Finale Review

Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fiztpatrick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readrs
Pages: 454
Release Date: October 27th/2012
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What It's About! 

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

 Review

Finale turned out to be better than I had expected. I was originally going to give it a 4 but decided to give it a 5 after reading the ending. This book was packed full of action, secrets and surprises. Some characters turned out to be better or worse than originally thought, and at the end of the battle we lose many, but only one important character. I wanted to throw my kobo into a wall I was so mad that the author killed off one of the main characters I've come to really like over the series. 

This book didn't keep me very interested in the beginning, but I kept reading since I HAD to find out what would happen to my precious characters, since I've been with them since book one. By about halfway through, I started getting really wound up in the story and by the time I reached the last few chapters I was swept right up in the whirlwind of events and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. There was also a point somewhere near the middle of the book where I wanted to punch Patch in the face, but that quickly ended when I found out the truth about what was happening. THANK GOD, 'cause someone was gonna lose a limb! Nora was her usual *dumb* self, but she wasn't as bad as she has been in past books, but that could just be me. There were definite points where I was all ARE YOU SERIOUS?! OF COURSE IT'S A ****ING TRAP! Thankfully, there were only a few of those so it didn't change my love of these books.

I have to say, it's a pretty good conclusion to the end of these books. It was just...so perfect. Made me cry a little inside...but still perfect. Especially the very end right before the epilogue, which was the most romantic part in the whole book! It blew my expectations out of the water and made me love this series even more. If your a Hush, Hush fan, you'll definitely need to read Finale!

Rating:

Cover Candie of the Month

  ♥Cover Candie of the Month♥

Beauty by Nancy Ohlin

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 208
Release Date: May 7th/2013
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What It's About!

Looks to kill for...

Ana is nothing like her glamorous mother, Queen Veda, whose hair is black as ravens and whose lips are red as roses. Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.

And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection, she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.

At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.

But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in?

 

Book Blitz Tour

Phoebe Pope & The Year Of Four by Nya Jade

Publisher: Dreamwell Publishing 
Pages: N/A
Release Date: October 30th/2012
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What It's About!

The students of Green Lane Academy roam their halls unaware that below their manicured campus exists a prestigious school of an entirely different kind . . .

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double life: spy trainee Below and normal teenager Above.

As if two course loads, concealing a secret power she alone wields, and coping with her father’s recent death weren’t enough, Phoebe finds herself developing major feelings for actor and teen heartthrob Colten Chase, who attends the Campus Above and appears to be majoring in winning Phoebe’s heart. But when officials learn that Phoebe may be at the center of a startling prophecy, she becomes the target of shape-shifting assassins who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.

Now Phoebe’s lessons about Shaper’s enemies and spycraft take on great importance as a menace stalks the campus, with Phoebe as its target. Meanwhile, what began as an unlikely relationship with Colten, quickly morphs into heartache when she suspects that something sinister lurks beneath this movie star’s glitter and fame. Suddenly, Phoebe’s caught in a mesh of lies, betrayals, and danger where she doesn’t know who to trust, and needs to rely on herself—and her secret power—to get to the truth and to stay alive.

Excerpt from: 

PHOEBE POPE AND THE YEAR OF FOUR 

A SHAPERS NOVEL

One 

Phoebe was too far away to sense whether the boy had one heart or two. Through the maze of trees with clattering leaves, she could see him moving with purposeful speed. He was headed toward her destination—a brownstone chapel perched at the top of a small hill. Not knowing the boy’s nature made Phoebe hesitate. Then came the sound of tower bells. Eight o’clock. There was no time to think of an alternate route. She was officially late for the Conversion. 

A loud, echoing crack quickened Phoebe’s pace as lightning slashed the indigo sky above her. She had barely reached the base of the hill when rain began pounding down. Clutching the camera that hung from the strap around her neck, she sprinted the final stretch, arriving breathless.  

Phoebe wiped the rain from her face, and then entered the chapel. Inside, light from moon-facing windows cast a misty glow across the sanctuary, the air redolent with the smoke of a blazing fireplace. She glanced around the heart of the nondenominational Green Lane Academy. It seemed so ordinary, so quiet, even peaceful. Rows of pews with velvet cushions ran the width of the room. She moved between them, taking care to remain in the shadows. An irregular shape in a dark corner caught her eye and Phoebe could just barely make out the outline of the boy. He knelt with his head between his hands, his body huddled against a pew. Praying. 

Phoebe paused several feet away and waited. After a moment she felt energy seeping from the boy’s skin, raising the hairs on hers. Cold and electric, it meant one thing: the boy had only one heart. She couldn’t risk him seeing what she had come there to do. That meant waiting. Just then, something stirred behind her.

Nya's Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Nya Jade is a singer-songwriter and author based in San Francisco. Her music videos have aired on the VH1, BET, and MTV networks. USA Today hailed Nya as a “young female troubadour worth keeping your eyes and ears on,” in an entertainment feature on up-and-coming singer-songwriters. “Her cool singing voice recalls Sade,” said the LA Times.

Between writing and performing new music, Nya took a musical sabbatical to focus on writing a novel—an endeavor she found quite daunting, until she began looking at each chapter as a verse in a very long song. Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four is her first novel.

In her free time, Nya enjoys hanging out with family and friends, searching for amazing gluten-free desserts, and bargain hunting for her next pair of funky shoes.

Nya holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Sociology, both from Stanford University.

 

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To (Pushing The Limits companion) by Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Release Date: May 28th/2013
Pages: 304
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What It's About!

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

 

In My Dreams Re-Release

In My Dreams by Cameo Renae

Publisher: Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing
Release Date: December 2012
Pages: N/A
Goodreads 

What It's About!

 It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something seventeen year-old Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hayes thought she'd outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he's been found... dead.
Michael hasn't crossed over because he was murdered, and now his murderer is coming for Lizzy. His spirit won't rest until she is safe, and as a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy's dreams. When she dreams, it's as if he hasn't died.
Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events. Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?

 

Wolf Pact Review

Wolf Pact (Wolf Pact Part I - IV) by Melissa De La Cruz

Publisher: ATOM
Release Date: September 25th/2012
Pages: 304
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What It's About!

Lawson and his brothers escaped from the underworld and now lead desperate, dangerous lives. They’re pursued by the Hounds of Hell from one town to the next, never calling any place home. But when the hounds finally catch up with them and capture the girl Lawson loves, the hunters become the hunted. Lawson will stop at nothing to track down the hounds, even if the chances of saving Tala are slim...

The only hope he has lies in Bliss Llewellyn. Bliss, too, has lost someone to the beasts and will do anything to get them back—even if it means joining forces with the insolent, dangerously good-looking boy with a wolf’s soul.          

Review

Wolf Pact was a short, quick read that left me a little disappointed. I LOVE the author's Bluebloods series, but I just didn't love this book. I had high expectations before reading it, since Melissa De La Cruz is such a good author, I just couldn't get into it though.

The whole time I was reading it I couldn't help comparing it to Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series, and Wolf Pact wasn't as good. I liked Bliss in the Bluebloods series but unfortunately in this book, she wasn't that great. The only time she was actually of any use was at the very end of the book, otherwise she was pretty useless.

Right away, we were introduced to new characters, which were the wolves, and also lost one, though it wasn't for certain until the end. There was just enough interesting things happening throughout the book to keep my interest, but unfortunately, not enough for me to love it. Even though I was hoping for a lot better, it wasn't bad. Melissa De La Cruz fans should at least give it a try, I know a lot of people really like Wolf Pact. 

Rating:

 

Avow by Chelsea Fine

Avow (The Archers of Avalon #3) by Chelsea Fine

Publisher: Firefall Publishing 
Release Date: December 11th/2012
Pages: N/A
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What It's About!


Scarlet remembers. Everything. Her past lives, Tristan, Gabriel, Nate: she remembers it all--including how to get to the Fountain of Youth. But time is running out.

Heather and Gabriel have been kidnapped by Raven, while the curse that has plagued Scarlet and Tristan for centuries has shifted, putting the star-crossed lovers in more danger than ever before. Water from the Fountain of Youth is the only thing that can save Scarlet and her loved ones. But the water comes at a price.

With lives--and hearts--at stake, Scarlet leads her friends on a dangerous journey to the Fountain of Youth. Where eternal life is possible, but death is certain.

 

Book Reveal!

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 4th/2013
Pages: 384
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What It's About!

Emaline works at her family's vacation rental company the summer before she leaves for college. She must confront her values, goals and choices as her relationship with city-boy Theo evolves and she's forced to say goodbye to the beach town where she grew up.

Destined Review

Destined by Jessie Harrel

Publisher: Mae Day Publishing
Release Date: November 17th/2011
Pages: 360
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A copy was provided for review from the author 

What It's About!

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Review

I just love books that are about or have greek mythology in them, I just find them so interesting, especially the ones in the YA genre. Destined is about Eros "accidentally" falling in love with Psyche, a normal mortal girl who's a princess, but also turns out to be more than they both knew.

I just thought this book was so cute and romantic, some parts got me bored a little bit, but it was pretty good most of the time. One of the things I didn't feel like was touched on was where Alexa, a servant nypmh from Pshyche's new palace went. One moment she's there, then she's not, then it's the end of the book and I'm like, ok, what ever happened to her?? I really liked her character so I was disappointed when I didn't get a conclusion as to where she ended up by the end of the book.

The book is based heavily around Eros, Psyche and Eros's mother, Aphrodite, but there were other characters too, like Psyche's annoying, mean sister. I'm glad she wasn't in the book very much. I really liked how Aphrodite started out as one thing, then by the end was completely different even though she hadn't technically changed. It was a very good twist to the story I hadn't seen coming at all. I finished this book in 2 sittings, I just couldn't put it down, it was so good! I couldn't wait to find out if Eros and Psyche actually ended up together in the end with everything they had to go through, it was just so romantic and got me so emotionally evolved.

I for sure think anyone who likes greek mythology would probably like Destined, it's such a nice new story on something as old as the greek mythology. 

Rating:

Author Interview & Giveaway

Q: What first got you into writing? Did you always know you wanted to be an author?

A: Boredom! My first job after college was as a Meteorologist for an environmental consulting firm. The amount of work came in waves, and we were either extremely busy or bored. During the slow times, I started writing a short story. Ideas were always floating around in my mind, but that was when I began using them.
I had thought I wanted to be a storm chaser and if you had told me I'd end up an author I'd probably would have laughed long and hard :)

Q: For those who might not know, how many books do you currently have out right now?

A: I've 9 published novels and 13 short stories in various anthologies. Book #10 is coming out in December.

Q: What were/are some of your favorite books that you've wrote so far?

A: They're all my favorites :) But I will admit to having a certain fondness to POISON STUDY because it is my first book. Second is INSIDE OUT (love Sheepy) and third is TOUCH OF POWER.
 
Q: Since I'm such a huge fan of the Touch of Power series, I have to know; What idea or ideas inspired the story for these books?

A: In the Study books, Yelena has the power to heal, but it’s but one of her many skills. So after writing the Study books, I wanted to explore healing powers more in depth. I had this vague idea about a healer or an apprentice healer during an epidemic. She was either going to be sought after for her powers – like everyone wanting her, or be hunted. I wasn’t sure. Then one night my daughter couldn’t sleep and she wanted me to tell her a story. She knew all my other books, so I started telling her about this healer. And every night, she’d ask, “What’s next?” That’s why TOUCH OF POWER is dedicated to my daughter.

Q: Are any of the main characters in any of the books based on people you know?

A: Not really. I have aspects of people I know in certain characters but haven't lifted them whole. Well, I'm lying. I do have two characters than are almost lifted whole in the Glass books. Opal's parents are my parents - they even have the same names :) The only thing different is my dad doesn't make glass and my mother isn't that great of a cook (shhh...don't tell her!).

Q: Are there plans for any more books in the touch of power series?

A: Yes, I'm working on book 3, TASTE OF DEATH right now and it should be out next December.

So that's it for the questions, do you have any advice for aspiring authors/writers out there?

A: Persistence is my biggest advice. I’d been writing for ten years and submitting for eight before I sold anything. Learn the craft of writing as well as the business of writing and attend writer’s conferences and classes if you can. Consider that time an apprenticeship. Be wary of predators, if someone is asking you for money proceed with the utmost caution. Get feedback on your stories from fellow writers before submitting. Joining a critique group is very helpful. I also find that if I let a story sit on my desk for a few weeks I can pick out all the problems, typos and inconsistencies easier. And I agree whole heartily with Stephen King’s advice in his book, On Writing. He wrote, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” And don’t give up! Ever!

Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog! If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read. Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com And my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

Enter to win a SIGNED paperback copy of Touch of Power! Please note it's only US and Canada.

*Rules*
Must be a member of the blog to enter and any other pages it asks you to follow. I WILL be checking! Thx! 

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The Catastrophic History Of You & Me Review

The Catastrophic History Of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Release Date: February 21rst/2012
Pages: 375
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What It's About! 

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Review

The Catastrophic History Of You & Me is about a girl who literally dies from a broken heart, and ends up in Heaven, where she meets Patrick. Little does she know, she already knows who he is, but it takes her the whole book to finally remember and come to the realization of who he is.

