Tuesday, January 28, 2014

{Tour} {Review} Forever (Temptation #3) by @KarenAnnHopkins {Giveaway} @HarlequinTeen {Hosted} @kismetbt

He is Amish. I am not. What does the Future hold?
Forever_Banner

  Forever by Karen Ann Hopkins

Book 3 in the Temptation Series – The Grand Finale! 
  • Publication Date: January 28th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
  • Add the book to your Goodreads shelf today!
  • Pre-Order: amazon 

All I want is my happily-ever-after.
That’s all I’ve wanted since meeting Noah Miller.
Forever_coverFrom the day we met, the world has tried to keep Noah and me from being together, but now that I’m carrying his child, no one will be able to tear us apart. Or so I hope. But Noah and I have made some mistakes along the way, and the consequences are impacting the people we love. Worse, there’s a storm on the horizon, and it’s sure to cause serious devastation.
If we can get through this, we’ll finally be Rose and Noah; a family, forever.
But first we have to survive the road ahead. And happily-ever-after is a long way off

Find Karen Ann Hopkins


About Karen Ann Hopkins

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.




I have loved this series since it started!  I can't not believe that it is over!  This one although not what I was expecting was an amazing finish to the Temptation Series.  Noah was still irritating me, by wanting Rose to change and still become Amish even after everything they had been through and Rose was very quiet in this book.  I do understand her pregnancy brain as I know I had it with my two girls lol.  

The ending was a true "Happily Ever After" which I know will put some people off.  But, I loved it!  I love how the author ended the book with separate POVs. It was a change from the norm and it worked out wonderfully.  I can't wait to see what Karen's next book/series is! 

Check out the other books in the Temptation Series!

Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins

Publication date: April 30th 2013 by Harlequin TEEN
Book 2 in the Temptation Series!
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Belonging

Book 2 in the Temptation Series 
I left everything I knew behind. 
But it was worth it. He was worth it. 
No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren’t even allowed to see each other. Not until I’ve proven myself. 
If I can find a way to make it work, we’ll be NOAH & ROSE  together forever. 
But not everybody believes this is where I belong 






Temptation_front coverTemptation

Book 1 in the Temptation series
Your heart misleads you.
That’s what my friends and family say.  
But I love Noah. 
And he loves me.  
We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other’s arms. 
It should be  
ROSE & NOAH  
forever, easy. 
But it won’t be. 
Because he’s Amish. 
And I’m not.

Tour Details

With Forever this wonderful romantic Trilogy comes to an end and we are going on an epic 6 weeks long tour full of Reviews, Guest Posts and Giveaways! 

Tour Dates:

January 20th – February 28th
Forever_BannerV
Monday, January 20th – Absorbing the Content - Review
Tuesday, January 21st –  Sassy Book Lover - Review
Wednesday, January 22nd – Mangamania Cafe - Character Interview
Thursday, January 23rd – Ramblings From This Chick - Guest Post
Friday, January 24th - Andi’s Young Adult Books - Author Interview
Monday, January 27th – Literary Me - Author Interview
Tuesday, January 28th –  Crossroad Reviews  - Review
Wednesday, January 29th – Books I View - Review
Thursday, January 30th – Actin’ Up with Books - Review
Friday, January 31st –  Books Complete Me -  Review
Monday, February 3rd – No Bent Spines  - Character Interview
Tuesday, February 4th – Paranormal Opinion - Review
Wednesday, February 5th – Bittersweet Enchantment – Review
Thursday, February 6th – Curling Up With a Good Book – Author Interview
Friday, February 7th – Behind A Million Pages – Review
Monday, February 10th – The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Guest Post
Tuesday, February 11th – Jenuine Cupcakes - Review
Wednesday, February 12th – A Bookish Escape – Review
Thursday, February 13th – Deal Sharing Aunt – Guest Post
Friday, February  14th – Lost Time Reading – Review 
Monday, February 17th – Into The Hall of Books – Review
Tuesday, February 18th – Swoony Boys Podcasts – Review
Wednesday, February 19th – My Favorite Things – Guest Post
Thursday, February 20th – Reading Lark – Review
Friday, February  21st – Tien’s Blurb – Author Interview
Monday, February 24th – Kimberly Faye Reads – Guest Post
Tuesday, February 25th – Book Whales – Guest Post
Wednesday, February  26th – Jeanz Book Read N’ Review –  Review
Thursday, February 27th – That Girl Reads – Review
Friday, February  28th – Books Marks The Spot - Author Interview




{Tour} {Review} {Giveaway} The Colony by @camichecketts {Hosted} @toobusyreading

Colony Tour



The Colony  The Colony by Cami Checketts To protect her sons from the mistakes of her past, Brinlee Trapper escapes to a secluded mountain home. But there are dangers lurking in the mountains she has never encountered. The little family is saved from injury by Jed, a mysterious hunter. Brinlee is drawn to him, but she worries about his involvement with a peaceful commune hidden deep in the mountains behind her property. Lance, Brinlee’s attentive neighbor, has his own troubled history. Between his obvious attraction to Brinlee and his developing love for her children, Brinlee finds it more than difficult to guard her heart against this tender intrusion. While Jed offers a life of excitement and freedom, Lance holds the key to the family Brinlee always wanted. When it comes time to choose, she learns that both men have secrets that could shatter her fledgling trust in men and the wrong decision could leave more than her heart exposed to danger.  






Colony 299
Praise "Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards." ~Myra, Reviewer, Pieces of Whimsy






Biography

Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and reading Bernstein Bears, she gets the chance to write fiction.

