Review & Swag Giveaway: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Summary:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100^th of a second, and the average person laughs about 15 times per day. What she isn’t quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she’s spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend’s dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy, Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realize that the world of fashion doesn’t seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

My Thoughts:

I won a copy of Geek Girl in a Twitter giveaway along with some swag (Thanks again Holly!!). I want to share the geeky love so comment on this post for your chance to win a geek pin and a Geek Girl business card. I'll pick two random winners.

Geek Girl a believable rendition of what being a ‘geek girl’ could be like, from the teasing and bullying to the wishing to be different. The main character, Harriet, ended up being sucked into a world that offered her something she had only dreamed of…to be liked and accepted. But as with all cinderella spells, consequences inevitably followed.

I went into this book fully expecting it to be geared towards younger YA readers and that’s exactly what it was. It’s an easy read that I read fairly quickly. Honestly, toward the beginning, I was worried it would be too simple of a story line to keep my interest. But as I continued, I started to enjoy the characters more and I liked being able to see them grow a little throughout the story. They end up learning some important lessons about themselves and about others. 

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Geek Girl on Goodreads and Amazon

Holly Smale’s website

 

If We Survive by Andrew Klavan

Summary:

What do you do when a mission trip suddenly leaves you caught in the middle of a revolution?

Will Peterson is part of a mission team that has traveled to Costa Verde to rebuild the wall of a school. It’s been a great trip – until a revolution breaks out just before they board their plane to go home.

But then it becomes a desperate race to escape: from a firing squad, from savage animals in the depths of the jungle, from prison cells and revolutionaries with machine guns.

One of the girls is showing Will amazing things about what it means to be truly fearless. And one of the guys has the makings of a real hero. None of them will go home the same. If they only survive.

My Thoughts:

Lately I have been reading a lot of books that remind me, in small ways, of ones I’ve read previously. I heard of If We Survive right before I read and reviewed Fatal Intent by Ryshia Kennie (my review) but didn’t get my hands on it until recently. They sounded a little similar, in that both involve surviving in the jungle.  I had such high hopes for Fatal Intent but I was left disappointed at the lack of emotion coming off the pages.

Thankfully, If We Survive lived up to my expectations. It's suspenseful and very hard to put down…in fact I started it the day it came in the mail and only put it down to get some much needed Zzz’s. I picked it right up the next morning and devoured the last of it. The things that these characters were forced to see…and the amount that they were forced to grow….just wow. If you're looking to add a little adventure to your life definitely check out this book.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

If We Survive on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Andrew Klavan's website

Plague Town (Ashley parker #1) by Dana Fredsti

Summary:

Ashley was just trying to get through a tough day when the world turned upside down.

A terrifying virus appears, quickly becoming a pandemic that leaves its victims, not dead, but far worse. Attacked by zombies, Ashley discovers that she is a “Wild Card” – immune to the virus – and she is recruited to fight back and try to control the outbreak.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited when I started read Plague Town. I was thinking, finally a zombie book that is on the same level of awesome as Rhiannon Frater’s As the World Dies series! I’m sure you’ve all figured out by now that I have a certain love for Rhiannon Frater…well that love just grew to include Dana Fredsti!

The words, the scenes were peeling themselves off the pages and playing out in front of me. I could see the zombies attacking and practically frothing at the mouth at the sight of food. I could see them sinking their teeth and rotting fingers into the flesh of the living. I thoroughly savored every second of it! The gross factor, the blood and gore, I loved it all!

There’s of course more to the story than just zombies attacking but I can’t tell you much about that without spoiling the greatness that was Plague Town. I can tell you that I very much enjoyed the characters and how a lot of the plot points came full circle making everything really connect together.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Plague Town on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Dana Fredsti's website

Posts on Pages (4): Favorite/Autobuy Authors

Posts on Pages

Who handwrites things these days? Not many people I'm sure. I'm a big list person so I'm always writing (and rewriting) lists, etc. and I thought it would be fun to do a series of Posts on Pages where Wendy and I will hand write blog posts. Please excuse any messy writing or white out marks :)

The topic of this month's Posts on Pages is

Fav/Autobuy Authors & the formats we buy them in.

See yesterday's post from Wendy.

