Blog Tour (Excerpt & Giveway): Understudy

Hi, everyone! I'm so thrilled to be a part of the Blog Tour for the book Understudy by Cheyanne Young .

Understudy
Cheyanne Young
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: Feb 15th, 2014
ISBN: 978-1495380525
ASIN: B00IGRK2PC
Number of pages: 178

   

Sypnosis:

The high school play is in two months and senior Wren Barlow just became director. Wren still isn't over the fact that she got stiffed as a stagehand instead of the lead role that she totally deserved. Now she is in charge of rehearsals, costumes, navigating around cast member hookups and managing the real life drama at home.

The principal counts on her to succeed because tickets have been sold and the money has been spent. But when he drops a gorgeous bad boy on her and wants him to help the play for extra credit, she falls hard for someone she knows she can't date.

With everything spinning out of control, the mysterious and secretive detention king named Derek has a few tricks up his sleeve and wants to help—too bad Wren is scared to give him a chance to prove himself.

Goodreads |  Amazon Kindle | Amazon | 

AUTHOR BIO:

Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, nail polish and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her family, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.

She also writes under the pen name Amy Sparling.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads |

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Blog Tour (Interview): Summoned

Hi, everyone! Today I'm part of the Blog Tour for the book Summoned by Rainy Kaye.

Summoned by Rainy Kaye
Published March 28th 2014
Immortal Ink Publishing
Genres: Fantasy

Sypnosis:

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

A dark twist on the genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him.

Goodreads |  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 

Is Summoned your first novel?

No, but yes. But no. I've completed four other manuscripts before Summoned, but they are all part of another series which is not quite ready to be plopped onto Amazon. My friend, author Natasha Larry, and I decided to take a break from our usual made up worlds and each try something else. Sixteen days later, I had written the draft of Summoned. A couple of months later, I signed with my lovely agent, Rossano Trentin.

Do you intend to write any more novels?

Yep. While Summoned was written as a standalone novel (no cliffhanger), there are likely to be a few more adventures with Dimitri. He's way too much fun to write. Plus there's that other series in progress, and a few other outlines floating around in my brainspace.

Why did you decide to write about genies?

I didn't decide to write about genies. I decided to write about Dimitri and, as it turns out, he's a genie. He doesn't live in a lamp or use magic, but you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a wish he has to fulfill.

Why did you write about a male character?

The primary protagonist of the other series is also male, so even though Dimitri is nothing like him, it wasn't something I had to give any real thought. Despite the fact “kick ass females” are a big thing right now, I think you just kind of know if your character is going to be male or female.

What was the most difficult part of writing Summoned?

I was working a day job and then turning around and pulling another eight hours writing. I did this nearly every night for sixteen days. So, basically, the hardest part of writing Summoned was recovering from the caffeine addiction.

AUTHOR BIO:

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter. She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

Website |  Twitter | Facebook | 

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Waiting on Wednesday #67: Unwept

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

Unwept (The Nightbirds #1) 
by Tracy Hickman 
Hardcover, 224 pages
Expected publication: July 1st 2014 
by Tor Books

Goodreads | Amazon| B & N | TBD

Gamin, Maine, is a remote seaside town where everyone seems to know Ellis Harkington better than she knows herself—but she doesn’t remember any of them. 

Unknown events have robbed Ellis of her memory. Concerned individuals, who purport to be her friends and loved ones, insist that she simply needs to recuperate, that her memories may return in time, but refuse to divulge what has brought her to this state. For her own sake, so they say.
Ellis finds herself adrift in a town of ominous mysteries, cryptic hints, and disturbingly familiar strangers. The Nightbirds, a clique of fashionable young men and women, claim her as one of their own, but who among them can she truly trust? And what of the phantom suitor who visits her in her dreams? Is he a memory, a figment of her imagination, or a living nightmare beyond rational explanation? 

Only her lost past hold the answers she seeks—if she can uncover its secrets before she fall prey to an unearthly killer.

That blurb sounds really creepy. I've never been to Maine and all I knew about it is that Stephen King is from there.  I'm just curious why so many thrillers and horror books are set from that particular town? 

