Blog tour - Book spotlight: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

I'm pleased to be able spotlight today, Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott which was released on the 25th February!

Tour host: Rockstar Book Tours

Title: FIRE & FLOOD

Author: Victoria Scott

Publisher: Scholastic

Pages: 320

Pub. Date: February 25, 2014

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

About Victoria:

Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe of the Harvey-Klinger Literary Agency. She’s the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Israel, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

10 finished copies of FIRE & FLOOD US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week One:

2/17/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

2/17/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review

2/18/2014- No BS Book Reviews- Review

2/19/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post

2/19/2014- Ketch's Book Nook- Review

2/20/2014- Step Into Fiction- Review

2/21/2014- Bewitched Bookworms- Interview

2/21/2014- Seeing Night Reviews- Review

Week Two:

2/24/2014- Bookish- Interview

2/24/2014- Nerdophiles- Review

2/25/2014- The Book Cellar- Review

2/26/2014- The Irish Banana Review- Review

2/26/2014- Cuddlebuggery- Guest Post

2/27/2014- Obsession with Books- Review

2/28/2014- Mundie Moms- Interview & Review

2/28/2014- iceyBooks- Review

Q: Have you read Fire & Flood as yet? if so, what are your thoughts?

Waiting on Wednesday - Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Hi everyone!! thank-you so much for stopping by today.

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW for this week is Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, I absolutely LOVE this series and can’t wait to read this book, September can’t come soon enough!

 Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass

Genre: Young adult

Amazon pre-order

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Release date: 2^nd September 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien's only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan's Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. 

Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King's Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan's biggest threat - and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love? 

This third novel in the Throne of Glass sequence, from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, is packed with more heart-stopping action, devastating drama and swoonsome romance, and introduces some fierce new heroines to love and hate.

What are most anticipating this week?

Review: Grimnirs (Runes #2.5) by Ednah Walters

Grimnirs

Author: Ednah Walters

Series: Runes

Pages: 286

Publisher: Firetrail Publishing

Amazon

Release date: 2^nd December 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Straight out of the psych ward, Cora just wants her life to be normal. She doesn’t want to see souls or the reapers collecting them. The guy she’s loved from a distance for years moves away without saying goodbye. So yes, she’s nursing a serious heartbreak. It’s no wonder love is the last thing on her mind when Echo storms into her life. 

The chemistry between them is mind-blowing.The connection defies logic. Even better, the souls leave her alone when he is around.

Too bad Echo is the poster boy for everything she hates in a guy—hot, beautiful,and cocky. He is also a soul reaper. A Grimnir.
The very beings she wants out of her life. Maybe normal is overrated because Cora wants it all. Answers. Love. A life.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Contains possible spoilers from the first books in the series.

As a huge fan of the Runes series, I couldn't wait to read Grimnirs by Ednah Walters, it was a fabulous addition to the series and leaves me anxious to read the next book in the series, Seeress.

Our main heroine is Cora Jemison, Raine’s amazing best friend who has recently had a stint in a mental institution; she now has the interesting ability to see souls and the arrogant reaper who collects them. Cora was a strong character, a few things have happened in her life most recently but she remained stoic and devoted.

Cora has had a huge crush on one of her best friends – Eirik but since he is MIA she is intrigued by the new, snarky, arrogant Grimnir who has entered her life and made quite the impact. Smexy Echo is a gorgeous badass with a fascinating yet heart breaking backstory which I enjoyed reading about, it softened him as a character; he was cocky and over-confident but he was also extremely loyal and protective when it came to Cora. Their interactions and their dialogue kept me entertained from the very first page.

The plot was fast paced with enjoyable action sequences and has moved the series along nicely. Cora is trying to piece together her time in the psych ward to her time now she is out but things aren’t making sense and time sequences are confusing her as well as new information she is receiving about her best friend Raine, the boy she had a huge crush on Eirick, Echo and also the Norns who may or may not have altered her memories. The premise is interesting and I enjoy Ednah Walter’s take on Norse mythology.

The writing is wonderfully detailed and kept me flipping the pages and eager to learn more; Cora and Echo made a fabulous couple and the multi-layered plot and world-building continues to develop, it’s a must read series that just gets better and better with each book.

The side characters are all brilliant! Marlina is the perfect villain, Eirik is coming to embrace what he is and Ingrid and Andris, who I find hilarious, played a bigger role. The interaction between all of the characters is done very well.

Overall, Grimnirs is a fabulous addition to the Runes series; with mystery, suspense, a swoon worthy and smexy romance and wonderful Norse Mythology it has left me eager for the next book in the series.

Books in order:

1. Runes
2. Immortals
3. Grimnirs
4. Seeress – April 2014

Thank-you to Firetrail Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Grimnirs.

  

About the author: Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six.

You can visit her online atwww.ednahwalters.com orwww.ebwalters.com,. She’s also on Facebook,twitter, ya-twitter, Google-plus, and RomanceBlog, YAblog.

ARC Review: Elusion by Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam

Elusion

Author: Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam

Series: Elusion

Pages: 384

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release date: 18th March 2014

Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I would buy Elusion for the beautiful cover alone; the dreamlike setting suits the story within beautifully.

Regan is the daughter of the inventor of Elusion, a new virtual reality piece of technology which is about to be released in to the world. Regan is grief stricken since her fathers death and avoids ‘Escaping’- spending time in an alternate world to avoid the feeling she is left with afterwards, mainly loss and heartache.

I liked Regan as a character, she was believable and eager to defend what her father had created at any cost, I admired the way she supported not only him but her best friend Patrick who now oversees the invention in any way possible, her loyalty was wonderful.

When Orexis, the organisation responsible for releasing Elusion to the world comes under fire for it potentially being addictive and extremely dangerous Regan seeks to find the truth behind the conspiracies surrounding the product and does it with the help of Josh who had his own interesting back-story and agenda and I found myself never fully trusting him unfortunately so I’m eager to see how their relationship will progress.

I haven’t read anything more recently that slightly resembled Elusion so I was pleased by its originality but there were a few YA clichés which stood out but thankfully weren’t over the top or took away from my overall enjoyment of this book. My biggest gripe was there was information overload and the technology aspect I didn’t find interesting at all unfortunately, I wanted to find out more about the Escapes and the conspiracies that surrounded the product instead. Also, we get to know the MC quite well but other characters weren't as well developed so I'm hoping we learn more about each of them in the sequel.

I found the pacing to be consistent and the plot intriguing, mysterious and suspenseful as we see the characters take a thrilling journey to find out the truths surrounding Elusion. It was written very well and kept me riveted, I enjoyed spending time in the escapes where everything seemed to be enhanced and perfect, I just wish we had more time in them.

Overall, Elusion was a fun filled, exciting adventure and despite having a few minor issues, I enjoyed learning about this virtual world. The concept is creative and I am definitely eager to read more in this series.

Thank-you kindly to Katherine Tegen Books for the opportunity to read and review Elusion, it was a nice start to the series.

 

Review: Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros

Full Measures

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Series: -

Pages: 301

Publisher: Entangled

Amazon

Release date: 10^th February 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Three knocks can change everything…

"She knew. That’s why Mom hadn’t opened the door. She knew he was dead."

Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn’t know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart. 

Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can’t deny their intense attraction.

Until Josh’s secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he’s worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros is a book I didn’t want to end, with a wonderful storyline and fabulous characters it kept me riveted from the very first page. I have really come to depend on Entangled to provide perfect romance books with enjoyable HEA’s.

Twenty year-old December ‘Ember’ Howard is an army brat, when soldiers appear on her family’s doorstep with the news her father won’t be coming home she is the person who is there to hold her family together; her mother has checked out, her sister is rebelling and her young brother Gus is too young to fully grasp what has happened, she is now the strength holding them all together despite her own pain.

Always there for Ember is her teenage crush, gorgeous Josh Walker. Josh is a character I adored from the onset, known as a bit of a ladies man he was nothing but devoted to helping Ember out when she needed him and on more than a few occasions she was definitely in need. Josh is a hockey star and coach to her young brother, he was an absolute sweetheart but also hiding a very big secret of his own which I thought was quite predictable but still interesting to see how it would all unfold.

Both Ember and Josh were wonderful characters with a lot of depth and great personalities. Together these two made the most perfect couple. Ember has experienced so much grief and heartache in such a short period of time so she was hesitant to lean on him but Josh was the one who was there when she needed him despite her constantly pushing him away, she was very stubborn on many occassions.

The attraction between these two is apparent from the very beginning. He was constantly persistent but she was so reluctant so the little flirtations and stolen kisses were always hot and when they did eventually come together their chemistry was off the charts.

Each of the side characters were interesting; Little Gus was an awesome brother, April and her antics grated on my nerves and I have my fingers crossed for more Jagger (maybe with Sam), he was great! Grandma was also really sweet; Riley and Kayla – grrr.

Full Measures was written very well with wonderful dialogue, perfect research and knowledge of army life and some great smexy moments, it was emotional and heart wrenching so the tissues will definitely be needed.

Overall, an entertaining and wonderfully romantic story with many emotionally charged moments; I am definitely eager to read more books written by Rebecca Yarros and I’m secretly hoping Jagger will get his own book.

Thank-you to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Full Measures.

 

About the author: Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo. In addition to being a mom, military wife, and blogger, she can never choose between Young Adult and New Adult fiction, so she writes both. She’s a graduate of Troy University, where she studied European history and English, but still holds out hope for an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her blog, The Only Girl Among Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores.

When she’s not writing, she’s tying on hockey skates for her kids, or sneaking in some guitar time. She is madly in love with her army-aviator husband of eleven years, and they’re currently stationed in Upstate NY with their gaggle of rambunctious kiddos and snoring English Bulldog, but she would always rather be home in Colorado. 

Waiting on Wednesday - Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke

 

Hi everyone!! thank-you so much for stopping by today.

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW for this week is Dissonance by Erica O’Rourke, I was initially drawn to this book from its beautiful cover!

 Author: Erica O’Rourke

Series: Dissonance

Genre: Young adult

Amazon pre-order

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release date: 22^nd July 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

What are most anticipating this week?

ARC Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic

Author: Lauren Oliver

Series: -

Pages: 416

Genre: Young Adult

Release date: 4th March 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Review: 3 1/2 out of 5 star

Lauren Oliver reads the first 3 chapter here

For some reason when I grabbed a copy of Panic I thought it was a paranormal novel so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself reading a Contemporary but it did take me a little while to fully settle into this book.

The graduating students of small town Carp NY participate in an annual game of Panic as their way to make some money to escape the small town; it gives them enough to leave with the hopes of a promising future.

The game gives the contenders a set of complex challenges, some quite deadly that they have to successfully complete; The plot is intense, challenging and gritty with the game proving to show each of the characters motivations, desperations, fears and ploys, it is action packed and filled with many intense moments which leave you gasping and eager to know what will happen.

The story unfolds through the multiple POV’s of Oliver, Heather, Natalie, Bishop and Dodge. The changes in perspective ensure the novel flows at an even pace and is done effortlessly as the voices are each unique but it doesn’t leave a lot of growth for character development. The characters weren’t as refined as what I would have liked or what I have come to expect from Lauren Oliver; Heather for me was not likeable, Dodge had the most depth, a sad past and was participating solely for revenge and Nat was lacklustre and never truly shone, there was something about her from the start that I didn’t trust and Bishop was really interesting but you could anticipate his moves before he would make them so no one really stood out unfortunately, they were each self-serving and lacked heart.

I was engrossed by Lauren Oliver’s writing which is fluid and addictive and caught the emotions of the characters perfectly; the storyline is one which captured my attention with its uniqueness and creativity and despite some aspects being predictable it was enjoyable none the less.

The let down for me, besides the characters was the confusion at the beginning of the book, I was clueless about what was going on and it did take me a little while to actually grasp what was happening; I couldn't help but need a little more from this book. The world building was not detailed enough to answer a few questions and I found that very off-putting.

Overall, Panic is an interesting book filled with danger, fear and heart thumping action scenes; despite not fully liking all of the characters the overall premise of Panic was interesting.

Panic has been optioned by Universal Pictures and is definitely a book I can envision on the big screen.

Thank-you kindly to HarperTeen for the opportunity to read and review Panic.

  

About the author: Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader. 

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.

She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else.