Cami graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Exercise Science. She teaches strength training at her local rec and shares health and fitness articles at http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com.

Cami and her family live in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah. During the two months of the year it isn't snowing, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, and water-skiing.

http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com
www.camichecketts.com





Very good clean read!!  It has twists, turns, and a wonderful story of a girl trying to turn her life around so she can raise her children the right way. 

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/6/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Friday, January 24, 2014

{Review} Bright Before Sunrise by @TiffanySchmidt

Bright Before SunriseWhen Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 

For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 

Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 

One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

Biography


Tiffany Schmidt lives in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles. She's not at all superstitious... at least that's what she tells herself every Friday the thirteenth.

SEND ME A SIGN is her first novel. BRIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE will follow in Winter, 2014. The ONCE UPON A CRIME FAMILY series begins with HOLD ME LIKE A BREATH in 2015.

You can find out more about her and her books at: TiffanySchmidt.com, TiffanySchmidtWrites.tumblr.com, or by following her on Twitter @TiffanySchmidt.






"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Review} Avalon (Avalon #1) by @mindeearnett

Avalon (Avalon, #1)A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

Biography

Mindee Arnett is the author of two forthcoming young adult series. The first book in her contemporary fantasy series, The Nightmare Affair is forthcoming March 2013 from Tor Teen (Macmillan) while her YA sci-fi thriller, Finding Eden (tentative title) will debut Winter 2014 from Balzer+Bray (HarperCollins). She lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an inappropriate number of cats. She's addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space.

Her short stories have appeared in various magazines, including Happy, and she has received an honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2008. She has a Master of Arts in English literature with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary and Media. She also blogs and tweets. Find her online at www.mindeearnett.com.


This one left me pretty disappointed.  The world building wasn't up to par and it really didn't give a clear picture of the world of Avalon.  I also really didn't like Jeth, he came off as gullible, selfish, and pigheaded. This one just wasn't for me.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

{Review} Maybe One Day by @darlingsr4ever

Maybe One DayCritically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

Biography

Five fun facts about me:
1. The first time I ever kissed a boy, I made a complete fool out of myself. Right before we kissed, the boy asked, "Have you ever kissed anyone before?" I said, "No. Have you?" He said, "Yes." Then I said, "Oh, I forgot. I have too."
2. I'm a Capricorn.
3. I used to unbend a paper clip and put it on my teeth like a retainer because I wanted braces.
4. I didn't learn how to make a grilled cheese sandwich until I was in college. (Does anyone know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich? They're actually kind of hard to make!)
5. I failed Spanish.
Come read the first chapters of all my books for free at melissakantor.com.





Ok so first off the one thing that bothered me in this one was the constant crying.  I know that the situation was very sad but it was just a little to over the top for me.  The rest of the book was wonderful!  The friendship was beyond amazing, deep, heart-warming, and wonderful!  This book is one of true friendship and hope!


"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Review} Tsarina by @JacksonPearce {Giveaway} @RazorbillBooks

TsarinaNatalya knows a secret.
A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.
It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.
A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.
Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.
But it's not in the right hands.

Biography

J. Nelle Patrick lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in philosophy. She auditioned for the circus once but didn't make it. She is also the author of a series of retold fairytales.







This novel dares you to ask what you think about one thing: Is it your fault where and into what situations you are born into? The truth of the fact is that we have no control over that. Yet,  aren't we to blame if we simply accept things the way they are without trying to change them? 

The author says in her note at the end: The Russian Revolution, truth be told, needs little to no fictionalization to be a fascinating time period, full of beauty and horror and wonder. That Tsarina is met to be a novel not a text book.  Well I have to say that this book both intreated me and fascinated me.  The blend of both fact and fiction was just amazingly blended well.  In a breathtaking read.  

I was so absorbed with this book and the setting of this book.  The author takes to you Russia and now I really want to visit there before I die.  I felt so wholly absorbed into the place and time as I read Tsarina.  Readers will love the atmosphere and feel of this book.   This one has it all.  Romance and Natalya's quest to save Russia.

The only issue I did have with this one is that the ending felt rushed.  

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

To win the ARC of this book just comment below! 

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

{Tour} {Review} Her Dark Curiosity @megan_shepherd {Giveaway} @harperteen



This title will be released on January 28, 2014





Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter, #2)Title: Her Dark Curiosity
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Release Date:  Jan. 28, 2013
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Description:      
To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.



Biography

Megan Shepherd grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where her family has owned and operated an independent bookstore for over 35 years. Shepherd attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she majored in international studies and went on to live and work in Costa Rica, Senegal, Scotland, Spain, and many other countries. Now, Shepherd has returned to Western North Carolina and is a full-time writer of young adult novels.



This one picks up where The Madman's Daughter left off.  This one was a little faster than book one (so I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that). As I had issues with the pacing of book one. This book is one of those that are so hard to review.  Because, although I loved the twists that this one had. I still had a few issues with pacing (wanting to fall asleep) and just the overall feel of the story and its plot line.  This book is a lot darker than book one.  Filled with scandal, sex, murder, etc. So please make sure you have that in mind if you pick this one up.  This one really suffers from middle-book-syndrome as the plot was not as interesting as the first one.  It really serves more to bridge the first and third books together than a real story in itself.  It does answer a few questions  that were asked in book one. But, even with all of this going on I am still very excited about book three!  As the end of this one opens a new twist that I can't wait to see where Shepherd takes it. 
 "*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
So why not leave one!

From the Back Cover


Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now back in London, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau's horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.
As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also made it off the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.
As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.
With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves.

 Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher for sending the Print ARC so I could host this giveaway.  
They are in no way responsible. Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

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