{COVER REVEAL} DEMON DERBY by CARRIE HARRIS

Today I have a really cool, fun cover reveal to share! Demon Derby is the upcoming book from Carrie Harris, published by Random House. The reveal is being hosted by AToMR.

 

Check it out...

 

 

 

 

Category/Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: March 2014

 

Casey kicked cancer’s ass. Now a demon wants to kick hers...

Casey hates being known as the girl who survived cancer. She wants people to treat her like her old self, fearless and strong. And after a creepy encounter with a crazy guy in an alley, Casey is all about reclaiming her power.

So when she has a chance to try out for the Apocalypsies roller derby team, she jumps on it. Being a derby girl would prove that she doesn’t need anybody’s pity. It doesn’t hurt that Michael, the team manager, is almost unnaturally hot. Which makes sense when Casey finds out that he’s not even human.

Michael’s got a secret: he trains demon hunters. That crazy guy in the alley? Demon. And the fact that Casey went head to head with evil and lived makes her a threat to demonkind. Casey thought she’d already fought and won the battle of her lifetime. But it’s only beginning...

From Carrie Harris, author of Bad Taste in Boys and Bad Hair Day, comes a knockout new read for anyone facing their own demons—inside and out.

This sounds like so much fun, right? I love this cover and I love demon books. But man, that is a looong wait. Be sure to add Demon Derby to your to-read list!

 

About the author
Carrie Harris is the author of BAD TASTE IN BOYS and BAD HAIR DAY. Her husband is a cancer survivor and a ninja doctor, and her three kids are already in training to fight evil someday. She collects monster-themed clothing, is physically incapable of being serious for more than five minutes at a time, and isn’t a derby girl…yet.
 

Connect with Carrie
Carrie Harris | Twitter | Facebook

 

 

{REVIEW} EPHEMERAL (COUNTENANCE #1) by ADDISON MOORE

Series: The Countenance #1
Publisher: Addison Moore
Publication Date: 9/12/12
Format: ebook (Kindle)
Pages: 412
Source: Received from author for review

Young Adult/ Mature Situations

The last thing Laken Stewart remembers is the oncoming car, then bursting through the windshield.

Two months dissolve without her knowledge and she finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers who not only profess to know her but insist she’s someone else entirely.

Laken discovers her long dead boyfriend, Wesley, has been thrown into this alternate world as well. He is quick to inform her she suffered a horrible fall and that her memory hasn’t fully returned. According to Wesley the other life she had—her name, her family, they were simply a side effect of her brain trauma.

In her quest for answers she meets Cooper Flanders, the son of her psychiatrist who readily believes every word she says.

Laken Stewart knows she died on that hot July afternoon, but now she’s alive—or is she?

Whoa. Ephemeral was C-R-A-Z-Y. The good kind of crazy, definitely. You have a spirited, hard-headed main character in Laken, whose passion and temperament rivals that of her Celestra Series counterpart, Skyla. Laken, who also is dropped into the crazy world of angel factions, the Transfer, and viscious high school rivals, also has the dreaded/beloved love triangle to deal with.

Yes, another triangle. For fans of Moore's Celestra Series, you know this is a good thing! This time, we have Wes, Laken's one true love, her perfect match. But, there's also Cooper. A sweetheart of a guy, who seems more willing to believe Laken and to help her uncover her past and the truth about what is happening in this insane alternate world. Laken wants to be with Wes, loves him, but cannot deny her attraction to Cooper. I have a feeling this entanglement may end up rivaling that of Skyla/Gage/Logan.

Ephemeral had so much going on. You have Laken trying to navigate and unravel this alternate world she wakes up in. The people from her other life are not the same in this world. Her family is not the same. Laken is driven to the edge wondering whether she is dead, alive, or insane. Those she trusted in her old life are the same she must be wary of in this new life. There are monsters in the forest, possible evil among her family and friends, and a battle for her heart and mind.

Ephemeral is a great spin-off to the Celestra Series. Those who've read and loved that series will be extremely happy with this new series. I'm excited to find out what happens next in book two, Evanescent.


Favorite Quote:

  "I write silly things on the back of leaves and give them to you." I don't tell him that I wrote "I love you" a thousand times or that he was my everything or that he saved every leaf I'd ever given him in a box beside his bed - that I did the same with the ones he gave me.    (12%)



You can purchase Ephemeral at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Smashwords





Connect with Addison Moore at:
her blog  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads

{REVIEW} AUDREY'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT by JODY GEHRMAN

Series: Audrey's Guide #1
Genre: Paranormal YA
Publisher: Magic Genie Books
Publication Date: 6/30/12
Format: ebook (Kindle)
Pages: 293
Source: Received from author for review

Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training.

When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft was a story that I had been looking forward to reading for months. I held off until the week of Halloween, thinking that I would be in the perfect mood for some magic.

