How To Date An Alien by Magan Vernon

Published December 6th 2011 by CreateSpace

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Source: Author for review

High school senior Alex Bianchi’s estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn’t your typical military base. It’s an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can’t help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they’re on the brink of intergalactic war?

Review

I must say that I am very happy with this book! It actually blew me away. You know that they say to never judge a book by its cover and unfortunately, I always do. But, I am glad that I had read this one!

The book starts off with our heroine, Alex, sitting in an interview for Columbia University. She is trying to get a spot and the interviewer is not impressed with her extra curricular activities. She literally has none. Alex has always been the outcast at her school and focused more on her studies than joining clubs or sports teams. This is about the time that she decides that she would like to do an internship over the summer at Circe, which is the military base that her father works at. Little does she know that Circe is just not any ordinary base, but actually houses aliens from all different planets.

I enjoyed all of the characters especially Ace. Can I say swoooon? He is amazing and there is just something about those silent types that gets me every time. I think it is because we have to figure out what they are thinking and when they finally open up, we are obsessed already!

So this ladies, is how I picture Ace:

I had a feeling you all would like that:-)

Anyhoo, there is another guy whom is fighting for Alex’s affections and that is Gavin. Alex at first thinks Gavin is really cute, but, maybe not boyfriend material?

This is how I picture Gavin, I have no idea of whom this is, but chose him for the hair:

As for Alex, she is a very strong-willed little lady. She is tired of being pushed around by all the bullies at her school and she uses this experience as a chance to make up for it and stand up for herself.

I cannot express how much I really enjoyed this book!

I will try to be patient while waiting for the next book in the series, How To Break Up With An Alien, to come out in June 2012. If you love romance with a little twist of paranormal, this series is for you!

Interview

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

 Oh geeze, I guess I’ve always loved writing and telling stories while growing up as an only child with an over-active imagination. But after I graduated college I decided to try my hand at writing a full-length novel in hopes of publication.

 Why did you pick the paranormal genre?

 I feel like it kind of chose me. I started out writing contemporary and it just didn’t flow like How to Date an Alien. Once I started writing paranormal I couldn’t stop! Now I’m not sure if I will ever be able to write a contemporary piece again!

 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 Writer-wise I hope to have the entire My Alien Romance series out and hopefully atleast three more titles. I would love to have my name mentioned in EW, but that is a pretty big dream.

 If your book was turned into a movie, whom would you cast as the main character, if it was your choice?

 The problem with Hollywood is that there are too many cookie cutter actresses. They are all attractive, skinny, model figure, and all that nonsense. I’m not saying my main character isn’t pretty, but she definitely isn’t cookie cutter. If I had to pick someone to play Alex it would probably be either Melissa Farman (she plays Bristol Palin in the Sarah Palin biopic) or Mae Whitman from Scott Pilgrim.

 When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

I have an 8 month old little girl so she keeps me pretty busy. But other than that I spend a lot of time reading. I’m currently reading Rashelle Workman’s debut novel ‘Exiled,’ and I’m enjoying the science fiction elements.

 What is next on your agenda? Any new books on the horizon??

Book number 2 in the My Alien Romance series will be out this Spring/Summer. I’m not releasing the title yet, but expect an announcement within in the next month or two.

Speed Round:

1. Favorite Book?  Shine by Lauren Myracle or Fifteen Minutes by Jodi Piccoult
2. Favorite Author? Nicholas Sparks, Sarah Dessen, and Jodi Piccoult
3. Favorite genre to read? Romance- I like love stories.
4. Favorite genre to write? Science fiction.
5. Favorite place to read? In my recliner, with a cup of coffee in one hand and my Ipad in the other.

Giveaway 

Rules:

1. Winner will be chosen using Random.org on March 1st.

2. One winner from the USA will receive a paperback copy of the book and one winner internationally will win an ebook copy.

3. Must be a follower.

4. Please fill out the form below:

Thank you to Magan for the interview and hosting the giveaway!

Published March 27, 2007 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

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When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood — to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review

This book took me on a bit of a roller coaster ride. The story was original, maybe even crazy original. It follows Clary, a 15 year old seemingly ordinary girl, as her whole world gets turned upside down, starting when she meets Jace and his friends at a club.

