Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday # 1

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


As most of you know I have never done the Waiting on Wednesday meme but after seeing so many book bloggers doing so I knew I needed to jump on the bandwagon. Today will be my first day. Whoo! 



Book #3 Heist Society
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: February 5th 2013 by Hyperion Books for Children


Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want.
No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark.
Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy.


WHY? I have read the previous books in the series and totally loved them. When I heard I was going to have to wait over a year to read Perfect Scoundrels I was like "Aaaaaaaaghhh!" This series is amazing and I am so counting down the days until it's out on shelves. I must say the cover is beautiful. Look closely at her glasses. ^__^


So what book are YOU waiting on this Wednesday?




Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Giveaway Winner: Avalon Swag



Thank you so much to everyone who entered the the following giveaway:


Avalon1 Magical Animal Babies (stuffed animal)
1 Avalon Poster



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Congrats to Dana C. Thank you all again being such wonderful friends, and readers!  A HUGE thank you author Rachel Roberts and Premier Digital Publishing for hosting the giveaway.

If you did not win this giveaway then be sure to check out all of the other giveaways I have going on now. Just click the tab above labeled "Current Giveaways".

Blog Tour: Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky / Review + Giveaway

Hey everyone! ^__^

Today is my 2nd stop on the Middle Ground blog tour. The first one I posted can be found here and is a This or That interview with Justin (from the book). I will be doing a review today for the book, Middle Ground and I must say I think I loved this one even more than Awaken. So before I begin here is some info on this amazing series.




Middle Ground (Awaken #2)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Expected publication: November 20th 2012

In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken, seventeen-year-old Maddie’s rebellion against the digital-only life grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance lands her in the place she fears the most: a detention center. Here, patients are reprogrammed to accept a digital existence. Maddie is now fighting for her mind, her soul, and her very life. Once again, Katie Kacvinsky paints a disturbing picture of our increasingly technology-based society.







Want to know more about the first book, Awaken?



Middle Ground start off right where Awaken left us. For those who have not read the first book Awaken here a simple run down of what happened. Awaken takes place in the world almost 50 years into the future. Everything, from eating, reading, socializing and even school takes place online. Barely anyone has the need to leave the safety of their homes and not many do. Maddie lives in this world and has never known anything but. He Father runs the online school program and believes the world is now a safer place to live with everything being totally digital. Although Maddie does not necessarily agree with this way of life she enjoys living as so. When she meets a boy named Justin through an online study group one day at a local hangout she comes to find that Justin doesn't agree with these rules but wants to change everything. Justin is not alone in these views and has many followers who also don't agree with this digital life.  Maddie soon comes to trust Justin even though his views are different. He shows her the world through a different set of eyes. Justin fights for what's right and what's real. To make everyone slow down and enjoy the simple things that life can hold. Maddie must now make a decision of who to trust and who is right....even if it lands her up in a whole lot of trouble....

Middle ground begins right after something BIG happens to Maddie and Justin in the end of Awaken.  She is now living with her brother in L.A and is trying to adjust to this new unplugged life as well as her feeling for Justin. When everything seems to be falling into place for Maddie she is shocked to find out that she has been caught and is taken to live in a detention center. Now locked away she must find away to get out and find Justin. But when things go from bad to worse Maddie must now rely on the help of her friends before she loses her mind. Will she be able to stay strong while fighting for what is right and who she loves? 

You will have to read and find out!

Middle Ground in two words was:

Phenomenal. Unique.


The world author Katie Kacvinsky was so different and thought provoking. I keep wondering how life would be if we all never left our houses and did anything online. I loved Maddie, she was a dream to read about. The way she never gave up even when she thought that all was lost. She remained strong and determined to fight for her life and the lives of others. Justin is such a rare gem. The way he views life and tried to help Maddie see and understand the views really gave the books so much meaning. The more they worked together the more they feel in love. Their emotions were so raw and heartfelt. Katie did a beautiful job making the reader feel exactly what Justin and Maddie were feeling. Her words just flowed so gracefully over the pages. Awaken and Middle Ground really give us the readers such an exciting and unique story to be totally engrossed in. 

If I could say the one thing I did not like or would choose to change in Middle Ground was the lack of background history. Like how the world ended up the way it did, and how these changes happen or where brought about. Other than thing I totally loved Middle Ground and can't wait to see what happens next for Justin and Maddie.


Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.





