Saturday 31 January 2015

EOM Wrap Up January

2293032223247869105189009565548233051549943270226757002343442721897918

I have read 9 books this month, not bad at all considering I was really busy with my exams:

  1. Travel Glasses (The Call to Search Everywhen #1) by Chess Desalls
  2. Come Back To Texas (Twelve Beats In A Bar #1) by K.K. Hendin
  3. Looking for Alaska by John Green
  4. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers
  5. The Empress (Virtual Arcana #3) by Karen Amanda Hooper
  6. Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
  7. Whispers from the Dead (Serenity's Plain Secrets #1) by Karen Ann Hopkins
  8. Edge of End by Suren Hakobyan 
  9. Short-Lived by Michael Pritsos
1762397512842134229303222324786922021611105189009565548233051549943270226757002343442721897918


I have reviewed 12 books this month: 
  1. Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman
  2. Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman
  3. Travel Glasses (The Call to Search Everywhen #1) by Chess Dessals
  4. Come Back To Texas (Twelve Beats In A Bar #1) by K.K. Hendin
  5. Just One NIght (Just One Day #2.5) by Gayle Forman
  6. Looking for Alaska by John Green
  7. The Empress (Virtual Arcana #3) by Karen Amanda Hooper
  8. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers
  9. Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
  10. Whispers from the Dead (Serenity's Plain Secrets #2) by Karen Ann Hopkins
  11. Edge of End by Suren Hakobyan
  12. Short-Lived by Michael Pritsos

Other posts: 

Waiting on Wednesday #79: The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
Waiting on Wednesday #80: The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and The Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdie
Waiting on Wednesday #81: Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca
Waiting on Wednesday #82: The Leveller (The Leveller #1) by Julia Durango

Top Ten Tuesday #45: Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015
Top Ten Tuesday #46: Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To
Top Ten Tuesday #47: Top Ten Historical Fiction Books
Top Ten Tuesday #48: Top Ten Books I'd Love to Read If I Had A Book Club

Book Blast: Misery Loves Company (Miss Misery #3) by Tracey Martin

Cover Reveal: Nowhere But Here (Thunderroad #1) by Katie McGarry


El

Friday 30 January 2015

Review: Short-Lived by Michael Pritsos

21897918Title: Short-Lived
Author: Michael Pritsos
Genre: Adult, Crime, Novella
Publisher: Nyx Writing Syndicate
Publication date: April 5th 2014
Pages: 104 (paperback)
Source: received from author







Short-Lived is a dark novella set amidst the grittier areas of Phoenix, Arizona. Nine stories tell tales of money, power, life, and death. Short-Lived intricately weaves the lives of a drug addict, his love interest, dealers, and those struggling for power in the streets. Who will come out on top, and who will get left in the dust?


At the beginning of this novella I thought that it consisted of different short stories. Mainly because it was always written from the perspective of another character. But after a few chapters I saw that some similar names popped up in each chapter. The author cleverly intertwined the story of all the characters. They were all connected to each other in some way; they could be friends, enemies, family…. It was definitely interesting to see.

I really loved how the novella developed. And I was always eager to find out what would happen next. It definitely wasn’t a happy story since it featured characters that were involved with the wrong kind of people. To say that the story was interesting is probably an understatement. I was really fascinated by it. The beginning of the book already made me wonder what exactly was going on but then when we neared the ending of this book I couldn’t figure out how it could turn out in a good way for all these characters. And then the ending. Seriously it was really epic. After I had read the last page I kept seeing if I had missed a chapter. It’s kind of cruel of the author to finish the novella like he did, but I kind of get it too. It can turn out in both ways for the last characters.


I might sound really cryptic but I just don’t want to spoil it for you.  If you are looking for a short read this book is perfect. I really liked it and it is probably one of my favorite novellas that I’ve read so far. 


El

Cover Reveal: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

West Side Story meets Sons of Anarchy?? Yes, please!


Katie McGarry's newest novel, NOWHERE BUT HERE, has a cover and we are thrilled to get to help reveal it to you today. The first novel in her upcoming The Thunder Road Series, NOWHERE BUT HERE is a young adult contemporary romance that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. We have no doubt that when you get done, you're going to wish you were on a motorcycle and had your own cut of leather across your back! 