I have kind of mixed thoughts about this book. I’ll start with saying that this is my first book by Cassandra Clare, and though I had heard mixed reviews, I was thoroughly impressed. Her writing style flows and makes the book an easy read, all 490ish pages of it. The story, however, started a little slow for me, and took me a while to get into. Fortunately, all of that was absolved in the last 120 or so pages, when I literally just couldn’t put the book down. There were so many twists and turns that I couldn’t help but keep making guesses as I read. One of my greatest disappointments was the fact that I guessed one of the biggest twists. Though I did have to go back and forth on my ideas as there are plenty of places my guesses were tripped up.

On to the characters. One of the problems I had was that it felt like they were all the same person. I love the snarky, sarcastic characters, but when ALL of the characters are snarky and sarcastic, its a little too much. But I did love them all anyways.

Clary – Not the strongest heroine, but she did just fall into this world without warning. She’s not a hero, but she’s also not a clumbsy, ditsy girl. I’m hoping to watch her grow as the series progresses.

Simon – Clary’s best friend since forever. He’s the cute, cool nerd. He’s got the dorky glasses going on, but is also in a band. I swoon for the smart, dorky boys. I was totally team Simon throughout the book.

Jace – He’s our hero. He’s cool, cocky, sarcastic, and standoffish. Oh, and of course hot. He’s supposed to be the ultimate bad boy, but to me it seemed like he was just trying too hard. But still, hot is hot, right?

I also loved the supporting characters: Isabelle, Alec, and even Luke. I really had a soft spot for Luke.

Overall I liked this book a lot more than most 1st book in a series books. I will definitely be picking up the next one soon, so expect to see that review within the next few weeks.

“It wouldn’t be my move,” Jace agreed.  ”First the candy and flowers, then the apology letter, then the ravenous demon hordes.  In that order.”

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

“Already he felt a strong desire to protect her. And yet he needed her to do the one thing she might not be ready to do. He needed her to remember, needed her to return to the very thing she’d been running from for way too long.”

Abducted by T.R. Ragan

“You know what my grandma used to say?”

“There’s no place like home?” I asked, trying again for a smile, this one less trembly than before.

“No,” he said, still looking serious, still holding on to his end of the CD.

“Tomorrow will be better.”

“But what if it’s not?” I asked.

Walcott smiled and let go of the CD. “Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You
never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.”

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Half Black Soul by H. D. Gordon

Self Published January 31, 2012

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Half Black Soul is book 2 of the Alexa Montgomery Saga. See the review for book 1, Blood Warrior, here

In the past few weeks Alexa Montgomery has had her entire world flipped upside down. She’s gone from living a semi-normal teenage life to a life full of vampires and werewolves who all expect her to deliver them from the control of an evil dictator.

Alexa is the last of her kind; a Sun Warrior, and now she has left the safety of Two Rivers to search for her mother, but she’s left her sister behind to do so, and Nelly is the one person that she was told that she must always protect. Kayden, a vampire who is Alexa’s other half, has followed her on her journey. But, secrets are about to come out, relationships will break and danger lies just up ahead. Will Alexa be able to get through all of this and make it out alive? And, will she be able to protect Nelly from danger when she is so far away?

Diana’s Review

Half Black Soul starts off right where Blood Warrior left off. Alexa is still on her mission to save her loved one, ready to sacrifice herself to help those she loves. And I have to say, Alexa, as always, is kick ass.

The book is written from both Alexa and her sister Nelly’s point of views, broken up by chapters. Alexa is on her mission, and Nelly is back at Two Rivers. To be honest, I found Nelly’s parts pretty repetitive. It seems that all she was doing was following Alexa’s footsteps from book 1. Yes, in the process she learned a lot about herself, but that was only in the later chapters. The chapters in first half of the book from Nelly’s point of view didn’t add any value to the story. It took a bit of time for Nelly’s part to really hit its stride.

In Half Black Soul we weren’t introduced to any new characters for me to gush over, but there were some serious twists and turns with both Kayden and Jackson’s characters.

