Thursday, August 30, 2012

Link Your Reviews

We all want to promote our reviews, don't we? This is a way of letting other people know about them. Just leave a link to your review below.


Go visit the other reviews and let people know what you think about them!
This will is weekly feature posted on Thursdays. :)

Interview with Susan Wiggs author of the Lakeshore Chronicles

Interview with Susan Wiggs author of the Lakeshore Chronicles




1 - Have you always wanted to be a writer? If not, what did you want to be?

SW: I was born a writer, telling stories as soon as I could talk. But I’ve always been interested in many things. Growing up, I wanted to be lots of things–a ballerina, an explorer, a dog trainer, a nurse, an artist, a skier...anything that sounded fun and creative, I was there.


2- What inspired you to write the Lakeshore Chronicles?

SW: Lots of things–my nostalgia for the beauty of upstate New York, my still-unrequited yearning to go to summer camp, my inability to let go of characters after their story is done...It’s a really good fit for me, creatively.


3 - What would you say is the hardest part of writing a book series?

SW: Keeping track of everyone! Births, deaths, marriages, gender, eye color, you name it. It’s a juggling act and I’ve made some goofs, but my readers are really polite about it. They’re like, ahem, three books ago that little girl was a baby BOY. Oops.


4 - Who are some of your favorite authors? Why?

SW: Ah, so many. Too many to name. This fall, the books I’m excited about reading are by Tess Gerritsen, Lisa Gardner, Luanne Rice, Barbara Delinsky, Catherine Coulter, Jane Porter...I have them stacked on my nightstand like air traffic over O’Hare. Why? Because I love to read and I love to be swept into a story, and all of the aforementioned really sweep you away.


5 - What can you tell us about the upcoming Return to Willow Lake?

SW: It’s got the prettiest endpapers you’ve ever seen. And the reason you can’t see my hands in the author photo is that my right arm was in a giant cast after surgery #2 to put hardware in my wrist, which I shattered while skateboarding by holding a speeding Doberman Pinscher on a leash in Brisbane, Australia. There. Aren’t you glad you asked? :-)


6 - Is there anything else you would like your readers to know?

SW: That I’m incredibly grateful for each and every one of them who takes the tie to slow down and curl up with one of my books. It’s so humbling and affirming. Thank you!



Thank you, Susan! Be sure to check out Return to Willow Lake!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

My Book Boyfriend


My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. It is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out the My Book Boyfriend Introduction Page over at Missie's blog The Unread Reader.


This week my book boyfriend is:

Noah Hutchins from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

 






 
 
  
Stats

Status: Noah is the classical bad boy with the leather jacket and all. There's much more to him than his dark side, though as Echo will discover.

Age: 17

Height: Tall

Eyes: Brown (chocolate brown)

Hair: Shaggy Brown Hair

More info: Noah might always be trying to be the tough guy but he can also be extremely sweet and tender. He's a flirt and he's never been in love before Echo but when he falls in love with her, he really does fall in love. Plus, all he wants to do is keep his younger brothers safe.








"As if he heard me from across the room, his dark eyes met mine. His shaggy brown hair fell over them, but I could tell he was looking at me. The stubble on his face moved as he smiled. Noah had muscles, looks and trouble stalking him. Somehow, he made jeans and a T-shirt look dangerous. "


  

“Echo you look... appetizing.” “Like chicken wing appetizing or succulent hamburger appetizing?” “Appetizing as in your boyfriend’s a moron to leave you alone.”

“Her shoulders never shook. No tears streamed down her face. The worst type of crying wasn't the kind everyone could see--the wailing on street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life.”"

My little nymph's laughter filled my soul. "You're so bad. I'm talking about sleep. Like real sleep. Not sex."
"We don't need to have sex. There are other things I can do to help you sleep."

“I gazed into her beautiful green eyes and her fear melted. A shy smile tugged at her lips and at my heart. Fuck me and the rest of the world, I was in love.” "'



Who doesn't love a bad boy turned good? Isn't Noah just great?
Who's your book broyfriend this week?

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Review: Savage (Daughters of the Jaguar 01) by Willow Rose


Title and Author: Savage (Daughters of the Jaguar 01) by Willow Rose
Publisher: 
Publication Date: June 14th, 2012
Paperback/Hardcover: 444
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal


Summary
The year is 1983. Christian is 22 years old when he leaves his home in Denmark to spend a year in Florida with a very wealthy family and go to med-school. A joyful night out with friends is shattered by an encounter with a savage predator that changes his life forever. Soon he faces challenges he had never expected. A supernatural gift he has no idea how to embrace. A haunting family in the house next door. A spirit-filled girl who seems to carry all the answers. An ancient secret hidden in the swamps of Florida. One life never the same. One love that becomes an obsession. Two destinies that will be forever entangled.
  

Review:
I have received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review and I have to say I really did enjoy this book.
Savage is the story of Christian, a young medical student from Denmark who goes to Florida to study at the med-school there and to spend a year with the Kirk family.
On his first night in Florida, Christian almost dies and that experience changes him forever. For instance, he starts hearing voices! When he meets the mysterious girl next door everything changes again, especially because she seems to know all about what happened to him that night…
Christian is a very interesting character and the fact the story is told in his POV makes him even more so. He’s handsome and he knows it. He’s not always nice and it can sometimes be difficult for the readers to connect to him but as the story unfolds he becomes more and more likeable and it becomes easier to understand his actions and the decisions he makes. Some of the things he bothered me a little, though.
Aiyana is the character who brings out the best in Christian and for that alone her character is an important one.
I really enjoyed the way the story developed and how complex yet realistic the situation Christian found himself in was. Plus, the author did a great job incorporating some myths and other aspects of the Native American culture in the book.
All in all, Savage is a very interesting book with good characters and gripping situations.
A little warning: I think this book is more suitable for adult readers than young adult. There are some explicit, and maybe a little violent sex scenes, and adult language.