Review: The Ghost Bride

The Ghost Bride
by Yangsze Choo 
ebook, 334 pages 
Published August 6th 2013
by William Morrow 
Goodreads | Amazon| B & N | TBD

A startlingly original voice makes her literary debut with this wondrous coming-of-age story infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, adventure, and fascinating, dreamlike twists.

One evening, my father asked me whether I would like to become a ghost bride. . . . 

Though ruled by British overlords, the Chinese of colonial Malaya still cling to ancient customs. And in the sleepy port town of Malacca, ghosts and superstitions abound.

Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she receives an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family. They want her to become a ghost bride for the family's only son, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, traditional ghost marriages are used to placate restless spirits. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at a terrible price. 
After an ominous visit to the opulent Lim mansion, Li Lan finds herself haunted not only by her ghostly would-be suitor, but also by her desire for the Lims' handsome new heir, Tian Bai. Night after night, she is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities, paper funeral offerings, vengeful spirits, and monstrous bureaucracy—including the mysterious Er Lang, a charming but unpredictable guardian spirit. Li Lan must uncover the Lim family's darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family—before she is trapped in this ghostly world forever.

It certainly took some time for me to finish reading this exquisite gem by my fellow Malaysian; Yangsze Choo as I wanted to truly immersed myself in the wonderful lush setting of ancient Malacca which to this day is a colourful melting pot of so many cultures. And those familiar setting certainly captivated me enough through most of the slow beginning chapters of this book as the writer certainly took her time to introduce the myriad of characters with all their backgrounds and quirks while at the some tantalize me so much with such detailed descriptions of local foods where the writer's passion as a foodie is evident in the way she explain each dish so lovingly. 

However, when Li Lan stumbled into the other world, I kept thinking that I really missed the peaceful setting of the quaint town of Malacca. The ghost world are pretty gruesome complete with corrupt bull headed demons and afterlife officers willing to bend their rules for some gold. And as our dear Li Lan eventually discovered that even in afterlife the Lim family is as powerful as they are in the world of the living. The saving grace is of course the introduction of the character; Er Lang. He was indeed the bright spot in an otherwise a dull and creepy ghost world for Li Lan. And eventhough his appearance is quite late in the game, he just captivate the hell out of me. (Gosh, pun unintended). At first, Tian Bai just seemed like the perfect candidate for Li Lan but the mysterious and certainly not human Er Lang is so funny and unpredictable that I just can't help but root for the two of them eventhough knowing that such thing is impossible.

For those unfamiliar with Asian settings or the Chinese belief, this book will certainly took awhile to get into. But the twists and turns of this book will certainly intrigue readers to enjoy this to the end.

Review: Salvage

Salvage 
by Alexandra Duncan 
ebook, 520 pages 
Published April 1st 2014 
by Greenwillow
ARC from Edelweiss
Goodreads | Amazon| B & N | TBD

Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean, in this thrilling, surprising, and thought-provoking debut novel that will appeal to fans of Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, and The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

I'm not entirely sure what possessed me to read this book in the first place since I did not particularly enjoy Beth Revis; Across the Universe and Margaret Atwood's; The Handmaid's Tale.

Maybe I was willing to give this the benefit of doubt and although Beth Revis first book in the series was so boring, I gave the third book in the series; Shadows of Earth a glowing review. But Salvage was kind of hard to digest even from the get go. 

Ava, the captain's daughter of the merchant ship Parastrata was forced to marry someone from Aether; a bigger much grander ship. Ava was under the impression that she was betrothed to Luck ; Aether's future captain but apparently she was promised to Luck's father. She was later caught in an uncompromising situation with Luck and both of them was severely punished for it to the point that she was forced to flee her ship or face death.


This could have turned out very exciting but I'm sad to say that it consists of a long winded journey which did not interest me at all. More than once did I set the book aside because of that slow..slow pacing where nothing much happens. The world building was kind of confusing, the writing style was also hard to enjoy and Ava herself is not a character that I can connect with. To sum it up, this book was not the exciting sci-fi it promised to be.

Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Boyfriend List

Hi, everyone! Today I'm having a Book Blitz for the book The Boyfriend List by Renee Novelle.