Find Katie Kacvinsky @

Website / Blog / Twitter / FB / Goodreads

Katie Kacvinsky was born in Wisconsin. She worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, has lived in Phoenix, AZ, Redding, CA, Milwaukee, WI and currently Oregon. She taught high school English and worked for a young adult magazine before writing full time. She owes most of her writing inspiration to traveling.













Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Katie Kacvinsky they are giving away 1 print copy of Awaken, a print ARC of Middle Ground and a print copy of First Comes Love. ONE of my readers will win all three! Be sure to enter below using the rafflecopter form below. 

Giveaway closed: Nov 2nd (and can also be found on my first MG blog post)
Open: US ONLY / Bittersweet Enchantment readers

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Seeds of War by Rachel E. Fisher | Guest Post + Giveaway


Hello my wonderful readers, new and old. :)

Today I am so excited to have one of my favorite authors Rachel E. Fisher here today on my blog. She has written a remarkable guest post and will be hosting a giveaway for her books. Who is she you may be asking? Rachel is a YA author has who published her first novel, Edens Root back in April 2012. Seeds of War is the second book in the series and just recently hit shelves. I have read Eden's Root and loved it. :) The series is a mix of Science Fiction and Apocalyptic. These books are one not to miss!





Seeds of War (Eden's Root #2)
by Rachel E. Fisher
Pages: 262
Published: July 13, 2012
The mission of Eden must be fulfilled and Eden’s best Seekers are needed. Forming a new group they dub the Seeders, Fi, Asher, and Sean are joined by a new addition as they set out to bring hope and support to the Topsiders in the form of radios and heirloom seeds. As radio broadcasts begin to reconnect the survivors, the Seeders stumble upon mysterious broadcasts from unknown stations. When two of their own new radio stations go silent within days of each other, Fi and her companions realize that something is terribly wrong. Eden finds itself pitted against a growing and unknown force as their very mission lights the flames of war.






by Rachel E. Fisher
Number of Pages: 272
Published: December 17th 2011

The year is 2033 and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional.



Tips on How to Survive During a Global Crisis by Fi Kelly (main character)

"I guess by now I count as an authority on crisis survival.  Not that survival is a badge of honor or anything...that's why we call it an instinct, right?  We all want to live.  At least, most of us do.  I have to admit there were times when the Famine first started that I wasn't totally sure.  But you know what saved me?  My weird sense of humor.  

When I was in sixth grade, my Papa gave me The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe.  I loved the way the main character always made his way forward somehow, despite complete bewilderment and the loss of his home.  I can't tell you how many times "Don't Panic!" filled my brain when we were on the run.  Of course, there's your brain's weird sense of humor and then there's reality.  Heart-pounding, stomach-turning reality.  So if you want to know what I learned that kept me alive...I'll have to go beyond The Hitchhiker's Guide...

Tip 1 - Select a hairstyle that looks good while filthy.  Seriously.  Chop it, braid it, or bind it.  But big beachy waves?  Forget it.  That's strictly TV apocalypse stuff.
Tip 2 - Select a wardrobe that looks good while filthy.  Ok, this time I'm sort of kidding.  It's most important that your clothing be functional...technical.  Will it keep you warm enough in the winter?  Will it breathe and wick away in summer?  Does it resist pulls and tears?  Can it be layered?  And does it hold up to washing with water, sand, and sun?  THEN...then you can consider looks and I'm going to go out on a limb here and recommend black.  Trust me.  
Tip 3 - Select and care for your footwear.  I am only going to say this once.  YOUR FEET ARE YOUR LIFE!!  In ancient wars, soldiers died all the time from infections and wounds in their cold, wet feet.  You only have to spend one night huddled and shivering in a rain-filled ditch to relate.  Your footwear must stay dry and intact.  If it wears out, find or make something that fills this bill.  There's almost nothing more important.
Tip 4 - Always carry adequate WATER.  You can live for a long time without food.  You can't live without WATER.  Water is for drinking first, everything else afterward.  And unless you have iodine pills or other purifiers, you're going to need to boil it, so....
Tip 5 - Learn to make FIRE.  Find a flint and learn to make fire.  Practice with dry sticks.  You'll have a LOT of time on your hand and you won't always have gas lighters or dry matches (though having a stockpile of these is a good idea).  
Tip 6 - Carry multiple weapons.  I wish I could recommend that the survivors all just hold hands and sing KumBayYah...but while you're busy doing that someone with a gun or knife will be stealing your food, raping your wife, or burning your home.  Oh, and while you're carrying those weapons, REMEMBER TO PRACTICE USING THEM!  You don't want the first time you fire your gun or or swing your knife to be when your life's on the line.
Tip 7 - Trust only those who've earned it.  Trust is more precious than gold (which, as it turns out, is pretty worthless in the average global crisis).  You can't go it alone forever, but you have to choose your companions carefully.