Rating: Worth Your Time  (4 Stars)


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Book Series Giveaway





It's time another book series giveaway!

This time you can win: A Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood Swag Pack!  




All you have to do to enter is fill in the rafflecopter form below. Let me know if you have any questions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, August 24, 2012

Interview with Jessica Spotswood about the Cahill Witch Chronicles


Interview with Jessica Spotswood about the Cahill Witch Chronicles


 

Jessica Spotswood kindly answer a few of my questions about The Cahill Witch Chronicles.
I hope you enjoy this interview!


Thank you, Jessica!
  



1 – What inspired you to start writing The Cahill Witch Chronicles Series?

I had a dream about three sisters who were fighting over a magical locket. There’s no magical locket in BW, but the idea of writing about sisters with a complicated magical inheritance stuck. I’m one of three sisters myself, so I’m familiar with the complicated mix of love and sibling rivalry.


2 – I know this isn’t exactly a fair question but we need to know: are you Team Finn or Team Paul? :P For those fans of the book that are still unsure which team they support, how would you describe the guys?

I’m definitely Team Finn. I think Cate knows her own heart; by the end of the book, the love triangle is over. Let’s see: I’d describe Paul as a charming, flirtatious, handsome architect and a best friend turned suitor. And I’d describe Finn as an awkward, clever, loyal bookseller turned gardener.


3 – There are tough female characters in Born Wicked. In your opinion, what makes a great and strong heroine?

Thank you! It was really important to me to write about girls who are strong and independent and smart, because those are the kind of women in my own life. To me, a strong heroine is a girl who is passionate about something (besides a boy), who has dreams and pursues them, and has important, interesting relationships in her life beyond romance (though I do love writing the romance).


4- Is there something we might not know about the series or the characters that you can tell us?

Hmm. Well, two secrets from STAR CURSED: one of my favorite scenes is actually a book-burning and another is a make-out scene in a library! As for character secrets – Elena isn’t as evil as you might think she is at the end of BORN WICKED.


5 – Star Cursed, the second book in the series, will be released next year. What can you let us know about it?

STAR CURSED will be out in June 2013. There isn’t an official synopsis, but I’m afraid things are only going to get worse before they get better for Cate and her sisters! The Cahill girls will learn more about their magical heritage and what’s expected of them in the coming war between the Brotherhood and the witches. As usual, they’ll be divided about how to handle the responsibilities they’re faced with. They’ll finally get to meet their godmother, Zara Roth. There will be scandalous romantic trysts, new friends, political uprisings, and heartbreaking betrayals! 


You can find Jessica at:
Official Website

Review - Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles 01) by Jessica Spotswood

Title and Author: Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles 01) by Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: January 25th, 2012
Paperback/Hardcover: 330
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal


Summary:
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.
  

Review:
I’ll go ahead and start this review by saying I’m not a big fan of witches but I still loved Born Wicked. The story had me hooked from the start and I couldn’t stop reading until the end.
Born Wicked is the story of the Cahill sisters, 3 girls who area anything but ordinary. In a time a society where girls were expected to be proper girls and witches were haunted down and killed, Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered to be eccentric. No one knows just how eccentric they really are, though. All three sisters are withes and much to Cate’s dismay and worry she finds out they are the center of a prophecy that could change everything. If that wasn’t enough Cate finds herself torn between two boys she cares about while having to learn how to juggle tea parties and the attention of the Brotherhood.
Cate is a wonderful main character and it was easy to like and relate to her. She is very protective of her sisters and is willing to do anything to keep them safe, including giving up her chance to be happy. She’s strong and determined and very intelligent.
Cate’s sisters are very different from her. While Tess, the younger sister, is sweet, intelligent and mature, Maura is extremely rebellious and stubborn.
Even though I liked Paul and though he was an interesting character, Finn was the one that won my heart. He’s sweet, intelligent, accepting and protective.
The romance in this book was amazing. Finn works in a bookstore but he also becomes the Cahill’s gardener for some extra cash. Cate loves her flowers and as she hovers around Finn to make sure he doesn’t do anything wrong they slowly fall in love. There are several sweet moments between them and I loved the fact Finn was so accepting of Cate and didn’t care if she ever acted in some less than ladylike way.
Even though she clearly has feeling for Finn, Cate finds herself divided between him and Paul, her childhood friend, who has become a charming man and asks her to marry him.
Love triangles bother me sometimes but this one didn’t. It is very well-written and the romance develops in such a way the reader is able to understand why Cate is torn between the two boys, even though it is obvious who she’s truly in love with.
I really enjoyed the way the story developed and how Cate was forced to make several important decisions that might change everything for her family and all the society. There are a few twists and turns that made the story even more interesting and gripping. As we learn more about the prophecy, the brotherhood and the sisterhood, the pace of the story picks up, making the reader want to keep turn pages right until the end.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book. Born Wicked is a very well-written and fast-paced story with wonderful characters and an even better love story. There’s a little something for everyone in this book: action, mystery, romance, intrigue and a little bit of history and mythology.
The book ends in a cliffhanger that left me wishing for more. I can’t wait for the next book in the series now.
If you’re a Young Adult, Paranormal fan you should definitely pick this book up.

Rating: Somewhere Between Worth Your Time and Must Read (4 ½ Stars)