Cover Reveal: Angel's Heart by Nalini Singh

Hello everyone! I have a very special cover reveal to share with you, for Nalini Singh's Angel's Heart. Let me tell you, it is GORGEOUS! Want to see it? 

Here it is:

Blurb:

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory.

Accompanying her archangel lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, Guild Hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within - truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is . . .

Preorder | Add To Goodreads

Isn't it gorgeous? Okay, so I may be imagining seeing a live version of the wings, as a tattoo, and that would be even more gorgeous. What do you think?

Contact Nalini Singh: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog

Book Review: Once Upon A Dream by Liz Braswell

Author: Liz Braswell
Series: Twisted Tales #2
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date:April 5th 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.

It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.

With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Disney Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of this book or my rating in any way.

Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my Top 3 Disney animated movies. As a little girl, I remember being captivated by Aurora's relationship with the animals, but also by the three fairy godmothers. One thing I've always been attracted to, that I don't think I've ever told anyone before, was Maleficent's raven. I had a soft spot for that animal, even though he did ultimately belong to Maleficent, making him one of the bad guys, but he was a pretty bird. I was always sad when he ended up being turned into stone. Anyway...

I was very excited to see how the author would remake this story and make the villain win. There have been many remakes of the story, but I was really curious to see if this book could match the original movie's lavish world, with the medieval-looking drawings and details.

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the first quarter or so of the book. The plot was slow-paced and the language used made me think the book was intended for middle-grade aged readers. Which is not bad, except I was expecting more, for some reason.

I have to say though, I'm glad I pushed through and kept reading. Around the middle of the book, the story started picking up and it became the dark story I hoped it would be. It touched on some really delicate themes, like suicide and child abandonment, and I'm really happy the story went there. It was also really interesting to see that Aurora/Rose isn't shown as the delicate princess with the pretty voice and gorgeous hair that the movie shown, but she's more than that. She basically becomes the hero in this story, and I liked that very, very much.

I can't say I liked Prince Phillip very much. Probably because we see him mostly from Aurora's perspective, and he is yet another person who hid things from her. Even so, I was expecting more from the daring prince who faced a dragon for a girl he didn't even know.

The world-building was good. I liked how the story is told from the lens of a war won by the villain. Unlike the previous book in the series, I felt like Maleficent really was a villain in this story. She was cruel, she was ruthless, and she was deranged. Far more dark than the movie allows the audience to see. I still feel that, for a story where the villain wins at first, there were so few scenes told from her perspective.

I did enjoy this book more than the other one, however I think the first part of the book, as I said before, could have been a bit more fast paced, and maybe used a more mature language. I saw that the next book in the series is about Beauty and the Beast, and I can't even explain how much I want to read about that library that Beast has in his castle. So I'll definitely read the next book in this series.

Release Blitz: Welcome to Sortilege Falls by Libby Heily

Wednesday Chatter #16: Parents & YA a.k.a The Trope I Want To See Go Away

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks


WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Happy Wednesday folks! Today I want to talk to you about a trend (trope more like it) in most of the YA books I've read recently: idiotic parents.

I think I can count on one hand the books that I've read in the past 6 years of my blogging life, that didn't have idiot parents. And I'd still have fingers left. That's sad. And I want to know: why is it a thing?

I know authors have started, in the last few years, to try to make their stories more realistic and write about the various fact of life. Fact No. 1: Not all parents are great parents or even great people. Fact No.2: Not all parents are idiotic creatures, that deserve a beating for bringing a poor soul into the world, when their brain can't handle more than breathing and walking at the same time. Still, most of the books I've read recently are filled with this trope. 

I want to read about responsible parents, parents that don't abuse their children, that don't abandon them, that raise them in a healthy, positive environment. I remember reading about Molly Weasley, and being absolutely thrilled that she and Arthur were great parents, even to kids that weren't their children, like Harry and Hermione.

I also feel that, and no offence to anyone here, it's an easy way to explain why the main character, male or female, is having various issues. It's the easiest way, in my opinion, because the parents are idiots and so the teenager doesn't have healthy examples of good, responsible adults around him, and so he/she has issues. Or he/she becomes the hero of the story because the adults are imbeciles.

Take a book that I loved, The Duff. Bianca had the worst parents ever. Her mom was off who-knows-where, presenting her book, her dad was an alcoholic that also turned violent and mean when drunk, so of course she found solace in Wesley. It makes sense that she chose a seemingly destructive path, because she was primed for it by her parents. Same with A Midsummer's Nightmare, which again shows a teenage girl acting out and behaving in a self-destructive way, since her dad was mostly behaving like a teenager himself, and her mom was a bitter woman, that hated her ex more than she loved her own child.

