Blog Tour & Book Review: Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell + Giveaway!

Title: Sweet Unrest
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Paperback (ebook), 336
Published: October 8th 2014 by Flux
Genre: YA - Paranormal Romance
Source: Netgalley via publisher

A world where souls walk free and dreams become portals to the past…

Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But even her rational mind can't explain her dark and familiar dreams of a time long ago, filled with people she shouldn't know, but does. When her family moves to New Orleans, Lucy's dreams suddenly become more intense. Reluctantly drawn into the old city's mystical undercurrent, she searches for answers about the nighttime visions that haunt her.

What Lucy finds is Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they've known each other forever. They've only just met, and she shouldn't be drawn to him, but she is. As she tries to unlock Alex's secrets, a killer strikes close to home and a century-old vendetta unspools, putting Lucy and everyone she loves in mortal danger.

Purchase @ Amazon | B&N | Flux | The Book Depository | Indiebound

At first glace, Sweet Unrest looked to be a perfect read for this time of year, Halloween. The cover is definitely creepy and very unique with name of the book beautifully designed to fix into the gate which is the main focus of the cover. Going into reading the book my expectations were at a all time high and after finishing it in a mere two days I am glad they were. I fell head over heal in love with Sweet Unrest. It was everything I wanted and more. 

The story begins as Lucy Aimes and her family move to Louisiana because of her Father's job. He was chosen to curate and direct a antebellum sugar plantation outside of New Orleans. Lucy is not thrilled by the move but more so angry at being uprooted. She wanted nothing more than to remain in Chicago and attend an art institute, taking pictures, her one true passion. 

As Lucy and her family get settled in their new home, a large estate which looks to have quite a history behind it. Soon Lucy meets a girl her age named, Chloe. Chloe is the daughter of a women who works for the sugar plantation. Lucy comes to find out that Chloe is into or believes in voodoo and knows a old woman who supposable is a voodoo queen. Lucy doesn't believe in such things, and is determined to show Chloe that these things just don't exist. Although after meeting Mama Legba, Lucy starts to wonder is anything this old lady said is true. 

Lucy has had a recurring dream for as long as she can remember, although as of late her dream has been kept a bay, until now... While walking the grounds, Lucy sees a boy close to her age. He's breathtakingly beautiful and oh so mysterious but when Lucy tries to follow him into the woods he seeming vanishes. Days later "Fate" decides intervene and Lucy gets to meet this mysterious man. She learns his name is Alexander, he's french, and by the way he speaks it's as if he comes from another time.  After meeting Alex, something happens to Lucy. He dreams have gotten worse, and more intense, scarier but what worries Lucy even more is now she is dreaming of Alex. A man she barely knows, a man who holds many secrets...and a woman who surprising looks a lot like Lucy herself. What do these dreams mean and why can't she seem to turn them off. 

Lucy now struggles to understand what her dreams mean, who really is Alex and how voodoo and magic play a large part in it all.... The truth, will leave you breathless...

For me one of the biggest things I loved about the book was the romance between Lucy and Alex, and how the subject of past lives plays into the story. I have always been a huge fan of books about reincarnation, and finding your mate in the next life. It's so romantic. Just seeing Alex and Lucy connect during the course of the book was so raw and emotional for me. The ending had me in a full out crying fest, like seriously balling my eyes out. I loved the all of the characters in the story, even the side characters like Chloe and Mama Legba. Everyone played their part perfectly throughout the book. 

I also really enjoyed the concept of voodoo and magic playing such a large part in the book. I've never read any books with this topic in it and I really think it gave the story such depth and excitement. Sweet Unrest was totally unlike anything I've read before. My only problem I had with the book was towards the middle the pacing seems to slow down some and drag but it wasn't so off putting that I stopped reading.

I would without a doubt recommend Sweet Unrest to anyone who enjoys stories about past lives, ghosts,  magic, and an epic love story which teaches us TRUE LOVE never dies.  

 Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

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About The Author: Lisa Maxwell

Find Lisa @

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Tumblr / Pinterest / Fourteeners / One Four Kid Lit

Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest (Flux, Fall 2014) and Heartless Things (Simon Pulse, Spring 2016). She has a PhD in English, and when she's not writing books, she’s a professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys.

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HUGE Pre-Order Giveaway: FORBIDDEN by Kimberley Griffiths Little! Lots of EPIC prizes!

Thank you, Media Masters Publicity, HarperCollins and Kimberley Griffiths Little for asking me to share with my blog readers such an EPIC giveaway!

On November 4th, HarperCollins unveils Forbidden, a seductive YA debut from award-winning middle grade author Kimberley Griffiths Little. Forbidden transports readers back in time to the deadly deserts and sweltering heat of Ancient Mesopotamia for a tale of danger, duty, and forbidden love. Jayden is on the brink of womanhood and betrothed to her tribe’s prince, cold-hearted Horeb. But when tragedy strikes, Jayden meets Kadesh, a mysterious visitor from the south who makes Jayden doubt everything she knows. Torn between loyalty to her tribe and the chance to escape her fate, Jayden must make a choice that will change her life forever.

Kimberley is also offering a HUGE preorder giveaway from October 6th to November 4th (release day!) to celebrate. See below for full details on how to enter. TO ENTER:

• You must preorder Forbidden through an online retailer or your local bookstore, then email a photo of your receipt to forbiddengiveaway@gmail.com.
• Fill out the rafflecopter below
• US/Canada Only
• Ends at midnight EST on November 3, 2014
• Optional entries: share the trailer on your own site or social media, follow Kimberley on twitter, and tweet about the giveaway (can be repeated daily for extra entries!)
• Winners will be announced and contacted November 4th (release day!)
• If the winner does not respond with their mailing address within one week, a new winner will be chosen.

PRIZES:

(1) GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

1. NEWLY RELEASED Kindle Fire HD6 Tablet with 6" HD Display, Wi-Fi, Front and Rear Cameras, 8 GB -- choose your color! (Black, Magenta, White, Citron, or Cobalt)

2. GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

3. CHAOS OF STARS by Kiersten White

4. Satin Belly Dance Skirt

5. Belly Dance 150-Coin Hip Scarf

6. Red Silk Veil (not pictured)

7. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

8. Belly dance DVD: Sensual Belly Dance with Blanca, a professional dancer (technique, choreography, and performances)

9. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

10. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

11. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

(1) SECOND PLACE WINNER:

1. GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

2. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

3. Red Silk Veil (not pictured)

4. Belly dance DVD: Sensual Belly Dance with Blanca, a professional dancer (technique, choreography, and performances)

5. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

6. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

7. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

(13) RUNNERS-UP WINNERS:

1. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

2. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

3. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

4. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preorder: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

About Forbidden: In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart.

Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.

With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.

Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together.

About The Author: Kimberley Griffiths Little

Follow at:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 Award-winning author Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico on the banks of the Rio Grande with her husband and their three sons. Her middle-grade novels, When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, have been praised as “fast-paced and dramatic,” with “beautifully realized settings.” Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell. She’s stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. You can visit her online at www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com.

Share your thoughts on the trailer in the comments! 

 

HUGE NEWS announced for The Selection series by Kiera Cass! || Revealing the cover for THE HEIR, book #4!

The selection fans rejoice! A BRAND NEW book in the series is announced! But wait there's two?! Coming May 5th book #4 in The Selection series by Kiera Cass will be released! Entertainment Weekly just today made this announcement and revealed THE COVER!!! 

Feast your eyes on THE HEIR!!

Here’s the official description for The Heir: 
“Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.”

The fifth book doesn't have a title or release date yet. Fans will have to wait and see. ;)

Also you can watch a behind-the-scenes look at how the cover was made by clicking here. To read the official announcement click here. 

I am overjoyed to find out this news and to see the new cover! I really thought after I read The One (book #3) that the story had ended? Didn't you?! Such a awesome surprise! I can't wait until May 5th, 2015! The cover is beyond words! The best yet, I personally think. How about you? Do you guys love the cover or what? Did you know there was going to be a 4th or even 5th book in the series?

 

Release Day Launch: Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Roth or Zayne? Cast YOUR vote!

We are thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's STONE COLD TOUCH! STONE COLD TOUCH is the second full-length novel in Jennifer's The Dark Elements Series, a young adult paranormal romance being published by Harlequin Teen!! 

I couldn't be more excited about the release of this book! After reading White Hot Kiss earlier this year I come to realize a couple things. 

1. Jennifer L. Armentrout's IS A GOD! No really, White Hot Kiss is now in my top 5 favorite books OF ALL TIME! There are no words I could use to describe how much I love this series, none! 

2. I SHIP ROTH! I want to have this man babies! (hehe)

I am so happy to be able to share this amazing post with you all today! 

I hope everyone will enjoy it and be sure cast your vote using the link below to choose who you think Layla should end up with. Roth or Zayne?

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Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: The Dark Elements #2

Available formats: Paperback, ebook, and audio / 446 pages

Published October 21st 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Genre: Paranormal Romance

  STONE COLD TOUCH Synopsis: 

Every touch has its price Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could. 

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay...

Purchase @ Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

EXCERPT: 

I’d remained in bed after that, trying to sort through the odd tingling in my chest. There was a slight smile on my lips, because Zayne…well, he’d made my day, but then I’d remember what Roth had said to me the night before and the smile would wash away as if it had never been there.

I probably needed to get used to the whiplash mood swings.

It wasn’t until after dinner that I decided to scrub a day’s worth of gunk off myself.Gingerly, I peeled the bandage off, happy to find that the cut in my arm was healing as expected. I didn’t need to cover it anymore. The arm was still tender, but the Warden blood in me was quickly undoing the damage from the iron.

After changing into fresh pj’s, like a total hermit, I padded over to my desk, where I’d left my cell phone. It had been on silent all day and when I tapped the screen, I wasn’t surprised to see a slew of texts from Stacey.

Where r u?

R u skipping, u ho?

A minute later: Your locker misses u. Guess u sick with the herp?

Oh my God. I laughed out loud, grinning as I thumbed through her texts. Our bio sub is still hot. U r missing this.

Bio is lonely.

My boobs miss u. How weird is that?

That was notably weird and yet not surprising.

If I get my cell taken from me, it’s ur fault.

Holy shit, Layla, where r u?!?

Air punched out of my lungs as I read the next text and the several following them.

U have no idea who just walked into bio!!!

Roth is here!

Holy Canola oil, why aren’t u here to witness this?

Ok. He says he had mono. Srlsy? Do people still get mono? And who in the duck was he kissing? A second later—Duck? I didn’t mean duck. That’s SO not what I meant, autocorrect.

Another text had come in about fifteen minutes after the last one. He asked where u were. I told him u joined a cult. I laughed. He didn’t.

Finally, the last text was to call her if I wasn’t dead.“What in the Hell?” I tossed my cell onto the bed, mouth hanging open.

And don't forget! The choice is yours...

Beginning today you’ll have 3 weeks to visit the series website, www.thedarkelementsseries.com, to take a poll and decide which guy Layla should ultimately choose in the final book in the trilogy, Every Last Breath. At the end of 3 weeks, we will tally all the votes, and that’s when Jennifer L. Armentrout will start writing Every Last Breath. The guy who gets the most votes is the one Layla will pick. 

To prevent early spoilers, we're not going to reveal who won the poll in advance…you’ll have to wait until Every Last Breath goes on sale on July 28th, 2015 to find out whether Zayne or Roth wins Layla in the end. We promise the book will be epic and definitely worth the wait! 

Who do you want Layla to end up with? Go to www.thedarkelementsseries.com and vote for your choice! 

About The Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Find Jennifer @

 Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

 # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling 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 is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

  

Review by Hillary: On the Fence by Kasie West

TITLE: On The Fence
AUTHOR: Kasie West
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
GENRE: YA > Contemporary > Romance
PAPERBACK > 293 pages
RELEASED: July 1st 2014

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she’s spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can’t solve Charlie’s biggest problem: she’s falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Purchase @ Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | Indiebound 

The Why: When I first heard about On The Fence, what really caught my attention was the synopsis for the story. The cover was great too, but it wasn't something new or different. Instead my attention was quickly grabbed by the main character and her personality or more specifically, her being a tomboy. I know for sure I've never read a contemporary about a teenage girl being surrounded by so many guys and being one of them too while having a major crush on the boy next door—literally. This book sounded so irresistible and I knew I had to read it as soon as possible!

The What: From chapter one, I was fully absorbed in Charlie's world and the differences Kasie West put into her as a character. All of the trials and errors Charlie had to power through her life and be strong for made her seem so realistic; I was surprised she wasn't really real. Charlie has a great relationship with her father and three older brothers—Jerom, Nathan, and Gage—it was hard not to be emotionally invested in their interactions, including their plenty of funny moments. When Charlie went through one of the worst mistakes of her life and her father found out, creating challenges Charlie would have never thought of, the emotional roller coaster she went through from there on out was authentic to a T. Charlie starts out being stubborn and difficult, but ultimately she learns to accept this new part of her life that brings her closer to Braden—who always seemed like another brother to Charlie, but ends up being a greater part of her life. The romance in the story may have started out hesitant-like, to the point where there hardly was any romance, but once it started budding from a deeply rooted friendship, there was no going back for Charlie.

The Character(s): By the time I turned the last page to On The Fence, I was positive there was only two characters who won over my heart. It wasn't Charlie and Braden though, but Charlie and Gage who even Charlie admits is closest to her out of her three brothers. I just admired the way they were always pulling pranks on each other or together and were on the same team no matter what. Even when Gage managed to get a little disappointed at Charlie for not telling him everything like she always would, he couldn't stay mad at her for long and vice versa. When these two siblings were together, whether out on the field playing a sport or in their house daring each other to do weird things, they were definitely a force to be reckoned with.

The Scene(s): My favorite scene in On The Fence was when Charlie goes on a double date. Braden is also part of that scene, but not as Charlie's date and the tension between the two is horrible and entertaining all in one. It's horrible that Braden has to see Charlie acting nothing like her true self and at the same time entertaining that Charlie has to avoid Braden towards the end of that date or she feels like she'll explode from seeing him with someone other than herself. Plus, Braden almost makes her trip; on purpose. This scene really helped me as a reader to see that even when Charlie tries to invest her time in another guy, it's impossible for her to be happy about it when Braden is right next to her enjoying his time with another girl. It also showcases some of the insecurities Charlie admits throughout the story that she has to learn to deal with and accept. Whether she learns on her own or not is a whole other story readers have to find out for themselves.

I knew why I cared. Why this mattered so much. Why his opinion was the only thing that mattered. I was more than just crushing on him. I loved Braden. (231)

On The Fence by Kasie West was a unique, one-of-a-kind, and enjoyable story about a teenage girl struggling to feel comfortable in her own skin. I’m sure many of us have felt the same at some point in our lives and being able to read that through a character that had to learn to accept herself, flaws and all, was something I truly enjoyed from this story. The first-third of the book did start out slow, focusing more on Charlie’s family and some of the struggles she had to deal with, but eventually the plot began to expand and focus more on the fun stuff. On The Fence was definitely a great summer read and fans of Kasie West’s other books and contemporary romances should definitely give this book a try! I think you’ll love this new world that Kasie created through Charlie’s eyes that teaches readers to love ourselves for who we are; even if we change a little in the process.

 Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Cover Reveal: Hurricane Butterfly by MeChelle Vermeulen

Today I'm helping Xpresso Book Tours and author MeChelle Vermeulen reveal the brand new cover for her book Hurricane Butterfly. I personally adore the cover! It's so unique and the colors/design is very elegant. Okay Creations did such a great job of capturing the title/theme of the book. So without further ado...

 Hurricane Butterfly 

Hurricane Butterfly by MeChelle Vermeulen 

Publication Date: December 2014

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Twenty-year-old Sophie Blake, is trying her best to get her life back after a horrific dog attack ten months ago. However, this proves to be more difficult than she anticipated. With the help of her best friend Ben Slone, it seems as if she’s making progress, but the truth is that she can feel herself sinking deeper into a black hole…until a tall dark stranger comes knocking, looking for Ben.

Joshua Roxwell has been drowning his demons with Whiskey and woman in an attempt to deal with his guilt after the tragic death of his sister. When he finds an envelope addressed to Ben Slone, written by his sister before her death, he decides to track him down. Instead of resolving their differences, he meets the one girl who silences his demons…but redemption comes at a price.

This is a story of heartache, friendship and love, with a wicked twist…

About The Author: MeChelle Vermeulen

Find MeChelle @
Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Instagram

MeChelle Vermeulen is the author of the soon to be released new adult novel Hurricane Butterfly. She daydreams about ideas for her next book. Bakes treats that's no good for the hips. She loves thunderstorms, rainy days, sweet tea and spending time with her wonderful hubby and two boys.

What do YOU think of the cover?