Xpresso Book Tour Blog Tour for Raven by Stacey Rourke!!

Hey there everyone! Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for Raven by Stacey Rourke, organized by Xpresso Book Tours!

I will be sharing my review & a Blog Tour wide giveaway, so click HERE for the full tour schedule! But before that, let's get you some more information about the book & author, shall we?

 Raven by Stacey Rourke
(The Legends Saga #2)
Publication date: May 26th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:

An infamous love, destined nevermore,
For death could not claim, the enchanting Lenore.
Cursed by the malevolent spirit of the Headless Horseman, Ireland Crane ventures to Manhattan in search of a way to break her soul crushing bond. Instead, she discovers the lines between fact and fiction are blurring once more. Croaking ravens. Telltale hearts. Could the works of Poe be coming to pass with handsome Wall Street Midas Ridley Peolte as their unwilling target?
She walks the Earth, a plague on mankind,
searching for he, her rotted heart doth pine.
Together, the two unknowingly release a dark force death itself could not tame. Surrounded by the unrelenting violence and mayhem they’ve unleashed, Ireland feels her control over the Horseman slipping. Before the beast within consumes her, she and her crew must follow the clues of the dead to right a centuries’ old wrong. Will it be enough to sate the Horseman’s appetite?
Hell hath no fury like a ghoul scorned.

Amazon

Crane by Stacey Rourke: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author:

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Stacey Rourke lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant, dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction  and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. Mark your calendars! Her latest literary adventure, Crane, will release May 26, 2014. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this thrilling Legends Saga, as well as other literary projects.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

Review

I was extremely curious about this series because I love gothic novels and paranormals mixed up so when I had the chance to review them for the blog tour, I jumped at it and am I glad that I did!

Where Craven was the story of Ireland finding herself dealing with her curse and finding a way to share her body with the Headless Horseman, this one continues to build into that but adds a few new elements that are quite a treat in themselves, namely Edgar Allan Poe and Lenore!

Ireland keeps on trying to find answers for what/who/why brought on the curse onto her and if it was thoroughly intentional or not and while looking for the answers, she and Noah and Rip find themselves embroiled into something that makes them realize this is bigger than they thought at first, having left Sleepy Hollow for New York in their search.

We get alternating chapters in alternating POVs, we follow Ireland, Noah, Rip and their newfound member of the gang on their search in present time, but we also follow Edgar Allan Poe's life and woes, having a new backstory of darkness that makes reading those chapters a treat, with the wonderful and creepy gothic darkness vibe that they have.

This was an extremely fast and engaging read that had me turning pages in alternatively mad pace to see what will happen next and slowly to enjoy the creepy gothic feel to it. I absolutely adore how well the author mixed both and managed to have that darkness present all over the book but never being too overwhelming. The ending was yet another cruel but not horribly so cliffhanger and really leaves you pinning for the next book, hoping to get some more answers to the many unanswered questions, new and old! Very well deserved 4 stars to this one!

Giveaway

Tour-wide giveaway

1st prize: US only

• $25 Amazon gift card
• A signed copy of Raven 
• Ebook copies of the books 1 & 2 of The Legends Saga

2nd prize - INTL

• eBook copies of all six of Stacey Rourke's books

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xpresso Book Tour Blog Tour for Stakeout by Nikki Jefford!!

Hey there everyone! Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for Stakeout by Nikki Jefford, organized by Xpresso Book Tours!

I will be sharing my review & a Blog Tour wide giveaway, so click HERE for the full tour schedule! But before that, let's get you some more information about the book & author, shall we?

Stakeout by Nikki Jefford
(Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #2.5)
Publication date: January 14th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Noel Harper got a second chance at life when the government recruited her as an undercover vampire informant. Since the day they brought her back from the good-as-dead, she has wanted to prove herself worthy.

When a member of her investigative unit is murdered, Noel is paired up with a vampire hunter named Dante to spy on a suspect in Fairbanks. The problem? They’re not the only ones on stakeout. Taking down murderous vampires is one thing. Dealing with the past is another. But this time, Noel isn’t letting fear win. She’s calling in help from the other side and learns a shocking secret along the way.

(STAKEOUT is an Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter novella told from Noel Harper’s POV. Approximately 40,000 words.)

Goodreads | Amazon | B& N | iTunes

About the author:

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands (Wash.) where she is once more neighbors with Canada in a town without a single traffic light. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt.

When she's not reading, writing, working, or out on a nature walk, she's out riding her Suzuki DRZ400SM.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

My Review

The Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter series is a recent discovery of mine, and I'm quite loving this new and fresh take on vampires.

