The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig #BookReview

Title:The Girl From Everywhere
Author: Heidi Heilig
Published: February 16th 2016 by Greenwillow Books
Buy: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

It was the kind of August day that hinted at monsoons, and the year was 1774, though not for very much longer.

Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times - although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix's father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix's existence rather dangerously in question...

Nix has grown used to her father's obsession, but only because she's convinced it can't work. But then a map falls into her father's lap that changes everything. And when Nix refuses to help, her father threatens to maroon Kashmir, her only friend (and perhaps, only love) in a time where Nix will never be able to find him. And if Nix has learned one thing, it's that losing the person you love is a torment that no one can withstand. Nix must work out what she wants, who she is, and where she really belongs before time runs out on her forever.

Heidi Heilig whispered sweet nothings in my ear when she choose the unique combo of history, maps and time travel for her novel The Girl from Everywhere. I was completely entranced with the concept and even more so with the story itself.

I loved the characters. They were all unique and interesting, which made me want to know more about them. The crew has been collected from various locations and points of time in history. Some not even on places that exist outside a believers map. We get tidbits of their side stories but I would have been happy to have their whole histories laid out. I found that I loved them all.

I don’t feel like the romance was the focus but I adored Kashmir so much that I was completely bothered by Blake. As in when Nix was hanging out with him I didn’t want to read those parts. I think the way Nix explains some things later in the book makes things make sense to me but still. Team Kash all the way.

Nix relationship with her father Slate and the ghost of her mother was what the main focus of the book is really about. It’s that idea of why chase what’s gone when you have something wonderful in front of you. Their ups and downs is what really kept me intrigued in the story. There were moments when I hated Slate and moments when I wanted to yell at Nix. I truly loved watching their relationship evolve as they seemed to be heading towards separation.

Like I said yay for history. I was actually recently reading (or watching I don’t know) about them unearthing the Terracotta Army. So I thought it was such a cool addition to the story. Plus all the Hawaiian history that you don’t get to hear about that often. I loved the Night Marchers.

I did love this plot. It felt like we were following a string through time that finally leads to the ball of yarn. Ya weird analogy I know. It kept me interested and wondering where they would go next.

I really enjoyed the book and I look forward to more from Heidi Heilig.

You're Still the One by Rachel Harris #ReleaseDay #Excerpt #Giveaway

Love is one dare neither of them can take...

Arabella Stone, Nashville's darling, is eager to shuck her prim-and-proper rep, and a few wild months spent checking items off her " summer bucket list" is the way to do it. First up: kiss the man she's crushed on since she wore a training bra, the bad boy of country himself, Blue bassist Charlie Tucker.

For Charlie, a beautiful woman flirting with him isn't out of the norm--but a beautiful woman bolting after the hottest kiss of his life sure is. And when he finds out his kiss-and-run Cinderella is none other than Arabella Stone, daughter of his label's CEO, he knows he's in trouble. Because not only is she a Stone, she's also his employee for the next few months at the recording studio he just bought.

Over the course of one thrilling summer, Arabella and Charlie chip away at her bucket list and fight the simmering attraction between them...knowing that once it's all over, so is their time together.

Order on Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

Ducking into the darkened hallway, he quickly sized up the options. With the sound of quickened footsteps behind him, he wrapped his hand around the handle and darted behind the heavy door.

What happened next he couldn’t have predicted.

And again, he was somewhat of a reluctant expert on crazy women.

Not five seconds after the marked door closed, it pushed open again. Charlie’s gaze collided with the brunette’s in the mirror. She blinked a few times, adjusting her eyes to the bright lights, and her lips pursed in confusion as she spied the row of porcelain sinks under the mirrors. She looked beyond his shoulder to the line of urinals attached to the wall, and her mouth dropped open in a sound he assumed only dogs could hear. And then…

“Oh. My. God!”

A voice like honey, smooth and thick and echoing off the tile floor, curled around him as any sense of bravado faded, and the woman slapped a hand over her eyes. Blindly, she spun around to leave…and accidentally rammed headfirst into the solid oak doorframe. They both winced.

Red flags wilting, alarm bells silencing, intuition told Charlie that the woman wasn’t as dangerous as he’d once thought. With the determined slope of her shoulders now slumped, she seemed mostly mortified, so he tried to do the gentlemanly thing.

Strolling forward, he went to help her with the door. “Here, let me.”

Only, she turned at the same time, following the sound of his voice, and her forehead crashed into his chin.

Shit.

“Holy mother of crud nuggets!”

A surprised laugh broke past the stinger. “What did you just say?”

Slowly, the brunette opened her fingers and peeked at him through the slats. Her wide brown eyes were wet and filled with too many emotions to name, but one was for sure embarrassment. Behind them, the men’s bathroom door opened again, and a balding gentleman lumbered through. He stopped short after two steps, taking in first the woman, then Charlie, and then her again, before glancing at the sign posted on the door. With a dismissive shrug, he continued on, strolling straight into the corner stall.

The beauty’s fingers slammed closed again.

“Only me,” she whimpered. “This would only happen to me.”

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Rachel Harris Goodreads | Newsletter Sign Up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amid Wind & Stone by Nicole Luiken #CoverReveal

Title: Amid Wind & Stone (Otherselves, #2)

Author: Nicole Luiken

Release Date: Mar. 7, 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

There is one True World, and then there are the four Mirror Worlds: Fire, Water, Air, and Stone.

Audrey and Dorotea are “otherselves”—twin copies of each other who live on different
Mirror Worlds.

On Air, Audrey has the ability to communicate with wind spirits. As war looms, she’s torn between loyalty to her country and her feelings for a roguish phantom who may be a dangerous spy.

Blackouts and earthquakes threaten the few remaining humans on Stone, who have been forced to live underground. To save her injured sister, Dorotea breaks taboo and releases an imprisoned gargoyle. Brooding, sensitive Jasper makes her wonder if gargoyles aretruly traitors, as she’s always been told.

Unbeknownst to them, they both face the same enemy—an evil sorceress bent on
shattering all the Mirror Worlds.

AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO | ENTANGLED | GOODREADS

Through Fire & Sea (Otherselves, #1):

There is one True World, and then there are the four mirror worlds: fire, water, air, and stone. And each has a magic of its own…

In the Fire World, seventeen-year-old Leah is the illegitimate daughter of one of the realm’s most powerful lords. She’s hot-blooded—able to communicate with the tempestuous volcano gods. But she has another gift…the ability to Call her twin “Otherselves” on other worlds.

Holly resides in the Water World—our world. When she’s called by Leah from the Fire World, she nearly drowns. Suddenly the world Holly thought she knew is filled with secrets, magic…and deadly peril.

For a malevolent force seeks to destroy the mirror worlds. And as Leah and Holly are swept up in the tides of chaos and danger, they have only one choice to save the mirror worlds—to shatter every rule they’ve ever known…

AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO | ENTANGLED | GOODREADS

Nicole Luiken wrote her first book at age 13 and never stopped.
She is the author of nine published books for young adults, including Violet Eyes and its sequels Silver Eyes and Angels Eyes, Frost, Unlocking the Doors, The Catalyst, Escape to the Overworld, Dreamfire and the sequel Dreamline. Through Fire & Sea, book one of Otherselves, and Amid Wind & Stone, book two of Otherselves, are her most recent releases. She also has an adult thriller, Running on Instinct, under the name N.M. Luiken and a fantasy romance series, Gate to Kandrith and Soul of Kandrith.
Nicole lives with her family in Edmonton, AB. It is physically impossible for her to go more than three days in a row without writing.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard Release Day #Giveaway

GLASS SWORD
Red Queen #2
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Pages: 448
Release Date: February 9th, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

AMAZON | B&N | GOODREADS

Victoria Aveyard is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen. Victoria was born and raised in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, a small town known only for the worst traffic rotary in the continental United States. She moved to Los Angeles to earn a BFA in screenwriting at the University of Southern California. She currently splits her time between the East and West coasts. As an author and screenwriter, she uses her career as an excuse to read too many books and watch too many movies. She has sold several television pilots and feature-length screenplays. You can visit her online at www.victoriaaveyard.comor on Twitter at @VictoriaAveyard.

One winner will get a RED QUEEN Prize pack from HarperTeen, which includes:
- 1 Physical Copy of CRUEL CROWN (0.1 & 0.2 Red Queen)
- 1 Red Queen foam sword that reads “Kneel or Bleed”
- 1 Scarlet Guard scarf

Must be 13+ To Enter | Ships in US only |
See Terms & Conditions for full contest rules before entering some restrictions apply
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Chloe Jacobs #MylenaChronicles #GretandtheLostArmy #CapturetheFantasy

Today I'm hosting Chloe Jacobs author of Mylena Chronicles Series. This series has stolen my heart and I was excited to ask Chloe some questions about writing and Mylena.

Title: Greta and the Lost Army
Author: Chloe Jacobs
Published: February 1 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen

After spending the last four years trapped in a place of monsters, demons, and magick, the last thing the fierce teenage bounty hunter Greta expected was to ever be back on Earth. But a rare opportunity gives her and the Goblin King Isaac the opportunity to do just that. Now she’s home. With a boy in tow. And her parents have lots of questions.

Although Greta finally has her heart’s deepest wish—to see her family again—every step she takes to reconnect with them drives her further away from Isaac. Greta and Isaac planned for her to return to Mylena and become his queen, but she’s not sure if she can go back to that harsh world, though staying on Earth means giving up the boy she loves.

But a powerful enemy refuses to let Greta escape. A demon who will stop at nothing to destroy her and everything she loves. Even if it means following her to Earth and forcing her to face a fate as unavoidable as love itself.

Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Kobo US | Indigo/Chapters | iTunes | 

  

Did you know the end of Greta and the Lost Army when you were writing Greta and the Goblin King or did the story pull you in that direction?

I really didn’t know anything when I started Goblin King. I didn’t even know whether a publisher would buy one book, much less three, and so I tried not to think about what might happen afterward just in case I never got the chance to write the rest of the series. Although after Goblin King was done and I got started on Glass Kingdom, I started to see where the series had to go and Lost Army was so much easier to write.

How do you plan out and write fight scenes? (ie. take a class? watch a lot of action movies?)

I’ve always tried to see any scene in my head like a movie. If this person hits someone in the face, what happens to their head – and what other parts of their body are going to move? How? Where? I think one of the ways you can tell if you’ve written a scene really well is if you can actually see it in your head when you’re reading along and that’s always what I strive for. I want to be able to smell the pine and dirt, and feel the cold nipping my cheeks and the snowflakes tickling my skin when they land. If necessary, I also want to feel the punch in the exact part of my gut, and be able to visualize the exact way the person’s head would snap back and the oomph they would blow out of their mouth.

When creating the world of Mylena did you make a map?

I really should have. Especially before starting Glass Kingdom when Greta started to travel a little farther afield of her comfortable spot in the Goblin Forest. I did keep a description nearby outlining the different areas: Goblin Forest, Goblin Castle, Eyna’s Falls, Solem’s Bridge, Luna Pass, etc. But I think I’d like to put a map together one of these days. It might be fun!

Did you base your characters off anyone you know in real life?

No. When Greta first came to me, I was trying to write a cops and robbers sort of story that wasn’t working out so well, and I had just finished watching a movie trailer for a snow-white re-telling (I can’t remember if it was the Huntsman version or the Disney version). I started thinking that I wanted to do a fairytale re-telling too, but something that didn’t get done so often, like maybe Peter Pan or Alice and Wonderland – and so I thought, why can’t I try to incorporate both! (with a little Labyrinth thrown in for good measure LOL)

Which of the three books did you find the hardest to write?

Definitely book 2. Mostly because after I’d written Goblin King I had all these ideas for a second book, but by the time I had finished the editing process on book 1 and talked to my editor about what we were going to do to continue the story, I had to change my entire vision and start the whole thing from scratch again. Book 3 flowed really well, though!

Do you have any writing rituals?

I like to sit down with a snack and a cup of coffee or tea (which usually goes cold, but that’s another story). Then I’ll re-read the last page or so from my previous writing. And after that I just write until I’ve got 1000 words. I try to put at least that much down per day. If it’s coming easy, then I’m done in 45 minutes or so, and I take a break and maybe go for a walk, then come back and do more (or sometimes I don’t come back at all that day). If it’s hard and slow, then I sit there staring at the page and force those words out. Even if it takes 4 hours. Those are not the fun days.

Do you think you will revisit the world of Mylena again?

I really would love to. I have more ideas, and I would love to see what happens to other certain people, and even see how Greta and Isaac bring the rest of Mylena together. So I’m thinking there’ll be at least a novella sometime in the not-too-distant future. 

Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | PINTEREST

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk #BookReview #Playlist #Giveaway @The_FFBC

Arrows
by Melissa Gorzelanczyk
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: January 26th 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Mythology, Retellings, Romance, Fiction

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow.

Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma andDanny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | B&N | BD | iTUNES | KOBO

Arrows is very unique teen love story that takes the story of Eros. Well Eros son and what the consequences of dealing in others love lives can bring. It also really takes a look at what we are willing to do for love, even if it means loving someone who doesn’t deserve it.