The Boyfriend List by R.S. Novelle
Publication date: February 10th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Sypnosis:

The Boyfriend List follows twenty-year-old Reagan in her quest for the perfect relationship after a somewhat tragic spring break breakup leaves her disillusioned about love… again.

Reagan had always prided herself on making levelheaded, practical, analytical decisions about everything. Everything, that is, except where guys are concerned. Which was proven to her, once again, when her “boyfriend” opts to take another girl on their oh-so-romantic trip to his lake house. In order to prevent future heartbreak, she creates a checklist of all the qualities she wants in a man, and vows not to give her heart away again until she can determine if they fit every last criteria.

After scouring campus with her two best friends in her tricky journey, her detective work returns a pile of unworthy rejects, and it seems as though her choices are narrowed down to only two options: the hot stranger who’s inspired her new project, and her best guy friend Ian, who she’s always kept at bay due to his perceived playboy reputation.

Reagan gets more than she bargained for with her new set of rules, however, and is surprised to find that love, and the perfect boyfriend, may have been within reach the entire time. But will Ian’s reputation ruin his chances to prove his worth? And can Reagan let go of her insecurities long enough to even give him a chance?

The Boyfriend List is a light, New Adult romance about friendship, trust, and learning to let go in order to embrace what real love can offer.

Goodreads |  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

AUTHOR BIO:
Renee’ Novelle is Preceded by a long line of published family members, including Pulitzer Prize nominated author and Poet Laureate of Kentucky Jesse Stuart.

As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems.

Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of 75 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.

In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. She writes psychological and paranormal thrillers, as well as contemporary fiction and new adult fiction. For a complete schedule of upcoming releases, please visit www.RSNovelle.com

Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you're meant to be.

Website |  Twitter | Facebook |  Goodreads

Where are you from originally?

Originally I was born in the tiny little town of Ashland, Kentucky. But we moved pretty quickly, and I grew up almost all of my life in Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!). Living in a city that kind of revolves around the college there, and is comprised of mostly college students gave me some great material for my upcoming New Adult stories.

Tell us your latest news?

I’m so, so excited to have just released my first New Adult romance! I had so much fun writing this book, and I really hope that readers will be able to connect with the characters. I had originally planned it as a single title, but I’ve received so many requests asking for more of Reagan and Ian that I’ve decided to turn it into a trilogy! I’m really excited to explore the next step in their journey together.

Where do you get your ideas?

It depends on what genre I’m writing in. Sometimes they come from real life events and experiences. Other times they’re inspired by pieces of a news story I’ve heard or something in the community. But lately my muse likes to drop them into my head at 3am while I’m trying to sleep.

What is your writing process?

I generally tend to think of the title first (I work backwards like that), and then form the general concept of the story around that. I sit on this for weeks, months, even years in some instances until I feel like I know the story and characters well enough to plot the whole thing out. After writing a detailed outline, I start the first draft and edit as I go. Then I give it one or two more edits before passing it on to my proof readers/beta readers. I tend to write quickly, so once I have an outline and commit to writing a story, I usually have it done in 2-3 months.

Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?

I think I pull aspects of personalities from my real-life friends, but there isn’t a character that is completely someone I know. I based a lot of Ian’s characteristics, the way he loves and his attentiveness to those he cares about, around the person I’m in love with. They’re very much alike in that regard. And I’ve had friends like Petra in the past who are so outgoing and confident in every situation.

Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?

Absolutely! I think as a writer it’s hard not to. You want the characters to be relatable and feel real, so I’m constantly giving them my own insecurities and strengths, and relying on my own experiences to portray a particular moment. But even more than that, I often find that my characters are enjoying my favourite type of coffee or tea, or that the color nail polish that I’m wearing as I write a scene is the color they’re wearing as well.

Tell us about your cover. Did you design it yourself and if you did where did you get the inspiration?

I designed the overall concept and feel of the cover, but I worked very closely with a professional graphic artist to bring it all together. I understand my limitations, and I think it’s very beneficial to utilize professionals whenever possible. And I enjoy the collaboration of working with someone else, bouncing ideas off each other and watching the process of the image coming to life.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee!!! I live for caffeine. But a nice cup of tea helps me unwind after a long day of writing.

