Release Day Launch, Review and Giveaway: No Attachments by Tiffany King

No Attachments

By: Tiffany King

Pub. Date: April 30, 2013

Pages: 193

Source: ARC provided for Blog Tour

Ashton Garrison walked away from a privileged life in order to hide from the one thing she's not willing to face. She knows she left behind a trail of pain, but in the long run, her betrayal will hurt less than the truth. She now has one goal: Live life to the fullest with no regrets and no attachments. She has high hopes that a move to new surroundings will provide the escape she desires, but what Ashton doesn't count on is how fate always seems to find a way to screw up any good plan. Sometimes, when love comes knocking, the pull is too strong not to answer. Suddenly, what she thought she wanted to escape from is what Ashton now wants more than anything.

Nathan Lockton has one mission: find his target and complete the task he was hired to do—no attachments and no emotion necessary. He's done it over and over again. What he thought was a typical lost-and-found job has turned into a life examining moment as Nathan is forced to deal with something he has always ignored--his feelings. Now faced with a decision, Nathan must choose to either follow his heart or complete the job.

Love can come when you least expect it. The question is: If the odds are stacked against you, how far are you willing to go for the one you love?

No Attachments is a fantastic NA book with wonderful characters and beautiful writing. Ashton left her cushioned life to live in a small town. Nathan was hired by Ashton's father to find her. Usually Nathan does everything that he is supposed to when it comes to a job, but not this time. He felt something for Ashton right away. The two of them had an undeniable and steamy connection.

I really enjoyed both characters. I thought they were realistic and fleshed out nicely. I would have liked a little more about their pasts, but overall I was happy with what we did know. The only thing I couldn't stand was Nathan's overuse of "honey, sweets and sweetheart". I can't stand when guys say that after every sentence!

When we finally learn what Ashton's big secret was, and why she ran away from home, I couldn't believe it! So not what I was expecting at all. But I absolutely loved how Nathan handled it. I won't give any spoilers away, but I completely fell in love with him after Ashton left to take care of her *insert big secret here*. He completely broke my heart, and his speech to Ashton on the beach at the end, I completely died!

You seriously should read No Attachments. It's a good one and really is a different kind of NA story!

Author Bio:

Tiffany King is the author of The Saving Angels Series, Wishing for Someday Soon, Forever Changed, Unlikely Allies, Miss Me Not and Jordyn: A Daemon Hunter Novel book one. Writer by day and book fanatic the rest of the time, she is now pursuing her life-long dream of weaving tales for others to enjoy.

She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iphone and ipad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

Links:

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Release Day Launch and Giveaway: Wrecked by Alyssa Rose Ivy

When your past catches up, it's time to stop running.

Jake Mathews messed up yet again— but this time his misstep lands him in the hospital. He wakes up to find the girl of his dreams and the memory of having his deepest secret revealed.

Emily Taylor needs a break. She's been working double shifts as a nurse just to pay the bills while trying to heal a broken heart. The last thing she needs is to fall for a patient.

Strapped with community service and the knowledge that he's disappointed everyone in his life, Jake is determined not to let Emily slip through his fingers. Emily wants Jake, but can she really open herself up to heartache again?

Author Bio:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

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Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park

By: Rainbow Rowell

Pub. Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 325

Source: Bought

"Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR & PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

Usually, I try to stay far away from stories that everyone else loves. I hate reading books when I go in with such high expectations because then I get upset when those expectations aren't met. I still haven't read, The Fault in the Stars, for this exact reason and I think I am the only one left on the planet who hasn't. When Eleanor & Park kept popping up on so many blogs that I respect, I knew I had to put my feelings aside and just read it. I am so happy that I did. Eleanor & Park was absolutely amazing. It not only met all of those expectations, but it surpassed them as well!

The year is 1986 (one year after I was born!) and Park usually just sits by himself on the bus listening to his walkman. One day, a chubby, red haired, crazy dressed girl shows up on the bus and eventually he moves over so she can sit down. They never say anything to each other, but spend the hour on the bus (30 minutes going to school, 30 minutes coming home) reading his comic books. As time goes on Park lends Eleanor his comic books and walkman, and a friendship is born. Watching these two develop feelings for each other was wonderful to read. I felt like I was in on their sweet secret and I wanted to give them their privacy.

These two characters were fleshed out so perfectly. I felt like I knew both of them so well. They both came from completely different backgrounds and I love how Eleanor found a home in Park's family, a home that she never got with her own family.

As soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to read it again. It was just so beautifully written and really does deserve all of the praise it is receiving! I also think that the cover is one of the best covers I have ever seen! It is so simple and sweet and it really is what Eleanor & Park is all about! 

Review: The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

The Storyteller

By: Jodi Picoult

Pub. Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 480

Source: Bought

Sage Singer befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone's favorite retired teacher and Little League coach. They strike up a friendship at the bakery where Sage works. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses…and then he confesses his darkest secret - he deserves to die, because he was a Nazi SS guard. Complicating the matter? Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.

What do you do when evil lives next door? Can someone who's committed a truly heinous act ever atone for it with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And most of all - if Sage even considers his request - is it murder, or justice?

I have been a huge fan of Jodi Picoult since her first book, and her latest book, The Storyteller did not disappoint one bit. Picoult is truly one of the most talented writers out there. The amount of research she does, and the way she can incorporate that knowledge, as well at weave many different stories together, is what makes her one of the best!

At 25, Sage would rather work nights at the bakery, then out partying like other people her age. She feels guilty over her mothers death three years earlier, and has scars-both inside, and out, to prove it. When she meets 90 year old, Josef Weber, the two lonely people form a friendship. It isn't until Josef confides in her that he was once a Nazi soldier, that she begins to learn who the real Josef is. We learn how Josef the boy, became Josef, a cold-blooded Nazi soldier. The story was truly chilling. To read about his past, and see the gentle old man he became was really something that evoked many different emotions in me. We also get to read about Sage's grandmother, who was once an innocent girl in a concentration camp. If you think reading about Josef's story played with your emotions, reading Minka's story will be 100 times worse. You will feel hurt, anger, but eventually, you will feel hope.

Despite three different stories, Picoult adds one more. Leo is a Department of Justice employee who takes on Sage's case in finding out who Josef really is. At first I didn't really see the point in his POV, but he ended up bringing a lot to the story.

This story is about forgiveness. Should Josef be forgiven? That is what he ultimately wants. Should what he did over 60 years ago affect what happens to him today? Sage also needs to learn to forgive herself about what happened to her mom. She needs to realize that what happened to her could have happened to anyone and it was not her fault.

The Storyteller is a beautifully written story that will leave you with a million emotions. There is a plot twist at the very end that I saw coming, but it still left me completely shocked. If you find yourself at the bookstore, in the Jodi Picoult section, not knowing which story to read first, go with The Storyteller. You will be thinking about it for days to after. 

Review: Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Breaking Point

(Article 5 # 2)

By: Kristen Simmons

Pub. Date: February 12, 2013

Publisher: Tor Teen

Pages: 400

Source: Finished copy sent from Publisher

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?

I loved last years Article 5. I thought it was an exciting and original dystopian and I was so excited to get my hands on Breaking Point. While I didn't think it was as good as the first book, it was still a great read!

The main thing that gets me so hooked with this series is the characters. Ember and Chase are so well written that I feel what they feel, and I deal with what they are dealing with. Even the secondary characters are fleshed out perfectly! Ember and Chase have been through a lot, and have changed a lot since the first book. They don't get to spend any time alone, but there stolen moments were so sweet!

There is a lot of action in Breaking Point that definitely got my heart pumping. Every time the group went out on a raid, I was so afraid they weren't going to come back, and sadly, sometimes they didn't. The writing was extremely fast paced and there were no dull or slow moments.

There are so many twists and turns in this story. I honestly did not see many of them coming. There is a lot of buildup for the next book, and I can not wait to read it! 

Release Day Launch and Giveaway!: Suddenly Royal by Nicole Chase

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

I really enjoyed Suddenly Royal! Come back on May 1 to check out my review and a guest post from the author herself!

About the Author: 

Nichole Chase is a daydreamer. No, really, just ask any of the math teachers that had the misfortune of seeing her name appear on their class schedule. For years she has had story lines and characters begging for attention, but she resolutely pushed them aside to focus on more normal (read, boring) jobs.

Well, no longer! She is currently heeding the voices in her head and frantically writing their stories. Ms. Chase is the author of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy, Flukes, and Suddenly Royal (including several short stories).

Nichole resides in South Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, dog, tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you may find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Links: 

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Review: 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

17 & Gone

By: Nova Ren Suma

Pub. Date: March 21, 2013

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Pages: 354

Source: ARC

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common—they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And… is she next? As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel, and when a brush with death lands her in the hospital, a shocking truth emerges, changing everything.

With complexity and richness, Nova Ren Suma serves up a beautiful, visual, fresh interpretation of what it means to be lost.

17 & Gone is a really interesting concept. Every day girls go missing and Lauren can see the 17 year old girls that have disappeared. Some wanted to disappear, other were forced, but they all become pictures on a missing persons poster. Lauren doesn't know why she sees the girls, but she knows that if she can help them, then she will do anything she can to save them. Lauren becomes consumed by these girls. She eats, sleeps and breathes there stories. She pushes everyone away. She used to tell her mom everything but Lauren knows she can't tell her mom this or she will be labeled crazy.

One girl in particular, Abigail Sinclair has been missing for a few months and while everyone else is thinks she ran away, Lauren is convinced something else happened to her. She talks to Abby's grandmother and boyfriend to try to piece Abby's last day together. Between this and the clues that Abby is leaving her, she is getting closer and closer to finding out what really happened.

17 & Gone is part mystery, and part thriller. It also shows mental disease in a very real light. To be honest, I wasn't enjoying the story as much as I wanted to, but then the last 100 pages completely hooked me. It was exciting to see how it all came together. I don't want to give anything away, making this review a little harder to write, but it was interesting to see how Nova Ren Suma mixed mental illness with kidnapping, lies, and missing girls. 

This is the first book I have read by Suma. I am excited to read Imaginary Girls, which I hear is fantastic! 

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Review: Leonardo by Melissa Schroeder

Leonardo

(The Santinis # 1)

By: Melissa Schroeder

Pub. Date: May 3, 2013

Pages: 100

Source: ARC sent from author in exchange for an honest review

Leo Santini is a man who always has a plan. It is the way to live a well-ordered life. He never planned on dealing with the hardheaded physical therapist who is taking care of his friend. He definitely never planned on being so totally infatuated with her.

Maryanne Johnson doesn't have time for a romance—especially with a military man. Sure, Leo is drop dead sexy, but more than one man in a uniform had hurt her before. Unfortunately, she can't seem to resist him or his kisses. It doesn't help that the man is as sweet as he is sexy. Falling for him is easy, but she does her best to keep herself from admitting it to him.

Leo knows she wants to keep things simple but when a Santini is in love nothing will stop him from achieving his goal—even the hardheaded woman he loves.

I was so excited to learn that Melissa Schroeder, one of my favorite erotic authors was writing a novella series about four hot, Italian, military brothers. The first novella follows Leo, a military medic. While visiting his friend in the hospital he meets Maryanne. The two of them are instantly attracted to each other, though Maryanne does think that Leo is stalking her, and those scenes were hilarious!

Leo isn't the stereotypical Italian male portrayed on TV or in books, and I liked that about him. He was sweet and kind, but also stubborn and hard-headed. He loved his family and he loved his country. He was passionate about what he believes in, but he also knew how to have fun. I loved how much he cared about Maryanne.

I think my favorite character was Leo's mom. The fact that she wouldn't allow Leo and Maryanne to be alone in his childhood bedroom with the door closed was so funny! It is definitely a classic Italian mother thing to do.

I can not wait to meet Leo's other brothers, Marco and Gianni. We got to meet Vincente in this novella and I am excited to see him again. He seems like he would be a lot of fun! 

Review: Imaginable by J. Meyers

Imaginable

(Intangible # 2)

By: J. Meyers

Pub. Date: April 16, 2013

Pages: 342

Source: Sent from Author in exchange for an honest review

Twins Sera and Luke Raine’s unusual abilities are growing. Sera is healing vampires now, making them human again. And, at times, Luke can actually change the future he Sees.

But Sera’s healing has dangerous consequences, and though Luke is altering the outcome of more visions, he can’t control them yet.

Now Sera is in danger as the dark creatures of the Realm seek to use her. As Luke struggles to master his gift in order to save his sister, he discovers even more about his powers.

And what he learns just may put him in greater danger than Sera has ever been.

I loved, loved, loved last years, Intangible, so I was very excited to receive Imaginable for review. I did enjoy this story, but I enjoyed the first one a little bit more.

What I loved most about the first book was the characters, and I loved them just as much in this one. Sera and Luke are twins who have special powers. I really enjoyed the banter between these two, but you could tell underneath all that joking around that they love each other and will protect each other at all costs. I also enjoyed watching their abilities grow and develop. Both Luke and Sera have developed feelings for people who aren't quite human, one is a fey and one is a vampire. I am excited to see where these relationships will go in future books.

We also get to meet new people with all different kinds of abilities. The whole secret of these kids and what they are, and why they have abilities is also developed more. I found all of this very interesting.  We also get to see more of the realm, which I really enjoyed.

I love Jonas so much, and I was excited to hear that Meyers wrote a novel, Indomitable, which is told completely in Jonas POV. I can't wait to read it!

I would have liked more of a recap though. I spent most of the time lost and confused. Some things were recapped, but not everything. This did take a lot away from the story because I spent more time trying to figure things out then reading and enjoying what was happening. But other then that I did enjoy Imaginable  and look forward to what Meyers write next for these characters. 

Review: Resisting Her by Kendall Ryan

Resisting Her

By: Kendall Ryan

Pub. Date: April 19, 2013

Source: ARC from Author in exchange for an honest review

Agent Cole Fletcher lives for his job at the FBI, and he’s more than ready for his next assignment—raiding a cult compound and putting their leader behind bars. But he isn’t prepared for Savannah and her knock you on your ass good looks. At nineteen, she’s too old for foster care and too damaged to live on her own. With nowhere else to go, and against his better judgment Cole takes her in.

But helping her out won’t be easy. He comforts her through screaming nightmares and escaping the lingering fears of her past, but that’s the easy part. Her preference to sleep cuddled up next to his warm body, and her desire to please him in every way makes her harder and harder to resist.

I was very excited to receive a copy of Resisting Her for review from Kendall Ryan and started it right away. From the very first page I was completely hooked. One of the reasons that I loved this story so much were the characters. FBI Agent Cole Fletcher is in the process of raiding the home of a cult leader, and he ends up finding a scared young women named Savannah. Right away he feels drawn to her and wants to be able to help her as much as possible. Savannah has lived in the cult ever since her mother joined many years before. Now on her own for the first time in her life, she doesn't know what she is going to do. But Cole was the one to save her, and she trusts him.

Oh man did these two have an amazing and undeniable connection! Cole and Savannah's scenes were hot and steamy, but also very tender and sweet. Cole was everything Savannah needed. He brought her into his home, and allowed her to make it her own. He taught her to drive, bought her clothes, and allowed her to experience life for the first time in a safe environment. The best part was that he never expected anything in return. He was so loving and I definitely could not get enough of how the amazingness that is Cole!

The writing was fantastically done! I felt like I knew these characters so well. I was so invested in them and just wanted them to be happy. Both have been through so much, and they each deserved happiness. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen to them.

Ryan has easily become one of my favorite authors and I will now be reading everything she has written. I can not wait to read what she comes up with next! 

Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure

(Blood of Eden # 2)

By: Julie Kagawa

Pub. Date: April 23, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 446

Source: Netgalley

How do you face the end of eternity?  

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood   
She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence.
 
There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago-and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.
 
Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make. 

After I read The Immortal Rules last year, I knew that this series was something special. Yes, it is a vampire story. But it is so different from the other vampire stories out there. This series is unique, and The Eternity Cure was even better then I expected it to be.

Allison is on the search for her creator, Kanin, who is being held captive and tortured by the insane vampire, Sarren. Thinking she is following the right path to him, she is led straight to Jackal, her blood brother. Now the two of them are off to find their maker, but what they find on the way was totally unexpected. There is a new strand of the Red Lung virus out there. This strand is killing both vampires and humans, and it is definitely not a pleasant death.

We first met Jackal in The Immortal Rules, but I didn't really take much notice of him. However, in this installment you are forced to get to know him, and I really enjoyed what I saw. You could never figure him out, and he always kept me guessing. Kanin was also something special in this story, and I love the connection between him and Allison. Allison is still as kick ass and awesome as she was in the first book. She is still trying so hard to hold on to her humanity, and at times, she definitely struggled with that. Lastly, there is poor, sweet Zeke. That boy! I just can't get enough of how amazing and selfless he is. He is the perfect man!

I have always been a huge fan of Julie Kagawa's writing, and The Eternity Cure is no exception. The characters are written wonderfully and the story is fast paced and action packed. You would think a book that is almost 500 pages would drag on, but that never happens in her stories. The Eternity Cure ended on the worst cliffhanger in the history of cliffhangers and I am so excited to see where this story will go next!!

Thank you Harlequin Teen and Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful story early! 

Review & Giveaway: Shadow of Wrath by L.W. Patricks

Shadow of Wrath

(Sins of the 7)

By: L.W. Patricks

Pub. Date: March 13, 2013

Publisher: Strange Crow Publishing

Pages: 300

Source: ARC provided for blog tour

In the Arena, you're either a killer or a victim.

If survival meant murdering an innocent person in cold blood every week, could you do it? Are you able to stick the knife into your opponent's heart while they look at you with fear in their eyes? Life in the Arena turns everyone into sinners.

When a starving and homeless boy is kidnapped and brought to a modern-day gladiator arena, hidden deep within the abandoned city of Bimini, he is forced to fight for his life. The crude death matches are a source of enjoyment for Ryker, who resides over the Arena as its vicious master. Given the name Dog, the street boy must find a way to survive, even if it means murdering other innocent kids in combat at the expense of his humanity. With every dead body he leaves behind in the pit, the blood and the violence threatens to wake a beast inside him.

Allegra, a slave girl in the pits and a victim of Ryker's constant abuse, is his only key to salvation. She has lost everything already -- her family, her innocence, and her dignity -- while her will to live hangs on by a thin thread. Can she save Dog's humanity before she too succumbs to the horrors of the Arena? With death casting it's long shadow over everyone, how can anyone survive?

A tale about survival, tragedy, and human perseverance, SHADOW OF WRATH allows us a glimpse into the world of the Sins of the 7.

Shadow of Wrath is a chilling story about young boys who are kidnapped from their homes and forced to fight for their lives in a gladiator type arena. The only way out is through death. The boys who have survived have been there for years, being starved, abused and murdering others just to survive.

A no-named homeless boy is kidnapped and when he wakes up he is chained in a locked cell, with a name, Dog. Realizing pretty quickly the only way to survive is to kill, Dog does what he has to do, and becomes everyone favorite fighter quickly.

Allegra has been a slave in the arena for years, and does whatever she can to make the boys lives a little easier. She might not have to fight for her life, but she lives in constant fear and is abused everyday by the owner of the arena, Ryker.

Ryker is a sick, sick man. He loves to see the boys fight for their lives and does horrible things to make the fights more entertaining. For example, before a fight, he ordered the arms of both boys to be broken, just to make the fight more interesting. It was things like this that kept me thinking of this story days after I finished it.

I really enjoyed Dog and Allegra as characters. Allegra had this innocence about her, despite everything she has seen. Dog was a very interesting character. The psych major in me was so intrigued! You could tell that he was a good person, but was never given the opportunity to be good.

As disturbing as this story was, I really enjoyed it. I just wanted a happy ending for these characters and was not ready, or expecting the ending that I got! There were a lot of twists that I did not see coming either. I am interested to see where this story will go next, since it ended in a very interesting way. 

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Review: Surface by Tiffany Daune

 Surface

By: Tiffany Daune

Pub. Date: February 2013

Publisher: Noble Young Adult

Pages: 181 (pdf ARC)

Source: Blog Tour

Bound to the water bound to land, a Siren’s soul will never be safe on either side of the ocean’s surface. Hidden beneath the rolling waves lies the secret to Theia’s past and as she unveils each haunting truth, she realizes the last seventeen years of her life have been a lie. Now, drawn into a mysterious new world and with nowhere to turn, Theia must place her trust in Luc, a beautiful boy who stops her heart with each dazzling smile, but even his unearthly charm can’t hide the truth—he has secrets— dark secrets binding him to his world—an underwater world where Theia will never belong—a world determined to destroy her soul.

One night when Theia is sleeping peacefully in her bed, a young boy and girl kidnap her and when the kidnappers see that they are being followed, they drop her into the water. We don't know who they are, why they kidnapped her, or why they thought she would be safe to be dropped in the water. But I was so intrigued and could not wait to find out these answers. I thought this book was just a simple mermaid story, but that was as far from the truth as possible. It is about an ancient race of people, called the Artagasians. They live in the water, but are not merpeople. Mermaids are evil witches. These guys are peaceful. And while it is against their law to have children with humans, it does happen. Those offspring are called Sirens. They are sentenced to death if they are ever found. With Theia being a siren, a secret that has been kept from her all her life, she can survive on land, as well as under the water.

I read Surface in one sitting. I loved the mythology and I loved the different story lines that was going on. There is Theia and the Artagasian boy that saved her, Luc. Luc now has to get her back to land before anyone sees her or they will both be punished by death. Then there is Luc's older sister, Celeste who is in love with a human boy. Lastly,  there is the storyline going on about Theia's kidnappers. Turns out two groups are after her. One is to protect her, the other is to hurt her.

I am so excited to see if this story is going to have a sequel. It was so good! If it is a stand alone, I can live with how it ended, but I would love to see these characters again and have a much more concrete ending!

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1  $25 Starbucks Gift Card

1  $15 Amazon Gift Card

5  Digital Copies of Surface

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Review: Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality

By: Elizabeth Eulberg

Pub. Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Point

Pages: 272

Source: Netgalley

A hilarious new novel from Elizabeth Eulberg about taking the wall out of the wallflower so she can bloom.

Don't mess with a girl with a great personality!

Everybody loves Lexi. She's popular, smart, funny...but she's never been one of those girls, the pretty ones who get all the attention from guys. And on top of that, her seven-year-old sister, Mackenzie, is a terror in a tiara, and part of a pageant scene where she gets praised for her beauty (with the help of fake hair and tons of makeup).

Lexi's sick of it. She's sick of being the girl who hears about kisses instead of getting them. She's sick of being ignored by her longtime crush, Logan. She's sick of being taken for granted by her pageant-obsessed mom. And she's sick of having all her family's money wasted on a phony pursuit of perfection.

The time has come for Lexi to step out from the sidelines. Girls without great personalities aren't going to know what hit them. Because Lexi's going to play the beauty game - and she's in it to win it.

I am a huge, huge fan of Elizabeth Eulberg and Take a Bow was one of my favorite books that I read last year. When I saw Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality on netgalley, I was so excited to start reading it. With a title like that, how could it not be good? Revenge was a fun, quick read and it was everything that I was expecting and more!

I loved Lexi as a character. In her family, she isn't considered the pretty one, that title is reserved for her 7 year old beauty queen sister (think Toddlers & Tiaras). She is known as the girl with the great personality and she is ok with that. She is used to never being noticed, that is until one day when she decides to do a makeover. She starts to wear tighter fitting clothing, changes her hairstyles and wears make-up. Now everyone is noticing her, including some of the cutest boys in school. In an instant, Lexi's life is changed. When it comes down to it, is fake friends really worth it? The boys and girls only want to talk to her because of how she looks and Lexi isn't sure if that is the life she wants.

Even though this story is focused on teenagers, everyone can relate to it. We live in a society where looks matter above anything else. But there is so much more to a person then how they look on the outside. What matters is who they are on the inside. Revenge has a great message for teenagers, and I think it would make a fantastic book for my school book club!

Another aspect of this book is beauty pageants. There is a huge debate in this country about little girl beauty queens. Personally, I think these pageants are disgusting. Those parts in the story were really hard to read because it is something that I feel strongly against. I think we got a realistic portrayal of what happens behind the scenes, about the parents who support this, and the girls who participate in it. I felt so bad for Mackenzie. She can be such a terror, but then you realize that she is a 7 year old who is forced to act like an adult which is one of the reasons that I am so against this. Children should be children, and nothing else. These pageants force them to grow up so much quicker then they should.

I really enjoyed this story and can not wait to read Eulberg's next book!

Follow Friday!

Q: We are about to see a lot of posts & tweets about reader conventions, RT, BEA, ALA and many more are starting soon. Which one would you love to attend? Where and why?

Answer: I attended ALA last year in Dallas and it was awesome! I had so much fun, got to hang out with wonderful people, met new people, and received over 100 books! I also attended TXLA last year in Houston, and will be attending TXLA in two weeks in Fort Worth. 

I lived in NY for 25 years, a 50 minute train ride into the city and never attended BEA. When I lived there I wasn't blogging and didn't even know about it. When I eventually move back home, I can not wait to attend BEA! 

I am interested to read your answers! Please leave your link in the comment section so I can check your blog out and follow you! 

You can follow me through GFC (I will be getting RSS feed this weekend) or through email! Thanks :)