Stakeout is a novella from Noel's POV and it does what a very good novella should do, and that is not only giving us a better understanding of another character but also giving us something more, something else for the series itself.

Noel is such a great character and we find out so much about what she's keeping to herself, she's a much deeper character that what she reveals to the rest of the characters. The events of Stakeout are the same ones that we had in Northern Bites, but we see what happened with Dante and Noel on their missions, and we also understand much better some scenes that were quite puzzling in NB.

Now, I'm even more excited to read Bad Blood to see how we're gonna deal with all the revelations we've been handed here, that are quite a few and that might have been hinted at in Northern Bites, but that were only properly confirmed here.

Deeper look at characters, with explanations and information relevant for the series as a whole and with a storyline that kept me turning page after page, this novella is more than well deserving of 4 stars!

Xpresso Book Tours Blog Tour for Reaper's Rhythm by Clare Davidson!

Hey there everyone! Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for Reaper's Rhythm by Clare Davidson , organized by Xpresso Book Tours!

I will be sharing my review of book 2, Broken Bargain & a Blog Tour wide giveaway, so click HERE for the full tour schedule! But before that, let's get you some more information about book 1 and 2 & author, shall we?

 Reaper's Rhythm by Clare Davidson

When everyone thinks your sister committed suicide, it’s hard to prove she was murdered.

Kim is unable to accept Charley’s sudden death. Crippled by an unnatural amnesia, her questions are met with wall after wall. As she doubts her sanity, she realises her investigation is putting those around her in danger.

The only person who seems to know anything is Matthew, an elusive stranger who would rather vanish than talk. Despite his friendly smile, Kim isn’t sure she can trust him. But if she wants to protect her family from further danger, Kim must work with Matthew to discover how Charley died – before it’s too late


Goodreads | Amazon

Broken Bargain by Clare Davidson

When you know magic is real, complacency is not an option.

It’s a new school year and ten months since Kim’s sister died. She wants to forget about magic, rebuild her life and start fresh. But it’s not easy when she has to lie to everyone: her family, best friend, Sophie, and secretive new guy, AJ.

But when Sophie’s grandmother falls ill, Kim can’t help but notice the parallels to Charley’s death. Convinced she’s the only one who can help, Kim sets out to discover what’s really wrong with Sophie’s grandmother.

Goodreads | Amazon



About the Author:

Clare Davidson is a character driven fantasy writer, teacher and mother, from the UK. Clare was born in Northampton and lived in Malaysia for four and a half years as a child, before returning to the UK to settle in Leeds with her family. Whilst attending Lancaster University, Clare met her future husband and never left. They now share their lives with their young daughter and a cranky grey cat, called Ash. Clare juggles family life with writing, teaching and a variety of fibre craft hobbies.

My Review for Broken Bargain

Broken Bargain starts after a few months have passed since the events of Reaper's Rhythm, and Kim is trying to go on with a normal life, even if the weight of the secrets she keeps from everyone are heavier than she expected at the beginning. Her mother protectiveness is also getting heavier with the start of the new school year, fearing Kim will succumb to the stress that was the "official" reason of Charley's "suicide".

Kim grows in this book, and although she's still very much the typical teenager, feeling smothered by her parents and running away from having any sort of conversation with them. Her voice felt so genuinely true, and even though I felt like smacking her on occasion, she always sounded very real. Be it with her interactions with her best friend, her parents or AJ. AJ was a bit of an odd character at first, but once we discover the reasons for his behaviour, it started making more sense. 

Their relationship is a very sweet one, with a few very serious conversations that are quite welcome, talking about issues instead of simply focusing on the swoony scenes. 

The world building in this book shows us that there's more than the black and white of the Shamari and the Baneem as opposing sides, but there are also greys, and we're eventually more defined by our choices and actions than our origins.

With action and quite a few unexpected twists this book was a satisfying enough read, despite the very genuine teenager voice of Kim getting on my nerves on occasion. 3 to 3.5 stars for this one.

Blog Tour: Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans!!

Hi there everyone!!

Today I'm extremely happy to take part on the blog tour for Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans! I'm even more excited about today since it's release day!

I'm gonna be sharing my review and also a blog tour giveaway, but first let me introduce you to LeighAnn and this amazing contemporary book!

Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans
Publication date: February 11th 2014
Genres: YA, Romance, Contemporary

Synopsis:

1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess

SIMPLIFY.

Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy.

But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley's place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.

Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the
battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.

She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.

SOLVING FOR EX is a YA contemporary romance that remixes Mansfield Park as Clueless meets Mean Girls in a crazy mix of high school society, mathletic competition, and teenage romance.

 About the author:

Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.




Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Wattpad | Website |Blog 

My review

 

I got an ARC of Solving For Ex from the author herself and I have to thank LeighAnn Kopans for both writing this book and letting me read it in advance!

Solving For Ex is a contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. I was so blown away by this story and of how much I absolutely enjoyed it, so much I stayed up very very late (or maybe even early?) reading till I finished the book! Yeah, I read this one in one sitting!

I'm not usually a big fan of contemporary books, but that doesn't mean I don't absolutely love and devour some now and then, but they tend to be rare events (The S-Word, Eleonor & Park, This Song Will Save Your Life, Fangirl). I usually dislike high school settings in books, some cliches are too much for me, and I have very little patience for the "oh-I-wish-I-was-popular" kinda storyline. I will be trying to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible and will try not to ramble too much, but the more I love a book, the less coherent my reviews get!

Solving For Ex has a high school setting and it's the story of Ashley, a girl that was bullied so much on her previous school that she had to move to her aunt & uncle's house to change schools and try to recover from her depression. She meets Brendan, they become best friends, he helps her out of the horrible place she was in and she falls for him. She is looking forward to starting her new school year at Mansfield High, with Brendan as her friend (at least) and joining the Mathletes team. But all things change when Sofia and Vincent arrive at school. Sofia seems to be ready to take everything from Ashley, Brendan and Mathletes included but it seems that Vincent is very interested in her, in a way that Brendan never seemed to be.

The story line will remind you of the original if you've read it, but it's been updated so well, using such real situations and such important issues as bullying, cheating and pressuring girls for sex. The characters are well fleshed out, and I was rooting for Ashley from page 1, her love for photography totally won me over! I was Team Brendan from page one, even if I felt like smack him badly on occasion. Vincent had that swoony bits here and there, but somehow I didn't like him as much, he didn't feel as genuine, but it was a great character to bring conflict too. Sofia, she was the most cliched of the characters, the perfect popular girl with a mean strike that never got no for an answer but will find that things won't be easy for her always.

The writing was fantastic, I have never been a fan of maths and the author made me interested and involved with the Mathletes and their training and competition. I loved the little notes included at the end of every chapter, with all the geeky math little messages!

I already knew I liked LeighAnn Kopans after reading One and Two, but after this book, I know I will read anything and everything she writes, no matter whan genre!

Very well deserved 4.5 stars, a highly recommended book for those who love contemporaries, retellings and even for those who don't!

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xpresso Book Tours Blog Tour for Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy!

 

Hey there everyone! Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy, organized byXpresso Book Tours!

I will be sharing by review & a Blog Tour wide giveaway (US & Canada only), so click HERE for the full tour schedule! But before that, let's get you some more information about the book & author, shall we?

Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy

(Shadows of Asphodel #1)
Publication date: September 13th 2013
Genres: Dieselpunk, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

When Ardis discovers a man bleeding to death on the battlefield, she knows she has to walk away.

1913. In her work as a mercenary for Austria-Hungary, Ardis has killed many men without hesitation. One more man shouldn’t matter, even if he manages to be a charming bastard while he stands dying in the snow. 

But when he raises the dead to fight for him, she realizes she must save his life.

If a necromancer like Wendel dies, he will return as a monster—or so the rumors say. Ardis decides to play it safe and rescues him. What she doesn’t expect is Wendel falling to one knee and swearing fealty. Ardis never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer, but it’s too late now.

Ardis and Wendel forge an uneasy alliance underscored with sexual tension. Together, they confront rebels, assassins, and a conspiracy involving a military secret: robotically-enhanced soldiers for a world on the brink of war. But as Ardis starts to fall for Wendel, she realizes the scars from his past run more deeply than she ever imagined. Can Ardis stop Wendel before his thirst for revenge destroys him and everyone else around him?

(Dieselpunk romance. Recommended for ages 17 & up.)

Goodreads | Amazon

 About the author:

Karen Kincy (Redmond, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen  State College.

 Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

My Review

Dieselpunk romance... I wasn't really sure what that was before I read this book, and I'm still unsure what it is exactly, but I know I like it!

Shadows of Asphodel was quite a surprise for me, and a pleasant one! I will be making sure I won't spoil the book, or I'll be trying my best.

Ardis is a sword for hire, working for the archmages of Vienna and she finds herself rescuing a necromancer from a battlefield. He swears fealty to her until he can save her life and that's when the story really starts, with the travelling, working and fighting together.

The world the author has built is fascinating, with an alternative world of magic and technology and a different approach to historical events like World War I. Since I have a big love for fantasy and history, a retelling of history full of magical touches and some odd technology added here and there is something that I find quite enjoyable, though not all steampunk or in this case dieselpunk, manage to capture my attention and make me enjoy the world they paint as much.

