The Host Movie Trailer

I think "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer is one of the first Sci-Fi books I read and I have been waiting for this movie since it was announced (way back in 2009?). I don't like the main actress' voice, but I'll get over it just like I got over Kristen Stewart being Bella and Robert Pattinson being Edward. Sorry Robbie fans, but he was NOT the Edward I envisioned while reading the series. But the trailer looks good. *crossing my fingers*

Here's the trailer for the movie.

Teaser Tuesday #8: When We Collide by A.L. Jackson

...............Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers
...............
This week I chose...

Teaser Tuesday #6

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! ...............

Title: Ember
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Series: Death Collectors #1
Publisher: Borrowed Hearts Publishing
Pub. Date: August 29th 2012

The teasers:

"I wiggle my foot, trying to slip it out of my boot. His hands move higher up my leg, just below my knee. My fingertips scrape the brick as they dig down to hold onto the edge."

GoodReads/Author's Blog/Amazon

About the book:

What if you knew when someone was going to die?

For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven.

Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind.

But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding.

Review: "The White Forest" by Adam McOmber

Title: The White Forest
Author: Adam McOmber
Publisher: Touchstone
Expected Publication: September 11th, 2012

● GoodReads
● Author
● Amazon
● B&N
● Twitter

Synopsis:

In the bestselling tradition of The Night Circus and Sarah Waters’s The Little Stranger, Adam McOmber’s hauntingly original debut novel follows a young woman in Victorian England whose peculiar abilities help her infiltrate a mysterious secret society.

Young Jane Silverlake lives with her father at a crumbling family estate on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Jane has a secret—an unexplainable gift that allows her to see the souls of manmade objects—and this talent isolates her from the outside world. Her greatest joy is wandering the wild heath with her neighbors, Madeline and Nathan. But as the friends come of age, their idyll is shattered by the feelings both girls develop for Nathan, and by Nathan’s interest in a cult led by Ariston Day, a charismatic mystic popular with London's elite. Day encourages his followers to explore dream manipulation, with the goal of discovering a new virtual reality, a place he calls the Empyrean.

A year later, Nathan has vanished, and the famed Inspector Vidocq arrives in London to untangle the events that led up to Nathan’s disappearance. As a sinister truth emerges, Jane realizes she must discover the origins of her talent and use it to find Nathan herself, before it’s too late.

Adam McOmber, whose short story collection This New and Poisonous Air earned glowing praise for its evocative prose, here reveals a gift for fantastical twists and dark turns that literary fans will relish.

Review:

"The White Forest” it’s a dark and mysterious tale, but I had a love-hate relationship with this book. On one hand, I loved McOmber's enthralling writing style, but on the other I really disliked what seemed to be his main storytelling device in this story, flashbacks.

This might seem like a weird comparison, but if you are a fan, and are slightly addicted, to Asian dramas, like I am, you might notice a big similarity between this book and those; the flashbacks. I don't like flashbacks. Actually, it would be more appropriate to say I don't like the misuse and/or abuse of flashbacks and this book did just that. There were so many of those, and although I could follow what was happening, it was sort of frustrating to finally get into the story only to be pulled back out of it because another one reared it’s head. I honestly didn’t think anything would ever beat Korean dramas in the flashback department, but this did.

The story was also slow paced and it felt even slower because of all the flashbacks. But when Jane lived in her here and now the story and mystery behind Nathan’s disappearance was actually thrilling and engaging and I was able to enjoy it. The flashbacks do finally tone down and any references to the past that are made it’s done through stories they get out of people in their search for the truth of , both, Nathan’s vanishing and Jane’s existence.

I liked Jane, she was a dark character who was drawn to whom she thought was a bright one. But in the end, I thought she was actually the brightest of them all, even if she didn’t realize it.

I had a hard time rating this, and to be honest, I was ready to rate it 2 stars. But the ending of the book is really good and I got caught up in the flow of the story. The ending is sort of bittersweet. It left me with feelings of longing and nostalgia, even when I thought the ending was perfect for the story and it wouldn’t have had it any other way.

My rating

*I received a digital ARC copy from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thanks for the opportunity.
* I received no compensation for this review.

Cover Reveal: "The Demon Royale" by Jill Cooper

Today I'm participating in the cover reveal of The Demon Royale, Book 2 of "The Dreamer Slayer Series", by Jill Cooper.

About the book!

The only thing worse than dying, is running away…

Since becoming employed by a supernatural protection agency, Natalie Johnson’s life has been more interesting than ever. While most teens are working on their summer tans, Natalie works on slaughtering the undead lurking just outside her town’s borders.

The workload takes more than just a toll on her love life, it dampens her spirit and her health, as the town is plagued by a mysterious murderer intent on stealing the residents’ souls. Natalie’s investigation is hampered by her declining health and the sicker she gets, the more inadequate she feels.

Guilt over her inability to act, weighs heavily on Natalie’s shoulders during a time when her strength is needed more than ever. As some of those closest to her begin to lose faith, she must make the hardest stand yet to save the soul of the one person she can always count on:

The Slayer.

The book will be released on October 10, 2012.

Add the book: GoodReads
Follow: Twitter @jillybug
Like: Facebook
Author's Website
Official Website
You can get Book 1, The Dream Slayer, in Amazon.

Check out the Book Trailer!


Cover Reveal Blitz organized by SupaGurl Tours!

Cover Feature: "Perception" by Lee Strauss

Welcome to my stop in the "Perception" Tour. I also have included a review of the book!

Title: Perception
Author: Lee Strauss
Series: Perception #1
Publisher: ESB Publishing
Published: September 12, 2012

About the book:

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love.

This is the first book in a planned three book series.

Review:

This book was a nice, quick and enjoyable read. I liked that, although the writing wasn't complicated, the story still managed to pull me in and keep me interested. I really wanted to know what would happen next and who else would be involved in the whole mystery, which was brought on by her brother's disappearance.

I liked Zoey. She was stubborn. Sometimes fearless, and although she believed what her society had hammered into her brain her whole life, she started to open up to other possibilities. But she was also very impulsive and sometimes came off as selfish. She even calls herself that. There's also a mystery surrounding her, which was hinted at a few times before the cat is let out of the bag.

But I have to say my favorite character was Noah. He was one resourceful guy, quite understanding, protective without being overprotective or stalker-ish. Well, not always, but when he did become overprotective it was for a good reason. Really! I also liked that the story changed to his PoV halfway through it. It gave me a better understanding of this character.

I thought the romance bloomed a little too quickly, but to be honest that didn't really bother me and it didn't hinder my reading progress. I tend to be picky and rant about that sort of thing. The reason for this might have been that although, yes there was love and kisses, it didn't take over the whole book nor was the plot forgotten in favor of it.

I had no real problems with the story...until the end... When I was reading those last pages, I was really expecting something bigger after all I went through with those characters. And after someone's appearance where they were which made me go "Ooooh!". But instead, I literally went: "Wait, what? Did that really just happen the way it happened?" It was a bit disappointing, but I reminded myself that there will be a second book, so it was sort of okay that everything happened like it did.

I can't wait for second book and all the other adventures and misadventures which await Zoe and Noah.

My Rating:3.5/5

Add it: GoodReads
Buy it at: Smashwords or Amazon
Check out Mkay's review on her blog!