If you missed our first three months of Posts on Pages you can find them at the below links

Books that changed our reading habits -  Jen's Post and Wendy's Post

Book quotes - Wendy's Post and Jen's Post

Unfinished Series - Jen's Post and Wendy's Post

Fav/Autobuy Authors

(in no certain order)

-Louisa Edwards

-J.A. Belfield

-Rhiannon Frater

-Maria V. Snyder

-Amanda Carlson

-Brigid Kemmerer

-Cheryl Rainfield

I buy books by my fav authors in hard copy/print format.

Posts on Pages (4): Favorite/Autobuy Authors

Posts on Pages

Who handwrites things these days? Not many people I'm sure. I'm a big list person so I'm always writing (and rewriting) lists, etc. and I thought it would be fun to do a series of Posts on Pages where Wendy and I will hand write blog posts. Please excuse any messy writing or white out marks :)

The topic of this month's Posts on Pages is

Fav/Autobuy Authors & the formats we buy them in.

Stop back tomorrow for Jen's Posts on Pages.

If you missed our first three months of Posts on Pages you can find them at the below links

Books that changed our reading habits -  Jen's Post and Wendy's Post

Book quotes - Wendy's Post and Jen's Post

Unfinished Series - Jen's Post and Wendy's Post

*FAV/AUTOBUY AUTHORS & THE FORMATS WE BUY THEM IN.*

• S.J Frost- I love her work and always buy the kindle format. This is one of very few authors that I plan to buy the paperback copies as well.

• Yasmine Galenorn- I have the majority of her work in paperback, and I am slowly collecting kindle copies as well. She has not disappointed me yet!

• Kristen Ashley- No contest! Kristen Ashley is an "autobuy, don't need to read the blurb, I know it's gonna be good", author. I buy all of her work for my kindle.

• Olivia Cunning- Definitely an autobuy author. I devour her books and love every minute of it. I would love to have them all in paperback (maybe one day), but I do have them all for my kindle!

**Who are your favorite/autobuy authors?**



Shelf Candy Saturday (44): Freaks by Kieran Larwood

Shelf Candy Saturday is hosted by A Night's Dream of Books

Sheba, the fur-faced Wolfgirl, can sniff out a threat from miles away. Monkeyboy clambers up buildings in the blink of an eye -- then drops deadly stink bombs of his own making (yes, THAT kind)! Sister Moon sees in the dark, and moves at the speed of light. Born with weird abnormalities that make them misfits, these FREAKS spend their nights on public display, trapped in a traveling Victorian sideshow. But during the day, they put their strange talents to use: They solve the most sinister crimes. And in a dank, desperate world of crooks and child-snatchers, they're determined to defend London's most innocent victims: the street urchins disappearing from the city's streets.

Freaks on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Kieran Larwood's Website

I love the spooky and mysterious look of this cover. It is one that caught my attention right away and is definitely one I added to my ever growing list.

Breathless (Elemental #2.5) by Brigid Kemmerer

 

Summary:

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.

My Thoughts:

Warning: there’s a spoiler in my review…although that particular spoiler is all over the place so you may already know.

I love the Merrick brothers and I loved getting to see a little more of them in Breathless. It makes me all the more excited to get my hands on Spirit. Hunter is the main character in Spirit but I know we’ll still be seeing a lot of the brothers as well.

There is some controversy floating around about this novella because the main character may or may not be gay…to that I say pish posh!! Brigid Kemmerer’s writing is fantastic. Her stories are original and engaging and that’s all that should matter. Seriously, if you avoid reading this series because of one small thing then you’re REALLY missing out, simple as that!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Breathless on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Brigid Kemmerer’s website

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels #4 and 4.5

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4)

Goodreads Summary:

Kate Daniels keeps the peace in Atlanta for the Order, humans caught between the vampire controlling People led by her biological father and best kept secret, Roland, and the shape-shifter Pack, led by her mate-to-be Curran, the Lord of the Beasts. But her look-alike aunt Erra, Babylon's god of chaos and terror, has come to town controlling seven naked warriors: Deluge (flood water), Tremor (earth quake), Gale (hurricane wind), Torch (fire inferno), Venom (disease poison), Beast (animal monster), and Darkness (overpowering dread).

My Thoughts:

The tension between Kate and Curran has been building throughout this series. Finally they took it to the next level! The "big bad" they faced in this book was the worst yet. I was quite shocked while reading and learning more about Kate, who she is and where she came from. The story of the first vampire that Kate reveals really tells a lot.

