{November 30, 2013} {ARC Giveaway} Fugitive X by Gregg Rosenblum

Here’s another ARC Giveaway thanks to Harper Collins Punlishers, who gave this to me at NCTE! Fugitive X releases January 7, and the winner needs to be someone who promises to review the ARC by release on January 7. If that’s you, then I highly recommend you enter to win! Check out the synopsis below:

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Synopsis:

Their fight for freedom is humanity’s last hope for survival. The chilling Revolution 19 trilogy continues in Fugitive X.

A war between humans and robots is on the horizon, and only one side will survive.

Siblings Nick, Kevin, and Cass are struggling to survive in a world where deadly, sophisticated robots have turned on their creators and enslaved mankind. Fugitives from one of the bot-controlled Cities, the siblings venture into the woods, but when they are attacked by bot foot soldiers, the siblings are separated…and for the first time, they are on their own.

Created in conjunction with Alloy Entertainment; Howard Gordon, showrunner of 24 and Showtime’s Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Homeland; and James Wong, writer-director of the Final Destination films, Fugitive X is the gripping next installment in the cinematic Revolution 19 series.

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on December 15th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on December 15th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{November 30, 2013} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 73–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Amazon, with a few on Barnes and Noble. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand

Everyone is exactly like me.
There is no one like me.
The rough fabric of my cotton nightgown chafes so I lie very still. They say my discomfort comes from being built like one accustomed to niceties. How is that fair when I myself have never experienced anything but copies of the real thing?
My entire life is an imitation.
I am an Imitation.
I’ve been here five years. Training. Preparing. Waiting.
And now I have a letter.
My assignment has begun.
I am a prisoner.
I am not Raven Rogen.
I am here to die.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Charged by L.M. Moore

When ex-cop Lewis Kagen learns his childhood friend has been viciously murdered, his sheer determination to hunt down the killer has him breaking all the rules. But the FBI is more interested in confiscating what Lewis finds, rather than searching for the murderer. The only real piece of evidence doesn’t lead Lewis where he thinks it will. Instead he finds himself in the depths of the earth, where he discovers that mankind is not alone and hasn’t been for centuries.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Orbs by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

They have come for our most important resource…

THE YEAR is 2061, and the planet is dying. Cataclysmic solar storms force leaders from around the world to finally put aside their differences and agree on one thing—to jump ship. The human race is headed to Mars.

When Dr. Sophie Winston is hired by New Tech Corporation to test a Biosphere deep within the heart of Cheyenne Mountain, she believes it’s part of the mission to save the world. Their results will help prepare NTC for the three-year flight to the red planet. A flight Dr. Winston has been promised a seat on.

Just days into their six-month assignment, things start to go wrong. When the blast doors hiss open, Winton’s team finds a vastly changed world outside. Humans are gone, vanished without a trace, but they aren’t the only thing missing. The planet’s water appears gone, too.

As the team journeys deeper into Colorado Springs, they find thousands of luminous blue orbs lining the streets. It isn’t until they accidentally uncover what’s inside that they realize the nightmare that has been unleashed.

Find it on Amazon.

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The Ripple Trilogy by Cidney Swanson

Get all three books about a girl who can turn invisible, the boy she’s crushing on, and the neo-Nazi geneticists after them both. Includes bonus content: Will’s Killer Pizza Recipe and a sneak peak at Cidney Swanson’s Saving Mars series.

Book One: Rippler
When Samantha Ruiz turns invisible in front of team mates while rafting, she knows something’s wrong. According to her knowledgeable friend Will, she’s got a rare genetic disorder. Fearing a lifetime sentence as a lab-rat, Sam wants to keep her ability secret. But she also wants to know if there’s a connection between dark Nazi experiments on others like her and her own mother’s death eight years earlier. At the same time that Sam is sleuthing, she’s falling hard for Will. And soon, she’ll have to choose between keeping her secrets hidden and keeping Will safe.

Book Two: Chameleon
Sam’s troubles are growing. The crush who kissed her seems to have changed his mind. Her BFF thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. And the evil geneticist who wanted Sam dead now wants her ALIVE. When Sam learns of Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to re-establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter–their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world. But someone invisible follows her to Paris, and now Sam must figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see.

Book Three: Unfurl
Against all expectations, Sam has survived attacks by two of Helmann’s deadliest assassins. She’s alive, but she’s far from safe. Helmann is planning a second Holocaust and wants Sam to play a starring role. Will, now separated from Sam by an ocean, seeks a way to prevent Helmann’s apocalypse. Along with Sir Walter and Mickie, Will plays a deadly game sneaking into Geneses’ facilities, discovering unsettling clues as to Helmann’s plans. The clock ticks down as Will and Sam discover just how much they must be willing to sacrifice to stop Helmann. UNFURL, the powerful conclusion to The Ripple Series, will leave fans breathless.

Find it on Amazon.

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After the Ending by Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue

The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began. We may have survived the apocalypse, but the Virus changed us.

When people started getting sick, “they” thought it was just the flu. My roommate, my boyfriend, my family…they’re all gone now. I got sick too. I should have died with them-with the rest of the world-but I didn’t. I thought witnessing the human population almost disappear off the face of the earth was the craziest thing I’d ever experience. I was so wrong. My name is Dani O’Connor, I’m twenty-six-years-old, and I survived The Ending.

The Virus changed everything. The world I knew is gone, and life is backwards. We’ve all had to start over. I’ve been stripped of my home, my dreams…all that is me. I’m someone else now-broken and changed. Other survivors’ memories and emotions haunt me. They invade my mind until I can no longer separate them from my own. I won’t let them consume me. I can’t. My name is Zoe Cartwright, I’m twenty-six-years-old, and I survived The Ending.

We’ve been inseparable for most of our lives, and now our friendship is all we have left. The aftermath of the Virus has stranded us on opposite sides of the United States. Trusting strangers, making sacrifices, killing-we’ll do anything to reach one another. Fear and pain may be unavoidable, but we’re strong…we’re survivors. But to continue surviving in this unfamiliar world plagued by Crazies and strange new abilities, we have to adapt. We have to evolve.
And more than anything, we have to find each other.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Grace Lost by M. Lauryl Lewis

wenty-year-old Zoe Kate is young and naïve, and quite frankly a loner. When her lifelong friend, Adam Boggs, comes home for the summer they find themselves thrust into the middle of a zombie plague. As they flee their hometown in hopes of finding safety, they come across two other survivors, Emilie and Gus. The group of four quickly form bonds and must make difficult choices at every turn in order to stay alive. They will witness unimaginable horrors and experience unthinkable losses as life and death mix together in ways that were never meant to be. Things aren’t always as they seem when God’s Grace has been Lost to humanity.

Intended for mature audiences (language, graphic horror, and sexual content)

Find it on Amazon.

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Until the End of the World by Sarah Lyons Fleming

Cassie Forrest isn’t surprised to learn that the day she’s decided to get her life together is also the day the world ends. After all, she’s been on a self-imposed losing streak since her survivalist parents died: she’s stopped painting, broken off her engagement to Adrian and dated a real jerk. Rectifying her mistakes has to wait, however, because Cassie and her friends have just enough time to escape Brooklyn for her parents’ cabin before Bornavirus LX turns them into zombies, too.

This is difficult enough, but Cassie’s tag along ex-boyfriend and her friend’s bratty sister have a knack for making everything, even the apocalypse, more unpleasant. When the two attract a threat as deadly as the undead to their safe haven, Cassie’s forced to see how far she’ll go to protect those she loves. And it’s a lot farther than she’d anticipated. This, coupled with Adrian’s distant voice on Safe Zone Radio and, of course, the living dead, threaten to put Cassie right back into the funk she just dragged herself out of.

Survival’s great and all, especially when you have leather armor, good friends and home-brewed beer, but there’s something Cassie must do besides survive: tell Adrian she still loves him. And to do that, Cassie has to find faith that she’s stronger than she thinks, she’s still a crack shot and true love never dies.

Find it on Amazon.

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White Flag of the Dead by Joseph Talluto

White Flag of the Dead: Book 1

Millions died when the Enillo Virus swept the earth. Millions more were lost when the victims of the plague refused to stay dead, instead rising to slaughter and feed on those left alive. For survivors like John Talon and his son Jake, they are faced with a choice: Do they submit to the dead, raising the white flag of surrender? Or do they find the will to fight, to try and hang on to the last shreds or humanity?

Find it on Amazon.

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The Holiday Husband by Rebecca Tilley

After falling madly in love with a woman through the mail, Kelly Whitten sends off his last letter, a proposal, never to receive an answer. Three years later he has given up on the woman he had once planned to marry, and is moving on. The responses to his mail order bride advertisement have started rolling in, and he has chosen his bride.
A thousand miles away Clara Richmond is battling the elements to mail the letter she should have sent three years ago. Is it possible that Kelly could have waited all these years, or is it too late for their love?

Please enjoy this short historical Christmas romance.

Find it on Amazon.

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A Cowboy Christmas by Delia Latham

Layne Mabrey is on the run.

Determined to hide their Down Syndrome daughter from the world, her ex-husband wants to have six-year-old Chloe institutionalized, but Layne will go to any lengths to keep her child.

Dex Beckett immediately falls in love with both Layne and Chloe, but Layne can’t afford to get close to anyone–not even the shy, gentle cowboy next door. She and Chloe have to be ready to run at any moment.

Concerned that Chloe’s sudden creation of an imaginary friend could be used to substantiate her father’s claims, Layne is shocked when Dex offers an unbelievable opinion about the child’s invisible visitor.

But there’s more to Heart’s Haven than meets the eye. Is it possible a Christmas miracle awaits Layne and Chloe on the Heart’s Haven Angel Tree?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

{November 29, 2013} {ARC Review} Game by Anders de la Motte (Game #1)

From Goodreads: Follow the rules and everybody gets hurt . . .

One Sunday morning after a long night of partying, Henrik “HP” Pettersson, a slacker with a lot of ego and very little impulse control, finds a cell phone of an unfamiliar make on a commuter train. Through insisting and slightly uncanny messages that refer to him by name, the phone invites him to play a game. HP accepts without hesitation.

The rules are that HP must complete tasks that range from childish pranks to criminal acts, as allocated by the mysterious Game Master. HP is the perfect contender & alienated from society, devoid of morals, and desperate for fame. His completion of the assignments are filmed and uploaded onto a protected server where viewers rate the Players performances.

The Game starts out innocently enough and then becomes increasingly risky, threatening the safety of someone close to HP. He is determined to become a superstar, but when the dark and tragic secrets of his family’s past are at stake, HP must make a choice. Will he suffer the humiliation of defeat, or will the need to win push him to the limit no matter the cost?

First in a fast-paced and riveting trilogy, Game will leave you guessing. Follow the rules, and everybody gets hurt . . .

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I’m sorry to say that this novel didn’t captivate me as I’d hoped. With the beautiful cover and the intriguing synopsis, I went into this novel with high hopes. Unfortunately, I came out of it a little less than impressed. It started out really interesting, but as the story unfolded, it began to lose steam. While HP was in the game, I was highly interested in the outcome and the scenarios happening around him, but once he was out of the game, which happened all too quickly, if you ask me, everything just sort of petered out. HP became extremely petty and hard to digest. His character is quite obnoxious, and as the story mainly follows him, it became difficult for me to care because he was such an awful person.

The novel also through me for a loop as is also follows HPs sister, who is also a cop. Initially I confused myself thinking they were lovers, but then realized they were brother/sister and that there was another man involved in her life, which made more sense, but also proved to be a little less than interesting as her life somewhat droned on and I didn’t really care for her, either. Overall, this novel wasn’t exactly for me as it lacked likeable characters and lost my attention fairly quickly. I am hoping that it picks up in the second novel, which I do plan to read, and its outcome will determine if I read the third installment. Two stars.

Atria Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on December 3, 2013.

**Update: I have read all the books in this trilogy AND I really enjoyed BUZZ and BUBBLE. I suggest you try this series and see–books two and three definitely made up for book one.**

{November 29, 2013} {Review} The Lady Who Cried Murder by Lauren Carr (Mac Faraday Mystery #6)

From Goodreads: Fame comes at a price. Some pay with their privacy. Others pay with their pride. Khloe Everest paid with her life.

Determined to get her pretty face in front of the cameras, Khloe Everest fakes an abduction only to make a grand entrance in the midst of a press conference held by Spencer’s Police Chief David O’Callaghan.

Three years later, after failing to catapult her notoriety into a long-lasting celebrity, Khloe Everest returns to Spencer upon her mother’s sudden death and seemingly finds another weapon to propel herself into the spotlight. Unfortunately, someone kills her before she can make this entrance.

In Lauren Carr’s sixth Mac Faraday Mystery, Mac and his friends come up against reality stars, politicians, has-beens, and wannabes. Mac also finds himself face-to-face with an old foe from his past who had managed to escape arrest during their last encounter. Now, Mac sees that his adversary has only become more powerful, and dangerous, with the passage of time.

Intent to not let this killer escape again, Mac and his friends need to put all of their talents together to put a stop to a cold blooded lady killer.

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This story is a little bit different from the other Mac Faraday novels, or so I felt, in that we learn who the killer is fairly early on in the novel. Thus, we are swept up into a cat and mouse game in which our heroes and heroines try to stop the killer before he/she attacks again. But while the reason behind the murders seems clear enough, this is indeed where Carr springs her twist on her readers, flooring us as the truth, the whole truth, becomes known and it turns out not everything was exactly as it seemed.

Carr is a master story-teller, and her mysteries never cease to amaze and captivate me as I read. I have really come to love the Mac Farady series, and all the many characters, from Gnarly to Archie, and all those in-between; these are wonderful suspense novels full of witty banter, hilarious situations and, of course, enough mystery to enchant an audience from start to finish.

I always love with when authors cross their series, and in this novel, we have this wonderful cross over as Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates grace us with their presence, and I adore them! They add a wonderful element to the already wonderful Mac Faraday series, and if you haven’t read any of the Lovers in Crime series, then I highly suggest you do to better get to know there awesome characters.

What really stunned me about The Lady Who Cried Murder is that is stems from Carr’s own experience with a bully, and her intense look at how people interact with one another provides an extremely eye opening and intriguing read. Though it was a little different from what I’m used to with Carr’s writing, this was another great read, and I highly recommend it. Four stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{November 29, 2013} {Black Friday Extravaganza} Four $50 Giftcards Up For Grabs, a LIVE Facebook Party, and a Spotlight

It’s time for the awesomeness that is Black Friday, and the biggest names in Fiction are coming together to help YOU kick off your Holiday Shopping!

Come help us spread the word for a chance to win one of FOUR $50 Giftcards and other prizes!!!

7 PM EST will kick off the LIVE Facebook Party where you can win one of 50 books, don’t miss it!

Authors:

Lisa Collicutt
Bethany Lopez
Jennifer Lane
T.M. Franklin
Diana DeRicci
Dawna Raver
K. A. Last
Tia Bach
Rick Chiantaretto
Andrea Heltsley
CL Foster
Samantha LaFantasie
A.M. Hargrove
JD Nelson
Sharon Bayliss
Alexia Purdy
Diane J Reed
Meradeth Houston
Leigh Talbert Moore
Erica Cope
C. R. Everett
N.L.Greene
Cherie Colyer
Diane J Reed
Shannon Mayer
Katie Jennings
Raine Thomas
Julia Crane
Lizzy Ford
Tawdra Kandle
Amy Harmon
SM Reine
JM Gregoire
Heather Hildenbrand
Eliza Tilton
Peggy Martinez
Nicki Elson
Faith Sullivan
JA Huss
Alyssa Rose Ivy
Jennifer Snyder
Liz Long
Hart Johnson
Cambria Hebert
Karice Bolton
Amber Garr
S. M. Boyce
Carrie Butler
Lynn Rush

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Spotlight:

Synopsis:

Behind the Faerying Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess is hidden away.

Quinn Sinclair lives an ordinary life with her less-than-loving mother in Conifer, Colorado, clueless of her true nature. On the night of her birthday, a staggering betrayal sends her life spinning out-of-control. As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she is transported into a Magykal battle-forever changing her life.

Arik Morgaine-Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm-tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks?

New Adult. Recommended for 18 and above. Mature themes, sexual situations, and profanity.

Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Colour-Wielders-Novel-ebook/dp/B00EQLLNPK

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About the author:

Dawna Raver is an author of erotic romance and romantic urban fantasy. When she’s not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she’s a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and fawning over her dogs and husband, sometimes in that order.

She also write NA romance under D.L. Raver.

Connect with Dawna:

http://dawnaraver.com

https://twitter.com/DawnaRaver

https://www.facebook.com/DawnaRaver

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Make sure you join the Facebook party tonight so you can win titles like the one above!

{November 28, 2013} Announcing the Winner of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

The giveaway for an ARC of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner has just concluded, and I’m excited to say that the winner has been chosen via Rafflecopter.

And the winner is…

Tamara A.

A tweet has already gone out to the winner, and an email will go out later this evening! If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner using Rafflecopter.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winner… but don’t despair if you didn’t win this round!

Enter to win my other great giveaways:

Win a Recently Released Book of Your Choice: Ends December 1

Win an ARC of Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout–ENDS Dec. 8

Win an ARC of The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine–ENDS Dec. 11

{November 28, 2013} {ARC Review} Silent Echo by J.R. Rain

From Goodreads: Not much could drag Jim Booker out of a peaceful, if lonely, retirement and back to late nights, crime scenes, and chases. Jim Booker is done with detective work and would just like to enjoy a cup of coffee on a sunny day. But when an old friend shows up with a case about an old flame, Booker can’t say no.

What starts as a missing persons case soon delivers more than he bargained for, and when Booker’s own past offers clues, it’s clear that no one else can solve this mystery. But there’s a catch: Booker was given six months to live eight months ago.

Author J.R. Rain shows us that when it seems there’s nothing left to live for, there’s also nothing left to lose. His characters will take a chance on danger, doubt, even an unlikely romance—as long as they get a cup of coffee first.

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I think this novel had a lot of potential, but I was highly annoyed by the main character, which made reading it rather anticlimactic for me. Jim Booker is dying, and I do understand that, but it seemed that every other page found him talking about his impending death, and not in a way that readers are able to sympathize with him, either. Truth be told, he was a jerk to everyone around him, so he never really endeared himself to me, and in the end, I couldn’t have cared less what happened to him, which is unfortunate.

The mystery itself was well done, and it took me a while to figure out who the murderer was, though looking back I think I should have picked up on it a lot sooner than I did. In this respect, I think Rain did a good job presenting his murder mystery, and having a main character willing to take any and all chances due to their own impending death was a great idea. Overall, I was highly interested in the mystery aspect of the novel, but I really would have liked to have been able to care about the main character a little in order for this to be truly enjoyable. Two stars.

Kindle First was extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel for free, prior to its release December 1, in exchange for an honest review.

{November 27, 2013} {ARC Review} No Dawn For Men by James LePore and Carlos Davis

From Goodreads: In 1938, Nazi Germany prepares to extend its reach far beyond its borders. The key to domination lies in a secret that would make their army not only unbeatable, but un-killable.

MI-6, knowing that something potentially devastating is developing, recruits scholar and novelist John Ronald Reuel Tolkien to travel to Germany to find out what this might be, using the German popularity of his children’s novel THE HOBBIT as cover. Joining him there is MI-6 agent Ian Fleming, still years away from his own writing career but posing as a Reuters journalist. Together, Tolkien and Fleming will get to the heart of the secret and they will face a fury greater than even their prodigious imaginations considered possible.

Both an astounding work of suspense and a literary treasure trove to delight fans of either author, NO DAWN FOR MEN is a nonstop adventure.

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It took me a little while to warm up to this novel, and I’m not 100% sure why. In all honestly, I don’t feel like it’s written in any different fashion than LePore’s other novels, and I’ve always been able to jump right into those. But this time, it took me a little while to wrap my head around everything that was going on in this novel, and I actually put it aside for a few days thinking I might just not have been in the right mood. That seems to have done the trick, because when I picked it up again, I was able to glide right into the story, which is awesome, might I add, and the story flowed seamlessly together, which is what I’ve come to expect from a LePore novel.

Though it took me a little while, I really enjoyed this novel and once I was able to begin making connections between the story and The Lord of the Rings series, I was in heaven. I was a little curious about how much of the novel was based on fact and how much on fiction though, because it’s quite obvious that some is fiction, but other elements made me wonder, so I asked James LePore himself. And this is his awesome response:

“The book is a mix of the real and the fictional. Tolkien was in Berlin in 1938 to talk to a German publishing company about publishing The Hobbit in Germany. The book actually was believed by many ardent Nazis to support their ideology. He turned them down when they asked him to sign an oath saying he was not a Jew. He wrote them a famous letter which you can see here. This letter, when I first came across it, was one of the inspirations for the novel.”

“Fleming was a Reuters correspondent in the thirties covering events in pre-war Europe. There is no record of his being in Berlin in 1938 but there is a consensus among his biographers that he was doing more than reporting, likely doing political and military assessments for MI-6.”

“Tolkien was actually in the Somme offensive in WWI as a signalman, and did lose three very close friends there. Fleming’s dad, Valentine, was also in France in WWI. The meeting between the two described in the Prologue is fictional. The adventure regarding the amulet, raising the dead, etc., is wholly fictional, but gave Carlos and I a chance to have Tolkien and Fleming experience things that would one day end up in their work. For example, the scene at Gestapo headquarters where Fleming is nearly tortured is a fictional precursor of the actual scene in Casino Royale where James Bond is tortured. We believed as we wrote that both Tolkien and Fleming fans would have fun recognizing these inspiring moments.”

In all truth, I find this amazing, and the amount of research that went into LePore and Davis’ novel just floors me, because it was a lot! And being able to pick out the connections was amazing, especially for me as a fan of The Lord of the Rings. I’ll admit I’m not as familiar with Fleming’s work aside from a few of the James Bond movies I sort of watched once upon a time (never did read the books), so I didn’t make many connections with Fleming’s side of the story, but I really honed in on Tolkien, and the novel is just amazingly written. I loved the characterization, the sleuthing, the mystery, and the fear that at any moment they could be caught.

If you are a fan of Tolkien or Fleming, then I highly suggest you pick up a copy of No Dawn for Men. It’s very well written and a sequel in which Tolkien and Fleming are tracking down a secret atomic bomb formula in France in WWII is already in the works. I can’t wait. Four stars.

Story Plant has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

{November 26, 2013} {ARC Giveaway} The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Thanks to Harper Collins Punlishers, I have another ARC to give away!! The Promise of Amazing releases December 31, and the winner needs to be someone who promises to review the ARC by release on December 31. If that’s you, then I highly recommend you enter to win! Check out the synopsis below:

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Synopsis:

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who’s always done what she’s supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on December 11th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on December 11th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{November 25, 2013} {Cover Reveal} Misunderstandings by Tiffany King (A Woodfalls Girls Novel)

Misunderstandings

A Woodfalls Girls Novel By

USA Today Bestselling Author

Tiffany King

www.tiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Read my 5 Star Review of No Attachments HERE

Read my 5 Star Review of Cross Country Christmas HERE

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Synopsis:

Just when she thought things were going up…

Two years after a devastating breakup, Brittni Mitchell has moved on from Justin Avery—or so she tells herself. But when she returns to Seattle for her best friend’s engagement party, Brittni finds herself the victim of a disastrously timed elevator breakdown. She’s trapped with the last person she wants to face, and forced to recount the past she desperately wants to forget.

She’s going to have to look back…

When Brittni left her podunk hometown for a big city college experience at the University of Washington, hooking up with a guy like Justin Avery was not part of her plan. Between Justin’s attention-grabbing tattoos, cigarette smoking, and bad boy attitude Brittni quickly chalked him up as “Mr. Wrong.” But his charm was unrelenting, and Brittni’s decision to give Justin a chance quickly turned into the worst choice she ever made.

So that she might be able to move forward.

Now she’s stuck with Justin—literally—and the complicated web of misunderstandings that tied up the truth for two years is about to unravel.

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What People Are Saying About It:

“A beautifully woven story of a love that can withstand anything.”—New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams

“Funny, real, moving and passionate, Misunderstandings is a MUST-READ for New Adult contemporary romance fans.”—New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young

“Sweet and sexy! Great characters and an intriguing romance…So good!”—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple

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About Tiffany King:

USA Today Best Selling author, Tiffany King is the author of the YA titles: The Saving Angels Series, Wishing For Someday Soon, Forever Changed, Unlikely Allies, Miss Me Not and Jordyn: A Daemon Hunter Novel Book 1. She also has a New Adult title called No Attachments. 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.

She can always be found on Twitter (@AuthorTiffany), Facebook (Tiffany King), Pintrest, and her website (authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com), or you can always email her at authortiffany@yahoo.com.

“Books provide the ultimate getaway for me. A good story is a vehicle that takes you to another place, another time, or another world. I love reading the words and letting my imagination do the rest. I appreciate and respect every author who has the courage to put your work out there for the world to see.”

Don’t forget to check out all her books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Smashwords

Website: authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Twitter: -@AuthorTiffany

Facebook: Author Tiffany King

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4719619.Tiffany_King?from_search=true

{November 24, 2013} {ARC Giveaway} These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

I just got home from NCTE in Boston and, in going through my bags of books, I’ve come across an ARC of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. The funny thing is, I just started reading this on my Kindle this afternoon while waiting in the airport because I was approved for it through Netgalley. And I like what I’m reading so far, which is a great omen!

Since I already have this novel from Netgalley, I’m going to do a quickie giveaway for this ARC. The winner needs to be someone who promises to review the ARC by release on December 10. If that’s you, then I highly recommend you enter to win! Check out the synopsis below:

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Synopsis:

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on November 28th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on November 28th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{November 24, 2013} {ARC Giveaway} Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Right now, I’m in Boston for the National Conference of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the Exhibit Hall has been abuzz with nonstop frenzy as English teachers LOVE books. Especially free ones. Especially ARCs.

While I was wandering around, I stopped by the Disney Hyperion booth and guess what they had? That’s right, ARCs of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Don’t Look Back, set to release in April 2014. And they gave me one, so I now have a copy for giveaway. SQUEEEEE! Check out the synopsis below (this looks EPIC) and be sure to enter to win!

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Synopsis:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on December 8th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on December 8th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{November 23, 2013} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 72–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Amazon, with a few on Barnes and Noble as well. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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Silver Heart by Victoria Green

There comes a moment in everyone’s life when they must decide which road leads to personal happiness. For Dylan Silver, this is that moment…

For the past twenty-two-years, Dylan has been living in her parents’ carefully crafted world, always putting her own dreams on hold to play the role of a dutiful daughter.

So when her best friend coaxes her into a winter getaway to a mountain cabin, she sees it as a chance to forget about the responsibilities waiting for her at home. At least for a little while.

But then her past catches up to her–in the form of sexy snowboarder, Sawyer Carter.

Six years ago, Dylan bid goodbye to the only boy she ever truly loved. Now he’s standing right in front of her, bringing up bittersweet memories and igniting suppressed desires as he dares her to be the person she has always wanted to be.

Dylan and Sawyer’s unexpected meeting is a second chance, but will a girl who doesn’t believe in fate and taking risks be able to overcome her fears of losing control and finally embrace the life she desperately wants?

Only one thing is certain: after a week in Whistler, Dylan’s world will never be the same.

*Please note that this novel contains mature subject matter, including
strong language and sexual situations that may not be suitable for all
readers. Reader/buyer discretion is advised.*

Find it on Amazon.

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When I See You by Katherine Owen

He breaks his promise,
more than once.
He makes another.
Will she believe him?
Can he keep it?

Jordan Holloway and Brock Wainwright share a past connection and devastating loss that intricately ties them to one another. But now, both must find their way to a new and different life and discover for themselves that moving on begins with letting go, making promises, and keeping them, most of all.

Find it on Amazon.

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This Time Around by Ellie Grace

Nora Montgomery left home and heartbreak behind in South Carolina when she moved to New York City after her high school graduation. Now, four years later, she returns home and is forced to confront the past she left behind and the reckless boy who broke her heart. It’s not long before the pieces of her past begin to blur with the present and she realizes that the feelings she had for her first love never really went away. As old dreams resurface and new truths come to light, she begins to question the future she’s always planned on.

Jake Harris has spent four years regretting the night he let her get away. When she finally reappears in his life, he is determined to win her back and prove how much he’s changed. She might never forgive him for that night, but if he tells her the truth about what really happened it will shatter the world she thought she knew. If he doesn’t, he might not get a second chance. He’s already lost her once and he won’t lose her again.

They come from two different worlds that are threatening to tear them apart…can they make it this time around?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Reckless Secrets by Gina Robinson

Everyone Has a Secret

At nineteen, Ellie Martin is finally happy. Deliriously, delightfully, delectably happy. Her junior year in college, while not without some major issues, is turning out better than she ever dreamed. She’s finally found closure to a question that has bothered her for as long as she can remember. She’s even been able to put some serious distance between herself and her twisted mother. Best of all, she’s in love with the hot, handsome, and mysterious Logan Walker.

If only she could share with Logan the one thing she must keep secret. The one relationship that, if he finds out about it, will blow apart everything that brings her happiness.

Even as Ellie and Logan learn to open up to each other, even as they get closer than they’ve ever gotten to anyone else before, the reckless secrets they’re holding on to may just be the thread that unravels everything.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

** This is a New Adult Contemporary Romance intended for MATURE audiences and not for younger readers.

Riviera Benson has a talent…one she discovered by accident. She’s a painter, but canvas isn’t her medium. She creates her lovely masterpieces on walls and ceilings of million dollar homes as murals and faux finishes. Her art is in high demand now, but life wasn’t always that way. Riviera has secrets from her past she intends to keep tightly locked away…terrifying secrets that keep her awake at night…that prevent her from getting close to anyone…anyone that is, until she meets Shan.

Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes, works like a thousand demons are chasing him…because perhaps they are. His business has boomed, ever since the forest fire swept through the canyon and destroyed hundreds of million dollar homes. He demands excellence in everything…from his employees to his women. He slows down for nothing, keeping a schedule that no sane person would want. But Riviera interrupts everything, twisting his guts inside out, and wedging her way into his heart, destroying a promise he made to himself.

Will they let their pasts control their future, or will they decide to let go and allow their hearts to discover each other’s?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Ghost Hold by Ripley Patton

Olivia Black is back.

Only this time she’s not the one in need of rescue.

Samantha James, rich, popular, and an award-winning composer at age seventeen, is the next target on the CAMFers’ list. In order to convince Samantha to come with them, Olivia and Passion must pose as cousins, blend into the most affluent high school in Indianapolis, and infiltrate a mysterious cult known as The Hold.

Olivia doesn’t expect it to be easy, even with the PSS guys backing them up. But what she discovers over the course of the mission will call into question everything she ever believed about herself, her family, and especially about Marcus, the guy she is undoubtedly falling in love with.

Find it on Amazon.

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Avenging Amethyst by Kaitlyn Price

Avery and her mother have always been on the run. After her mother is murdered by something supernatural, she is left to fend for herself, alone and filled with questions. She receives a note by a stranger, giving her the opportunity to get some answers, and Avery warily accepts. She would rather face the truth than continue to be on the run.

What she discovers is nothing like she could’ve imagined. The stranger’s name is Felix, and he’s part of a race of creatures called Lovac. He tells Avery that she is a Lovac, too, and that they’re the distant descendants of the ancient vampire Nosferatu, along with two other races—the Nesmyr and Zhulik.

However, the Lovac are doomed to insanity, and nearly all of them lose their minds in their early twenties. The only way to be saved from the curse is for a Lovac to find their Dimidium, the one creature that can calm the darkness.

Nightmarish visions, kidnappings, and a lifestyle she never knew existed consume Avery’s life as she begins the search for her Dimidium and to get revenge for her mother’s death.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beyond Broken by Kristin Vayden

He was searching for hope in a world that offered him everything. With his life spiraling out of control, he sought salvation at a rehab center, never expecting to find light after admitting all the darkness he carried. The last thing he needed was to fall in love.

But sometimes we can’t choose who we love–it chooses us. And that’s what she did; she chose him, mind, body, and soul. And he was helpless in love’s grasp.

She knew his name spelled trouble, but was unable to distance her heart, until it was too late, until it already deep within his grasp. Sometimes, even when you want to help those you love, even when you have the best intentions–they have to love themselves enough to want to change.

Nobody ever said love was easy, and for them? The battle has just begun.

**Beyond Broken is a NA romance with a very strong inspirational thread. However, it is still not considered a religious or inspirational romance because of the elemental theme of drug abuse, sex, and strong language**

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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White Christmas by Cheryl Pierson

Since her divorce, busy ER nurse, Carlie Thomas, has been only too happy to spend Christmas on duty. This year, however, she’s decided to take a much-needed break. What she gets instead is an unexpected houseguest, courtesy of her Uncle Rick.

Derek Pierce, a fireman with no family, needs some special care after being injured in a fire. As Christmas approaches, Carlie discovers that she has more in common with Derek than being alone. But Derek’s wounds are more than just skin deep.

Will they spend the holidays haunted by the ghosts of the past, or could this Christmas spark a new, beautiful friendship…or even something more?

Find it on Amazon.

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Snowed Under by Jude Ryan

It’s the week before Christmas, and all through the house…

With just seven days until Christmas, Janna Myers needs a snowplough to get through the mountain of work on her desk. Not that she cares, though. This holiday season, like all the ones before it, she plans to spend curled up with her laptop, visions of pound signs dancing through her head. When a blizzard traps Janna in the country with handsome Alistair Randall, CEO of the UK’s biggest Christmas tree supplier, Janna must either embrace the holiday spirit or risk losing her PR firm’s biggest client. Can Janna muster up some Christmas cheer, or will her bah humbug attitude cost her dearly?

Find it on Amazon.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

{November 22, 2013} {ARC Review} Pawn by Aimee Carter (The Blackcoat Rebellion)

From Goodreads: YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked – surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.

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As I started this novel, I became a little bit wary as I realized that the main character, Kitty, was contemplating becoming a prostitute, a subject I don’t want to read about, ever. And I just had a really tough time understanding her choice here, especially because she had a boyfriend who wanted to marry her. As Kitty came closer and closer to her first “night,” my stomach began to twist in very uncomfortable ways, but thankfully, prostitution is not what the story is about at all. While I was ill at ease for a little while there right in the beginning of the novel, Carter pulls a complete 180 and changes direction so fast that I nearly had whiplash—in a good way. The prostitution gig was left unfulfilled and out of mind, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief and really get into the story. And this is where the story took off for me: as Kitty wakes up to herself Masked. Asked for the performance of her life, the only way to survive is to pretend to be one of the elite, and while that does sound kind of awesome, Carter aptly exposes all the evils that come with such a job. Suddenly, Kitty has lost what little control she thought she had over her life and must pretend to be the niece of the Prime Minister, a sick and twisted man set on ruling the country indefinitely. And from here, it’s one plot twist after another, and the events that unfold will leave readers glued to the pages and desperately wanting more when it’s all said and done.

Kitty Doe is a very strong female lead, and while I disagreed with her decisions in the beginning, I really liked the person she became as the novel progressed. Surrounded by a family full of deceit and lies, her life hanging by a thread, Kitty is pulled in multiple directions at once as “family” members push, cajole, and demand her obedience or resistance. Fast paces and full of life, this story is one I’d definitely love to see on the big screen, especially as there are so many characters I love to hate. Throughout it all, it was a constant guessing game as I tried to figure out who was truly evil, and who was acting out of love, and I found it just as hard to trust those around Kitty as she did, especially as the characters seemed to change allegiances daily.

Overall, this is a breath taking read that will leave readers full of emotion, yearning for more, and hoping against hope for a revolution like no other. Five stars.

Harlequin Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on November 26, 2013.

{November 21, 2013} {Review} The Unchosen Life by Danka V.

From Goodreads: One soul mate… One true love… And the fact that they are not the same person!

People believe that every soul has its other half somewhere in the world. A soul mate or so I’ve been told, and they spend a lifetime seeking that other half, hoping to find it… I don’t need to hope anymore because mine found me… And tried to take my life! Today, twenty-four years since I was born, I finally do believe that there is a true love in life and that somewhere out there, there is that other one who will, once they show up, complete your own soul. But I learned much too late that they are not the same thing! My name is Elena Wolchek and this is my story.

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I am sorry to say that this novel just wasn’t for me. From the get go, I didn’t like the main character, Elena, and her attitude towards others. I get that she’s extremely different and beyond smart, but the way she interacted with others, and her petty nature and inability to back down, apologize, or take others seriously grated on my nerves as I read. I also had a hard time with the transitions within the novel because I felt like not enough was happening to keep my interest. We meet characters only to have them banter and disappear for quite some time. They do eventually reappear, but by that time I was no longer thinking of them and it just felt a bit disjointed to me—probably because I just couldn’t get over my dislike for Elena. Overall, I personally didn’t enjoy this novel, but I feel like others may be able to overlook Elena’s personality flaws and really get into the story, because in the end, the storyline is there and it’s interesting; it just wasn’t for me. One star.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{November 20, 2013} {Review} The Hermitage House Miracle by Malcolm Ater

From Goodreads: The Hermitage House Miracle starts with a deep hook. “I’ve given you the last six years of my life, and for what? To always be running from one town to another? Never having a life of my own just so you could live?”

As Jamie lay alone in bed, not knowing his mother had just been killed while driving drunk, he was filled with disturbing thoughts. His mother’s last words to him before going out did not make sense. He was even more confused when she had added, in a drunken slur, “If I had a lick of sense I’d have let old Ernie do what he wanted!”

Why had his mother said she had given him the last six years of her life when he was twelve years old?

After being sent to live at the Hermitage House for Children, Jamie begins to have a series of strange and troubling dreams. Each dream is about a little blond-haired boy who has a little sister and a mother and a father. But the mother is not his mother who was killed in the car accident and he had never known his father. Yet his dreams are always about the same family, especially the little boy and his dog. And the father programs computers and makes games, even promising to build the boy a video game so lifelike the boy will think he’s actually inside it…

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This is a novel that seems extremely realistic and true to life, but then takes on aspects of fantasy and the paranormal, giving it an edge that can be a bit jarring should readers not be ready for it. And yet, it’s a very well written story that warms the heart as it unfolds. Jamie, now living in an orphanage, only remembers the past six years of his life, but as he begins to make friends and interact with others, a luxury he hadn’t known while his mother was alive, he begins to piece together his life through his vivid dreams and a video game that mysteriously appears in the arcade.

And as it unfolds, readers learn the truth behind Jamie’s lack of memories, behind the dog howling on the wind, and about his mother. A quick read, this novel will leave you hugging your children close as you realize Jamie’s reality and note that the bond between parent and child remains long after the line is cut. Three stars.

Acorn Book Services has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read this novel, via Netgalley.

{November 19, 2013} {Release Day Launch and Giveaway} Soar by Alyssa Rose Ivy (The Empire Chronicles)

ABOUT SOAR (The Empire Chronicles #1):

In the city that never sleeps the Chronicles continue…

Serving coffee is temporary, just like Casey’s year off from school. She’s going to come up with a plan to stay in New York City and go back to college, and that plan does not involve dating a paranormal creature—let alone two.

Running the supernatural society of New York is not as fun as it sounds, especially when you still have to answer to your ex-girlfriend’s fiancé. Toby doesn’t mean to bring Casey into the chaos of his life, but he can’t resist the girl who makes him smile when he thought no one else ever could.

Jared’s in New York checking out a security risk for his best friend, the king. He plans to return to New Orleans quickly, but not if it means losing his chance with the brunette who pretends she wants nothing to do with him.

In over her head with a bunch of winged creatures who most definitely are not angels, Casey has to figure out who to trust with her life and maybe her heart.

Read my review HERE!

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EXCERPT:

I slowly opened the door and my jaw dropped. Standing there was a shirtless guy with a body that couldn’t be real. Hard. Muscular. Perfect. That’s the way I’d describe his chest. He had abs that would make underwear models jealous. My eyes zeroed in on a few beads of sweat making a descent down his chest. When they reached his stomach, I forced my eyes up to his face.

He grinned. “So you’re why Toby isn’t getting the job done.”

“What?” I asked, forcing my eyes to stop looking at his chiseled abs.

“You’d distract me too.” He didn’t bother to hide his appraisal.

I looked down and crossed my arms. I met his eyes again and was met by an expression of humor and want that nearly melted me.

“I’m just staying here.” I felt the need to explain myself. If not for my sake or dignity, for Toby’s. I promised myself it wasn’t because I wanted this sexy guy to know I was single.

“Staying here, huh?” He smiled. “Well, you can stay at my place anytime.”

“Do you live around here?” His wider grin made me regret the words. “I’m just wondering. Not because I want to stay with you.”

“I’m from New Orleans, but I have a place here too—at least I’m borrowing it.”

“Oh. Well, Toby isn’t here.”

“You already said that.” He stepped into the apartment. “Know where he is?”

“No. I don’t.” I took a few steps back.

He matched my movements, ending up just as close to me as he was before. “No kiss goodbye this morning?”

“That would have been hard since I was in the guest room.” I put a hand on my hip. Sexy or not, I wasn’t going to let this guy get to me.

“Guest room? Likely.”

I could feel my blood boiling. How was he getting under my skin so easily? “It’s true. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get my stuff and go home.”

“Are you going to wear that?” He gestured to my outfit, and that’s when I remembered what I was sleeping in.

I willed myself not to blush, but I could practically feel the blood rushing to my face.

“I’m guessing those are the guest pajamas, huh?”

“I just borrowed them… Wait, why am I bothering to explain myself to you?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.” He took another step toward me.

“I know the kind of guy you are.”

“You do? Please, tell me. I can’t wait to hear this assessment.”

“You’re arrogant, pig headed, and you think a girl’s just going to fall to her knees if you take your shirt off…” To my credit, I was still standing. “Speaking of which, why is your shirt off?”

He smirked. “Why do you think it’s off? Since apparently you’re the expert on guys like me. I’m going to ignore the fall to their knees comment. You look cute when you blush, but it might push you over the edge.”

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

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About Alyssa Rose Ivy:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young 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.

Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyssaRoseIvy

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5047249.Alyssa_Rose_Ivyhttps://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alyssaroseivy/

Website: http://www.alyssaroseivy.com/

SOAR Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18176657-soar?ac=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy?fref=ts

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Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c187/

{November 18, 2013} {Author Ink Launch} The Indie Author Guide: A Self-Publisher’s Toolbox by Heather Hildenbrand

The big day is here!!! throws confetti dances in a dizzying circle

Phoenix: Author Ink, Heather Hildenbrand’s author consulting business, launches today!!! To mark its launch and its purpose, she am also releasing The Indie Author Guide: A Self-Publisher’s Toolbox. It’s a how-to-when-to guide that delivers MORE THAN the necessary information each aspiring author should know as they build their own publishing business and release their first book along with a specific timeline for when you should be implementing all of these tools.

I am so excited to “give back” with all of the awesome things I’ve learned throughout my journey as a self-published author. I can’t wait to share it all with you! Here’s a little about the book:

The Indie Author Guide: A Self-Publisher’s Toolbox

Whether you’re an aspiring author or have been published for a year, this guide is full of information, links, and support sites that can help increase sales and streamline your business as a self-published author. This guide is not like other self-help books on publishing. It includes very specific how-to instructions along with a timeline so you also know when to implement each item. If you’re looking for vague instructions or easy banter, this guide is NOT for you. If you need a little sarcastic humor and someone in your ear telling you to get off your butt and make your dream happen, this IS the guide for you!

What’s inside:

–An extensive list of links to editors, cover artists, formatters, and bloggers is included.

–Marketing, blog tours, release day blitzes

–Formatting, cover art and artists for hire, editors, what to ask when hiring out

–Garnering reviews, how and where to meet bloggers

–Where to find review groups, beta readers, critique partners

–Branding, blogging, and social media

–Time management, daily goals, sales strategies, what works, what doesn’t.

All of this and more is included in this hold-your-hand-style guide.

Heather Hildenbrand is the YA and NA author of more than eight novels including the bestselling Dirty Blood series. She is a co-founder of Accendo Press, a collaborative publishing effort dedicated to publishing stories that ignite the imagination, a fiction author, and the owner of Phoenix, an author consultant and coaching company that provides support and information for new and experienced self-published authors as they navigate the waters of self-publishing and marketing.

For more information on Phoenix, visit www.phoenixauthorink.com

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And as a thank-you-slash-I-am-so-excited-to-be-here gift, Heather is offering one lucky winner the chance to work one-on-one with her for ONE MONTH of encouraging, butt-kicking, accountability-induced inspiration and HELP as you get ready to publish or boost your marketing platform HUGELY. You will get phone consultations and in-depth planning sessions and at the end of the 30 days, you will feel so much better, more focused, and excited about your business!

There are also two awesome prize packs with signed books up for grabs, because, yeah, BOOKS. It’s why we’re here. I hope you’ll spread the word about Phoenix as well as The Indie Author Guide and get yo’self entered to win! Good Luck!

Rafflecopter code for AWESOME giveaway!!

Amazon buy link http://www.amazon.com/The-Indie-Author-Guide-Self-Publishers-ebook/dp/B00GQMHSH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384778961&sr=8-1&keywords=the+indie+author+guide+hildenbrand

Facebook giveaway page where rafflecopter link is embedded:

https://www.facebook.com/phoenixauthorink/app_228910107186452

{November 18, 2013} {ARC Review} Sia by Josh Grayson

From Goodreads: When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

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This is a very lighthearted and ultimately happy story, but seems to lack a bit in terms of character building and climax. It starts off extremely riveting, and watching Sia struggle to understand her identity and live with the homeless caught my attention right away—it’s interesting and there are struggles and hardships that abound. However, as Sia is reunited with her family, I felt that the story lost steam, plateauing and focusing on all Sia’s good deeds. Suddenly, there really aren’t any true threats or adversaries standing in Sia’s way as she begins to make changes in her life, and she’s an all around good girl, which is great, but not so interesting.

It is almost as if Sia has a magical touch, changing everyone and everything she comes into contact with as she turns over a new leaf, having no memory of her previous misdeeds. But the problem with this is that there is no adversary standing in her way to make it difficult. Sia wakes up not knowing who she is, she’s told about her past, revolts against it, and everything falls into place for her as she changes not only her life, but that of her family and entire school, as well. Sound a little far-fetched? Well, it is. Sia tends to have an all too easy time of it all, making up her mind to do something and everything working out; even her issues with her former best friend aren’t really hardships because Sia drops her easily since there’s no true ties between them that she can remember. Truth be told, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for everything to come crashing down and the antithesis to take over, but that never really happens. Instead, Sia accomplishes everything she sets her mind to, which in the end makes this a very happy go lucky story, but doesn’t add much in the area of real character development or hardships, which in my opinion, is what really makes a story. It seems, instead, that the biggest opposition Sia comes up against is that her newfound crush, Kyle, can’t commit to Sia’s changes as quickly as everyone else, but that’s not really much of an opposition, as far as I’m concerned, and so I thought it fell a little flat. Two and a half stars.

I received this an ARC of this novel from the author, via Netgalley, prior to its release on November 20, 2013

{November 17, 2013} {Recently Released Series} Only For You by E.L. Todd (Forever and Always #1)

E.L. Todd just released a new adult series, the Forever and Always series, and it’s getting rave reviews!!!

Check it out:

Synopsis:

When Scarlet realized Penelope was dumping Sean, her best friend, she was devastated. Penelope was the love of his life, the woman of his dreams. Scarlet knew how far her best friend was going to fall and she had to catch him. Scarlet became Sean’s rock and helped him through a very painful breakup, but her own hidden desires bubbled to the surface in the process. When they finally gave in and slept together, she thought it was the start of their new relationship. Unfortunately, Sean didn’t feel the same.

Humiliated and heartbroken, Scarlet moved across the country and found what she least expected. She rekindled her damaged relationship with her brother, who she hadn’t spoken to in a year, and her brother’s best friend was attractive and interesting. Their relationship was natural and unforced, and she was immediately drawn to him. Would she be able to get over Sean, forget about him, by sleeping with Cortland, or would that just be another repeated mistake?

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And a quick excerpt:

“What do you want to see?” she asked.

“I get to pick? You never let me pick.”

She shrugged. “Today’s your lucky day.”

“I guess I should get dumped more often.”

She smiled at me. “What do you want to see?”

“Nothing with love or that chick-flick shit.”

“Okay,” she said. “That’s fine. I don’t care what we watch.”

I laughed. “Since when?”

“Just pick,” she said, pinching my side.

“I want something with guns, explosions, and death and stuff.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are so cliché.”

“Hey,” I said. “What happened to me getting to pick?”

“I said you could pick the movie. I never said I wouldn’t make fun of you for it.” She stepped toward the ticket booth and pulled me along with her. “How about the new James Bond movie?”

I nodded. “That works.”

“And it has hot chicks in it.”

“You think I didn’t already know that?” I laughed.

She glared at me for a moment then stepped toward the window. She ordered our tickets, which I paid for, despite her protests, and then we walked inside. I didn’t like it when Scarlet paid for anything. I knew she had a mound of student loans hanging on her shoulders. My entire education was paid for by my parents but Scarlet didn’t have that luxury. I offered to help her pay back her loans, but being the stubborn woman that she was, she refused any aid I offered. My parents loved Scarlet like their own daughter. If I asked them to pay off her debt, they would do it in a heartbeat. But, of course, Scarlet would never let that happen either.

“Do you want something from the concession stand?” I asked.

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“What?”

“Is that a serious question?” she asked. “I always want something from the concession stand.”

“That’s right, I forgot. You’re a fatty.”

She smiled at me. “A hot fatty.”

I whistled. “Smokin’.”

We stood in line, and when it was our turn, I ordered. “Just a medium popcorn, please.” I opened my wallet to grab the cash when Scarlet spoke.

“And a bag of skittles, milk duds, and another medium popcorn.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded. “I thought we would share a popcorn?”

“I’m hungry.”

I laughed. Scarlet never failed to surprise me. I pulled more money from my wallet and handed it over. We grabbed our snacks and walked into the auditorium.

“I thought were going to dinner after this,” I said.

“We are.” She sat in her chair and started shoving the popcorn in her mouth. Her candy was sitting on the arm rest, ready to be devoured immediately afterwards.

“Are you starving or something?” I laughed.

She glared at me. “No. I just like to eat.”

“Apparently.”

She threw a piece of popcorn at me, and it hit me on the shoulder. “I work out.”

“Thankfully.”

She threw another piece of popcorn at me.

The movie started and I stared at the screen. I leaned back in my chair and watched the unstoppable action of the movie. It was a nice distraction from the disturbing reality of my mind. Halfway through the movie, Scarlet leaned her head on my shoulder but I didn’t mind the touch. I thought she was just being affectionate, but then I realized she was eating from my pail of popcorn because she already finished hers.

“You are unbelievable,” I whispered. I laughed quietly, trying not to disturb our neighbors.

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Synopsis:

Their fight for freedom is humanity’s last hope for survival. The chilling Revolution 19 trilogy continues in Fugitive X.

A war between humans and robots is on the horizon, and only one side will survive.

Created in conjunction with Alloy Entertainment; Howard Gordon, showrunner of 24 and Showtime’s Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Homeland; and James Wong, writer-director of the Final Destination films, Fugitive X is the gripping next installment in the cinematic Revolution 19 series.

To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on December 15th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on December 15th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

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Update: I have read all the books in this trilogy AND I really enjoyed BUZZ and BUBBLE. I suggest you try this series and see–books two and three definitely made up for book one.

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It’s time for the awesomeness that is Black Friday, and the biggest names in Fiction are coming together to help YOU kick off your Holiday Shopping!

Come help us spread the word for a chance to win one of FOUR $50 Giftcards and other prizes!!!

7 PM EST will kick off the LIVE Facebook Party where you can win one of 50 books, don’t miss it!

Authors:

Spotlight:

Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Colour-Wielders-Novel-ebook/dp/B00EQLLNPK

Make sure you join the Facebook party tonight so you can win titles like the one above!

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The giveaway for an ARC of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner has just concluded, and I’m excited to say that the winner has been chosen via Rafflecopter.

And the winner is…

Tamara A.

A tweet has already gone out to the winner, and an email will go out later this evening! If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner using Rafflecopter.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winner… but don’t despair if you didn’t win this round!

Enter to win my other great giveaways:

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Thanks to Harper Collins Punlishers, I have another ARC to give away!! The Promise of Amazing releases December 31, and the winner needs to be someone who promises to review the ARC by release on December 31. If that’s you, then I highly recommend you enter to win! Check out the synopsis below:

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Synopsis:

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on December 11th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on December 11th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

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Misunderstandings

A Woodfalls Girls Novel By

USA Today Bestselling Author

Tiffany King

Synopsis:

Just when she thought things were going up…

She’s going to have to look back…

So that she might be able to move forward.

Now she’s stuck with Justin—literally—and the complicated web of misunderstandings that tied up the truth for two years is about to unravel.

What People Are Saying About It:

“A beautifully woven story of a love that can withstand anything.”—New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams

“Funny, real, moving and passionate, Misunderstandings is a MUST-READ for New Adult contemporary romance fans.”—New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young

“Sweet and sexy! Great characters and an intriguing romance…So good!”—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack

Purchase Links:

About Tiffany King:

She can always be found on Twitter (@AuthorTiffany), Facebook (Tiffany King), Pintrest, and her website (authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com), or you can always email her at authortiffany@yahoo.com.

Don’t forget to check out all her books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Smashwords

Links:

Website: authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Twitter: -@AuthorTiffany

Facebook: Author Tiffany King

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4719619.Tiffany_King?from_search=true

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Since I already have this novel from Netgalley, I’m going to do a quickie giveaway for this ARC. The winner needs to be someone who promises to review the ARC by release on December 10. If that’s you, then I highly recommend you enter to win! Check out the synopsis below:

Synopsis:

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on November 28th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on November 28th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

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Right now, I’m in Boston for the National Conference of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the Exhibit Hall has been abuzz with nonstop frenzy as English teachers LOVE books. Especially free ones. Especially ARCs.

**Update: I have read all the books in this trilogy AND I really enjoyed BUZZ and BUBBLE. I suggest you try this series and see–books two and three definitely made up for book one.**

The big day is here!!! throws confetti dances in a dizzying circle