Book Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Series: Altered (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, SciFi, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance
Published: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Review ~

I loved the story in this! In fact, that was the only thing that kept me reading. Oh. Very unpredictable. I didn't know that the person was going to betray them. I didn't know they were going to make it. The only let down was the near death situations, and how they still survived. Also, the main character?
Anna? She annoys me. She's your typical stuck up and nosy teenage girl. I mean leaving them alone and more of a punishment for you than to them? Obviously, you got that right. Like seriously, all you think about is yourself.

The boys are the best characters in the whole book. Sam though, we need to see more of his real side, not the masked side. Not much character development between the boys either. As of the world building, not much either. The plot was the best, earned the book three stars and a half. Anna and the boys dragged it down. Haha. Alright book. Will I read the next one? Yea, if I have time though.

Drama. Yes. The most crucial part of a book. It was solved very quickly. Like, just a page or two of the characters discussing the matter and then they either forgive each other quickly or forget about it for the rest of the book. I also loved the plot(I said that), but like the part..you know, I love how Jennifer Rush includes the brain being altered, "telepathy" and other scientific notes.

One thing that was confusing. Who loved who? I mean, maybe its my fault and I don't mean to be slow, but I wasn't fully into the "romance" of the book, I was into the scifi and mystery/thriller/suspense in it. I don't know, but those aspects were simply amazing and captured all my attention.

Cover Reveals 4.20.14 - 2.26.14

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: Young Adult, Action, Romance, High Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, 
Series: Throne of Glass (#3)
Expected Publication:  September 2nd, 2014

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien's only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan's Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn.

Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King's Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan's biggest threat - and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love? 

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL <3

About the author:

Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Heir of Fire, Book 3, will be out in September 2014). Starting in Spring 2015, her New Adult Fantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, will be published by Bloomsbury as well.

Sarah lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the California coastline with her husband.

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Title: Tempting the Bodyguard
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout as J. Lynn
Publisher: Entangled Publication, LLC (Brazen)
Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Erotica, Chick Lit
Series: Gamble Brothers (#3)
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2014

He can protect her from everyone except himself.

Alana Gore is in danger. A take-no-prisoners publicist, her way with people has made her more than a few enemies over the years, but a creepy stalker is an entirely different matter. She needs a bodyguard, and the only man she can ask is not only ridiculously hot, but reputed to have taste for women that goes beyond adventurous.

Chandler Gamble has one rule: don't protect anyone you want to screw. But with Alana, he's caught between his job and his increasingly hard libido. On one hand, Alana needs his help. On the other, Chandler wants nothing more than to take the hot volcano of a woman in hand. To make her writhe in pleasure, until she's at his complete mercy.

She needs protection. He needs satisfaction. And the moment the line is crossed, all hell will break loose...

About the author:

# 1 New York Times and International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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Title: The Storyspinner
Author: Becky Wallace
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: The Keepers' Chronicles (#1)
Expected Publication: 2015

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer's life can get tricky.

All Johanna Von Arlo wants to do is become a Storyspinner. But her options are so limited that she is forced to work for the aggravating and handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. While in his employ, Johanna is exposed to a dangerous game of thrones, a game where she will discover that the magically inclined Keepers from her stories might be real after all.

The Keepers are searching for an heir to a great power and the key to saving their land. They aren't alone in their hunt. Girls matching the heir's description are turning up dead all over the kingdom. Girls who look exactly like Johanna.

About the author:

In second grade, Becky Wallace had to sit in the corner because she refused to write anything besides princess stories and fairy tales (and because she talked too much). Her time in isolation gave her plenty of opportunities to dream up the fantasy worlds she's been dabbling with ever since. She was lucky enough to find her own, real-life prince charming. They have four munchkins and live in a happy little town outside Houston, Texas.

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Book Review: Unforgiven by Jessica Miller

Series: The Wanderers (#3)
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal
Published: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All it took was three magical words…

Tristan…is…alive.

Ella knew leaving was wrong. She knew there would be consequences but what was at stake was far more important than anything she could have done if she stayed. She just had to see for herself.
Ella also knows Josie’s time is limited. With the help of her friends, Ella takes off and introduces herself to a foreign land. She hoped to keep her whereabouts a secret but it isn’t long before her father discovers where she is and threatens to take her back kicking and screaming. Things quickly go awry and Ella finds more than what she was looking for in her search for Tristan.
Ella knows eventually she must return home and face the aftermath of her sudden departure. But her head and heart aren’t sure they can handle it.
Will Roman forgive her? Will Gabe and the rest of her friends hate her for abandoning them in their time of need?

