Sunday 30 September 2012

Stacking the Shelves (11)

Stacking the Shelves is Tynga's Reviews' version of In My Mailbox (from The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie).

Stacking the Shelves is a way to share the books that you're adding to your physical and virtual bookshelves. It's easy to participate. You just make your own post, and link it to the main post over at Tynga's Reviews. Also, in case you're curious, Tynga's post for it goes up on Saturdays, but you can post it any day that you like. :) You can find out more about participating by reading the Stacking the Shelves Launch post.

Well, it's much easier to manage these now that I'm back on track! haha Here's what I got this week!

For Review:

The Map of the Sky (Trilogía Victoriana #2) by
Between You and Me by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Collateral by Ellen Hopkins
Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff (won from iDreamBooks)
Splintered by A. G. Howard (Netgalley and ABRAMS)
Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1) by J. L. Souders (St. Martin's Press)
Ironskin (Ironskin #1) by Tina Connolly (St. Martin's Press)

This was an awesome week for review books! :D I had a couple of ebooks emailed to me that I've been really looking forward to, and I was approved for Splintered on Netgalley! :D I've been excited for that one ever since I first heard about it! :D I also had my Atria Galley Grab books come it...they'd been stuck at a depot in Edmonton for about a month...and thankfully they finally got in touch with me about it! :D I'm so excited for all of these ones! :D

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Bought:

Insanity (Asylum #1) by Lauren Hammond (Amazon Kindle)
The Vampire's Daughter (Of Light and Darkness #1) by Shayne Leighton (Amazon Kindle)

These have both been on my Kindle wishlist for a while, and I finally bought them. :) I'm looking forward to them both! :D

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Well, that's what I got this week! And what did you get? :D

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Smart Chicks Kick It Comes to EDMONTON! :D #SmartChicksKickIt #ChaptersWestside

Well, I've waited a little while to post about it, but a couple of weeks ago, on September 13th, the Smart Chicks Kick It tour stopped in Edmonton! :D We don't get very many author signings here, so it was extremely exciting...especially having so many come at once! Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Ally Condie, Charles de Lint, Beth Revis, Veronica Roth, and Margaret Stohl were all at our stop! :D


Recently, Kristilyn at Reading in Winter actually started up a directory for Edmonton Book Bloggers, so a bunch of us got together for the event!!! :D A few of us met up back in August, but this was the first time that there were so many of us together at once! :D Nine of us ended up showing up...and then we found out about a few new Edmonton book bloggers while we were there! We were hoping we'd run into a few that we hadn't about yet, so it was great that we actually did! :D
Tammy from Madmusings of a Masters Mind made us badges! Aren't they awesome?!
Edmonton Book Bloggers!
Another EBB picture. This was before Leanne got there though.
And...here we are! Right in the front! :D Kristilyn got to Chapters Westside about a half an hour before I did, and since we were there so early, we got seats right in the front. :D

The crowd!
Later in the night, the crowd got even bigger! It ended up being wrapped pretty much throughout the store, and about 750 people showed up! :D It was the biggest turnout for the tour, and hopefully that means publishers will see how many people in Edmonton are interested in author signings! When I went to the Christopher Paolini signing, it was huge, too! :D



The authors! :D I absolutely loved the authors' talk before they started signing. They focused more on general questions, and had trivia questions for prizes. They also had a lightning round with random questions from the audience. My favourite was when the author's were asked their favourite way to kill people...some of the answers were hilarious! haha :D I already had most of the authors' books, and I bought a few new ones for the event, so I got some books signed by all of the authors. :D

Ally Condie! I absolutely loved Matched and Crossed, so it was
really neat to get to meet her! Can't wait for Reached!!! :D
___________
Beth Revis! :D Yay for Across the Universe! I REALLY need to read
A Million Suns, so I'm going to have to get on that! :D
___________
Charles de Lint! Or the Smart "Chuck" as the "Chicks" called him! haha
I haven't read any of his books yet, but I did pick up a couple from
Chapters Westside. I can't wait to read them. :D
___________
Melissa Marr! I really enjoyed her Wicked Lovely series, and Graveminder. :)
I can't wait to read Carnival of Souls! :D
___________
Margaret Stohl! I bought the first three books in the Caster Chronicles for the signing,
and I just read the first one, Beautiful Creatures! So glad I bought them! :D Also, even
though I hadn't read her books yet, it was pretty hard not to notice how hilarious and
fun Margaret is...she's a riot! :D
___________
Veronica Roth!!! Love, love, love her and her books! :D Divergent and Insurgent
are definitely some of my favourites! :D She also made jokes about the third book,
and how the file is actually titled "Detergent" on her laptop! haha
I told her that I can't wait to read it even if it doesn't have a title yet. haha ;D
___________
Kelly Armstrong!!! I absolutely love Kelley's books! I'm super excited for The Rising,
and I'm so glad that I got to chat with her and get some of my books signed.
I didn't get all of them signed (I left at least ten at home :P so hopefully I'll get to meet
her again and get the rest signed ;D), but I did get back in line to get three more of her books signed. :D
___________
I've only ever been to one signing before this, so I was a little awkward trying to make conversation, but I got a bit better as I moved down the line...and I love all of the pictures that I got! They turned out great! Yay for my iPhone having a good camera! :D I also had a really nice girl who worked at Chapters to help me carry and sort out my books for the authors. It was really sweet, and another girl took my pictures! It was going fast, and I didn't get their names, but I'd like to say thank you! :D Who knows...maybe they'll read this! Thank you both! You were awesome! :D

I didn't take pictures of all of my signed books, but I did take a picture of this
one because I loved how cute it was! "Ambur is a...Beautiful Creature ♥". :D
The Smart Chicks Kick It tour was awesome! :D I got a lot of books signed (trust me...they were HEAVY! haha), and had a great time getting to know my fellow bloggers better. Cassay from Vamps, Weres, and Cassay and I got to chat a bunch while we were in line the second time, too. haha We even made friends with the people behind us. :D I just love how easy it is to bond over books! It's such a great feeling! I'm definitely looking forward to getting to meet up with my fellow bloggers in the future! :D

Have you ever been to a book signing before? 
If you got to choose one author (or a few authors if you can't choose :P), who would you want to meet, and why? We can call it your dream signing. ;D

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Source: Purchased.
(I don't have this cover...but I think it's adorable, so I'm using it ;D haha)
Publisher: MTV Books and Pocket Books
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 213 (Paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:
Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.



Wow...this book was amazing. There were so many subjects in it that made your really think, and empathize with the characters. It's seriously such a moving story.

Charlie has such a unique voice, and his perspective is so innocent, yet convoluted at the same time. I'm just in awe of this book. It's told in the format of letters to an anonymous person, addressed as "Dear friend" in the letters and Charlie isn't even really the main character's name...and all of the characters' names aren't their names either! I think that the anonymity really changes your whole perspective on the book, and it allows Charlie to be so open about everything that he says. The letters also add such a personal effect, and you feel as if you're the anonymous person that Charlie's chosen to write to (even though he clearly is writing to a guy, I still felt like I was the one being addressed). I found Charlie's voice so touching, and so honest. I couldn't help but be moved by everything in the story. It touches on serious topics, and some taboo things that people don't always want to hear about...even though we all know they're there, but I really appreciated Charlie's perspective. He treats the reader as a friend, and when something is unclear he clarifies for you. In some cases, you know more of what something means than Charlie, and I think his innocent perspective in those cases really make the story even more powerful.

I wanted to read this even before I knew they were making it into a movie, but I'm so glad that the film is coming out and has pushed me to read it before I see the film. It'll be interesting how the filmmakers choose to adapt this book to film though. It covers a lot of serious subject matter, and the format could be tricky, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they've done with it. I'd definitely recommend this book, even if you aren't planning on seeing the film. This story is incredibly touching, and will definitely challenge your perspectives and make you think about how you live you life. Do you sit back or do you stand out?

Have you already read The Perks of Being a Wallflower? Thoughts?
If you haven't read it, do you plan to?
And since it's almost in theatres...are you planning on seeing the movie?

Monday 24 September 2012

Cover Reveal: Resonance (A Holloway Pack Story #) by J.A. Belfield

Resonance 
A Holloway Pack Story #2.5 
by J.A. Belfield 

Release Date: April 2, 2013 
Target Reader: Adult 
Keywords: Urban Fantasy, Werewolf 

Book Description: 
Guilt is a heavy burden for the one carrying it. 

 Jem Stonehouse is no exception to this rule. 

What if she’d acted sooner? What if she’d fully recognised the threat? What if she hadn’t allowed the male pack members to head into the witches’ ambush? 

 For one, youngest pack member Josh Larsen wouldn’t be trapped in the sleep of the dead. 

Now, Jem is convinced it’s her job to bring him back to life no matter what it takes— learning more about her heritage, risking pack exposure, or travelling to places she couldn’t have imagined possible. 

Even if the journey endangers her soul. 

Other Books in this series include: 
Instinct (#0) (Publisher link | Goodreads
Eternal (#.5)(Publisher link | Goodreads
Darkness and Light (#1)(Publisher link | Goodreads
Blue Moon (#2) (Coming December 3, 2012)(Publisher link | Goodreads)

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I'm such a mega-fangirl for this series, so I'm thrilled that there will be another upcoming novella, even if I haven't yet read Blue Moon. :P I also absolutely adore this cover! It looks so bleak, and the description really seems to fit with it! Can't wait to read it! :D

So, what do you think??

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (83)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.


Books I Read Last Week:
We've been reading this one for my Classics class on Greek and Roman Literature. Sadly, it hasn't really captured me as much as mythology itself does, but it still is a pretty interesting story. The epithets are pretty amusing sometimes. :P I didn't read this one all the way through because not all of it was assigned, but I did read most, and I read the Sparknotes of the ones we didn't read to fill in the gaps. :P I'm still kind of surprised that this one ended where it did though...rather anticlimactic, and Achilles is much more sullen, sulky, and temperamental (nevermind that last one...that last one I expected :P) than I would've thought. :P

I absolutely loved this one! :D I'm so glad that I listened to Rola (from xo' reads) when she said I should read it! :D
I'm getting pretty excited for the movie, too. It looks like some things have been changed for it, but it from the teaser trailer it definitely looks like it's going to be one beautiful movie visually. :)

Reading Now:
Reading this one for my Scandalous Fictions class. I've only just started it, but it's definitely a different read. I have a feeling this book will get graphic though since it is the story of Christ's Passion, so I'm sure the Crucifixion and more will definitely make an appearance. Right now the tenses are a little strange. On the first page of Chapter One for example it shifted from third person (he) to second person (you) and then on the next page back to third person. We'll see how it goes though, and I'm keeping my eyes peeled for parts that could cause scandal since I have to do a group presentation on this one.

Books I Want to Read This Week:
 Can't wait to start this one! :D I'm going to take my time with it so that I don't have to wait super long for the fourth book to come out, Beautiful Redemption, which comes out on October 23...but I'm definitely stoked for this one! :D
 
With the movie out soon I need to finally get my butt in gear and read this one, especially since it's another one I've been looking forward to reading! ;D

And what are you reading???

Check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to see what other people are reading. :)

Sunday 23 September 2012

Anastasia Forever Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Anastasia Forever Blog Tour giveaway is: 

leannessf

Congratulations!!! I'll be contacting you shortly about your prize, and you'll have 48 hours to claim your prize before a new winner is drawn! :)

Thank you to everyone who entered, and I hope that you all get the opportunity to read the series! :D

Stacking the Shelves (10)

Stacking the Shelves is Tynga's Reviews' version of In My Mailbox (from The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie).

Stacking the Shelves is a way to share the books that you're adding to your physical and virtual bookshelves. It's easy to participate. You just make your own post, and link it to the main post over at Tynga's Reviews. Also, in case you're curious, Tynga's post for it goes up on Saturdays, but you can post it any day that you like. :) You can find out more about participating by reading the Stacking the Shelves Launch post.

So, I haven't posted an StS post for a while, and I've gotten plenty more than the ones I'm posting about today since the last time I posted. However, I thought I'd just jump right in and start fresh with this week's books! That way I won't feel bogged down with today's post. :P

Bought:

Playing to Win (Play by Play, #4)Hidden (Firelight, #3)
Playing to Win (Play by Play #4) by Jaci Burton (The Book Depository)
Hidden (Firelight #3) by Sophie Jordan (The Book Depository)

I'm super excited for both of these! :D I don't have a tonne of time to read books other than school related readings right now, but I definitely can't wait to read both of these! :D

So, those were the two books that I got this week, what did you get?

Saturday 22 September 2012

Scandal...What Scandal? What's Scandal and "Scandalous Fiction" to You?


So, as you probably assumed, or maybe just kind of guessed, I'm back at school. The fall semester has just started, and I've finally been to all of my classes. 

One of the classes I'm currently taking is a Comparative Literature class called..."Scandalous Fictions", so before I went to my night class this week, I asked on Twitter: "What comes to your mind when you think of Scandalous Fiction?"

And some of my fellow Edmonton Book Bloggers replied. :) 

Tammy of Mad Musings of a Masters Mind said:

UHHHH 50 Shades?? hahahaha  
and 
how about The Scarlett Letter?

We actually did talk about 50 Shades during our first class, and funnily enough, when I googled "Scandalous fiction" the picture below showed up. ;) And The Scarlett Letter is a book about scandal...which I'm sure has caused plenty of scandal itself. :P

Source: http://litreactor.com/columns/scandalous-is-50-shades-of-grey-better-than-you-think-it-is

Kristilyn from Reading in Winter said:
Something that steps out of the box -- personally, I think of the Marquis de Sade's works. VERY risky for that time.
 Kristilyn totally zoned in on one of authors we're reading for the class. Justine, one of the Marquis de Sade's books, and also known as the first erotica, is on our class reading list. ;)


Laura from Reading in Bed said:
maybe political stuff? 1984? Sounds like a great class!
While 1984 isn't on our reading list, there are other political books! :D And it definitely is a great class...plus, the prof is hilarious and she's totally awesome! :) Laura also suggested that I blog about the class, and show the reading list...and I decided that was a pretty good idea as you can tell from this post! Kudos to Laura for giving me the idea! :D


And Brie from Eat Books said:

Lady Chatterley's Lover? 

Oh boy...this book has definitely caused a TONNE of scandal! It isn't on the reading list for this class, but this book is definitely scandalous! I was supposed to read it for a past class, but we ran out of time and never got to it, but I did start it, and within just the first little bit there was sex right away. I think this one has been critiqued a lot because it has such an upfront view about sex. It doesn't hide it, and it doesn't allude...it goes there, and it is not brief.

_______________________________________

In the case of the class I'm in, Scandalous Fictions refers to books that have caused scandal...so the title is pretty straightforward. We're reading books based on a few different types of scandals. Scandals in Politics, Society, Religion, and Sex. All of the books on our reading list have been banned in at least one country. There are 13 books on the list (but I only have to read 2 in their entirety *phew!*), and they are:

(Note: I've linked to each book's Goodreads page in case you want to know more.)

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Paradise of the Blind by Duaong Thu Hong
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rusdie
Shame by Taslima Nasrin
Justine
by Marquis de Sade
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
Lolita
by Vladimir Nabakov
The Proof of the Honey by Salwa Al Neimi

These were all banned for different reasons, but they all caused their share of scandal. All Quiet on the Western Front was actually banned by the Nazis during World War II! Peyton Place was banned in Canada! We, which is the one that sounds the most interesting to me (it's dystopian!), was banned in Russia because it painted a poor picture on their government, and actually eerily predicted a bit of their future. :P Many of the others were banned for their sexual content, and some for the scandal they caused over religion.

I just find it so interesting how a book can cause so much controversy that countries, or even specific cities/towns/villages/libraries, could ban them! Harry Potter has even been banned in some places! We were talking about scandal in class, and how people can become so scandalized over literature, and it's a really interesting subject!

"This is not a pipe." Source: http://orensanznyc.wordpress.com/tag/this-is-not-a-pipe/
In art, things become a representation of what's real. Our prof showed us the above painting from a realist artist in her slides, and it's actually very interesting. Yes, the painting has a picture of a pipe on it...but it isn't a pipe. The pipe in the painting isn't real, it's an image. Thus, a painting of still life becomes completely separate from what was painted. So, if literature, fiction in particular, is just a representation of the real, then why do some people react to it as if it's influencing real life or is already part of life?

Does art, through paintings, songs, movies, or literature, actually influence what we do in our lives?

If a movie comes out with grotesque violence...are we supposed to take it seriously, and worry that people will start to behave like those in the movies? (We're going to be watching A Clockwork Orange in an upcoming class, and imitation was something that came up in interviews that we watched about it.)

Are the artists, directors, writers, and others involved in the creative process, then responsible if someone does claim that they did something because of what they experienced through art?

When you think of scandal that way, going beyond literature and encompassing other mediums, it takes on something completely different. Scandal is personal. People become scandalized, and each person will react to it a different way. If someone moons you, you're probably going to be scandalized...and pretty pissed off. So, if someone reads about someone being mooned, or watches a movie where someone moons the camera, is it justifiable for them to react the same way that they would if it actually happened to them?

Are we supposed to react to art in a different way than we do to real life, or should we treat everything as if it were real?

I have no answers for these questions, but it really is an interesting topic, and it definitely makes you think. It's relatively easy to view either side of the whole scandal subject. I'm not a personal fan of the banning (or burning, either) of books, but I can understand why some people do react so strongly. When something offends you, it's hard to just let it go, and frankly, somethings shouldn't be ignored. If something is against your religion, I could see you not wanting to read about it. I don't think you should try to stop others from reading it, but I can understand not wanting to read it yourself. Also, if you have children who read, I could understand not wanting them to read certain things, or to at least get an idea of what they're reading if you haven't read something yourself. Maybe in the case of books, to avoid upset over subject matter, language, or issue books, we should think about warning labels. If a warning label could stop a book from being banned and inform a reader of what the book contains, while also giving a parent a head's up about the subject matter their child is reading, perhaps we should consider it. I know I've heard of warning labels on books before, but I haven't heard anything recently.

So, what do you think of the idea of putting labels on books? I know they have age recommendations on some, and some do say their genre, but if they had a little box on the back in a corner with rating information, what would you think? Good idea? Bad?

Finally, my last little thought. Is scandal always a bad thing? Fifty Shades was mentioned above, but the scandal surrounding it seems to have only made it more popular. So, do you think scandal can is also beneficial? After all, this isn't the first book to become more popular after everyone starting talking about it. Many books actually end up becoming best-sellers when they get banned (in places other than where they're banned of course)...and as they say, any press is good press. So, what's your take on scandal itself? Do you think society is a little enamoured with scandal? We do find it all over our society, it's in magazines, TV shows, movies themselves, and all over the internet.

I'm going to keep on going on tangents though, so I'm going to stop, and I'll let you think about it yourself. So, think over my questions, and comment if you feel like talking about it to. We can discuss scandal together...and perhaps spread a little bit of scandal through the discussion ourselves.

Friday 21 September 2012

Review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama


Source: Received an egalley on Netgalley for an honest review.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Number of Pages: 295 (hardcover)

Blurb from Goodreads:
Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.



Being someone who loves the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid, I was a little ashamed of myself for only having one mermaid story before this one. That's right, this was only my second mermaid book. And I really enjoyed it. One of the things that I love most about books that have different paranormals or creatures or anything, is the fact that the author has so much room for creative license. They can choose to go with something more traditional, or they can totally mix it up. I know some people are traditionalists when it comes to supernaturals, but I personally like it when author's do things their own. It makes everything more interesting. :D

In Monstrous Beauty, Elizabeth Fama takes mermaid folklore to a dark place. She weaves in curses, and dark secrets of mermaids. These mermaids are seductive, and very similar to Syren's in that way, which made me chuckle when I first read Syrenka's name. :P Along with being seductive, they live long lives, and are not supposed to be seen by humans...the latter being a similar trait among mermaids and tends to explain away why we never see them in real life...you know, if we were to try and claim that they were real and all. :P

Another thing that made Monstrous Beauty so interesting was the main narrator, Hester. She wasn't very easy to connect with...but the story itself was still completely compelling. Parts of the story are also narrated by Ezra...which gave the reader a bit of an inside view on things that Hester hadn't quite figured out yet. Both Hester and Ezra weren't really characters that you clicked with. I liked them well enough, but I just didn't "connect" with them. They're extremely detached, but somehow their story still manages to keep you hooked. I think that in a way it has to do with the way that Elizabeth Fama has crafted the story. She has some detached characters who are mysteriously linked, and are not only detached from the reader, but are detached from every day life. While reading, it's like you're trying to make a connection between Hester and Ezra, and you're hoping that whatever it is will finally help Hester open up to other people in her life (most notably Peter...who I loved :D). I found this form of storytelling really addictive, quick, and I also found it extremely easy to get caught up in the story.

I read this one with my friend, Zoë, and I absolutely loved it! :D I didn't want to put it down, and it made me want to check out some of the other mermaid books that I've heard of, but haven't gotten around to yet! I'd recommend this one to mermaid fans who like it when author's create a unique twist on supernaturals, and for people who like to be wrapped up in a story. I will caution that if you absolutely can't stand stories that have narrators who you don't connect with, then you might not like this one, but then again, I usually only read stories with main characters I click with...yet I loved this one, so you might wanna give it a shot. ;D

Any mermaid fans out there?
Have you read this one?
If you have, what did you think?
If you haven't, does it sound like something you want to read?

Thursday 20 September 2012

Surrender Blog Tour: Cael and Lily Character Interview &Giveaway!

I was lucky enough to get to interview both Lily and Cael, the two main characters of Surrender by Aimee Laine, for its blog tour! :D There's also a giveaway at the end of the post, so don't miss your chance to win an ebook of Surrender and a signed bookmark! :D

I've put my questions in the interview in bold, and have put Lily's comments in purple, and Cael's in blue. :) They're pretty adorable these two...be prepared to grin and chuckle even if you haven't read Surrender yet. ;D

So, without further ado...here is the interview:

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Hi, Lily and Cael! :D It’s fantastic having you both here to chat! :D

"Thanks," Lily nods politely, her hand clasped in Cael's.

"She's a little nervous," he adds.

Let’s start with something pretty basic, how did you two meet?

The two of them look toward each other. Lily gives Cael a shy smile.

"So," Cael starts, threading his fingers between Lily's, "Charley found Lily a long, long, long time ago and brought her into our family after everything ... that ..." he coughs into his hand "... happened and the rest is history."

Lily what was your first impression of Cael, and Cael what was your first impression of Lily?

The giggle comes from Lily. "Well ...I thought he was very ... um ... handsome. And kind." She leans in close to me and crooks her finger. "And really hot."

Cael snorts. "Lily here though ... she was beautiful."

Lily slaps his shoulder. "I was not. I was horrible at the time! I'd barely healed from the whole ... you know ... stuff."

"Lil, seriously." Cael slides a hair behind her ear. "You are and were beautiful."

If you had to describe each other, what would you say?

"She's an amazing chef."

"He can eat like a horse." Lily's grin tells me she's absolutely in love with Cael.

If you had to pick one think to define each other, what would it be?

"Courageous," Cael says.

"Am not. I'm a wimp. He's my strength."

What’s your favourite or one of your favourite moments of each other?

They turn to each other, Lily's cheeks pinking up. "I don't think we should describe that moment."

Cael raises an eyebrow. "I'll describe it."

 Lily's eyes widen. "You will not. That's private!"

Mimics can change their appearance, but is there anything that stays familiar that allows you to recognize each other even in another form, like scent?

"There always is," Cael says. "Every Mimic has a method, and our family has a particular method, too, but we're not going to share because that would give us away."

Lily leans into Cael's arm. "I do have to say I like our ways."

 Finally, can you give us a bit of a hint of what we can expect from Surrender?

"So, I heard there was a whole book about us." Lily twirls a golden brown lock around her finger.

"Charley's read it and says it truly explains our story, how we met, what happened to me—" her voice cracks "—and what happened in the Bahamas. I'm just ... uh ... really glad I'm me now."

Cael taps her hand his his finger. "Not just you, but mine, too."
And with that, he turns to me and says, "Always, always, always mine."



About Surrender:
Face the past or look to the future? Both will hurt. One could kill her.

All her life, Lily Crane has supressed her childhood memories, masking the signs of abuse with a variety of looks. From brunette to blonde, tall to short — as a Mimic, changing shape is her gift. Her right. Her achilles heel.

It’s Lily’s latest likeness, chosen simply by accident, which threatens to repeat a history she’s desperate to forget. Worse, she must do so without the one man who takes all her pain away: Cael Aldridge.

Cael has no intention of leaving Lily on her own. He never has. Now, with the woman he loves in the hands of a predator who wants Lily for her genetics, Cael will do everything he can to bring her home.

Alive.

He can only pray he isn’t too late.

(Description from Surrender's Goodreads Page.)                   



GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

- 1 Winner will get an Ebook and a Signed Bookmark
- International
- Ends on October 5th (12:01 am EST.)
- The winner will be drawn with Rafflecopter
- The winner will be emailed their ebook
(make sure to check your junk folder,
don't wanna miss it!), and the bookmark will be sent through the mail. 

To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter Widget Below:



So, what did you think of Lily and Cael's interview? :D
I absolutely adore the two of them! 
They're amazing together...and so in love. *dreamy sigh*
Anyway, thoughts? :)

Thanks for reading Lily and Cael's interview and for entering the giveaway! :)

Good Luck!

Review: Surrender (Mimics of Rune #2) by Aimee Laine

Source: Received an ebook from publisher for an honest review.
Release Date: Already Released.
Visit its page on the publisher website: Surrender

Description:
Face the past or look to the future? Both will hurt. One could kill her.

All her life, Lily Crane has supressed her childhood memories, masking the signs of abuse with a variety of looks. From brunette to blonde, tall to short — as a Mimic, changing shape is her gift. Her right. Her achilles heel.

It’s Lily’s latest likeness, chosen simply by accident, which threatens to repeat a history she’s desperate to forget. Worse, she must do so without the one man who takes all her pain away: Cael Aldridge.

Cael has no intention of leaving Lily on her own. He never has. Now, with the woman he loves in the hands of a predator who wants Lily for her genetics, Cael will do everything he can to bring her home.

Alive.

He can only pray he isn’t too late.



I've loved Lily and Cael ever since I met them in Little White Lies, and I was extremely excited when I first heard that they were getting their own story in Surrender. I was even more excited to see what would happen with their relationship after they had both spent about 40 years thinking their love was unrequited. Now that I've read Surrender, I have to say that I was not disappointed...in fact, I was wowed! :D

I also have to say that this is one sequel that does not disappoint! Little White Lies was action-packed, and steamy...and Surrender definitely filled its own action and steam quota (although I don't think I could've ever gotten enough of Cael ;) haha). One of the things that I really enjoyed about Surrender was the fact that we get to learn more about mimics...and we even learn some things that the mimics in Rune didn't know themselves, which definitely fascinated me. :) I love how vast and flushed out the descriptions of mimics are and how defined they are a type of supernatural species. Aimee Laine has done an amazing job making her mimics stand out, and she's done a fantastic job with letting her readers learn about them. In fact, they fascinate me so much...I would jump at the chance to read a guide about them, or just anything that would give me more information about them...it would be awesome! :D

Along with the fact that I love all the details about mimics...I especially loved the characters. :D I connected with the characters back in Little White Lies, but it's even better getting to see more of them. I loved seeing Charley and Wyatt again, and more of James and Maggie (who I'm hoping will be the focus of the next Mimics of Rune book...and I think I may be right because those two were getting close during parts of Surrender ;P)....and most of all, I loved getting to know Lily and Cael better! I loved getting to see their POVs and learning about their past. I feel like I understand Lily so much better now, and I have so much compassion towards her. She has also completely wowed me with her strength. Cael is as sexy as ever, and he also impressed me...he can be so sweet and sensitive. Plus, he's also extremely talented as a mimic! :D I love getting to see him do things that barely any other mimics can do...it's pretty neat! :D

Now, I've mentioned Lily and Cael separately, but I also want to talk a bit about them as a couple, and as friends. :) Lily and Cael are first and foremost, great friends. I think that fact is one of the things that makes them so strong as a couple, and it also makes the reader root for them pretty hard. I love how Cael is always there for Lily, and how even though she considers herself weak, she's there for him to. They comfort each other, and have an amazing connection. I just absolutely love them together, and after seeing them through Charley and Wyatt in Little White Lies, I was extremely excited to see what happened between them in Surrender...and I was definitely ecstatic with how it all turned out. ;D

The plot of Surrender actually was teased about a bit in Aimee Laine's short story, "Misguided", that was within the Into the Unknown anthology. You don't need to read it to know what's going on in Surrender, but it was a nice bit of back-story that really helped connect the reader to where this book begins. It also kind of feels like you're in the loop if you've read "Misguided", which is pretty awesome. I loved the short story, and I loved all of Surrender! I got tonnes of new info on mimics, and I was constantly thrown for a loop and surprised...which I love! Surrender wasn't predictable at all, and it was extremely exciting! You also meet a bunch of new characters that I'm looking forward to seeing in future books!  Plus, you get an amazing romance through Lily and Cael! :D

 Overall, I loved Surrender and thought it was amazing! I would recommend it, and the Mimics of Rune series, to paranormal and supernatural fans who are looking for something new. This series is incredibly unique, and it's also flushed out with wonderful characters, fantastic plots, and writing that will surprise you and keep you caught up in the story until you read the very last word. :D

So...what do you think?

Does Surrender and the series sound like something you'd like?

If you've started this series, what do you think?

Any other fans of unique new paranormal stories?

Personally, I love getting to read something that's so different...it keeps things interesting! :D And Aimee Laine definitely writes unique and fresh supernatural books. Her other series, Games of Zeus, is like that, too. :D

Saturday 15 September 2012

Big Sky Mountain Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Big Sky Mountain Blog Tour Giveaway is...

Marie Haney

Congratulations, Marie! :D I'll be emailing you shortly about your prize! Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway, and I hope you all get to meet some sexy cowboys. ;)

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Review: Empty Net (Assassins #3) by Toni Aleo

Source: Received an egalley from the author for an honest review. 
Release Date: Already released.
Number of Pages: 353 (Kindle edition)

Blurb from Goodreads:
Definition of an Empty Net: When a team pulls the goalie for an extra attacker, desperately seeking a goal.

Audrey Parker was in a horrible place.
She hated her job, her sister was getting married and moving out, but worst of all, she was in love with a total jerk. No matter what she did, every guy she met hurt her. All she wanted was her happily ever after. Her Prince Charming. Her Lucas Brooks! She didn’t know how to change her life but she knew she needed too.
Feeling like she was about to hit rock bottom, Audrey wakes up next to Tate Odder.

Tate Odder had lost everything.
After being brought up from the Assassins’ farm team, the Florida Rays to the Nashville Assassins, Tate hopes he’ll forget everything he has lost. He doesn’t. Each day gets harder to live in a place he doesn’t know. Even being the first rookie goalie to shut out an opposing team three times during the Lord Stanley Cup Finals, he still felt empty. With the loss of his parents and sister still heavy on his heart, Tate isn’t sure how to live like everything is okay.

But when he wakes up beside Audrey Parker, things start to change. She turns his life upside down with her kooky sense of humor and her bright clothing. She is intelligent and beautiful, and for once, he doesn’t feel empty.
Will Audrey be the person to fill the holes in Tate’s heart, making him whole again?
Or will another player ruin everything, leaving him feeling forever like an empty net?



I've mentioned that I love sports romances before, and Toni Aleo definitely writes ones that I enjoy. I love how she actually includes hockey in the story, and how she alternates between the male and female leads....oh, and I definitely enjoy those steamy sex scenes, too...can't forget those. ;)

I've been really looking forward to Empty Net ever since I finished Trying to Score, especially after learning that this one was going to be Audrey's book! :D Audrey is Fallon's sister, and we met her in all her fabulous-cupcake-glory in the last Assassins book. :) She's quirky, fun, and all-around awesome in my opinion...her one downfall in Trying to Score was Levi...needless to say, he was the one feature of Empty Net that I didn't enjoy, although I definitely understood his purpose as the nasty, typical-a-hole type that Audrey dated in the past....scratch that he was by far the worst of the worst out of all the guys that she dated...so like I said, I get his presence. He makes Tate seem even more awesome when he appears, and they act almost like opposites to each other...so Tate=awesome, and Levi=not-awesome. Plus, Levi is creepy and Tate is Sexy...yes, with a capital S. ;)

Out of all of Toni Aleo's heroines in the Assassins series so far, Audrey is my favourite. :) She had flaws yes, and I'm sure her flaws will annoy you, too. They did annoy me, but I could understand where she was coming from, and what I loved most was that she evolved in this book. She moved past her flaws, and I felt like she changed, or rather her attitude changed, in the book, and that made me like and appreciate her even more. I also, as I always do with this series, loved seeing the past main characters pop up....especially when they end up being so happy! :D It makes me thrilled to get to see Elli and Shea popping out babies, and Fallon and Lucas continually arguing then of course, 'making up'. You don't see it in the same context as you do in their own stories, but it's awesome to get to see where these characters are, especially after going through some tough times with them. :)

Now...to the part I've been saving for last (after all...the best is saved for last, isn't it? :P)...the romance! :D I absolutely loved the romance in Empty Net! I loved how Tate and Audrey met, and how the tension was a lot different because they totally got their sexual tension out of the way....but, that didn't stop there from being tension, and boy...oh, boy, did that tension continue build as the story progressed! I also just have to say that I loved absolutely everything about Tate. :D He was adorable, yet hot and sexy at the exact same time...and I loved it! Tate's persistence was also something I absolutely adored. He knew that he and Audrey were good for each other...and he wasn't willing to drop it just because she was afraid. :) I also adored how Tate and Audrey both grew so much as characters...and mostly because of each other, it's one of the things that made them so great together...they were both awesome people, kind of happy...but not really, and then you put them together and they were even better! :D So...obviously, my favourite part of Empty Net was the romance between Tate and Audrey. I loved the emotional connection between them...and their physical connection, too...Tate and Audrey steam up the pages, and let me just say that no cupcake is safe in their presence (I'll let you infer about that as you will :P).

While this series has had editorial issues in the past, I definitely think that they were a lot better in Empty Net, and I've been told that they've been improved in the previous books as well. I actually think that this has been my favourite book in the series so far....although, I still have a serious soft spot for the first Assasins book, Taking Shots, and a serious soft spot for Shea...oh, Shea. *sigh* ;) I definitely recommend Empty Net, and the previous two Assassins books to sports romance fans, or to fans of HEAs who think that they'd be a fan of guys with sexy athletic bodies getting sweaty...and also sensitive, with their lucky ladies. ;)

Previous Books in the Assassins Series:
Taking Shots (Assassins #1) | Goodreads Page
Trying to Score (Assassins #2) | Goodreads Page


Have you tried out a sports romance yet?
Any recommendations that you'd like to share?
Personally, I really enjoy Jaci Burton's Play-by-Play series (can't wait for my copy of Playing to Win to come in the mail!!!). I'm also a fan of the Assassins series, as I've mentioned in this review, but I'm always open to suggestions for more. :)

Monday 10 September 2012

Cover Reveal: Silent Echoes (Games of Zeus #2) by Aimee Laine

 
Silent Echoes 
Games of Zeus #2 
by Aimee Laine 

Release Date: March 11, 2013 
Target Reader: Adult 
Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Romance

Book Description:
For years, Ian Sands has enjoyed his life as a bachelor, taking advantage of singlehood and exploring his own definition of passion—whoever she may be. Blonde. Brunette. Tall. Short. Hot. Not. Five months ago, all that changed. 

 Ian’s been celibate, frustrated and desperately seeking answers to why one woman, who doesn’t play by girls’ rules, haunts his every waking moment. 

As a renovations specialist, Taylor Marsh lives, works and breathes construction—a profession her southern belle of a mother would rather Taylor not touch. The same goes for Ian; Mama Marsh would never approve of him. 

Like Ian, though, each time he and Taylor draw near, something compels her to get closer. 

Something else tells her to run away. 

 Fast. 

 As much as their histories suggest they shouldn’t be together, neither Taylor nor Ian can deny the pull, and the two succumb, indulging in a relationship that brings pleasure to body, mind and soul. 

 Doing so, though, also ushers in a series of events both should have foreseen as well as one final outcome neither expected. 


Other Books in this series include: Hide and Seek


Goodreads Links:

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Wow! I absolutely adore this cover!! :D I love the house in the background and the girl in the forefront! It's just so beautiful visually, and completely intrigues me. :D I'm also extremely curious because Ian is a total playboy in Hide and Seek...and hearing he's celibate in this one because of Taylor...well, that really intrigues me! ;) I also can't wait to get glimpses of Tripp and Lexi!!! :D 

So, what do you think of this cover? 
Have you started this series yet? And if you haven't, does it sound like the type of book you'd like?

Monday 3 September 2012

Winner of Beautifully Broken from Moonlight Mayhem Blog Tour!

So, the winner of the Beautifully Broken ebook is: 

Pavan 

Congratulations!!! I'll be contacting you shortly so that you can receive your ebook, Pavan. :) I hope that you enjoy it!!

On another note, I just got back from camping for the long weekend, and I am now typing on my new laptop!!! Yay!!! :D I'm still getting used to it. The keyboard is a lot different than the one on my other laptop, but so far I'm liking it. :) I'm also not going to be doing any memes this week just because I've been gone all weekend, but you can expect to see the return of "Stacking the Shelves" and "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?" next week. :) 

I hope that you all had fantastic long weekends! :D