GUEST REVIEW: Larkstorm (The Sensitives #1) by Dawn Rae Miller

In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities.

As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember. 

However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.

But what she discovers is more dangerous and frightening than Sensitives: She must kill the boy she loves, unless he kills her first.

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords

Review:

Lark  –  by chapter 6 the main female character Lark is confused and slightly whiney. Doesn’t seem to be a strong person, but relies on others. By chapter 9 there was a lot of character building and the story was starting to bore me. After chapter 9 things started to pick up and Lark seems to understand her situation. Lark loves Beck but is caught up with so much emotion that she doesn’t know what to do? Lark tries her best to learn her new abilities, but with the help of Mrs Channing she is having a hard time learning things.  She comes across a young sensitive that she befriends, but doesn’t know if she can fully trust? 

Beck’s character was quiet. He knew what was going on and kept it from Lark. I think if he had confided in her more than it would have taken a twist and it would have built more character for Lark. 

I enjoyed that it was a paranormal story. Dealing with a hardship between only one male and female. I liked that Lark started getting stronger emotionally throughout the entire story.

What I didn’t like about the book was that Lark seemed clueless or confused most of the time, even though it added to the book. I would have liked to have seen her come to terms instead of acting like the normal teen age girl. I understand that teen age girls have a lot of emotions to deal with, but I felt that her character could have been a little stronger.

What is “deso”?? I understand that there is slang that people use. And it’s hard to keep up with it all. But an explanation of what “deso” is would have helped and I would have probably gotten the joke when they used it. Does it stand for desolate? 

3/5 Stars!!

Guest Review by Colleen for YA Book Addict

COVER REVEAL: I Breathe You by Lori L. Clark

I Breathe You by Lori L. Clark 
Publication date:  July 2013 

Genre: NA contemporary romance

Synopsis:
When a tragic accident leaves Rhane Evans -- lead vocalist for the rock band Fate's Crazy -- permanently unable to speak above a whisper and kills the love of her life, she moves across the state to pick up the pieces. Shattered, Rhane struggles to understand what happened the night of the accident, an accident everyone blames her for, even though she wasn't driving the car.

Enter Ian Callahan. He's the one person who may have a more tumultuous past than Rhane. Though they try hard to deny the sizzling attraction between them, it proves nearly impossible. When Ian's troubled past threatens to tear them apart, they begin to believe happiness isn't in their cards.

Because Fate's Crazy that way...

Author Bio:

I read, I write, I run 1/2 marathons for fun. Ten things about me:

1. I'm an only child.
2. I love dogs!
3. I was born in Iowa City, Iowa and lived in Iowa my whole life until January 2007.
4. I worked as a professional psychic reader for 2 years.
5. I'm a Pisces Sun, Leo Moon with Aquarius rising.
6. I've written 5 books and am in the process of brainstorming a 6th.
7. I don't look or act my age!
8. I ran my first 1/2 marathon at age 50.
9. I love 80's hair band music.
10. My day job is as a claims payment analyst for one of Fortune 500 Magazine's "Top 100 places in America to work."

Author links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: Branded (Sinners #1) by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Title: Branded

Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Release Date: June 28, 2013

Genre: Mature YA/NA, Dystopian

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Book Description:

Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 

My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

 

Author Bios:
Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan. 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Author Links:  Website / Facebook / Twitter

COVER REVEAL: Face of Death (Touch of Death #3) by Kelly Hashway

Title: Face of Death (Touch of Death #3)

Author: Kelly Hashway

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

ISBN:  978-1-937053-92-5

Release Date: 1/7/2014

Formats: Paper, e-book

Having fallen at the hands of Hades, Jodi's enduring torture like she never imagined. Worse, she has to watch her Ophi friends suffer along with her--the punishment doled out by the very people she'd sentenced to life in Tartarus. Hell. This is one reunion Jodi hoped would never happen, but now she must find a way to free them all.

 

Except the underworld is nearly impossible to escape.

 

Jodi's one chance may rest in raising the human soul she killed when she drank Medusa's blood.

 

But splitting her human soul from her Ophi soul means living a double life: One as an Ophi experiencing unspeakable torture and the other as the human she could have been if she never came into her powers. With her two worlds colliding, Jodi will have to make the toughest decision she's faced yet.