Review ~

Well, this was good for the third book of The Wanderers series. I liked it. BUT...the characters..Oh dear. Save me. They all need to mature and grow up. And Tristan changed. I can't really wrap my finger around it, so I can't really rave about him changing, but all I can tell is that I liked Tristan before(a lot), but now I like Roman better than Tristan now and dear, why does it have to be Roman who has to be the one everyone pities? Ella is 19, no? She needs to grow up because she's...immature. I guess. She just needs to make more rational decisions and her friends...


Remember when she ran away to go find Tristan? Just no. No. No. No. No. NO. I mean, she loves him and all that but no matter how much she "feels" it, I don't feel even a twinge of sympathy coming from her for Roman. She led him on and she has to fix it instead of going for the loved one she thought was dead. I mean, yea, Tristan was one she loved a lot, and she has to move on, but I think the person who makes the most sense in this book was Roman.

Anyways, this book had some unpredictable moments and I liked it. Made everything come as a surprise. I also liked the pacing in this book. Not much was thrown at Ella everything as once. And the end of the novel. Woah. Well, you just need to read it to find out. Also, not to be a Disney obsessed or anything, but now, the name Ella just reminds me of Elsa(Frozen).

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  

YA Book Release: TALKER 25 by Joshua McCune

Publisher: Greenwilliow / HarperCollins
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Paranormal, Adventure
Series: TALKER 25 (#1)
Release Date: April 22nd, 2014

It's a high school prank gone horribly wrong-sneaking onto the rez to pose next to a sleeping dragon-and now senior Melissa Callahan has become an unsuspecting pawn in a war between Man and Monster, between family and friends and the dragons she has despised her whole life. Chilling, epic, and wholly original, this debut novel imagines a North America where dragons are kept on reservations, where strict blackout rules are obeyed no matter the cost, where the highly weaponized military operates in chilling secret, and where a gruesome television show called Kissing Dragons unites the population. 

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About the author:

At some point in the exuberance of his youth, his mother nicknamed him "Sunshine." Then he hit third grade, started writing books about WWIII (complete w/ pics). By 5th grade, his wars had expanded to the universe. Mother was worried.
Over the years, he has continued to worry Mother, but at least the writing's improved a skosh (the drawing sure hasn't. Wanna good laugh, invite him to a game of Pictionary).
Joshua lives with his wife in San Antonio, TX. They have a black lab, Anubis, and a ferocious dachshund who sometimes answers to Boots. You can call him Joshua, Josh, J, Bane of Anubis... but please don't call him Sunshine. Makes him squirm.​

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Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#2)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Action, High Fantasy, Adventure, Paranormal, Mystery
Published: August 15th, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for. 

Review ~

By the Wyrd! I loved this. I think this was even better than Throne of Glass. Has anyone been on Team Chaol since the beginning? Because I have. And I probably always will be. I just don't know why I don't like Dorian. You know my nickname for him? DURIAN. If you don't know what durian is, I advise you to search it up. Stinky fruit. 

“The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.” 

Celaena was just AWESOME. She's kick-a** and bad-a**. People were underestimating her because she's a girl. Well they thought wrong. Chaol was just sweet and kind. I hope that Dorian will become a great king. I want the king dead. Crown of Midnight contained more action, betrayal, secrets and trust. I loved the romance and character development between Chaol and Celaena. I totally ship them. CHAOLAENA. And shoot, if you don't end up with him, I will gladly take him.

"And in that world... Celaena swallowed hard. She and Chaol would never be a normal boy and girl, but perhaps in that world they could make a life of their own. She wanted that life, Because even though he'd pretended nothing had happened after the dance they'd shared that night, something had. And maybe it had taken her this long to realize it, but this man ― she wanted that life with him."

MAJOR SPOILERS START HERE

There's one part I would like to talk about. So Crown of Midnight is split into two parts. When I read part two, it was just depressing when reading it. I hated how Celaena acted after the death of her beloved friend, Nehemia. She blamed and wanted to kill Chaol. I mean, I do agree that Chaol should have at least warned the guards about the anonymous threat to Nehemia. Nehemia saw it coming. She basically planned it out. Chaol just thought he was protecting you, while Nehemia had been lying to you about many, many things. "You will always be my enemy." do you know seeing how much Chaol was hurt hurt me. Her saying that kept coming up in his mind, The way she was acting afterwards, I was like, "Get it together, Celaena! Stop!" She was burning everything that he had touched. I mean come on, I'll take whatever he touched then.

“Why are you crying?"
"Because," she whispered, her voice shaking, "you remind me of what the world ought to be. What the world can be.”

One of my favorite parts was when it was the night of Chaol's birthday. Celaena had arranged a dinner in the greenhouse. And it was so sweet! Chaol had said he hadn't had something like that since he was little. I was just like, "Awwww~". And then they have this one discussion (which I'm not gonna say what since she basically tells him what she's been doing in the beginning) and then they make out and then they make love. <3 I love the scenes with Celaena and Chaol.

“And because she was young, and so damn clever and amusing and wonderful, wherever she made her home, there would be some man who would fall in love with her and who would make her his wife, and that would be the worst truth of all. It had snuck up on him, this pain and terror and rage at the thought of anyone else with her. Every look, every word from her... he didn't even know when it had started.”

We learn some things about Celaena towards the end of the book. I knew one of them because I saw a spoiler on Goodreads, you know, just one simple sentence reveals a lot and that was actually the last sentence of Crown of Midnight. And I was like, "Oh my god. All the possibilities." THE ENDING WAS JUST HEART-WRENCHING AND TEAR-JERKING. Oh, the tears came when Chaol made a deal with his father to discuss to the council or whatever to have Celaena shipped to Wendlyn (for a really heart-wrenching reason) and for that he would have to move back to Anielle. And when Celaena was boarding the ship to Wendlyn and Chaol didn't tell her that he would move back to Anielle and said he loves her, I just died. It just hurts thinking about it right now. Seriously.

There's a little something-something with the Wyrd keys and one of the competitors involved in the mystery. I'm not gonna go into that since either you've read it or you haven't yet.

I just recently found out that the third book is called HEIR OF FIRE. You know what that means right? By the Wyrd, we have to wait for 5 more months. Waiting for the cover reveal...

Cover Reveals 4.13.14 - 4.19.14

Title: Talon
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifters
Series: Talon #1
Expected Publication: October 28th, 2014

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.

About the author:

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, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real 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 dogtrainer 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, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon.

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Title: Diamonds in the Rough
Author: Michelle Madow
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Series: The Secret Diamond Sisters #2
Expected Publication: October 28th, 2014

All-access doesn't mean no problems.

The three Diamond sisters survived the summer in style after coming to live with their long-lost billionaire father. But making a place for themselves at their exclusive new Las Vegas private school is throwing them any number of gold-plated curves. Savannah's YouTube stardom turns into a Sweet Sixteen reality show extravaganza with complimentary enemies on the side. Dangerous flirtations don't keep Peyton from a gamble that will risk far more than she planned to bet. And when Courtney and the sisters' archenemy, Madison, uncover two explosive secrets, it will rock even this town of glittering illusion and turn their lives upside down all over again.

About the author:

Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembrance is the first book in The Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. Michelle's latest YA novel, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner, was published in March 2014. It is the first in an upcoming trilogy. The second part, Diamonds in the Rough, will be coming out in November 2014.

Michelle lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, sunshine, Disney fairy tales, Broadway musicals (she's seen her favorite show Wicked 14 times!), and spends way too much time on Facebook and Twitter.

To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, join Michelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook! She's very active in the group and would love to hear from you!

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Books Releases 4.13.14 - 4.19.14

Title: What I Thought Was True
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Release Date: April 15th, 2014

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

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About the author:

Huntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut, attended Concord Academy and Yale. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

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Title: Frozen
Author: Erin Bowman
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy
Series: Taken #2
Release Date: April 15th, 2014

The Heists were only the beginning.

Gray Weathersby escaped from the primitive town of Claysoot expecting to find answers, but what he discovered shook him to the core: A ruthless dictator with absolute power. An army of young soldiers blinded by lies. And a growing rebellion determined to fight back.

Now Gray has joined a team of rebels on a harsh, icy journey in search of allies who can help them set things right. But in a world built on lies, Gray must constantly question whether any ally—or enemy—is truly what they seem…

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About the author:

Erin grew up in rural Connecticut, where she spent most of her childhood telling stories. It is rumored that her first words were not "Mama" or "Dada," but "Once upon a time." In middle school, when kids were going off to sleep-away camp for the summer, Erin was attending writing camp and penning short stories.
She studied web design (and minored in Creative Writing because she couldn’t stay away from stories) at the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York. After several years working in advertising and designing websites for various brands, she moved from Boston to New Hampshire, where she now lives with her husband and writes full-time.
When not writing, Erin can often be found hiking, geeking out over good typography, and obsessing over all things Harry Potter. She drinks a lot of coffee, buys far too many books, and is not terribly skilled at writing about herself in the third person.

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Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, 
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Release Date: April 15th, 2014

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

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About the author:

Jenny Han was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and she went on to graduate school at the New School in New York City, where she received her MFA in Writing for Children. She lives in Brooklyn.

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Email: jenny@dearjennyhan.com


Click "Read more >>" to see more of this week's book releases!

Cover Reveal: Persecution by E. Montgomery

Title: Persecution
Author: E. Montgomery
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Dyphillum Series (#1) 
Expected Publication: May 17, 2014
Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

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They were exiled from their clan. Made to leave the only home they ever knew. They knew the curse would kill them if they didn’t leave. Isaac erased her memories to give her a better life.

SHE HAS TO COME BACK.

SHE IS THE CHOSEN ONE.

Only Cecily can defeat the hunters. Isaac swore his heart to protect her. Julian swore his life to protect her.

But in the end will it be Isaac and Julian that needs saving?

Jules walked over to me and circled like a lion stalking its prey.

He gently grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, "Nice to see you again, Cecily, I trust my brother here is taking good care of you?"

The way he said my name sounded like a snake.

"Julian, what did you really come her for?" Isaac was starting to sound impatient and agitated. He was standing a good fifteen feet from Jules, arms crossed over his chest.

"Isaac here hasn't told you everything lovey." He completely ignored his brother and continued staring at me with those demon-like eyes. Unlike Isaac's golden eyes, Julian's were red as the fires of hell.

"Julian, I'm warning you." Isaac stepped closer to me but was stopped dead in his tracks like he had hit a wall.

 

I was born in Williamsburg, Virginia and raised in Yorktown Virginia so paranormal inspiration was easily obtained. I have 4 awesome-sauce kids and an AMAZING husband. Currently I'm working on three books, all Paranormal Romance. I'm a Google junkie and can find a picture on Google to fit any conversation and will cyber stalk a topic till my eyes hurt if I am interested in it enough. Coffee and gummy bears are an hourly habit. Some of my favorites include: Reading (of course), writing (well duh), baking fancy shmancy cakes, painting and last but not least hanging out with the family.

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1) I am obsessed with Favicons. They are the little icon next to a websites name in the tabs on a browser. I like to make them pretty when I can.

2) I have an irrational fear of all bugs, spiders especially but I loathe them all equally and turn into a crying ninja when I see them.

3) I make fancy shmancy cakes, but don’t really like to eat cake.

4) Stray cats are attracted to me like lent to static.

5) I am a pediatric nurse and I LOVE my job.

6) I have a fear of being murdered while in the shower, even when the door is locked I am afraid something will crawl out of the mirror or toilet so I keep my eyes open the whole time…even when washing my face (it is possible).

7) I listen to the same song on repeat the entire time I am writing a chapter.

8) I totaled my first car going 3 (yes three) miles an hour.

9) I love all things Wonderland (especially Johnny Depp)

10) I totally believe in aliens. In my head I picture them all as Luxen aka Daemon (The Lux Series by Jennifer L Armentrout)

11) When I see people’s pics on facebook or Instagram, I totally check out the background (their living room, car, kitchen etc.)

12) I could eat avocados, chicken and watermelon for the rest of my life and be completely content.

13) Short arm T-rex jokes get me every time haha!

14) I have to have at least eight pillows on my bed or I can’t sleep. I sleep with 6 of them and they have to be positioned just right or I will toss and turn like a two year old.

15) I had the brilliant idea of going by a pen name of Summer Rayne until I said it out loud and ugly laughed at how ridiculous it was.

16) I have the mouth of a seasoned sailor. Except around my grandma, mom and kids…well sometimes the kids push it but I don’t make it a habit lol

17) I can find a picture that will suit any conversation I am having within a matter of seconds.

18) I have an issue with whiteboards. I will redo them a million times till the words/lines are straight.

19) I’m an over-roller when it comes to toilet paper (I am running out of fun facts so it has come to the way I roll my toilet paper and for this I apologize)

20) Writing 20 “fun facts” about myself has proven to me I need to go sky dive or something more exciting than cake and toilet paper. Thanks for reading!

Book Releases: 4.6.14 - 4.12.14

Title: Rebel Belle
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance
Series: Rebel Belle #1
Release Date: April 8th, 2014

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

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About the author:

Rachel Hawkins was born in Virginia and raised in Alabama. This means she uses words like "y'all" and "fixin'" a lot, and considers anything under 60 degrees to be borderline Arctic. Before deciding to write books about kissing and fire (and sometimes kissing while on fire), Rachel taught high school English for 3 years, and is still capable of teaching you The Canterbury Tales if you're into that kind of thing.

She is married to a geologist, which means that they have incredibly strange dinner conversations ("So today at work, I wrote a chapter where killer fog, like, ATE PEOPLE." "Huh. Well, I was chased by an angry reindeer while trying to map parts of Norway." "Um...okay.")

Rachel also has a little boy whose main hobbies are playing video games, running around in circles, and plotting his Future Intergalactic Take-Over.

When not writing books, Rachel enjoys reading, travelling, and knitting (very terribly.)

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Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Release Date: April 8th, 2014

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

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About the author:

Laini is a writer of fantasy books for young people, but my books can be enjoyed by adults as well. Her 'Dreamdark' books, Blackbringer (2007) and Silksinger (2009) are about faeries -- not dainty little flowery things, but warrior-faeries who battle devils. Her first young adult book, Lips Touch, is a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award! It's creepy, sensual supernatural romance. . . about kissing. She is also an artist with a licensed gift product line called "Laini's Ladies."

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Email: hotdiggity@comcast.net

Cover Reveals 4.6.13 - 4.12.14

Title: The Young Elites
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia. Paranormal, High Fantasy
Series: The Young Elites #1
Expected Publication: October 7th, 2014

Some hate us, think us criminals to hang at the gallows. Some fear us, think us demons to burn at the stake. Some worship us, think us divine children of the gods.

But all know us."
---
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood plague: marked by a jagged scar, snow-white hair and lashes. Cast out by her family, Adelina has finally found a place to belong within the secret society of Young Elites. To some, the Elites are heroes, here to save innocents in desperate situations. But to the Inquisition Axis, the white-robed soldiers of Kenettra, they are monsters with demonic powers who must be brought to justice. As Adelina learns more about this perilous world where politics and magic clash, she soon realizes that her own powers may be in danger of bringing on an era of panic such as the world has never seen. 

*FANGIRLING MODE*

About the author:

Marie writes young adult novels, and has a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, she was born in 1984. She likes food, fighter jets, afternoon tea, happy people, electronics, the interwebz, cupcakes, pianos, bright colors, rain, Christmas lights, sketches, animation, dogs, farmers' markets, video games, and of course, books.

She left Beijing for the States in 1989 and went off to college at the University of Southern California. California weather sweet-talked me into sticking around, so she's currently in Pasadena with her boyfriend, two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and a chihuahua mix. In her past life, she was an art director in the video game industry, but now she's write full-time.

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Title: Whatever Life Throws At You
Author: Julie Cross
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Expected Publication: October 7th, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing. 

After an awkward first meeting with "Brody" involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?

About the author:

Julie is the International Bestselling author of the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, and the final installment, Timestorm. She is also the author of the Letters to Nowhere series, a mature young adult romance set in the world of elite gymnastics, as well as several forthcoming young adult and new adult novels with publishers like Entangled, Sourcebooks, HarperCollins, Random House, and St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books.
She lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. Julie is a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She's a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credibility, she is a committed--but not talented--long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

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Title: The Book of Ivy
Author: Amy Engel
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia
Expected Publication: November 4th, 2014

In a future where girls no longer control their own fates, sixteen-year-old Ivy Westfall has the power to give girls back their choices. If she’s willing to commit murder to do it…

After a brutal nuclear war, followed by famine and disease, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over who would govern the new nation. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. This year, it is Ivy Westfall's turn to be married. Only her bridegroom is no average boy. He is Bishop Lattimer, the President’s son. And Ivy’s mission is not simply to marry him and bear his children. Her mission, one she’s been preparing for all her life, is to kill him and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer turns out not to be the cruel, heartless boy her family warned her to expect. And as Bishop and Ivy navigate a tentative friendship that evolves into something more, Ivy is torn between loyalty to her family and following her own heart. She is a teenage girl caught in an adult web of manipulation, lies, and the struggle for power. Ultimately, she must decide what sacrifices are worth making for the lives of those she loves.

About the author:

Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV. When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping. The Book of Ivy is her debut YA novel. Find her online at http://amyengel.net/ or@aengelwrites.

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