[Moonlight & Oranges Blog Tour] An Excerpt

About Moonlight & Oranges

Moonlight and Oranges

by Elise Stephens

A timeless tale of young romance.

Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin's long, tarnished history of relationships.

When Lorona's curiosity leads her to Kestrin's journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush? Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.

An Excerpt

He was coming to see her. If she wanted to keep Yuki out of it, she’d have to avoid walking past her door where the squeaky floorboards lurked.

So now I’m planning a clandestine late-night rendezvous.

Lorona wanted to beat her head against the wall. The next moment she wanted to laugh. Was he coming to say something so wonderful, he could only say it in person? She caught herself checking her hair in her mirror and stopped, surprised.

Get control of yourself.

But the next moment she was smiling dopily at her reflection. She promised herself she wouldn’t change her clothes for fear that Kestrin would think she was putting on a show for him.

He could talk to her just as she was if he was so excited to see her, Lorona decided with a firm nod.

She remembered the meteor shower, wrapped her bathrobe around her t-shirt and pajama pants, and pushed her window open to crawl onto the fire escape. Yuki wouldn’t hear her if she never passed the other bedroom.

The stars in the sky hung still in a frigid sky. The moon stretched bright and full and contented. The swing set in the playground in the park hung motionless. Everything in the world

was holding its breath for him. She willed herself to stop shivering, wondering where her overabundance of fever had gone.

She didn’t notice the car pull up, but she heard its door slam and his walk across the gravel parking lot. There was a noble, proud curve to his spine. He had both hands balled around something he held in front of his chest. His black dress shirt was loosely buttoned and his jeans were torn at the knees. They might have been the same pair he’d worn at the restaurant earlier. He shook, not like a person who was afraid, but like a man who’d gotten used to the crazy rock

of a ship on the sea, and then tried to walk on land. Or maybe it was the other way around. Maybe he was in a storm at sea and didn’t know which way was up. Lorona smiled. Either way, she’d done this to him.

When he drew close enough for her to see his face, he turned his eyes up very slowly, deliberately, almost reverently. He opened his hands to reveal a small navel orange, glowing like a tiny sun.

Kestrin felt his teenage asthma, absent since soccer days, return in violent force as he watched the maiden descend her tower.

Lorona’s hair glistened in the starlight as she glided down the fire escape and crept toward him. He felt the pale moonlight wrapping him in gossamer strands, tugging him toward Lorona as she moved haltingly over the gravel in bare feet, gasping quietly. He wanted to pick her up or take off his shoes and make her wear them, but he had the feeling that any quick movement toward her would make her frighten, fly away, and vanish like a dream.

But that was just it. She was part of his dream. She was part of his fate. These weren’t things that evaporated. By the time Lorona was close enough to take the orange, Kestrin’s mouth was sandpaper.

“I keep craving these things like crazy,” he croaked as she took the orange. The line would definitely not have made it onto the list of top ten most romantic things to say to a woman.

At least I’m not stuttering or drooling.

He added, “I bought a whole crate of these wholesale from the

restaurant. They think I’m—”

“I finished a whole carton of orange juice the night of the party,” she interrupted, smiling with encouragement.

“Lorona, I—” he stepped forward, unable to keep still.

She drew back, eyes wide, and clutched the orange. She was nervous, but something tied her here.

Kestrin smelled orange oil and, with Lorona standing right in front of him, it was impossible to avoid reliving the kiss. He’d relived it a million times just to give himself courage for this moment.

What if she says no?

He shoved the thought away and mentally kicked it down.

“Lorona,” he began again, his voice softer. “I came to ask you something. This orange craving is driving me insane. I think it’s more than us both simultaneously deciding that we have a new favorite fruit.”

She nodded. Her breath was quickening and hiccupping, almost like she was crying, but her eyes didn’t tear up.

Kestrin thought of her kiss on the night of the party, strangely fervent for a sober, never-been-kissed, good girl. There was a passionate woman lying trapped somewhere beneath, like an exquisite red dress stuffed into an old oak chest and bolted with a lock. But as he watched her standing there, looking just as scared and moonstruck as he probably looked to her, he was sure he was seeing a scrap of the red dress again. It would resurface if he could tug gently. If he yanked, it would tear and be ruined.

Don’t mess this up, a voice in his head snapped.

If it’s fate, do I even have the option of messing up? he shot back.