Follow along today as pieces of the cover are revealed, and then stop by the HarlequinTeen Page to see the full cover at 7pm EST! And that's not all, of course! We have a few Behind-The-Scenes pictures from the photo shoot itself for you to enjoy as well! Check out the Behind-The-Scenes pictures and then scroll down for our puzzle piece!

 Nowhere But Here BTS   Nowhere But Here BTSNowhere But Here BTS    Nowhere But Here BTSNowhere But Here BTS

And here's the eighth piece to the cover for you!


C3_6pmEST  

NOWHERE BUT HERE Synopsis: An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

 Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

Preorder NOWHERE BUT HERE

Amazon | Kobo | BAM | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound


Don't miss all of the puzzle piece reveals throughout the day!

 
11am EST

12pm EST

1pm EST

2pm EST

3pm EST

4pm EST

5pm EST

6pm EST

7pm EST


OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumbler | Instagram


El

Thursday 29 January 2015

Review: Edge of End by Suren Hakobyan

23434427
Title: Edge of End 

Author: Suren Hakobyan
Genre: Fantasy, Adult
Publication date: November 8th 2014
Pages: 262 (ebook) 
Source: received from author








Jonathan wakes up in a desert, his past wiped from his head. He's alone having no clue who and what he is, where he has come from and where he should go. There is only one way - forward when he spots a little town in the distance. 

Empty streets, old houses, the town seems abandoned. There's no one to ask for help, there's nowhere to go. Jonathan wanders the town in search of any sign of life trying to bring his lost memories back, but odd visions haunt him from time to time. Soon Jonathan come to the realization that he's moments from death as absolutely evil dwells in the town seeking fresh souls. The seemingly dead town is only outwardly empty.

Grey skies, no sun, no days and no nights. The town is stuck in time. With only one entrance and one exit, but the way leading to the exit is filled with creations that Jonathan has never envisioned, even in his worst nightmares.

Who is he? Who brought him here? With a female resident - Elizabeth, Jonathan has to work his way through the horrendous town, figure out his part and find the exit.


When I read the synopsis of this book I was very intrigued. A mysterious town with only one way out. A guy with one foot already in the grave but with the other still in the living world. So I was happy to pick it up.

Unfortunately the book disappointed me quite a bit. It had a lot of potential to be a good book. It had a very good and interesting concept. But it wasn’t executed that well. You could easily divide the book in two parts. In the first part Jonathan tries to figure out where he is and what the town is. In the second part he tries to escape the town. And often things just were too slow for me. And then when there was some action everything got over too quickly. Jonathan could easily defeat all his opponents. I get that he did have some superhuman powers but so had his opponents. And often the numbers weren’t in his favor. Still he got away without a scratch.     

And then there was Elizabeth. She was a perfect example of a damsel in distress. She could do nothing by herself and needed to be saved by Jonathan every five seconds. I really couldn’t relate with her and I was often annoyed with her. She really should learn how to defend herself and stand up for herself. Also the connection between Elizabeth and Jonathan didn’t feel real to me. They didn’t know each other at all. Their connection was solely based on looks.

It was also clear that English isn’t the author’s first language. There were a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes. English isn’t my first language either and even I could find quite a lot of mistakes. So I’m sure that other readers will have found even more mistakes than I did. That being said I think that it was still pretty good for someone whose first language isn’t English. And I’m sure that you guys have to put up with quite a few mistakes in my reviews as well.

I still gave this book two stars because it wasn’t that bad. And it there is potential in this book. Besides I was still interested in knowing what would happen to the characters in the end. And it had a beautiful message of friendship and redemption that cannot be ignored. 


El


Wednesday 28 January 2015

Book Blast: Misery Loves Company (Miss Misery #3) by Tracey Martin


 



23259483
Title: Misery Loves Company
Author: Tracey Martin
Series: Miss Misery
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication date: January 27th 2015
Pages: 301 (Kindle)
Buy links: Amazon | B&N







When it comes to magic, more isn’t always merrier.

