Thursday 10 September 2015

Review + Interview + Giveaway: Gaia (Wings of War #2) by Karen Ann Hopkins





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Title: Gaia
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Series: Wings of War
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publication date: July 26th 2015
Pages: 294 (paperback)
Source: Received from author (Thank you!!)
Buy links: Amazon





Watchers and Angels are at war. Which side will Ember choose?

Humankind is on the precipice of the apocalypse.

As the Demons grow bolder and the walls between the planes of existence weaken, Ember is forced to develop her powers as quickly as possible, and she seeks out a powerful earth Watcher to continue her supernatural lessons. Her glimpse of the future demands she fight the dark forces spreading across the earth.

But her new mentor has his own agenda, making her question everyone and everything she ever trusted.

When Ember is thrust into the world of the Watchers, she learns of their plans - ones that defy the scripture and make them enemies of the Celestial Host. Ridding the world of evil gets complicated when it becomes impossible to take sides.

As Ember struggles with morality, she soon discovers that there's something more frightening than anything she's faced before.

Goodreads

Ember ended with a huge climax. So much happened near the ending that my head was about to explode. All this time I have been pretty excited to get my hands on the sequel. It had been a while since I read Embers so I forgot some of the details but since Gaia started right after Embers ended the details came back to me and it was easy to fall back into the world of the Wings of War series.

This series by Karen Ann Hopkins is truly amazing. By now I know that she is an excellent writer but still her books keep blowing me away. It is so easy to get sucked into the world and atmosphere she creates in her books. If you thought that there was already a lot happening in Embers than you are up for a really nice treat because so much happened in Gaia. There was almost no time to catch your breath so many things happened. Were Embers focused a lot on romance, Gaia focused a lot more on the action parts. And I loved it!

Ember was still as amazing as in the first book. She is so fierce, smart and strong. Her determination to do the right thing no matter what the cost is really admiring. It is easy to identify yourself with her because she also has her faults and her weaknesses. She is just a human being like us even though she is not really human. Ember grew a lot in the first book, she learned about her powers and her true identity. In the second book she keeps growing as a character. She tackles the obstacles that are thrown at her with ease and she learns how to control herself and her powers. I loved seeing how she got more confident with herself and her powers.
Swayer the other main character of this book was still the same as in the first book. He is still a bit of a mystery to me. There are still so many things we have to learn about him and his past. And I cannot wait to find out more things about him. I had the feeling that he did not grow a lot in this book. Mostly he was just there for Ember whenever she needed him. So I hope to see more of him in the next book.


The Watcher history is really interesting and I loved learning more about it. The war between the factions, there animosity with the angels…. Everything is just so intriguing. Overall I really liked the book. It was fast paced and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would highly recommend this series to any fans of paranormal fiction. And to the ones who love to read fantasy books. The ending of this book like the previous one was great and I cannot wait till the next book in this series comes out!


Interview

Q: Both your other series are contemporary books set in an Amish culture. What made you decide to venture into the paranormal genre?

A: I love writing Amish fiction, but after I’d finished the Temptation series and book one of my Amish mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, I needed a short break from the Plain culture. Embers had been a daydream of mine for many years, long before I began writing Temptation. Fantasy and paranormal had always been my favorite genres, so I took and chance and created the Wings of War series.


Q: In Embers there were some epic battles between good and evil. Can we expect those again in Gaia?

A: Oh yes, and on a much grander scale! Gaia is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. I also got to add a few scenes in an Amish community, which I think my Amish readers will enjoy very much.


Q: There are a lot of YA books about angels and demons out there. How does your series stand out against all the others?

A: Honestly, I haven’t read any others, so I can’t really compare. It’s the same with my Amish books. I try not to read books in the same genre in fear of corrupting my own ideas and plot development. But I can say that the Wings of War series is epic in scope. I worked hard to create a world that the reader would believe in, even the supernatural aspects. I also did a lot of biblical research on the rapture and angels in general. I infused legend, lore and historical references into the books, along with scripture verses from the bible.


Q: A lot of things happened to Ember and the people she cares about at the end of Embers. How will she deal with all that in Gaia?
A: Ember is a touch cookie, a true survivor. She deals with her actions, justifying them in her mind as just and unavoidable, but they’re always with her, making her question her own goodness deep down. Gaia is an action filled segment of the series and Ember doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about the consequences of her choices.


Q: Ember’s and Sawyer’s relationship is not exactly easy. How would you describe their relationship in five words?

A: Passionate, loyal, honest, frightening, hopeful.


Q: How many books can we expect in this series?
A: I’m planning five books in the Wings of War series. The first four books will focus on Ember learning a new element; fire, earth, water and air. The fifth book will be a culmination of all the books and the conclusion to the series, when Ember and her friends face the apocalypse. The next book in the series is TEMPTEST. It will be available late spring 2016.


Q: Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

A: Thank you for being a part of Gaia’s blog tour! I love to connect with readers on my Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram or at www.karenannhopkins.com. Please be on the lookout for the release of SECRETS IN THE GRAVE, the third installment in my mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, in early September! Thanks for reading!


Karen Ann Hopkins

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card (Amazon, B&N, iTunes), as well as a complete set of Karen's YA books, including Embers, Gaia, Temptation, Belonging, Forever, and Rachel's Deception! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens , ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. Karen's main job is home schooling the kids, but she finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her fist book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lived in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah. 

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse but at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her fist horse when she turned eleven. The feisty horse's name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen's steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. 
Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity's Plain Secrets, along with her YA paranormal/fantasy series, The Wings of  War. Karen is also excited to announce the Temptation series has been optioned for TV by Pilgrim Studios and is available on Audible. more books in the Temptation series are in the works. 
Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Facebook Fan Page

Tour Schedule

Monday, August 24th 
A Bookish Escape (Review)

Tuesday, August 25th
Behind the Pages (Guest Post)
Lose Time Reading (Review)

Wednesday, August 26th
Taking It One Book at a Time (Guest Post)

Thursday, August 27th
Such a Novel Idea (Review)
The Perks of Being a Book Girl (Guest Post)

Friday, August 18th
Avid Reader Musings (Review/Guest Post)
Books and Things (Guest Post)

Monday, August 31st
Bewitched Bookworms (Guest Post)
Pause Time Reviews (Review/Guest Post)

Tuesday, September 1st
A Dream Within a Dream (Review)
Addicted Readers (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 2nd
Actin' Up with Books (review)
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club (Guest Post)

Thursday, September 3rd
Sassy Book Lovers (Review/Guest Post)
Fire and Ice (Interview)

Friday, September 4th
Read by Amanda (Review)
Curling Up With A Good Book (Guest Post)

Monday, September 7th
A Book Addict's Bookshelves (Review/Interview)
Bumbles and Fairy-Tales (Review)

Tuesday, September 8th
The Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 9th
On Writing and Riding (Interview)
Little Miss Drama Queen (Review)

Thursday, September 10th
Book Lovers Life (Guest Post)
So Bookalicious (Review/Interview)

Friday, September 11th
Rainy Days and Pajamas (Review)
Her Book Thoughts (Review)

Monday, September 14th
the bookdragon (Interview)
God's Girl, Books and Coffee (Review/Interview)

Tuesday, September 15th
Don't Fold the Page (Review)
Jessie Marie Reads (Review/Guest Post)
Sassy & Dangerous (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 16th
Mortal Moments (Review/Guest Post)
Roxy's Review (Review/Guest Post)

Thursday, September 17th
The Forest of Words and Pages (Review)
Hearrs Reading (Review/Interview)

Friday, September 18th
Literary Meanderings (Guest Post)

El

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #106: Tonight the Streets Are Ours by by Leila Sales


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:

Tonight the Streets Are Ours 
by Leila Sales

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From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet. 

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matter. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her - including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours", the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a trip to see him.

During a crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music - the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does - Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

Goodreads

Why I Can't Wait 

I have heard so many great things about her first book. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity yet to read it. Tonight the Streets Are Ours just sounds like a wonderful book so I hope that I get the chance to read this one soon! 

Publication date: September 15th 2015

El

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #105: Wild Crush (Wild Cards #2) by Simone Elkeles


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:

Wild Crush
by Simone Elkeles

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When the only girl you want is the one you can't have...

Bad boy Vic Salazar breaks all the rules except one: Don't make a move on your best friends's girl. It's a Guy Code that Vic lives by. It doesn't matter that he's had a crush on her for year. Monika Fox if off limits.

Monika has a secret of her own when a tragedy throws her and Vic together, the only boy she trusts is the one she shouldn't confide in. Vic. 

As Vic struggles to keep his distance, and Monika struggles with her secrets, will their wild connection violate every rule both vowed never to break - about relationships, about friendship, about love?

Goodreads

Why I Can't Wait

Simone Elkeles is probably one of my favorite contemporary YA writers, so far I have read and loved every book she has written. And I have been waiting on this book for ages so I can't wait to finally read it!

Publication date: September 22nd 2015

El

Tuesday 1 September 2015

New Book Releases in September


This month is a month in which some amazing books are released. I'm so excited for some of them and I can't wait to read them! 

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Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas (September 1st)
The Fate of Ten (I am Number Four #6)  by Pittacus Lore (September 1st)
A Curious Tale of In-Between (Pram #1) by Lauren  DeStefano(September 1st)
Has to Be Love by Jolene Perry (September 1st)

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Shades of Doon (Doon #1) by Carey Corp (September 1st)
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith (September 1st)
The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2) by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare (September 1st)
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (September 1st)

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Sweet Temptation (The Sweet Trilogy #4) by Wendy Higgins (September 8th)
The Secret Fire (The Secret Fire #1) by C.J. Daugherty (September 10th)
Mirrored by Alex Flinn (September 15th)
Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales (September 15th)

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Wild Crush (Wild Cards #2) by Simone Elkeles (September 22nd)
Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Perculiar Children #3) by Ransom Riggs (September 22nd)
After You (Me Before You #2) by Jojo Moyes (September 29th)
Forever With You (Wait for You #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (September 29th)

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The Unquiet Past (Secrets #1) by Kelley Armstrong (September 29th)
Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo (September 29th)
A Mad Zombie Party (White Rabbit Chronicles #4) by Gena Showalter (September 29th)

El