The story was fun had a lot of sweet moments. Audrey was a main character that I did enjoy. She was kind, thoughtful, and smart. She feels as if her younger, rocker sister, Meg, outshines her. And in some ways, Meg did outshine Audrey. So did their cousin/temporary guardian, Sadie. Sadie and Meg were fun, quirky characters and in comparison, Audrey sometimes felt...tame. And that's okay because that's simply who Audrey was, quiet and calm.

Things liven up for Audrey, though, when she meets Julian and the sparks fly! Literally. Audrey and Julian share a mystical connection that I never quite understood, but it did provide for the sweetest, most magical moments in the story. I love that he pushed Audrey to be up front with him, but didn't bully her into giving him answers that would put them both in more danger. He was very understanding of Audrey's quirkiness, probably a bit too understanding to be quite believable, but still, I enjoyed him.

Since I mentioned believability, I have to say that this was my only true issue with the story. Audrey and Meg's mom goes missing. A mysterious "cousin" shows up, says their mom had something to attend to, and doesn't give them a way to contact her. Instead of pitching the mother of all hissy fits and demanding answers, Audrey and Meg just go with it. They don't really like situation, but they don't fight it, and Meg even throws a party. I just didn't understand this angle, and felt like it was simply too easy.

However, I did enjoy Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft. It was magical, sweet and fun. I enjoyed watching Audrey develop and embrace her powers. The romance was just perfect to fit the tone of the story, and the ending was very dramatic. I do feel that younger teens would especially enjoy Audrey's story.

Full of sweet magic and a sweet leading character, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is a story that will appeal to fans of teen witches.



Favorite Quote:

  "Just then the moon emerged from where it had been hiding behind a cloud and silvery light spilled onto the porch. I could see Julian's face much more clearly. The effect was peculiar, though. Half of his face, lit dimly by the living room lights spilling through the big bay windows, gleamed with color; the other half, now illuminated by moonlight, looked monochromatic. The result was a weird blending of old and new, like film reel that was half color, half black and white.  As our eyes locked, I felt wind rushing through me. Only his sincere brown eyes boring steadily into mine kept me from spinning off into the star-spattered sky."  (13%)



You can purchase Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

TEASER TUESDAY {FANG GIRL by HELEN KEEBLE}

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.

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.
2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.
3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.
4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)
5) A pyschotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:
6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined....

Helen Keeble’s riotous debut novel combines the humor of Vladimir Tod with Ally Carter’s spot-on teen voice. With a one-of-a-kind vampire mythology and an irresistibly relatable undead heroine, this uproarious page-turner will leave readers bloodthirsty for more.

My Teaser ~

"I squirmed until my feet were planted solidly against the top of the coffin. It creaked, resisting me-then, it flew open, and a whole load of earth fell right into my mouth. I'd intended to burst forth with a dramatic cry and fangs agleam, but it ended up being more of a splutter and a stagger." (pg. 4)



You can read my full review of Fang Girl here.

You can purchase Fang Girl at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

{REVIEW} CEASELESS (EXISTENCE TRILOGY #3) by ABBI GLINES

Series: Existence Trilogy #3
Publisher: Abbi Glines
Publication Date: Sept 18, 2012
Format: eARC
Pages:
Source: Received from author for review.

Can he make her fall in love with him… again?

When Pagan Moore proved worthy of Death’s devotion, he was given the gift of getting to keep her.

But Dank was never promised that Pagan would keep him.

When a soul is created, so is its mate. In every lifetime those souls find each other. They complete the other’s destiny. It’s time for Pagan’s soul to choose if she truly wants an eternity at Death’s side or if she wants the mate created just for her.

Dank didn’t think he had to worry about her choice. He knew where her heart belonged. Until he realized that every kiss, every touch, every moment of their time together would be washed from her memories. He would have to win her heart all over again and prove to her soul that he was where she belonged.

If only her soul’s mate wasn’t right there standing in his way.

Dank and Pagan have fought fate, the Voodoo King, and now they must fight to join their souls for good. But Pagan's memories of Dank have been erased, and her soul is meant for another. In order for them to be reunited, Dank must fight to win Pagan's heart, once and for all.

After the wonderful roller coaster that was Predestined, I was really excited to find out how the Existence Trilogy ends. I honestly went into this certain that Pagan and Dank would get a happily ever after, but looked forward to the journey as much as the destination. The Existence Trilogy does, thankfully, get wrapped up into a nice, tidy package. I was very happy with an ending that leaves everyone where they should be.

I did find Ceaseless to be a bit rushed. Certain aspects, such as Pagan's bond with another soul and the choice she must make, didn't feel as fleshed out as I hoped, so the drama and angst was fairly low. As I say every time I read one of Glines' books, I do love her stories and characters, so I did truly enjoy Ceaseless. And you know what? I would love for Gee to have her own book!