Preview: Chapter One

PART ONE
ZOE

Chapter 1
I balanced on my surfboard, right thigh burning and salt water stinging my eyes, while the best wave of the early morning carried me like a goddess on a pedestal to shore. My older brother Liam and I shared a friendly competition, and it gave me a certain, blissful satisfaction to catch the same wave and to get to shore first.
“Beat ya!” I shouted over the noise of the crashing surf.
Seagulls flocked and circled over us, squawking loudly, adding to the cacophony.
The sun glistened off Liam’s damp blond curls as he shook them out. His eyes sparkled as his lips tugged up into a grin. “I let you win.”
“Did not!” I smacked him playfully on the arm. “One more ride?”
Liam unzipped his wetsuit letting the top half fall down past his waist. He was in fine form, and I understood why all the girls raved about him. He was responsible for a long list of broken hearts.
“I gotta get going,” he said, lifting his board.
I fell into stride beside him, my feet sinking into the cold, wet sand. “So soon?”
He nodded, the glint leaving his eyes. My lips tightened into a frown “You’re taking off with Jackson again?”
Jackson was my boyfriend but lately he’d been spending more time with my brother than he had with me. It was starting to tick me off.
Liam stared straight ahead. “Lab stuff.”
“What are you working on?” I rushed to keep up with my brother’s long, strong strides. He flicked his head, tossing the hair out of his eyes but didn’t answer.
“Come on,” I knocked into him sideways. “Tell me!”
“It’s just stuff.”
“Just stuff? Like what? Top CIA stuff? I know you’re smart but I think the government has been doing a good job without your help.”
I meant it as a joke, but Liam huffed. “It’s just stuff, okay? So leave it.”
I stopped short shocked that he’d snapped at me.
He turned around and exhaled, “Zoe, I’m sorry.”
“Fine. If you can’t tell me, you can’t tell me.”
We resumed our trek along the beach, and I pushed back my frustration. Liam used to include me in everything. It was always him and me against everyone else. Him and me against Alison and Paul, aka our mom and dad. Him and me against the surf. We were a team. When did we start keeping secrets from each other? Rather, when did he start keeping secrets from me?
I re-adjusted my board under my arm. Maybe I could get Jackson to unzip his lips. Especially if I helped him. He could be easily persuaded if I poured on the charm. I hated to go behind my brother’s back for information, but something about all this--this, whatever it was that Liam was doing--made me uneasy. I couldn’t pinpoint why, it just did.
We reached our home, a massive glass box with two floors of windows facing the Pacific Ocean. It was built after the San Andreas Fault shifted and triggered the Big Quake that, along with the subsequent tsunami, wiped out ten miles of shoreline.
A nearby white-stucco storage shed housed all our water toys. We stopped there to hang up our wetsuits to dry.
“Thanks for surfing with me today.” Liam said, smiling at me, back to his jovial self. “I know it was a sacrifice for you to get up so early.”
I smiled in return. “No problem. It was fun.” Surfing with Liam was one of my most favorite things to do.
“You’re back for dinner?” I asked.
Liam didn’t know it, but once he left, I’d be spending the rest of the day preparing for his surprise birthday party. He’d turned twenty-one yesterday and had celebrated at a bar with his friends. I couldn’t go because I was underage, and it irked me that Jackson went and that he and Liam had once again shared a significant moment without me. I took consolation in the fact that Alison and Paul gave me free reign to plan this party. My heart beat with excitement, and I couldn’t wait to see his face when he got home and found the house full of his friends.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he answered.
I bit my cheek to keep my voice even. “Good.We’ll see you, then.”
Our property tiered twice before connecting with the sandy beach. Three glass doors slid open disappearing into the corner and creating a wall-less view of the stone patio that encased an eternity pool. Its waters slipped over the far edge into a waterfall that was collected again on the second tier.
Liam strode into the house, through the living room and down the hall to his bedroom at the back, his wet shorts dripping on the glossy white tiles.
I tightened the towel around my waist and climbed the open-slat staircase to my room.
As I passed the maid, Saundra something, her brown face blanched. She stumbled slightly before grabbing the rail and catching herself.
“Excuse me,” she said softly at my astonished look.
The woman really didn’t look well, and I was thankful for my enhanced immunization. I was glad I didn’t have to worry about diseases brought in from the outside.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded weakly, and proceeded to clean the rails. I’d requested extra staff to get the house ready for Liam’s party.
A trill of anticipation reclaimed my thoughts. I couldn’t wait for tonight.
The door beside my bathroom opened into a second room, a walk-in closet big enough to house another bedroom set. Racks of clothes and shoes lined the walls, a well-lit mirror station was located near the sky light and a cushioned leather bench was placed in the middle for sitting. I stood in my closet and stared at the rows of sundresses, blouses and shorts.
What to wear?
I settled on a lace blouse and cotton shorts, then went to take a luxurious shower, rinsing the sea water out of my long, blond hair. I leaned into the built-in seat that was designed specifically for my body height and shape. Laser lights mapped my head and twenty-eight silicon fingers reached out to massage my scalp while shampooing and conditioning my hair. Most days I had to watch or I’d doze off, but today I was excited. I commanded the water to turn off as soon as the rinse was done.
When I was dressed and my hair combed out and tied back, I slipped my platinum Communication Ring onto my left middle finger. I tapped it which produced a holographic image of my phone apps on my palm. I touched the clock icon and holographic digital numbers appeared in the air.
Ten already? Where did the time go? That was the thing with summer holidays; every hour ran languidly into the next.
I imagined the cook and her crew were busy preparing for the party in the kitchen. I’d requested fresh sea food and simulated roast, fresh fruit and vegetables, an assortment of fancy chocolates and baked items plus a three-tiered, surfer-themed birthday cake.
I skipped down the stairs to check on the progress, but in my hurry to the kitchen, I slammed into a body.
“Sorry,” a male voice said.
I stepped back agitated. I recognized the dark-haired boy wearing the white tunic my mother made the male staff wear. He was the maid’s son and I guessed he was part of the extra staff. He held a wet mop in his hand, and I figured he’d been cleaning up Liam’s spotty water trail.
He stepped politely out of the way, but the expression on his face was stoic. Even though he was clearly from the outside and the help, I still expected some small sign that what he saw when he viewed me was pleasing. A twinkle in the eye, a slight upturning of the lips. These were the responses I got from all the boys. The straight ones, anyway.
He wasn't especially attractive but I didn't see people with his appearance very often. He had eyes the color of imported coffee beans and skin like caramel candy. His nose was wide and his jaw-line sharp. I was suddenly intrigued by him and surprised myself by thinking he looked exotic.
“Excuse me, what was your name again?” I asked.
“Noah.”
Right. I remembered now. I waited for him to say something, but he stayed quiet.
Footsteps echoed from the hall above. My parents spoke together, their muffled voices floating across the high ceilings.
“Do other maids send their sons to do their work?” Alison's voice had a brassy tone that carried through the cavernous space.
I felt a flare of red creep up my neck when I realized Alison was talking about Noah. My eyes darted to his, but he kept his averted.
“He does a good job,” Paul responded. “That's the main thing. Besides you know they need the money.”
“So we're charity now?”
“What's wrong with a little charity? Besides, they're not just anybody.”
“I don't care. I still don't trust him.”
I was mortified. My feet felt cemented to the floor and I didn’t know what to say. Anything would come off as trite since nothing I could say could undo what Noah had heard.
“Did you know the Pikes have a household robot now?” Alison, again. “Apparently it’s very efficient, and at least Mary doesn’t have to worry about things going missing.”
Noah’s jaw tightened and he turned his back to me. He attacked Liam’s dried and dusty water spots aggressively and soon had disappeared around the corner.
“Zoe?” Alison click-clacked down the wooden stairs. She wore a pale yellow pant suit and high heels even though it was Saturday. She was in-between careers now, having spent the last fifteen years in law. She barely looked thirty years old and with lots of time ahead of her, she could do anything. Probably several things.
“Mom! You have to keep your voice down. How many times do I have to tell you your voice travels in this glass box?
“Oh.” She looked mildly shaken. “No matter. Is everything coming together to your satisfaction?”
“I’m just checking in on things now.”
“Your father and I are meeting people for lunch. What time is the party again?”
I blew a frustrated breath. She could at least pretend she cared enough to remember details I’d told her a dozen times already.
“Seven.”
“Right. We’ll see you at seven.”
Things proceeded throughout the day as planned and I was pleased with my ability to pull off an event like this on my own.
The decorators showed up at 1:00 as promised.
The band arrived to set up at 3:00.
I got dressed at 4:30, having bought a thigh-length mini-dress that sparkled with tiny crystals just for the occasion.
My hair and makeup girl arrived at 5:00.
I tapped my ring and called Jackson at 5:30.
“Where are you?” I said to the three-inch holographic image of him that popped up above my palm. “You said you’d help.”
“Sorry, Zo. Got tied up at home.”
“Are you okay? You don’t sound so good.”
It was odd. No one in Sol City ever got really sick, but it wasn’t unheard of to get run down if you pushed yourself too hard. Jackson had been working a lot lately.
“I didn’t sleep well last night. Uh, spent most of the day in bed.”
I felt a little panicky. “You’re still coming, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll be there soon.”
Alison and Paul arrived at 6:30 along with all of mine and Liam’s friends.
I hushed everyone at 6:55, giving instructions on when to shout “Surprise!”
It was all a wasted effort.
Liam never showed.

About the author

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for mature YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check out her facebook page. To find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at her website .



Thanks to the author, Lee Strauss, for providing me with a free copy of the book for reviewing purposes.

Review: "Perception" by Lee Strauss

Title: Perception
Author: Lee Strauss
Series: Perception #1
Publisher: ESB Publishing
Published: September 12, 2012

About the book:

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love.

This is the first book in a planned three book series.

Review:

This book was a nice, quick and enjoyable read. I liked that, although the writing wasn't complicated, the story still managed to pull me in and keep me interested. I really wanted to know what would happen next and who else would be involved in the whole mystery, which was brought on by her brother's disappearance.

I liked Zoey. She was stubborn. Sometimes fearless, and although she believed what her society had hammered into her brain her whole life, she started to open up to other possibilities. But she was also very impulsive and sometimes came off as selfish. She even calls herself that. There's also a mystery surrounding her, which was hinted at a few times before the cat is let out of the bag.

But I have to say my favorite character was Noah. He was one resourceful guy, quite understanding, protective without being overprotective or stalker-ish. Well, not always, but when he did become overprotective it was for a good reason. Really! I also liked that the story changed to his PoV halfway through it. It gave me a better understanding of this character.

I thought the romance bloomed a little too quickly, but to be honest that didn't really bother me and it didn't hinder my reading progress. I tend to be picky and rant about that sort of thing. The reason for this might have been that although, yes there was love and kisses, it didn't take over the whole book nor was the plot forgotten in favor of it.

I had no real problems with the story...until the end... When I was reading those last pages, I was really expecting something bigger after all I went through with those characters. And after someone's appearance where they were which made me go "Ooooh!". But instead, I literally went: "Wait, what? Did that really just happen the way it happened?" It was a bit disappointing, but I reminded myself that there will be a second book, so it was sort of okay that everything happened like it did.

I can't wait for second book and all the other adventures and misadventures which await Zoe and Noah.

My Rating:3.5/5

Add it: GoodReads
Buy it at: Smashwords or Amazon
Check out Mkay's review on her blog!

About the author

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for mature YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check out her facebook page. To find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at her website .


Thanks to the author, Lee Strauss, for providing me with a free copy of the book for reviewing purposes.

Mini Promo Blitz!: "Weaving Magic"

Title: Weaving Magic
Author: Mindy Hardwick
Genre: YA Romance
Date Published: April 27, 2012

Synopsis:

Synopsis: He loves magic. She loves romance. But the biggest illusion is the one Shantel and Christopher perform together. Sixteen- year- old Christopher fights to stay sober while fifteen-year-old Shantel struggles in the aftermath of her mother’s death and seeks refuge in a fantasy world. But the unacknowledged roots of their problems refuse to stay buried and soon, the two are headed toward a deadly magic trick. Can Shantel and Christopher move beyond magical illusions to find love?

● Add it on: GoodReads
● Author
● Author's Blog
● FaceBook
● Follow the author: Twitter
● Buy it at: B&N or Amazon

About the author

Mindy Hardwick enjoys writing tales of romance for teens and adults. Her books for young adults include Weaving Magic and Stained Glass Summer. Mindy gets many of her ideas from the poetry workshop she facilitates at a juvenile detention center. Some of the real life teen poems can be found at www.denneypoetry.com

Mindy is included on the Washington State Arts Commission Teaching Artist Roster, and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. She is a member of SCBWI. Currently, Mindy is hard at work on her next romance for teens which is a spin-off Holiday story from Stained Glass Summer.


WEAVING MAGIC EXCERPT

Everything would be okay, I told myself. Christopher was my boyfriend. I trusted him. I crunched inside the wicker basket and curled my legs underneath me. I wiped my sweating palms onto my black slacks. The audience stopped calling for an encore. They were so silent I wasn’t sure anyone was still out there.

I’d barely gotten my balance before the first sword barreled into the basket with a lot more force than we’d practiced. Startled, I realized Christopher was keyed up from the magic show performance. He was overestimating the force he was putting behind the swords.

I tried to figure out how to tell him to slow down. I couldn’t very well call out to him or the audience would hear.

Before I could it figure out, the second sword zoomed past me and into the basket. The two swords crossed over my head, and I rearranged myself so I could crouch lower. As I shifted, a third sword whizzed by my left arm and peeled off a small layer of my skin. I saw the blood before I felt the searing pain.

WEAVING MAGIC EXCERPT—LONG

“Gotcha, Superstar,” Christopher said as he stood up beside me. He wrapped his arms around me the way he’d done in the bakery.

“Umpfh.” Seemed the only word I could manage.

“Shantel,” Christopher murmured.

“Mmmm.” I enjoyed the way my name sounded on his lips.

Slowly, he began to rub small circles on my back before he reached up, and cupped my chin. Lifting my face, Christopher lowered his mouth to mine and time seemed to stop. Softly at first, we moved our lips, and then, hesitantly, I parted my mine just a bit. Christopher’s tongue quickly moved inside my mouth and swirled gently. Christopher pressed his hands against my lower back and drew me closer to him.

Thinking fast about what the romance heroines did, I moved my fingers softly into his hair. The kiss deepened, and Christopher’s hands moved slowly down my sides, and then up under my shirt. I knew I should tell him to stop. We were alone in my bedroom. Dad could comehome at any minute. But a part of me didn’t want him to stop. I wanted him to keep going. I wanted to see what happened.

Christopher’s fingers played with the edges of my bra. “Want to take it off?” he murmured.

In a bit of a haze, I stepped away from Christopher. I lowered my hands to the edges of my t-shirt and then froze. What was I doing? Everything was moving so fast. So fast, I could barely think. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw myself in the mirror. My face was flushed. My shirt was askew, and I looked like I was terrified.

This wasn’t how I was supposed to look. I was supposed to look like I was enjoying it. I looked like a fright show was happening.

I stepped away from Christopher and straightened my shirt. I combed my fingers throughmy hair and ran my tongue over my lips. But, I couldn’t look at him. I was so confused. I wanted him to keep going. I wanted to see what it would be like to be with him. But it all seemed so out of control. And out of control was scary. When people got out of control, bad things happened. “Maybe later?” I muttered.

“Okay.” Christopher adjusted his shirt. Without looking at me he said, “I should probably get going.”

“Sure,” I mumbled. My stomach cramped. Why did he want to leave now? We could have hung out like Drew and I. We could have talked about physics. But he wanted to leave. Did that mean I just blew my chance with him? Why didn’t I let it go just a bit further? I was sure Christopher thought I was a baby for stopping. I was fifteen. Old enough not to get freaked out by a little kiss in my bedroom. I wanted to rush over to him, throw off my shirt, and tell him I’d made a mistake. Instead, I followed Christopher down the stairs and attempted to breathe.

This tour was organized by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours

Release Day Party: Mana!

We’re celebrating the release day party for Mana, a YA Fantasy novel by author Asher Tensei today. On top of that, we’re also hosting a giveaway for 2 eBook copies of Mana!

To celebrate the release, the author is hosting a giveaway for a Kindle Fire on his blog. Go here to participate! http://ashertensei.com/giveaway/

About the book:

Title: Mana
Author: Asher Tensei
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: September 7th 2012

Eurich is thrown into a seemingly ill-fated destiny. After learning of his legendary magic, he is convinced that he alone must stop an impending doom, but nothing is ever as it seems. His best friends Jason and Raine try their best to help him save the world, but help isn’t what he needs —he needs a way across the barrier.

Despite this fate thrust upon him, Eurich knows what is coming. The world is headed toward Chaos due to a weakening barrier between Earth and a world that has been hidden for millennia.

Our world is about to take a sharp turn for the worse. Extra moons are rising in the sky, and panic is at an all-time high. Worst of all, there are no explanations.

Add Mana on: Goodreads
Visit the author’s website
Follow the author on Twitter @AsherTensei
Get a little taste of the book: Chapter One

Check out the book trailer!


About The Author

Although Asher Tensei is relatively young, he has already traveled the world as he has been a military brat since the age of four. He has always wanted to share his creative writing, and it was in Germany that he realized people also really enjoyed reading his stories. Mana was composed shortly after and it instantly got the support of a small but enthused local readership. Few could believe that Asher had written a full length novel during his fifteen minute breaks while working at Burger King. He is very passionate about the fantasy genre and graciously gives thanks to the one series that made him realize that writing high concept YA fantasy was something he wanted to do--The Twilight Saga. He maintains, and frequently updates, his site http://ashertensei.com/.


Giveaway We’re hosting a giveaway for 2 eBook copies of Mana. The giveaway is international. To participate, please fill in the Rafflecopter widget below. Winners will be contacted through email.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Trailer Thursday # : The Immortal Rules

This week I chose "The Immortal Rules" by Julie Kagawa.




I started to read the book because of a sampler from Harlequin and I've liked what I read so far. My only real complaint is that she does not look Asian.

About the book:

Title: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pub. Date: April 24 2012

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

For more info about the series: Blood of Eden

Waiting on Wednesday # 6: "Breathe"

Waiting on Wednesday is meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming releases that you are just dying to sink your teeth into.

This week I'll be featuring:

Title: Breathe
Author: Sarah Crossan
Series: Breathe #1
Publisher: Greenwillow
Expected Pub. Date: October 2, 2012

GR ● Author

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . .

The world is dead.

The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Shelf Candy Saturday #6: "Dance of Shadows"

This is a meme where the designer, photographer and/or illustrator of a favorite cover is featured is hosted by A Night's Dream of Books. I loved the idea since I always want to read a book when the cover is gorgeous. Bad habit, I know!
---------------------------
This week I'm going to be featuring a cover which I think it's gorgeous! As you may also notice, I seem to be developing a fixation for covers with red and black.

Title: Dance of Shadows
Author: Yelena Black
Series: Dance of Shadows, #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
Designer: Natalie Shau
deviantart
Website

Why I like it:

Besides the cover being completely enthralling, I love how it portrays the book's name, "Dance of Shadows". She's literally dancing in a dark, smokey and shadowy place. I also love the way her red dress disintegrates into rose petals which go upwards just in the direction her gaze is concentrating on. Her pose seems to convey, she's in a dancing thrall or probably dancing under the huge burden of having to carry the family legacy since there's no joy in her face as she moves.

I checked out Natalie Shau's other works and they are equally amazing, some even more.

About the book (from GR):

"Vanessa Adler isn’t so sure she really belongs at the School of American Ballet. But dance runs in her family. It’s been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. Her grandmother and mother were prima ballerinas, and her older sister Margaret was, too. That is, until Margaret mysteriously disappeared from school three years ago. Vanessa is heir to the family’s gift and the only person who can fulfill her sister’s destiny. She has no choice.

But she never could have guessed how dangerous the school is. The infamous choreographer, Josef, isn’t just ruthless with his pupils, he guards a sinister secret, one in which the school’s dancers—prized for their beauty, grace, and discipline—become pawns in a world of dark, deadly demons."

ARC Review: "Stormdancer" by Jay Kristoff

Title: Stormdancer
Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: The Lotus War #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Expected Publication Date: September 18, 2012

Goodreads ● Amazon ● B&N ● Author



Stormdancer has been one of the few books for which I didn’t have cover lust. Well, at least not until I saw the USA version of the cover. That cover was truly lust worthy and it was so much more detailed and spot on than the UK version, but that's just my opinion. I actually wanted to read this book from the moment I saw the review/overview written by the author. I will not go into a plot summary since he explained it better than anyone ever could. If you still haven't read it, you can do so here. Now that I’ve said this…

I had already posted that my reading experience was like a rollercoaster and now I’ll go into details.

When I read the first chapter I thought it was awesome! It was that very high point from which you start and I wanted more. Then chapter two happened and I realized chapter one was a prologue chapter kind of thing to get the readers hooked. However, that was alright because it accomplished its mission. The following chapters go through the introduction of the other characters: Masaru, Akihito, Yoritomo, and so on, and the description of the steampunk, dystopian world we are going to be visiting while reading this book. And that is when the drop comes.

Why? Well, there was so much description being thrown my way that I might have gone into sensory overload once or twice before I got used to it and started to fully enjoy it. It was around chapter ten, possibly eleven, when I was finally totally immersed in the story. It was also when the "ashitora", later known as Buruu, made his entrance. Now, this does not mean, in any way, the writing in the book is horrible, it is quite the contrary. I dare say it's a curse and a blessing since I did feel overwhelmed, but at the same time I wanted to know more about the world he was building.

Some of the plot events were predictable, like the object of her infatuation. I mean, he did have a chapter named after him and she did keep dreaming about him. But others really caught me by surprise, to the point I literally went "Oh...". And that's how the twists and turns happened.

I really liked the way the characters in this book are written. The author introduces us to a few amazing women and men. All of them strong in different ways.

Yukiko was badass. She had always had moments when she didn’t believe in the “system” and even questioned it; still, those had always been internal monologues. So, when she was confronted with the option of actually doing something, she was a little bit apprehensive about it. And that was totally understandable. It’s not easy to try to change the world when you are still a teenager. I also loved the fact that she didn't turn into a lovesick puppy who loses all sense of self-preservation like so many YA "heroines" do when they fall in love or are around a guy. She knew what she had to do and why she had to do it, even when she was presented with hard choices.

Lady Aisha was oh-so-very-smart. She knew how to move the pieces in the chess board to her advantage. She might have also been a surprise, for a few, since why would she, the most powerful female in Shima, want to leave her comfortable and opulent life? Honestly, I can think of one, just one, very good reason from a few lines dropped here and there in the story. BUT! Jay Kristoff, what happened? I was disappointed with what happened with this character. She showed such great potential and could have been used in so many other great ways. Did she really...? Just like that? I am still finding that a little hard to believe...

I loved Kin, since the first time he appeared. Yes, I knew who he was all along. And yes, even after imagining how he looked like as a result of his…accident. I think these three characters show how different sections, even within the government, are unsatisfied with the way things are. They wanted change to one day have a better way of life.

Buruu, was great! I thought the way he evolved as time passed was very well portrayed. He was also grumpily cute.

I have to mention Yoritomo. I have given him an endearing nickname: Yoritomo, the psychotic brat. He can go right ahead and add it to the rest of his titles. He was cruel and a few screws short up there. Because of this every one of his temper tantrums ended in blood and tears or lots and lots of begging, if he was in a good mood.

There were a few things that made me raise my eyebrows, literally...

For starters, I'm assuming, even though the book is in English, that the characters are speaking Japanese. It didn't even cross my mind they would be talking in any other language since foreigners to them are savages. Yet, every so often, a "hai" pops up. If the characters are speaking Japanese, there really wasn't any need to incorporate that. Unless the characters were actually speaking in English and the author wanted to show a particular character's ethnicity. I've read books which are set in English speaking countries and there's a, let's say, Hispanic character. In that case, it is totally understandable why the author would incorporate a Spanish word, or phrase, here and there in the dialogue.

Secondly, the use of "-sama" all by its lonely self. I want to make clear, that I am in no way well acquainted with the Japanese language. I probably know the meaning of, and how to say from the top of my head, a grand total of five words, possibly a few more than that. But I don't remember the honorific ever being used by itself in all the anime and Japanese dramas that I've watched. So, that was a bit surprising.

Thirdly, Hiro, specifically the color of his eyes. Wouldn't he have become an outcast, or worse, because of that, or was it because of the people he "knew" in high places that he was running around freely? I decided, at some point in the story, to let all of that go and just went along for the ride.

The moments leading to the ending of the book were action and surprise filled and emotionally charged. So much happened and I was eating it all up. Also, the way Kristoff used that girl in the epilogue was very good. It showed how Yukiko's past actions will, very possibly, help her gain supporters in her future endeavors .

I actually had a hard time deciding whether to rate this 3.5 or 4 stars. On one hand, there were those chapters that didn't really do anything for me. On the other, there were those when I thought, "Wow, this is really good!". At the end, the latter chapters won and I rated it a four.

So...when is the second book coming?


My Rating:


Disclosure:
I received a review ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity!
I am not affiliated with Amazon or any other online vendors.

Book Beginnings Friday #3

Book Beginnings is a Friday book meme hosted by Rose City Reader. All you have to do is share the first sentence of the book you are currently reading and your first thoughts about or anything else the you might come up with from just that first sentence. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

Title: Remembrance
Author: Michelle Madow
Series: Transcend Time Saga, #1

"It was at the Halloween dance that I got the first glimpse of my past life."

My Thoughts:

This might turn out to be good. The only part of the book I've read is the preface, but the content in it was enough to make me want to know more about what is going to happen in the story.

About the book (from GR):

"Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy."

Waiting on Wednesday #5: Alice in Zombieland

Waiting on Wednesday is meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It showcases upcoming releases that you are just dying to sink your teeth into.

This week I'll be featuring:

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected publication date: September 25th, 2012

About the book (Good Reads):

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies…

Teaser Tuesday #5: "Poltergeeks"

...............Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! ...............

Title: Poltergeeks
Author: Sean Cummings
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Expected publication date: October 2nd 2012

My teasers

*Wiccans are a breakaway sect of witchcraft. Like us, they have covens, but they’re more into pagan rituals and practicing ceremonial magic. A true witch is someone born into a family of witches who can trace their lineage back for hundreds of years.

*If martial arts masters have a dojo to practice their craft and train a worthy apprentice, our shed is a supernatural dojo where Mom does everything from experimenting with new spells and potions to teaching me to control my magic; which tends to go a little bit nuts if I blow my concentration.

About the book (from GR):

"15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life."

Showcase Sunday #2

Showcase Sunday's aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. This Sunday meme is hosted by Book, Biscuits and Tea. Click the link to find out how to join in.

Giveaway/Mail
I received in the mail a signed paperback copy of "Lacrimosa" by Christine Fonseca, which I won at a giveaway at The Cover Contessa blog. I'll edit the post with pictures of it.

Free Amazon Goodies




Among others...


Note: Book names and covers link to their Good Reads pages.

My "Stormdancer" Reading Experience

Well, I finished "Stormdancer" a little while ago and I thought I'd share my reading experience. This is going to be really short. I promise.

It was something like this:

I'll have the review up soon-ish...

Book Beginnings Friday #2

Book Beginnings is a Friday book meme hosted by Rose City Reader. All you have to do is share the first sentence of the book you are currently reading and your first thoughts about or anything else the you might come up with from just that first sentence. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

Title: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Series: Nightshade, #1
Publisher: Penguin Group

“I'd always welcomed war, but in battle my passion rose unbidden."

My first thought:
This is going to be good! I wanted to continue immediately, I wanted to know what was coming after that. And I was wondering if this one would start where the prequel (Shadow Days) left off or not.

Book Trailer Thursdays #4: Divergent & Insurgent

I'm not sure who started this meme, all I know is it wasn't me.If anyone knows please let me know. 

This week I'll be sharing two book trailers. They are both from the Divergent Series by Veronica Roth. I haven't read Insurgent yet, but I did read Divergent and loved it, so I will be reading the second book soon-ish.

DIVERGENT & INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

About Divergent (Good Reads):

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

About Insurgent (Good Reads):

One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.