Book Blitz: Blades of Magic (Crown Service #1) by Terah Edun + Giveaway

Synopsis

It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and the seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn't know it yet.

Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family's shame but when challenged about her family's honor, her opponent inevitably loses.

On the night she finds out her father's true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds' vows to serve in the emperor's army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.

There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.

While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she's never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her emperor against a mage who has unwittingly claimed her heart?

This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies.

- Goodreads -

Excerpt

It took two days. Two days of Ezekiel not speaking of her. Two days of setting up camp with strangers who glared at her and tried to pick fights. Two days of getting the last of the food from the slop cart because no one would tell her where the mobile kitchen would be located at the end of that evening’s ride. And a day since she fell off her horse because someone had cut the straps on the saddle without her noticing. It had been six-hours since she’d woken up, huddled not in a tent, but on the freezing cold ground where she’d been forced to sleep next to her horse so that she could make sure no one messed with her tack or Danger again. So she gave up her stubbornness. Gave up her pride. She was damned tired of being alone.

She went to look for the only person who might even be half a friend in the entire convoy. She went after Ezekiel Crane. Well, she and Danger went after Ezekiel. The convoy was currently parked on a giant bluff overlooking a crystal clear lake and meadowland. Many of mercenaries were taking the day to enjoy their first bath since leaving Sandrin. Sara was hiking along the bluff looking for a curator who didn’t want to be found with her horse in tow. She couldn’t trust the horse wranglers to look after Danger like the other mercenaries could. Mainly because everyone seemed to hate her from that one outburst the first morning she joined.

So she led Danger by the reins with her scimitar strapped to the left side of the saddle, her sword on her back and her knife at her waist. She had ridden Danger up the slope but it was more of a problem getting down. The slope was slippery, littered with rocks, and had a steep incline. Making it hard for a horse to get down without breaking its legs. She knew the wind mages and earth mages of the guard would work together to make a smooth incline when they were ready to leave. The way it was now was just a defensive tactic that would slow down any enemy’s forces.

They were a further three days out from the nearest deployment site and Sara had to wonder who or what Captain Barthis Simon feared that he would stick his entire mercenary regiment atop a hill with defensive rings all round them.

Sara shrugged irritably at the thought, It’s his problem, not mine. We’re sitting ducks up there. All it would take would be for one enemy soldier to get the brilliant idea of starving us out and we’d die on that hilltop.

That was part of the reason she was heading down. That and the solace of Ezekiel’s company.

“Crap!” yelled Sara as her foot nearly slid out from under her. She refocused on getting down the hill without breaking her neck.

What made life difficult for their enemies, made life even more difficult for a single rider just trying to get from atop the slope to grassland.

As they eased down, Danger whinnied anxiously.

If he could talk Sara had a feeling he’d be saying, “I’m a warhorse, not a mountain goat you idiot.”

They came close to a few tumbles, with the earth sliding out from underneath Danger’s hooves and the gelding almost pulling her down the slope with him. But they regained their footing and made it to the base. When they did he gave the loudest snort she’d ever heard.

“Good boy,” she cooed to him softly. “You were a good, agile boy.”

She reached a hand up towards his nose. Danger tossed his head away from her, refusing to let her pet him.

“Fine,” said Sara. “You’re welcome to be mad at me too. But make no mistake, you’re coming.

Giveaway

1 ebook copy of Blades of Magic 

Open international 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author bio

Terah Edun's next YA Fantasy novel, Blades of Magic - Crown Service Book #1 (set in the Algardis Universe), will release on March 31, 2014. Book Five of Courtlight, Sworn to Defiance, will release in April 2014. 

Her favorite writers include Mercedes Lackey, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, Robin Hobb and Maria Snyder. 

Check out Terah's author website for more information about her books, find her online @TEdunWrites and subscribe to her newsletter to be notified of upcoming releases.

Extra

Title: Blades of Magic

Author: Terah Edun

Series: Crown Service

Publication date: March 31st 2014

Genres: Fantasy, YA

Other books:  Courtlight series

1. Sworn to Raise
2. Sworn to Transfer
3. Sworn to Conflict
4. Sworn to Secrecy
5. Sworn to Defiance

Links:

• Amazon | B&N
• Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

El

Review: Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria V. Snyder

Synopsis
She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever. 