I am moving onto the next part of the series right away! I still can't believe it has taken me this long to read these books, they are so good! I very highly recommend these books!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble














Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels #4.5)

Goodreads Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes a tale of darkness, desire, and werecats.
Alpha Pack leader Jim Shrapshire has always been the strong, silent type. But something has come over him--a magic force currently residing in one of the Pack's headquarters. Were-tigress Dali Harimau has always wished she could get Jim's attention--but now he needs her help.

Stricken with a magic-sickness, Jim needs Dali's flair for magic. And to save him, she must challenge a powerful, dark being to a battle of wits.

My Thoughts:

It was good to see more of Jim and Dali and to finally read his reasons for not making a move. Both of these characters are ones I wanted to know more about so it was great to finally get that. I love how Dali handles the "baddie" in this one too!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

*This short story is also available in the anthology "Hexed". (Link will take you to Goodreads.)*

Correct Reading Order:

√0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
√1- Magic Bites
√2- Magic Burns
√3- Magic Strikes
√3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
√4- Magic Bleeds
√4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*= short story

Find Ilona Andrews on Goodreads or her Website.

Giveaway Winners!!

The winner of our Spring Blog Carnival is...

Lisa Mandina

Congrats Lisa!! Wendy has contacted you.

The winner of our May Swag Giveaway is...

Juhina

Congrats Juhina!!

Cover Reveal: 1816 Candles by Amanda Brice

 

Title: 1816 Candles

Author: Amanda Brice

Genre: Time Travel Romance

Age Group: Young Adult

Cover Designer: Keith Draws

Expected release date: September 2013

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

  

  High school senior Lauren is attending a costume ball at Old Town Alexandria’s famous Gadsby’s Tavern. But when she gets bored by the repetitious historical dances, she goes off to explore in the building and something odd catches her eye. Is it a woman? When Lauren follows the mysterious person and picks up a snow globe in the room she’s led to, she somehow ends up in 1816, experiencing the actual events of the “Legend of the Female Stranger” she’s heard her whole life growing up. Now Lauren has to solve the mystery of this ghost, find her way back home…and deal with her own emotions when she falls in love with a guy who lived 200 years before her.    


About the Author   As a little girl, Amanda Brice dreamed of being either a ballerina or the author of a mystery series featuring a cool crime-solving chick named Nancy Flew, but her father urged her to “do something practical,” so she went to law school and spent her days writing briefs and pleadings instead of fiction. But dance and writing have remained a part of her life. Amanda was a member of the ballroom dance team at Duke University, and continues this interest by her obsession with Dancing with the Stars, so it was only natural for her to set a teen mystery series at a dance school. Amanda is the President of Washington Romance Writers, and is a two-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award. She blogs once a month or so with the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood. She is also a popular conference presenter, speaking on basic copyright and trademark law for writers. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys dancing, reading, cooking, traveling, and obsessing over whether Duke will beat Carolina in basketball. Go Devils!  

Website | Facebook

Cover Reveal: One More Day Anthology

One More Day

by Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, L.S. Murphy, Danielle E. Shipley, Anna Simpson

Release Date: December 2, 2013
Target Reader: Young Adult
Keywords: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Fiction, Romantic, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy



Back of the Book

What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?

Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying ... that's where you’d be ... forever.

Unless ...

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could, maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened ... to you?

Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson #2) by Darynda Jones

My review of First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1)

If you haven't read the first in the series then you may not want to continue reading

because there will be spoilers.

Summary:

When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously? Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. Mimi’s husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out that an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven…well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

My Thoughts:

I know what you last summer in high school! Mimi’s part of the story screamed cover up! But it was fun following the story and trying to figure out whodunit as well as watch Charley in all of her sleuthing and shenanigans.

And Reyes…what to say about Reyes. He is like the ultimate man. He is such a trooper, taking the torture that’s being dished out to him all while protecting Charley and everyone really. I did have a niggling at the back of my mind that I knew where he was and I ended up being right but I didn’t know for sure.

Aaaand now it’s time for a nitpick…

One of the big things that stuck out to me was the amount of things that were rehashed from the first book in the series. I probably would have really appreciated the reminders had I read the books as they were released. But (yes there’s a but) being that I just read the first one a month before this one, everything was still fresh in my mind and that potentially helpful rehashing got to be distracting and it slowed down the progress of the story.

Aside from that, I have to say that I do still love the characters and I look forward to seeing more of them.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Darynda Jones' website

Second Grave on the Left on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels #3 & 3.5

Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3)

Goodreads Summary:

When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it’s a job for Kate Daniels…

Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.

But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community…

My Thoughts:

This book was even better than the last. I laughed and I cried, for me that usually makes for an excellent read.

The action does not stop, which is something I am finding I love about this series. The banter and sexual tension between Kate & Curran builds with each book. I wonder...How long will it take for them to give in?
There were points in this story that made me gasp. I was sure one of the characters I have become so attatched to was not going to make it. This is definitely an "edge of your seat" kind of read and onr I highly recommend!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Magic Mourns (Kate Daniels #3.5)

Goodreads Summary:

Andrea Nash of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid - with an assist from her friend, Kate Daniels - tries to figure out why the giant three-headed dog who guards the gates of Hades is sniffing around Atlanta.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed seeing more of Andrea and Raphael. To top it off they were after Cerberus! How cool is that! Then theres vampires too. This story was certainly an adventure and not to be missed.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

*This short story is also available in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds. (Link will take you to Goodreads.)*

Correct Reading Order:

√0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
√1- Magic Bites
√2- Magic Burns
√3- Magic Strikes
√3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
4- Magic Bleeds
4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*= short story

Spring Blog Carnival: Shooting Gallery

Step right up and try your luck

at our Shooting Gallery!!

All you have to do is hunt down some answers

about one of our favorite authors, Rhiannon Frater!!

(Just a hint to help you out, all answers can be found on Rhiannon's website)

Each bullseye (aka correct answer) will get you one entry!!

You could win an ebook of one of these fabulous books!!

 -Fill out the below form to enter

-Entries must be received by 11:59pm (EST) on May 12th

Sunday Swag Bag Giveaway

Thank you to Faye at A Daydreamer's Thoughts  for creating this button. 

If you like Faye's handiwork check her out at the above link as she's just starting out 

with designing graphics for bloggers.

It's time again for my Sunday Swag Bag giveaway!!

I have a lot of swag that I've been wanting to pass along. Some of it is duplicates from what's in my personal collection and some of it's from books or genre's that I don't think I'll read. So I've been trying to think of a way to give it to other swag lovers. That's where Sunday Swag Bag comes in.

I will post a contest on the first Sunday of every month until the swag bag is empty. Each contest will be open for a week. Then I will do a post on the second Sunday of every month where I announce the winner and I will grab anywhere from 4-5 pieces out of my swag bag. It's luck of the draw for the winner but there's a lot of really awesome swag so don't miss out!

-giveaway is open internationally

-to enter fill out the form below

-you must enter by 11:59pm (EST) on May 11th

Shelf Candy Saturday (43): BEA Edition

Shelf Candy Saturday is hosted by A Night's Dream of Books.

BEA is just weeks away so I decided to pick a few books that will be there. They all have great covers and maybe, just maybe I'll be lucky enough to get some of them.

Reboot (Reboot #1) by Any Tintera

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney

Taken (Taken #1) by Erin Bowman

The Ward by Jordana Frankel

Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Aime Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Vanilla on Top (Walk on the Wild Side #1) by C.J. Ellisson

Summary: 

Discover your inner bad girl, and set her free…

Heather Pierce is done being a wallflower, bother personally and professionally. Desperate to live a different life for one night, she attends a speed dating event. Maybe here, she can become someone new. When a man way out of her league sits across from her, Heather gathers her courage and takes charge of what she wants, secretly fearing he won’t desire the real person she’s desperate to hide.

Top acquisitions officer and international playboy Tony Carmine is about to close the biggest deal of his career. But when he meets Heather at a speed dating event…and discovers losing control may be exactly what he needs. Her blossoming sensuality occupies his every thought, consuming him with the need to possess the most intriguing lover he’s ever encountered – until he walks into the boardroom and sees Heather on the other side of the negotiating table.

My Thoughts:

Oh my goodness, I don’t think have it in me to be as forward as Heather but good for her! She’s fed up with being shy and timid and decides to grab the bull by the ______ (<= I’ll let you fill in the blank here….and it’s not ‘horns’) and get what she wants. And boy does she ever!! This is a spicy read and a great choice to warm you up on these chilly Spring mornings!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Vanilla on Top on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

C.J. Ellisson's website