His legs buckled and the skin on his kneecaps was bleeding into the gravel. He looked at her hair. Her long braid was coming unraveled. She was unbelievably beautiful and he was sure she wasn’t trying.

“Kestrin, what are you doing?” she whispered.

About Elise

Elise Stephens received the Eugene Van Buren Prize for Fiction from the University of Washington in 2007, where she also received her degree in Creative Writing. Moonlight and Oranges is her first novel and was a quarter-finalist for the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband where they both enjoy swing dancing, eating tiramisu, and savoring the flavor of local live theater.

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Blogger to Wordpress Migration

My lovelies,

I am currently in the process of migrating my blog to a self-hosted Wordpress site.

Thank you for your patience.

Virtual hugs and kisses,
JoAnne

[Sacrifice Blog Tour] Five Reasons Why YOU Should Read The Legacy Series + Giveaway

Five Reasons Why YOU Should Read The Legacy Series

Feminism

The issue of feminism is all over the series. Inequalities between the sexes is seen from start to finish. Women were expected to timid and docile. They are expected to be submissive towards the men in their lives. Any act contrary to this norm is seen as a failure. And the main character Alera, struggled through it all. She fought for her right to be a queen, who is not merely the wife of a king, but a queen who is a ruler, a sovereign in her own right.

Alera's Imperfections

I love that this book made me feel frustrated. It elicited strong reactions in me, which proves that I was invested, and that I care about what happens to the characters. This is particularly true with Alera's character. Alera made some really bad choices. There were a lot of times when I wanted to strangle her. But this just shows that Alera's humanity. Her flawed character made her real.

The Love Triangle

This series has got one of the most complicated love triangles. The two love interests could not have been more different. One is talkative. The other is reserved. One prefers to be the center of everyone's attention. The other remains in the sidelines and just observes. One is in love and devoted to his queen, who broke his hearts a million times over. The other is in love with a girl who is married and is not free to love him back.

Politics

The Legacy Series isn't all hearts and flowers. The series is about war, and I am amazed by the way it way it was presented. It seemed real. The story did not hold off on deaths and casualties, the inevitable consequences of war. Moreover, lands and homes were lost. People were tortured and killed mercilessly.

Fantasy 

The world created was intricate and beautiful. Kings, queens, and princesses. Magic and legends. Romance, drama, and court intrigue. Truly an amazing mix!

About Sacrifice

Sacrifice (Legacy #3) 
by Cayla Kluver

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost.

Alera

Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy.

Shaselle

Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause.

One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor's edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family's tragedy, following whispers of insurgency.

Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

About Cayla

With the book industry currently in a debate over print vs. digital, Cayla Kluver, born October 2, 1992 in Wisconsin, truly embodies the next generation of author. At just 19 years-old, Cayla has already published her debut novel Legacy in three different formats.

It all began with self-publication and the creation of her own publishing house (with the help of her mom, called: Forsooth Publishing) in 2008. Cayla was then offered a digital debut with Amazon (was the premier title for Amazon’s self-publishing program, Amazon Encore) in 2009. Finally in 2010 Cayla was signed to a three book publishing deal with Harlequin TEEN.

She has cats, dogs and horses, and watches more crime shows than is probably healthy. Her office is filled with twinkly lights, candles and fun colors. She loves Robert Louis Stevenson and the Beatles, and you can follow her on Twitter @CaylaKL, as well as join her fan page on Facebook.

Follow the tour

Monday, October 22nd – YA Bibliophile
Wednesday, October 24th – Coffee Books and Me
Friday, October 26th – Harlequin
Monday, October 29th – Alexa Loves Books
Tuesday, October 30th – Book Birthday! – The Fairytale Nerd
Wednesday, October 31st – About To Read
Friday, November 2nd – Starting the next Chapter

Want a copy of Sacrifice?

Enter the contest for a chance to win!

Each Blog gives away a copy of Sacrifice. 

One winner from all entries during the tour gets an HarlequinTEEN Prize Pack: 1 copy of Legacy (Book1), 1 Copy of Allegiance (Book 2) and 2 Copies of Sacrifice (Book 3), Bookmarks and Harlequin Notebooks.

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Book Recap: The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton

Cover Inspection:
So pretty!

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
London 1872 -

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation...