But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever. 

Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision. 

- Goodreads -

Opinion

The book picked up where the previous one had ended. Since it had been over a year I had read the second book in the series it was hard to remember all that had happened before. But after a few chapters the whole story came back to me and it was easy to follow from there on.

Avry and Kerrick have already been through a lot and they keep having trouble in this book. They are kept apart by things they would never have imagined. But they fight for each other and they won’t let go easily.  Avry has grown a lot throughout the series in the first book she was shunned because she was a healer, people hunted her down. But now everyone respects her a lot and they turn to her for advice. But she’s still the same old Avry, she’s till stubborn as hell, she isn’t one to follow the rules certainly if she thinks her way is better and she’s very protective. Kerrick life had become harder in this book due to certain circumstances but he wouldn’t be Kerrick if he didn’t fight it. And fighting he does. The monkeys were as hilarious as ever with their never ending bantering and it looks like they were recruiting a new monkey, Flea.  Flea had to cope with a lot during this book but I think he came out of it better than before.

What I loved the most about this series, besides the characters, was the world the author created. It has a medieval touch but at the same times it deals with topics like biological warfare. And the world she creates has something magical, I know the books are partly about magic but still the world she creates is so enchanting. The romance aspect of this book was more in the background which I loved since not every book has to be focused around love. Instead the book was packed full with action and a lot of complot theories. Honestly so much happened in this book that there wasn’t a dull moment in it.

I loved how the series ended but at the same time I am sad because it has ended. I hope that the author writes a new series soon. 

Extra

Title: Taste of Darkness

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Series: Healer

Genre: Fantasy, Adult

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Publication date: December 31st 2013

Pages: 464 (paperback)

Other books: 

• Touch of Power (Healer #1)
• Scent of Magic (Healer #2)

El

Review: Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin

Synopsis
What if your devastating break-up became this summer's hit single? In this rock-and-roll retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, music can either bring you together or tear you apart. 

At her dying mother's request, Claire dumps Jared, the only boy she's ever loved. Left with a broken family and a broken heart, Claire is furious when she discovers that her biggest regret became Jared's big break. While Jared is captualed into rock-star status, another piece of Claire's heart crumbles every time his song plays on the radio. 

The summer after he senior year, it's been months since the big break-up, and Clair is just trying to keep her head down and make it through a tense trip to the beach with her family. But when Jared shows up, and old feelings reignite, can Claire and Jared let go of the past? Or will they be stuck singing the same old refrain?

- Goodreads - 

Opinion

I am a huge fan of the classics and Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen book. So I had high expectations for this modern retelling. I was also a bit skeptical because a lot of retellings I read weren’t that good. But Another Piece of My Heart met all my expectations. And I did find it highly enjoyable to read.

The main character of this book, Claire, had an amazing voice. She was realistic, down to earth, sarcastic at times and very relatable. We all have once had a broken heart and we have all been persuaded in doing something at some point that we regretted later or at least that’s the case with me.  Throughout the book there are a lot of flashbacks at the moments Claire shared with her ex-boyfriend, now superstar Jared. That way we get a brief overview of how their relationship was. Claire says she’s completely over Jared but when she first meets him again after two years it becomes quickly clear that she’s fare from over him. Sure she hates him because he won a Grammy at her expanse but she still remembers the old Jared. And at times she catches a glimpse of that Jared.
Like Claire I could kick Jared’s ass at the beginning of the book. Why did he let Claire go that easily when he knew the reason why she broke up with him and why it was clear that she loved him? And to write a hateful song about her afterwards that is filled with lies? Someone would hate you for less. But at some point during the book my opinion on him changed. He’s still the same old Jared as before he got famous, he’s still nervous when people compliment him on his music but he now knows how to hide it better. And he learned from his mistakes, at least near the end he did. I also loved how the author showed how fame comes always with a price. Jared can’t write music for himself anymore, people have expectation that he has to fulfill or otherwise he will be just another one hit wonder. And people don’t look at you as a person anymore they look at you like you are an object they can own.

I loved Jared and Claire as a couple. Even when they still hated each other’s guts. It was just how they functioned around each other and how they could admit that the other one had some flaws that they had to overlook in order to be with each other.

The plot might not have stuck so closely to the original but I think that it was that what made this book so great.  After all the original was written in the 19^th century and this one takes place in the 21^st century. And if you try to follow the plot to closely the book might come across forced. I loved the twist the author gave to this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a quick and sweet YA romance book. 

Extra

Title: Another Little Piece of My Heart

Author: Tracey Martin 

Genre: Contemporary, YA

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 

Publication date: December 1st 2013

Pages: 304 (ebook) 

El

Waiting on Wednesday #44: Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Fool Me Twice 

by Mandy Hubbard 

Last summer, Mackenzie and Landon were the perfect couple. And then he dumped her and broke her heart. Fast forward a year and they're back at their summer jobs at Serenity Ranch and Spa. And Mack and her best friend Bailey are spending their time fantasizing about making voodoo dolls and playing childish pranks on Landon. 

Lucky for Mack, the perfect opportunity presents itself. Landon takes a nasty fall and suddenly he's stuck in the past- literally. His most recent memory is of last summer, when they were together, so now he's calling Mack pet names and hanging all over her. 

The plan is simple: keep Landon at arm's length, manipulate him so he's the one falling in love, and then BAM, dump him in the most epic revenge plot in the history of everdom. There's only one teensy problem: Mack can't fall for Landon a second time. 

- Goodreads -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why I can't wait: This looks like a cute, fun read. One you can easily read in one evening. It's exactly what I need right now. To bad that I still have to wait a couple of months till it comes out. 

Publication date: May 6th 2014

El

Teaser Tuesday #19: Cutlass (Cutlass #1) by Ashley Nixon

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

- Grab your current read- Open to a random page

- Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

Cutlass 

by Ashley Nixon

""You are young, Barren, and the young are selfish, but there is a lot about you that is selfless. You would do anything to protect those closest to you - the result of watching the one you love most, perish, perhaps."" (p.339)

El

Top Ten Tuesday #25: Top Ten Things On My Bookish Bucket List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks is: 

Top Ten  Things On My Bookish Bucket List: 

1. Meet one of my favorite authors (Richelle Mead, Katie McGarry,...): Unfortunately that won't happen anytime soon since I live in Belgium. 

2. Read at least 100 books this year. 

3. Start reading the Games Of Thrones series. 

4. Meet fellow bookbloggers in real life. 

5. Clean up my Netgalley shelf!

6. Read all my unread books on my shelf. 

7. Finish my own book(s). 

8. Read a Charles Dickens book. 

9. Work at a bookstore/library. 

10. Attend BEA, also not going to happen anytime soon since I live in Belgium. 

El

Cover Reveal: Prophecy of the Most Beautiful by Diantha Jones

Synopsis

She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her. 

Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of "Whack Job" in her home town of Adel, Georgia. With the onslaught of prescription medications and therapists threatening to push her over the edge, she wishes for a life far away from the one she has, a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone's jokes and mockery. 

Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true. 

After living throug an attack from her worst nightmare, she awakens to find herself far from home, surrounded by glorious riches and servants... and a few demigods who enjoy killing things. Upon learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future, and the great Pythia that the gods have been anxiously awaiting to arrive for centuries. Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given and to keep her family safe from a demigod Princess that wants her dead, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters, evading divine assassins and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own. In the hopes of discovering the Most Beautiful and the truth of her destiny, she strives to uncover the mmysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his life... and threatens to win her heart in the process. 

- Goodreads -

Author bio

Diantha was born on Thanksgiving Day so that explains why her mother calls her a "turkey". She spent the first 16 years of her life as an official Army brat (now she's a retired one), and has spent the last twelve years living in Georgia (Atlanta, then Savannah). She now resides in Washington D.C. She loves to read and watch movies (Quentin Tarantino is her fave director), and she loves cold weather and french fries (with cheese if possible). 

Extra
Title: Prophecy of the Most Beautiful
Author: Diantha Jones
Series: Oracle of Delphi 
Publication date: March 1st 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult 
Links: 

• Amazon | B&N
• Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

El

Review: Witch Finder (Witch Finder #1) by Ruth Warburton

Synopsis
London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches. 

Luke's final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine. 

- Goodreads -

Opinion

At first you might think that there is nothing special about this book. Witchcraft, star-crossed lovers,… Witch Finder had it all.  But somehow I had a click with this book. I instantly liked the main characters Rosamund (Rose) and Luke. They are from a very different background but at the same time they are a lot alike. They were both punt into a situation they didn’t entirely like, they both didn’t have a place that they could call home even though they both had a house to live in and a family. But what I admired the most about Luke and Rose were there strength. They both were under a lot of pressure to do things differently but they were determined that they what they were doing was right no matter what other might think or do. And in the end they were. 

There wasn’t an instant love connection when they first met, they even didn’t like each other when they first met because they were full of prejudices about each other. They grew on each other throughout the book and we got to see how they let go of all their prejudices one by one.
All the other characters, the good and the bad ones, were portrayed well. Rose’s family was horrible and I can only hope that they get what they deserve in the end. Luke’s only living family member, his uncle, on the other hand was a nice men and he would do about everything to protect his nephew even at his own cost. I do hope that they get reunited in the end.

The setting of this book was also ideal for me, I love Victorian England and I can’t get enough of it. So that was one of the reasons why I picked up this book in the first place. I loved how the author showed the different layers of society in that period, from to poorest to the richest. The other reason why I decided to read this book was the cover, it’s so beautiful that I can’t get enough of it and it represents the book well.

The book was fast paced and there wasn’t a dull moment in this book. But I would have loved to have a bit of background information on the witches ‘cause I felt a little lost at times. Now I know that the author wrote another series about witches so maybe I should read that one to learn a bit more about the witches. A highly enjoyable book and I can’t wait till the next book in this series comes out. In the meantime I will have to read her other series, the Winter Trilogy. 

Extra

Title: Witch Finder 

Author: Ruth Warburton 

Series: Witch Finder

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Publication date: January 2nd 2014

Pages: 374 (paperback) 

Other books: 

• Witch Hunt (Witch Finder #2) (Expected publication: June 5th 2015)

El

Review: Darkside Sun (Mortal Machine #1) by Jocelyn Adams

Synopsis
Addison Beckett tries hard to pretend she's normal, but she's far from it. Since she was six years old, she's seen the world around her unrvaleling, as if someone is pulling a thread from a sweater and it's all slowly coming undone. When she ignores it, it goes away, so that's what she does.
Enter her arrogant-but-hot professor Asher Green. He knows all about her special brand of crazy. In fact, he might be just as nuts as she is. Asher insisit that the dead from a parallel dimension are trying to possess the lving in this one. And since Addison seems to be the only one who can see these "wraiths", she just might be the key to saving the world. 
Addison wants nothing to do with Asher or his secret society, The Mortal Machine. But as their animosity grows, she finds it harder and harder to ignore the chemistry between them. And when she discovers that Machine laws forbid her from touching him, she realizes that's all she wants to do. 
Stop the wraiths. Break the rules. Save the world. All in a day's work.
Normal was overrated, anyway. 

- Goodreads -

Opinion 

Right from the start we were pulled into the craziness that is Addison’s life. The world crumbles down around her and she truly believes she’s crazy since she’s the only one who can see it happening. And then she has an encounter with her professor Asher Green and everything gets even weirder than before. Addison doesn’t know what to believe anymore is she, and Asher, crazy or is their truly a parallel world with creatures in it who try to take over the human world?

The paranormal aspects were very well done and they had me hooked. The whole Mortal Machine was intriguing with its many rules and strange aspect. The author did a great job of giving up pieces of information throughout the book. That way I could discover all the mysteries of this world right along with Addison. And there were a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, I can promise you that much.