Ceaseless was a fun, emotional read that will leave fans of the Existence Trilogy very satisfied.


Favorite Quote:

  "Pagan lifted one shoulder and I prayed by all that was holy that she'd take off that pink bra. This may be invading her privacy but I was Death, dammit. I should get some privileges."  (eARC, 25%)


  "Stop standing around and being all wounded and shit. Go do something about it. You're Dank Walker. You're f^cking Death. He's a human soul. You got this. Go figure it out." (eARC, 58%)

You can purchase Ceaseless at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble


Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rockstars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines. Facebook is also somewhere she visits a little too often. She blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person.

Connect with Abbi at:
her website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

{BLOG TOUR} BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS SERIES by P.T. MICHELLE

 

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Brightest Kind of Darkness Blog Tour. This tour is being hosted by Refracted Light Reviews. You can find the entire tour schedule here. My stop includes my review of Lucid, book two in the series, and a giveaway.

First, take a look at book one in the series, Brightest Kind of Darkness.

 

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.     

Series: Brightest Kind of Darkness #2
Publisher: PT Michelle
Publication Date: July 9, 2012
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.

Once Nara combines her prophetic ability with Ethan’s power to outsmart Fate at his own deadly cat-and-mouse game, she’s more determined than ever to help Ethan learn the meaning behind the raven sword tattoo that suddenly appeared on his back after their confrontation with Fate.

During her quest to uncover the tattoo’s secrets, Nara enlists the help of some new friends and discovers her own surprising connection to Ethan.

While Nara digs deeper into the mystery, her desire for answers leads her down a dangerous path full of powerful and ruthless enemies. Swept into an age-old battle, Nara quickly learns that keeping one’s enemies close can be a necessary evil, making an intangible enemy she can control far more preferable to the human enemies she can’t.

An intense, action-packed adventure of love and self-discovery, Lucid is a brilliant continuation in P.T. Michelle's Brightest Kind of Darkness Series.

I feel like I don't get to say this often enough about second books in a series, but WOW, Lucid was a fantastic book. P.T. Michelle took everything I enjoyed about Lucid, the magic, the relationships, the intensity, and brought the series to a whole new level.

After having fought off Fate in book one, Nara is still living and working with her unique abilities. She's still trying to protect those she cares about, without angering Fate any further. The ravens and crows continue to be drawn to her, proving that she and Ethan share even more of a mysterious connection. Meanwhile, Ethan is working to repair his relationship with his family, and that leaves Nara to explore her and Ethan's powers alone. Two new students, Harper and Drystan, arrive and quickly become involved in Nara and her friends' lives. Do both new characters have purely pure motives for befriending Nara? The more Nara becomes involved in her research, the more danger she is exposed to. Someone is after Nara, after her research...and will kill to get it.

Okay, if you're a fan of the series, you may have noticed that I mentioned Ethan being with his family; BUT don't let that deter you, or make you think the Nara/Ethan relationship isn't focused on in the story. It is! Nara's memories of Ethan, their phone calls and a bit of magic manage to keep Lucid super romantic. And just let me say....THE PAYOFF IS FANTASTIC! Ethan will make the absence worth the wait. Seriously, I thought I was going to swoon myself into a stupor when the romance kicks into high gear. P.T. manages to write the romance in such a way that the chemistry is through the roof, the promises, the suggestions...everything, but it's so tasteful that the story is still a great fit for teens.

Lucid was intense. I think I may have held my breath throughout the last portion of the book. It was a roller coaster of action, emotions, declarations, premonitions. The story went above and beyond my high expectations. P.T. Michelle has written a world with characters I don't want to let go. The ending was brilliant, everything you hope for in terms of satisfaction and promises for a great next installment. Ethan and Nara have quite a journey ahead of them in book three. I can't wait to join them.

Favorite Quote:

"A wicked smile crooked his lips as he ran his finger along my lower lip, swiping away strawberry juice before I could lick it. I stared in mesmerized fascination when he sucked the sweet liquid off his finger, murmuring in a deep rumble, 'Mmmm, Strawberry Nara.' "

"Ethan claimed my mouth once more, pressing his upper body against mine. Sandwiched between the door and his rock hard chest, I felt every thump of his heart knocking on my own, as if his body wholeheartedly agreed with his 'you're a part of me' declaration."

"Though Ethan hadn't said a word, I'd felt his emotions. His kiss had been intimate and boldly possessive, as if he'd just branded me, and an overwhelming, tender, 'I claim you' message settled in my heart."
  You're mine too, Ethan."



You can purchase Brightest Kind of Darkness at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read an excerpt of Brightest Kind of Darkness

can purchase Lucid at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble 

Read an excerpt of Lucid



P.T. Michelle is the young adult pseudonym of Patrice Michelle, author of fifteen romance novels and novellas. When PT isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.


