Blog Tour: Sun Poisoned by Nikki Rae

About The Author
Nikki Rae is a student and writer who lives in New Jersey. When she is not writing, thinking, or reading, she is most likely hanging out with her gecko, Neil Gaiman, drawing in a quiet corner, or drinking tea by the gallon. Sunshine is her first book.

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Review

Title: Sun Poisoned
Author: Nikki Rae
Publisher: Self-published
Released: June 28th 2013
Pages: 299 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Sophie’s life has changed. She’s moved to New York, she’s playing music for new people, and she’s making new friends. Then there’s Myles, and the fact that he is now her boyfriend—and everyone knows it. There are a lot of new things to take in, but Sophie has no problem adjusting. 

She’s not exactly normal, living in a half-human, half-vampire world, but she’s finally, truly happy. But some parts of Sophie and Myles’ old life still hide in the dark, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Sophie’s having nightmares again, but they aren’t about her; Myles is hiding something that she’s not sure she wants to know.
And one lie will change everything.
No matter how hard she tries to cover up the marks her monsters have left behind, they never truly go away, and Myles’ monsters are no different.
Once again, Sophie’s caught between life and death, but this time, only she can save herself.

Follow Friday (#23)

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, eBooks, paperback etc?

I prefer print, whether that is hardcover or paperback. Hardbacks usually look nicer, but paperbacks are cheaper and easier to carry around. Though with that said, I guess eReaders are even easier than that! I only got a Kindle because a lot of requests I got were eGalleys, and whilst it is convenient at times, I still prefer print.

So what do you think? Print or eBooks? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to follow via Bloglovin'!

Blog Tour and Author Interview: J. A. Huss

I've got to ask this first - what is the space opera genre? You've got me curious!

Picture Star Trek or Star Wars.  Those are the classic space operas.  But I don’t really care for either of them, actually. My favorites are Fallen Dragon and The Night’s Dawn Trilogy, both by Peter F. Hamilton.  Space operas are usually sprawling science fiction novels that have some space travel component, and in the case of PFH’s books, hundreds of characters, each with their own interwoven plots.

What initially sparked the idea of Tragic?

TRAGIC was a fluke.  I was looking at stock art, trying to find a smexy picture of lovers to use as a cover for another book, and I started wondering if the passion in some of these images was real or whether or not they were faking it.  I thought I could tell the difference, you know? Like the really passionate ones weren’t faking it, but really feeling it and that’s what made those pictures stand out from the others.  So I decided to write a story based off that premise.

Which character do you think you can relate to the most, and why?

Rook.  I’ve been Rook.  I escaped a very bad relationship by moving to a new city with two kids. I didn’t get a modeling job out of it, but I did get a master’s degree.  

Which character do you have a particularly soft-spot for, and why?

Well, I love Ronin, that’s a given. I wrote him the way he is on purpose.  But the character who is surprising me the most is Billy.  He’s sorta comes off as a bad guy in the first book, but I’m in the middle of writing the second book and I like him. He’s not so bad, he’s just doing his job. ;)

What do you want the reader to take out from reading the book?

That not all people are bad, even if you find a few bad ones, people are generally good.

This isn't the end of Rook. When and what can we next expect from her?

Oh, she’s got a lot going on in the second book.  Lots of consequences for her rash decision at the end of TRAGIC.  But Rook’s a fighter, so I’m not too worried about her.

Thank you for having me on your blog today and I hope you enjoyed the book!  :)

I absolutely devoured Tragic, and I'm now impatiently waiting for Manic, the sequel!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Tragic by J. A. Huss

About The Author
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

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Review

Title: Tragic
Author: J. A. Huss
Publisher: Science Future Press
Released: May 15th 2013
Pages: 282 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky… Rook got a second chance. And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract. Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s camera. Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modelling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Title: Blood Red Road
Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Marion Lloyd
Released: June 2nd 2011
Pages: 492 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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In a lawless future land, where life is cheap and survival is hard, Saba has been brought up in isolated Silverlake. She never sees the dangers of the destructive society outside. When her twin brother is snatched by mysterious black-robed riders, she sets outon an epic quest to rescue him.