I have to say that I am really impressed there is a teen mom in the book. I know it says it in the synopsis but I sometimes don’t reread those before I start reading. I was actually thinking about it the other day when I was walking in the halls of the high school that it’s nothing that comes up as much as I sometimes think it should. I was glad that they were able to portray Karma’s struggle with being a mom, being a teen and dealing with her daughter's father.

Karma has been shot with an arrow from cupid, her boyfriend Danny has not. Thus a great contrast in their feelings for eachother. Even though the reason for Karma to be stuck in this situation is the arrow, I’ve known girls who have been in similar situations. Where they put up with more than they need to for the name of love or because they want a family for their kids. I’ve felt like Peyton does where you don’t want to push your friend away by telling them their significant other sucks. You really want them to be happy. Arrows definitely captures all these angles and perspectives.

Aaryn is the a cupid who gets sent down to the mortal realm in order to fix his mistake. He has the right balance of confusion and understanding. He has observed humans his whole life so he’s not completely in the dark about how they interact but certain sayings and slang he’s oblivious too. He’s a genuinely good guy with a sense of humor.

The plot is so fast paced, you could easily read this in one night. The only thing that I was kind of unhappy with was the ending. I felt like I needed a little more about someone got from point a to point b. It felt like it could have added a couple chapters for that.

The romance is cute and also kind of interesting because you know that Karma's chained to Danny in a way. So she has a definite road block up, it’s interesting to see how it plays out when they are fighting against a current.

I really liked this book and it’s definitely a quick unique read. I wish the ending had a little bit more but I did enjoy that plot and the characters. So I say pick it up if you are looking for a little unique romance.

DIRECT LINK

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a former magazine editor and columnist who believes love is everything. She is a proud member of the SCBWI, The Sweet Sixteens and the Class of 2k16. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and family.

Her debut novel ARROWS is being published by Delacorte Press on January 26, 2016. She is represented by agent Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson.

WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Greta and the Lost Army by Chloe Jacobs #BookReview

Title: Greta and the Lost Army
Author: Chloe Jacobs
Published: February 1 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen

After spending the last four years trapped in a place of monsters, demons, and magick, the last thing the fierce teenage bounty hunter Greta expected was to ever be back on Earth. But a rare opportunity gives her and the Goblin King Isaac the opportunity to do just that. Now she’s home. With a boy in tow. And her parents have lots of questions.

Although Greta finally has her heart’s deepest wish—to see her family again—every step she takes to reconnect with them drives her further away from Isaac. Greta and Isaac planned for her to return to Mylena and become his queen, but she’s not sure if she can go back to that harsh world, though staying on Earth means giving up the boy she loves.

But a powerful enemy refuses to let Greta escape. A demon who will stop at nothing to destroy her and everything she loves. Even if it means following her to Earth and forcing her to face a fate as unavoidable as love itself.

AMAZON | B&N | BD | GOODREADS

  

I couldn't wait to read Greta and the Lost Army. I had been missing my Goblin family of Mylena. Most of all of course Isaac.

One of the things that I had like so much about the first book was that Greta and Isaac relationship was already established. This made the the prologue of the Lost Army even sweeter as it’s a flashback to Greta and Isaac actual first meeting. I couldn’t help but smile while reading it. You know how far they have come but this is where it began. Such a great touch.

We start where we left off and that’s Greta, Isaac, the boys and Siona find themselves in the human world. Obviously there isn’t fighting, the same way there is when they are Mylena. I liked that Greta’s parents didn’t become just background noise of a life she once knew. We are actually able to find some closure and she also has options. The boys are able to find their families and reconnect. I loved that this was worked into the story. It might have not been the most action filled part of the book but it was definitely important.

Greta of course is still the first heroine we know her as. She’s learned to fight so much on her own that she has to learn to trust Isaac as her companion. She loves him of course but she has this independence that can almost be too much at time. We really see her grow into her role.

Oh Isaac. I love him no matter what he does. He is such a great support system for Greta and such a strong king. Swoon.

I love Greta and Siona’s friendship. They have to work through some issues with book two. Well a really big issue but I love how they are the friends that last. They could probably not talk for a while and still be there for each other instantly. It’s always great to see a bond like this, especially one that has importance.

I was excited to read this final installment but also sad to say goodbye. Maybe there can be some spin-off stories. Maybe even short ones, maybe a Siona one. You know just suggesting. the world is dark and vivid, the pacing well done and I enjoy Chloe Jacobs writing. I really recommend this series, especially if you love swoony Goblin Kings, strong heroines and adventure.