What do you do outside of writing?

I also still write as a freelance journalist for magazines. But when I’m NOT writing, I enjoy the beach, going to concerts or musicals, trying a new restaurant, or exploring a new city. Since I spend so much time at my desk, I really enjoy activities that will get me outside and active.

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FF Friday #18

Hi, everyone! It's time for another Feature and Follow Friday.

Q: How have your reading habits changed in the past few years? Did you get interested in a new genre?Do you read more? Less?Why do you think your habits changed, if they did.

Well since I started blogging, I've tried many new genres such as steampunk and also paranormal romance. And this year I started reading contemporary YA again (something which I haven't done since college). Wohoo! I feel so old.

Waiting on Wednesday #66: Endless

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

Endless (Shadowlands #3) 
by Kate Brian 
Hardcover, 304 pages 
Expected publication: July 22nd 2014 
by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads | 

An unthinkable betrayal threatens everyone Rory loves in the third installment of our dark, thrilling Shadowlands series from New York Times best-selling author Kate Brian. 

Rory Miller didn't just fall in love with Tristan Parrish. She fell in love with the idea of forever. He was the one who told her the truth about her existence in Juniper Landing: that her mortal life is over, and she will now spend eternity on the island, helping others in limbo move on. 

But like Juniper Landing, a bright island with dark secrets, Tristan is too good to be true. The mysterious, heartbreakingly beautiful boy Rory thought she knew is responsible for unthinkable evil-sending good souls to the Shadowlands in order to get himself a second chance at life on Earth. He has already claimed Rory's friend Aaron and her own father, but when SPOILER Tristan sends her sister, Darcy, to the Shadowlands, too, Rory decides to take matters into her own hands. She will do anything to save her family, even if it means going to hell and back.

The first book was amazing although a little bit slow. The second book is kind of disappointing. I'm really hoping that the third book will redeemed the series for me.

Mini Review: Elusion

Elusion 
by Claudia Gabel, Cheryl Klam 
ebook, 252 pages
Expected publication: March 18th 2014 
by Katherine Tegen Books
ARC from Edelweiss
Goodreads | Amazon| B & N | TBD

Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it. 

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life. 

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality. 

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions. 

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.

I'm really torn about this book. For one, the premise of a digital dystopian world where people can escape to is pretty much done before and the fact that the characters are so one dimensional makes it hard for me to get through this book. And yes it has all the YA tropes that I found so annoying such as instant love, love triangle between the main character, her longtime best friend and this mysterious bad boy who just showed up is so cliche'. 

I was so ready to hate this book but still I just can't stop reading it.  The detailed world building with its acid rain, O2 helmets and shields horrified me to no end. And the mystery surrounding the death of Regan's dad intrigues me and although we get hints here and there that there is problem with Elusion, the final revelation still blew me away. Compared to other dystopian books out there, this will definitely stick to my mind although it just lacks that certain something to make this to be truly amazing.

Review: Side Effects May Vary

Side Effects May Vary 
by Julie Murphy 
Kindle Edition, 336 pages
March 18th 2014 
by HarperCollins/ Balzer + Bray
ARC from Netgalley
Goodreads | Amazon| B & N | TBD

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission. 

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

The Fault in Our Stars is such a major book and although this one touches about a young girl suffering from cancer too, it is so different. For one, Alice has a lot of angst and instead of living her last days peacefully she decided to go all out and get revenge against others who have wronged her. Particularly her ex-boyfriend who cheated with her number one frenemie. Being not a fan of books with multiple POV's, this gets confusing at times especially since the POV's are told from two different characters (Alice & Harvey) and two different times (Then & Now) as in before she had cancer and afterwards.

I kind of enjoyed Alice nefarious plans to get back at her ex-bf and frenemie but she is such an unlikeable character to sympathized with. We're supposed to be rooting for her but at times, all I want to do is smack some sense into her head. And the way she treated Harvey is just so aggravating. Sometimes all she wants to do is be with him and at times she just ignored him completely. Alice is seriously one messed up girl.


What save this book from being a total letdown is that sweet little ending. However, I can't help but wished that Alice had gotten her head straight way earlier before torturing everyone around her just because she's hurting.