BLOG TOUR + Giveaway: ANGEL EYES by Shannon Dittemore

Welcome to the ANGEL EYES by Shannon Dittemore blog tour hosted by YA BOUND and Thomas Nelson Fiction!

EXPECTED PUBLICATION DATE: May 29th, 2012
PAGES: 320
SOURCE: Thomas Nelson Fiction for honest review

GOODREADS
ANGEL EYES (ANGEL EYES TRILOGY #1)
Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

My Thoughts:
I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I fell in love with the characters and the story quickly, and I was dying to find out what Jake's secret was and how Brielle fit into that secret.

The story moved quickly and the subject was incredibly interesting. Angels have become very popular in the literary world, and from my experience, the majority of these stories do not really incorporate God, prayer, and faith beyond the history of the angels. What I absolutely loved about ANGEL EYES is that Shannon didn't shy away from those details; she embraced them. Jake and the angels continually talk about God and their personal relationships with him. I value this not only because it is rare in today's literature, but because it adds so much to the story. It is relevant and important, and Brielle's struggle with her role, her faith, and her relationship with God and religion are integral parts to her character and her story, without being preachy.

The relationship between Brielle and Jake was also very interesting to me. Jake's secrets are revealed with perfect timing and Brielle's reactions were completely believable. I felt very connected to both Jake and Brielle. Brielle's loss was heart wrenching, and her reasons for doubting her faith are strong and so common. She felt like a real person, not a character on a page.

I look forward to more secrets being revealed, more answers to questions revealed in ANGEL EYES, and the future of Brielle and Jake's relationship. I cannot wait for book two, and I strongly recommend ANGEL EYES!

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BUY ANGEL EYES

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Connect with Shannon

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Goodreads

Pintrest

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And now for the GIVEAWAY! One winner will win an E-copy of ANGEL EYES! This giveaway is International and will end at midnight on June 12th, 2012.

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FOLLOW THE TOUR

REVIEW: CITY OF LOST SOULS by Cassandra Clare

GOODREADS:

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

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MY THOUGHTS:

Up until now, My favorite book of this series had been City of Glass, but now I think City of Lost Souls is my favorite. It is wrought with tension and each character faces intense consequences, difficult decisions, and life altering events.

Maia and Jordan: Well, they obviously had some interesting things to work out after City of Fallen Angels. In CoLS their relationship changes and their feelings toward each other are revealed. I really like Jordan, so this relationship was pretty interesting to me. We also get to see a little glimpse of the Praetor Lupus.

Simon and Isabelle: There is ALWAYS something interesting going on with these two. But in CoLS, Izzy's changing. And she's not really good with change. We get to see her character come to some serious realizations when it comes to Simon, and Simon realizes some pretty important things too. He's come so far from the little geeky mundane he once was, and Izzy's is beginning to discover who he really is, while Simon is discovering himself as well.

Jace and Clary and Sebastian: This little triangle is interesting. I don't want to give too much away, but these three are inextricably intertwined in CoLS. Even more so than they have been in the past. Clary must come to terms with some pretty heavy discoveries. The relationship among these three is twisted and convoluted and poor Clary is confused beyond reason at times. I even found myself wanting to believe things that I, just like Clary, knew couldn't possibly be true. Clary has to make the most difficult (which doesn't even begin to describe the seriousness) decision in the serious so far.

Magnus and Alec: Yes, everyone's favorite couple. I love them too, and my heart broke with this relationship. Magnus and Alec have had their problems in the past, but I want so much for them to work out. In CoLS, this is the most strained relationship in my opinion. While the events Alec participates in are more subplot, they play a pivotal role in the overall story. Alec is probably my favorite character in this series, and the poor boy just doesn't know when to stop. The strain in his relationship with Magnus has always been fraught with tension, love, and unexpected surprises and uncertainties. Alec's insecurity really shines (which really isn't a good thing) in this book, and the consequences of his actions are brutal.

Overall, City of Lost Souls left me dying to know what is going to happen next! And even left me with questions about The Infernal Devices series. Some SERIOUS questions! I have a feeling there are MANY more surprises to come in both series.

Check out The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices websites.

REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: OPEN MINDS by Susan Kaye Quinn

I have a little post long weekend surprise for all you lovely readers! I am part of author Susan Kaye Quinn's Share A Book giveaway. What does that mean you ask? Well, in short, it means that I won a copy of her novel OPEN MINDS, and that now I am going to share it with you! Now there are going to be some very specific rules for this giveaway. But before we get to the rules, here's a little more info about the book.

OPEN MINDS: THE MINDJACK TRILOGY #1
When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can't read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can't be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf's mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she's dragged deep into a hidden underworld of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

My Thoughts:

Wow, OPEN MINDS was so creative and well developed! I was sucked in from the first page. I mean, everyone can read minds! First off, that's just creepy. Second, that's a pretty detailed world to develop. But Quinn mastered it! All the details of being a changeling were explained, without the boring explanation part. How? Easy, she flawlessly wove explanation with experience and history through the characters.

The story was packed with suspense! I never knew what was going to happen, and I was often surprised with the way things turned out. I could feel Kira's inner conflict, and I wanted to trust certain characters so badly. The betrayals in this book were intense, and the relationships were severely strained as a result.

All Kira's relationships are interrelated and consumed by lying and fear. Her relationships with her best friend Raf and her family are all affected by her connection to Simon, who I actually like (you might get that statement when you read the book). I will admit, Simon had his moments when I really wanted to punch him, but he was also the most fragile character in my opinion. I really want to know more about his past, but the mystery is so important to his character. Then there's Raf, who I kind of felt sorry for for a while. He really likes Kira, and they've been best friends for a long time. I really hated to watch him go through all the pain Kira puts him through.

The most interesting character of them all was Kira. Her character changes and develops so beautifully throughout the book, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for her as the trilogy continues. Her bravery, determination, and unique skills are all bound to increase throughout the story arc, and I expect great things of her. She's a strong female character, and her concern for others is inspiring. I'd like to think that if I were in her position I would react in the same way. Quinn did an amazing job with Kira.

Overall, this is a fabulous book with an interesting and well developed story and world and wonderfully interesting characters. It's packed with suspense and secrets, and is definitely a must read. Don't miss OPEN MINDS, and the 2nd book in the MINDJACK TRILOGY: CLOSED HEARTS, available NOW!

BUY OPEN MINDS
Amazon: Paperback or E-book
B&N: Paperback or E-book
BUY CLOSED HEARTS
Amazon
B&N
And don't forget to check out Raf's story Mind Games:
Amazon


Connect with Susan Kaye Quinn
Susan's Website
Facebook
Twitter


Ok, now that you've heard how fabulous OPEN MINDS is, it's time for the GIVEAWAY! That's right, I have a SIGNED paperback copy of OPEN MINDS.  But this giveaway works a little differently than normal. The whole point is to help spread the word and SHARE the book. So, there are rules for the WINNERS of the book. Please pay close attention, because I really want the winner to follow the rules for the SHARE A BOOK giveaway:


1) Read OPEN MINDS
2) Take a bookmark (an envelop will be mailed with the book, the winner keeps one (1) bookmark)
3) Pass the book on! Yes, you must SHARE the book! (you can give it to a friend, a favorite teen, a random stranger at Starbucks, or hold a giveaway if you like) 
4) Repeat step 1 until you get to the last bookmark. The last person can KEEP the book or keep passing it on!


So, the point of this giveaway is to SHARE A BOOK! Obviously I can't come to your house and make sure you follow these steps, but shame on you if you don't! I'd also love it if the winner posted a review somewhere. It can be on your own blog, Goodreads, Amazon, etc. This is not required, but it helps out the authors and helps other readers find the book. So, this giveaway will run for 2 weeks. At the end of the two weeks (you can look on the rafflecopter form for when exactly that is. I don't like math.) I will pick the winner and notify them. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email. Please, please, please follow the rules if you win. Not only will I appreciate it, so will Susan! And maybe we can have some more giveaways! So, go on, you know you want to.... get entered below!

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