This book took me through about 4 stages of emotion. I started off laughing and really enjoying it because Brie's character was just so witty and funny and in a lot of ways I could relate to her. Then once I got further into the book, I started to get annoyed/bored. Her personality started to get old, and her dumbness was just getting to me. So many things were so obvious I just wanted to jump into the pages and strangle her. Brie was so self-centered and never listened to what Patrick was trying to tell her. Then close to the end I was a happy-sad because of the little bit of romance story that was near the end but actually started at the very beginning of the book, it just wasn't totally obvious until I got near the end of the book. Then by the very end I was practically in tears it was just so beautiful.

Brie started out as a really annoying, typical teenager (even though I thought she was funny at the same time in the beginning), but throughout the book she really grew as a person. She slowly started to understand things and people in a new way that she never had before. By the end she was the total opposite of the annoying, full of attitude teenager and finally accepted and understood the world and stopped putting herself first. That was one of the things I really liked about this book. The other thing was the love story between Brie and Patrick, how he had always been there for her even when she didn't know it and had given her a second chance even though it meant he was never going to be able to move on for all eternity.

By the time I finished the last page, it really tugged at my heart strings, so I decided to give it a 4/5 stars instead of the 3 I was originally going to give it.

Rating:

Rememberence Day Special Post

Remembrance Day is a day each year that we Canadians take to just stop and remember those who fought for our freedom. Lest We Forget, though I am sad to say, I think many of us are forgetting. 

In the last week or so, I have heard things that make me wanna take some of these people, stick them in the past and fight that war themselves. People these days are so spoiled and take our freedom for granted. It wouldn't even surprise me anymore if even one person doesn't know the real reason for Remembrance Day isn't really just a paid day off. 

A few of the things I've heard are these, and they make me really disgusted at anyone who came up with this crap:

Cosco stores in a few places in Canada have shortened the 16 days of selling poppies outside their doors, to 3 days! The place I live tried to do it too, but apparently they got boycotted, so they kept it to the 16 days that it should be.

Second one, I'm not 100% if it's true or not, but Edmonton has decided that kids can "opt out" of Remembrance Day ceremonies, because their parents don't want them to participate. Like it's an effing religion. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Remembrance day isn't optional and it's NOT a religion. It's a day to remember all the soldiers that lost their lives fighting for our freedom so that you CAN freely practice whatever religion you decide. Without them, we wouldn't have freedom, so I guess some people truly are forgetting and think their kids are too good to attend these ceremonies. THOSE are the people who should be thrown into another country that doesn't have HALF the freedom we do so they can actually understand what freedom is and get their heads of their asses. (Read more here)

No matter how long ago it was, which, if you think about it, wasn't very long at all, if your a real Canadian, you'll take a moment on November 11th to thank the soldiers who lost their lives for us, not take our freedom for granted. 

 

Guest Review by Ellen Wookey

Deck of Lies by Jade Varden 

Published for Kindle
Release Date: December 24th/2011
Pages: N/A
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What It's About! 

A House of Cards...

When you build an entire life on a foundation of lies, it only takes one truth for the whole thing to come crashing down. I never invited the truth in. I never went searching for it. I never had any reason to suspect that the two people I loved most were dishonest with me every second of every day.

I made one bad decision, and in a single day my entire world changed. If I'm ever going to discover the truth about myself and my parents, I have to trace all the lies back to their source. I have to try to find the truth that they're hiding.

The more I discover about myself, and my past, the more I realize that lies really are better than the truth. But now that I know the lies are all around me, I can't stop until I've discovered them all. I'll pull each lie away, one by one, and examine it to see what's underneath…until this house of cards crumbles into dust at my feet.

I just hope I can survive the crash.

Ellen's Review

WOW, this is not some paranormal book. This is a suspenseful, mystery book that has you gripping every lie as they multiply in the palm of your hands.

One prank changed two families in a matter of minutes. Entangled in a web of lies, the justice card has played its part well. Rain, or should I say Chloe…well you will find it hard giving this character a name as she struggles with what to call herself when asked the simple question “Who are you?”. The new mission is to start digging for answers.

I was unable to place this book down. I read the description of the book and did not see what was coming. Lies unfolded more lies and the answers created heartache. This book felt real and I will recommend it to everyone I come across. It touched my heart and I am ready to start the second.

Bring on the lies. 

Her Rating: