Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts

Friday, April 13, 2012

Blog Tour: EMBRACE by Cherie Colyer + Giveaway

Welcome to the the Embrace by Cherie Colyer Blog Tour hosted by YA Bound. The tour runs from April 9th - 21st. Be sure to check out all the stops for reviews, interviews, giveaways, etc.

Embrace
Author: Cherie Colyer
Publisher: Omnific
Publish Date: December 2011
Genre: YA Supernatural romance
Source: Omnific Publishing for honest review

How far would you go to save the people you love?

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.

My Thoughts:

When I first began reading Embrace, I had no idea what the supernatural element was going to be, which intrigued me. It was like discovering witchcraft right along with Madison.  Embrace is full of dangerous enemies, heart-clenching romance, and deadly consequences. And as soon as I was on that beach with Madison and met Isaac, I felt the zap! The story was enthralling, and the thrilling and mysterious and, yes, shocking (literally!) Isaac Addingtion is non-stop hotness. With each new turn of events, I found myself more and more invested in what was happening with the characters. Curses, magic, love, desire, hate, and intensity were on every page.  I could relate to Madison and her fear of change and losing those she cares about. Her character and attitude were very believable, and her relationships with her friends and family were well written. I felt her triumphs and her failures and even her awkwardness. I did feel that, with her fear of change, she accepted the cause for Kaylee’s illness a little too easily, but it didn’t really bother me too much. The twists and turns and near constant revelations about the characters kept the story interesting, and the reveal of the villain was a surprise.

Overall, Embrace was a fun read with a good story and an interesting supernatural element. I’d definitely recommend it to those who enjoy a good supernatural romance.
Buy the book:
Amazon: Kindle
Amazon: Paperback

Embrace, a teen novel: Website

Find Cherie Online:
Twitter
Facebook
Blog

Now, we have a treat for you today! You could win an E-book of Embrace! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of the page. But there's more, want a chance to win the Grand Prize? Just click on the picture below.

Blog Tour Schedule:
adiaryofabookaddict.blogspot.com/ : April 9 – Review*
winterhavenbooks.blogspot.com/ : April 9 – Review

youngreadersathome.blogspot.com/ : April 10 – Quote Battle*
www.epiloguereview.blogspot.com : April 10– Review*
www.thebookhookup.com : April 11 – Review
iheartyabooks.blogspot.com/ : April 11 – Review
Rachelsbookreviews.com : April 11 – Writing Cave
www.loveofbooks409.blogspot.com : April 11 – Review *
mtgreviews.wordpress.com/ : April 12– Review
www.rachelsbookreviews.com/ : April 12 – Review
www.booklovewitch.blogspot.com : April 12 – Review
www.thehauntedrose.blogspot.com : April 12 – Review
www.jjireads.com : April 12 – Character Tweets*
www.angelafristoe.blogspot.com/ : April 13 – Review*
jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com/ : April 15 – Dream Cast
journeywithbooks.blogspot.com : April 15 – Review
storybookescape.blogspot.com/ : April 16 – Review*
bookmarksbookshelves.blogspot.com/ : April 17 – Review
www.chapter-by-chapter.com/ : April 18– Review
willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/ : April 18 – Review
twochicksonbooks1.blogspot.com/ : April 19 – Playlist
jessysbookends.blogspot.com : April 19 – Review*
alwaysyaatheart.blogspot.com : April 20– Review
www.mandikayereads.com : April 20 – Review
fictionaldistraction.blogspot.com/ : April 20 – Review
BooksandSparkles.Blogspot.com : April 21 – Review
theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com : April 21 – Excerpt 1*
hackaroosreviews.com : April 13 – Review*


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Blog Tour: DANGEROUS LOVE (THE FITZGERALD FAMILY BOOK 4) by E.B. Walters



Welcome to the Dangerous Love Blog Tour hosted by Kat over at PAGE FLIPPERZ!


DANGEROUS LOVE (Book 4 of The Fitzgerald Family)
Author: E. B. Walters
Publisher: Firetrail Publishing (January 27, 2012)
Paperback: 272 pages
Genre: Adult Romance (18+)


She has her emotions on a tight leash…Born to a Las Vegas showgirl, fashion designer Faith Fitzgerald’s childhood was not easy, until her father found her and whisked her off to L.A. to join his wealthy family.

The rejection by some of her family members hurt, but Faith has moved on. Or so she thinks. She works hard and never lets her guard down, until the day she discovers that someone stole and sold her designs to her competitor and former mentor. To catch the thief and salvage her collection for Fall Fashion Week, Faith turns to her ex-lover, a man who works under the radar and gets results fast. The problem is she has not seen him since she dumped him so unceremoniously.

He’s laid-back and spontaneous…

When former-FBI-agent-turned-security-consultant Kenneth ‘Ken’ Lambert receives a call from Faith asking for his services, he sees a chance to payback the gorgeous designer for the way she used him then walked out on him. But then he learns that she is being victimized by a man whose idea of love is both dangerous and toxic, Ken pushes aside his personal agenda and agrees to help her.

As their investigation progresses, Ken discovers that Faith’s calm exterior hides a woman of character and strength, a woman on the verge of falling apart. Can he help her find the answers she seeks or will she accept his offer instead—acceptance, unconditional love and support?


Review:

Dangerously addicting! That’s the best description I can give for Book 4 of The Fitzgerald Family series. This time we follow Faith Fitzgerald as she battles the treacherous plans of a thief and stalker hell bent on ruining her show at Fashion Week and her reputation. Faith is headstrong and independent, like all the Fitzgeralds, and she refuses to let her Aunt Viv or anyone else in her family bail her out. So of course, she turns to a very smart, very stealthy, and very sexy PI to get to the bottom of it. And Ken Lambert is all of the above. A one-night-stand between these two left plenty of unfinished business, and now they are thrown back together and things start to get good. Well, if Faith can shed her stubborn nature and Ken can hold his ground!

Full of danger, deceit, and above all, romance this Fitzgerald Family book won’t disappoint. I really loved Faith’s determination and ability to stand up for herself, and HELLO, there’s fashion! Got to love the fashion. Ken is intriguing. He’s headstrong but sincere, and family is important to him. How can you not love a man would is family oriented!? Even if his dad leaves something to be desired. The story kept me guessing, the danger and threats kept me interested, and the romance kept me fanning myself. You certainly don’t want to miss this Fitzgerald Family Novel!



Buy The Fitzgerald Family novels:
Slow Burn (Book 1) REVIEW
Mine Until Dawn (Book 2) REVIEW
Kiss Me Crazy (Book 3) REVIEW
Dangerous Love (Book 4)

Now, you want your own copy of Dangerous Love? Well you're in luck because we are giving away 10 E-books on the tour! That's right folks, 10! And there's a GRAND PRIZE too! A beautiful book bracelet with the covers of all of The Fitzgerald Family books so far! See, pretty right?!

So enter through the Rafflecopter form below and leave us some love in the comments. Have you read any of The Fitzgerald Family Series books? If so, whats your favorite so far? If not, which one appeals to you the most . My favorite was Kiss Me Crazy, but I love them all!

Monday, February 20, 2012

REVIEW: SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz



Spellbound (Spellbound #1)
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher:  Harlequin
Imprint: HarlequinTEEN
Released: June 23, 2011
Format: Paperback



What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Review:

This is a great read! Actually, I just re-read it. Yep, I had already read SPELLBOUND last year but hadn't written a review since I wasn't blogging at the time. And it was just as good the 2nd time around! With an ancient curse and an epic love between soul mates, this book really kept me interested and hanging on every word waiting to find out how everything would turn out. 

It's somewhat of a Cinderella story, but this Cinderella is dealing with more than just a mean old stepmother and snotty step sisters. Emma's background is pretty depressing. Between losing her brother and mother, and being abused by her drunkard step father, she really had it rough. But I love her because she doesn't let it get her down. She stands up for herself and what she wants, and she doesn't back down. She is physically and emotionally tough and never feels sorry for herself. Not even when she finds out that her crush on Vince A's most eligible prince is hazardous for her health. Meaning, it could kill her, again! The witchcraft, reincarnation, and curse are all well developed and interesting, and I found myself quickly rooting for Emma and Brendan and their doomed romance.

Another thing I loved about SPELLBOUND was the minor characters. There are a few that really intrigued me, and I really hope to find out more about them in the future. The first is Emma's brother Ethan, who plays an important role in the story even though he is already dead. Also, Aunt Christine. I wonder if you she's a little more in tuned to everything than she seems to be. And most importantly, Emma's witchy best friend Angelique. She's such an interesting character, and I really hope to see more of her in the next book.




Buy Spellbound

Download Brendan & Emma’s playlist on Itunes!

Be friends with Brendan at Facebook.com/brendan.salinger!

Connect with Cara
Wordpress
Twitter
Tumblr


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

REVIEW- Firelight by Sophie Jordan

You can view the synopsis for Firelight by Sophie Jordan by clicking the title (via Goodreads).

I was hesitant about reading a story containing dragons as they don’t appeal to me, much. But, my genius of a trustworthy book reviewer, Brooke (@brookeworm33 and you must check her blog) insisted I read. As I read Firelight, I was quick to eat that thought and found myself entranced in the Draki world. Sophie Jordan’s portrayal of the Draki left me with a perfect, beautiful illustration.

Jacinda was a descendent of dragons. When she manifested from her human form, she became her inner self… Draki. She was the only fire breather in her pride. Therefore, she was of great asset. Her every move was supposed to be decided by the Control of her pride, including having her arranged with the alpha’s son, the ever arrogant, devoted Cassian.

On a fateful night, she snuck to fly. She was nearly captured by the hunters. One being velvety voiced, Will. (Seriously, his voice drove me wild. I had it perfectly sounded in my head as I read.) When they came face-to-face while Jacinda was in her true form, they were intrigued by each other. He had let Jacinda go.

After leaving the Pride against her will, Jacinda was forced to lead a human life. Her mother encouraged her to let her inner draki wither. Was it destiny when Jacinda attended her first day of school that Will was a student there? She knew he realized there was a connection between them when their eyes met. She knew she should stay away from him, but there was a mutual attraction. It was ironic since his kind was her death. Hunters know nothing about draki shifting to human form, until….

Firelight was filled with fear, passion, love, and risks. It kept me on the edge of my seat; quite fidgety I may add. What a great story about exposed secrets and what happens when prey and their hunter fall in love. Jacinda and Will had a sweet little buzz of a relationship going and Will... let's just say Will was mutha flipping hot!

The ending, ah was a cliffy. Good thing Vanish, book 2 in the Firelight Series is out. Moving it up on the TBR list.

Oh, and I see Firelight has been optioned for film. How exciting! You can find out the deets here.

I give Firelight by Sophie Jordan 4 fire-breathing stars.

Kimberly

Ratings

Everyone evaluates what they read in a different way. That being said, we thought it might be a good idea to explain the way we rate the books we review. We each use a number star system (i.e. 5 stars, 4 stars, etc.). We made the decision together that we will not post reviews that we rate below 3 stars. The reason for this decision is simple: we do not like negative reviews. This is a personal preference for us. If we were to assign 1 or 2 stars to a book, for us, that is not a book we would recommend. Therefore, we will not review it. Neither will we speak negatively about said book(s). We are here to support and share books we love, not tear down or speak negatively about those we do not love. Also, we will always (with the exception of one of us having a senior moment) include our name(s) at the end of each review, so that you know who's opinion you are reading. With that disclaimer, we give you the LIVING-FICTITIOUSLY starred rating system:

5 stars - Totally, absolutely, without-a-doubt loved it! Would pick it up again and re-read. Would recommend it to everyone.

4 stars - Love it! Would recommend it to almost everyone.

3 stars - A good read. Enjoyed it and would recommend to others.

EDIT TO ADD. >>>>> As of 4/5/2012, I (Kimberly) have come to the decision to no longer rate books. I simply feel that if I post a review on the blog, then that means the book was a very enjoyable read for me.
May a book be forever in your hands,
Kimberly

* NOTE: We will occasionally assign half star ratings to reviews. For example: 3.5 stars. These will most likely be rare; however, sometimes it will be a necessity in our eyes. The reasoning should be self-explanatory in the review, but you are always welcome to contact us with any questions at all.

Britney & Kimberly

Thursday, February 2, 2012

REVIEW- Between By Cyndi Tefft


You can view the synopsis for Between by Cyndi Tefft by clicking on the title (via Goodreads).


 First of all, Oh My Kiltness!! Between was a story about death, life, love, grief, new life and everlasting love. CyndiTefft’s descriptive writing was quite witty and charming.

Lindsey took her supposed death rather well. But who wouldn’t when your reaper was a comforting, blonde headed, blue eyed Scottish lad who possibly didn’t wear anything under his kilt? Dudettes, when he took his shirt off, he had a six pack- AND WORE A KILT!  My heart flutters just thinking about Aiden McRae, Lindsey’s sexy reaper that helped guide the way to her after life.

Aiden was there with Lindsey every step of the way while she was caught in the realm of death. He offered her peace and while they were on their journey to heaven, Aiden and Lindsey re-lived each others memories and they could mentally hear each others voices and thoughts. They also developed an amazing bond.

Aiden could lead Lindsey to the pearly gates, but he wasn’t welcome beyond them. Lindsey found herself not wanting to leave him and go to heaven. He knew he shouldn’t get attached to his transportee, but after 300 years of being a reaper, Aiden McRae was in love. Could Lindsey’s love for Aiden redeem him and be the key to getting him in heaven?

Aiden and Lindsey had a sweet connection. The things he said to Lindsey, the way he made her feel really made me smile. Lawd have mercy I hope my grim reaper is as hot as Aiden McRae. *fans self* And peeps, be on the read out for a hot, sexy, beautiful lake scene!

What would be an intriguing story without a shocker? Well peeps, there was one and my gut twisted and it was a thrilling ride reading from there.  

I look forward to reading Hell Transporter, the second book in the Between Series.

I give Between, by Cyndi Tefft  4 scotty-hotty stars!!

Kimberly

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

REVIEW- The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han

You can view the synopsis for The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy (The Summer I TurnedPretty, It’s Not Summer Without You, and We’ll Always Have Summer) by Jenny Han (via Goodreads) by clicking each title.

Being I read the set of three books back to back, I’m going to review together. The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han makes a great beach read. Girls, Guys… seriously. When you have a beach trip, if you haven’t read these, you must tote these along.

Belly vacationed at the summerhouse for the entire summer every year. She tagged along with her mom and brother and they stayed with her mom’s best friend Beck and her two boys Conrad and Jeremiah. (Awww Beck, *grabs a tissue*) Belly always had a crush on Conrad, and Jeremiah was always her best boyfriend, friend (BBFF)- and she knew he'd pretty much crushed over her.

Obviously we have us a little brotherly love triangle here.

For the first book, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly “developed” since the last year she’d seen the brothers and they noticed this summer, she had noticed. Rrrrrrrrrt, *brakes* hold up! Let me swoon over these brothers a bit. Conrad, the eldest, had dark hair- I wanted to lick his smirk, oh wait- wow sorry. He was a loaner, played guitar, mostly was a moody guy and mysterious. But, he was soft at heart. Then there was the youngest, Jeremiah and he was all sunshiney with his blonde hair and was full of smiles. He had a charismatic personality and was care-free. I wanted him to hold me. Um, anyway yeah- these brothers both fit the bill on being totally hot! While I adored both of them, it wasn’t until the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer, that I’d chosen which brother I’d like for me—oops, I meant Belly to end up with.

Belly feared their summers at the beach house would fizzle, so her goals were to make the best of them (3 summers for 3 books) throughout this trilogy because she knew they were all getting older, plus Beck’s health was deteriorating.  While each book had an awesome plot they pretty much consisted of Belly going through a roller coaster of emotions on landing the perfect brother for her, which of course sends the reader into a frenzy. There were some nice twists, turns, and drops to get Belly there.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You and We’ll Always Have Summer made me laugh and made me sad. I experienced longing for both brothers and there were variations of multiple heart breaks. There was love, loss, realizations and truths. Belly’s first love was Conrad, her second- his younger brother Jeremiah. Who will Belly choose?

I’d like to give my pal Melissa (@3fixedhearts) a shout out for recommending these books to me. She’d sent me a box of books to borrow and these were amongst them. 

I give this Trilogy FOUR hot brotherly stars!

Kimberly

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

REVIEW: REPLICATION: THE JASON EXPERIMENT by Jill Williams


Synopsis (from Goodreads):
When Your Life Is Not Your Own
Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky.
Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.
As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.
Product Details:
Title: Replication: The Jason Experiment
Author: Jill Williamson
Format- E-galley
Publisher- Zondervan
Release date- January 01, 2012
Source- Publisher via Netgalley

Review:
Human cloning. It’s a fascinating subject to me, and Replication fascinated me from the very first page. Scientific research always sparks controversy, and cloning is an EXTRA controversial topic; so when I heard about Replication I was curious. I wondered how cloning would be approached for a YA audience. What better way than to have hundreds of teenage boy clones hidden in a secret Alaskan lab? Martyr’s voice captivated me. The author did a fantastic job of developing a character who had never seen the outside world. When Martyr narrated and spoke, I really believed his innocence. I believed him when he called a cat “dog” and a moose “horse,” because of his limited education. I sympathized with him. He was real to me. I love characters that really come alive, and Martyr is now one of my favorites. On the other side of the story, Abby narrates from her POV. She’s a fierce protector, which I love in female characters. And her dedication to helping those around her is admirable.
One of my favorite things about the story is that is doesn’t shy away from the religious aspect of the controversy. In fact, it’s a central aspect of the book. I love that! I don’t think the topic of human cloning, even if it is in a fictional story, can be addressed without looking at both the general ethics and the religious aspect.
Overall, it was a great story, and I really enjoyed it.

Buy links (from author's website):
Amazon Kindle book
Amazon hardcover
Barnes & Noble Nook book
Barnes & Noble hardcover

Connect with the Author:

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

REVIEW: GENESIS (A SOUL SAVERS NOVELLA) by Kristie Cook

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A father who reveals his truth.
Twins who take different paths—one light, one dark.
Angels who have plans for them both
And Demons who do as well.
So the Earthly battle for souls ignites…

A tale that is over 2,000 years old, this is the story of the Amadis beginnings.


Review:
I now know what started it all! This makes me happy, very happy! GENESIS is the story of how THE Amadis came to be and what started the epic battle between Good and Evil that Alexis and Tristan are fighting in PROMISE, PURPOSE and DEVOTION. I really enjoy prequel type stories that reveal how things got started or shed light on events that are mentioned in a series. In this case, GENESIS goes all the way back to the very first Amadis, Cassandra. And I really love how Alexis parallels so well with her! You can actually SEE Alexis in Cassandra, and how/why she turned out the way she did. I really loved seeing that connection. We also gain a lot of insight into why things are the way they are in the SOUL SAVER series and even have some of the questions that are left open in PROMISE and PURPOSE answered. GENESIS can be read at any time during the series, but I read it right after I finished PURPOSE and I thought that was the best fit. It answered some of the questions I had right after PURPOSE and I found out I didn't really want the answers before reading it. I think GENESIS fits perfectly right after PURPOSE. But that's my opinion, you can take it or leave it. :)


Buy the paperback here
Buy the Kindle book here

Monday, January 9, 2012

REVIEW: STOLEN AWAY by Alyxandra Harvey



Title:Stolen Away
Publisher:Bloomsbury Children's Books
Imprint:Walker Books for Young Readers
Pub Date:January 17, 2012

Source:       NetGalley for review

Synopsis provided by NetGalley:
Alyxandra Harvey brings her trademark romance and adventure to the world of Faery

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.
The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife ... Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric—who may or may not betray them.

 * * * * * * * * * * * *
Review:
I'm a big fan of THE DRAKE CHRONICLES (I mean, come on, all those sexy vampire boys!) anyway, I digress, so when I heard Alyx Harvey was writing a faery novel I was certainly intrigued. Her creative take on vampires captured me, so I was very excited to see what she would do with faeries. And I was very pleased with the book. To me, it wasn't quite as different as TDC, but it was just as enthralling. A sexy protector, fae that can shapeshift, a sexy, dark, mysterious boy, a kidnapping, a pint sized faery with an attitude, a sexy protector, a family secret, a sexy, dark, mysterious boy, a big battle, a sexy... well, you get the idea! What's not to love?!
STOLEN AWAY is written in what I think of as Alyx Harvey's preferred POV. The chapters alternate between Eloise and Jo's POV. I'm a huge fan of this method! You get a first person POV but from different characters so you get to see what's going on in multiple places through multiple characters. And multiple character views means, in this case anyway, MULTIPLE SEXY BOYS! Yes, you know I can't let you forget that!
My favorite character is Jo, and I'm also quite fond of her sexy, dark, mysterious boy. Jo is one of the narrators, and she is kick butt. She likes poetry, and Victorian type clothing, pretty much anything male, and British slang. I adore her! Eloise is a little more quiet, although still spunky, and she rocks the rockabilly look (No pun intended. Ok, maybe a little one). She is fierce, and loyal, and totally into her knight-like protector (who is also sexy, in case I hadn't made that clear earlier). I also really love Devin and Jasmine (Eloise's spunky mother). This book is full of really great characters!
Overall, I really adored STOLEN AWAY, and I can't wait for more! 4 stars all the way!

Buy STOLEN AWAY:

Find out more about STOLEN AWAY:

Connect with Alyxandra Harvey: