do you like to read? Best books in that genre?

Contemporary is actually out of my usual genre. It's rare for me to read one but I do enjoy them when I do. The last one I read was Pushing the Limits which was excellent. It made me want to read more contemporary.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Elemental Series by Shauna Granger

@dyingechoes #ElementalBlogTour
Elemental Series by Shauna Granger
Hosted by : YA Bound
For a complete list of the tour schedule Click Here
 
I'm excited to be a stop on the Elemental series Blog Tour and even more excited to share an excerpt with you from the second book in the series.. Air  
Excerpt From Air by Shauna Granger


The Books:
 
By Shauna Granger
Release Date: 05/01/11
Paperback/e-book

Summary from Goodreads:

Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and control the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. While learning to hone their growing powers, they discover a new and malicious presence in their sleepy beach town. Someone is performing blood magic and threatens to expose their small magical community. So far only small animals have been slaughtered, but then the nightmares start.

Shayna suffers nightmares of being chased and sacrificed only to wake up bloodied and bruised. She thinks her magical blood is the ultimate target for the final blood rite. When an innocent girl, Tracy, is kidnapped Shayna knows it's only a ploy to draw her out; she can't let someone die because of her.

Earth links:  Goodreads / Amazon (PS, the kindle version of Earth is free for a limited time only!)
 

By Shauna Granger
Release Date: 10/31/11
Paperback/e-book

Summary from Goodreads:

It was a rough start to the school year for Shayna and her friends, Jodi and Steven, but thankfully summer break is near. Trying to sort out her feelings for the new guy in town, Shayna agrees to let Jensen join her on a group date with her friends. While out they end up at a local coffee house where their classmate, social outcast Jeremy McCormick, is humiliated by his baseball star brother. When Jeremy runs away from the jeering crowd, Shayna and Jodi hear the unmistakable sound of a thousand wings chasing after him, but no one else seems to hear them. These are not like any air elementals that Shayna or Jodi have ever encountered before and they fear Jeremy has gotten himself tangled up in something too dangerous for him to handle. But when Shayna tries to help Jeremy control his magical abilities she realizes it might be the biggest mistake of her life.

Air links: Goodreads / Amazon


By Shauna Granger
Release Date: 06/19/12
Paperback/e-book

Summary from Goodreads:

Book Three in The Elemental Series

Shayna's first surfing session of the summer is interrupted by the screams of a mother who has lost her little boy in the water. Without regard to her own safety, Shayna swims out, rescues the boy, but must escape the clutches of something far worse than she could have ever imagined – mermaids.

Compelled to answer the sirens' call, the boys of Shayna's town are drawn to the sea, but when they return are afflicted by an unknown illness, a sickness which is draining them of their life force. Unable to tell anyone about the mermaids, Shayna and her friends are forced to solve the mystery before it's too late, and in doing so, Shayna will finally have to face the full force of her powers. Whether she’s ready or not, she will have to face her true nature.

Water links: Goodreads / Amazon

 
Fire, book #4 in the Elemental series is coming soon!


About the Author

I don't do well talking about myself. So as basics go, I have recently self-published the first two books in my Elemental Series, Earth and Air, Young Adult Urban Fantasy novels. Look for the third installment, Water, coming in 2012!

I have been working on the Elemental Series for the last four years and plan for it to be a 5 book series. It was a hard decision to self-publish but it's been an exciting and terrifying ride.

And to my readers (or fans of my covers), I have beautiful bookmarks that I would love to share with you. If you'd like one, drop me a note with your contact info and I'd be happy to send you one!

Goodreads / Blog / Twitter / Facebook


Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Prize:
There is a signed copy of each paperback, Earth, Air and Water and a matching bookmark for each. There is a mini Jack-o-lantern (that I carved) and an awesome, sparkly candle (electric) and some fun Halloween treats that include candy, stickers and copy of one of my favorite Halloween movies, Monster House. (US only)
 
3 other winners will also receive a ebook from the series, winner’s choice from Earth, Air or Water. (Open Internationally)


 

Cover Reveal: The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H Smith

I'm happy and excited to be revealing the cover for The Crimson Hunt with you today. Also Victoria is revealing the first chapter on her blog so make sure to stop on over there as well.


Book information:

The Crimson Hunt (Eldaen Light Chronicles, #1) by: Victoria H. Smith
Release Date: November 12, 2012
Genre: New Adult Science Fiction Romance
Cover Image Designed by: Michelle Johnson

Book Description:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.



The Crimson Hunt Playlist:




About the Author:

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Victoria H. Smith Links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads



Cover and Trailer Reveal: Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm beyond excited to share with you today not only the awesomeness that is the Deity trailer but also the cover for Apollyon! It's beautiful and I think by far my favorite cover yet! On top of that there is an a little extra surprise for you, so keep reading to find out what!!!

 
Deity (The third book in the Covenant Series)
Available in both print and digital version on Nov. 6, 2012
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Official Deity Book Trailer


Did you read an ARC of Deity and been dying to get your hands on Elixir, the novella told in Aiden’s POV and picks up right after the end of Deity? Well, you don’t have to wait any longer. The free novella is available now. DO NOT read Elixir if you have not read Deity. It will spoil Deity for you and not to mention, you will have no idea what is going on.

Elixir will be available in print. Kindle, and Nook formats on November 27, 2012.

Click HERE to read Elixir.
 
 
And we’re super excited to share the cover for the 4th book in the Covenant Series, Apollyon, which is due out April 2013.

 

Check out Jennifer L. Armentrout on the following sites:
Facebook
Twitter
Official Website

Feature and Follow


Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky (right side).

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too!

Q: What book do you think would make a great Halloween movie? Please explain in graphic detail of goriness...

I don't usually read gory books that I can think of. Lately the books I've read have all been Greek Mythology. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake is probably the closest that I can think of as traditional Halloween. Perhaps something like Four Houses by Victoria Scott and Two and Twenty Dark Tales (anthology) would be pretty good short movies. They are really creepy and fascinating at the same time.

 
 
P.S. (I used to love to write that in snail mail letters for some reason) Make sure to stop by Saturday for the Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout cover reveal and the Deity trailer reveal...Umm I've read Deity and the trailer gave me chills just thinking about the book again. Plus there will also be a little something extra awesome with it. :o)

Book Spotlight: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

So I've been kind of quiet for the past week because my 3 year old son needed to have surgery and I was pretty much a giant ball of stress. He's good now and recovering well, kids are more resilient then adults I think so it's back to the blogging!!!

I went to see Erin Morgenstern last night at a book signing at Andersons and it reminded me of how much I absolutely LOVED the book. So I thought I would spotlight it today to remind people to go out and read it if you hadn't. It was just recently released in paperback and I think the cover rivals that of the hard cover. I actually had both my hard cover and paperback books signed, but only the hard cover personalized. Hmm so that means I will probably be giving the paperback away. I want to do something unique for it though since it's a unique book. Perhaps put it together with some other things. So look for that in the future. Also make sure to stop by the blog on Saturday for some Jennifer L. Armentrout cover, trailer revealing.

The Night Circus Book Trailer;


The Book;

Hardcover
 
Paperback
Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Twitter / Blog / Website / Facebook
Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Book Signing;


 
So ignore the fact that in the picture I have no make-up on and look like I haven't slept in weeks. LOL.