As an orphan who stole the Queen's ring - only to find the ring was a reservoir that held a truce between the world of Faerie and the British Court - Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and those she loves, Tiki needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will she be brave enough to face the truth?

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.5
Plot	3.5
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.5
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.5 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
The book is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria. In the middle part of the story, Tiki and Reiker visit the fae world from time to time.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Tiki, along with her orphan fmily, left their pickpocketing days behind. And now, she is temporarily living in Reiker's luxurious home. Tiki is brave, and her selflessness shines through. She remains to be the mother hen of the group, and Tiki feels responsible for each of them.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
In this installment, Tiki and Reiker find out the meaning of Tiki's birthmark. It just might be the thing that will save their family and friends from the UnSeelie.

LOVE:
Its been a long time since I've read The Fearie Ring, and I have forgotten what the story is all about. But lucky for us (readers who easily forget), that the important and relevant events that occurred in the first book was carefully laid down in the first chapter. With that, it was easier to understand everything that was happening - less confusion, more enjoyment.

Like in the first book, I adore the setting of the story. I have a love affair with stories set in Victorian London. Pair that with faeries, and you will have Hamilton's The Faerie Ring Series. The writing is just lovely. The language used, like in the first book, fits the setting perfectly. It has the formality, but none of stiffness. Its easy to get into.

Also, The Torn Wing is filled with so much mystery. From beginning to end, the story was driven by Reiker's secrets, Larkin's motives, and Tiki's true identity. Readers would no doubt be glued to this book from the moment they turn the first page because they would just have to find out the answer to all of those questions.

In The Torn Wing, Tiki and Reiker venture into the fae world. I loved those parts of the story. The fae world in Hamilton's books is both beautiful and terrifying. It's filled with seductive and deadly creatures: kelpies, faeries, dryads, redcaps.

NO LOVE:
I understand it when love stories hardly blossom in the first book in a series. This happens because the characters are merely getting to know each other. I applaud authors who don't jump into the insta-love band wagon as those kinds of love stories don't really feel real. However, in sequels, I expect more. And since this is already the sequel, I kind of expected that the love between Reiker and Tiki would bloom. But surprisingly, it still developed very slowly.

Along with this, it seemed that there was a chunk in the middle part of the story that really isn't relevant to the plot. It feel that those parts can be chopped off without really affecting the plot.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
There is a new character in this book. I'm not going to reveal his name and I will not talk about him too much because I don't want to spoil things. Suffice it to say that this character is a fae boy who is as mysterious as he is seductive. Sex-ay! One of my favorite lines in the book were by him:

“You’ve already thanked me once. Don’t make yourself so beholden to me that I’m tempted to seek my payment.” His voice was a whisper. “Because you are very tempting.”

MUSINGS:
I have to admit that I didn't really like the first book. Such is not the case for this one! It's safe to say that I LOVED THIS BOOK, and it instantly became one of my favorites this year. I didn't let go of it from the time I picked it up until I turned the last page. It was THAT good. And I'm sure you guys will love it as much as I did. This is Tiki's adventure in faerie land and her quest to find herself and her heritage. A lovely fusion of history and fantasy. All in all, The Torn Wing is a fantastic follow-up to The Faerie Ring. Kiki Hamilton's fans would be blown away and would be hungry for the third installment in the series.

DOODLES:
no trailer found

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Kiki Hamilton

SIMILAR READS:
The Dark Light by Sara Walsh
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: mild
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+

[Fill-in-the-Blanks Interview] Katie McGarry, author of Pushing The Limits

Today's guest is Katie McGarry, author of that awesome book Pushing The Limits! Read my review HERE.

About Katie

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Stalk: Website | Twitter

The Interview

Katie's answers are in RED.

I adore bad boys because they make my heart beat a little faster. Especially a bad boy like Noah Hutchins.

Good girls often peek at the bad boy from across the room.

My cat is possibly the fattest cat on the planet. She eats my kiddos stuffed animals if there is no food in her bowl.

Laundry, dishes, and vacuuming! Oh my! Doesn't that just make you shiver in fear?

I love creating stories because my characters are alive in my mind.

In high school, I used to walk around our neighborhood for hours with my best friend.

When I get writer's block, I often go for a walk. This typically works.

My next project is Dare You To. This follows the story of Beth, a secondary character from Pushing the Limits. Dare You To is scheduled to be released in 2013.

About Pushing The Limits

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)

by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Book Recap: Stormdancer Jay Kristoff (ARC)

Cover Inspection:
PERFECT!
It fits the story well!

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

A DYING LAND

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST

The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:

The story is set in feudal Japan. In this dystopian story, rivers and waters are poisoned. The sky is red. The world is dying (or dead).

MAIN CHARACTERS:

The main character is Yukiko. She is strong, independent and courageous. She's merely sixteen, but she's mature beyond her years. Oh yeah... she has the ability to read the minds of creatures and she can speak to them without actually speaking.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:

The shogun wants a thunder tiger. Basically, this story is about Yukiko's quest to find that mythical (and extinct!) creature called the arashitora. She eventually finds one, and develops a beautiful and touching relationship with the creature.

LOVE:

The writing is just exquisite - richly-detailed, flowery and poetic. It' elegant and classy. Its actually the first thing I noticed upon reading this book. This book is quite heavy on the details. In fact, it can be said that it is overwhelming. That amount would normally confuse me, but the author was able to spread them evenly, such that the reader will not feel bombarded or overwhelmed. Moreover, there are no words for the action scenes in this book. I believe that those were able to balance the massive amount of details in the book. (It was only the first chapter, and already, there was a fight scene!) It's so easy to get lost in those scenes. Another thing I adored about this book are those Japanese myths and legends that peppered the story. There were mythological creatures, such as a dragon and a phoenix. The author was also able to incorporate messages regarding the environment. With this, I can say that amidst books that rode on the popularity of paranormal romances with nothing but fluff, Stormdancer shines with its deep reflections about what we are doing to our world.

NO LOVE:

I will be honest, it takes patience to read Stormdancer. It's actually a bit hard to get into the book. There were a lot of things to know and understand for one to completely understand the story and its meaning. Also, there were times when I just couldn't catch up with the Japanese terms used in the book, only to find out that there is actually a glossary at the back of the book! Plus, I am not into steampunk. Not my favorite. So, I didn't like all those talk about engines and smoke and goggles.

FAVORITE CHARACTERS:

I would have to say Buruu and Yukiko. The bond between the two touched my heart. At first they can only communicate without words. Later on, they can transmit emotions without even speaking about them. I have so much love for this aspect of the story, and you would have to read it to know what I mean.

FAVORITE LINE:

The world was so big. How could one girl make a difference?

MUSINGS:

Like I said earlier, it takes patience to read Stormdancer. It's filled tiny, tiny details, so it's not the kind of book that you can speed read through. You must give yourself time to adjust to it. It's the kind of book where you must allow yourself to absorb the story and the events. It's hard to categorize this kind of book in simplistic terms, like good and bad. But one thing's for sure, reading Stormdancer is an experience. It took my breath away.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:

Jay Kristoff

SIMILAR READS:

One of a kind!

CONTENT REVIEW:

Classified as an adult book.

The Sunday Story #24

Mailbox:

The books I got this week.

Sunday Post hosted by Kimba at Kimba The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Timeless (Transcend Time Saga #3) (ARC) by Michelle Madow

Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries #1) (ARC) by Michele Vail

Sacrifice (Legacy #3) (ARC) by Cayla Kluver

Gravity (The Taking #1) (ARC) by Melissa West

Vengeance Bound (ARC) by Justina Ireland

Uses for Boys (ARC) by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Eleanor & Park (ARC) by Rainbow Rowell

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) (ARC) by Julie Kagawa

Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves (ARC) by Various Authors

Thanks to Michelle Madow, HarlequinTEEN, Entangled, Orion, St. Martin's, and Simon & Schuster, Big Honcho Media, and Zest Books for the review copies.

Hey guys!

I know I haven't been posting memes lately. Every post this month is scheduled, and I miss blogging so much. It's only now that I realize that it has become a part of my life already. My form of stress release actually. And since I am in a lot of stress lately, I need to blog. I think I deserve a little treat.

Anyway, those are those goodies I got for the past three weeks. Most of them are for blog tours, and I can't wait to start reading them. ONE MORE WEEK and I can go back to my regular reading schedule. I can't wait!

