Showing posts with label HarlequinTeen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HarlequinTeen. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: The Women In The Walls (Amy Lukavics)





28367592Title: THE WOMEN IN THE WALLS
Author: Amy Lukavics
Pub. Date: September 27, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 496
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Lucy Acosta's mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They're inseparable—a family.
When her aunt Penelope, the only mother she's ever known, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate, Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother's voice whispering from the walls. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin's sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations.



Find it: 

Ever since she was little, Amy was especially intrigued by horror books and movies. Raised in a small mountain town in Arizona, she sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother's bookshelf. 
Amy lives with her husband, their two precious squidlings, and an old gentleman cat by the name of Frodo. When she isn't writing, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms. 








Creepy old mansion with strange, curious people makes the perfect mix for a chilling YA Horror story......

The Women In The Walls is the perfect read for the fall and in preparation for Halloween. The Women In The Walls is intensely creepy, deeply disturbing, and the perfect psychological thriller. The whole setting of the book is dark and mysterious and just when you think you know what is happening....Be ready...because you don't.


and that cover....SERIOUSLY! How creepily awesome is that cover? An old mansion sitting back in the fog with The Women In The Walls written as though it is dripping with blood....Ummmm YES!!!!!!!

Lucy Acosta lives with her family in the Acosta mansion. Her mother passed away at a young age and she has been raised by her father and aunt. She has an cousin named Margaret that also lives with them and Lucy has grown up with her and thinks of her as a sister. Lucy and Margaret have never ventured far from home. Both girls are home-schooled and when they are not doing school work they play within the old mansion or out in the grounds of the land.

"The girl lives in a beautiful dollhouse made of stone, I wrote one time in my diary when I was young, my handwriting shaky but sure. But underneath her shining plastic smile, there are only screams."

One afternoon Lucy watches her Aunt Penelope walk into the woods late at night and never come back. This odd occurrence begins a series of strange events among the Acosta house. From this point on Lucy experiences changes with the people she loves and realizes that something dark and evil is happening within their home.  Lucy must figure out the truth behind what is really going on in her home before it is too late and the evil takes over.....

"Some of us die afraid, my mind whispers, shaky at the knowledge, desperate for release from it. Some of us die in awful, unexpected ways."

The Women In The Walls is not for the faint of heart and at times can be very gruesome and horrifying... I recommend this book to true Horror genre fans who aren't afraid of a little blood and evil apparitions. Amy Lukavics really knows how to dig into the heart of a story and take the reader on a horrific journey that will stay with you long after reading the last page. Her writing is emotional, deep, and yet very thought provoking. I love that her characters all seem to have scars and yet by the end of the story are able to overcome their issues and truly....face ...their...fears.....







3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE WOMEN IN THE WALLS, US Only.







Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/19/2016- The Cover Contessa- Interview

9/20/2016- Emily Reads Everything- Review

9/21/2016- Curling Up With A Good Book- Guest Post

9/22/2016- RhiReading- Excerpt

9/23/2016- A Gingerly Review- Excerpt



Week Two:

9/26/2016- Ohana Reads- Review

9/27/2016- Bibliobibuli YA- Guest Post

9/28/2016- Smada's Book Smack- Review

9/29/2016- A Dream Within A Dream- Interview

9/30/2016- BookCrushin- Review






Monday, November 10, 2014

5 Star Harlequin ARC Review: Captive (Aimee Carter)

Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion, #2)Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: November 25th 2014 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Author: Aimee Carter


ARC Provided by Publisher in exchange for an Honest Review

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?
Pre-Order Captive Here!!!



Aimee Carter
Aimée Carter was born and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. Her first novel for young adults, THE GODDESS TEST, will be published by Harlequin Teen on April 19th, 2011. The sequel, GODDESS INTERRUPTED, will follow in January 2012.









Some Moves Are Riskier Than Others....

When I first read the synopsis of Pawn (the first book in this series)...I immediately knew I had to read it. I love dystopian books and this book seemed to have it all...romance, suspense, and mystery. Well I was definitey right!!! I absolutely LOVED Pawn!! It was one of my favorite books of 2013. I could not wait to get the sequel, Captive, and see where Kitty's life has taken her.....

Not to mention the cover of these two books is PHENOMENAL.....I love how Kitty's gorgeous blue eyes are the main focus of the cover. (Especially since her eyes are the main reason that she was chosen to become Lila Hart.)

Captive picks up right where Pawn left off. Kitty is living in the Hart mansion, maintaining her existence as Lila Hart,  and is still engaged to Knox Creed. So many things begin to happen within the first three chapters and in order to not give any important twists away I am not going to summarize. 

"They buzzed around me, vying for a few moments of my time, but we all knew they were only here because of my name and face. I was Lila Hart, the niece of the Prime Minister of the United States and one of the few VII's in the entire country--which in a room full of VI's, made me more powerful than them all."

Ok so I just thought that Pawn was full of suspense and mystery.....but Captive has ten times the twists and turns that Pawn had!!! Usually sequels are just a "link" to the first and third books in a trilogy but Captive is in an entire league of its own!!! There are so many action-filled moments in this book and it kept me turning pages long into the night!!! 