Miss Misery, Book 3

Keep letting the Gryphons blackmail her? Or join a goblin for tea? Choices, choices.

Furious at the Gryphons’ betrayal, former vigilante Jessica Moore is determined to cut the law enforcement agency from her life—and hopes doing so will solidify her rocky relationship with Lucen.

When a friend’s soul is sucked dry by a goblin, Jess finds it’s not so easy to let go of her past. Unwilling to let down someone who needs help, she puts aside her anger to work with the Gryphons and solve the case.

A stolen soul isn’t her only problem. Boston’s goblin leader is calling in the debt Jess owes. To plug the holes in both her personal and professional dam, Jess must unearth information about a magic she never knew existed, all the while testing Lucen’s patience and stirring the wrath of old enemies.

What she discovers will reveal the terrifying truth behind the Gryphons’ treachery, and force her to choose where her loyalty—and her heart—truly lie.

Warning: Secrets will be revealed, friendships will be tested, and old enemies will pick fights. On the bright side, there are still naked satyrs for a distraction between battles.


About the author

Tracey Martin grew up outside of Philadelphia, the lucky recipient of a drama-free childhood, which is why she spent so much time reading about other people’s lives. It was while she was working on her doctorate in psychology that she had an epiphany–imaginary people are way more fun than real ones. And so she began writing. Never able to choose just one of anything, she currently writes both urban fantasy for adults and contemporary stories for teens. She likes her coffee simple, her music epic, and her movies to contain explosions. A city girl at heart, she doesn’t understand how she and her husband ended up living in New Hampshire, but writing keeps her off the mean, small town streets.




Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

2 Winners total
Must be 13+ to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

El

Waiting on Wednesday #82: The Leveller (The Leveller #1) by Julia Durango


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:

The Leveller
by Julia Durango

17852690

Nixy Bauer is a self-made Leveller. Her job? Dragging kids out of virtual reality and back to their parents in the real world. It's normally easy cash, but Nixy's latest mission is fraught with real danger, intrigue, and romance. 

Nixy Bauer is used to her classmates being very, very unhappy to see her. After all, she's a bounty hunter in a virtual reality game world. Kids in the MEEP, as they cal it, play entirely with their minds, while their bodies languish in a sleeplike state on the couch. Irritated parents, looking to wrench their kids back to reality, hire Nixy to jump into the game and retrieve them. 

But when the game's billionaire developer loses track of his own son in the MEEP, Nixy is in for the biggest challenge of her bounty-hunting career. Wyn Salvador isn't some lazy kid looking to escape his homework: Wyn does not want to be find. And he's left behind a suicide note. Nixy takes the job but quickly discovers that Wyn's not hiding - he's being held inside the game against his will. But who is holding him captive, and why? 

Nixy and Wyn attempt to fight their way out of a mind game unlike any they've encountered, and the battle brings them closer than either could have imagined. But when the whole world is virtual, how can Nixy possibly know if her feelings are real? 

Gamers and action fans of all types will dive straight into the MEEP, thanks to Julia Durango's cinematic storytelling. A touch of romance adds some heart to Nixy's vivid, multidimensional journey through Wyn's  tricked-out virtual city, and constant twists keep readers flying through to the breathtaking end.


Why I can't wait

This book sounds so amazing. A virtual game world you can actually "live" in. I'm curious to find out how you can jump into it and drag people back. And of course I want to find out who is holding Wyn captive in the game his father created. 

Release date: June 23rd 2015

El

Tuesday 27 January 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #48: Ten Books I'd Love to Read If I Had A Book Club


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks was a freebie so I chose the topic Top Ten Books I'd Love to Read If I Had A Book Club

6990472130352035444241298910017565070206000341019451412551082
1725874310518900

If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Leaving Paradise (Leaving Paradise #1) by Simone Elkeles
Me Since You by Laura Wiess
Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn
Positively Mine (Freshman Forty) by Christine Duval
Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry
Things I Can't Forget (Hundred Oaks #3) by Miranda Kenneally 
Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Some of these are about unwanted pregnancies and the aftermath of it. Others are about life and death. And some of these are about leaving the past behind you and moving forward. But I think that they are all thought provoking and you could have some really nice discussions about them. 