Without getting overly dark, those are the main tips I'd give to those who are determined to survive hell.  But maybe you didn't just want to know how to survive.  Maybe it's not enough to breathe in and out, to wake and to sleep, to eat and eliminate, like an animal.  Maybe you want to know how to survive and still keep your soul.  

Well, the only thing I can do to help you with that is to share my mistakes:
 - I thought that once I saw enough dead bodies, I'd get over it.  I didn't.  
 - I thought that once I created enough dead bodies, I'd get over it.  I didn't.
 - I thought that being somewhere safe would give me the mental space I needed to sort through my feelings.  It didn't.

And...I thought that after all I'd endured, I'd never be able to open my heart to another..but I did."




 
Find Rachel @ Twitter / FB / Website

I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. I am also a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where I majored in Biology. It was always my assumption that I would end up making research my life. Though it did not work out that way in the end, my passion for Biology remains intact. 

I have always loved biology-based science-fiction and the young adult genre. It is in this vein that I offer my work.



Rachel has offered to giveaway Seeds of War to one lucky reader, or if you have not read Eden's Root the winner can choose it instead. The book will be a ecopy in whichever format you would like. 

Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
Open to everyone! Closes Nov 11th.

Good luck everyone and thank you taking the time to read this post. I totally love Rachel's books and she is the most sweetest gal. Thank you Rachel for being here today.




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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Book Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter


Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter
Number of Pages: 404
Published: September 25th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Own a copy
Genre: Urban Fantasy > Horror 
Reading Level: Young Adult


She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever. 

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.I'd tell my sister no.I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.I'd tell them I love them.I wish... Yeah, I wish.



Alice in Zombieland was a very long anticipated book of 2012 for me to read. I was literally counting the days until I could get my hands on a copy. So when my sister, Rachel ended up gifting me the book for a early birthday gift I was soooooo uber excited. I just couldn't stop staring at the cover, so beautiful. 

Okay, I am going to start out with what I did not like first. Normally I don't begin this way but I feel my readers should understand one major thing about the book. Even before I got the book I knew I would love it. Why? Because of what I intended Alice in Zombieland to be about. The cover is very deceiving. I thought that the book would be a dark retelling of the Alice in Wonderland with zombies in the mix. Sadly no. Yes, there is a girl named Alice and yes she does fight zombies in the book but the only thing that does represent that "Alice in Wonderland" feel is a cloud in the sky shaped like a rabbit. Which does have a significance in the book. So this was somewhat of a let down even thought I was disappointed at first I ended up totally in love with it and the characters. Here why...

Let's talk about Alice, for one I have never read a book with such a strong willed, kiss ass heroine. No matter what life threw at her she would get right back up and do her thing. In the beginning of the book Alice and her sister Emma try to convince her Mother and Father to go to Emma's dance recital but because the event is taking place a night she knows this task will be a hard one. Alice's father has always seen "things", monsters that no one else in her family has even seen. Alice thinks he is "off his rocker" per say and never understood why her father thinks the way he does. Alice talks her way into heading out that night to Emma's recital come hell or high water but little does she know the events that will take place will change her world forever. 

The so called monsters or zombies ARE in fact real and because of Alice's desire to go out one night she is now is faced with these undead creatures which have taken everything she loved. In this sad turn of events (won't spoil what happens) Alice is now on her own and must find a way to cope while fighting the very monsters that she never believed in. 


I don't want to give anymore away. There is a TON of stuff that happens in the book all at once and some being good, some being very evil. It is very hard for me to write this review as I feel if I tell you anymore it will spoil the book. So let me say this...


OH. MY. GOD!

This book totally blew me away!! I was so very shocked how much I loved it. The characters, main and secondary were all spot on amazing. Alice and Cole made the perfect couple. Their relationship throughout the entire book was at the right pace and developed perfectly.
I enjoyed immensely how action packed the story was from beginning to end. The ideas and plot was so very unique with many twists and turns throughout.  Which gives the reader a fun thrilling ride with never a dull moment in sight. Zombie book fans, this is one not to miss and I am beyond proud to have a copy on my book shelve. Gena Showalter is one of my very favorite authors. Or course she has done it again and totally rocked my socks off.

Yes, Alice in Zombieland was not the book I expected it to be going into the story but coming out was even better!

See? Barney agrees.


4 Cupcakes
Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Cover Reveal: Embers in a Dark Frost

Hi everyone! 
I am so very happy to be taking part in the "Embers in a Dark Frost" cover reveal. You may know author Kelly Keaton from her award winning series "Gods & Monsters".  Embers in a Dark Frost is her new ADULT novel which is scheduled to be hitting stores next month. 



Presenting Embers in a Dark Frost


The Fire Breathers have come. 
The Underworld calls. A choice must be made…


With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost.
But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness.



Title: EMBERS IN A DARK FROST
Author: Kelly Keaton
ISBN-13: 978-0-9885225-0-3
ISBN-10: 0988522500
Release Date: November 15, 2012
Genre: New Adult Fantasy




AUTHOR LINKS: Website / Twitter / FB

Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. As Kelly Gay, she writes the popular adult urban fantasy series, Charlie Madigan, for Pocket Books. While she calls Raleigh, NC, home, she can also be found chatting about books and life on Facebook and Twitter.




What do you think of the cover? Will you be reading Embers in a Dark Frost?

 Thank you for stopping by! 


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop | Win $12 @ The Book Depository

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop is hosted by I am a Reader Not a Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm


Welcome and Happy Halloween! 
I am so happy to be a part of this event as it is the largest giveaway hop of the year. I love this time of year and all the spooky books and movies that go with it. Don't you?

 I will be giving one book up to $12 @ The Book Depository. They ship to most any country but if you are unsure click HERE to check. 



Giveaway Rules:
  • Mandatory entry: Follow via GFC
  • You may do any or all bonus entries. The more you do the better chance of winning
  • Use Rafflecopter form below to enter. 
  • OPEN TO EVERYONE! 

That's about it so GOOD LUCK to everyone! 
Thank you to each and everyone of you who enters. YOU ALL TOTALLY ROCK!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Top Ten Tuesday (#14) + Teaser Tuesday (#36)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!


This week's Top Ten is: 


Top Ten Books To Get In The Halloween Spirit


1. I am currently reading Alice in Zombieland. Although it turned out not to be what I thought the story would be like. I still am loving it! What's not to love about kicking some zombie butt! 






2. The Immortal Rules is one of my favorite reads this year. A lot of horror and the world-building is phenomenal. 







3. This book is one of the scariest books I have read. In fact the whole "Bad Girls Don't Die" series is totally wicked spooky. I am a huge fan of the authors work. These books are one not to miss and would definitely play well into a Halloween themed read. 





4. The Devouring is by far the scariest book I have EVER read. I could not read this at night or else I would have nightmares. This whole series was just mind-boggling. So not for the weak hearted. If you are a fan of horror novels then be sure to read this series. 





5. If you enjoy books about witches then Born Wicked would be perfect for you. This books was SO good! I love each and every page. By far my favorite book read in 2012. 






6. Scary School is really fun and light middle-grade read. I reviewed the book months ago and loved it. :) It would be a great Halloween read for younger kids. 






7. Bad Taste in Boys is a very fun zombie novel. I read the book over a year ago and really enjoyed it. In fact this book was one of the first zombie novels I had read and really peaked my interest in reading more books like it. 





8. The cover alone is surely a reason to read this book during October. Zombies are really popular this year. While I have not read Rot & Ruin, I do in fact own it. Just need to read it sometime soon. 






9. I LOVE the cover of the book, The Turning. For those of you not familiar with this book, it is a re-telling of the classic Turn of the Screw. I would never want to live in that house. Way to spooky!









10. While I have yet to read, The Blessed. I have read reviews on this book and make it sound quite freaky and strange. I love a book that will keep me guessing. 










Share your Top Ten list with me in the comments section below. I will come take a peak. ãƒ„




Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

The Rules:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) or so “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.


Since I am reading two book this week I am going to go ahead and post a teaser from both. 
The 1st one comes from:  Middle Ground written by Katie Kacvinsky.





Justin rolled out of bed, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. I couldn't help but stare at him as he walked over to the corner of the room and dug through a pile of clothes until he came up with a pair of jeans.

 Taken from page 236.









The 2nd one comes from:  Alice in Zombieland written by Gena Showalter.




The bites I endured began to ache all over again, as if to remind me that they were there and I'd come close to dying.

Taken from page 184.













Please share with me your Top Ten or teaser for this week.
 It may take me some time to get all of your blogs but I will asap. ;)

Thank you for stopping by and Happy Reading!

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