Not only is there suspense but there are also some violent scenes that will make your mouth drop open in shock. I have not read a book with so much intensity since I read The Hunger Games.....and I enjoyed every moment of it. Kitty's life is in even more danger now...She is double-crossed at every turn and has no idea who she can truly trust.....

In Captive we are introduced to lots of new characters and some that I really connected with. As each  new character arises there are more troubles for Kitty. Who does she trust? Who is on the side of the Blackcoats? Who is loyal to the Prime Minister? 

I love the romance between Benji and Kitty. He is so loyal to her and still loves her even though she is Masked as Lila Hart. I love the fact that they have grown up together and loved each other for as long as they have known each other. 

Kitty's character is so strong and even when she is faced with heart-wrenching situations....she still stands strong and fights for what she believes in. So many secrets are revealed to Kitty in this book and yet she never gives up...

"Yes. Because no matter who you pretend to be, you're Kitty Doe. You put your life on the line again and again to protect the people you love, and you  would never let millions die just so you could live." 

Captive is an intense, action-filled, dystopian thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page is turned....I highly recommend this phenomenal book!!!! I cannot wait for the conclusion to this amazing trilogy!!!! Aimee Carter's writing style is just incredible...She writes her characters into the story with so much feeling and emotion...I cannot wait to read more books from her!!!! I know that I will love them just as much as I love The Blackcoat Rebellion series!!!!!






**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!**

**I want to say Thank You to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to review this book!!**




Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion, #1)

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

YA Bound Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Secret Diamond Sisters (Michelle Madow)


The Secret Diamond Sisters (The Secret Diamond Sisters #1)
Release Date: 02/25/13
Harlequin Teen
381 pages

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.
The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite.

Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.


Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | Book Depository | iBookstore

Praise:
"Sexy and often electrifying ... Gossip Girl meets The Princess Diaries in a city that never sleeps." 
--Booklist

"This quick and entertaining read is filled with glitz and glamour ... get ready for one crazy and fabulous ride." 
--RT Book Reviews

Book Two:
(cover linked to Goodreads)

(Available for Pre-Order)




Michelle Madow was inspired to write The Secret Diamond Sisters series while walking through her favorite hotel in Las Vegas. The next book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, launches in October. Prior to The Secret Diamond Sisters, she successfully self-published The Transcend Time Saga. A tireless promoter of her work, Michelle is active on social media networks and has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. A graduate of Rollins College, Michelle lives in Florida ... but she loves going to Vegas.
To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, joinMichelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook!


Author Links:
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GIVEAWAY:

Book Blitz Organized by:

Monday, October 13, 2014

5 Star Harlequin Teen Review: Talon (Julie Kagawa)

Talon (Talon, #1)Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: October 28th 2014 

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Author: Julie Kagawa


ARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for an Honest Review

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.


Pre-Order Links:



Julie Kagawa (Fade)
Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time (okay, at least the illustrations did), but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get areal job.
To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.
Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, an obnoxious cat, an Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and a hyper-active Papillion...



OBSERVE.
ASSIMILATE.
BLEND IN.

"Observe and blend in," he stated in his cool, unruffled voice. "Learn how to engage with humans, how to be human. Assimilate into their social structure and make them believe we are one of them." 

Dragons and Julie Kagawa....Let me repeat...Dragons...and Julie Kagawa..that is the only thing that I had to see in order to know that I HAD to read this book!!! and let me tell you that I was not disappointed. I loved every aspect of this book from the intense action scenes to the beautiful young romance. 

When I read the synopsis I immediately knew that I was going to be reading a young adult book about teen dragons and their journey as they learn to live among humans. I knew there would be plenty of fighting, suspense and of course romance. I have read so many young adult books lately that I couldn't wait to read something different and this was perfect. I loved the power and beauty that the dragons portray and I couldn't wait to see how Julie Kagawa would bring them to life.....

The main character, Ember, is a young female dragon who has to learn to adapt with human teenagers while training to become an elite member of Talon. Ember has a twin brother, Dante as well and this is very extraordinary because female dragons only lay one egg at a time. Ember and Dante have trained all their lives in order to be able to live among humans without being detected by their sworn enemies, The Order of St. George. The Order of St George are dragon hunters who are determined to force dragons into extinction. 

Garrett and Tristan have been trained all their lives to be members of The Order of St. George and help defeat dragons. They have always been told that dragons are evil creatures and should be exterminated. 

Ember and Garrett meet by chance one night while Ember and her girlfriends are in an bad situation with a group of tourist boys.. Garrett defends the girls and when he and Ember meet they have an instant connection. Garrett and Ember begin to get closer from then on and Garrett suspects that she might be a dragon but he doesn't want to believe it. 

Riley is a rogue dragon who doesn't believe in Talon and fights to survive in the human world without being brought back into the fold. Riley and Ember meet and he brings out the wild side in her. He talks her into shedding her human form and flying with him in her dragon form. Ember breaks all the rules when she is with Riley and this could cause her to be sent back into training if she is caught.

"Because you're exactly like me- you don't want your whole life planned out. You're tired of following Talon's rules, of not having any say in your future. You want to know who Talon really is, but it's even more than that, isn't it? You want to be free." His eyes gleamed, golden and brilliant in the shadows. "And I can show you how." 

Ember is such a confused character. She wants to be both human and dragon and she has feelings for both Garrett and Riley. This is such an amazing love triangle because the boys are complete opposites of each other and Ember just has to go with her heart. 

"My insides fluttered, sending curls of heat through my stomach and shivers all the way down my spine. So, this was what it was like to kiss someone.....and mean it."

I was literally glued to the pages and couldn't wait to see what happened next. There are parts that are fantasy and parts that are reality. I loved getting to see the action scenes from both aspects. I just loved this book.... period. Julie Kagawa really knows how to grab the attention of  young adult readers and creates a story that is just fascinating. 





**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!**


**I want to say Thank You to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to review this book!!**

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Waiting On Wednesday: Captive (Aimee Carter )



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at 
and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion, #2)
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: November 25th 2014 by Harlequin Teen




For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

What book are you most looking forward to???




Monday, September 1, 2014

ARC Review: The Aftermath (Jen Alexander)

The Aftermath (Aftermath #1)Hardcover, 288 pages
Published August 26th 2014 by Harlequin Teen


ARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for an Honest Review


Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hungeror thirst or running from flesh-eaters.In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.
With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.
If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath. 






A native of North Carolina, Jen Alexander spent her childhood with her nose buried in either a book or a video game, and sometimes both at the same time. Following a dream about a character trapped inside a live-action video game, Jen was encouraged by her husband to write The Aftermath, which is her debut novel. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her family, going to the gym, and trying to beat agonizingly tough levels of God of War and Call of Duty.
Jen is represented by Mollie Glick at Foundry Literary + Media.



"In the world of the Aftermath,
every day could by your last...."

I am a huge fan of survival stories so of course when I saw this book I knew I had to have it. Survivors trying to live in a world ravaged with cannibal Hoarders?? Ummmm YES!!!! I love survival stories where the characters have to search for food, water, shelter, and where there is always danger lurking around the next corner. This book was all that I expected and more....

The main character, Claudia and her small clan of survivors are just trying to make it day by day by scavenging from nearby cities. While on a scavenge hunt Claudia runs into another survivor and during the encounter she gets hit on the head by an object. The next thing she knows...she is either dreaming or thinks she is...She hears people talking about "fixing" her and she sees machines working on her and she is totally confused. 

"But sometimes I dream that I'm someone else. A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.
In her world, those sorts of things don't exist."

It is at this moment when Claudia realizes that she is actually a pawn in video game and that all her actions and decisions are being made by the gamer that is controlling her. 

"You look terrified---I thought I told you not to think of the game.
But I didn't, I want to say. I thought of a different game where I was a different type of gamer. And worst of all, I'm not sure where the memory came from or if I'm simply imagining even more violence.
And the craziest thing of all is that I hope that's it--that it's my imagination, that I'm going off the deep end; that there isn't more blood on my hands."

I first wanted to read this book because I thought it was a survival story and while it still is....it felt a little less intriguing once I knew that someone was actually "playing" each character which in turn means that the issues and problems that the characters were facing are really just made up to make the game better. 

The one thing that I would have liked to seen more of was romance. The story lacked a good romance story and of course that always makes a book better. I think when romance is added into the book it always makes the book more emotional and makes it easier to connect with the characters. 

I wasn't sure where exactly the story was going to go at first but still found myself completely absorbed in it. Claudia is such an intense character and her fight to discover the truth was so compelling that I found myself cheering her on. There are so many twists in this story and just when you think you have it figured out....you realize that you have no clue. Fans of young adult, dystopian, suspense, sci-fi, and gamers will really enjoy this book. It had just enough action in each chapter to keep you hooked. 






**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!**


**I want to say Thank You to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to review this book!!**

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

GCR Book Blast & Giveaway: Oceanborn (Amalie Howard)


Check out the blog tour HERE


HAPPY RELEASE DAY OCEANBORN!

Author Amalie Howard has a message for you... 





ABOUT THE BOOK



The coronation is over.
But the battle has just begun.

Nerissa Marin has won her crown. But can she keep it? Already, her ties to the human realm are driving a wedge between Nerissa and her people. When word arrives that her part-human prince consort, Lo, has been poisoned, she makes the difficult choice to leave Waterfell and return landside. As the royal courts debate her decision, even more disturbing rumors surface: a plot is rising against her, led by someone she least expects.

On land, Nerissa learns another shocking truth: Lo does not remember who she is. As her choice to try to save him threatens her hold on her crown, changing loyalties and uncertainty test her courage in ways she could never have imagined. Nerissa will have one last chance to prove herself as a queen …and save the undersea kingdom she loves.







Add to GoodReads




Order your copy of book one, WATERFELL
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Get your copy of OCEANBORN TODAY!
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SEAMONSTER by Amalie Howard (Aquarathi #1.5)
Available on AMAZON for only $.99


















AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 22 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.
She is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, PW, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was an Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in New York with her husband and three children. Visit her at www.amaliehoward.com.

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