El

Monday 26 January 2015

Book Blast: Going Against Type by Sharon Black

23213024Title: Going Against Type
Author: Sharon Black 
Genre: Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Adult
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing 
Publication date: September 23rd 2014
Pages: 227 (Kindle)
Buy links: Amazon | B&N







Some would say Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Regan has it all. Beautiful, smart, athletic and a great job working as a journalist – in the almost exclusively male sports department. But Charlotte is not quite as sure as she seems. Recently split from her overbearing boyfriend, she escapes for weekends, surfing in the Atlantic, and spends her free nights watching sports, roaring at the TV. 

Derry Cullinane is a fashion writer, gossip columnist and sophisticated man-about-town. The go-to guy for any woman seeking expert advice on what fabulous outfit to wear for any given occasion. He’s also tall, dark, good looking – and straight! So what’s the snag? He has a track record of dating glamorous, vain and shallow women. 

Charlie gets an opportunity to write a new column under the pen name Side Swipe, but is soon drawn into a war of words and wit with a rival paper’s columnist The Squire – and their verbal fireworks get readers and editors talking. Yet neither Charlie nor Derry knows just whom the opponent is... 

When Charlotte and Derry meet at the Races, the attraction is instant. As their relationship develops, so much more proves at stake, than protecting their alter egos. But a blunder puts Charlotte’s job in jeopardy just as Derry’s past makes front page, and Charlotte begins to doubt her feelings. 

When Side Swipe and The Squire are finally forced to reveal themselves, will they revert to type – or confound everyone’s expectations?


Excerpt 

‘I hope you like Mexican food,’ said Derry as they drove from Charlotte’s house into the city centre on Thursday evening. 
       ‘Well, I’d love to try it,’ Charlotte said, uncertainly. 
       ‘Maybe another time, so. We’re actually going Greek tonight,’ Derry deadpanned. Charlotte smiled and snuck a glance over at him from the passenger seat of his twelve year old, very beautiful Ferrari. She placed her hands tentatively over her stomach, trying to calm her nerves. 
She’d spend an hour readying herself, much to Helen’s amusement. 
       ‘Why are you so nervous, Charlotte? It’s just a date!’ 
       ‘Oh come on, Helen. The last guy I dated was Mr Uptight Conor, and before that I dted sports jocks. Derry is different. He’s Premier League status!’ 
       ‘And you’re Scumthorpe United? Take a look at yourself, woman!’ 
       ‘I’m not sure what he expects, but I’m not his type, Helen. I’m floundering.’ 
Helen caught Charlotte’s hands and forced her to meet her gaze. 
       ‘Don’t you dare run yourself down, Charlotte Regan. You’re intelligent and totally gorgeous! But you need to do one thing!’ 
       ‘What?’ 
       ‘Allow yourself to be a woman! How do I put this without you taking it the wrong way? Don’t talk sport all night. You are incredibly bossy when you start. Let Derry take charge a bit. Allow him to be a man!’ 
Charlotte blinked. 
       ‘Sorry, I just time time travelled to the 1950s for a moment. What were you saying?’ Helen smiled. 
       ‘Charlotte! You like this guy! So give him a chance. Don’t send him to sleep with triathalon stats. If he wants that, he’ll go drinking with his mates.’ 
       ‘If his mates are anything like him, they probably wouldn’t know a sports stat from the price of heifers in Mullingar,’ Charlotte sighed.

About the author

SHARON Black grew up in Dublin. She studied history and politics at University College Dublin and then did post-graduate in journalism at Dublin City University. She has worked for national newspapers, including The Evening Herald and The Irish Examiner. 
She had short stories published in U Magazine and won the 2010 Dromineer Literary Festival short story competition. 
When she is not writing, she reads, walks and sees friends. She co-founded a local book club 14 years ago. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, science fiction and good stand-up comedy. 
She lives in Sandymount, Dublin, with her husband and their three children.


El