Blood and Salt by Kim Ligget with a Giveaway!

Title: Blood and Salt

Author: Kim Liggett

Series: Blood and Salt #1

Publisher: G.P Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 22, 2015

Source: Netgalley

The first descriptive word that really comes to mind when I think of Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett is weird.  This book is weird.  Very weird.  Thankfully it eventually makes sense, but until you get to that point you better be ready for a really weird and strange journey. 

Also, Blood and Salt is not a light and fluffy read.  It gets pretty dark at times.  So just be prepared.

It is kind of hard to describe the plot of this one, so please bare with me.  It is one of those that makes more and more sense the further you get into the story.  However, I can't tell you too much or else I will be giving you spoilers.  And no one likes spoilers (well I do...I go hunting for them or read the last page..but I don't like giving them!)

Ash is our main character.  She lives with her mom, Nina, and her twin brother Rhys.  Seems normal enough right?  Well...her mom is anything but normal.  Nina grew up in a place called Quivira.  Quivira is supposed to be a utopia of sorts.  Locked away in time, protected by the corn.

There is a very complicated love story that is kind of difficult to explain, so I am not going to.  Let us just say that Ash's ancestor got screwed over.  She is/was an immortal and there was another guy who wanted her immortality, but she met another who she fell in love with.  She wanted him to be immortal instead.  I think you can see where this is going.

Well one day, Nina goes missing.  Ash figures she has returned to Quivira so she drags her brother to this cult like community and well...things happen.

Oh.  And Ash always sees a dead girl hanging from a rope.  All the time.  No one else can see her.

I know.  This is probably one of the worst story descriptions ever given.  I am sorry.  I tried.  This is seriously something you need to read for it all to fully make sense.

I am going to be honest with you.  This story gets a little slow in the middle.  It all most felt as though it was banking on the creepy factor, but at some point it just leveled out.  BUT! It did get better.  SO SO MUCH BETTER.  This book! THE END!  GET TO THE END!  Kim Liggett really found her stride towards the end and just WOW.

As far as characters go.  I wanted so much more from Rhys than I got.  The only one I felt I really even kind of got to know was Ash.  I hope this is fixed in the next one.

Oh yeah.  There is going to be another.  I verified this with the author via Twitter.  Am I going to read it?  YES!

Also... I am never ever going to be able to look at corn the same way again.  Read it and you will understand why.

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

My Rating

4 of 5 stars!

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Oh BTW! There happens to be a giveaway for a copy!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dumplin - Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin'

Author: Julie Murphy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Source: Edelweiss

This book! Oh, this book!  It has sky rocketed itself to my #1 favorite book.  Why?  Well, well we will get to that in a moment.

Dumplin' is about Willowdean, or Willow for short.  She is your average every day girl.  She works in a fast food joint, has a crush on a super cute boy named Bo, a best friend named El that she can count on through thick and thin, and she idolizes Dolly Parton.  Most importantly, Willowdean is comfortable in her own skin (or is she?).  She is no skinny mini.  She has hips and curves.

However, when her aunt dies her world slowly starts changing in ways she doesn't like.  Dumplin' starts approximately 6 months after her aunts funeral.  She doesn't know how to talk to her mom who is a former beauty pageant winner and happens to be the person who plans the local pageant every year.  Things are starting to happen with Bo and it makes her question her size, making her uncomfortable in her skin.  Then, on top of all that, she and El are starting to drift apart.  El has been her lifeline for so long that she can't imagine life without her.  

Some where in all of this, Willowdean decides she is going to sign up to compete in the local beauty pageant causing even more things to start to spin out of her control.

Dumplin' is a story of self discovery.  It is beautiful, wonderful, and real.  While it is written in a very light hearted manner, it is still very serious.

The characters are all written very well.  Willowdean feels so real.  You can't help but wish you could have her as a friend - if only she didn't exist on paper!  I also really loved the character of Mitch.  The big softy that he is.  It was very easy to picture and imagine all of the characters.  Amanda with her limp, Millie with her big goofy grin, Bo with his sucker, etc.

I would have liked a bit more from the rude/mean characters such as Callie.  They still felt a bit 2 dimensional, but it didn't take away from the story over all.  Part of me wonders if Julie Murphy did that on purpose to help keep the focus of the story on the characters with "flaws."  

What I loved most about this story, though, was the over all message that it had.  That you can do anything you want.  That you don't have to let how you look hold you back.  If you want to enter a beauty pageant don't let that you aren't a skinny mini stop you from doing it!  Your size, your face, your appearance in general, shouldn't get in the way of doing something, going for something, that you want!

