Alfie the Sniffer Pup (December '12 Edition)

Alfie the Sniffer Pup is a monthly feature here on A Reading Daydreamer where I spotlight exciting upcoming releases and book-ish news which my pup, Alfie has kindly 'sniffed' out for me!

Wow.  We're into the last month of 2012!!!    This year has gone by super quick but I'm looking forward to seeing what new books 2013 will bring.
It's super cold over here and I sense that snow will soon be making an appearance so why don't you join me in drinking hot chocolate and picking up one of these pretty releases?

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Independence by Shelly Crane

Blood-Kissed Sky by JA London

Louder than Words by Laurie Plissner

The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab

Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker

Alfie is signing off for the year and he'd like to wish you all a lovely Christmas and he says he can't wait to see you all again in the New Year!

Which books are you looking forward to this month?

Happy reading,
Alfie and Bev x

Waiting on Wednesday #11

Waiting on Wednesday is a fabulous meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!  It's a wonderful chance to share the books we're eagerly anticipating and to find out what our fellow bloggers are looking forward to reading!

This week, Bev and Jen are waiting on..

The Mist on Bronte Moor
Aviva Orr
January 8, 2013 by WiDo Publishing

When fifteen-year-old Heather Jane Bell is diagnosed with alopecia and her hair starts falling out in clumps, she wants nothing more than to escape her home in London and disappear off the face of the earth. 
Heather gets her wish when her concerned parents send her to stay with her great-aunt in West Yorkshire. But shortly after she arrives, she becomes lost on the moors and is swept through the mist back to the year 1833. There she encounters fifteen-year-old Emily Brontë and is given refuge in the Brontë Parsonage. 
Unaware of her host family’s genius and future fame, Heather struggles to cope with alopecia amongst strangers in a world completely foreign to her. While Heather finds comfort and strength in her growing friendship with Emily and in the embrace of the close-knit Brontë family, her emotions are stretched to the limit when she falls for Emily’s brilliant but troubled brother, Branwell.
Will Heather return to the comforts and conveniences of the twenty-first century? Or will she choose love and remain in the harsh world of nineteenth-century Haworth?

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE - GOODREADS

Jen: The premise sounds really quite unique and different. Time travel, romance, and the Bronte family? Yes please!

Bev: Just to echo Jen, I love how different this sounds.  Books rarely deal with issues like alopecia and I'm eager to see how the author deals with it.  And who doesn't love time-travel and old-fashioned British boys? ;)

What reads are you excited about?

Bev and Jen x

Mini-REVIEW: Vengeance by Michelle Madow

Name: Vengeance

Author: Michelle Madow

Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing

Release Date: December 8, 2011

Pages: 66, Paperback

Source: For review from author

Rating: 3 Teacups

How far would you go to get revenge?
When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she'd never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea's willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe -- that she shared a past life with Drew -- is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it's downright crazy. 
Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay? 
Find out in Vengeance, the second part of the Transcend Time Saga.
*Vengeance is the short story that bridges the events in Remembrance and the final novel in the Saga.

[summary from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

Being a relatively short story from Chelsea's-- Lizzie's best friend-- point of view, it was fun and interesting to see the story her way. I think that the overall plot was well-paced and while it was a little mediocre and not over-the-top-exciting, Vengeance was an adequate read that fits between the first and last installment in the Transcend Time series.

Aside from the competent plot line, I think that this story was entirely negative. Let me explain. Chelsea, as mentioned before, is Lizzie's best friend. I'm not going to spoil anything, but she is extremely angry with Lizzie, and basically, this entire story illustrated Chelsea as an unfaithful best friend, as well as cruel. All Chelsea wanted was to get back at Lizzie for what she did. It really downplayed Chelsea's character, and made me hate her more than I did before. However, I think that this was Madow's intention, so it's actually good that I hated her.