Book Recap: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Cover Inspection:
I really think that the cover fits the story well.
The silhouette of the girl can be Eva, who if fighting for her identity.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.0
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
The first part of the book is set in England. Then the main character goes to India to permanently live there.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Eva is no ordinary girl. She's an Echo. She's created by a weaver in the likeness of another girl, called her Other. Basically, Eva will replace her Other in case her Other dies. As a character, people describe Eva as
contrary and difficult. But, she is brave and intelligent. It's hard not to like her character.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
Eva has been created by the weavers upon the request of the parents of the girl from whom she is pattered, called her Other. The plan is this: upon her Other's death, Eva will step into the shoes of her Other.

LOVE:
The thing I loved the most about this story is that, from time to time, a striking and meaningful line pops up. Those lines made me reflect about life, myself, and about love. They touched my heart in more ways than one. As regards the romance, there is only one word that can describe it, and that is tender. I think this scene between the two can concretize that:

“What do you dream about?” Sean asks me. “When you’re not dreaming about flying away? Is it always Amarra’s life?”

“No, I only have the Amarra dreams now and then. Otherwise it’s cities. I always dream of cities.” I don’t tell him about my dreams of the green nursery.

“What about people?”

“Sometimes. People in those cities.”

I step onto the train and turn back to look at him. He’s quiet, says nothing.

“What do you dream about, Sean?”

He’s staring at me, but he takes a step back as a whistle blows. I raise my hand to wave as the compartment door starts to slide shut.

“You,” he says, before the door closes all the way. “I often dream of you.”

Sweet huh? Despite that innocent sweetness, the love between Sean and Eva is something that goes beyond attraction. They're friends first and foremost, and one is willing to sacrifice for the other, and vice versa. Just beautiful.

Moreover, I started this book not knowing what to expect. I have never read a book like this before. Echoes and their Others are something completely new to me. But it took only very few pages before I got fully invested in the story. It didn't take long for me to understand fully what the plot is all about. The author was able to present the necessary details of the story line early in the story, such that i was not left creeping in
the dark.

This book is well-written. I have no complaints regarding it. Its direct to the point, without being too scientific. It's poetic, without being excessively flowery. It flows smoothly and effortlessly, without being boring. It was such a pleasure to read. The writing is just lovely.

This book has the capacity to evoke very strong emotions in the reader (at least in me). Tears were flowing while I was reading this. One thing's for sure, Eva wasn't coddled by the author. She was battered,
bruised, and abused. One painful experience after another. And it hurt me. Every single time. Eva's story broke my heart into a million and fifty pieces.

NO LOVE:
There were a few things I didn't like about the book. First, there were some very, very small inconsistencies. They're hardly noticeable, but they're there, and I noticed them. Second, I cannot deny that some things and some events were not explained well. People just did things in the story. Events just happened. It was quite confusing. Lastly, while I loved the first two-thirds of the story, I didn't particularly like the last few chapters. It just went way too fast, especially the last chapter. It felt like a portion of it was cut.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
Sean. Eva's only friend turned sweetheart. I like him because he reminds me of Jay Heaton from The Body Finder. Like Jay, Sean is a good boy. He's the kind of boy whom you would present to your family at reunions, and not be ashamed. He's sensible and sweet. And he's very protective of Eva.

MUSINGS:
There are those books that can be described as believable, meaning, the fictitious plot has the possibility - however remote - of happening. This book is not it. The story was entertaining and engaging, yes, but I didn't think the plot is "believable." I really don't know why I feel this way, but I think it's because there aren't many details as to the circumstances of Eva's creation. In the story, Eva was just "created" or "stitched" by the weavers, nothing more.

Nevertheless, the book is oozing with all kinds of human emotions, both negative and positive - love, hate, grief, loneliness, guilt, and anger. I believe that this is the best thing about this book - its ability to evoke emotions. If you are looking for that kind of read, then this one should not be missed. The Lost Girl is the kind of story which appeals to people of all ages because it's a story of a struggle for one's identity and a fight for one's humanity.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Sangu Mandanna

SIMILAR READS:
Fracture (Fracture, #1) by Megan Miranda

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: moderate few curse words
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+

Book Recap: Crewel by Gennifer Albin (ARC)

Cover Inspection:
I really think it's pretty, and
it just how I imagined how the threads of life look like.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.0
Ending	2.5
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:

The story is set in a dystopian world, where women are obligated to be beautiful, groomed, and obedient. Girls are expected to remain pure and natural so that their "weaving" abilities aren't lost. The world is characterized by segregation of the sexes and totalitarianism. Everyone is being controlled by the Guild.

MAIN CHARACTER:

This is the story of Adelice - Headstrong, defiant, and sarcastic. She's strangely brave to a fault. She's also exceptionally talented in "weaving". For this reason, people are wary of her.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:

It's really hard to summarize this book without giving anything away. So I'll just say this, Adelice was taken from her family to become a spinster, a girl who weaves life.

Which leads me to this: what is a spinster? They basically weave the fabric that makes up the world. If the Guild finds out about that a girl has a weaving ability, they will take the girl away from her family to work for them. And so what is weaving? It's the power to control life by manipulating threads of the world. A single thread represents a person, and ripping it out means a person disappears.

LOVE:

This is the first line of the first chapter:

I can count the days until summer draws to a close and autumn seeps into the leaves, painting them ginger and scarlet.

From the first page, it is apparent that the writing is lovely. This kind of writing went on for the rest of the book. There is a gorgeous play of words here.

Because the plot is complex, I really had no idea where the story was headed. It was unpredictable. It was hard to pick the characters with good intentions from those with bad intentions. I didn't know who to trust. This, along with the suspenseful story, kept me glued to the book until the past page. The pacing was steady for most of the book, but it became insanely fast near the end. It was a bit rushed, but I really didn't mind because that's when everything finally made sense. The story unraveled beautifully. 

Yes, there is a love story. It's part of the story, and some elements hinges on it, but it's really not central to the plot. The romance is slow and simmering. It feels real as it didn't manifest until about halfway through the book. There were merely hints at the beginning, but it became abundant at the end.

NO LOVE:

I had a hard time getting into the story. This plot is quite complex, and it takes some time to immerse yourself completely in the story. It takes a while for the reader to be familiar with the ins and outs of the story.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:

I liked Adelice. She is a fiesty one! She doesn't take no for an answer. The Guild wants to control her, but she wouldn't let them. She's too intelligent for that.

MUSINGS:

I really thought this was just another dystopian story, but there's really much more to it than that. On the one hand, it speaks of a woman's power to create, and on the other hand, it's about societal control of women. The girls may have the power to "weave," but the Guild decides who to "rip." Also, purity, lesbianism, feminism are issues that were tackled in the book tangentially. So basically, this book is about women: a woman in love, a woman in power, a woman denied, a woman scorned, and a woman whose heart was broken. All in all, Crewel is not just one of those books where fluff is the story line, it's one of those stories that make you ponder on things that actually matter.

DOODLES:

No trailer yet.

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:

Gennifer Albin

SIMILAR READS:

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass
Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

CONTENT REVIEW:

profanity: mild
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+

An Interview with Anne Greenwood Brown, author of Lies Beneath

Everyone please welcome Anne Greenwood Brown, author of that ah-may-zing mermaid book, Lies Beneath!

About Anne

I am a Minnesota author, writing about mermaid assassins on Lake Superior. My debut YA series begins with LIES BENEATH, coming June 12, 2012 from Random House/Delacorte.

The sequel (DEEP BETRAYAL) is anticipated for March 2013.

Besides writing and reading YA literature, I love all things Irish, romantic movies, beef stroganoff, and Nutella.

If I'm listening to music it's Violent Femmes, The Coronas (awesome band out of Dublin), and Great Big Sea (out of Newfoundland).

Stalk: Website | Twitter

JoAnne: Give me one thing that you would want to change about your book, Lies Beneath.

Anne: Change?! Oh my gosh, I hope nothing! So much work has gone into it. I'll tell you one thing I had to change. Maris's name was originally "Ren," which is a Japanese name, meaning water lily. I had to change it because there's a very popular YA book with a major character named Ren! It's a unique enough name that I had to ditch it.

JoAnne: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? 

Anne: Hmmmm . . . I write in layers. My first draft is almost entirely dialogue. In later drafts I layer in the action, then the settings, and keep working in the layers, down to the smallest detail.

JoAnne: Coffee or energy drinks? 

Anne: Medium Skim Latte, please!

JoAnne: A hug or a kiss? 

Anne: Oooh. Who is it from? Hugs I suppose.

JoAnne: The one who loves you or the one you love? 

Anne: The one I love. The one I have ALWAYS loved.

JoAnne: Your book totally changed my fairytale perspective on mermaids! They're seductive and deadly. What inspired you to write about killer mermaids (or merman)? 

Anne: Actually, it's kind of a funny story. I never set out to write about mermaids. I was writing an adult/contemporary novel about a woman who tended a lighthouse on an island on Lake Superior. Her love interest was a ferry boat captain. I kept having these weird dreams where he would dive off the rail of the ferry--which would be incredibly stupid! Lake Superior is so cold, a normal person would be dead in a matter of minutes. I kept telling that character to STOP DIVING! Then one night (in my dream), he dove and busted out with this amazing tail. I put that novel aside and wrote the story that wanted to be written.

JoAnne: Lies Beneath was written in a boy's POV, which is a bit uncommon in the YA paranormal romance genre. Why did you choose this POV? Did you have a difficult time writing it? 

Anne: I don't remember making a conscious choice. Once I realized there was a merman with a story, the first line popped into my head. ("I hadn't killed anyone all winter, and I have to say I felt pretty good about that.") The rest kept coming pretty naturally. Book 2 is a continuation of the story, but told from Lily's point of view. Lily's internal voice took me longer to get a handle on--probably because I'd spent so much time in Calder's head. Right now I'm working on Book 3, which will be told in alternating points of view (Calder and Lily).

About Lies Beneath

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1)

by Anne Greenwood Brown

The lore of mermaids and mermen is real! As Gretchen McNeil, author of Possess, says, "Riveting! A cold-blooded tale of secrets, revenge, and forbidden love that will leave you terrified to go in the water."

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually, they select their victims at random, but this time around, the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother's death.

It's going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love--just as Lily starts to suspect there's more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.

One thing's for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty.

Book Recap: Nerve by Jeanne Ryan (ARC)

Cover Inspection:
I kind of like the cover.
It fits.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.0
Characters	2.5
Ending	2.5
Overall Rating	2.5 Good! (85% to 88%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:

The story is set in modern day Seattle.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

The main character is Vee. And there is only one word to describe her - boring. She is shy and is always playing it safe. She lets other people step on her. She's all those things BEFORE she joined Nerve.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:

Basically, Vee joined Nerve, an online dare game, which tests the player's limits as to how far will he or she is willing to go in exchange for the things they want the most.

LOVE:

I must say that the plot is pretty original - an online dare game testing one's limits. I've never read something like this before. The dares started out as tame, and towards the end of the book, the dares turned dangerous. And I loved it when Vee was doing the dares. It's completely out of character for her being the shy girl and all, but along the way, she sort of got addicted to it. The pacing of the story is quite good too! Being a story about testing limits, Nerve was far from being boring. Another thing I liked about the story is the Ian's mystery. Ian is the guy who was assigned to be Vee's partner. As the story progressed, Vee starts to have feelings for him, but her instincts tells her not true trust Ian. The thing about him is that he is so secretive. Vee (and the reader) don't know anything about him. You don't know if he's a good boy or a bad boy. (But from the beginning until the end, I liked his character.) It was fun unearthing his secrets as the story progessed.

NO LOVE:

I have to admit that the story was a bit repetitive. The players do the dares for a prize. Rinse and repeat. Nevertheless, some of the dares were entertaining in a very disturbing, very sick kind of way.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:

I love mysterious guys. So naturally, Ian fits the bill! He's Mr. Mysterious.

FAVORITE LINE:

Honestly, no line struck me.

MUSINGS:

One may get the idea that this is one of those books that are similar to The Hunger Games. Besides the fact that the players do whatever the game makers want them to do for a prize, the similarity ends there. Firstly because Nerve isn't really dystopian. There is no authoritarianism here. It's just live online game. It's closer to being a high school psychological thriller. Second, the dares are relatively tame compared to murdering your opponents. Last, while the book is exciting, it lacks that oomph that makes hunger games (and yes, even divergent) unputdownable. While I really didnt like the main character at the beginning as she was some sort of a doormat, she actually grew on me as the story progressed. With the dares, she grew a back bone. I'm proud of her. All in all, I enjoyed reading Nerve. it's exciting to read about just how far Vee can go.

DOODLES:

No trailer yet.

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:

Jeanne Ryan 

SIMILAR READS:

I actually can't think of similar books. It's original, at least for me.

CONTENT REVIEW:

profanity: moderate
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+

Book Bloggers Have The Power Too

What are the qualifications necessary to engage in book blogging? Do you need to have a Bachelor's Degree in Literature? Or maybe a Master's Degree in some other course? Do you need some work experience for that?

Or maybe you need to take an oath or an affirmation that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth if the book is good or not.

I never really understood why some professional reviewers think that non-professional (as opposed to unprofessional) reviewers harm literature. What kind of harm are they contemplating anyway? I can't think of any as I firmly believe blogging is a merely sharing your thoughts about a book. Like talking to your best friend, telling him or her about your favorite book, and asking them to buy a copy because the story is just so mind-blowing. It's an expression of opinion, which should never be curtailed. It's like writing in a journal, only you share that journal with the whole world.

Which reminds me... have you seen this Moleskine Book Journal? Hmmm. I think I want one.

But I digress.

Another point I want to make is this: education. Is it necessary for one to get a degree in literature for one to enjoy a book? Books are written for readers regardless of age, sex, color, religion, social status, educational attainment, sexual preference, and so on and so forth. And the last time I checked, book bloggers are readers too. In fact, bloggers buy the books they read and review with their hard-earned money. (Not all are lucky enough - or worthy enough - to get advance copies and review copies from publishers.) And through those sales, publishers and authors earn money. So, what is the issue here? I fail to see it.

With respect to the quality of reviews, I think an honest review has greater weight than a polished review. This is not to say that bloggers do not write polished reviews. And I'm not saying reviews from professionals are not honest. All I'm saying is that some people relate better with bloggers because bloggers share their thoughts as casual readers; it's very much similar to everyday friendships - looking for a friend who has the same likes and dislikes as you. And once you find a book blog that fits your taste, you check out the books recommended by that blogger hoping, wishing, and praying that the book he or she recommended will be as orgasmic for you as it was for him or her. I admit, blogging isn't centered on grammar, usage, style, and punctuation, and this is reflected in some reviews. But! It's more about passion for reading. It's about influencing other people to read. It's about celebrating books and authors and their talent. I actually consider it more of a "recommendation" than a "review." That recommendatory power is the power of a book blogger.

Granted, some bloggers behave badly, but these are a small part of the book blogger population. Most members of the book blogging community are responsible, courteous, decent, and educated. A tiny segment of the population should not represent the whole.

Another point I want to make is that bloggers have day jobs. They review books for fun. They don't get paid for it. Through blogging, they are merely expressing their love (or obsession) with books. They are just sharing their thoughts about the stories they read. It's a hobby, and any small benefit they get from it is merely incidental. For most, book blogging doesn't put food on the table. It's a form of stress release, a manner of getting high. They shouldn't be denied that because it's good clean fun.

With that, book blogging has its positive and negative consequences, like with all things in this world. Do they actually matter? Maybe they do. Maybe they don't. But it cannot be denied that the world is changing. It cannot be denied that the internet is changing the book reviewing world. And it cannot be denied that book bloggers have the power too.

[Announcement] SEMI-Bloggy Break + Throne of Glass Giveaway

My entry to the Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop

hosted by

I Am A Reader Not A Writer

I am announcing that I will be on a "semi-bloggy break" from the 1st to the 28th of October. Almost a month long, I know. But life demands it, as I will be taking a major government/professional exam on the four Sundays of month of October. *gasp!* This is a very, very big exam (at least for me) - one that will change the course of my life if (the optimist in me says "when") I pass it. For this reason, I will be taking a break from blogging so I can focus on studying.

This does NOT mean however, that there will be no blog updates whatsoever. I will still be be posting some SCHEDULED reviews and interviews. (Hence the term "semi-bloggy break.") But the weekly memes and the blog tours will be suspended for the time being. I will resume the memes and the tours after the exams, and that will be on the 29th of October (which happens to be my birthday).

Anyway, to keep you entertained, I will be giving away a copy of the Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas! Yay!

The Throne of Glass is currently my favorite book. (Yes, my "favorite book" changes as often as I change my nail polish.) Read my review of all praises HERE. There are no words to express how much I loved this book. It's a dream come true! And so, I want people to know about it. I want people to read it. I want people to enjoy it as much as I did. With that, this giveaway will be INTERNATIONAL as long as Book Depository ships to where you want the book shipped.

Click HERE for the book details and HERE for the list of countries where Book Depository ships.

You know the drill...

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