Addison was easy to like. She was fun, sometimes sarcastic, a bit shy and she knew exactly what she wanted. And she would do anything to achieve that and to protect the people she cares about, especially her dad. She might look like a rabbit at first, but she’s a fox with very sharp little teeth when backed into a corner. And she doesn’t let go easily when she gets a hold of you. She really grew a lot throughout the book, she became more confident even though all she ever knew turned out to be false. And I can’t wait to see where she goes next.
Asher on the other hand is completely different than Addison. He was arrogant, harsh, irritating… he was a real douch. And he got on my nerves a lot. But as the story progressed we got to see some glimpses of him that were completely different. And we got to know his background story, after that I could understand why he was so harsh at times. And when I was half through the book I actually liked him. He has a good side too, true it doesn’t come out often but it was there and I loved to see how he tried to be a better person for some people. Asher turned out to be a really interesting character and I can’t wait to see how he will develop further.

I might have had my doubts when starting this book but after a couple of chapters it blew me away.  Definitely a great, clean, sci-fi paranormal new adult book. I can’t wait till the next book comes out. 

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an hones review*

Extra

Title: Darkside Sun 

Author: Jocelyn Adams

Series: Mortal Machine

Genre: paranormal, science-fiction, NA

Publisher: Embrance

Publication date: March 10th 2014

Pages: 381 (ebook) 

El

Waiting on Wednesday #43: Fighting for Infinity (The Kindrily #3) by Karen Amanda Hooper

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Fighting for Infinity 

by Karen Amanda Hooper 

Every moment, every lifetime, every decision - including her choice to erase - has led Maryah to this. 

Two outcomes are possible: an infinite happy-ever-after with er kindrily or the final serving of her relationship with Nathan. 

Closer to the enemy than ever before, Maryah unravels the diabolical plan that Dedrick has been manipulating into place for centuries. Revelations, secrets and lies surface faster than Maryah can process. She doesn't know who to trust, what to believe, or how to save her loved ones from the desolate future Dedrick is so close to executing. 

Guided by an enigmatic raven-haired prisoner, Maryah fights body and soul to save Nathan, her kindrily, and countless others. But is her love strong enough to alter the prophecy written in the stars? 

- Goodreads -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why I can't wait: The first two books in this series, Grasping at Eternity and Taking back Forever, where amazing. I still don't know why only so few people know aboutt these books. They both were one of my favorite books I read last year. I can't wait to read the last book and see how it all ends. 

Publication date: April 30th 2014

El

Top Ten Tuesday #24: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR Pile

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks is: 

Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR pile (old & new ones): 

Old: 


New: 

El

Book Blast: Catherine by April Lidner + Guestpost + Giveaway

Synopsis
Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad's famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of succes. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in  a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart? 

Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years - a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn't die: She disappeard. Driven by unaswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her - starting with the return adress on the letter: The Underground. 

Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine delivers a fresh retelling of the Emily Brontë classic Wuthering Heights, interweaving a timeless forbidden romance with a captivating modern mystery.  

- Goodreads -

Guest post

Promises, Promises: Judging a Book by Its Cover

By April Lindner

We’ve all been told that you can’t judge a book by its cover. And yet some of us book lovers can’t help ourselves; there’s nothing like a gorgeous cover to lure us in. More often than not, an enticing cover is the main thing that moves me to pick up a book I’ve never heard of, to start paging through it, giving the first few paragraphs a chance to seal the deal—or not.

So for me the most exciting moment in the whole bookmaking occurs when a book’s future cover appears in my inbox. I click on the thumbnail, and wait breathlessly as the image blooms onto my computer screen. Only then can I imagine my manuscript as a book—on a shelf, or, better still, in the hands of a reader. I know the cover will set the book’s tone. And it will make promises—hopefully the right ones.

All of this explains why I’m so thrilled by the new cover of Catherine’s paperback edition, due out in August. Don’t get me wrong: I love the original Catherine cover. Lush and dramatic, it makes certain promises—ones I believe the book keeps. The elegant model in her kickass stance promises a strong female protagonist. (Actually, the book has two alternating strong female narrators—Catherine and her daughter Chelsea.) And the background, with the iconic Flatiron Building rising up through the mist, promises the book’s Lower Manhattan setting will be as important as its characters. The title typeface—bold and purple—promises a confident, free-spirited heroine—exactly how I see Catherine herself.