The story doesn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but the reader definitely wants to know more by the end. In my opinion, I think that Vengeance is a completely necessary read, even it's a novella/short story. It would have been great if it was longer! In all, Vengeance was a satisfying read that wasn't too little, but wasn't too much, either.

3 Teacups for Vengeance!

*Thanks to Michelle Madow for providing me with a copy to review!*

REVIEW: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Name: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Release Date: September 13th 2012

Pages: 370, Paperback

Source: For review (from publisher)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met - a boy the rest of the world is convinced is imaginary. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she doesn't complain. She runs the school newspaper and keeps to herself for the most part - until disturbing events begin to happen. There has been screaming in the woods and the dark, abandoned manor on the hill overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years. The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. As Kami starts to investigate for the paper, she finds out that the town she has loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets- and a murderer- and the key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy who everyone thought was imaginary may be real...and he may be dangerous.

Beverley's Review

Unspoken was not what I expected but I loved it even more for that.  It surprised me and swept me from my feet.  A truly unique and original read that is sure to get your spine tingling...

Set in a quiet town in England, Sarah Rees Brennan perfectly captured the eerie, chilly atmosphere: the ancient buildings, the dark depths of the woods, the authority with which Aurimere House stood.  Brennan's writing is like a not-so-subtle poke in the back from out of nowhere, awakening all your senses and making you look behind you warily as you turn the pages frantically.

You can't have such a wonderfully evocative setting without equally wonderful characters.  I'm happy to report that Brennan delivered!  There's Kami, one of the main characters, who was so full of exuberance and enthusiasm I could feel her vibes jump right off the page.  She was the perfect protagonist, breezing in on my reading slump like a welcome gust of fresh air.  Her bright, witty one-liners kept me reading through the night.  Although the way she spoke was unlike any other teenager I've met, I adored her even more for it.  She is such a quirky, in-your-face (in a good way, of course!) character, I'm sure she will carry on capturing hearts.

Perhaps because of Kami's bright presence, she overshadowed some of the other characters.  I felt mostly indifferent to Jared.  He was your typical 'bad' boy and I found him a little clichéd. I didn't fall for him or swoon, which was slightly disappointing.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in later book, though.

And lastly but not least... the PLOT.  Sarah Rees Brennan must have a wild imagination, crafting such an eccentric, complex story.  It was so different from other books I've read... yet it felt familiar, if that makes sense.  The whole 'imaginary friend in you head becoming real' fascinated me and I loved the way with which Brennan dealt it.  However, the pacing at the beginning was a problem for me.   Going through a reading slump, you naturally need a book to keep you on your toes which meant things only picked up in the later two-thirds.

Overall, Unspoken is a darkly refreshing read, bringing all its originality into the YA world.  It has all the elements of a intriguing read, throwing the reader in a world of mystery and magic.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the trilogy! Are you brave enough to venture into the woods?

4.5 teacups for Unspoken!

'Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the review copy*

Let's Talk About... Reading Slumps

Yes... 'Reading slump.'  The words every blogger dreads.  It's like a poison, slowly infiltrating you and preventing you from finishing books in good time and writing reviews.  And I'm experiencing one right now!

I really do hate this feeling.  I very much want to get through the books in my review pile but something just seems to be holding me back.  Some sort of lack of motivation to read twenty or so pages.  I'm quite busy with life right now and whenever I do get a little free time, I feel inclined to just lie on the sofa and watch TV or go on the Internet.  Does this make me a bad blogger?  

School has put me under a lot of pressure lately, with endless piles of homework and fast-approaching tests.  And when I do pick up a book, I feel bad for not studying.  Then there's the need for piano and violin practise which I have been neglecting - as much as I hate to admit.  And don't even get me on to my social life - which is practically non-existent right now if you must know.  All of this, LIFE, is getting in the way on top of this horrid reading slump and here I am now, desperate to claw my way out and be a better blogger.

Being busy seems to add fuel to the fire of reading-slumpiness :(  You've probably all noticed that I haven't been around much lately (have ya missed me?) and I do wish I had more time to come round and visit your blogs and chat to you on Twitter everyday but it's just NOT doable. 

Reading slumps are such awful things and I know most bloggers have been through it.  So what did YOU do to get out of it?  Any of you have magical cures to this disgusting blogger disease?  Lemme know!  All suggestions will be very much appreciated!

And I can't write this without lots of hugs and thank you's to Jen who has been the best co-blogger in every way.  She has been absolutely wonderful and so, so patient with me in the past few weeks.  Thanks a million, Jen, for bearing with me!!! I don't think this blog would be as good right now if it weren't for your amazingly steady presence!

Happy reading - hopefully none of you are going through reading slumps like me!

Beverley x

REVIEW: Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Name: Remembrance

Author: Michelle Madow

Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing

Release Date: July 25,2011

Pages: 314, Paperback

Source: Received for review from author

Rating: 3.5 Teacups

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

Being a huge Taylor Swift fan, I jumped at the chance to read a story that was inspired by her music video. I mean, how cool is that?! The plot sounded interesting, the cover was beautiful, and I'd just heard too many things about this book! That's a major MUST for me! I'm glad to say that it was definitely enjoyable, but unfortunately, there were those problems that definitely brought this book down a notch.

To start off with the enjoyable things, the book was really addicting, like really addicting. Maybe it was because of it's light, fluffy, easy nature, but I found myself speeding through this book because it was just pure fun to read about! I constantly wanted to know what happened next, even if it was a little predictable. Madow has a flowy way with words; the storyline was just very easy to get through! This was the main reason why I liked this book so much--YAY! However, the good stuff pretty much stopped there.

The concept of time-travel itself was really cool at first, but it kind of just fell off for awhile. Is the main genre of the book supposed to be time travel, or romance? The time travel was forgotten in the middle of the book. I was a little disappointed. Events started to get a little repetitive as the story progressed towards the middle, but it was still fun. Things just could have moved along a bit quicker!

The romance was also a little awkward-- awkward as in cliché. It wasn't TOO bad, but there was the whole "new guy moving into town, trying to stay away from the attractive/painfully mediocre girl, because it's dangerous" thing. I didn't mind it too much--I was still able to enjoy the story-- but it lacked a little bit of originality.

That being said, while Remembrance definitely had it's flaws, I'd say it's still a really entertaining read. I thoroughly adored it and will be continuing with the series! I can't wait to read more about this time-traveling romance. If you're in dire need of a cute, easy, romantic read, Remembrance would be a great pick!

3.5 Teacups for Remembrance!

*Thanks to Michelle Madow for providing me with a copy for review!*

Showcase Sunday #10

Showcase Sunday is hosted by the lovely Vicky over at Books, Biscuits, and Tea! It's a great way to share what you have received the past week and to also gush over the wonderful books to other bloggers have added to their bookshelves!

Bev's New Books:

Have you guys missed me?  I've been away for a little while, partly because school has been so busy and partly because I've been in a bit of a reading slump so I haven't really been in the mood to do any blogging.  But Jen has been amazing and I bet you've all been loving her recent reviews!  Well, anyways here are the books I received (Netgalley is just so tempting):

For Review:

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur:  I absolutely adored Suzanne's Love, Aubrey so I'm super excited to delve into her next offering!  If it's as heartbreaking and sensitive as Love, Aubrey, I'm sure I will love it :) Thank you to Suzanne for the pretty, SIGNED copy!

For Review (Netgalley):

Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls by Tellulah Darling: This sounds like such a fun, quirky read and I'm really intrigued by its synopsis!  And part of it is told from the guy's point of view and you all know I'm a sucker for male POVs ;)  Thank you to Te Da Media and Netgalley!

What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor:  I remember reading a review on The Readers Den a while back on this book and was immediately curious.  And then I saw it on Netgalley and just couldn't resist requesting it!  Thanks to Keary Taylor and Netgalley

Jen's New Books:

School's been so stressful lately, but I'm halfway through my school semester, and I have ALL A's! *pats own back* YAY. I can kind of feel myself getting into a reading slump, but Thanksgiving's rolling around soon and that's perfect reading time. I couldn't resist, and requested some more books on Netgalley as well. :O

Bought:

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Rua by Miranda Kavi

Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Collide by Shelly Crane

The Ivy by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Cornerstone by Misty Provencher

Borrowed:

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Audio)

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

For Review (Netgalley):

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso- Auto Approved, thank you Month9!

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black-SQUEE. Thanks so much, Bloomsbury!

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay-Thanks Atria Books!

What books did you get this week?  Don't forget to link us up!

Bev and Jen xxx

Undeadly Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway!

Hi guys!! Today I am participating in the Undeadly blog tour, hosted by Shane at Itching For Books! I was very fortunate to be able to read the book in advance, and write a review for it! I also chose one of my favorite scenes to share with you guys. PLUS THERE'S A GIVEAWAY. Yep, you guys will have the opportunity to win a copy of the book, signed!! Be sure to check out the rest of the tour here! Well, without further ado, let's get on with it!

Review

Name: Undeadly

Author: Michele Vail

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Release Date: November 20, 2012 (US)

Pages: 272, Paperback

Source: For Review for blog tour

Rating: 4 Teacups

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...
Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.
Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

Necromancy, zombies, ghosts, reaping, and ghouls?! What more could you ask for? Undeadly was a funny paranormal read that has a very sarcastic main character, plenty of laugh out loud moments, and great creativity. Undeadly was overall a very enjoyable read.

The concept--er, concepts--were very well done. The paranormal creatures were all dead in some way, and I don't think it was disorganized at all! Each supernatural element complemented the other very well! At first it was a bit confusing but Vail is able to ease the reader in comfortably. Plot-wise, it could have had more variation; the entire book was pretty evenly-paced, but it's definitely acceptable.

Goodness, the humor had to be my favorite part in the entire novel! Molly's voice is just so humorous and sarcastic, I fell in love with her character instantly. It definitely kept the story light while the ideas and conflicts of the novel were more dark and serious. It was a great balance!  While Molly was a great character herself, I found that her relationships with the other characters in the story were weak. For example, there was definitely romance involved, but there was so little of it after the beginning that I found myself wondering if it's really necessary at all. This totally could have just been a paranormal YA novel…

But awkward character relationships aside, Undeadly is a fun dead-paranormal-creatures read with a hilarious main character that you won't want to miss! I certainly had a great time reading it. Highly recommended!

4 Teacups for Undeadly!

*Thanks to Michele and Shane for providing me with a copy to review!*

Excerpt Time!

*This excerpt was taken from an advance reader copy. Text is not final.*

"Mina and I are over. I don't want her or her poison." He drew me into his arms, right there in front of everyone (including Mina… nyah, nyah), and leaned down. "I like you, okay?"

I nodded.

Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds started to play. Dad! He'd gotten that damned song into the mix, after all. Rick smiled. "Wow. This is old school, Mol."

He held me closer and I lay my head on his shoulder as we swayed to the music. Someone turned off the living room lights. The lamps on the end tables were on, but their muted glow barely pierced the darkness.

Still, I could see Rick lean down, his nose almost touching mine. I'd brushed my teeth twice and refrained from food and drink. Because I wanted our first kiss to be perfect--you know, without the Doritos taint. (63.)

His lips ghosted across mine. My belly pulled tight with excitement. I was chest to chest with him. Oh, gawd.

"Sweet Molly," he murmured. He angled his mouth against mine and I opened for him. My eyes fluttered closed. Tentative, I met the gentle thrust of the tongue. I felt electrified. I clung to him, completely unsure about what I was doing.

