{Tour} {Review} Defy (Defy #1) by @SaraBLarson {Giveaway} @RockstarBkTours @Crossroadreview

Title: Defy
Author: Sara Larson  
Series: Defy  
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: January 7, 2014  
Pages: 336 
Format: Print ARC 
Source: Publisher/RockStar Tours  
Description:

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Visit Amazon's Sara B. Larson Page | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Sara loves writing, reading, and dessert--but the order varies by the day. She wrote her first book in second grade about a woman who had a premature baby, complete with a "to scale" drawing of the baby's size--while her mom was pregnant. To say she was a bit precocious is putting it lightly. Now that she’s an adult, she writes books for teens that have magic and romance and kick-butt girls (and very few premature babies). She lives in Utah with her husband, two young sons and baby girl. She writes during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims that she should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find her hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish. she is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary and her YA debut DEFY is coming January '14 from Scholastic!

This book was beyond amazing!  I have seen people on Goodreads give it DNF's and 1 star reviews and I am wondering if they have read the same book?  The only two issues I had were 1. no one goes pee in this book! 2. Alex doesn't have a period lol but all the other girls do.  Now one of these #2 can be explained away as when a girl does a lot of high activity there is a chance that she won't get one.  So that said the only issue was the peeing lol.

Ok so this book was just wonderful.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because of the breeding houses but it really ended up being a great book!  I wish The Prophecy by Ellen Oh would have been this great.  That one I didn't connect with the characters at all and in Defy that just wasn't the case.  From the first page I felt for Alexa and her brother.  For what they had lost and the years that she had to pretend to be a boy.  I think fans of Once, Eon, and the like will love this book.  Now for those who hate love triangles I am normally one of them to.  Don't let this book slip through your fingers!  Because the love triangle was done wonderfully!

Now also this book is set up as a duology (next book due out 2015 ugh!!) But, it also sits fine as a stand alone.  It is all wrapped up at the end so I can't wait for the next one to see what the author does.  This was an uplift book that will make you want to fight for injustice!

"*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.

Week One

12/30/2013- A Book and a Latte-  Interview

12/30/2013- Book Nerd Canada- Review

12/31/2013- Primrose Musings- Review

12/31/2013- Fictitious Delicious- Guest Post

1/1/2014- Jessabella Reads- Review

1/1/2014- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview

1/2/2014- Curling UpWith A Good Book- Review

1/2/2014- IceyBooks- Guest Post

1/3/2014- The Demon Librarian- Review

1/3/2014- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview

Week Two

1/6/2014- She Dreams in Fiction- Review

1/6/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

1/7/2014- Bookish- Interview

1/7/2014- Hannah Reads Books- Review

1/8/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post

1/8/2014- Crossroad Reviews- Review

1/9/2014- Fiction Freak- Interview

1/9/2014- In the Best Worlds- Review

1/10/2014- Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and Romance- Review

1/10/2014- The Cover Contessa- Guest Post

Click Here to Enter the Tour Giveaway

Comment for an extra chance to win a Print ARC via Crossroad Reviews! 

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy {Giveaway} {Hop}

Welcome to the 3rd Annual

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop

Running January 8th to 14th

Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.


Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

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{Reveal} Wake (Whisper Trilogy #2) by @DanaFaletti {Hosted} @BookSparksPR

Release date: January 21, 2014 When 16-year-old Callie Evans learned she was more than your everyday suburban teen, everything changed. One minute she was a typical high school student, the next, a demon-slayer extraordinaire. As a newly discovered Arc angel from heaven, Callie’s destiny is to fight the Darks that prey on human teens.

But when Callie meets Romuel, one of the most powerful angels of all time, her reality is shaken once again. Romuel will force her to become what she was meant to be, but will her boyfriend, fellow Arc, Joshua, be able to set his pride aside? He doesn’t appreciate Callie’s attentiveness toward the older, wiser immortal Romuel. Joshua found her first. And he’s not willing to share. 

Is it Callie’s highly active imagination or does the Dark population seem to be multiplying exponentially in her world at an alarming rate? Newsflash: She’s not imagining things. They’re everywhere. And she’s got to find a way to stop them before it’s too late.

Join Silas, Jules, Jixer and the rest of the immortal crew in a story that will wake up the world to the war that’s been raging since the beginning of time, a war in which whispers are the deadliest weapons of all.

Perfect For: Fans of The Mortal Instruments and Fallen series

Publisher: Createspace

About the Author

Dana Faletti is the author of the Whisper series. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in a northern suburb of the city with her three wonderful children, a loving husband and a hypoallergenic Siberian Forest cat named Fluffy G. Whisper is her first published work.

Links

·       Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20331953-wake?ac=1

·       Goodreads Giveaway (thru Jan. 21) - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/76851-wake

·       Dana’s Website - http://www.danafaletti.com/

·       Dana’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authordanafaletti?ref=br_tf

·       Dana’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/DanaFaletti

Check out Book 1 in the Wake Trilogy its free!

{Review} {Interview} The Merchant of Venice Beach (The Venice Beach Romance #1) @celiabonaduce {Hosted} @itchingforbooks

Title: The Merchant of Venice Beach
Author: Celia Bonaduce
Series: The Venice Beach Romance
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Comp.
Release Date: August 1, 2013
Pages: 230
Format Read: Finished Print
Source: Publisher/Tour

Description:

The Rollicking Bun--Home of the Epic Scone--is the center of Suzanna Wolf's life. Part tea shop, part bookstore, part home, it's everything she's ever wanted right on the Venice Beach boardwalk, including partnership with her two best friends from high school, Eric and Fernando. But with thirty-three just around the corner, suddenly Suzanna wants something more--something strictly her own. Salsa lessons, especially with a gorgeous instructor, seem like a good start--a harmless secret, and just maybe the start of a fling. But before she knows it, Suzanna is learning steps she never imagined--and dancing her way into confusion.

About the Author

Currently a Field Producer on HGTV’s House Hunters, Celia Bonaduce's TV credits cover a lot of ground - everything from field-producing ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to writing for many of Nickelodeon’s animated series, including Hey, Arnold and Chalkzone. An avid reader, entering the world of books has always been always a lifelong ambition.

www.celiabonaduce.com | twitter.com/celiabonaduce

Very delightful, sweet, funny read.  This book was fast paced and wonderful.  Friendships and love rock this story set in California.  Although this has a romance in it, it is more like Bridget Jones Diary with a cast of strong friends and less of why am I single. The one almost sex scene has a very funny twist, is not explicit, and ends with the heroine being embarrassed. So all in all this book was very comical at times and is just a fun light read. Great for the coming spring!  Or something to take with you at the beach.

"*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.

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{Review} Enders (Starters #2) by @Lissa_Price {Giveaway}@NightOwlReviews {Published} @randomhousekids @dana_kaye

Title: Enders
Author: Lissa Price
Series: Starters
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Source: Night Owl Reviews
Rating: 5 Stars
Description:

With the Prime Destinations body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders. But Enders can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Like hurt someone she loves. Having the chip removed could save Callie's life - but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father. Callie has flashes of her ex-renter Helena's memories, too ...and the Old Man is back, filling her with fear. Who is real and who is masquerading in a teen body? This is the thrilling sequel to "Starters".

› Amazon | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Lissa Price’s debut novel STARTERS is an award-winning, international bestseller published in over thirty countries. Dean Koontz called this YA futuristic thriller “a smart, swift, inventive, altogether gripping story.” The LA Times said it is “Dystopian science-fiction at its best,” and “Readers who have been waiting for a worthy successor to ‘The Hunger Games’ will find it here.” 