As far as I am concerned, every girl should read this book.  Boys too.  The message that this book holds should be shared and heard.  If I could afford it, I would be purchasing a copy of this book for everyone I know.

My Rating

5 of 5 stars!!

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My review is based off an eARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.

Release Day Blitz: Serpentine by Cindy Pon with Giveaway!

 

Happy Release Day to

Serpentine by Cindy Pon!!

Join us in celebrating this release from Month9Books!

Enter the giveaway found at the end of the post.

Happy Book Birthday, Cindy!

 

 

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology. 

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell. 

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time. 

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels 

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series 

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | Kobo | TBD | Google Play | iTunes

   

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

 

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Tumblr

 

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

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Cover Reveal: Compromising Her Position - Samanthe Beck

Cover Love!!

I'm happy to reveal the cover of Samanthe Beck's upcoming book, Compromising Her Position!

Introducing Compromising Her Position:
Releasing 11/16/15

When Chelsea Wayne drags Santa into a supply closet for a little office party nookie, she assumes the man in the suit is her on-again/off-again coworker boyfriend. Instead, it’s Rafe St. Sebastian, a man known for his hard-driving ways in business as well as the bedroom—and, kill her now, the brand spanking new owner of Las Ventanas—who grants her naughtiest Christmas wishes.

  So much for her reputation, not to mention her career.

  Rafe needs to close three acquisitions to prove to his father he’s ready to take the helm of St. Sebastian Enterprises. A hot interlude in a supply closet after deal number two seems like the perfect illicit Christmas bonus. Unfortunately, when that “bonus” becomes the key to the final deal, he finds himself back in bed—so to speak—with Chelsea, and after their steamy tryst, he’s not interested in keeping things professional…

Add to your Goodreads Shelves

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About Samanthe Beck:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

Wine lover, sleep fanatic, and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy contemporary romance novels, Samanthe Beck lives in Malibu, California, with her long-suffering but extremely adorable husband and their turbo-son, Hud. Throw in a furry ninja named Kitty and Bebe the trash talking Chihuahua and you get the whole, chaotic picture.

When not clinging to sanity by her fingernails or dreaming up fun, fan-your-cheeks sexy ways to get her characters to happily-ever-afters, she searches for the perfect cabernet to pair with Ambien.

Mirrored - Alex Flinn

Title: Mirrored

Author: Alex Flinn

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Source: Edelweiss

Mirrored by Alex Flinn is a retelling of the popular Snow White fairy tale.  It is very creatively done and the story really pulls you in.

The story is told in two parts.  The first part is told by our evil witch Violet.  We watch her grow up as an outcast and as a victim of bullying.  We also get to see how she comes into her powers and watch her evolve into the character type we know her as.  We get to see why she became evil and what drove her to be that way.

I felt drawn towards the misfit version of Violet.  I felt her pain and her awkwardness.  I hated that she was so horribly bullied by her peers.  Her childhood was one that no child should have to endure.  As she grows up she learns how to use her powers and become obsessed with beauty.

The second part of the story was told by Celine.  Celine is the daughter of Greg, the object of Violets undying affection, and Jennifer, Violets nemesis growing up.  I think you can see where this is going.  I do not want to go into any detail and accidentally give what I would consider spoilers.  Let me just put it this way: Celine has to watch her back all the time.

There are a couple of other key characters in this story.  We have the beloved Kendra.  Fans of Alex Flinn's work will remember her, as she typically makes some sort of appearance in her fairy tale retellings.  However, do not fret if you haven't read the other books.  This is very much a stand alone book.  Then we have the ever wonderful and goofy Goose.  Goose is an awesome character and friend.

I did enjoy this book a lot, but that is not to say that it didn't have its faults.  A lot of the story seemed too simple and convenient.  Those part of the story left me wanting more.  I wanted to feel more struggle and angst from the characters.  Also, the characters did not always feel very flushed out.  Sadly I felt this happened not only sometimes with the main characters, but also with very important but still more in the background of the story characters.  I wanted more from the characters.  I wanted them to feel more real to me than they did.

All this being said, I still could not put the book down.  I enjoyed it a lot.  The way the story was put together just compels you as a reader to continue on.  It makes you want to know what is going to happen next and it makes you want to know how it ends.

I recommend this book.  Mirrored will pull you in and not let you go until you finish.  It is a quick and enjoyably "fluffy" read.  You will not be disappointed!

My Rating

4 out of 5 stars

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Review based on an advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss.

The Young Elites - Marie Lu

Title: The Young Elite

Author: Marie Lu

Series: The Young Elites #1

Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Source: Printed ARC

OMG! The feels! I have been suffering a massive book hangover since I finished this book.  I absolutely loved it.  Marie Lu did a fantastic job with this one.  It was even better than her Legend Series, which I loved as well!

Adelina is our main character in The Young Elites.  When she was younger she suffered from a blood fever that left her marked.  She has a scar where one of her eyes should be and her hair is the color of silver.  She, and others like her, are known as malfettos, and they are looked upon very poorly by those who are not marked.  Malfettos are seen as damaged goods and bad luck.  Barely any one wants anything to do with them.  To make matters worse, some malfettos, known as The Young Elite, have powers and have been known to harm others.

Adelina is one of the Young Elite, but she discovers this much later than most do.  She discovers her powers on the night she runs away from home, the night she kills her father.  She can summon shadows...illusions.  It is this discovery that leads her to meeting the members of The Dagger Society - other malfettos that also have powers.

The Dagger Society is run by Enzo, the crown prince.  He has the ability to summon fire at will.  His ultimate goal is to win back his crown from the King and his sister.  He will spare no one if they get in his way.

The Dagger Society takes on Adelina and decides to try and train her to use her powers despite warnings that she is unstable.  Her powers feed off of fear and anger.  The darker things get, the more power she has.  Was this a mistake on their part?

This book is just so amazingly done.  I loved the characters, especially Adelina.  I kept finding myself more attached and more drawn to her.  I could feel her inner turmoil as I read.  I felt for her.  The character that I felt the least connected to was her sister Violetta.  I wish we saw more development in her character.

The one thing that really just kind of irked me about the characters was that for some reason I kept envisioning all of the male malfetto characters as though they were drawn in an anime style and not as people.  I think it was due to how their hairstyles and hair colors were described.  Thankfully over time I was able to get over this.

The thing that I really loved about this book was that it brought up the issue of who is really the villain.  I felt that it was written so that each side kind of felt villainous and that there really is no hero.  That it all just depends on what side of the battle you were standing on.

I also liked that it takes a look at some things that may make someone a villain.  Is it the lack of love? Bullying? Torture?  The need for acceptance? All of the above?  

I am so glad that I finally read this book.  This book has skyrocketed itself up into my current top 5 reads.  I am so happy that I wont have wait forever for The Rose Society to come out!

This review is based on an ARC provided by the publisher for review.

My Rating

5 out of 5 beautiful stars

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Now For Some Fun Stuff!

My Villain Identity

I am Twisted Cupcake. 

I am a mad scientist.  I have perfected many different cupcake recipes.  I can use cupcakes to achieve my evil goals.  One bite of my chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling will put you into a deep slumber.  A lick of my vanilla frosting will allow me to control your mind.  And you don't want to know what my strawberry cupcakes will do to you...

I have an elite villain squad.  You do not want to cross us.  Keep an eye out for:

Tati from Books, Cats, and Caffeine

Kaitlin from Reading is My Treasure

Alexandra from Twirling Pages

Diana from Booking an Adventure

Though it is up to them if they want to reveal who they really are and their powers to you!

And Don't Forget About the Giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal! Falling for her Enemy - Victoria James

We have some cover love for Victoria James' upcoming release, Falling for Her Enemy, that releases on November 9, 2015.  

About Falling for Her Enemy:

Release date: November 9, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Bliss)

Series: Still Harbor #2

She’s falling for the one man who could destroy everything… Alex McAllister always dreamed of a life filled with the laughter and love of a family, but being abandoned at a young age left her wary of letting anyone in. Now that she’s settled in Still Harbor, Alex struggles between keeping her distance and the magnetic pull of the handsome stranger who claims he’s the biological father of her adopted daughter.
 Hayden Brooks never wanted to be a father. Long hours spent building his family’s real estate empire suits him just fine. But when he discovers an ex put the baby he unknowingly fathered up for adoption, his world crumbles. He tracks the child to Still Harbor with the intention of bringing her home—and comes face to face with his daughter’s stunning adoptive mother.
 The paternity test is in. And Hayden’s about to make the most shocking decision of his life, just in time for Christmas…

Find it online:

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes 

Falling for Her Enemy can be read as a standalone but also check out the first Still Harbor book, Falling for the P.I.

Find Victoria James online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook