Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy











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 most 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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2940015771145_p0_v1_s260x420Fearless by Jennifer Jade Blackburn

Every girl has a story to tell, this is Eve’s. Adopted and raised by human parents in our world , Eve believes she is just an ordinary girl, but as her 18th birthday approaches, strange physical changes begin to surface. She must accept the truth and look past her borrowed human identity in order to unleash all of her supernatural abilities.

As she delves deeper into the mystery of her origins, she uncovers the horrifying details of her violent past. Everyone she loves will be pulled into her dangerous journey of self discovery. As the pieces of the puzzle come together, the blood of others is shed and she will be thrust into the middle of a war that has been raging for centuries. The hybrid princess has two lethal blood lines flowing through her veins, vampire and werewolf, but will she reject them both? Too much is at stake for her to ignore the impending decision. Which side will she choose to protect. Human, werewolf or vampire?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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2940015580471_p0_v2_s260x420Ruining Me by Nicole Reed

Eighteen year old Jay Stevenson is living a horrible nightmare.

Two years ago, she had the world in the palm of her hand, but in one moment, it was ruined. Secrets, lies, and the worst imaginable betrayal haunt her new reality. Burying her problems under a cold façade seems to be the only way to cope until it all catches up with her. Soon, she loses control of the lonely world she built around her, and the past, present, and future collide.

Three guys are there when it all comes crashing down: JT, the perfect boyfriend she never wanted to give up; Rhye, the local bad boy “rock star” who made her forget the past; and Kane, the funny and sweet tattooed bartender who wants her future.

Secrets must be kept. Choices must be made. Is it possible to move forward while still chained to the wicked vices of the past?

Recommended for readers 17+ due to sexual situations, violence and language.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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16119691Impossible by Komal Kant

Ashton Summers is on her way to becoming the most popular girl in school and nothing—or no one—is going to stand in her way. Especially not Luca Byron, her freak neighbor, with his tattoos, loud music, and distracting green eyes.

Luca Byron has three goals in life: get through high school with a low profile, make sure his garage band becomes something more than a hobby, and try to forget about his insufferable ex-best friend, Ashton, who he can’t get out of his mind.

The last thing Ashton and Luca want to do is rekindle their friendship, but when Ashton takes a tumble down the social ladder, Luca—with his new makeover—is the only one who can help her rise up again by pretending to be her boyfriend. At first, being together is unbearable and annoying, but things start to change as Ashton and Luca discover the real reasons they drifted apart seven years ago.

Now, keeping their hands off each other seems impossible.

Find it on Amazon.

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2940014946841_p0_v1_s260x420Between by Cambria Hebert

I grew up in a comfortable house with two parents and a white-picket fence. My brother, Sam, and I used to play with sticks in the backyard and pretend they were swords. There were always cookies on the table and milk in the fridge. Then, one day, things changed.

Sam changed.

Life was never the same again. Sam left. My parents abandoned him when he needed them most, and I was left to survive in a house that was merely a shell of what it used to be. Mom cried all the time and Dad expected me to fill the void my brother left behind. But mostly, all we did was pretend. We pretended that things weren’t messed up. We pretended that Sam never existed.

Until I changed, too.

Now, everything’s a mess and I’m so confused. It’s like there are two different people trapped inside one body—my body—and one of them wants out. I do things. Bad things and I don’t know how to stop. I’m not sure I want to. The only way I can be normal again is if I find Sam. He’ll know what to do.

He has too.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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17259298The Lonely by Tara Brown

The truth is subjective, to what the lonely lets in.

Emalyn Spicer has lived with the lonely for a long time. She thinks it goes back further than her memories do. She knows it goes back further than the OCD.

When she arrives at college, her OCD’s and the lonely refuse to let her have her wish to be normal. Her wish to get away from them both.

But how to you get away from something inside of you?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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13722903The Vanity Game by H.J. Hampson

For professional soccer ace Beaumont Alexander, life couldn’t be better. He’s rich and famous and living a life of A-class luxury in his Essex mansion, The Love Palace, with his beautiful pop-star girlfriend, Krystal McQueen. Idolised and envied all over the planet, he’s an international megabrand; seemingly invincible and every bit as vain as you might expect from a man who has the world at his fingertips as well as his feet.

But a celebrity party kickstarts a chain of events that turns his dream lifestyle into a waking nightmare. It begins with too many drugs and an attractive waitress, and leads to an argument with Krystal that doesn’t end well. Then a shady cartel steps in and changes his life forever.

Beaumont Alexander is about to discover that substitution is a fate worse than death.

Find it on Amazon.

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17283965Profiled by Renee Andrews

When your life begins with murder, learning who to trust can be deadly.

A killer with a twisted view of religion is counting the days, forty days and forty nights, and counting the murders, seven women every seven years. But he doesn’t realize two determined women are counting the days too, the days until they have vengeance…and the hunter becomes the hunted.

Every seven years, seven women die. All blonde, all single, all pregnant. But the intriguing profiler knows more than she reveals, and the savvy TV correspondent has seen his face. Now two women with secret pasts make one vow: to stop a killer.

Find it on Amazon.

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2940016281896_p0_v1_s260x420Demon at My Door by Michelle A. Valentine

Gothic outcast Natalie Sugarman bartered her soul for her dying mother’s life sixteen years ago to a boy demon that could stop time. Now, days before her twenty-first birthday, the lifelines on her palms are slowly vanishing, and she knows it’s just a matter of time before Satan’s little helper collects.

Natalie’s tried numerous times to kill the demon and regain control of her soul’s destiny, but she always falls short. When she decides to try and gain the element of surprise for her next attempt, Natalie seeks answers about his location from a freaky, glowing-eyed fortuneteller. Creeped out by the psychic’s methods, she bolts from the reading and misses the warning that the demon who stole her soul is always closer than she thinks.

After some strange incidents with her new boyfriend, including a hot, levitating sex session, she realizes he’s the grown-up version of her little nightmare and he’s returned to collect on their deal. Natalie must figure out how to win her soul back from the demon before her lifeline completely disappears and she becomes his forever—even if that means making a deal to damn three other souls to take her place.

*Demon At My Door is a New Adult Paranormal Romance with very mature scenes from New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author Michelle A. Valentine*

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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2940016310954_p0_v1_s260x420Revival by Jena Leigh

Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.
If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.
After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be… and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.

Find it on Amazon.

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17187819Death Series Books 1-3 by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Books one-three of the Death Series in one volume: DEATH WHISPERS, DEATH SPEAKS & DEATH SCREAMS.
Volume II coming January 2013!

Death Whispers:
Almost fifteen-year-old Caleb Hart is a Cadaver-Manipulator in the year 2025.

When teens receive a government-sanctioned pharmaceutical cocktail during school,
paranormal abilities begin manifesting… making the teens more powerful than the adults.

After Caleb discovers he has the rare, Affinity for the Dead, he must do whatever it takes to hide it from a super-secret government agency whose goal is exploitation.

Caleb seeks refuge in his new girlfriend, Jade, until he realizes that she needs as much protection from her family, as he does from the government.

Suddenly, Caleb finds that hiding his ability while protecting Jade and his friends is a full time job; can he escape the government, protect Jade and lose the bullies that are making him miserable?

110,000 app. word count

Death Speaks:
Caleb’s in high school now and thinks the chaos of last year is behind him. Unfortunately, a serial killer is on the loose and children are his victims. Caleb agrees to help the police apprehend the murderer…until the killer takes notice of Caleb and his paranormal friends.

Carson and Brett remain the bullies they always were and their posse continues to grow. How long can the two groups stay out of each others’ way before there’s a firestorm of retribution…

The Government Graysheets continue to keep tabs on Caleb’s every move while Jade’s family threatens their relationship. Can they still be together even when events threaten to tear them apart?

88,000 app. word count

Death Screams:
Caleb’s second year of high school starts off without a hitch until Jade touches the wrong clairvoyance sample that foretells a murder in her future. Will she remain safe even while assisting police officers Garcia and Gale in a race to prevent a cataclysmic death?

Sophie and Jonesy aren’t seeing things eye to eye, but when her safety is threatened by an attacker targeting Astral-Projection girls, they put their differences aside. The FDA approved depressant has begun to be administered to the teens for suppression of paranormal abilities during sleep for safety reasons. Or so they’ve been told.

Carson and Brett have escalated the violence that they perpetrate and leave Caleb no choice but to reciprocate. After saving the newest member of their group from certain abuse, Caleb knows the bull’s-eye is dead center on him. Again.

Does Caleb use the undead as a weapon of defense while his group hangs in the balance of imminent peril?

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.



It’s that time again! For no other reason than that I like giveaways… we’re onto the TWENTY-SECOND Recently Released Giveaway Goodness Giveaway!

RRGG March 2013

Many of these novels have recently released. I’ve included my reviews below to help you pick the novel you’d like to win. And honestly, there should be something here for everyone!

Interested? Of course you are! I’m offering ONE lucky winner one of these novels:

This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway from the book depository, but you need to make sure they send to your country before entering–check here.

To enter you must:

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

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

Click here to go to the Rafflecopter entry form!

This contest is open internationally and will end at 12:01am EST on April 1st. The winner will be announced later on April 1st, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!



RRGG FEBRUARY 2013My Recently Released Giveaway Goodness #21–February–has just concluded, and I’m excited to say that the winner has been chosen via Rafflecopter.

And the winner is…

Eli Yanti

Book of Choice:

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

An email will go out to Eli later today! If I don’t hear from him/her 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 SIGNED Paperback of SPARK!!!  <3 THIS BOOK! (ENDS March 7)

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Win a book of your choice: (Ends April 1, 2013)

RRGG March 2013



16248994From Goodreads: Ethan Harris never thought monsters and darkness would consume his daily thoughts, but every night the same visions repeat in his dreams. He’s careful to project a semblance of normalcy, keeping the suffocating darkness locked inside. As much as he wishes he could focus on girls, sports, and cars like other seventeen-year-olds, nothing distracts him from his own demons or shines through.

Until Nara Collins crosses his path. The blonde fascinates and intrigues him, giving him a measure of peace he’s never felt before.

When Ethan discovers there’s more to Nara than she allows others to see, that she might have a unique secret of her own, suddenly his world comes into focus.
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This is a great prequel to The Brightest Kind of Darkness series, giving readers insight into Ethan’s mind prior to meeting Nara.  I’ve absolutely adored the series so far, and I was very excited to see Michelle back track a bit, writing the story that leads up to the very first novel… giving us Ethan’s side as he struggles with his own abilities and life, and his immediate connection to Nara. This prequel is very short, but it’s very well written and I highly enjoyed it.  It’s the perfect starting point if you haven’t yet read and of the books in the series as it leads right up to the beginning chapters of The Brightest Kind of Darkness.  I highly suggest picking up this series.  It’s awesome!  Four stars.

4 stars

I purchased a copy of this novel from Amazon.



17225270From Goodreads:

Hand to hand combat training: Check Cardio and strength training: Check
Daemon hunting: Check
Anomaly: Check

Check, check, check, check…That’s all my life is. There’s nothing ordinary about me. I’m “special.” I know this because I’m reminded of it every stinking day. I can kick a Daemon’s ass with both hands tied behind my back. I can run up a mountain without breaking a sweat. Know what I can’t do? Get guys to notice me, or hang out with friends like normal people do. I can’t just be ordinary because I have an Arch Angel for a mentor who is always breathing down my neck, and a family of angelic Guides and Protectors who scrutinize every little thing I do. Just for a day I want a life where I’m no longer some anomaly, where I don’t have to feel like a lab rat.

And then I met Emrys. Okay, so my mentor and family hate him, but probably for good reason. After-all, he is a Soul Trader, and they aren’t the most trust worthy beings. But, he is sooo hot with his green eyes, leather jacket and the sexiest tattoo you’ve ever seen running down his back. And-he doesn’t treat me like a project.

I’ve got myself in quite a little quandary here. Choosing between my responsibilities and the Trader that holds my heart is something I didn’t sign up for. Torn between two different worlds, I must now decide who to trust and who to walk away from. What’s a girl to do? See what I mean? I am an anomaly. I am Jordyn.

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This wonderful spinoff novel really had me on pins and needles as I read.  It picks up a few years after the conclusion of the phenomenal Saving Angels series, and I was a complete fan girl stalker when I found out that King was working on a spinoff series!!  I absolutely adore the Saving Angels novels and couldn’t wait for this one to come out. And, I certainly wasn’t disappointed!  King has written another masterpiece, just like every other novel that came before it, and I am in absolute awe of her sheer writing abilities!

Truth be told, I wasn’t a real fan of Jordyn (the character) in the beginning… her lack of ability to follow the rules drove me a bit crazy, and her extreme cockiness and disregard for her family’s feelings really made me livid.  And yet, she’s completely and one hundred percent real.  Her thoughts and feelings, especially as the odd one out in a family of daemon killers, make complete and utter sense, and it is no wonder she falls for Emrys so quickly as he offers her a world of freedom, something she has yet to experience in her own niche with aunt and uncle.

And Emrys? He’s perfect.  If I were to have a book boyfriend, it’d definitely be him!  First of all, he has an s on the end of his name, which is something I’ve loved ever since I was in high school myself, though I very rarely meet someone with a plural name.  And second, he embodies the lovely bad boy image with his tattoos, leather jacket, and nonchalant attitude, making him my very own dream come true.  Let’s just say that he sets sparks flying as he enters the scene, and I adore him, just like Jordyn does.

Kings story flows seamlessly, taking readers along for the ride as Jordyn discovers her wants, needs, and abilities when it comes to love, daemons, and the truth about her past.  I was pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end of the novel, and I’m already dying for the next installment.  Five stars.

5 stars

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

Jordyn title

Purchase information: Amazon | Barnes and Nobel

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Enter to WIN a copy of Jordyn!!!  Enter HERE!

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Be sure to check out all blog tour stops, too!!!

10th- Holly Loves Indie *Excerpt http://www.iloveindiebooks.com

10th-12th Michelle Nicole *Party Playlist http://authormichellenicole.blogspot.com

11th Rob Zimmerman *Guest Post http://alifeamongthepages.wordpress.com

13th Marcia Woodell *Facebook Post

13th Mary Smith *Review http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com

15th Britt Reads Indie *Haniel Interview http://brittreadsindie.blogspot.com

16th Reach for the Stars *Excerpt http://reachforthebooks.blogspot.com

17th Tyhada’s Bookshelf *Snarky Excerpt http://tyhadareads.blogspot.com

18th Confessions of a Bookaholic *Snarky Lines http://www.totalbookaholic.com

19th Crazy Book Chicks *Emrys Interview http://crazybookchicks.blogspot.com

20th My Pathway to Books *Review http://tessmw.blogspot.com

21st This Writer’s World Plot Bunnies http://thiswritersworldplotbunnies.blogspot.com

22nd Books Over Boys http://www.booksoverboys.blogspot.com

23rd The Reading Fish *Excerpt http://omgitsfishy.blogspot.com

24th Still Seeking Allies *Review http://stillseekingallies.blogspot.com

25th Indie Bookshelf *Review http://theindiebookshelf.blogspot.com

26th The Autumn Review *Excerpt http://www.autumnreview.com

27th A Book Vacation *Review https://bookvacations.wordpress.com

28th Stuck in Books *Goofy Interview http://stuckinbooks.com

1st The White Unicorn*Review http://thewhiteunicornfiction.blogspot.com



15756277From Goodreads: Survive. At any cost.

10 concentration camps.

10 different places where you are starved, tortured, and worked mercilessly.

It’s something no one could imagine surviving.

But it is what Yanek Gruener has to face.

As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is at the mercy of the Nazis who have taken over. Everything he has, and everyone he loves, have been snatched brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner — his arm tattooed with the words PRISONER B-3087.

He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could have never imagined, but also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. He just barely escapes death, only to confront it again seconds later.

Can Yanek make it through the terror without losing his hope, his will — and, most of all, his sense of who he really is inside?

Based on an astonishing true story.

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This poignant story, based on the experiences of Yanek Gruener, would be the perfect starting point for MG readers just learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust.  While full of sorrow, Yanek’s story is full of hope as he faces adversity head on.  It may be hard to believe that Yanek is able to keep his head up and not wish ill on his fellow inmates as he suffers in one camp after another, slowly dehumanized, but “hard to believe” and “impossible” are two different things, and I not only find it possible, but I also highly admire Yanek, and all those who experienced this wicked time in our world’s history.  I would say that, while this isn’t a joyous story by any means, it is in fact less depressing than others I’ve read, such as Night, by Elie Wiesel, and that is why I think it’d be a great starting point for MG students.  It gives just enough information about the events of the timeframe to pique reader interest, but not to scar the still fragile minds of 6th and 7th graders through tough descriptions and imagery.  Instead, this book readies young minds for a deeper study of the topic, which they will face in high school.  The writing of this novel is easy to understand as well, another reason this would be a great choice for MG readers.  Four stars.

4 stars

Scholastic Inc. has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.



9752754From Goodreads: When the world ended, those who dwelled within the Dome were safe. Inside their glass world the Pures live on unscarred, while those outside—the Wretches—struggle to survive amidst the smoke and ash.

Believing his mother was living among the Wretches, Partridge escaped from the Dome to find her. Determined to regain control over his son, Willux, the leader of the Pures, unleashes a violent new attack on the Wretches. It’s up to Pressia Belze, a young woman with her own mysterious past, to decode a set of cryptic clues from the past to set the Wretches free.

An epic quest that sweeps readers into a world of beautiful brutality, Fuse continues the story of two people fighting to save their futures—and change the fate of the world.

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This novel is perhaps a little less disturbing than the first as readers are ready for the extreme images Baggott intricately weaves throughout her story, but it is still a jarring experience.  Pressia, with her blinking doll head fused to her hand, the Mothers, with their children fused to different areas of their bodies, El Captain, with his brother fused to his back, and Bradford, with his water birds fused to his shoulders, set the stage of this intense novel as these wretches work their hardest to survive and fight back against the violent attacks from the Pures.  Fuse is 100% mind blowing and mind boggling, and Baggott never ceases to amaze me as her imagination takes readers into a whole new world filled with death defying technology and mystery.

Perhaps what I love most about the series is the way Baggott delivers her chapters.  Each one focuses on a different character, and while all told in third person, it follows them on their own particular journey because, within 450+ pages, there are a lot of characters going off in different directions.  It’s not confusing, though.  Baggott names her chapters after the characters the chapter will follow, and then entitles it something that relates to the material, as well.  And, she always ends chapters at the climax, leaving readers dying to know what’s going to happen next for a certain character, while diving into new information about another we’ve been waiting to hear more about.  It’s a great strategy, and I really love it, though I will admit that this is a very long read.  It moves fairly quickly, but with all the fused images, and some of the procedures within the novel, I found myself slowing down a bit because it’s a lot to take in all at once.

Partridge is perhaps my favorite, and though a Pure, he is trying to do what is right.  However, his luck has run its course, and within the pages of Fuse, some terrible things happen to him that will make readers cringe.  Any time one’s freedom and ability to make choices are taken from them, it is an outrage, and watching Partridge endue what he does, without being able to do anything, is very difficult, but the fact that he keeps his head about him as much as possible made me love him all the more.  And, with the cliffhanger we are given at the end of Fuse, I am dying to see what happens next. Four stars.

4 stars

Grand Central Publishing has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read this novel, via Netgalley.



625689_431211266957370_103409265_nAaauuughhhhhhh!!!  Do you see this cover?  Do you see it?  I mean, really see it!  BEAUTIFUL!!  They say not to judge a book by it’s cover, but that’s kinda impossible not to do when you’re faced with something THIS amazing!  Seriosuly, I am drooling.  And do you know what makes it even better?  The synopsis:

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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.

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Oh. My. God.  I can’t WAIT to read it!!!  Can’t wait!  This sounds amazing, and it looks amazing, and Heather Hildenbrand wrote it, so… it’s going to be amazing.  Stay tuned, folks.  Imitation is set to release March 12, 2013.  <3



tamarasavageprinciplesnormalFrom Goodreads: King Raymond is betrothed to Princess Ada of a neighboring sphere in an arranged match not of his choosing. Travelers from a parallel world have bargained to save the future of his people and he cannot refuse their offer.

Raymond does not believe that an alliance with the savages would result in a life-altering experience. He soon finds himself overwhelmed when an entanglement of emotion and love conspiring to undermine his vow in the most unlikely place.

Rowenna, warrior female of the Band, is a much sought-after female select. When her kin agree to an offer that will unite the races of their future, they do not realize what the sacrifice will cost her.

Can the two peoples of separate societies survive the prejudicial position that has been hoisted on them? Will their sacrifice afford a future of liberty, or will heartbreak be the only consequence of their love?

*Note: upon release of THE SAVAGE PRINCIPLE (3/1/13), Vengeance will be re-numbered as book #4.

**New adult

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For those of us who have been following Queen Clara over the past few years, Blodgett has given us another great treat! Her newest release, The Savage Principle (which is being shifted to book three, placing The Savage Vengeance at book number four), steps back in time and focuses on that of Rowenna, Clara’s mother, when she was just a teenager.

Now, by this point in the series, we know Clara is the product of a union between the sphere dwellers and the Band, and we know that Clara’s father, King Raymond, loved Rowenna so much that he commissioned a painting of her within his kingdom, since he knew he’d never see her again.  And, if you’ve read The Savage Blood, then you know a whole lot more about Rowenna because we meet her in the flesh, in the present.  But… The Savage Principle takes us back, giving us an in-depth, personal look at the truth about Clara’s conception and the choices King Raymond and Rowenna had to make, and how those choices ultimately influence Queen Clara today.

But this novel doesn’t just show us the younger years of King Raymond and Rowenna… remember Queen Ada?  We also get to see her as she was during her teens, and let me just say, it’s not pretty. Rolland, Rowenna’s betrothed, is also a huge part of the story, and we come to understand just how much heartache was involved in the Zondorae brother’s attempt to play “God” within this alternate universe.

It. Is. Epic.  What I love about this series is the vast world building, amazing characterization, and fast-paced nature that leaves me always wanting more. I was especially excited to see a few characters from the Death series show up in this novel as well (they play a huge part in The Savage Vengeance, too), and I especially loved that, while a new adult novel, it’s not full of explicit sex.  In fact, this novel glosses right over the act, focusing more so on the adult themes of pregnancy, true love, and selflessness, and less on sexual acts.  I also really enjoy the way the characters speak.  Blodgett keeps the entire novel in an archaic-like prose and dialogue, and I just love it. It’s very easy to read and understand, but as you can imagine, it’s probably not so easy to write, yet Blodgett keeps her entire story in “character” with an archaic feel of it all, and, with each new Savage novel I pick up, it never ceases to amaze me. Five stars. 5 stars

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

You really MUST check out all Tamara Rose Blodgett’s books, especially as she intertwines Death and Savage together to create an epic twist!

Savage Series:

The Pearl Savage (#1)

The Savage Blood (#2)

The Savage Protector (#3)

The Savage Vengeance (#4)

Death Series:

Death Whispers (#1)

Death Speaks (#2)

Death Inception (#3)

Death Screams (#4)

Death Weeps (#5)

Unrequited Death (#6)

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Have you read Michelle Franklin’s Haanta Series books?  If not, be sure to check out Khantara: Volume 1 to see where it all began!

Khantara: Volume 1

Paper Crane Books

http://papercranebooks.com

twitter: @papercranebooks

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaperCraneBooks

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Khantara :Volume 1

Khantara is a Haanta conqueror, meant to wage war and rule over the enemy nation of Thellis, but after vanquishing Thellis and occupying a construction of a Haanta outpost, he meets Anelta, a woman enslaved by her own people bearing a brand of servitude on her neck. Khantara contrives to save her from a cruel home and bring her to the refuge his people can provide, but how can he do so successfully when the eyes of Thellis are upon him?

Release: November 16, 2012 / $2.99 (ebook) / $11.99 (print)

Epic Fantasy, Romance

Purchase at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Smashwords

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About the Author:

Michelle Franklin is a small woman of moderate consequence who writes many, many books about giants, romance, and chocolate. You can find more about Michelle over at her blog: http://thehaanta.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrsDenAsaan

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Franklin-and-the-Haanta-series/129616710425835



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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2940014987356_p0_v1_s260x420Daughter of the Goddess by Rita J. Webb

The Heart.
The God of Love seeks a bride who is pure in heart and full of life—full of soul. Instead of a woman, he finds a child with laughter in her heart. Waiting for her to grow up, he befriends her, pretending to be nothing more than a blue-eyed boy with wild, tangled hair.

The Soul.
Left on the temple doorstep, a young girl turns the lives of the priestesses upside down . . . until one summer day before her eighteenth birthday, a traveling oracle tells her she is to marry a stranger in a foreign land.

The Nightmare.
An ancient demon—half-man, half-snake—wants to destroy anything the gods love. When she was a child, he haunted her dreams, but now he stalks her across the countryside. If he catches her, he’ll devour her.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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16068950Hera, Queen of Gods by T.D. Thomas

Hera couldn’t care less what the other gods think, even when it’s about her. And it often is. Frankly, Hera couldn’t care less about anything, except doing her duty as queen – protecting order and defending the mortal world against any threats. But when the Fates go missing, Hera and a handful of other gods must temporarily become mortal to search the human world for the missing goddesses.

Hera finds that mortality begins to change her. It’s not just the loss of her divine powers. She expected that. It’s deeper somehow. It’s affecting how she thinks, how she feels, what’s important to her. And it gets much worse after she meets Justin, who defies every prejudice she once had
about mortals. At the worst possible time, and despite all her efforts, Hera’s black-and-white world starts to unravel.

Torn between who she’s becoming and who she needs to be in order to fulfill her duty, Hera must survive a horde of murderous creatures sent to exploit her new weakness. In the end, only Hera can stop a traitorous plot conceived by a secret alliance of ancient and new enemies, a plot that threatens to destroy not only the order Hera is sworn to protect, but all of existence itself.

Find it on Amazon.

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2940014835930_p0_v1_s260x420Love Sworn by Tess Williams

An enchanted castle, a self-absorbed rich boy, a painful curse, and the quiet heart of a beautiful girl…

Can a monster fall in love?

Love Sworn is a modern day retelling of the classic story, Beauty and the Beast, with a werewolf twist.

Adelle is trapped by a man, a monster, with a serious attitude problem. Her only comfort comes from the furry, scaly, and feathered household help, and her unexpected friendship with a white wolf named Max.

Dmitri is trapped by a curse and now by a girl. One way or another, he has to find freedom. 

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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17209757Recalled by Cambria Hebert

Love or Death? A simple question really. The choice seems obvious. But. What if you never knew love, what if your life was spent just trying to survive? What if you knew your fate before you were fully grown?

And then you died.
And you were given another chance. A better chance.

This new life depended upon one thing: your job. And so you agreed. You thought it would be simple. You thought it would be cut and dry.
It never is.

And now you are left holding the fate of someone else in the palm of your hand and you have to make the ultimate choice.
Love or Death?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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17202780Games of Fire by Airicka Pheonix

Sophie has enough problems in her life without Spencer turning her blood to fire, without his eyes freezing and burning her, without his hatred of her. Since his migration into the house next to hers, Sophia Valdez isn’t sure whether she wants to toss him under a bus or kiss that smirking mouth of his. But even as the temperature rises around them, leaping flames of passion, want and desire,everything either has ever known will be shattered by the lurking shadow hounding their every step, wanting revenge.

Spencer Rowth moves to the sleepy town of River Port with his mother and twelve year old sister, Suzy, to escape a deceitful father, an unfaithful girlfriend and a life crumbling much too fast for him to grapple onto only to be smacked upside the head by the last thing he wanted again. Sophie was everything he refused to want. Her temper, her wit, her laugh, her smile, the way her entire body goes up in flames under his hands are things he would rather slam a lid on and forget. Instead, he finds himself falling for the smart-mouth next door. But how long will he have before the evil chasing them catches up? How long before the very thing he never wanted becomes his only thread to sanity? And who is after them? What do they want and why do they want Spencer and Sophie dead?

Find it on Amazon.

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16150467Evren: Enter the Dragonette by Marian Tee

Sixteen-year-old Deli Winters wakes up, dying. A voice asks her if she wants help, no matter the cost, and she agrees. The next thing she knows, a monster is bathing her in fire.

She has become Evren: immortals with dragons for souls.

Deli is pretty, bubbly, and stubbornly optimistic. She’s not what anyone would think the ideal girlfriend would be for someone like Lucian Chevalier, her gorgeous, aloof, and perpetually busy savior.

But Deli is in love with him and in between dodging the traps of Sanger High’s Queen Bee and working hard at becoming an ass-kicking Evren warrior chick to avenge her parents’ murders, Deli is determined to win Lucian’s heart…whether he likes it or not.

Find it on Amazon.

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2940014554138_p0_v1_s260x420Beautiful Beast by Cindy C. Bennett

Calli is cursed by her beauty.

Though she knows it’s cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. When she hears him for the first time, her heart is wrenched by the anguish she hears in the sound.

Facing trespassing charges for her folly, Calli is forced to move into Monster House where she is to befriend the beast. Using the bribery offered by his father to gain some desperately needed money for her father, Calli accepts his terms. Horrified but trapped by her circumstance, Calli steps inside the doors of the great house to face the unknown.

Alex is cursed by his beastliness.

Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn’t prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Alex allows Calli into his inner sanctum, sharing with her the most private parts of his heart. But when he finds out the truth, will her love be enough to convince him of her true feelings, or will she lose him forever?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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2940016309941_p0_v1_s260x420Betrayals of Spring by L.P. Dover

The smell of rain vastly approaches as we are lying on the ground in a sea of flowers. They surround our bodies while the fresh Spring wind caresses our skin with its soft, gentle touch. Combined as one, we stare into each other’s eyes as we bask in the pleasure of our love and OUR land.

The Land of the Fae has flourished bringing a new beginning and a new court, the Fall Court. Five years have passed since then along with the dreaded day that Meliantha, Summer Court Princess and one of the powerful Four, was betrayed and broken-hearted by the sexy and alluring Winter Prince, Kalen. Spurned by the man she loves, Meliantha has turned and fallen into the arms of the fierce and handsome warrior, Finn, who understands she can never love him, but wants more than anything to mend her broken heart.
The Winter Solstice Ball is approaching, meaning Meliantha will have to face the Winter Prince and make it out of there with her heart intact. But what does she do when Prince Kalen acts as if nothing ever happened and seems more in love with her than ever before?

The dark sorcerer has planned his twisted game of lies and deceit well, and has enjoyed making himself a player without anyone’s knowledge. The game is almost over and the players are exactly where they are needed to be. Will Meliantha figure out his twisted game and save all the players? Or will the dark sorcerer once again obtain the power of the Four and take everything away from her…even her one true love?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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2940015238907_p0_v1_s260x420Sacrifice by Mayandree Michel

War has never been won and love has never been saved without… Sacrifice.

As the new Empress of the Ischero Empire, Cordelia fights for the safety of her divine disciples, including Victor – the only powerless demigod, from the threat of Hades’ Apolluon. While Cordelia awaits her anointment from Zeus, she finds solace in her growing relationship with Evan and believes that everything is falling into place, until the Apolluon increase their attacks on the Ischero and the mortals of Nickel City, and the elders object to the mission to search for her parents, causing division in the empire.

Just when Cordelia believes things can’t get any worse, Victor vanishes, bringing about a new threat to end her union with Evan for good, and the mortals begin to suspect that the Ischero are nothing like them at all. Due to the growing persecution from the residents of the town, Cordelia decides that relocating is the answer.

In the new city, just as the members of the empire begin to find peace, familiar faces begin to emerge and true identities are revealed. In order to guarantee her empire’s safety, Cordelia must decide between saving herself and making the ultimate sacrifice without any help from the gods.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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17226481Lark by Erica Cope

The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.

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.



10346185From Goodreads: MY KISS CAN KILL.

I used to be ordinary Samantha Day, but that’s changed. Now, after one dark kiss from a dangerous boy, I can steal someone’s soul…or their life. If I give in to the constant hunger inside me, I hurt anyone I kiss. If I don’t…I hurt myself.

Bishop is the one whose kiss I crave most, but if I kiss him, I’ll kill him. Then there’s another boy, one I can’t hurt. One whose kiss seems to miraculously quell my hunger. They’re both part of a team of angels and demons that’s joined forces in my city to fight a mysterious rising darkness, an evil that threatens everyone I know and love. I just wonder if I’ll be able to help Bishop-or if I’m just another part of the darkness he’s sworn to destroy….

NIGHTWATCHERS

When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising…

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In my review of Dark Kiss, I said I wished I had gotten to know Bishop and his brother, Kraven, a lot more.  I really liked them, and as obvious as it was that they were hiding things from Samantha, especially when it came to their past, they never spilled the beans, and that just about killed me.  Well, in this great sequel, Wicked Kiss, my wishes have been granted.  Rowan does a phenomenal job throwing in many twists and turns as the story progresses, ever so slowly divulging the truth about Bishop and Kraven’s past mortal life, explaining how one became an angel, and one a demon, and why bad blood presently sits between them.  And I loved it.  The mystery was there, the action was there, and I loved how each morsel of information changed my perception of Bishop and Kraven, changing everything I ever thought I knew about them, which was a lot of fun, especially when the truth really did come out.  Though it took the entire novel for the truth to be divulged, and it’s a bit long, it was great fun, and I enjoyed it very much.  I will say it’s one downfall, though, is it’s repetitiveness.  Events will happen that are self-explanatory, but Samantha then rehashes what was just said in case readers didn’t get it the first time.  That, for me, was a little annoying, but it certainly didn’t ruin the story.

Samantha Day is a much stronger character in this novel, and not just in terms of her half and half status.  I did not find her as wishy-washy in her decisions, and she takes charge on multiple occasions, which was nice to see, even though she still wasn’t making the best decisions.  But, if you had a soul sucking hunger deep inside you, you probably wouldn’t make the best decisions, either…

I’m excited to see where this series is going, especially as the story Rowan began with finds a resolution in this second novel, but the path has been paved for a whole new story to unfold, and I’m really looking forward to it.  Four stars.

4 stars

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



{February 21, 2013}   {Review} Tangerine by Edward Bloor

Bloor_cover.inddFrom Goodreads: Edward Bloor’s award-winning novel Tangerine grabs readers by the collar on the first page and never lets go. Tangerine, Florida—once known for its citrus groves—is now an uninhabitable quagmire of muck fires and school-swallowing sinkholes. Still, twelve-year-old Paul sees the move as a way to start anew, maybe even make a name for himself in middle school soccer—despite his father’s obsession with his high-school-age brother Erik’s future in football. Paul is visually impaired (without his Coke bottle glasses), but it’s everyone else who seems to be blind to Erik’s dangerous nature. Written as a series of Paul’s journal entries, Tangerine is a gut-wrenching coming-of-age novel about truth, memory, culture, courage, social consciousness, classism, the environment . . . and soccer. Paul is a character well worth cheering for. Underdogs of the world, unite!

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I’m sorry to say that I just could not get into this novel.  The events within it were very strange, from a sinkhole swallowing a section of a middle school to lightening striking a student, I just had difficulty with it.  I’m not saying these things don’t happen, but there were just too many strange events that happened in this novel, and the blasé attitude surrounding them didn’t really sit well with me.  It gave off a rather supernatural feel when I felt the novel was supposed to be much more serious, and so it just didn’t sit well with me.  But, it’s also written for MG and perhaps young, young adult readers, so I think that’s where it’s real appeal will lie.  While I do like to read MG on occasion, not every story is for me because I’m not a MG reader anymore, and that’s okay.  But I really think 5th-8th graders will get a kick out of this novel, and the fact that it has great morals and themes also make it a great book for any young readers out there who enjoy sports.  Unfortunately, I, personally, can only give it two stars.  But if you’ve got a MG child at home, I highly suggest picking this up for them!    2 stars

I borrowed this book from the school library.



10838776From Goodreads: Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can’t stop her–until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he’ll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

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It is a bittersweet end to a beautiful saga, but Carter’s epic conclusion of The Goddess Inheritance will leave many extremely pleased, though readers certainly won’t feel that way as the story unfolds.  True to mythic form, the gods and goddesses are pigheaded and selfish, and it shows, perhaps more than in any other novel, in this final masterpiece.  All Kate wants is to protect her baby.  All Henry wants is his family back together.  But leave it to Henry’s brothers and sisters to muddy the water, using Kate’s life and child as the leverage they need to propel Henry into a war he never wanted to fight, regardless of the danger in which it places Kate and her child.

Truth be told, I screamed throughout much of this novel.  The unfeeling nature of many of the gods and goddesses really set my teeth on edge, and I wanted some of them to die slow, painful deaths.  Anyone who is willing to endanger a child and allow a loved one to be abducted and used as a pawn to further their own gain is a despicable person, and that can be said for Walter.  I want to pummel him, rip away his eternity, and spit on his grave.  And those feelings right there are why I believe Carter to be a phenomenal writer destined for greatness.

I am not a parent.  I never plan to be, but Carter stirred extreme emotions within me when it came to Kate’s child being ripped away from her.  Kate’s inability to hold her son, or see him in the flesh, ate away at my soul, and I can only imagine what it will do to those readers who have children.  It is a very powerful, poignant story, one of love, betrayal, and ultimate sacrifice, and I am in awe of it all.  Again, the fact that Carter was able to evoke such strong emotions within me over fictional characters proves that she is, indeed, a phenomenal writer.

Add in the many twists and turns, alongside the psychopathic nature of Cronus and Calliope, and this final novel outshines all the rest in the series with its fast-paced nature.  Though both Kate and Henry must struggle to overcome the many barriers set before them, their love for one another is finally fully solidified in this novel, and the fight for family, and all of earth, begins.  Five stars.

5 stars

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

This is a series you really need to read:

The Goddess Test (#1)

The Goddess Hunt (#1.5)

Goddess Interrupted (#2)

The Goddess Legacy (#2.5)

The Goddess Inheritance (#3)

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13565676From Goodreads: Celaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . . .

This fourth fantastic e-novella gives readers an inside look at the characters who appear in the full-length novel Throne of Glass. Don’t miss out!

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This final novella, which takes place prior to the start of the first full book in the series, Throne of Glass, is absolutely wonderful.  In fact, as each of the four novellas progressed, they became better and better, delving deep into the soul of Celaena and providing readers with the background information we so desperately wanted after having read Throne of Glass.  And, if you’re a reader doing it “right,” reading them in order, then you’re not going to want to wait around at all between completing this novella and picking up Throne of Glass!  In fact, finishing these four novellas really made me want to go back and re-read Throne of Glass because they’re just that wonderful.

The Assassin and the Empire is sad novella, and, for those of us who already knew what was coming, we learn the truth behind the betrayal of Celaena, and how her beloved truly died.  It’s heartwrenching, but mesmerizing all the same, and I really think it’s the best of all the novellas.  Up until this point, we’ve learned about Celaena’s abilities, watched her train and stand up for what is right, and we’ve seen her fall in loveNow we’ve seen her betrayal, insighting much rage and fury, but also the knowledge that one day, Celaena will have her revenge.  And I can’t wait!  If you haven’t read these novellas, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord , The Assassin and the Desert, The Assassin and the Underworld, and The Assassin and the Empire, what are you waiting for?  Do it, now!!!  Then (re)read Throne of Glass.  You won’t be disappointed!!!  Five stars.

5 stars

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

 



13546173From Goodreads: When the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The mission is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer—and she doesn’t like what she finds there.

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This is a great novella following the growth of Celaena as she is once again back in her hometown, having completed her training in the desert.  What I’m noticing is that, as each novella unfolds, we are given more insight into Celaena’s life, her thoughts and feelings coming to the forefront, and we realize, more and more, that she really is just a 17 year-old girl looking for her place in life.  Yes, she is an assassin, the best around, to be sure, but she is also completely naive and innocent in life and love. I am glad to see that the romantic aspect of Celaena’s life is finally addressed in this novella, I was wondering when it would come to light, but having read Throne of Glass, I know how this will end, and it breaks my heart.  Now, I know all the key players, so it is a more heart-wrenching development than when Celaena alluded to it in the full novel, a year later, when I didn’t know the extent of her past experiences and betrayals.  Or just how pure and true her loving romance was.

Aside from love, though, Celaena’s innocence in terms of life was stolen when she made her first kill under the orders of Arobynn.  I haven’t liked the Assassin King since I first learned of him, and his actions in both The Assassin and the Pirate Lord and The Assassin and the Desert made me like him less and less.  He is a soulless dominant male ready to exploit those around him, yet his charm and taste constantly undermine Celaena’s resolve to quit his service once and for all.  It is in this novella that we finally meet the man who pulls Celaena’s strings, and I have to say, he does carry himself very well, but his motives had me on edge from the get go.  I just wish they would have set Celaena on edge as well.  This novella is full of betrayal, though it isn’t made plain right away.  Even so, I really enjoyed this novella and the depth of personality we get to see in both Sam and Celaena.  This novella, I believe, is the one that helps turn Celaena into the strong character she is in Throne of Glass, and I absolutely adored it.  Four and a half stars.

4.5 stars

I purchased this novella from the Amazon.



13419891From Goodreads: The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the desert alive.

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I liked this novella much more than The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, and I think it really has to do with the humility that Celaena begins to show throughout the pages as she is bested time and time again.  Here, in the middle of the desert, thrust far from all she knows as punishment for her disobedience to the Assassin King, Celaena begins to realize that she still has much to learn.  I felt much more connection with Celaena in this novella as she begins to really feel. She misses Sam, who we met in the first novella, and she is still sore from the beating she received for freeing the slaves.  She is lonely and friendless, but her realization that she is difficult makes her likable, and it is here that we see her make a true friend.  Celaena is slowly coming down from her high pedestal and we begin to see the human side of her, which is the side I already knew from having read Throne of Glass prior to these novellas.  And, what I’m seeing is Maas fleshing out a character that struggles with pride and haughtiness, and morphing her into a real, genuine character.  Her experiences in both this novella and the first are going to heavily impact Celaena’s life and change her for the better.

This novella is full of fun and interesting characters, and I enjoyed the many tasks set before Celaena.  I also enjoyed trying to figure out what exactly was happening alongside her.  There is a traitor in her midst, and while I figured out who it was fairly early on, I wasn’t sure of the “why” behind the betrayal, and it was very interesting to find out how everything came together.

So, if you’re like me and didn’t really care for Celaena’s character in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, and you want a fun, shorter read to fill some extra time, keep reading these novellas.  Celaena gets better, and the rollercoaster ride of emotions is worth it.  Four stars.

4 stars

I purchased this novella from Amazon.



13415554From Goodreads: A Throne of Glass novella.

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about.

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This is the very first novella in the Throne of Glass series, and to be quite honest, I can’t say whether it should be read prior to the first full novel in the series, or after.  I know it’s meant to be read first, since it came out prior to the first full novel in order to whet readers’ appetites, but I personally feel like it should be read after the first novel.

While I enjoyed the novella, I don’t think it had the same amount of spunk and characterization as Throne of Glass, which makes sense since it’s a much shorter piece and there isn’t as much time to devote to the laying out of character.  But, if I was a new reader to the series and I started with this novella, I’m not certain I’d feel enough connection to want to read on.  Hence, I suggest reading it backwards, as that’s how I read it, and I went in to this novella knowing a lot about Celaena’s personality, which was very helpful.  See, I already knew Celaena to be a truly caring individual, though haughty, whereas this novella makes her out to be a bit too conceited for my liking—though she is young and hasn’t had as many experiences to knock her down a bit.

But, anyway, this is a great read for those who want to know more about Celaena’s background prior to her capture and time in the slave mines.  Throne of Glass alludes to Celaena’s life as a great assassin before her betrayal, and this novella (along with the three that follow it, I’m sure explores her adventures prior to the first novel.  What we learn is that Celaena is a very good assassin with a great moral standing.  She feels bound to do what is right, regardless of orders, though her conceit is a bit jarring and overwhelming.  However, like I stated above, this is a short read that’s very fast paced, and I had a little difficulty connecting to Celaena and the new characters as I didn’t feel they were completely fleshed out.  As it’s only 70 pages, I understand that Maas doesn’t have the time to flesh them all out to the same degree as Throne of Glass, which is why I enjoyed reading it after I finished the first story.  Three stars.

3 stars

I purchased this novella from Amazon.



12977172I am so excited to announce that I have a SIGNED PAPERBACK of Spark, by Brigid Kemmerer, up for grabs!!!  I’ve been holding on to it for a while, but now that Valentine’s Day is over, I figured this would be the perfect time to offer up this gem!  Spark is the second book in the Elemental series, but if you haven’t read the first novel, that’s okay (BUT YOU SHOULD!!!!!!!!), because while the novels do go in order, I honestly don’t feel like you have to read the first novel to understand what’s happening in this novel, but YOU SHOULD!

But anyway, I’m in love with the Merrick brothers… and Gabe is my favorite!  Hopefully he’ll be yours too once you read this awesome YA novel!  Good luck!

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From Goodreads: Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own…

To see my 5 star review, click HERE.

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To enter my giveaway, you must:

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

-Agree to HONESTLY REVIEW the novel via a blog (if you have one), or Goodreads, or any other media format you use for book reviews

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

Click here to go to the Rafflecopter entry form!

This contest is open to USA ENTRANTS ONLY (sorry) and will end at 12:01am EST on March 7th. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on March 7th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!



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 most 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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2940015946376_p0_v1_s260x420Sunshine by Nikki Rae

18 year old Sophie Jean is pretty good at acting normal. Sure, she’s not exactly happy, but happiness is nothing compared to being like everyone else. She can pretend she’s not allergic to the sun. She can hide what her ex-boyfriend did to her. She can cover up the scars she’s made for herself. Ignore anything. Forget anything. Then Myles enters her life, and he has more than a few secrets of his own. When accident after accident keeps happening to Sophie, she can’t help noticing that he’s everywhere. That he knows too much. That she’s remembering too much.

It’s one thing covering up her own dark past, but does she really need to worry about people finding out just how much Myles likes her? Or that despite how much she doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes, she kind of likes him back? Not to mention the fact that she now has to conceal that Myles drinks blood-that he says he’s about four hundred years old.
She almost forgot about that part.

But Sophie has no plans to ruin the normal life she has created for herself. She can deal with this little glitch, no problem. Even if word has gotten around to the wrong vampire about Sophie and Myles, even if she’s putting the few people she loves at risk. Suddenly, those who were monsters before are just people, and the monsters? They’re real. Now being a normal human being is the least of her problems. Now she has to stay alive.

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2940016192550_p0_v1_s260x420Ashes and Ice by Rochelle Maya Callen

She is desperate to remember.
He is aching to forget.
Together, they are not broken.
But together, one may not survive.

​Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands.

Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn’t offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough.

LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice.

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17281628Rae of Hope by W.J. May

How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth of the past?

Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan has never questioned her family’s history.  That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England.  Guilder is a very unique, gifted school. 

Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her.  She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become marked with a unique tattoo (tatù) on their sixteenth birthday.  The tatù enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their marking. 

Both her parents were marked though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young and never told her.  Learning about her family’s past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope for her own life.

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16106691Primitive Instincts by Lauree Waldrop

It was no secret that Valyn was adopted. She had always known and it didn’t bother her. She was happy and had two loving parents. Where she came from didn’t matter. When a mysterious man saves her from a vicious attack and claims to be a friend of her parents, everything changes. Her parents tell her that she is not only a werewolf but a werewolf with royal blood. To top it off, her uncle wants her dead. The mystery man, Barett, offers his help and soon she is on the run with the gorgeous werewolf. She can come to grips with her true nature but she’s got other problems. Everyone tells her that her uncle needs to die and she is the only one with the power to kill him. She struggles with the idea of murder as her feelings for Barett come to the surface. They are up against the most powerful man of their kind. Can Valyn find it in herself to be a killer? This young adult paranormal romance is intended for a mature teen audience due to mild cursing, sensuality and strong violence.

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2940013859616_p0_v2_s260x420Wait For Me by Elisabeth Naughton

A woman without a past…

After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.

A man desperate for a reason to live…

Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.

Two lives about to converge.

As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach.

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2940015974355_p0_v1_s260x420Lost to You by A.L. Jackson

“People come into our lives. Some stay, and many go. Some build us up, while most tear us down. They become our friends, our enemies, our lovers, our tormentors.

Christian Davison came into mine, and I knew I’d never be the same.”

To Elizabeth Ayers, New York City had always been a dream. She’s worked her entire young life to make it here. Groomed to one day take over his father’s law firm, attending Columbia University was Christian Davison’s only option. Neither wanted anything more until they sat across from each other at a café table after being paired as study partners.
Christian wants her, but Elizabeth knows better than to give into their intense attraction. Yet there is little she can do to stay away.

Lost to You, the prequel to the bestselling romance, Take This Regret. A New Adult novella, recommended for readers 17+. It’s unnecessary to have read Take This Regret to enjoy Lost to You.

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9781612186177_p0_v1_s260x420Secrets to Die For by L.J. Sellers

When young social worker Raina Hughes arrives at a ramshackle trailer outside of town, she’s on a mission to protect a small boy from abusive parents. But when Detective Wade Jackson arrives at the same location hours later, his mission is far grimmer: investigating Raina’s murder.

The victim’s vicious death is a shocking event for laid-back Eugene, Oregon—and even more chilling when one of Jackson’s fellow officers suspects an elusive rapist whose appetite is turning murderous. Jackson thinks he’s got a tight case against the meth-head dad who menaced Raina, but the evidence seems to leave his suspect in the clear—and a homicidal sex offender still on the loose. What Jackson fears is that his new love affair with nurse Kera Kollmorgan may be knocking him off his game. And what he never expects is to find an ally in savvy reporter Sophie Speranza, who may have stumbled on the killer’s shocking motive. But even as Jackson and Sophie team up to tighten the noose, their quarry zeroes in on his next victim—ready to take his twisted game to the next level.

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2940015886696_p0_v2_s260x420Brothers and Bones by James Hankins

Charlie Beckham is a rising star among federal prosecutors until, on the morning of the most important court day of his career, a deranged homeless man turns Charlie’s life upside with a single word. He calls Charlie by a secret nickname known by only one other person in the world—Charlie’s brother Jake, who went missing thirteen years ago. Could the homeless man have information about Jake’s whereabouts after all these years? Is it possible that the long-haired, bearded vagrant actually is Jake? Charlie has a hundred questions but the homeless man disappears before Charlie can ask a single one.

So begins Charlie’s search for answers, and for his brother, a search that leads him down Boston’s darkest streets, into its blackest alleys, and, finally, into its criminal underworld. But if Charlie wants answers he’ll have to get them from some of the most feared and ruthless people in the city.

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2940016115313_p0_v1_s260x420Kill Jill by John Locke

Young, beautiful, thirty-year-old Emma Wilson arrives by taxi in a small tourist town at 7:55 a.m. Her clothes are filthy, her appearance disheveled. She has no purse, no wallet, no luggage, but her back pocket is stuffed with hundred dollar bills. She’s also carrying a credit card belonging to Jack Russell, the town’s most eligible bachelor, who hasn’t been seen for a month.

Claiming to be Jack’s fiance’, Emma immediately moves into his expensive lake house. The local sheriff gets a bad feeling that only turns worse when he discovers Emma’s ID belongs to a dead woman.

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9781908603944_p0_v2_s260x420In the Blood by Steve Robinson

Family history was never supposed to be like this…

When American genealogist, Jefferson Tayte, accepted his latest assignment, he had no idea it might kill him. But while murder was never part of the curriculum, he is kidding himself if he thinks he can walk away from this one.

Driven by the all-consuming irony of being a genealogist who doesn’t know who his own parents are, Tayte soon finds that the assignment shares a stark similarity to his own struggle. Someone has gone to great lengths to erase an entire family bloodline from recorded history and he’s not going home until he’s found out why. After all, if he’s not good enough to find this family, how can he ever expect to be good enough to someday find his own?

Set in Cornwall, England, past and present, Tayte’s research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark family secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and they will stop at nothing to find them.

Find it on Amazon.

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