Firstlife, another book that I liked, showed the heroine Ten how not only was she abandoned by her parents, she was locked up by them in an asylum. The other adults in that book are equally idiotic, what with the parents of one girl in the asylum selling her out to the highest bidder. Of course the teenagers then become misfits. And of course some of them become heroes in the end, despite what they went through and how they were let down by the people they should've trusted the most.

On the other side, there are those books that show parents supporting their children, offering them a loving, caring, healthy environment in which they have a chance at a normal life.

Take Girl Against The Universe for instance. Maguire has a supportive mom, one that is trying to help her daughter, and a patient step-father that is really trying. Maguire and her step-dad actually have a beautiful scene that had me sobbing, it was so perfect and heart-breaking at the same time. And, yes, I know Jordy has idiotic parents too, but at least he can count on his therapist to not be an idiot. 

I am realizing I may be using the word "idiot" too much in this post, but nothing else fits. Moving on.

I'm going to mention Mr. and Mrs. Weasley again, just because. I think we can all agree that they were perfect parents. Sure, they didn't have money to support their family as much as they wanted, but that doesn't mean they didn't love their kids, or that they somehow ignored one in favor of the other. I'll never forget movie-Molly Weasley telling Bellatrix "Not my daughter, you bitch!", not ever. That scene, is one of my top 5 scenes in the entire movie franchise.

Even Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series had great parents, in their own way. They weren't perfect by any means, but they did help their daughter. I think ultimately, in this instance, we see Janine and Abe from Rose's perspective, and we all know how hotheaded and proud Rose can be sometimes. So yes, we are shown that Janine is a cold mom at first, but seeing things from the "our only purpose is to serve the Moroi" code that all of the dhampirs are living by, I can't really blame Janine for being the perfect soldier. Dimitri also had a great mom, and a really funny grandmother. Kirova is also an adult that I always end up respecting, mostly because she let Rose get back to the Academy, for a second time, to finish her education.

I know most YA book are written for teenagers, but am I the only one hoping to see good adults in these books? What do you think? Are you as tired as I am by this trope, or on the contrary, do you think adults have no business in YA and they should be shown as mostly being useless/in the way of the MCs?

Comic Book Tuesday #11: Star Trek Manifest Destiny #1

Author: Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott
Series: Star Trek: Manifest Destiny #1
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: 28 Jun 2016
My Rating:4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

This all-new adventure is set at the edge of explored space, as Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise come face to face with a new Klingon threat... with the fate of the galaxy at stake.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and IDW Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or opinion of the book in any way.

It's always an interesting experience for me to read a Star Trek comic book. I was browsing the newest books available for reviewing on Netgalley, when Manifest Destiny caught my eye.

I'm actually happy I requested this book. The art is pretty much similar to the one used in the Star Trek/Green Lantern comic, only a tad bit darker. The panels were, as with the previously mentioned comic, not crowded with characters of dialogue, and it wasn't hard to follow the story. One thing that I'd like, though, and it will sound strange as hell, is to not have the drawings try to look too much like the actors playing the characters in the movies. I know, it sounds strange, and it may be a me-thing, but I would like to see how the artist sees these characters outside of the influence of the movies.

The story is pretty fast paced and the strangest thing happened while I was reading it, in the sense that I wanted to read more from the villain's POV than from the good guys'. Does that sound strange? I felt like the villain was very well portrayed and he was pretty interesting, and I wanted to find out why he was so bad, bordering on psychotic sometimes.

The weirdest thing happened though. I was so caught in the story, that when I finished reading that last page, I actually thought maybe the file downloaded wrong. There's a cliffhanger at the end, and it took me a while to realize that I read just the first issue of the story, which made me want to cry, because I wanted to know what happens with the heroes and with the villain, who dies and who lives.

All in all, a good story, and I can't wait to get my hands on the entire volume and find out how the story ends.

Early Book Review: The Devil In Disguise by Cynthia Eden

Author: Cynthia Eden
Series: Bad Things #1
Audience: +18
Publisher: Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: June 28th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Don’t make the devil angry…

Luke Thorne loves having one hell of a good time. As the ruler of every dark creature to walk the earth, he certainly has more than a bit of a bad side. He lives for danger and isn’t the type to lose his heart—mostly because he doesn’t have one. Then she walks into his life.

Mina James is seduction in the flesh, a perfect temptation that the devil himself couldn’t pass up. Too late, Luke realizes he’s let a real siren into his life, a woman who is bent on using his dark powers to free herself from hidden enemies. Since Luke isn’t the type of man to be used, he should walk away from her, but…something about Mina draws him close.

Soon he’s realizing that she isn’t who she appears to be. Not dark and cold, but burning red hot. Mina is a woman fighting for her life—and the Lord of the Dark suddenly finds himself in an unlikely role…hero. Luke isn’t going to let her enemies destroy Mina. He will fight heaven and hell to keep her. But in the end, the secrets they both carry may just rip apart a love that should never have been…

There are Bad Things in the world…very, very bad. Are you ready for them?

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc. in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of the book or my rating in any way.


In the last two weeks or so I've been having the need to read some urban fantasy, which is when I stumbled across this book on Netgalley. Between the cover, the blurb and my recent obsession with the TV show Lucifer, I just had to give this book a try. And I'm so, so happy I tried it out.

I really loved the premise of this book. The ruler of all things dark is brought to his knees my a single, little siren. It was interesting to see the inner conflict that Luke has. He's been brought up to believe there's nothing good about him, that he can basically destroy anything and everything good around him, so seeing him struggle with his feelings and with his actions towards Mina was interesting. I feel like by the end of the book a lot of the things he believed in regarding himself and the world in general were put under a microscope and examined really well, and I feel like that will help him grow a lot as a character. I feel like he needed that.

Mina is one of those characters that manage to somehow  break my heart a little bit. She had a tough life and when I got near the end of the story, the irony of it all wasn't lost on me. I would want to explore her world more, since something that happened at the end was quite... strange and something that doesn't make sense. It kind of broke the rules, so to speak, but in a good way.

I have to say though, I would have loved it if the book explored the reasons for Luke's reaction towards Mina. Maybe it will be explored later on, as the series explores other characters, but it would be interesting to know why his instincts told him he needed to protect her, and why he reacted the way he did in certain situations.

All in all, a good start to a new paranormal series and I am very anxious to read the next book in the series.

Cover Reveal: The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins

GUYS GUYS GUYS!!!!! I have a great cover to share with you!

I'm very happy to share with you the cover for The Great Pursuit by the awesometastic Wendy Higgins. This book is the sequel to The Great Hunt, and also final book in the Eurona Duology. Here it is:

Book Blurb:

Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.

Isn't it awesome?? I absolutely love it. In addition to this cover gorgeousness, The Great Hunt ebook is currently on sale for $3.99. So grab it on Kindle and/or Nook before the sale ends.

Contact Wendy: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Book Review: Viking Warrior Rising by Asa Maria Bradley

Author: Asa Maria Bradley
Series: Viking Warriors #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: November 3rd 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Immortal Vikings are among us.

Leif Skarsganger and his elite band of immortal warriors have been charged to protect humanity from the evil Norse god Loki.

Under attack from Loki’s minions, Leif is shocked to encounter a dark-haired beauty who fights like a warrior herself. Wounded and feverish, the Viking kisses her, inadvertently triggering an ancient Norse bond. But when Naya Brisbane breaks away and disappears before the bond is completed, Leif’s warrior spirit goes berserk. If Leif doesn’t find her fast, he’s going to lose himself to permanent battle fury.

But Naya doesn’t want to be found...and he’ll do anything to find her. Because they’re both running out of time.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review


This book had me hooked when it mentioned Vikings. I've been searching for fresh urban fantasy/paranormal books and Viking Warrior Rising is just what I needed.

I really liked Naya. It was kind of difficult at first to experience the story through her eyes, since her past is really gruesome and it made my heart break into tiny pieces. But she's one of those heroines that I adore, because she turned her past into a weapon for her to use against her enemies without losing her humanity along the way. And I kind of understood her way of thinking and why she chose to do certain things, even if I wanted to strangle her sometimes.

Leif was an interesting hero to read about. I liked the fact that he's not your typical domineering alpha male hero that's so common these days. Yes, he had his moments where it was a mystery how Naya managed to not stab him, but he eventually understood that she could defend herself and that she didn't need to be treated with kid gloves and locked away in a room, to be safe. I wish we could've gotten a little more information about Leif's past, just a tiny sneak peek into his past before becoming the Viking king he is at the start of the book.

I'm not very familiar with Norse mythology, so this book was a great way to get my interest piqued. I felt a bit lost at times because of that, since the book mentions a few very new-to-me elements from the Norse mythology. I did enjoy the world-building and the fact that the book was fast paced enough to keep me interested.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series, which comes out this fall.

Cover Reveal: Torn by Jennifer L. Armentrout

   

The highly anticipated second book in #1 New York Times Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout's Wicked Trilogy has a cover! The amazing TORN cover was created by Sarah Hansen from Okay Creations with photography by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton from K Keeton designs. Check it out below! TORN is set to release July 19th. Be sure to grab the first book in the series, WICKED, which is on sale for $.99 for a limited time!

   

TORN Synopsis:

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same.

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her.

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him?

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in on Ivy, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

 

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans…

Don’t miss the first title in the series, WICKED, now just $.99 for a limited time only!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: #1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

 

Giveaway Blitz: "Best First Book" RITA finalists

Today we are sharing an incredible giveaway hosted by the 2016 'Best First Book' RITA Nominated Authors! They are giving away 2 $50 Amazon Gift Cards, and a copy of each of the nominated titles. There will be 3 winners total. Be sure to sign up below and check out the authors who are participating and their incredible titles.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PARTICIPATING AUTHORS

 

NO BETTER MAN by Sara Richardson

Book Blurb:

When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won't give up his property without a fight.

Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future . .

PURCHASE HERE

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FIND THE AUTHOR

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NIGHT HUSH by Leslie Jones
Book Blurb:

Night Hush is a 2016 RITA® nominee for Best First Book, and the winner of the New England RWA’s Reader’s Choice Award.

In this gripping and action-packed debut, an Army Intelligence officer and a Delta Force soldier must race against the clock to stop a catastrophic terrorist attack …

When Army Intelligence officer Heather Langstrom's military convoy is ambushed and she's taken prisoner, she knows she'll need all her strength and courage to survive, escape her captors, and report the whispers of unrest brewing in the Middle East.

Delta Force Captain Jace Reed isn't one to throw caution to the wind, but when his team stumbles upon beaten and weak Heather fleeing the terrorist training camp they've been dispatched to destroy, he'll risk everything to get her to safety.

Once back on base, they learn her convoy's ambush was no accident … she'd been targeted. As the evidence of an impending attack mounts, Jace and Heather uncover a deadly terrorist plot that could kill hundreds of civilians.

But Jace's protective instincts and Heather's fierce independence put them at constant odds. And as they close in on the extremists, they must learn to trust one another in order to save innocent lives … even if it means sacrificing their own.

PURCHASE HERE

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FIND THE AUTHOR

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THE STRONGEST STEEL by Scarlett Cole

Book Blurb:

"An incredible story about healing, pain, and trust...you don't want to miss this one!" --New York Times bestselling author Jen McLaughlin

"I know what you're up to," she said.
"And what would that be?" he asked with a devious smirk.
"You know."
"Is it working?"
She looked over her shoulder to where he was still reclining against the wall, watching her patiently. All the reasons she'd vowed to stay alone, to remain uninvolved, fled as he grinned at her.
"Maybe."

In Scarlett Cole's The Strongest Steel, Harper Connelly never expected to find herself outside of a tattoo parlor at one in the morning. The scars that decorate her back are just one more reminder of things she'd rather forget, the past she wants to leave far behind her, but before she can move on, she needs him.

Trent Andrews has his own reasons for specializing in inking over scars. And there's no way in hell he's going to turn Harper away. Not when a swirling mix of tenderness and desire slams into him every time he sees her. Being with Harper is like going ten rounds in the ring―exhilarating, powerful, and dangerous. She stirs feelings in him he thought were long gone... if he can only get past her carefully constructed defenses.

Running was the only thing that saved Harper last time, but each session at Second Circle Tattoos brings her closer and closer to Trent. His lingering touches seduce her, making her believe in a life without fear, where she can be happy, whole, in love. But when cryptic messages start appearing on Harper's phone, strange deliveries arrive at her door, and Second Circle is vandalized, Harper is convinced that her ex-boyfriend has tracked her down, and worse, that he knows about Trent. She ran from her past once before; this time will she have the strength to fight back?

"This book gave me so many feels! Angst, passion, and love all set in Miami, my favorite city. I can't wait for more from this author and I can't recommend this book enough." - Sidney Halston,USA Today bestselling author of Against the Cage

PURCHASE HERE

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ALTERED by Marnee Blake

Book Blurb:

When "normal" ends, survival begins...

The sickness came on suddenly and violently. When it was done, waitress Blue Michaels was different in a really strange way. And the entire town of Glory was dead...except for her.

Only that's not exactly true. A handful of people made it, including U.S. Army Specialist Seth Campbell, who was caught in the wrong town at the worst time. He's fierce and protective, and way too good-looking. As much as they need a leader—as much as Blue wants to trust him—there are too many questions and not enough time for answers. Now they are hunted. But what their pursuers don't know is each of them has strange new powers. And they'll use their "gifts" tosurvive...no matter who stands in their way.

PURCHASE HERE

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FIND THE AUTHOR

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VIKING WARRIOR RISING by Asa Maria Bradley

Book Blurb:

Immortal Vikings are among us.

Leif Skarsganger and his elite band of immortal warriors have been charged to protect humanityfrom the evil Norse god Loki.

Under attack from Loki’s minions, Leif is shocked to encounter a dark-haired beauty who fights like a warrior herself. Wounded and feverish, the Viking kisses her, inadvertently triggering an ancient Norse bond. But when Naya Brisbane breaks away and disappears before the bond is completed, Leif’s warrior spirit goes berserk. If Leif doesn’t find her fast, he’s going to lose himself to permanent battle fury.

But Naya doesn’t want to be found...and he’ll do anything to track her down. Because they’re both running out of time.

PURCHASE HERE

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FIND THE AUTHOR

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A NOBLE MASQUERADE by Kristi Ann Hunter

Book Blurb:

Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Entering her fourth Season and approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother's old school friend, a duke--with no intention of ever sending these private thoughts to a man she's heard stories about but never met. Meanwhile, she also finds herself intrigued by Marlow, her brother's new valet, and although she may wish to break free of the strictures that bind her, falling in love with a servant is more of a rebellion than she planned.

When Marlow accidentally discovers and mails one of the letters to her unwitting confidant, Miranda is beyond mortified. And even more shocked when the duke returns her note with one of his own that initiates a courtship-by-mail. Insecurity about her lack of suitors shifts into confusion at her growing feelings for two men--one she's never met but whose words deeply resonate with her heart, and one she has come to depend on but whose behavior is more and more suspicious. When it becomes apparent state secrets are at risk and Marlow is right in the thick of the conflict, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

PURCHASE HERE

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FORGET TOMORROW by Pintip Dunn

Book Blurb:

Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.

It's Callie's seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision-a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie's case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process whatit means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo-a hellish prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn't spoken to in five years, she escapes.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all-Callie, herself.

PURCHASE HERE

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FIND THE AUTHOR

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PAIRING OFF by Elizabeth Harmon

Book Blurb:

American figure skater Carrie Parker’s Winter Games dreams were dashed when her philandering partner caused one of the greatest scandals in skating history. Blacklisted from competing in the United States, her career is over…until she receives a mysterious invitation and is paired with the most infuriating, talented—and handsome—skater she’s ever met.

Russian champion Anton Belikov knows sacrifice. He gave up a normal life and any hope of a meaningful relationship to pursue his dream. And he’s come close—with a silver medal already under his belt, the next stop is the gold. All he needs is a partner. While he’s never forgotten the young American skater he seduced one long-ago night in Amsterdam, he never expected to be confronted with their past…never mind share the ice with her.

When what starts as a publicity stunt grows into something real, Carrie and Anton’s partnership will test their loyalties to family, country and each other. With only a few months to train for the competition of a lifetime, can they master technique and their emotions, or will they lose their footing and fall victim to the heartaches of their pasts?

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Comic Book Tuesday #10: Heroes Haven by Mario Simone

Author: Mario Simone
Series: Heroes Haven
Publisher: Gotham City Films, LLC
Release Date: May 10th 2016
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Heroes Haven is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, where scientists are developing a drug — called V-1 — designed to awaken 'Superhero DNA Code' in the human body. As V-1 testing commences to enlighten and heal the dregs of LA, the drug begins to ‘synergize,’ awakening gifts like healing, super strength, visions and telekinesis in its subjects.

These gifts, however, come with a price: side effects include madness, acute psychotic episodes, body altering paralysis, degeneration, suicide and insane fits of rage that lead to murders.

In the dark shadows, a secret society is stealing the drug to test on death row inmates and create immortal super soldiers. As the power of this secret society grows, the imminent dangers of tyranny and oppression now face all of mankind. The battle begins to control the drug that will create a new world order.

The only hope to save humanity? The societal outcast test subjects from Heroes Haven who managed to escape the facility and survive the psychotic, emotional and physical altercations, becoming 'The Awakened Ones.' It’s up to them to decide if they will 'Awaken Their Inner Hero' and fight for the freedom of mankind.

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy from Netgalley and Gotham City Films, LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book.

I really enjoy reading about the cruelty of some people. It might sound weird, I know, but there's something really interesting in seeing just how far an author will go to show how cruel and purely evil some people are. Themes like super-soldiers and human experiments are themes that will always be explored, in many, many different ways, but it's always interesting to see how different people approach them.

I liked the idea of trying to create superheroes. I also liked that a comic book explored that theme, the creation and testing of a virus that would ultimately create superheroes. The thing I liked most is that the story explores the negative side effects of this virus. I liked the symbolism, that as much as people try to create perfect, more powerful version of themselves, they lose something in the process.

At times it seemed like the story is told from one of the test subjects' POV, because the story seemed messy and not easy to follow. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times I did have a hard time keeping up with the story. That said, I liked that the tone of the book is as dark as I expected.

The art was actually beautiful. I liked the darker tones, the fact that some panels were crowded when the story became darker. At times the crowded panels fit the description of the poor people who were part of the experiments, conveying the same feeling of being on the verge of insanity.

I did however find that the different chapters, at times, showed only a small part of the story. It was difficult to follow the storyline, mainly because a lot of characters were introduced and not a lot of backstory was offered. I feel like the story would have felt "cleaner" with more backstory or with fewer characters. I'm hoping that if there's a second volume, it will explain better the history of the characters and that not a lot of new characters will be introduced before the storyline for the current ones is finished. All in all I did enjoy the story, and I'm hoping there are more installments in the future.

Obsessed With Covers #36: Wayfarer, As Old As Time, Frost Blood

Y'all know how much I love a pretty cover. I think about...40% of the books that end up on my shelves (be they physical or digital) do so because of the covers. Call me shallow but you have to admit that a pretty, shiny cover will catch your eye faster than a dull, boring one. Two, simple rules that I'll follow:

• 1, 2 or 3 (no more than 3, though) covers per week;
• books should be new-ish; no more than 2 years old.

Oh, before I share the covers that made me drool or want to stare at them for hours and hours, I have to say something. This is a semi-original idea. Why semi? Because almost every book blogger has something similar. The only thing I came up with was the title. If by any chance there's another blogger with a similar feature with the same title, I assure you I'm not stealing your idea. I'm just THAT bad with titles. Believe me, I'd love to be smarter and have a witty name for this feature, but I don't. So, no copyright infringement/theft/steal or anything of the sort was desired. All I can say is sorry :P

So, here are the prettiest covers I've seen this week.

If I loved the cover for the first book in the series, I completely adore the art for the second one. I love that the cover artist made the background a little bit darker, making it seem as if the characters will go through something really dramatic in this book. I also like the change in the art itself. If the cover for Passenger featured the image of a "captive" town, this time it seems as if the town, as well as its inhabitants, are free, while the people living in what looks like a rural, old setting, are being hold prisoners by something. I love that birds broke the glass, making it seem that there is some silver lining, but the image makes me think the road is long, and full of battles. I definitely need to read the first book, because just the cover arts are making me insanely curious about the story.


Wayfarer - Alexandra Bracken

I'm going to be completely honest with you and say I have a love-hate relationship with this cover. I love it, because makes me think that this is going to be a heartbreaking story. The fact that the rose looks so frail and that the Beast is barely just a shadow, while his castle looks like it's about to catch on fire, makes me think that him and Belle will barely make it out of their "twisted tale". At the same time though, I hate that the editor/publisher/the-powers-that-be decided to change the cover art style. Remember how the first two books featured the princesses' profiles? I understand that in this book Beast is probably the main focus, but they could have made the same style of cover art, showing his profile. I did notice there's an alternate cover art for the first book in the series, in the same style as this one, so maybe they gave up to the first art style. Meh. I'm still curious about this book though.

As Old As Time - Liz Braswell

While much simpler than the covers I usually like, this last cover is just gorgeous. I like the difference between the ice and the blood, I like how it makes it seem as if it takes a lot for red blood to flow, like it has to be a super powerful weapon to make a person with "regular" blood to bleed out. It makes me wonder what's so special about that icicle, and what it actually represents in the story. I also love the icy background. It's as if the ice is way more powerful than normal blood, which makes me even more curious about the book. I hope the letters from the title are embossed in some way, or that there's some sort of special effects for the final cover, because that would be so awesome.




Frost Blood - Elly Blake