But the new paperback cover—already available to readers who download the Ebook-- makes a different set of promises. On it, a boy and a girl hold each other in the shadows of a graffiti-covered underpass. They gaze at each other in rapt wonder, their shoulders, neck and heads echoing the shape of a heart. Secret romance, this cover says. It promises love against the odds. The scene is gritty—less glamorous than the cityscape on the original—but this grittiness befits the book’s main setting, a post punk night club on the Bowery. The title’s typeface is still bold, but its peachy color underscores the sweet and optimistic innocence of this couple’s embrace.

Inspired by the classic romance Wuthering Heights, Catherine is a story of star-crossed love interwoven with mystery. Its soundtrack is the post-punk music played by Catherine’s boyfriend, Hence. And the new paperback cover captures that complex mood exactly, I think. In fact, when it popped up on my computer screen for the first time, I almost swooned. There it was, in front of me: almost exactly the picture I saw in my imagination as I wrote the book.

An author can hope for nothing more than that.

Giveaway

A $15 Amazon eGift Card to ONE winner.

Ends March 25^th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

April Lindner is the author of three novels: Catherine, a modernization of Wuthering Heights; Jane, an update of Jane Eyre; and Love, Lucy, due out in January, 2015. She also has published two poetry collections, Skin and This Bed Our Bodies Shaped. She plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets—two Labrador retriever mixes and two excitable guinea pigs. A professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University, April lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

Extra

Title: Catherine

Author: April Lindner

Publisher: Poppy

Release date: January 1, 2013 | August 19, 2014 (paperback)

Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook
Links: 

• Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository
• Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

El

Stacking The Shelves #31

Showcase Sunday's/Stacking the Shelves aim is to showcase our newest bookNes 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 Books, Biscuits and Tea and Tynga's Reviews:

For review: 

  

Cutlass (Cutlass series #1) by Ashley Nixon (review stop May 8th) 

Sun Damage (The Sunshine Series #3) by Nikki Rae (review stop April 2nd) 

Dark Metropolis (Dark Metropolis #1) by Jaclyn Dolamore (review stop June 9th) 

 

Wall Street West by Dr. Cristina Guarneri

Moonless by Crystal Collier

Netgalley: 

John Dreamer (John Dreamer #1) by Elise Celine

What did you add to your shelves this week? 

El

Review: Independent Study (The Testing #2) by Joelle Charbonneau

Synopsis
In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies.... a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas - and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government's murderous programs put her - and her loved ones - in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her. 

- Goodreads -

Opinion

Independent Study is the second book in the Study series. And we all know that often the second book in a trilogy often slacks a bit in comparison to the first and last book in this series, luckily that wasn’t the case with Independent Study. Sure there  might be  less action than in the first book and it was laying framework for the last book in this series, Graduation Day, but I enjoyed this book immensely.

Cia and her friends start their studies at the University and they all have to undergo an induction and orientation. But those two things are not as peaceful as they sound. People disappear and die. Again. And no one seems to notice what is going on, except for Cia. As I mentioned before, action wasn’t the main focus of this book. Instead now the focus was on politics. There is some confusion about who holds the power over the country, the government and the president or the ones who rule the University. No one knows what is going on exactly and who’s to be trusted or not. New alliances are formed and old ones are broken. Charbonneau did a great job with creating a world consisting of lies, mysteries and betrayals you never saw coming.  

Cia was an interesting character. She’s brilliant that’s for sure, she notices things that others would have never seen but at the same time she misses things that practically lie right in front of her. You could easily follow her thought process since Charbonneau spelled it all out.  But that was the problem, sometimes you got an information overflow. I mean information is nice but too much is just too much.  Cia was the main focus of the book and I missed some of the other characters. Sure we still got to see Thomas and this new guy Raffe. But I would have loved to see more of them, especially Thomas. He had such an important role in the first book and now we barely got to see him, definitely in the middle of the book.

Independent Study was a great book and a very nice set up for the last book. And after reading this one my expectations for Graduation Day are high. Hopefully my expectations will be fulfilled. Up to now definitely one of the better dystopian books I’ve read. 

Extra

Title: Independent Study

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Series: The Testing 

Genre: dystopia, YA

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Publication date: January 7th 2014

Pages: 310 (hardcover) 

Other books: 

• The Testing Guide (The Testing #0.5)
• The Testing (The Testing #1)
• Graduation Day (The Testing #3)

El