My main gripe is that at under 250 pages, the book is pretty short. Take out the beginning Nelly chapters, which I could have done without, and it was even shorter. I was left wishing there was more. I will most likely be picking up the next book in the hopes that the main focus goes back to Alexa’s point of view.

Heather’s Review

HBS started up right where we left off with Alexa going to find her mother. I have to differ with Diana and say that I LOVED this book! Maybe it is because I am so invested in Alexa and Kayden as characters? Who knows, but I really enjoyed the different POVs. Especially the chapter from Kayden’s POV. We got to see a little bit inside of his head and a whisper into his feelings for Alexa.

Alexa and Nelly learn a lot about themselves in this book with Alexa on the run and Nelly back at Two Rivers. Nelly is learning that she can stand on her own two feet and not have to rely on Alexa for protection. She learns so much about her powers that she never realized that she had AND, she learns a few secrets about Jackson in the process. Alexa, on the other hand is trying to come to terms with her inner “monster” and starting to realize that she cannot be strong all the time and needs to rely on other people for help. Which is really tough for her.

I really enjoy Kayden! I loved the parts in this book that were just Alexa and Kayden. He is strong, sweet and one kick ass warrior! I think that we all could use a Kayden for ourselves! In this book Alexa starts to realize all that Kayden has sacrificed for her and she is starting to come to terms with her love for him.

The ending of this book was left on a MAJOR cliffhanger!!!

So much so that I am begging you H.D.,

Please release the next book soon! I am dying to find out what happens next!!!! Thanks to the author and R2R for allowing me to review this book! I can’t wait for the next installment!

Cover Reveal

Surrender

Mimics of Rune #2

by Aimee Laine

Release Date: September 3, 2012

Target Reader: Adult

Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Shape-shifter

Back of the Book

Face the past or look to the future? Both will hurt. One could kill her.

All her life, Lily Crane has supressed her childhood memories, masking the signs of abuse with a variety of looks. From brunette to blonde, tall to short — as a Mimic, changing shape is her gift. Her right. Her achilles heel.

It’s Lily’s latest likeness, chosen simply by accident, which threatens to repeat a history she’s desperate to forget. Worse, she must do so without the one man who takes all her pain away: Cael Aldridge.

Cael has no intention of leaving Lily on her own. He never has. Now, with the woman he loves in the hands of a predator who wants Lily for her genetics, Cael will do everything he can to bring her home.

Alive.

He can only pray he isn’t too late.

When Copper Suns Fall

by KaSonndra Leigh

Published December 6th 2011 by TriGate Press

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Source: Author

In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city, alchemy is forbidden and angels hide among the mortal. With a deadly virus ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish memories compels her to experience a past riddled with gloom, and now her brother is infected.

Chela’s only hope is the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect the last seven Light Keepers and the ancient memories they share. A group led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But can she trust this boy with the mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories?

With the Caduceans aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease.

In this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into an intriguing new world filled with celestial creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.

Review

This is a really difficult review for me to write. I really enjoyed the characters and was able to connect with them. But, the story was so fast that at times I felt a little bit lost and had to really pay close attention to everything that was going on in the story to understand what had happened next.

The book is a dystopian that starts off in the year 2067, which is 55 years after the Tidal Wars. Chela is visiting her brother in what seems to be a hospital. He had an accident and everyone claims that he fell, but Chela believes he was pushed. Her brother is basically comatose and when she sees his hand move, she gets into an altercation with the physician.

The book sucked me in from the first chapter and the incoming of Faris just made me that more interested. Faris is Chela’s protector and he and Chela form a special bond to the point that they can talk to each other in their minds.

Chela was a kick butt kind of chic and tried to always do the right thing to protect those that she cared about. The others kept a lot of secrets from her, but she just kept on trudging and trying to figure it all out. Her friends were awesome too and I really felt for Jalen. He put himself out there for her.

Even though, I tended to get a tad confused, the story held my attention all the way through to the end! The ending was kind of heart breaking and I am looking forward to the second book. The story line and the uniqueness have piqued my interest and I am a sucker for a good love triangle.

Meeting Destiny by Nancy Straight

Published June 26th 2010

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Lauren is visited in her dreams for years by a stranger claiming to be her destiny. Destiny becomes reality when paths cross during a failed robbery attempt. Lauren and the stranger experience chemistry like no other and now her doubt over her long time relationship with her high school sweetheart is not her only secret…someone else knows about her keen intuition and sixth sense.A mysterious clairvoyant seeks Lauren out and tells her not only of her life now but what the future may hold. Soon Lauren is in the middle of a murder investigation and a questionable friendship with the key suspect. Law enforcement, friends and family are concerned for Lauren but unfortunately they are unaware of the true danger…Sinister forces are at work and will stop at nothing to destroy Lauren’s abilities.

Heather’s Review

I cannot express how much I have enjoyed this book! I have read quite a few lately that I have not been able to connect to, so this was a great surprise!

The book starts off with Lauren at work. Her boyfriend,

Seth

is saying goodbye and her friend, Melissa is working the register. Lauren notices a strange man walk into the restaurant and all the hair on the back of her neck stands at attention. She quickly gets Melissa to go do some other chore so that she can take care of the strange man. Long story short, the scene escalates and Lauren ends up getting shot.

The funny part is that Lauren does not even realize that she had been shot in the first place! The paramedics arrive and Lauren takes notice to one paramedic in particular. He looks VERY familiar and it dawns on her where she has seen him before. In her dreams!!!

is the paramedic that helps Lauren on the way to the hospital. This is the start of a chain of events that Lauren has a hard time believing in and one that helps her find her true love!

I don’t know ladies, both Max & Seth are pretty swoony! Seth is described as blond hair, gorgeous and the guy that typically every girl would throw herself at. Max is described as bulky with amazing eyes! Which to choose??

I loved the storyline and since it was so new and exciting, I was not able to guess where the story was going next! The one issue that I had was that the characters were adults, Lauren was 22 going on 23 and her parents still treated her like a child. There were a few times that I had to keep reminding myself that these were adults and not high school kids.

The character of Lauren was written well and I was able to feel and cry for her at times during the book.

Now, the ending is set up on a cliffhanger

and you will want the next book in the series IMMEDIATELY, just like I did, Destiny’s Revenge, look for the review coming soon!

I would like to thank R2R and the author for allowing me to review this book!

Diana’s Review

I would like to start by saying that I am so mad at the ending. I mean, I’ve read cliffhangers before, but rarely do I finish a book with a huge need to start reading the next one RIGHT NOW! I have a billion other books to read, but I still am ready to drop everything to go get the next book. With that said, on to the review….

The book opens with a bang (no pun intended, read the book for clarification). From the very beginning I was drawn into the story. There were a ton of twists and turns, and it was never a dull moment reading this. If I didn’t have to work I’m sure I could have finished it in a day. I don’t want to summarize the story since you can read about it in the blurb and Heather’s review above. I’m actually so excited to write this review I just wanna jump right into all the things I love about this book, mainly, the characters.

Lauren- She’s our heroine. She’s brave, smart, sarcastic, caring, loyal. I connected with her right away. It was actually really amazing reading her actions and dialogue. Its like almost everything she did or said would have been exactly the same as what I would have done (not everything, she’s definitely braver than I am, but the everyday stuff). As realistic heroines go, she’s truly one of my favorites.

Seth- Lauren and Seth’s mothers have been best friends since they were in school. So much so that they moved in next door to each other, and even got pregnant within 2 months of each other. Therefore Lauren and Seth grew up as best friends. So close that it was just assumed that they would end up together. And Lauren never really had a reason to dispute that. Seth is a sweetheart of a character. He totally loves Lauren. My heart broke for him when Lauren met Max. Talk about a boyfriend to root for. Reminded me of how much I loved Zak from Shattered Souls (go read that one, too).

Seth

Max- I want to preface this by saying that I’m especially in love with Max because he reminds my of an ex (named Max), but even outside of my personal bias, he was wonderful. Sweet, passionate, hunky, but still realistic as a person. He gets jealous, he gets mad, basically, he has flaws. He was a very realist good guy.