I had this on my TBR list, and I've nearly taken it out of the library a dozen times - but something stopped me, and I still don't know what that was. However, since this was my last chance to take out books from the school, I decided to go for it - and almost immediately regretted it. Roughly 500 pages of kind of colloquial writing and a slow pace? No thanks! But thankfully, I pushed forward, and halfway through and I was addicted! Unlike other dystopian novels, Blood Red Road seems to be a series to look out for.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Until Dark

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Gollancz

Released: January 1st 2001

Pages: 326 (Paperback)

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

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Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome - and Sookie can't 'hear' a word he's thinking. He's exactly the kind of guy she's been waiting for all her life.

But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire. Worse than that, hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, with a reputation for trouble - of the murderous kind.

And when one of Sookie's colleagues is killed, she begins to fear she'll be next...

Although I adore books, watching television is a guilty pleasure of mine. After I finished watching Supernatural (please don't get me started on how much I adore this show) I was looking for new programmes to watch, and several of my friends suggested I watch True Blood. I liked it - not as much as Supernatural, but it was good. I then found out it originally stemmed from the Sookie Stackhouse series, so I decided to rent the first book out from the library. What a mistake.

Follow Friday (#22)

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: Favorite Literary Quote?

Can I have a few? Oh gosh!

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” 

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.” - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K.Rowling

“You love me. Real or not real?" I tell him, "Real.” - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I guess this quotes are a real collection of random - some of them I like because of fangirl reasons, others because they hold a lot of truth in their poetic words, and some because there is something sadly beautiful about them. So what are some of your favourite quotes? Post them below!

 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness, Siobhan Dowd
Illustrator: Jim Kay
Publisher: Walker Books
Released: September 27th 2011
Pages: 215 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days by Kathleen S. Allen (Excerpt)

About The Author
Kathleen has been writing since she was eight years old when she self-published her first book. Okay, she hand-copied her poems onto plain white paper, paper punched three holes in the sides, made an orange and blue “book jacket” and threaded red ribbon through the holes that she tied with a bow. Ta Dah! Her first book! She’s been writing ever since. She writes in different genres but YA is her favorite.

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Book Info + Synopsis
Title: How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days
Author: Kathleen S. Allen
Released: March 15th 2013
Pages: 135 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Seventeen-year-old Cassie Cee feels invisible because she's a double-digit size. She finds a book in a secondhand bookstore that she hopes will change her life. Her best friend's brother wants to make vlogs about how she is following the ten rules she found in the book, why she is doing it, and how she feels about being invisible for his school project. She agrees, but only if he promises no one but his college advisor will see the vlogs. He promises, but a friend of his posts them online and they go viral. When one of the "famous rules" puts her best friend, Rachel in a dangerous situation, Cassie makes one last vlog and Chuck posts it online. But emails begin arriving from other girls who have felt invisible, and she realizes she has to own up to being "the real Cassie Cee."

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Title: The Power of Six
Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: Penguin
Released: August 23rd 2011
Pages: 380 (Hardback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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I’ve seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he’s a mystery. But to me . . . he’s one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.

You know, nowadays I'm usually quite apprehensive when it comes to sequels, especially if their prequel was amazing. I Am Number Four blew me away - it was from a male point of view, yet I could relate to him perfectly and found myself sucked into his crazy reality. Luckily, The Power of Six held exactly the same grip as its predecessor, and I found myself skipping revision in order to read more. If you haven't read the first book, then beware spoilers.

Cover Reveal (#8)

I've been a fan of the House of Night series for years, and although Hidden is waiting (unread!) on my shelf and I am growing tired of the repetitive aspects of the saga, I still get all excited and shrill over cover reveals! Because come on - the HoN books always look gorgeous!

I'm loving the contrast between the picture and her name - it says Revealed, yet she's hidden. The thing I think I love most about this cover is it's continuity with the rest of the series - I love it when a series actually looks like it's a series. Of course, I'm making a dig at the UK covers - for nine books we  had the same cover, and then BAM! Hidden has a different cover. It was unnecessary, and now the series looks stupid on my shelf (ah, the problems of a bookworm!) I like that the US covers have kept up appearances.

Drastically altered after her fall at the end of Hidden, Neferet is now more dangerous than ever—and her quest for vengeance will wreak havoc on humans, as well as Zoey and her friends. Chaos is loosed in Tulsa and the House of Night is blamed. Can Zoey stop Neferet in time to keep her anger from escalating to full-on war? Or will someone else have to step in to take the fall?

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Legh Bardugo
Publisher: Indigo
Released: May 17th 2012
Pages: 320 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka. Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom's magical elite - the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free? The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him? 

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Hodder
Released: February 28th 2012
Pages: 329 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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I’m pushing aside 
the memory of my nightmare, 
pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 
pushing aside thoughts of Hana 
and my old school, 
push, 
push, 
push, 
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Our Song by Jordanna Fraiberg

About The Author
Jordanna Fraiberg was born in Montreal, Quebec, and currently lives in L.A., where she settled after receiving degrees from Harvard and Oxford. A former national squash champion and Hollywood film executive, she now divides her time between dreaming up stories and chasing her toddler. She is the author of Our Song and In Your Room.

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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release: August 15th 2013
Pages: 432 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Waiting on Wednesday (#28)

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

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Debbie Dee

Ideas

I get my best ideas in the morning. However, this is when I get my worst ideas too! One morning I dragged myself out of bed and Emmeline’s story popped into my mind. Literally, my head was a fuzzy morning mess and then suddenly, I imagined a girl in a frightening situation. I jotted the idea down, hoping that as the morning wore on and I had a chance to wake up a little more, I would still think it was a good idea. Trust me, there have been plenty of times that I’ve laughed over my cheerios at an idea I considered brilliant only moments before. But Emmeline’s story passed The Breakfast Test, so to speak, and after a lot sleepless nights, The Last Witch was born.

I’ve often wondered how artists, authors, inventors, decide whether or not their ideas pass The Breakfast Test. Some ideas seem completely out of left field, and then they go on to make millions of dollars. Take the Pet Rock, for instance.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Underground Witch by Debbie Dee

About The Author

Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then.

As a dedicated musician who practices way too much, she never expected writing would sweep her off her feet until she jotted down a scene from a daydream, which turned into two scenes, which turned into a messy house and her first novel. Since then she hasn’t been able to let a day go by without writing.

In addition to writing, she plays the piano, harp, violin, and gets in frequent fights with her cello. She loves to read and play board games - when she is winning.

Website: http://www.debbiedee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbiedeeauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_DebbieDee
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00CKSPVFY

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: August 6th 1996
Pages: 801 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must... and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty. 

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

Ink by Amanda Sun

Title: Ink
Author: Amanda Sun
Publisher: Mira Ink
Release: June 25th 2013
Pages: 384 (Paperback)
Pre-Order: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Katie Greene is lost in the wake of her mum's death. Sent to Japan, she meets gorgeous but aloof artist Tomohiro, whose tough attitude intrigues and scares her. Then things get really strange. When they're near each other, Tomohiro's drawings start to come to life…

Soon the wrong people begin to ask questions, and Katie and Tomohiro must risk everything to protect the truth.

I think I screamed when I got approved for an ARC of this. As soon as Ink came onto my radar, I knew I had to read it - not only was it a unique concept, but I love Japan, and a young adult book surrounding it and it's culture with a mythological twist? Well, how could I say no?

Book of the Month: May

Although I'm deep into my exam season, I actually managed to read 13 books this month! Unfortunately, there were quite a few 2 and 3 star ratings, and in the end there were only three books that really blew me away; Goddess by Josephine Angelini was the final instalment of the Starcrossed trilogy, and everything I wanted to happen did, and more; Speechless by Hannah Harrington completely captured my imagination, and I was engrossed from start to finish; and Fever by Lauren DeStefano, the sequel to the Chemical Gardens trilogy, where the author yet again drew me in with her gorgeous descriptions and ability to build realistic worlds.

Although I really enjoyed the other two, Speechless was the book for me. I've never read Saving June, so I didn't have any pre-existing expectations - but Speechless proved all the great reviews right; Harrington is an amazing writer, with an incredible ability to work her way into the mind of teenagers. This is one of the few books that once I've finished, I still think about weeks later. Harrington tackled some very modern, difficult issues, and I thought that altogether it was a brilliant read. Now all I've got to do is get my hands on Saving June.