Showing posts with label Jennifer L Armentrout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennifer L Armentrout. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Blog Tour ~ Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Onyx Blog Tour. Like many readers, I loved book one in the series, Obsidian. So I jumped on the chance to take part in this tour. My stop includes my review of Onyx, a Q&A, and a Giveaway!

Onyx (Lux, #2)Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarre connection. I’ve sworn him off even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But against all common sense, I’m falling for him. Hard.

Our relationship issues aren’t out biggest problem…

The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And when a new boy shows up a school with a secret of his own, things get complicated fast. I need to choose between my own instincts and Daemon’s.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. Daemon’s never going to stop searching until gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies.


I truly feel as if I can't say anything in my review that you haven't heard from everyone who has read Onyx. YES! Onyx is as awesome as Obsidian. YES! Daemon is infuriating, awesome, and gorgeous as ever. YES! Onyx lives up to the enormous hype.

I feel as if I can't say a lot without giving precious details. If you loved Obsidian, you will be blown away by Onyx. Here's why: Daemon. But it's not what you think. Yes, Daemon is impossibly aggravating, in a ridiculously sexy way. In Onyx, though, a different side of Daemon emerges. I wouldn't say he's softer, exactly, but it is a welcome change to see him not actively trying to push Kat away. Of course, the chemistry between the two is fantastic. Daemon and Kat are continuously drawn to one another, with Kat fighting it as much as possible. But who are we kidding? We all know there isn't a snowball's chance in H-E-L-L that she can resist Daemon for long. But...there's a new guy in town, one who takes a noticeable interest in Kat. Could Daemon have serious competition?


As for the plot, there's not a moment's rest in Onyx. The DOD is a continual threat, especially since Daemon and Katy's connection is stronger than ever. The Arum are circling. And it turns out that there may be more to Lux /human bond than ever imagined. Kat learns that no one can be trusted. No one. But is it already too late? Onyx deals one exciting bombshell after another.


It's no secret that Armentrout is a fantastic writer. I read Obsidian last fall, but her story and the strong impression she made enabled me to slide easily back into the world. I didn't have to jog my memory for details. I didn't have to do a quick re-read, though that would be fun. There's a reason the Lux series is such a big deal. It's that good and worth every bit of the hype.


 Favorite Quote:

"I relaxed a fraction of an inch and smiled. 'God, you're so modest.'
'Modesty is for saints and losers. I'm neither.' " (eARC, pg 171)

"I'm doing it so that I can stand beside you, as your equal, and not be someone you need to protect. And I'm doing this for myself, so that I don't have to rely on anyone to save me." (eARC, pg 254)


Expected Publication Date: August 14, 2012 by Entangled Teen

You can pre-order Onyx at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble Book Depository

About the Author: Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories....which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.
Interview with author Jennifer L. Armentrout

How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?
Jennifer: I don't really celebrate finishing a book unless it was really a hard book to finish. Like the one I'm working on now, when I finish it, I'll probably go into a coma for two weeks. I think I will do something big when I finish a series, though.

Have you had any fun fan moments since you became a writer?
Jennifer: Recently, while I was on tour with the models from the Lux covers, a fan asked Pepe (who portrays Daemon on the covers) to say "kitten" at a book signing. Hearing him say that was pretty funny. The girls loved it.

Do you usuually begin a book with a character or a plot?
Jennifer: I usually begin a book with a basic plot idea. It's not really detailed - just an idea. Once I get that idea, then I move onto the characters. I thing the characters are the most important part of the book, because they are what makes a story stand out. At least, in my opinion.

How difficult is it for you to come up with a title for your books?
Jennifer: Aw man, I suck at coming up with titles, and it never fails, I always end up picking one word titles and then I'm pigeon holed into using one word titles for the rest of the books. I really need to stop doing that.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Jennifer: I'm a fly by the seat of my pants type of writer. I get a basic idea and then start writing. Most of the time a novel actually comes out at the end, but there are times being a pantser does nothing but get you a ton of unfinished manuscripts on your computer.

Thanks to Jennifer for taking the time out of her busy writing schedule to answer these questions.


Giveaway
I have one print copy of Onyx to give away, courtesy of Entangled Publishing. The giveaway is open to:
  • US Residents only. (Sorry)
  • Entrants must be 17+ years of age.
  • Must fill out the Rafflecopter form. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Source: Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Cover Reveal ~ ONYX (Lux #2) by Jennifer L Armentrout

OBSIDIAN (Book 1 in the Lux series) releases Tuesday, December 6, otherwise known as TOMORROW!


I LOVED Obsidian. You can find my review here.

You can purchase OBSIDIAN at:


So, are you ready to see the cover of ONYX (Lux #2)? Hold on tight, folks, because this cover is
 H-O-T!!


No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…


Okay, you know what to do. Pick your jaw up off the floor, wipe off the Daemon-induced drool, and click on the "Add to GoodReads" button above to add ONYX to your to-read list!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Review ~ Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Obsidian
Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.(From GoodReads)

My Review

There are a few authors that I know I can always count on, my "Old Faithfuls".  I can always count on their books leaving me satisfied, thrilled and usually wanting for more. I'm talking about authors such as Cassandra Clare, Jeri Smith-Ready, and a few others. Now, I am without a doubt adding Jennifer Armentrout to that list. I loved the first book of hers that I read, Half-Blood. And to be honest, I went into Obsidian expecting another good book from Armentrout. What I didn't expect was for Obsidian to completely rock my world!

I don't even know how to start explaining my love for this book. Maybe the story. New girl in town meets hot, snarky guy. Sparks fly. Literally. Their being together is bad news. Like, deadly bad news. Seriously, in Obsidian, the author has taken the teen alien story and given it the coolest, most unique spin. I always strive for spoiler-free reviews. I love for the reader to be able to discover the intricate details of the story for themselves. So I'm not going into the nitty-gritty of the story. Just trust me when I say that as far as these books go, Obsidian is, to me, heads and shoulders above books such "I Am Number Four", which I really liked.

The characters in Obsidian are so vivid, alive. Katy, the main character, is...wait for it....A BLOGGER! Katy loves to read and blog. She checks her comments, her follower count and films IMM vlogs! That just felt like a huge shout-out to the book bloggers of the world and made me totally love Katy. But that's not all I loved about her. She is independent, self-reliant and does not take any crap off of people (or aliens!). She's quick to call Daemon out on his crap and flip him the bird as she's walking away. What's more, she is a loyal friend. Katy holds the fates of her new friends and never once considers giving them up, even when her own life is at risk.

One of Katy's new friends is Dee, the girl next door and sister to Daemon. Dee is completely, 
 squish-ably, adorable. She is like a breath of fresh, drama-free air. Especially when compared to her brother.

Daemon. Where to begin. Okay. You know those hot, sarcastic, can-be-a-real-jerk guys that we all know and love? For example, Jace from The Mortal Instruments series, or Adrian from Vampire Academy. Take everything you love, and what drives you crazy about those guys, and multiply that by 10. Or 20. Possibly 100. Are you picking up on what I'm saying here? For real. Daemon made me bonkers. Take a look at the cover of Obsidian. He's hot, right. Devastating. Who wouldn't want some of that? I wanted to like him. And he did have some nice moments in the first half of the book. But then he would do or say something that made me want to scream.  He comes across as an arrogant, rude... ass hat. I actually tweeted Jennifer Armentrout at one point and said that "I want to punch Daemon in the throat and make out with him, simultaneously". Her response was, he would probably like that. I swear, I felt everything that Katy was feeling about him. I honestly wondered if there was any coming back for Daemon.

There was. Like many tortured heroes, Daemon's startling behavior is explained by a look at his past. Once you know why Daemon is so guarded and hostile, you can start to understand his actions. And why he is so desperate to hang on to what's left, especially his sister. The sibling love between Daemon and Dee was so beautiful, it just broke my heart.

Obsidian left me emotionally exhausted. I'm still reeling. And the ending? Evil. A good evil, for sure. But I want need more, soon. I have no idea when book two is even planned to be released. Or if Armentrout has even started writing it yet. But you better believe, with the track record she is building for herself, the next book will be fantastic. I will be stalking the Internet for news in the meantime.


Favorite Quote:
I bookmarked seven quotes that I loved. It was hard to choose only one.
"Daemon's stare was so concentrated I took an unintentional step back, but we didn't break eye 
 contact. A craving unfurled deep in my stomach, shooting through me like heated lightning, and that-
 that was the kind of feeling you couldn't force, couldn't even replicate if you wanted."

Paperback, First, 266 pages
Expected publication: December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing                      
You can find Obsidian at GoodReads .

You can pre-order Obsidian at:  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  
Find Jennifer Armentrout at her blog.


I've decided to have a giveaway of Obsidian in mid to late November. Be sure to come back and enter.
*I received an eARC of Obsidian from Entangled Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.*

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

PIRACY SUCKS!! SO I'M HAVING A GIVEAWAY!



Ya'll. I am SO mad right now, I could just die. (As you can see, when I get really mad, I talk very Southern.) It's a lovely day in Arkansas. My kids are getting along. I've been reading my little heart out. Then I come home to find this:


(click the title to read the post)
on Jennifer L Armentrout's blog.


So, then I was like



Angry Andrea is NOT a good thing.


So in the spirit of BUYING BOOKS, I just went online to Book Depository. I bought two copies of Half - Blood. One for me. And a copy for one of you lovelies.

All you have to do is leave a comment with your name and email address. I'm so mad, I don't even care if you follow this blog (but it sure would be nice if you did!) I want the word to get out about book piracy, so if you want to earn an extra entry, you can Tweet, Facebook, or blog about it (but only one please, my head hurts when I have to add extra entries!). Just leave me a link with your entry.

As Jennifer points out in her post, if you can't afford to buy a book, go to the library. If the library doesn't have it, request it. If you can't afford an $3.99 ebook, chances are, you can't afford the e-reader you use or the wireless internet you just uploaded a stolen book with.

There. Rant over. Buy books, don't steal!


Oh, and this is US only because I'm an idiot who went ahead and hit send instead of waiting to get the winner's address and International shipping sucks! Sorry!

Ends Monday, October 3, 2011!
The winner Half-Blood is:
 
Poison Ivy Red!!
 
Congratulations!
 
I'm so happy to see that so many of you feel as strongly about book piracy as I do!
Thanks for entering!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday...



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW is...


Obsidian (Lux, #1)


Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, outhouses, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring. Until I spotted my hot neighbor with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marked me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and the mark he left on me has me lit up like Las Vegas strip to the bad guys. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.

And then things got really bad…
(From GoodReads)


Why I'm waiting: Aliens! Really, Really Hot Aliens! Not since Alex Pettyfer played alien John 
                              Smith in I Am Number Four, have I been so excited to read a book with a hot,
                              alien boy! Gorgeous cover? Check. Exciting synopsis? Check. Can't wait!



Add Obsidian to your To-Read list at GoodReads.


Paperback, First
Expected publication: December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing                          

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Review: Half-Blood (Covenant #1), by JL Armentrout

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck. (From GoodReads)



My Review


After I signed on to this book tour, I happened across a review of Half-Blood that said it veered a little too closely to the much beloved Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. At first, that scared me. I mean, the Vampire Academy series is one of my favorites. But, after a little more thought, I decided that really, any new book/series can be compared with another established book/series. It just happens. Did it remind me of VA? Yes, there are some similarities. But then, I decided to just push the comparisons out of my mind and read/review Half-Blood on it's own merits. I'm really glad that I moved beyond the comparisons, because Half-Blood is a really good book. I hate that I might have missed out on that.



Author Jennifer L Armentrout has built a beautifully complicated world full of danger, excitement, love and loss. Her writing is skillfully paced, with realistic, intriguing dialogue.


Main character, Alex, is a determined, bold and captivating character. Alex is so fun to read because she always has a great comeback, which usually gets her in trouble, and a impetuous, passionate personality. Is she a little over-confident? Definitely. And it's fun to see her brought down a peg or two.


So who is capable of bringing Alex's strong personality down a notch? Aiden St. Delphi, the oh-so-hunky Sentinel who offers to train her. Aiden is handsome, intense and impervious to Alex's smart mouth. Best of all, Aiden does not subscribe to the notion that half-bloods are second-class citizens. He treats Alex with respect and genuinely seems to care about her future. And boy do the sparks fly between these two! 


As if Alex doesn't have enough to deal with, in walks Seth. While Aiden has the tall, dark and handsome covered, Seth is also tall, but has the blonde, Greek god look. He is sexy and a little scary, always an exciting combination. Seth seems to be the polar opposite to Aiden, personality-wise. Seth has the swagger, the imperious personality. Is it just a cover? I'm not sure yet. All I know is, the tension goes through the roof with Seth's arrival. Seth and Aiden are two Alphas, used to getting what they want. And what they want is, control over Alex's training, her future. And the sexual tension between Seth and Alex serves to further complicate her life. Oh, and did I mention that, as it turns out, Alex and Seth share a frighteningly powerful, but dangerous destiny?


What's a poor, half-blood girl to do? Aiden is everything Alex has ever wanted in a guy. But, being with him can get her killed or forced into a life of servitude. Seth seems like a terrific alternative, but if they choose their shared destiny, that can also get her killed.


Half-Blood really does have it all. In addition to all the romantic drama, there's also the fact that Alex could be turned into a daimon, her worst nightmare. And the fact that she is a teenage girl, just trying to make it through school. I can't wait to see how all this drama plays out in Pure, book two in the Covenant series, due out April 2012.


Favorite Quotes:


(Alex & Aiden)
"He brushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead and flashed that loop-sided smile. 'I remember you.'
I scrunched up my face. 'What?'
The grin increased to a full smile. And...oh, man. He had dimples. The air in my lungs died. 'I remember you, too.' "


(Alex & Seth)
"I really wished he would let go of my arm, because his fingers dug into my skin and something...something else was happening. I felt it move inside me, twisting and wrapping itself through my core, and with each coil I knew it was linking us together."




Here is the Half-Blood trailer






Paperback, 281 pages
Expected publication: October 18th 2011 by Spencer Hill Press


You can find Half-Blood at:






* I received this book through the Book Kitty Blog Tour of Half-Blood, in exchange for an honest review. *










Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Teaser Tuesday!



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
  • Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!
Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.

This week's teaser is from Half-Blood, by JL Armentrout.

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
(From GoodReads)

Here's my teaser  (Between Alex and ?):

"  'Hey, ' I reached out and tapped the hand that rested next to my left leg. 'You are-'

The hand that I tapped reached up and clasped mine. I froze as he threaded his fingers through mine. 'I'm what?'

Beautiful. Kind. Patient. Perfect. I said none of those things. Instead, I stared at his fingers, wondering if he knew he was holding my hand."

I know that this was kind of a long teaser, but I couldn't figure out how to condense the scene without taking away from it. I really enjoyed Half-Blood. Come back and read my review later this week.

Paperback, 281 pages
Expected publication: October 18th 2011 by Spencer Hill Press

You can find Half-Blood at:







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