Max

If you read my reviews, you know how much I 1) hate love triangles, and 2) hate love at first sight stories, but I have to say, this one was something else. I felt like the way the author wrote it, it was all believable. Nothing about these points made me angry at the least. That’s right, there were no eye roll moments.

 I’m just as shocked as you are.

And as I already stated, the cliffhanger! Oye. Talk about taking a most unexpected turn. I will definitely be picking up the next one, probably sooner than later.

Survival, YA Paranormal Romance by A.M. Hargrove

Published November 15th, 2011

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“Maybe I was caught between the two worlds. I was having serious trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality.”

While on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, nineteen-year-old Maddie Pearce finds her world has been thrown into a vortex and is madly spinning toward the impossible. Abducted by a mad psychopath, Maddie narrowly escapes with her life. But that is only the beginning. Her mysterious rescuer introduces her to a world that Maddie has difficulty accepting as reality. Will this strikingly gorgeous stranger be the key to her future or will she return to her mundane world, scarred from her experience? Follow Maddie as she is forced to make difficult decisions that carry her to mysterious places.

Diana’s Review

Maddie is all alone in the world. She’s lost her mom and dad and has no other family. Instead of spending another lonely Christmas by herself, she chooses to go camping, where she’s attacked and hurt. Lucky for her she’s brought into the world of the Guardians, her rescuers. While healing, she starts falling for Rayn, the story’s hero, and he starts falling for her. But there’s more to this story than just young love. Their relationship isn’t meant to be, and they’ll have to fight if they want to be together.

The book is written in 4 parts and told from 3 separate points of view. I didn’t mind that structure so much, but sometimes the book was first person, and sometimes it was third person. That I found a bit distracting. I actually thought the whole writing style was a little distracting. I didn’t think that there were a lot of visual description used in the book. The sentences were concise, leaving much to my own imagination. And most of the description was told to us. I’m more of a fan of the show me instead of tell me philosophy. The way it was written made me disconnected from the story as a whole. Similarly, I couldn’t connect to the characters, and therefore didn’t feel like I was emotionally invested in their happiness.

I did like part 1 of the book. Maddie was strongest when escaping from her attacked. And Rayn was mysterious and exciting. By part four I thought Maddie had turned into one of those “I’m so clumsy and needing rescue all the time but all the boys still love me, tee-hee” kind of characters (that we find in other popular books which shall remain nameless). I know a lot of people totally go for those main characters (which is why that series is #1, ok, yes, I’m talking about Twilight) but I love my heroines strong and able to handle themselves. In the end I couldn’t root for her, and therefore the story just didn’t interest me.

Lacey’s Review

First Thoughts:

My review is going to be based off the second edition of this book; the author provided me with a newer edition and therefore my review will reflect the changes made to the beginning of the story itself.

At first glance of the cover you wouldn’t know what journeys lie await but from the first chapter the author introduces you with “Real” conflict. The use of flashbacks in the beginning chapters really helped seduce the reader into the story and help them realize the back story of this strong yet a little fragile character. The plot was very well thought out, I felt that this book had a new take on the paranormal, I really liked the fact that it was different; there wasn’t the usual mundane conflict, there was new ideas and scenery depicted in this book. The action was evenly distributed; it wasn’t fast the entire book but instead gave the reader a sense of time and allowed us to gradually learn more about the characters and the story itself. The writing itself was new, I liked how she took use of the dialogue, I really could tell that she knew her characters. Just by the dialogue alone you could tell who was who; it’s so cool to be able to tell the characters apart just by dialogue alone. The characters themselves each had a distinct personality, each one was easily identified and full of life. There wasn’t one character I felt lacked something; each of them had their own values and flaws. Something else I found interesting and fun was the style of clothes the character wore, the author did such an amazing job describing new ideas on clothing that certain characters wore. She really had a sense of another world; a new line of items and ideas that had to be created to make the story more real; more plausible. The description itself was really good, it was just the right amount and I felt she did a great job describing the beautiful scenery and characters themselves. Each scene was created with precision and nothing went untouched. The structure of the writing itself like a said earlier is unique and I really enjoyed the use of different point of views, the author did a good job on allowing the reader to know who’s point of view we were in. I think without the different points of views, this story would have really liked a good angle and would leave the reader both confused and lacking a certain connection to the book. The element of romance was great, it wasn’t overpowering in the least, I didn’t feel that this book was just about the romance; it was about something much greater; a more deep and intelligent conflict. I also felt that the author was knowledgeable about where the story took place, all those trails she named and mountains really helped make the fabric of the characters world more real; more believable. It was definitely a fun and fast read for me.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this book to any fantasy or paranormal addicts; it certainly screams the elements of them. I would also recommend this to readers who enjoy a good romance; this one is both comical and strong; I loved it. I wouldn’t however recommend this if you don’t enjoy a more native feel; this definitely had some connections between the two. Also I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t enjoy romance though like I mentioned earlier it isn’t overpowering and isn’t the overall main focal point it is there and there is a big conflict going on. This book is one to take into consideration and the ending leaves you yearning for more; the cliffhanger definitely leaves you wanting the next book NOW. So if you’re going to read this book, I’d recommend reading it closer to the second books release which should be coming out later this month or early February. Overall I enjoyed the author’s style and ideas and can’t wait to explore more of these characters world.

Giveaway:

Duration: February 17, 2012- February 24, 2012

Opened Internationally

Prize: Ebook copy of “Survival YA Paranormal Romance” by A.M. Hargrove

Winner will be chosen via random.org

Swirls by FA Hershey

Published July 8th 2011

Source:Author

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Sixteen-year-old Julia finds herself leaving her London life behind to move with her parents to the Amazon jungle.

A native descendant, she becomes familiarized with her own roots for the first time in her life. However, she never imagines she is about to discover much more than her own past but also just how crowded our little planet is…

This is a present time sci-fi/ fantasy story about trust, friendship, love and self-discovery.

This book falls into the category of YA fiction, though not unsuitable for younger readers.

Review

Julia’s father is overly excited to move to the amazon jungle. Her mother, not so much. Julia is not as excited either, but goes along with it for her father’s sake. And also that she has no other choice.

She runs into a strange man in the airport, that she feels connected to in some strange way, but has never seen him before. When she arrives at the hotel where they will be staying, she quickly becomes friends with the owners daughter. This soon becomes her journey to discovering her legacy as a guardian. She has a lot to learn and needs to do it quickly for things all around her are changing and her life may be in jeopardy.

This book really sucked me in at the beginning. I had gotten lost somewhere around the middle, but made up for it at the end. I enjoyed all the characters, but of course, enjoyed Gabriel the most! He was secretive and mysterious. He does his best to help Julia learn all that she can about being a guardian.

This is my Gabriel:

I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am curious at to what comes next!

Author Interview with FA Hershey

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

 The process was long. Before I realized I had, in fact, become a writer, I thought about being a vet after my high school years. Then I changed to the idea that maybe I could fare well as a lawyer, though I began a sketchbook of my own fashion designs and made myself believe that THAT was my true calling. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

I have always loved the English language, and I’ve read books since I learned how to, but my first year in Englandkept me away from books for quite some time. I was working full time (and then some more), so reading was out of the question for me. I remember one day, when my husband and I were going out to have our lunch break (we worked together in a restaurant at the time), and there was a paraphernalia of Harry Potter merchandise and books and colorful Hogwart’s treats for the passing crowd. My legs acted on their own accord and I ended up with the latest Harry Potter brick in my hands. From then on I started to cherish my passion for literature, which led me to my idea for Swirls and my becoming a writer.

Why did you pick the paranormal genre?

 It’s my favorite genre as a reader, and so I felt more confident in this genre as a writer too.

 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 I like to see myself with a couple of trilogies up on the shelf imagining that people will love the worlds I come up with as much as I will. It’s silly to want to think of ourselves as the next J K Rowling, and I don’t. But at least I would love to be able to be a full time writer and actually write for a living.

 If your book was turned into a movie, whom would you cast as the main character, if it was your choice?

 I have once looked for actors that could represent Gabriel as I envisioned him. I mentioned that Drew Fuller would do the job, but I’m not so sure now. There is this guy I saw on a Vogue magazine a few months ago that I thought was getting closer to the Gabriel I had imagined in my head, but I never found out his name and he is a model, so it doesn’t count. Let’s see… I suppose a younger Ian Somerhalder would be very suitable for the role, and so it would be a younger Julia Jones as Julia, Freida Pinto as Halola and red-headed Rachel Hurd-Wood as Ruby. That cast would work for me! J

 When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

 I read a lot. I am also a great fan of period dramas and old TV series. I like a good romance and strong characters in a story and so period dramas are on my top list. I have a thing for audiobooks and talk shows too. I feel like crying every time I watch David Attenborough’s nature series and wish he was my Grandfather .

I love to spend most of my free time with my family. I have a young son, who demands a lot of attention and a busy husband who I get a hold of and don’t let go whenever he is home.

 What is next on your agenda? Any new books on the horizon??

 Book 2 in The Outsiders Trilogy, Threads, is on its way. I want to get it out there soon, but I still don’t know exactly when. I am aiming for a couple of months. Book 3, nameless for the time being, will be out next year.

Speed Round:

1. Favorite Book? Right now, A Discovery of Witches
2. Favorite Author? J K Rowling
3. Favorite genre to read? Young adult
4. Favorite genre to write? Young adult
5. Favorite place to read? On a comfy sofa with a cuppa in hand.

 Thank you FA for being here today and for the interview!

WOW

Goddess Interrupted By Aimee Carter

Expected publication: March 27th 2012 by HarlequinTeen

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Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Winner’s Circle

Frey & Pieces of Eight Giveaway Winners:

Paperback- Sarah C.

Ebook Copies:

Cassie D.

Pragya

Michelle G.

Children Of The Gods ebook Winner:

Lolita

Congratulations!!!

2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.

3. Tag ten people and link to them on your post.

4. Let them know you’ve tagged them!

Questions from Pragya

1. What is that one book you want to recommend to everyone (I love to add more books to my TBR )

I would suggest Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. It is very taboo in nature, but a wonderfully written story that lets you fall in love with the characters and delivers a shocking ending.
2. Who is your favorite author(s)?

I cannot say that I have a favorite, I like many! EL James, Brenda Pandos, Rachel Caine..just to mention a few.
3. How do you gain and maintain your followers?

Not really sure??? I guess because I post every day and try review books that I think my followers would like.
4. Do you follow a routine for your blog (like a meme etc.)?

Sure, we have Quote Me Tuesday and Waiting On Wednesday.
5. What genre you most enjoy reading?

Usually anything romance. I can read almost anything as long as there is a romance involved! I am such a sap..LOL
6. What is the book(s) you are looking forward to reading this year?

Well, it was Fifty Shades Freed, now I am looking forward to Black Dawn (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine
7. Is there a book you find yourself going back to often?

YES!!! I have read both the Fifty Shade series and Beautiful Disaster at least 3 times. I usually NEVER come back to a book, but I really love these books:)
8. How does your family/friend/spouse react to your reading and blogging?

Well, not too good! They just do not understand my obsession! I usually get a lot of hassle about it, but it does not stop me!
9. What is that one book you have thrown on the wall saying ‘I’m not going to finish that!’?

Ooh, I usually do not have a problem finishing books. Although, there have been a couple in the past that I have not been able to finish. Mostly by indie authors and I am not going to name them…Sorry:(
10. What accessories do you need while reading (pet, tea, cookie etc.)?

hmmm, I guess that I just need my comfy couch, a blanket, a good lamp and silence!!!

My Questions:

1. Your favorite series and favorite stand alone book?

2. Where is your favorite reading spot?

3. Name one male character from a book that if he was real, you wish you could marry?

4. Name one female character from a book that you wish you could be more like?

5. Your favorite book as a child?

6. Name a few of your favorite authors?

7. Why did you decide to run a review blog?

8. Do you have friends/family that are close to you that you share the love of reading?

9. Name one book that you loved, but had love/hate feelings while reading it. One that was so good that you felt like you were on a roller coaster going up and down?

10. Name your favorite book blog that you follow?

I tagged the following blogs:

In Between Writing and Reading

Books With Bite

YA Crush

Reading Teen

Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands

On The Shelf

My Book Boyfriend

Winged Reviews

RoRo Is Reading

Karin’s Book Nook

Once all of you have written your posts and answered my questions, please come back here and let me know and leave a link so we all can follow along!

Published February 14th, 2012 by Walker Childrens

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Order it Now from Amazon or BN

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Review

I am a sucker for a good historical retelling, and a strong heroine to be honest, and this book had everything I was looking for.

Scarlet is a member of Robin Hood’s band of thieves. Few outside the group know that she’s a girl, as she disguises herself as Will Scarlet. In the legends and movies of past Robin Hoods, Will was often considered Robin’s best friend, and was always played by the cutest, dorkiest boys. In case you need a reminder:

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Oh, and while there was no Will character in the Disney version of Robin Hood, I think it was by far my favorite, and I still encourage you to go see it.

Anyway, in this version Scarlet is a girl with a past. She’s been hiding out with Robin’s men for the past two years, but now the Sheriff has hired the thief-taker Gisbourne to bring Robin in once and for all. With Gisbourne’s arrival, the past that Scarlet has fought to keep hidden for all these years is threatening to reveal itself.

This story is written beautifully. Its written in Scarlet’s words, with her commoner accent, the way she would have talked back in those days. The plot stars off action filled and never gets dull. The character development was wonderful, as well as the richness in the way the different character relationships were laid out.

Speaking of the characters, they by far they were what made this such a wonderful story. Each had their flaws.

Scarlet is running from her past. She’s crude, secretive, and generally keeps to herself.

Robin has a bit of a temper. Instead of the perfect hero, he’s a little rough around the edges. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and sometimes that much pressure gets to be a bit much. He might be the most realistic Robin Hood I’ve read/seen.

Little John is a big, charismatic brute. He was definitely more attractive here than in other stories.

Much is the youngest and sweetest member of the group.  Scarlet cares for him like a brother.

Even the secondary characters, the townspeople, where wonderful. They had weak moments, but they were just human. All coping with the crummy situations they were in.

And yes, there was even a little romance. But it was the kind I really like. The romance was secondary in the story. It was something in the background, just teasing you without ever overriding the main plot. I don’t want to say too much, but I love a good romance tease.

The only problem I had with the book was that its a stand alone book. The ending, while wrapping up the plot, still leaves loose ends with so much room for a sequel. Its a great place to stop to make you want more. And I do. I’m hoping for a sequel, because without one, that ending is just going to kill me.

Guest Post with A.C. Gaughen

What advice would you give to a young teen who dreams of becoming an author?

Give yourself permission to succeed.  This is true for pretty much all writers, but teens in particular.  You are in a super exciting place right now; it’s confusing and it’s crazy and it’s incredibly hard and insanely joyful.  The things you’ll go through right now are the things that will come to define your life later on, for better or for worse.  You have to acknowledge that you’re at the beginning of a journey.

Writing is a journey too.  There’s some theory out there about needing to do something every day for ten years before you can call yourself a master of it, and writing is no different.  You may be an incredible writer on day one, but you need to give yourself that ten years to enjoy your craft outside of judgement, outside of criticism, outside of any reaction whatsoever.

I’m thrilled to be in the position that I’m currently in–my first novel is coming out, and I hope it’s just the first of many.  I hope I get to do this for the rest of my life.  But surprisingly, the thing I’m most grateful for is that the first novel I sent off–just about ten years ago, at the age of 14–never got published.  I have stacks and stacks of notebooks that are filled with crappy novels and heartbreaking scenes and cheesy, comforting, deep or thrilling words.

I got ten years to play, and I got ten years to figure out what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it.  I gave myself permission to take the time–and in turn, I found my voice.  So, Anonymous Teen Writer, give yourself permission to succeed.  Give yourself time to play.  But never, for a second, give up on your dreams.

Thanks to A.C. for the guest post!

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal