Saturday, August 31, 2013

Fright Fest Mega Giveaway Entries!



This is where you can enter to win the MEGA and FINAL giveaway prize on October 30th!

SIGNUP HERE!

All you have to do is make sure you enter for everyday that you've posted (or commented for those of you without blogs). Pretty easy right? I hope you all have a blast and find new scary reads this month!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

"Blood Bound" by Rachel Vincent

Series: Unbound #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback; 463 pages
Publication: August 23, 2011 by Mira
Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars

From Goodreads: By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over…


My Thoughts: As a HUGE Rachel Vincent fan, I have to say I had high expectations for this book... and I was NOT disappointed! It was fantastic! It has everything you could possibly want in an Urban Fantasy novel: Originality, Violence, Romance, and one bad ass heroine.

What I really loved though was the plot twist and mystery that Blood Bound presented. I kept trying to figure things out and each time I was thrown for a loop. That is, until everything FINALLY clicked into place. I love when that happens with a book.

If you're looking for some quality epic-ness, I highly suggest this novel!

My Rating:


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Monday, August 26, 2013

Book Blast + Giveaway: "The Silver Strand" by L.J. Clarkson!

silver strandThe Silver Strand Ever since twelve year old Isabelle Tresdon’s silver strand of hair sprouted, it’s been nothing but trouble: bleeding pink dust and sparking like a firecracker. Refusing to be known as the girl with the freaky, grandma hair, she wishes it never grew and the hair withers and tarnishes. The only problem is, the strand is Isabelle's source of magic, and she can transform particles of energy into matter. It's also her ticket into Mastermind Academy, a secret school inside the earth’s core. Five days remain before the strand drains her magic and life, forcing Isabelle to enter into a deal with two trickster Masterminds to save it. But what she doesn't count on is there is more at stake than just her life. The Silver Strand, a MG Fantasy Adventure for 9-12 year olds, is book 1 in the Mastermind Academy Series.


louisa






Author L.J. Clarkson One thing you need to know about LJ Clarkson is that she tells BIG lies. She tells everyone that she gave up her career as an Environmental Engineer and Project Manager to write full time. But that's not entirely true. Ten percent of the time she sleeps in. Fifteen percent of her day, she spends surfing the internet, researching for new books and her business. Ok, fine. Two percent is for research. But she's only admitting it so she doesn't end up like Boldrick. For eighteen point seven five percent of her day, she runs her promotional and support site for authors, called Indicated (www.indicated.com.au). The rest of her time involves writing, reading, watching movies and TV, walking her dogs and falling asleep whenever her boyfriend talks technical computer lingo. Truthfully, she hates early mornings, mondays, grammar (yuck! just ask her poor editor!), broccoli and cleaning. If you would like to drop her and line and let her know what you think of the book, she would love to hear from you. Just not before 8:30am in the morning.



  Excerpt “Did you know Isabelle has a silver, alien antenna?” Bimouth’s voice sang out over the shouts and chatter of the school bus, capturing everyone’s attention. “In science class, a magnet flew out of Mr. Higgins’ hand and stuck to her antenna. How freaky is that?” Isabelle’s back pressed against her seat. Bianca leapt up like a jack-in-a-box. Her voice came out as a hiss. “Shut your face horse mite or I’ll shut it for you.” Looked like the bus ride might end in death. Bigmouth turned to face Bianca. “What if Isabelle’s antenna, like, turns us into alien zombies?” A chorus of whispers broke out. Catching the bus was a very bad idea. Isabelle prayed again for that black hole to open up and suck her in. Better yet, she wished it would gobble up the bigmouth. Isabelle tugged on Bianca’s arm and said in a low voice, “Just cut it off.” Her friend’s eyes softened. “You sure, Boof?” “The hair’s caused nothing but trouble since it sprouted.” The little voice inside Isabelle’s mind begged her not to, but she didn’t listen. “Ok.” Something in Bianca’s school bag rattled as she riffled through it. She yanked a pair of scissors free. Isabelle’s gut clenched as her friend laid the strand between the blades. “Wait!” She suddenly felt unsure about whether to get rid of it. What if it were special and magical like Bianca had said? A magnetic hair, although cool, was hardly magical. Isabelle decided to test it. Closing her eyes, she willed her strand to turn Bigmouth into a toad. But Bigmouth’s voice still carried throughout the bus. “And in gym class, like, she bled this weird, pink dust.” “Definitely an alien,” someone nearby agreed. So much for Isabelle’s strand being magical. “Cut it,” she said, exchanging a sideways look with Bianca. Her friend squeezed the handles together. Fuchsia-colored sparks shot out and scalded Isabelle’s right cheek. The strand sizzled and hissed like a firecracker, drawing the attention of Bigmouth. She shrieked like a real girl. “Look! Isabelle’s antenna’s on fire.”  



  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/15/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Sunday Post


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and to re-cap the past week, showcase books, and talk about what is coming up in the week on our blogs!


Big News!
More authors (like Stacey Kade and Rachel Vincent) have signed up to donate SWAG for the Fight Fest Blog Hop! That means more goodies to giveaway! Make sure to sign up so you don't miss out on all these awesome prizes!


This Week on ParaDays:
Top Ten Favorite Books with a Forest Setting
Wishlist Wednesday- "Origin" by JLA
Follow Friday - New Bloggerish Things I've Learned

Bought:

Currently Listening To:


Currently Reading:



Read:


Friday, August 16, 2013

Follow Friday!


Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee.

*Don't forget to leave a comment telling me how you follow with a link to your blog so I can follow back in the same way(s)!*

Q: Share something you’ve learned about book blogging or just blogging in general in the last month.

Hmm, I have't really learned anything *new* lately, but I did stumble across this amazing thing called "Book Blasts" from Book Blasts Tours. It's fantastic because I get to learn about all these new books while at the same time getting to follow new blogs!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Wishlist Wednesday!


Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop, hosted by Pen to Paper, where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

From Goodreads: Daemon will do anything to get Katy back. After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.



All Katy can do is survive. 

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything. 

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? 

And will they even be together?




Why I Want It: Um, hello! Have you seen that cover?! And did you read the MEGA cliffhanger for Opal?! 'Nuff said.



Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books Set in the Woods/Forest!


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This is kind of a hard one! I couldn't think of very many settings to go with, but I think I have a few favorite with forest settings :)

1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Roth


2. Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

3. All the Truth that's in Me by Julie Berry

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows

5. The Walking Dead Comic

6. Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry

7. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

8. Bridge to Terabitha by Katherine Paterson


9. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

10. The Hunger Games










Sunday, August 11, 2013

Promo: "Mist" by Susan Krinard

New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard launches her first urban fantasy series

Centuries ago, all was lost in the Last Battle when the Norse gods and goddesses went to war. The elves, the giants, and the gods and goddesses themselves were all destroyed, leaving the Valkyrie Mist one of the only survivors.

Or so she thought.

When a snowy winter descends upon modern-day San Francisco in June, Mist’s quiet existence starts to feel all too familiar. In quick succession, Mist is attacked by a frost giant in a public park and runs into an elf disguised as a homeless person on the streets…and then the man Mist believed was her mortal boyfriend reveals himself to be the trickster god, Loki, alive and well after all these years.

Loki has big plans for the modern world, and he’s been hanging around Mist for access to a staff that once belonged to the great god Odin. Mist is certain of one thing: Loki must be stopped if there is to be any hope for Earth. But the fight is even bigger than she knows….

Because Loki wasn’t the only god to survive.


Author Bio: Susan Krinard has been writing paranormal romance and fantasy since 1993, when a published author friend read a short story she’d written and advised her to try writing a novel. She sold her first novel to Bantam Dell, and has since written for Bantam, Penguin, Harlequin/ Silhouette, Harper Collins, St. Martin’s Press., and Tor Books. Her output includes twenty-three novels and twelve novellas and short stories.

Susan’s love for Science Fiction and Fantasy began when her fourth grade teacher read Madeleine L’Engles’ A Wrinkle In Time to the class. She attended her first Star Trek convention at the age of 14. Since then she’s continued to read voraciously and has attended numerous local and World Science Fiction conventions. Her first major urban fantasy series is the “Midgard” series, beginning with Mist, a July 2013 release from Tor Books.

Susan and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband Serge Mailloux—whom she met because of a mutual love of the works of writer C. J. Cherryh—dogs Cagney, Nahla and Freya, and cats Agatha and Rocky. www.susankrinard.com


Why It's On My TBR List:

Superheroes! Sexy villainous Loki! Bad-ass MC! Not to mention that awesome cover! Seriously, I don't think you can go wrong with this book! How original to FINALLY have something out there with Norse mythology! I'm so excited to read this book, and I can't wait to share my review with you! Special thanks to the awesome members at Tor Publishing. Seriously, love those guys!


Saturday, August 10, 2013

"A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin (Book + Season 1 Review)

Series: A Song of Ice & Fire #1
Genre: High Fantasy
Format: Mass Market Paperback; 811 Pages
Publication: September 1996 by Bantam Books
Cover Rating: 3/5 Stars

From Goodreads: The first volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. GAME OF THRONES is now a major TV series from HBO, starring Sean Bean.

Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

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

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

My Thoughts: Like most people, I hopped on the GoT band wagon when HBO aired the series a couple of years ago. I was instantly hooked (and if I'm being honest, a little in love with Rob Stark). When the latest episode ended (The Red Wedding) I thought it was about time I stopped procrastinating and read the damn books already, because there was just NO WAY I could wait until the next season!

Usually, when books are made into movies or TV shows they end up being completely different species. Well, this just wasn't the case for GoT. HBO did a FANTASTIC job of replicating the book, pretty much word for word, scene for scene. Unfortunately, they did so good of a job, I got a little bored reading the book, but only because I knew what was coming every time I turned the page. If this had been my first time ever hearing the story, I would have devoured it.

My recommendation is, if you've seen the first season and can recall it all pretty well, I would find someone who's read the book and tell them to give you any highlights that the show may have skimmed over, then just go straight to book two (which the boyfriend assures me is a must read because it differs from the series).

Now, on to the (sort of) ****SPOILERS******

If you don't have a friend who's read it, here's one of the only highlights I would give: Ned has a sister, Lyanna, that King Robert was in love with (as on the show). But Lyanna was supposedly raped and taken by the former Prince Rhaegar Targaryan. During the previous war, Lyanna died (along with Rhaegar and all of his children). There's not a lot of background on this small story, the only thing that we really know is that Ned found his sister eventually and she made him promise something. It's eluded that she made him promise to take her back to Winterfell to be buried. HOWEVER, the boyfriend and I read up on some theories- has anyone seen this one:

L + R = J

Any guesses? I'll tell you (so now would be the time to stop reading if you don't like potential spoilers). 
Lyanna and Rhaegar MAY potentially be... Jon Snow's parents!!!! It makes sense right?! Honorable Ned doesn't seem the type to just fall prey to his lust and spawn a bastard. It just seems unlikely. However he would claim Jon to keep him alive during war, even if it would tarnish his rep. I just want to dig into these books now to find out if this is even a little true! Because I so want it to be.


All in all, I would completely recommend this book to first timers in the GoT world! It's a must read series for any of the die hard fans. 

My Rating:


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