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!  

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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!*

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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

6 Seconds of Life Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway!

Today, as part of the 6 Seconds of Life blog tour, I will be sharing my review of the book and there is also a giveaway for an e-copy which I would strongly advise you to enter!  

 Name: 6 Seconds of Life

Author: Tonya Fitzharris

Publisher: Self

Release Date: September 1st 2012

Pages: 303

Source: For review (for blog tour purposes)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Maura has just jumped.
Now she has precisely six seconds until she hits the water below her--just six more seconds until she is finally freed from her mundane and aimless existence. Freed of all of the regrets and disappointments that have haunted her throughout her nineteen years.
She just needs to be free.
But as she falls, the most pivotal points of her life start to replay like a movie in her head: her family falling apart, her first love, her first heartbreak, and her first betrayal. As she remembers these moments that brought her to this point, will she feel a sense of peace? Or will her death be her greatest regret?

Beverley's Review

Guys.  I've just found THE self-published book that has exceeded my expectations and blown me away.  Thank you, Ms Fitzharris, for writing 6 Seconds of Life.  It was everything I wanted plus more - I hoped there would be depth and you gave me so much more than I ever expected.

The synopsis was what drew me to the book first.  I've seen a good few books which deal with suicide but it's not often the focus is on the person who actually commits it.  Curiosity overcame me to find out just how this author would deal with such a delicate matter.  Could she successfully write out all those memories spanning six seconds?

I must admit I expect less of self-published books but Tonya Fitzharris proved to me in 303 pages that she is an author worth noticing.  Despite a few grammatical and spelling errors here and there, Fitzharris writes with such a convincing, elegant style.  Each sentence held some sort of meaning and was filled with angst and sorrow and all sorts of emotion.  Her writing is what perhaps made me adore this book so much.  There is nothing flimsy or unsophisticated in 6 Seconds of Life.

Coupled with gorgeous prose, the characters added a fire of intensity to the novel.  As soon as we meet Maura, we realise what a broken young women she is.  As her memories develop, we witness all the devastating situations she suffered.  I couldn't imagine how I would react to some of the things that happened to her but her narration sucks you right in.  There were times when I'd put down my Kindle and feel empty and hollow, as if all my emotions had been sucked out.

There were some events which I felt Maura brought upon herself and I desperately wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her to her senses.  I deeply wished that someone could be there for her.  This 'someone' came in the form of Owen - a sweet, social butterfly.  He was Maura's 'light in all the darkness', someone she could rely on and turn to.  Their romance was ADORABLE to begin with and I really hoped they would last.  I adored him so when he broke Maura's heart, he broke mine too.

6 Seconds of Life is incredibly intense.  When Maura aches, you ache too.  All her emotions are reflected on to you and there is no way you won't feel her sadness and pain.  It's also one of those meaningful books which make you think.  It makes you realise how precious life is, how you should open up to people before it's too late and that you should never ever doubt if you are worthy of life.

All in all, 6 Seconds of Life is really worth picking up if you want a more serious, depressing read to cry over.  But please only do this if you're mentally prepared for the emotional rollercoaster it will take you on.  Tonya Fitzharris is an author to look out for: she writes beautifully and sensitively which makes reading her work all the more enjoyable and I must applaud her for making such a striking entrance into the YA fiction world.

4.5 teacups for 6 Seconds of Life

*Thanks to the author for the review copy for the blog tour*

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Showcase Sunday #9

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:

Won: 

I was the lucky winner of the September prize pack for the British Book Challenge hosted by Kirsty at The Overflowing Library.  It was kindly donated by Strange Chemistry and the books they sent me look really riveting!

Pantomime by Laura Lam (ARC):  I'm feeling incredibly lucky to have received an ARC of Pantomime - I really like the sound of a circus setting and it seems really mysterious and thrilling!  And I LOVE the cover!

Shift by Kim Curran: This book caught my eye a while ago and I was intrigued by the synopsis so I am really happy to have got a chance to read this.  The idea of undoing your decisions seems really awesome but I'm eager to see how the author takes a darker turn with it.

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke: Assassins seem to be popular right now in the YA fiction world!  I probably won't be prioritising this but I'm looking forward to reading it.

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond: I'd never heard of this until it came in the post and the cover is slightly scary... maybe I'll leave this one for a summer night when it's not so dark outside...

Jen's New Books:

For Review:

Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas: Got this one for a blog tour coming up on the 8th of November! So excited to read this one.

On Dublin Street by Samantha Young: I was totally going to buy this one sooner or later, since I've heard so many superb things about it!

**Thanks to Shane, Stephanie Thomas, Entangled, Netgalley, and NAL!

Borrowed (Audio):

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga: This book. LOVE. Got it for Halloween, and guys, I didn't think I would like it but so far, it's freaking awesome.
Split by Swati Avashi: I've heard FREAKING AWESOME things about this one, so of course I want to try it!

Kindle Freebies:

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey: I've been wanting to read this one for so long! (It's not free anymore, sorry guys!)

The Deepest Cut by J.A. Templeton: This one is a horror, believe it or not. It's gotten rave reviews, and Giselle from Xpresso Reads loved it! :)

Released by Megan Duncan: That cover. Kick-butt. That is all.

Inhale by Kendall Grey: I've heard this one is super hot, so of course I have to read it ;)

Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase: Haven't heard too much about this one, but it sounded interesting and had pretty good reviews!

Wander Dust by Michelle Warren: Pretty cover! The synopsis is really unique. :)

That's it from us this week!  Don't forget to link us up to your hauls!

Happy reading,
Beverley and Jen xxx

REVIEW: Snake Beach by Lisa Glass

Name: Snake Beach

Author: Lisa Glass

Publisher: Self

Release Date: unknown

Pages: 200

Source: For review (from author)

Rating: 2.5 stars

Life is good for Jenny Grand, living in a beachside chalet on the Cornish coast, chilling out and body-boarding, until one day her ex-boyfriend Han returns to her home town of Hayle. Shortly afterwards, the town is invaded by TV modelling talent show Britain's Next Catwalk Queen, and everything begins to go wrong.
Part romance, part mystery, and part coming-of-age story, Snake Beach is a gripping novel for young adults.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Beverley's Review

I'm struggling to write this review because I really, really wanted to love this but I was left disappointed.  I was hoping for a thoroughly gripping mystery which would have me hooked from beginning to end and maybe a thrilling romance, as suggested in the blurb.

One of the main factors which must be done well in order for me to enjoy a book is the characters.  None of the characters really stood out.  I felt Jenny was a little flat and she lacked an individual personality.  She was also a little immature and occasionally outwardly rude which irked me. The love interest, Han, wasn't really special either.  To me, he was too two-dimensional and I felt he could have been developed more.  I wasn't swept off my feet by him and I didn't understand why Jenny was so smitten with him.

Talking of Han, I felt a little misled by the blurb.  Snake Beach is supposed to be 'part romance' but the romance felt quite secondary.  It wasn't exactly insta-love but what I gathered was: Jenny and Han had a 'thing' in the past, Han leaves Cornwall, comes back... BOOM! - they're 'in love' again.  There was no build up to the rekindling of their past relationship and there was no explanation as to why Jenny liked him so much.  It was all quite sudden and unexpected.

The 'part mystery' I was promised also didn't really deliver.  The build up wasn't explored deep enough and the 'truths' were revealed a little too hastily at the end.  I found myself not really caring for the plot.  In places, it just felt unrealistic and impossible which meant I wasn't hooked by the whole mystery.

My dismissal of the plot was perhaps due to the writing.  It was mediocre and not very sophisticated, unable to draw me into the book.  Perhaps, Glass was trying to develop some sort of quirky style for our Cornish protagonist, Jenny.  But it just didn't work for me and detracted from my enjoyment of the story overall.  However, I cannot deny that the ideas were both original and unique.  I don't think anyone's ever written something like it and I do wonder how Glass managed to mix everything together.

Despite the flaws, what I like most about it and what led me to accept the book for review in the first place was the setting.  It's set in Cornwall - a place which I adore - and hardly any books are set in such a quiet place so I was eager to see how Glass would throw in a mixture of misfortunes and scandal.  The coastal, beach location brought back many childhood memories and made me a little nostalgic which I was grateful for.

Overall, I had high hopes for Snake Beach and unfortunately it fell short.  It had an original focus but the characters and writing style were too mediocre to create an enticing read.  I feel that if I had read this during my pre/early teen years, I would have maybe given this 4 stars so despite being marketed as a young adult book, I believe younger teens would enjoy this far more.

2.5 Teacups for Snake Beach

*Thanks to the author for the review copy*