Twitter | Facebook | Website  |  Blog  |  Pinterest  |  GoodReads  |  Newsletter

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TEASER TUESDAY {GIRL OF NIGHTMARES by KENDARE BLAKE}

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.

Series: Anna #2
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: August 7, 2012

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.


Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.


Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

My Teaser ~

"Spending the entire school year at the same school is something I haven't done since eighth grade, and I have to say, it's sort of obnoxious. It's the Monday of the last week of the year, and if I have to sign one more yearbook I'm going to sign it in the owner's blood." (pg. 104)

Oh, Cas...you're such an adorable teenage curmudgeon.

Come back Friday to see my reviews of Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares.

You can purchase Girl of Nightmares at:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

REVIEW ~ ECHO OF AN EARTH ANGEL (EARTH ANGEL #1) by SARAH ROSS

Series: Earth Angel #1
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: June 2012
Format: ebook
Pages: 295
Source: Received from author for review.

18 year old Tessa Copeland barely survived the worst year of her life—in fact, it was a miracle. After making it through the tragedy that killed both of her parents, she’s left to pick up the pieces of her life. Combating the holes in her memory and the concern of her friends was hard enough, but a new talent threatens to destroy everything she’s trying to reclaim. David Allegri didn’t mean to ruin Tessa’s life. She was the brightest soul he’d seen in centuries and he couldn’t let her die, so the fallen angel used his abilities to heal her—only he took it too far and changed Tessa forever. Now, he has to figure out a way to explain what’s happening to Tessa and somehow protect both of them from the consequences.

His choice made them targets for the Hunters, who will use any means necessary to capture their prey. Only a desperate plan can help them escape, and sacrifices will be made. Time is ticking. Will they make it, or will they be lost to the echoes of fate?

 

With it's interesting take on angels and charming love story, Echo of an Earth Angel is a story that will appeal to angel fans.

The characters in Echo were all fairly well-developed. Tessa, being the main character is the one we get to know best, and I did like her. She is a very sympathetic and kind girl, but also extremely resilient. Not many people who'd gone through what she had would be so concerned with the welfare of others. I learned a lot less about David, but enough to know that his kindness and strength was boundless. The amount of love and sacrifice David displayed gave me little choice but to care for him. Tessa's best friend Morgan was a riot. She is a girl who always has a funny remark to lighten the moment and lend brevity to even the most serious of situations. I can easily say she was my favorite character.

I found Echo of an Earth Angel to have a clever take on the "angel" genre. With so many angel-centric stories out there, I'm always a bit hesitant to try a new one. But with Ross' version, having Healers, Hunters, and other variations, I didn't feel as if Echo was a story I had read before, which is very hard to do these days. I found the story to be a pleasant read, though not overly exciting.

And even though I enjoyed the story and it's characters, I did find the mid-section of the plot to be slow-moving. There was a lot of explaining, planning, and angst. I understand that the characters needed this to help them move forward to the finale, but I found myself losing focus. The last portion of the story did speed up and I ended up being very invested in the outcome. The ending was a surprise that was open-ended, but didn't have an infuriating cliffhanger.

Echo of an Earth Angel is a charming, sweet story of love and sacrifice, and offers a unique spin on angels. If that's your thing, I definitely recommend it.

Favorite Quote:

"But love, real all-encompassing love, doesn't fit into your nice mold of who you thought you would end up with. Instead, you get the odd-shaped and lumpy pancake most others would throw away. But you can't, because you know that's the one with the sweetest flavor." (ebook, 76%)

You can purchase Echo of an Earth Angel at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository  |  Smashwords


About the author:

I started my obsession with reading at an early age, getting in trouble for sneaking BabySitter Club and Nancy Drew books into math class in elementary school. I would read any fiction book I could get my hands on. I knew it was an addiction when instead of grounding me from TV or music, my mom would take away my books as punishment (The Horror!). My love of all things paranormal was inspired by my good friend Laurie, who convinced me that books with vampires, witches, and all things shifter were amazing. After a little reluctance, I gave it a shot with the Sookie Stackhouse books, realized she was right, and the rest was history.

I grew up in Pittsburgh, graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with my degree in English, and taught 8th graders to love reading as much as I do for several years. I will always be a proud member of the Steelers Nation, but I couldn’t take the cold and moved my frozen tush to Florida where I now live with my family and two cats. You will find me now with my trusty Kindle in hand and toes in the sand!

You can connect with Sarah at:
her website  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads  |  Facebook  |  email

REVIEW ~ INBETWEEN (KISSED BY DEATH #1) by TARA FULLER

Series: Kissed by Death #1
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 28, 2012
Format: eARC
Pages: 400
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky — and unending — lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

Inbetween delivers a ethereal, romantic story of enduring love and the unimaginable lengths a boy will go to in order to protect the girl he loves.

First of all...WOW. I reeaalllly enjoyed Inbetween. Author Tara Fuller delivered a beautifully written story that captured my attention and my heart.. From the very first page, I was hooked. The way the story unfolded was smart, with a prologue that takes the reader back in time and sets the story up very nicely. The emotion created within the words forced me to see and know the characters, the emotions that moved across their faces and reflected in their voices. I had no choice but to become emotionally invested in the story.

I loved this world of Reapers and the Afterlife that Fuller created. These Reapers served Heaven, Hell and the Inbetween. These Reapers, complete with Scythes, are hardcore, particularly those who serve Hell. And at this point I have to say that I was sufficiently creeped out by the vision Fuller created of Hell, with it's eternal torment of the damned's worst nightmare. Luckily we don't spend too much time there! The Inbetween is more of a "grey area", a holding area for those whose souls have yet to be determined. And where Finn resides.

And that brings me to the characters of Inbetween. Emma is a human girl who was meant to die, but was given a second chance. A chance given to her by Finn. Finn and Emma have a complicated and romantic history. A history Emma doesn't recall, but has affected her nonetheless. I really liked Emma. She's a true victim of circumstance. She feel as if she's crazy, has been considered unstable for reasons she doesn't understand. And Finn is to blame. I have to get behind a guy who loves his girl so much that he will defy Heaven and Hell to save her. I truly felt sorry for him, to watch the girl he loves, and not be able to be with her. And yet, Finn also upset and disappointed me. I believe in true love, but not at the expense of others, particularly using them to get what you want and take what's theirs. I definitely thought he was selfish at times, but that also made him a character who pulled me further into the story.

Now, I must mention three other characters, two I loved and one I hated. Maeve is a bad, bad soul. She thinks Emma had what should've been hers, and she is hellbent on revenge. Maeve was a great villain because she complicated. She's evil, cruel and does awful things, yet she has a point in her rage. Cash is Emma's best friend and makes every scene substantially more fun. He is so good to Emma, accepts her quirks with a smile and a shoulder. He has his own troubles, yet is always there for Emma. Annnd, Easton. Be still my sarcastic heart. Easton is one of Hell's Reapers and he's good at his job. I loved his dry wit, his up-front demeanor, his willingness to put himself on the line for his friend. I want more of Easton. A whole book of Easton. Someone please tell me Easton will get his own book!

I would have liked the first half of Inbetween to move a little faster. There was a lot time devoted to setting up the characters and their stories. Once the details were set in place, though, Inbetween was so fantastic. I didn't want to put the story down, and it constantly stayed in my thoughts when I was able to set it aside for a bit. The tension consistently rose the further I went and by the end I was reading with one hand on my Kindle and the other on my heart. I was so thoroughly happily with the way the story ended and I can't wait to read the next book!

If you're a fan of stories about love and second chances in the vein of The Catastrophic History of You and Me, then Inbetween will be sure to please.

Favorite Quote:

"Memories pulsed through my mind in blinding flashes as I inched toward the vehicle. Soft-as-satin lips, warm whispers against my neck, smiles like the sun...The pull intensified, like a pounding in my chest, and my knees buckled." (ebook, 1%)

"Sure, she's got problems, but what seventeen-year-old kid doesn't? Haven't you ever read Judy Blume?" (ebook, 7%)

"I stepped closer, so close I could see my shimmer reaching out toward her skin, like metal to a magnet. I never needed to breathe, but now, in this moment, I couldn't stop my lungs from pumping." (ebook, 47%)

You can purchase Inbetween at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

BLOG TOUR ~ MADLY SERIES by M. Leighton {CHARACTER INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY}

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Madly Series Blog Tour. This tour is being hosted by the ladies at AToMR Blog Tours. You can find the complete blog tour schedule here. My stop includes an interview with the fabulous Madly. You can also check out my Madly Series review here. But first, take a look at the books.

Series: Madly #1
Publisher: M. Leighton Books
Publication Date: June 2011

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a princess, that is.

Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in the small town of Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, the magically-protected home of Madly’s race. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants.

In order to save her home, the lives of her family, and all of humanity, Madly must learn to wield her exceptional powers and recapture the Lore before it’s too late and all is lost. But Madly’s only help are her two best friends and the Sentinel, Jackson Hamilton, that threatens both her heart and her destiny. Madly has loved Jackson as long as she can remember, but he is the one thing even a princess can’t have. Can she resist love to become the queen she was fated to be? Or can she find a way to have both?

This novelette introduces you to Madly and prepares you for the quest of a lifetime. ~From GoodReads

Series: Madly #2
Publisher: M. Leighton Books
Publication Date: July 22, 2011

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a princess, that is.

Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in the small town of Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, the magically-protected home of Madly’s race. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants. The first spirit to arrive is that of Ulrich Wolfhardt, a man that was once obsessed with wolves and a young maiden he would follow through the woods. After a bite from a wolf, Wolfhardt’s obsession with the girl became an unnatural hunger and the young maiden’s grandmother cursed him with a fate worse than death. And now he’s back…with a vengeance and a bite that can infect others as well. Madly must learn the identity of Wolfhardt’s descendant and stop him before he kills again and spreads his curse across the earth. But the only person strong enough to help Madly is Jackson, the Sentinel who vowed to protect her and the one person capable of breaking her heart. Can Madly resist forbidden love long enough to save the world from Wolfhardt? Or will she have to sacrifice her heart and her destiny to save the ones she loves? ~From GoodReads

Series: Madly #3
Publisher: M. Leighton Books
Publication Date: May 29, 2012

How deep does love run? Deeper than the ocean? Deeper than memory? Deeper than magic?

Following their plan to save Atlas, Madly and Jackson return the spirit of Wolfhardt to his prison beneath the sea. But even the best laid plans couldn’t account for the surprises they find. This time, Lore aren’t their only challenges. Madly is special in ways no one could have guessed and dark forces seek to control her. They want her power, but first they must weaken her. They need her beaten. Vulnerable. Near death. And alone. But that task isn’t an easy one with Jackson at her side. The strongest of their kind, the only way to separate Jackson from Madly is to destroy his love for her, to erase it from his mind. And his heart. Is it possible to steal Jackson’s love from Madly? Or is their love the only truly unbreakable thing? ~From GoodReads

And  now, my Interview with Madly... 

What is the hardest thing about being a royal? 

Madly: Putting people you’ve never met and ideals that you don’t always agree with above everything you love, everything you want.

What do you miss the most about Atlas? 

Madly: My family. They drive me crazy, of course, but I love them. And I worry about them. 
 

Jackson…what are your first thoughts when I say his name? 

Madly: *smiles* Strong. Handsome. Protective. Good kisser. *laughs*

Jersey cracks me up! What do you love most about her? 

Madly: Jersey gets me. I don’t know how, but she can do and say things that don’t seem to make sense, but, in the end, they make sense to me. It’s like she knows what I need, even when I don’t. It’s really weird. Plus, I love her. She’s like family. No, Jersey is family.

What is one thing you would do differently if you could? 

Madly: I would stand up to my father and fight for Jackson. I would never let him talk me into seeing my feelings for him as something to hide or kill or be ashamed of. I would make him see how wonderful Jackson is and how we belong together. Jackson makes me a better person. That will always be a good thing for Atlas.

What are you the most afraid of?

Madly: Losing the people I love. Making a mistake that costs their lives. I know I shouldn’t care about anything more than the safety of Atlas and our people, but I do. I can’t help it.

Thanks, Madly, for taking the time to answer my questions. Maybe.. maybe next time bring Jackson with you, okay?

You can get  Madly (Madly #1) for FREE at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

You can purchase Madly & Wolfhardt (Madly #2) at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

You can purchase Madly and the Jackal (Madly #3) at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was born and raised in the United States, and I’ve lived in several of the fabulous fifty. Though I currently live in the deep South, I spent much of my childhood up North and hope to return there one day. A few other things about me: I believe that sometimes you have to look really, REALLY hard to find the good in people, but it's there. I believe that I'm shrinking (I swear five years ago I was two inches taller). I believe my husband is quite possibly one of the most amazing men in the entire world (I can't be sure because I haven't met all of them). I believe coffee and chocolate, when combined, could be the basis for world peace. I believe that Jesus rocks and communism doesn’t. I believe that white makes me look fat and black collects lint. I believe summer's too hot, winter's too cold and fall was made for football. I like dogs better than cats and the first movie in a trilogy is invariably the best. But most of all, I believe that love conquers all.

Connect with author M. Leighton at:
her website | Twitter | GoodReads page | Facebook



REVIEW ~ GRASPING AT ETERNITY (KINDRILY SERIES #1) BY KAREN AMANDA HOOPER

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen Amanda Hooper’s latest young adult release.

With it's shockingly brutal opening, Grasping at Eternity captured my attention, and held it. Poor Maryah has lost everything. She's constantly hit with moments of deja vu. Her dreams are invaded by a dream guy. Maryah soon learns that her dream guy is real and but so much of what she thought was her life, isn't.

 Maryah was an easy heroine to embrace. Her pain at losing those she loves the most was consuming and realistic. Her hesitation to move on after tragedy was believable. Nathan is protective and loving, and thankfully not overbearing. His torment over losing his love was aching. And though the story mostly revolves around Maryah, I found my heart to lie more with Nathan. The supporting characters of Grasping at Eternity were well-served. They had just enough side story to make them interesting, and they worked to help move the story forward.

I love when I find a story that involves an otherworldly aspect that is new or different to me. I will say that I was a bit confused through the first half of the story because I, like Maryah, didn't quite know what was going on. I'm not typically a reader that likes huge information to be withheld. Once I did learn what was going on, though, my enjoyment level went up. The Kindrily world that is built in Grasping at Eternity is enchanting, ethereal and romantic.
This is the second book of Hooper's I've read and I've found each to be well-written and enjoyable. Grasping at Eternity was lovely. I did find the story to be a bit slower-paced in the middle, but the last portion of the book was full action and revelations. I will definitely read book two of the Kindrily Series, Taking Back Forever, to find out what happens next.
Favorite Quote:

" 'Count four stars east of the last star in the belt, then three stars back, and one star diagonally south. That's me.' I wanted to add, the empty space beside me is where you belong."

Published May 25, 2012 by Starry Sky Publishing

You can purchase Grasping at Eternity at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

Author of YA paranormal and fantasy. TANGLED TIDES by Rhemalda Publishing (11/25/11) GRASPING AT ETERNITY (Book 1-The Kindrily Series) by Starry Sky Publishing (5/25/12) I was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years and I'm currently sunning and splashing around Florida with my two sweet and adorable dogs. I'm addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters. (from GoodReads)

Connect with Karen Amanda Hooper at:
GoodReads  |  blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

Review ~ DRAIN YOU by M. Beth Bloom

Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences. Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off. Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever. But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it). There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy .~From GoodReads

Here is something you need to know about me before I really start my review: I am an unabashed, unapologetic lover of 90's pop culture. It's a hardcore love that I have. I worry that someday I'll end up sounding like a hippie who refuses to let the 70's go, but, whatever. So to be fair, there are many aspects to this book that I loved simply for that reason. Things that may drive other readers insane, but again, whatever.

DRAIN ME is about Quinlan (Quinn) Lacey; slacker, would-be rebel, if she weren't so apathetic. She's selfish (or self-absorbed) and lazy, but to me, a representative of a lot of real teens.

"It was the first week of summer vacation, and I felt compelled to be a cool slob. It was effortless, really."(eARC, 1%)

See?? She's a girl after my own heart.

I loved the dialogue in DRAIN ME. It's full of words that I still used (not ashamed) like "dude", "rad", and "whatever". Quinn wears flannel, when she even bothers to wear much clothes, and loves Nirvana. Prompting her friend to say:

"Kurt's dead, dude. Surrender the fantasy." (eARC, 2%)

And just as I hoped, the title is a nod to the song by Nirvana.

So besides my biased towards the story simply based on the pop culture references, I actually did like the story. I will go ahead and say this, the plot had some similarities to Twilight. I'm fine with this, because the stories are told in a completely different manner. And since DRAIN ME has so much ironic humor and a chilled out vibe, I'm not sure if it was a nod to Twilight, a slightly satiric take, or a complete coincidence. But in the end, a good story is a good story and I did enjoy this a lot.
As for the romance, Quinn has options. Three to be exact. There's Morgan, who is her friend, cute and sweet, and who she treats like crap. I mean, she's nice to him, but she does use him a lot, the poor guy. He would have been a great choice for her, but what's the fun in taking the easy road? And honestly, Morgan is too good for Quinn. Crushable guy number two is James. James...he has issues, isn't a safe choice for her, which obviously makes him the guy she wants. James is kinda grungy and totally hot.And despite one big drawback, he's a really cool guy. And rounding out the guys is Whit. I adored Whit. He's gorgeous, of course, but his personality is what I loved about him. He's a great balance for Quinn. He gets her, yet can rein her in a bit, keeping her out of trouble and giving her stability. I was rooting for Whit. Does he get the girl? I'm not telling. ;-)

While I did enjoy DRAIN YOU quite a lot, I did have a couple of issues with the story. For starters, the parents. There wasn't one responsible, clued-in parent in the entire book. Quinn's parents barely questioned her whereabouts, never acted concerned when she didn't show up for a few days, and she's still in high school, so this was a huge stretch for me. Quinn's best friend's parents were even worse. Libs was gone for weeks, and her parents never acted concerned. These weren't abusive alcoholic parents either. They were professional, together people. I know this is LA, and everyone is supposedly cooler-than-thou, but come on.

Another issue was Quinn's non-reaction to what James is/does. This girl just rolls with it. I know she's playing the apathetic angle, but dude, get a clue! Maybe I'm a spazz, but I would have freaked out at least a little bit, and I'm a fairly chilled-out person. Granted, she does begin to realize the ramifications of what James is later in the story, and she is young, but this takes rationalizing to a new level.

My last problem was the ending. DRAIN ME was so on it for the first three-fourths of the story. I was loving it, really into everything about it. I was dying to find out how it ends. I was prepared for epic. Towards the end, though, the plot began to feel rushed. I was still okay with it, but then I got to the last few pages, and it just ended. What. The. Heck? I hate to be left hanging. It felt incomplete. I hope there is another book planned because I want to know what happened next!


Overall, I really enjoyed DRAIN YOU. I know that I got a bit ranty in the last half of my review, but I think that's because I know it could have been awesome. What I loved about the story outweighs what bothered me by far. I honestly don't think everyone will love it. There will be readers who won't like Quinn, won't like the dialogue. I actually love flawed characters, especially when they gain self-awareness and experience growth, which I felt Quinn did. But for those who, like me, who enjoy a fun, quirky story told with an ironic tone and lots of laughs, DRAIN YOU will be a sure thing.

Favorite Quote:

" 'It looks good. Your legs are...'
But then he stopped. And when I realized there was no adjective coming, I also realized I was holding my breath. It was like 'good'  meant more than 'good', which it didn't. It was like 'good' meant 'beautiful' or 'stunning' and had a capital G and was spoken in a low, smoky voice." (eARC, 4%)

" 'You're like an ice cube,' he said. 'Is it because you're always half-naked?'
'You just caught me on a particularly half-naked week.'
'I'm into that.' " (eARC, 10%)

"Things were still far from okay, but maybe we were getting closer. I drank in Whit's face, dark and quiet in the nighttime, already so precious to me. Already transformed from the strange imitaion I used to see into an original." (eARC, 70%)



Expected publication: July 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

You can purchase DRAIN YOU at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository



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

Review ~ ENTANGLED (Spellbound #1) by Nikki Jefford

A Resurrection Spell Gone Wrong.

Two months after dying, Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene’s body. As a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her daughter back to life? Now Gray is stuck sharing her sister’s body in twenty-four-hour shifts.

Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he’s after Gray’s invisibility spell, and worse—her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever.

The race is on for Gray to find a way back inside her own body before Charlene purges her from existence.

*****This book is intended for older teens.    ~From GoodReads

Graylee and Charlene are identical twins, which might be fun, but for the fact that Charlene is hateful, spiteful, vengeful twit. And...they're witches. Since Graylee lost her ability to perform even the most basic spells, she has become insecure and withdrawn from the high school social scene. A scene in which Charlene thrives. But when Charlene goes too far, Graylee wakes up dead. Due to a glitch in the spell her mother used to bring her back, Graylee and Charlene must share a body. Every other day, Graylee wakes up in Charlene's body. Every other day, she must pretend to be Charlene. As the clock runs down on Graylee's time on Earth, she must uncover the mysterious circumstances around her death, and find a new body, before she's gone for good.

I truly did enjoy ENTANGLED. The concept of sharing a body with another person presents the opportunity to tell a really interesting story. Most of us have read stories or watched movies about body switching, but body sharing is a much trickier scenario. And when you have two characters that are polar opposites in morals and personality, even better. This made for some awkward, funny, and mortifying moments for poor Graylee.

Though I did like the story, I will admit, I sometimes didn't understand Graylee and Charlene. Graylee rolled with the punches, much more than I would expect from someone who literally wakes up with no body of her own. Maybe it was shock, or maybe she's just that chill. But I would have expected a nuclear meltdown from a most characters in that situation. And Charlene...oh boy, that girl had no redeeming qualities. She was just truly awful. She was a user, a manipulator, jealous, cold-hearted and was willing to get rid of anyone who got in her way. I don't know where all the hate came from. I'm wondering if her motivation will be explained later in the series. I hope so.

I was a bit confused by the guys in ENTANGLED. I honestly didn't know what was going on with Ryan and Nolan. I wasn't sure how to feel about Raj either, for a lot of the story. He's a very misunderstood boy, perhaps. He started off as seeming like a sociopath. Then he developed a major fixation on Graylee, which was explained. I ended up really liking him, thank goodness, but it took me awhile to get there.

I spent a lot ENTANGLED liking it, but not in love with the story. However, the last few chapters were awesome. The author took the story in a direction I never expected. I was actually very thrilled with the turn of events and it left me very excited to find out what happens in book two, DUPLICITY.

Favorite Quote:

"How could she have died and missed out on this? Of all the reasons to be brought back, this was the best. Everyone should experience a kiss like this before parting." (ebook, 85%)

Published February 20th 2012 by Nikki Jefford

You can purchase Entangled at:

Amazon  |   Book Depository


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

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.

That day I knew for sure. I'd lost control of my tears then. They fell in huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.
I finally knew what the glow meant.
I was a freak and Joshua was going to die.
Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras — Death. Alone, lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead.
The new foster kid, Aidan, isn’t helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.
Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she’d never belonged? ~From GoodReads

My Teaser ~

"We were close enough that a breath would bring our lips together. My heart thudded and tumbled within my chest so violently, I was terrified he could hear it. What were we arguing about again? I couldn't recall. I just savored the drug-like heat." (ebook, 10%)

Published February 25th 2012 by Evolved Publishing

You can purchase DEAD RADIANCE (Valkyrie #1) at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository