Cover Reveal: Quake (Patrick Carman)

WOW....Seriously? I mean SERIOUSLY? Could this cover get any more gorgeous?? AH! I am a die-hard fan of Patrick Carman and the Pulse series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the conclusion!!! Check out my 5 Star Reviews for Pulse & Tremor below....NOW...ON TO THE REVEAL....

Patrick Carman’s third volume in the Pulse trilogy is the climactic finale to this epic dystopian story of love and revenge.

I have been a lifelong writer and storyteller. Salem, Oregon is where I spent my formative years and I graduated from Willamette University. After college, I spent a decade living in Portland, Oregon where I worked in advertising, game design, and technology.I've written young adult and children's books for Scholastic, Little Brown Books For Young Readers and Katherine Tegen Books/ HarperCollins Publishers.I've been fortunate enough to have had some bestselling series work: The Land of Elyon, Atherton, Elliot’s Park, 39 Clues, and Skeleton Creek. Here's a fun note...the books have been translated into approximately two dozen languages. Currently I'm developing a few new-media projects. Check out DARK EDEN to experience this type of cross-platform project.When I'm not writing or creating a story, I spend my free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, fly fishing, playing basketball and tennis, doing crosswords, watching movies, dabbling in video games, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with my wife and two daughters.

Contact Patrick

Website * Twitter * Goodreads

5 Star Review of Pulse                         5 Star Review of Tremor

Waiting On Wednesday: Talon (Julie Kagawa)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at

Breaking the Spine

and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons. 

What book are you eagerly anticipating in 2014??

5 Star Review: The Jewel (Amy Ewing)

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: September 2nd 2014 by HarperTeen
ARC Provided by Publisher for Honest Review

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for. 

PRE-ORDER LINKS 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo

Amy Ewing earned her MFA at The New School and her BA at New York University. She is a regular contributor on www.teenwritersbloc.com. She lives in New York City.

email • facebook • twitter • goodreads

"The Power To Choose Comes With A Price..."

This book had me the minute I laid eyes on it. I mean..what a cover! Seriously!! The cover of this book is breath-taking, beautiful, and absolutely mesmerizing. I am a complete pushover for a great cover! 

So of course the cover is amazing..but then I read the synopsis and KNEW I had to read this book.  "The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale in this darkly riveting YA Debut, where all that glitters may not be gold...." Ummmm...YEAH!!!! and it did not disappoint. I LOVED this book. 

In this dystopian world young girls are tested and if they pass the "genetic test" they are brought into an surrogacy auction and sold to the highest bidder in order to bear children for royalty. Over the years Dr's have perfected the method of surrogacy in order to ensure that the children born are perfect in every way to keep the royal bloodline's pure. 

The Jewel is the center of the Royal's world and where only the richest Royal's live. Surrogates who are brought into The Jewel are treated with riches beyond their imagination. They eat the best foods, have the best clothes, and live rich lives.....as long as they conceive a child for their "master."

Violet is a young girl who has been brought into the world of a surrogate and is sold at the auction to the Duchess Of The Lake, who has been known to be mean and cruel. Violet has no idea what to expect when she enters the House of The Lake. At first she thinks she has walked into heaven. She has closets and closets full of clothes, a huge bedroom, and even a lady-in-waiting that is there to serve only her. But this is only the beginning...Violet soon discovers that the Duchess is evil and vindictive and cares about nothing except her line of succession.

"Why did she hit me?" I ask. My voice breaks and a tear spills down my cheek. 

"This isn't the Marsh, child. I didn't make the rules. But there are rules. You're her property now." Cora's lips press together. "She's not a bad mistress, really. There are worse, I promise you. But you're strong. I can see that. You'll be all right..." 

Violet faces so many disturbing and horrific experiences through out her time at The House Of The Lake. The only thing that keeps her going is Ash...Ash, a handsome young boy, is a "companion" that has been brought into the house to keep the Duchess's niece occupied. Violet falls madly in love with Ash and is determined to find a way for them to be together.

Ash stops at the door. "It would be easier to forget you," he says to me, "and these past few weeks we've had together. It would be easier if I could hate you. But the sad truth is, I will more than likely love you for the rest of my life."

This phenomenal debut YA novel has it all...Suspense, mystery, drama, and a breath-taking romance. I literally could not put this book down. I found myself flipping pages late into the night just to see what happened next. The world of The Jewel is so cruel and yet so fascinating.....I cannot wait for readers to experience all that The Jewel has to offer.....

Amy Ewing has entered the YA genre with a bang....and I for one will DEFINITELY be reading anything that she writes and am DYING to get my hands on the sequel to The Jewel......NOW.....

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

Interview & Giveaway: Compulsion (Martina Boone)

Hardback, 320 pages
Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Simon Pulse

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.
When loss is all you know, how do you find true love?
Beautiful Creatures meets The Body Finder in this spellbinding new trilogy.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Pre-Order Links

Amazon * Barnes & Noble 

Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. Her first teacher in the U.S. made fun of her for not pronouncing the "wh" sound right, so she set out to master "all the words”—she's still working on that! In the meantime she’s writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she'd love to visit. 
If you like romance dripping with mystery, mayhem, Spanish moss, and a bit of magic, she hopes you'll look forward to meeting Barrie, Eight, Cassie, Pru, Seven and the other characters of Watson Island.

Website * Twitter * Facebook 

Adventures in YA Publishing * Tumbler 

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I wrote a short story for an anthology that ended up having some characters and history that I couldn’t stop thinking about, but it wasn't until I dreamed about a ball of fire drifting through the woods and setting a river aflame that I had the anchoring visual for the book. The rest all came from asking why the river was on fire and who was doing it, which involved a lot of research and brainstorming, and some twists that I’m still discovering. The history of Watson’s Landing is truly the history of the Charleston, SC area, and the real parts are no less amazing to me than the mythology I’ve stretched and bent to create the story. 

Who is your favorite character in the book?

Truthfully, I love them all for their good parts and their failings. I love Barrie’s naive first steps beyond her sheltered existence, and I love the strength she eventually finds in herself. I love Eight because, well, he’s Eight. I love Cassie because she’s got so much below the surface, and Pru because she has so much she has yet to discover about herself. Mark, though, was the character who came out of left field for me. He was supposed to have a small part, but he ended up sticking his size fourteen Louboutins in half the chapters. I love him immeasurably.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

A: The book has had three titles, and I love them all. My working title was FIRE CARRIER, and the reason for that is clear when you read the book. My brilliant acquiring editor, Annette Pollert, who edited the book all the way up to copyedits, came up with BEHOLDEN, which everyone loved, and that also suits the book perfectly. But COMPULSION fits several themes in the book and also conveys a sense of energy that I hope I've achieved in the plot. It's by far my favorite, and it carries through into the rest of the series.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

I have a lot of favorite scenes, but I love the first beach scene with the turtle nests and that first big jump in the romance between Eight and Barrie. That's followed closely by the fountain scene. And the sandbar scene where Barrie first gets a hint of her strength. And Mark. Any scene with Mark is my favorite. I have a few that I wish I could have put in the book. I may write them someday, just for fun.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I have two things. 

First, think bigger. My first manuscript was a rewrite of books I had read before done my way. But what I needed to write was a story that was wholly mine, and that came from always asking how could I do something differently, unexpectedly, and on a grander scale. 

Second, make your protagonist active. My first attempts at writing were based on things happening to the main character and her reacting to those things. In Compulsion, things happened, but I tried to make her decisions to those events active decisions. Right or wrong, she’s pushing the action instead of letting the action push her.

Here is the link to the main giveaway!! Click here and check it out and enter to win great prizes!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Star Review: Sweet Reckoning (Wendy Higgins)

Paperback, 464 pages
Expected publication: April 29th 2014 by HarperTeen
ARC Provided by Publisher for Honest Review

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.
The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.
In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom. 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo 

After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, I taught high school English until becoming a mommy. I've always had a heart for teens, and writing YA stories gives me the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal years before adulthood.I live in the D.C. area with my husband, daughter, son and puppy Rue.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | PINTEREST

"I loved Kaiden Rowe, and he loved me. 

I loved Patti and my father, and I knew they were willing to die for me.

I loved the Nephilim, and wanted to set them free from the terror of their fathers.

I loved the inherent goodness in humanity and the potential for a better future on earth without demon interference.

For the first time ever, I didn't doubt myself."

First and foremost this is by far my FAVORITE book of the entire series. Wendy Higgins has raised the bar with this one. It has everything that a conclusion to a phenomenal series should have. It has drama, suspense, mystery, and unbelievable romance. I cannot rave enough about this book. 

Now onto the cover....LOVE LOVE LOVE all the colors on the cover of this gorgeous book. The light pink of Anna's dress is so subtle and somehow just fits this story so perfect. Anna looks so innocent and Kaiden looks over her should so protectively. It just FIT and fit perfectly. 

Kaiden and Anna are at the top of my favorite YA couples list and this book easily kept them at the top. Kai and Anna's chemistry is so addictive and I felt myself cheering for them throughout the entire book. Their love is one of the ages and Wendy knows just how to describe their relationship that just makes them so adorable. 

"I watched him swallow, then close his eyes as a shiver ran through his body. When he opened his eyes again, color poured through the air around him--the vivid, hot pink of passionate love."

There are several new characters that are introduced in this book and they each play a pivotal role in the end battle with evil.  Anna's father also plays an important role and is so dedicated to Anna at times I just felt like crying. It was the perfect father/daughter relationship.

Anna's character is so strong, good, and heroic. The Nephilim need a savior and she rises to the top in this book. She faces so many demons...both inside and in the real world and she must find a way to overcome both in order to defeat the Dukes.

Kaiden is so much more humble in this book and of course makes me swoon over him completely!! I love his dangerous, moody side but I also love to see him kind and good.  

Both Kai and Anna along with the other Nephs face so many challenges. I just found myself flipping pages so fast to see what happened next. Each chapter was filled with just as much suspense and secrets as the next. I don't want to ruin the conclusion for other readers of the Sweet series so I am not going to divulge to much in this review but just know that IT IS THE BEST OF THE SERIES and lots of questions will be answered.  I especially loved how Wendy chose to close out the story. It will forever hold a place in my heart. Yes it was that amazing....

**I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to HarperTeen for the opportunity to review this phenomenal, incredible, AMAZING book!!**

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

5 Star Review: The Shadow Prince (Bree Despain)

Hardback, 512 pages
Expected publication: March 11th 2014 by Egmont

ARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for Honest Review

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.
Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.
Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds. 

Purchase Links

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo 

The Short: Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo. The Dark Divine is Bree's debut novel.
The Long: As a kid, Bree would staple folded papers to make her own "novels." As a teen, she wrote stories in notebooks while her friends waited for the next page to be finished. Her teachers told her she should be a writer. But Bree thought only special people could be writers, so as the years past, she settled into the idea of becoming a lawyer or something else just as ordinary.
Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner city teens from Philadelphia and New York. With a renewed passion for story, and the young adult audience, she returned to Brigham Young University, filled her schedule with creative writing and literature classes, and started writing stories again. But regular life kicked in, and she soon found herself married with a new baby, working full-time, and with very little writing done.
That’s when the universe threw a pick-up truck in her path. The car accident left Bree with an understanding that life was too short to not do what you absolutely love. A few days later, her husband brought home a used laptop computer, placed it by her bedside, and said, “You’d better start writing.” Her life has never been the same since.

In a moment of karmic perfection, Bree received the offer to purchase The Dark Divine on the 6th anniversary of the car accident that put her back on the path to becoming an author.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog

Wow...The Shadow Prince takes readers on a  riveting, incredible fantasy ride full of romance, suspense, and action!!! I loved every chapter of this incredible book!!Bree Despain is a rock star author! 

I love  all of the Greek mythology in this story! It just absolutely makes the story. It is so interesting and ...to me..romantic! Which is a huge plus!

The main characters, Daphne and Haden, are just absolutely incredible. I love how we follow the story from both point of views. It helps the reader to learn just how important each side is.... which in turn allows us to feel for both characters throughout the book. 

"There are many paths. And we choose our paths with the decisions we make. But escaping your destiny is not as easy as it seems. The moment you chose to leave the haven of Ellis, your and Haden's destinies became intertwined."

Daphne has been through so much in her life. She was abandoned by her father and raised by a mother who has kept her secluded in a small town and never allowed to leave. She feels smothered and yearns to be free. Her dream comes true when her father, a huge rock star,  just suddenly appears in her life and wants to take her back to his home to live. It is a whole new world for her full of money and the rich and famous and....lots of secrets. 

Daphne has an incredible voice and seems to take a lot after her father. She doesn't just sing...she feels the music. She knows she is different than everyone else she just doesn't know how. 

Haden is a disgraced prince of the Underrealm and dreams of earning his standing back as Prince of the Underrealm and ruling. He is chosen by the Oracle to complete a task that will change the fates of his people forever. He is told to go to the mortal world and bring back a young girl whose destiny is to help save their world. 

"And I am the infallible voice of the universe," the priest says, his voice echoing as the Oracle speaks through him once again. "I have chosen my Champion. The boy is the one who can save you."

Although I LOVE Haden and Daphne...my most favorite character out of this entire book is....BRIM, the hellcat!! I love animals and I love when an author includes them in a story because to me it feels like it brings softness and humanity to the story. Everyone has a weakness for animals and I find myself pulling for the animal in the story! LOL! Yes I am serious! and Brim's character is awesome. Brim is loving yet extremely protective and devoted. I love the events that occur with Brim throughout the story as well. I love how connected Brim and Haden are and how Brim can always find Haden no matter where he is. 

"I'm not surprised it is Brimstone that finds me...."

"As a runty newborn, she'd been tossed out of the nest by her mother, left to die in the Wastelands. That's why I'd saved her--and that's why she rarely left my side and could always find me no matter where I was---we'd both been rejected by the only family we'd ever really known. That made us kin."

From the very first page of this book to the very last...I was completely obsessed. I mean COMPLETELY obsessed. The connection between Haden and Daphne is so breathtaking. They are so drawn to each other and only Haden knows that their destinies are bringing them together. There is so much action and suspense throughout the entire book. There is  so much mystery and intense moments that I found myself cringing as I turned the pages....and I LOVED IT!!!! 

The synopsis from the book states "A pulsating romance of epic proportions" and I totally and completely agree.  This is one of my most favorite books of 2014 by far! I literally cannot wait to read the sequel and follow this incredible adventure with Haden and Daphne...and of course BRIM!!!! If you love ya fantasy, action, and romance then this book is definitely for you! It is just phenomenal!! Bree Despain...YOU ROCK and are at the top of my favorite authors list!!

**I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Egmont and Melissa Marie for the opportunity to review this phenomenal, incredible, AMAZING book!!**

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**