BLOG TOUR - REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Fall From Love by Heather London

Fall From Love by Heather London
Publication date: June 7th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:

Struggling to put her life back together after a tragic mountaineering accident kills her college sweetheart, twenty-one-year-old Holly Treadwell is trying to set aside her grief, forge ahead in school, and find herself again.

When Carter Hansen, a guy who brings back horrible memories from the night of the accident, finds his way back into her life, Holly’s unsure  if she should let him in. He terrifies her in more ways than one and invokes feelings in her that she thought were buried forever. Regardless of her fears, she knows she must face him in order for her heart to heal.

Everyone tells Carter that what happened on the mountain that night was just a terrible accident, but even then, he can’t help but carry around the guilt and is unable to forgive himself. He’s drawn to Holly and being near her helps ease his conscience and gives him the release he needs.

As Holly and Carter’s relationship grows, they begin to realize that the more time they spend with one another, the more their wounds begin to heal—her grief and his guilt. But when Holly learns the details about the night of the accident—what everyone has been keeping from her—it will rip open old wounds and tear apart what they’ve both worked so hard to overcome…

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:

I know you can't live without a heart. Sure, you can exist. You can still breathe. You can still function as a human being... but you're not living.

This book was so amazingly awesome!!! I am in love with this book. I am in love with this authors writing. I am in love with these characters. I am in love with Carter!!!

Holly Treadwell is happy and in love. But then tragedy strikes and her boyfriend Adam is killed in a mountain rescue mission. Holly's grief and pain is all encompassing and she goes from being happy, confident and outgoing to barely making it through her days. She puts on a brave face for her best friend and roommate Jenna, but after months of watching her friend drown in her grief, Jenna makes it her mission to get Holly out and living again. 

Carter Hansen has dealt with death way too many times in his life. He was up there on the mountain with Adam the night of his death and he feels a terrible guilt. Always questioning if he could have done anything to save him. He was the one that was there at the hospital with Holly when she learnt the horrible news of Adams death. Carter tries to make contact with Holly to see how she's coping but for Holly, Carter brings back all the gut wrenching memories of that night and Holly just can't keep reliving it. So she avoids him at all costs. But Carter is persistent and he's not going to give up easily.

My heart aches from the absence from her touch and I'm still drunk enough that I almost ask her to touch me again.

Having the book told from both Holly and Carter's point of view really let me feel their pain. Both dealing with so much grief and loss, but able to find a beautiful friendship with each other. A friendship that despite their growing feelings for each other they question if they should take it to the next level because they each value and need that friendship so much. To be honest, I can't even pinpoint one thing about Holly that made me like her so much. I think it was just her whole journey. Her strength and ability to overcome and heal. What I loved about Carter was much easier to pinpoint. He is broken. Carrying so much pain and grief around on his shoulders but still able to care so deeply for Holly. To be so concerned that she's doing okay. He is just a beautiful person. For me, his point of view was my absolute favourite!!

There aren't a great deal of secondary characters in this book. It's really all about Holly and Carter, but the two main ones are Jenna and Josh. And I loved them. Both incredibly caring of their best friends but also witty, genuine and fun. And these two just couldn't keep their hands of each other.

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.

~Helen Keller

At the start of each chapter is all these little quotes from various people and they were absolutely perfect. Each one so fitting to the story. I really looked forward to starting each chapter so that I could read them.

Fall from love is definitely not hearts and flowers. It is emotional. It is sad. It shows how quickly life can be ripped away from us. But it's also uplifting. Life goes on and even when the mind thinks it could never possibly love again, when the right person enters your life, your heart can do nothing but let them in.

5/5 Beautiful Stars!!

Author Bio:

Heather London is a young adult and new adult author who loves to write stories full of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. She is a lover of only the finest of coffee and premium craft beer, but will settle for anything chocolate, regardless of its quality. Heather lives with her husband in Dallas, TX where she is currently working hard on her next project.

Author Links: 

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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COVER REVEAL: Landlocked (Surface #2) by Tiffany Daune

Landlocked by Tiffany Daune   
Series: Surface, #2 

Publication date: Summer 2013

Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis:

As if staying focused in trigonometry wasn't hard enough....Eerie visions are plaguing Theia's mind, driving her insane.  Someone or something is reaching out to her, dragging her into a dark underwater world. And, to add to her metal delirium, she has no control over her newly awakened Siren senses. She thinks she can hear her cat's thoughts, she wants to pummel Sarah Collins, and she's trying to keep it together so she doesn't lose her scholarship. She needs someone who understands—someone bound to the ocean water she craves—she needs Luc.  But contacting him is risky, and returning to the water a death sentence. She must find a way to harness her Siren senses even though the waves are calling to her. Denying her intended destiny may be the only way to stay alive.

Author Bio:

Tiffany Daune doesn't get why people want to grow up or why anyone would ever stop eating candy. Her purse is filled with books, lip gloss and a few pieces of Lego bricks. She writes best with a dish of chocolate chips on hand and finds licorice makes a better straw than plastic.

She lives on an island and believes mermaids may be raiding her candy stash, though she hasn't caught them, yet.

Surface is her first novel and pairs well with gummy sharks.

Author links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

BOOK BLITZ - PLAYLIST & GIVEAWAY: Precious Things by Stephanie Parent

Precious Things by Stephanie Parent
Publication date: June 4th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:
Isabelle Andrews isn’t supposed to be here. She isn’t supposed to be a freshman at Hartford Community College, she isn't supposed to be living at home and working at her dad’s failing bakery, and she definitely isn’t supposed to be taking Intro to Electronic Music Production, a class that will get her nowhere toward her goal of an English Lit Ph.D. by age twenty-five. But when her dad’s latest business fiasco eats up her college fund, Hartford Community College is exactly where Isabelle finds herself—and thanks to her late enrollment, she doesn’t even get to choose her classes. Stuck with Electronic Music and way-too-easy English courses, Isabelle is determined to wallow in all the misery she feels entitled to.

But community college brings some unexpected benefits…like the fact that a certain overworked, over-scheduled Electronic Music professor hands over most of his duties to his teaching assistant. His tall, green-eyed, absolutely gorgeous teaching assistant. When TA Evan Strauss discovers Isabelle’s apathy toward electronic music—and, well, all music—he makes it his mission to convert her. The music Evan composes stirs something inside Isabelle, but she can’t get involved—after all, she’ll be transferring out as soon as possible.

Still, no matter how tightly Isabelle holds on to her misery, she finds it slipping away in the wake of all Hartford Community offers: new friendships, a surprisingly cool poetry professor, and most of all, Evan. But Evan’s dream of owning his own music studio is as impractical as Isabelle’s dad’s bakery, and when Evan makes a terrible decision, everything Isabelle has gained threatens to unravel. Soon Isabelle discovers that some of the most important lessons take place outside the classroom…and that in life, as in Evan’s favorite Depeche Mode song, the most precious things can be the hardest to hold on to.

For the duration of the blitz, Precious Things will be available for .99c

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Precious Things Playlist

Precious Things features a lot of Depeche Mode songs in the story, and while most of them are named in the novel, a few are not, so I thought it might be helpful to put together an official Precious Things playlist!  I also have to admit that I am not much of a Depeche Mode fan—I really only started to listen to their music while I was thinking about this book, mulling over the idea of a story set around an electronic music production class.  (Like Isabelle, I also took an electronic music class at a community college; however, I was already a college graduate at the time and the class wasn’t for credit.)   Also like Isabelle, there are a lot of Depeche Mode songs I don’t like, but I have found a few that I really love, and the mood and tone of them had a huge influence on the writing of Precious Things.  So here are the songs, in the order they appear in the book:

1.     “Enjoy the Silence”—For the record, I hate this song almost as much as Isabelle does.  It’s one of Depeche Mode’s earlier hits.

2.     “Waiting for the Night”—This is the song Isabelle listens to after reading the Robert Frost poem “Acquainted with the Night,” and the combined effect of the song and poem prompts an unexpected emotional reaction.

3.     “I Want It All”—Evan plays this song for Isabelle the first time they’re alone together.  In other words, the almost-kiss sexual-tension song.

4.     “Halo”—The soundtrack to Evan and Isabelle’s first date.  The “girl with a famine in her heart” song.

5.     “Goodnight Lovers”—This song foreshadows some of the troubles Isabelle and Evan will face in the last part of the book.

6.     “Precious”—This one is my favorite too.

And if you want more Depeche Mode, here are some other songs that inspired me, but didn’t make it into the book: “Ghost,” “Useless,” “Stripped,” “One Caress,” “Suffer Well,” “The Things You Said,” and “Shine.”  Happy listening!

Author Bio:

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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