Ardis is a fantastic character, she's strong, she's a fighter and she still has compassion and cares for others, despite her being a mercenary that's paid to be a "peacekeeper". She's running from her past but she isn't afraid to look back. I really really like how she was strong, feisty and didn't back down easily.

Wendel... well, he's a bit harder to like, like a prickly fruit you aren't sure you'll have the patience to peel to discover how good or bad it really is. He's a necromancer and also has a dark and tortured past, but he was a bit too moody and brooding for my taste. He eventually redeemed himself a bit, and even though he remained a bit annoying, he also had some cute moments.

There's plenty of action, steamy moments, revelations and epic showdowns. The ending is quite complete in a way, with no terrible cliffhanger but does leave enough threads untied for the sequel that I will be reading for sure. The romance might not have been my favourite, but that might just be me and my emotional state at the moment, but the world totally enchanted me.

Well deserving of 3.5 to 4 stars.

The Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251323/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xpresso Book Tours Blog Tour for The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel!!

Hey there everyone! Today I'm taking part in the Blog Tour for The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel, organized by Xpresso Book Tours!

I will be sharing my review, so click HERE for the full tour schedule! But before that, let's get you some more information about the book & author, shall we?

The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel

Published by: Bloomsbury Spark
Publication date: December 19th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, New Adult

Synopsis:

Lou is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of college, she’s unemployed and unsure of herself. But when she gets the chance to escape to Scotland with her best friend, it could be the answer to her quest for self-discovery. The trip is not at all what she expected, especially when her tour guide turns out to be the dreamy historian Brian, and together they embark on a hunt for information about Isobel Key, a woman accused of witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

They set out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but Lou isn’t prepared for the knowledge that awaits her. She must face her own demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past. Flashing between the seventeenth century and modern day Scotland, The Secret of Isobel Key is a mystery that will please readers of all ages.

Goodreads | Amazon |  Barnes & Noble

About the author:

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.  She is the author of The Secret of Isobel Key (NA 2013) and Daughter of Chaos (YA 2014).


Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

My Review

The Secret of Isobel Key really intrigued me because of its focus on Scotland and the witch trials there. And despite our rocky beginning, I'm quite glad that I read this book.

The narrative alternates between the present time and the story of Louisa and her trip with her best friend Tammy to Scotland, and the 17th century and the story of Isobel Key, midwife and accused of witchcraft.

I have to say at first I really disliked Lou, she seemed a wee bit too much of a pushover for me. Too worried, too unsure of herself, and she can't even tell her best friend when she disagrees with her? And Tammy, the best friend, just seemed too oblivious to care about what her allegedly best friend really feels like? But, once Lou finds something she really cares about, she finally starts coming out of her shell and turns into a much more interesting character. Having the cute and adorable Scotsman, Brian the red-haired lad, around seemed also good motivation for Lou to stop being so sillily shy, blushing every 5 seconds!

The best part of the narrative in my opinion was the one about Isobel Key, I feel like the author would do a fantastic job writing historical fiction! Everything seemed so relatable, so real, so well researched!

The mix of both stories was not exactly a shock, but was explained well enough, and for once I was very satisfied with the ending. A reasonable one, showing Lou having a proper head on her shoulders, but I would have loved an epilogue with a bit more of a HEA too!

All in all, despite our rocky beginning, deserving of 3 to 3.5 stars!

Showcase Sunday #21!

Showcase Sunday is a weekly feature hosted by Vicky of Books, Biscuits, and Tea where all book lovers can share with others what bookish goodness we got this week, be it purchased (physical or eBook), won, gifted or for review!

This week I got a fair bunch of books, and quite a mix of purchased and for review, with some very cool approvals on NetGalley this week!

Purchased (via The Book Depository)

I wanted to get all the Cahill Witches books in paperback so I'd have the matching covers, and the first one arrived this week!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Purchased (via Kindle app)

Spring Fevers (An Anthology) edited by Matt Sinclair

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The War Inside by M Kircher

Howling For You by Chloe Neill

For Review (via Xpresso Book Tours)

A rather bad photo, but I got the ARC for the second book in the Hidden series and since the cover has not been revealed I didn't want to risk the final cover being similar to the one that the ARC has!

Broken Bargain by Clare Davidson

For Review (via NetGalley)

I want to say a big big THANK YOU to Strange Chemistry for its auto-approval on NetGalley, again! And a big THANK YOU too to Entangled Publishing!

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by M.G. Buehrlen

Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout

What all did you guys get this week?