STARTERS was a Barnes & Noble pick of the month and one of only four debuts on the B&N Best Teen Books of 2012. It was awarded the its Eselsohr for Best YA Book in 2012, selected by a jury of teens in Germany, and was chosen as a top ten favorite book of 2012 by both French and German readers. It won the Crimezone Award for Best YA Thriller and is one of the LAPL's and Chicago Public Library's Best Teen Books of 2012.

Starters was chosen for the IRA Reading List and is the only book nominated for both the Florida Teens Read List and the SSYRA Middle School List 2013-14.

In Germany, Starters launched a brand-new YA imprint of the established Piper Verlag publisher called IVI. Audiobooks have been recorded in English and German.

See the book trailer that played in front of the Hunger Games film in selected theaters in the US and abroad at her site. The release dates for Enders will be announced by the publishers of each country, with some starting in May 2013.

Enders was shorter than Starters but so much better.  We find even more twists and turns and a surprise ending.  It is even set up to come back for a book three if the author so chooses to do so.  I love that fact that there could be a book three or a spin off.  As this world of Starters and Enders is getting really good and it draws you in and makes you want to know more.  As I had said before I would love to have a prequel to learn about their world before the wars.  But in Enders you find out who is the real enemy and who you can trust.  And maybe not all middles died.  This is deff a book that you need to read!! If you love mystery, dynastopian, and a little romance, then this is deff the book for you!


"*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.

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{Review} A Mad, Wicked Folly by @sbiggswaller {Giveaway} @NightOwlReviews @VikingChildrens

This title will be released on January 23, 2014

Preorder Now!

Title: A Mad, Wicked Folly
Author: Sharon Biggs Waller
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: January 23, 2014  
Pages: 448 
Format: Print ARC 
Source: Night Owl Reviews  
Add To Goodreads Reading List 
Description:
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
            
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?                                      

                                       

› Visit Amazon's Sharon Biggs Waller Page | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

Biography

Sharon Biggs Waller grew up around artists and developed a passion for Edwardian history and the Pre-Raphaelites when she moved to England in 2000. She did extensive research on the British suffragettes for her novel when she wasn't working as a riding instructor at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace and as a freelance magazine writer. She is the author of three non-fiction books about horses under her maiden name, Sharon Biggs. She is a dressage rider and trainer and lives on a 10-acre sustainable farm in Northwest Indiana with her British husband, Mark. Visit her at www.sharonbiggswaller.com. 

In a time where if you were born a girl that was all you were. Vicky darling wants more. She want to go to art school and further her craft. But since she was born a girl one single action of posing nude for other artists gets her kicked out of her finishing school. Now her parents want to marry her off to his the scandal  But Vicky has other plans. Selling a ring of her grandmothers she buys new art supplies finds friends in the oddest places. And finds her voice in a time when women didn't have any rights at all. With the help of other Women Of the WSPU (women social and political union) Vicky finds that she doesn't need a man to go to collage she can do it on her own. 

I love how Vicky always tries to see the best in her family. Even when time after time all they do is shove the your a girl back in her face. 

Vicky was born in the wrong time period. It is so scary how this book set in 1909 is so different from ours. If our children could drawl like her at the age of 17/18 we would be calling Juilliard or the like and encouraging our child to reach for the stars regardless of their gender. 

This book was very inspirational for all woman of any age and I think it should be added to the books for those in high school.  I think the teens there would find more to talk about in this novel vs. The Scarlet Letter and the Lord of the Flies which are two of the books that I had to read in 10th grade.

Here are some of the pictures that were talked about in the book.  I was very happy that the author gives you information about the time period at the end.  And I adored the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson you can find it here via Wiki> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady_of_Shalott

It was one of my fav growing up and I even memorized most of it when I was around 15-16.  The painting of this poem via John William Waterhouse was also a fav of my younger years as well as now.  If you go to that link above you will also see it.  As well as the other painting discussed of The Lady of Shalott Looking at Lancelot.

At the very end of the book there is an amazing recipe for Victoria's Favorite Pikelets which we will be trying our hand at later.

"*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."

This book wins our OH Baby Want 2 Read That Award!

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

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