He drew away, just a little, took a shuddering breath, and returned. I was pressed so close to him that I could feel how his heartbeat matched the ferocity of mine. I felt awkward and amazed and--

The lights snapped on. I opened my eyes, blinking, horrified that Dad might have come down to checkup on us crazy teenagers and freaked to see me lip-locked with Rick.

"Mina! No!" Rick tried to push me out of the way, but he ended up projecting me right into Mina's path.

The full contents of the punch bowl showered me. Red liquid splattered my face, hair, and clothes. Ice cubes fell down my shirt and spun off my toes. Some of the sticky sweet drink dribbled into my mouth. Shocked beyond words, I could only stand there like an idiot. (64). 

GIVEAWAY

Now that I have you guys all excited after reading that excerpt, I know you'll want to win a copy!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy reading, 

Jen xxx

The Wild Ones Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway!

Hi everyone! So today, I'm participating in The Wild Ones blog tour hosted by AToMR Tours! I have a review for you guys. Make sure you check out the rest of the tour here! 

Name: The Wild Ones

Author: M. Leighton

Publisher: M. Leighton Books

Release Date: August 1, 2012 (US)

Pages: 330, Kindle

Source: For Review for Blog Tour

Rating: 4.5 Teacups

**MATURE CONTENT ADVISORY: May not be suitable for younger readers**
Passion as hot as midnight in the South and love as wild as the horses they tame.
Camille “Cami” Hines is the darling daughter of the South’s champion thoroughbred breeder, Jack Hines. She has a pedigree that rivals some of her father’s best horses. Other than feeling a little suffocated at times, Cami thought she was pretty happy with her boyfriend, her life and her future. 
But that was before she met Patrick Henley.
“Trick” blurs the lines between what Cami wants and what is expected of her. He’s considered the “help,” which is forbidden fruit as far as her father is concerned, not to mention that Trick would be fired if he ever laid a hand on her. And Trick needs his job. Desperately. His family depends on him.
The heart wants what the heart wants, though, and Trick and Cami are drawn to each other despite the obstacles. At least the ones they know of.
When Trick stumbles upon a note from his father, it triggers a series of revelations that could ruin what he and Cami have worked so hard to overcome. It turns out there’s more to Trick’s presence at the ranch than either of them knew, secrets that could tear them apart.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

Not too long ago, I jumped onto the New Adult Genre train, along with many other YA readers, I'm sure. They have proven themselves to be so addicting and exciting! Fortunately, I'm happy to say that The Wild Ones was no different. The Wild Ones had a fantastic plot, awesome characters, and a steamy hot romance. The Wild Ones has left me wanting more of Miss Leighton's work!

First off, I'd like to mention the plot. Usually, New Adult novels are focused on the romance, and the romance only. However, The Wild Ones brought along horses into the story! I think that having animals as a strong point was a good choice; it made everything really fun and touching. These four-legged mammals were able to create tension and problems, making the story all the more interesting!

Next is the brilliant cast of characters in the novel. Cami, the MC, was really strong. She was able to stand up to her manipulative father, pretty much all the time. She wasn't afraid to stand for what she wanted and what she believed in was best for her. There was also Jenny, Cami's best friend. She was SO funny and hilarious, as well as supportive. She had Cami's back at all costs! It was great. As for Trick… Trick. While he was very likeable and hot, I couldn't help but notice that he was a weaker character than Cami. Don't get me wrong, I still liked him very much. ;)

Speaking of Trick and his oh-so-lovable-ness, his relationship with Cami was… so good. At first I thought their relationship was purely physical; they were always describing their physical attributes, "how long her legs were", or "his pale green/grey eyes", that I thought they liked each other purely for their looks. But further along the novel, their emotions for each other and the REAL reasons shined through and I was in for the romance. AND IT'S STEAMY. Oh so steamy. Me like.

So if you haven't noticed, I highly, highly enjoyed this novel. It's so addicting that I found myself needing to read it, whenever possible. I will definitely be picking up M. Leighton's other novels. If you're a fan of New Adult, this is one you won't want to miss!

4.5 Teacups for The Wild Ones!

*Thank you M. Leighton and AToMR Book Tours for providing a copy for review!*

____________________________________________

Giveaway Time!

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REVIEW: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Name: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: August 31, 2010 (US)

Pages: 335, Hardcover

Source: Audiobook Library

Rating: 2.5 Teacups

Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.
But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Jen's Review

It's ridiculous how long I've wanted to read Paranormalcy. I've had my eye on it before I even knew about blogging! The cover always intrigued me and I was a sucker for paranormal YA novels at the time. 4,381,470 years later, I have finally picked it up. However, I'm sad to say that it wasn't my cup of tea.

To start off, one of the things I didn't like was the fact that the paranormal creature setup was all over the place. I understand that Kiersten White made this novel unique by having all different types of paranormal creatures, but for me, it didn't work out very well. It felt crowded and hectic. Perhaps I'm just used to reading about one or two paranormal creatures in a book, but the amount that is presented in Paranormalcy was overwhelming and disorganized.

Second of all, the characters weren't real to me, and boring. I couldn't care less what the main character Evie did with her job at the IPCA. Evie was annoying and whiny. Her relationship with Lend wasn't bad, but it was awkwardly developed, which made it unbelievable. The romance wasn't anything special. I didn't feel for any of the characters, actually. In a nutshell, the characters of Paranormalcy fell extremely flat for me.

Not only were the characters unentertaining, so was the plot itself. Areas where the plot was fast-paced, I found myself not needing to know what happened next. I was constantly thinking, "Oh. Intense part coming. It's done? Okay, moving on then." It just kind of went along and there wasn't much to it. I know, sadness.

All in all, Paranormalcy just wasn't for me. It's hard for me to say that I'll continue with the series. However, I do still recommend it because I know many readers who enjoyed Evie's spunky, light-hearted personality. If you're a big fan of paranormal YA novels that has different supernatural creatures involved, I do still recommend giving Paranormalcy a try, even if I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

Audiobook review: Let's just say I'd give the audio of this 1.5 stars. Reading this novel in print is highly recommended. The narrator has an extremely nasal-y  voice, I'm surprised I got through the entire audio!

2.5 Teacups for Paranormalcy!

Luminosity Blog Tour: Blurb, Author Spotlight, and Giveaway!

Hey everyone! So today I'm participating in the Luminosity blog tour hosted by Shane at Itching For Books! I was originally going to post a review, but I didn't have enough time to read it. :( So I have the blurb and author info! And a giveaway at the bottom, make sure you go enter for a signed copy and swag! AND AND, check out the rest of the tour here!

Name: Luminosity (The Raven Chronicles, #1)
Author: Stephanie Thomas
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Pages: 296
Blurb:

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since. 
The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me. 

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win. [summary taken from Goodreads]

Author Spotlight:

Stephanie Thomas has been writing ever since she could put letters together to form words. When she was a small child, she would present her mother and father with self-made newspapers filled up with make believe stories and pictures. Her love for writing followed her all throughout her schooling, where she entered and won writing contests of all sorts. Stephanie decided to become an English teacher and completed her B.A. at The Pennsylvania State University. While teaching, she later went on to get her Master’s in writing from The Johns Hopkins University. She completed her very first manuscript during her graduate studies, and by the end of the program, she had completed two more.

Stephanie is quick to tell anyone that she’s a born and raised Philadelphian, and her heart will always belong there. She moved to Baltimore with her husband, and they’ve been living there for the last five years with their doggie, Sailor, and their rabbit, Buns (aka “T Sizzle). 

AUTHOR WEBSITE -- AUTHOR TWITTER -- GOODREADS

_____________________________________________________

Time for the giveaway! Enter to win a signed copy with SWAG. (US only!)

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Happy reading everyone!
Jen xx