Thursday 27 February 2014

Blog Tour: That One Summer (The Boys of Summer #3) by C.J Duggan Review & Giveaway


Thanks to YA Bound Book Tour for allowing me to join the blog tour! Don't forget to check out the other stops!


That One Summer (Summer #3)
Author: C.J. Duggan
Pages: 349
Publication Date: December 17, 2013

Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.


Laughter and drool-worthy boys, Duggan has brought an enjoyable novel to the Summer companion series. Due to a hectic school schedule I had this month, I haven't been able to finish the first two books in the series. Nearly finishing the first one, I had to move onto the next one, An Endless Summer due to the limited time I had. And then, one of my teachers surprisingly told our class that we had an upcoming test the following week, so I had to give up on that one too. Though, I haven't completed reading the first two, I already a feel for most of the characters.

Focusing around Tammy and Chris, I knew this was going to be a fun one. From the first two books, Chris has always been a mysterious one. In Boys of Summer, he didn't really catch my eye at all, but in An Endless Summer, I've seen his protective side which all of sudden made me want to know more about him. Chris is a very serious person and it was nice to see him get loose for once. On the other hand, Tammy was a decent protagonist. I've encountered a few problems with her, but overall, she was my favourite from the rest of the girls - Tess, Ellie and Amy. Her narration was easy and quite funny.

When the girls find out that the boys had planned a New Year's Eve bonding expedition exclusively reserved for the boys, Amy persuades Sean into bringing them along. However, Chris doesn't want them to follow along. so they all take a vote. With everyone raising their hands except for Chris and Tammy, the girls were then allowed to join. The adventure these characters took were a wild one. Night swimming, road trips & an interesting surprise in the end, Duggan doesn't fail when it comes to writing fun, summer books.





About the Author:

C.J Duggan is a Number One Best Selling Australian Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.

The Boys of Summer is Book One in her highly successful Mature Young Adult Romance Series.



Companion Books in the Summer Series


It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’. Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.

Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.

To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.

How did she let her friends talk her into working?

After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.

All with the one boy she has never been able to forget. 

It will be a summer she will always remember. 



Sean looked out over the lake, squinting against the sunlight. He turned to me, his expression sobering as his eyes flicked over my face in a silent study.

“Come on Amy, I saved you once, I’ll save you again.”
I met his stare unflinchingly. “I don’t need saving.”
A wicked grin formed slowly. “Don’t you?”


After a rebellious summer night that almost claimed her life, Amy Henderson – the Onslow publican’s only daughter – is sent away to suffer a fate far worse than any other punishment:

Boarding School.

Three years on, a now nineteen-year-old Amy returns to Onslow for the summer. What once was a cauldron of activity with live bands, hot meals and cold beers, the Onslow Hotel now lies dark, deserted and depressing. All fond childhood memories of loitering on the hotel stairs and eavesdropping on customers’ colourful conversations are in the distant past.

How had her dad let it come to this?

With the new threat of putting the Onslow up for sale, Amy reluctantly turns to a local tradesman for help: Sean Murphy, the very same Onslow boy who saved her life all those years ago. With his help and that of some old friends, the task is clear: spend the summer building the hotel back up to its former glory or lose it for good.

In an endless summer, Amy soon realises that sometimes in order to save your future, you have to face your past, even if it’s in the form of a smug, gorgeous Onslow boy.



Publication Date: April 2, 2014
Pre-order your copy here

They say it’s the quiet ones you have to worry about, and she was quiet, very quiet—when she wasn’t busy despising me with a burning passion.

Ringo ‘Ringer’ James has a no-strings-attached policy.

Love them, leave them, and remain the eternal bachelor. 

After a summer in which every one of his mates has succumbed to settling down, or so it seemed, Ringer is on the lookout for a quick exit. Having had enough of the stomach-turning love fest witnessed over the past three months, Ringer jumps at the opportunity to help out his mate, Max, by heading to Max’s dad’s property for a working holiday. 

It’s just what he’s looking for. A remote, dusty homestead in Ballan, with only hard work, a cold beer and a comfy bed to worry about – no women.

Until Miranda Henry.

The privately educated daughter of his boss has returned home from overseas and things are about to get very complicated, very fast. As summer draws to its end, Ringer is about to learn that sometimes attraction defies all logic, and that there really is such a thing as ‘enemies with benefits.





Publication Date: July 2014
Pre-Order your copy here


You see there’s this boy.
He makes me smile, forces me to listen, serenades me out of tune and keeps me sane, all the while driving me insane. He's really talented like that. But for the first time in since, well, forever, things are about to change. The question is, how much am I willing to lose in order to potentially have it all?

Enter a world of sweltering Aussie summers, fabulously addictive characters and sweet intoxicating romance in C.J Duggan’s
FOREVER SUMMER
Adam and Ellie’s Story



Purchase all the Summer books here


Giveaway

1 winner will get ebooks of Book 1-3 of the Summer series (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rules and Restrictions:
Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Blog Tour: Solving For Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans Review & Giveaway


Welcome to my stop for Solving For Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans! Don't forget to check out the rest of the blog stops here!



Solving for Ex
Author: Leigh Ann Kopans
Pages: 300
Publication Date: February 11, 2014

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kindle

1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess

SIMPLIFY.

Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy. 

Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.

She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.

SOLVING FOR EX is a YA contemporary romance that remixes Mansfield Park as Clueless meets Mean Girls in a crazy mix of high school society, mathletic competition, and teenage romance.





I'm super excited to show you one of my favourite books of this year! 

Let me tell you, I had no plan to finish this book overnight. Since I was scheduled to write a review on the last week of February, I thought it was a good idea to at least start the first few chapters. But let me tell you, those first few chapters had me hooked. I didn't want to put it down. In fact, I went an hour over my bedtime to finish reading this book. That's how good it was. 

Brendan & Ashley. Can I just say that these two compliment each other so well? They were next door neighbours and also were Mathletes.  Ashley was a very likable character. There are times when I encounter several problems with the main character, but with Ashley, I couldn't even spot one. Due to bullying issues, Ashley moves to Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh and meets the wonderful, Brendan.  

I could definitely see why Ashley was in love with him. Brendan got along with everybody and had a good heart. He's one of those guys that everyone loves. I'm so glad that Solving For Ex didn't have a bad boy because I'm sick and tired of reading about them. Yes, they're extremely hot and perhaps they may have a heart of gold, but what about the other guys? Smart guys, funny guys, nice guys, where's their love?

Friends turning into lovers. Not all relationships need to start off as friendships, but I do think starting off as friends will help make the relationship stronger. I loved how these two knew each other so well. Brendan and Ashley were just so cute together. On Saturday mornings, they would have had breakfast together. Kopans introduced the characters wonderfully in the beginning especially. Let's not forget that these two lived next door to each other. *sighs* Solving For Ex is just cuteness overload. 

Vincent. I love you and I hate you. When you swooped in and stole my heart. When you showed Ashley how incredibly gentleman-like you were, you not only had me swooning, but you captured my heart. And those cheesy math equations you sent Ashley had me grinning from ear to ear. You were so close to making into my best book boyfriends of 2014 until your true colours appeared. You broke me in so many ways because I didn't see it coming at all. 

Solving For Ex was exactly what I needed after reading a previous book that had me in a reading slump. A mixture of messy drama, complicated crushes and math equations, Solving for Ex is perfect for those who are in need for a light-hearted and fun contemporary. 






About the Author:


Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature.  

As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen.  

Solving for Ex was born of her love for Jane Austen’s classics, and how they taught her that love stories could be funny and wickedly smart.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest




Giveaway




Win (1) "Mathlete" Tee (US Only)
Win (1) "Maths" Tee from Threadless (US Only)
Win (1) "I <3 u" equation coffee mug (US Only)
Win (1) signed paperback of Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans (US Only)
Win (1) of (3) e-copies of Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans (INT)
Win (1) "Reading Is Sexy" Tee (US Only)




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Blog Tour: Deuce (Vortex #3) by Janine Caldwell Excerpt & Giveaway



Welcome to my stop of Janine Caldwell's final book in the Vortex series! Don't forget to check out the other stops here.







Author: Janine Caldwell
Pages: 270
Publication Date: January 24, 2014
Publisher: Amazon Digital Publishing



In an instant everything changes for seventeen-year-old Cassie Moore. Together she and her time-traveling boyfriend, Trent Astor, battle to survive their next impossible challenge. As they navigate through a third parallel world in which Cassie begged Trent to create for her, the two soon discover that no world can be made perfect.

And while they fight through their new circumstances, the universe may just have its own agenda for them both.

Meanwhile, it seems Trent and his sister, Lorelai, will never be safe from the greedy world and its hunger for Trent's power. A new force threatens to destroy the anonymity Trent has fought for his entire life unless he can stop this new opposition first. But every choice has a consequence, and Trent is faced with the most difficult choice of his life.

Set in contemporary Northern California, The Vortex Series is a teen romance for those who also enjoy a bit of science fiction and fantasy. Told in two perspectives, we get an intimate view of both Cassie and Trent’s worlds. Family relationships, how they interconnect and drive our personalities, is the heart and soul of this YA time traveling novel.







1.  READY OR NOT
CASSIE

A cyclone, a black hole, and an earthquake of epic proportion. Add to that my shock, and, well, I’ve pretty much summed up the hell I unwillingly experienced. There I am one moment, ecstatically kissing my boyfriend, imagining all is right again in my world, and the next I’m whirling in the dark, gasping for air, while an invisible giant hand squeezes the bejeezus out of me.

“They’re not daydreams, they’re flashes!” Those were the last chilling words Trent screamed at me and . . . Poof! Gone in a blink is the boy I love. Ripped from my hands before I could ask him why his eyes were flashing with terror in the middle of our sweet reunion. My body, previously rooted outside my tennis club’s locker room, was hijacked and thrown into a horrific virtual roller coaster. Death, I thought surely, was the only possible outcome.

Is that torture a sampling of traveling through time? Because, as insane as the idea is, I think that’s precisely what happened. I jumped time.

But how could that be? I’m not a time traveler. That burden falls on Trent. Has his supernatural power suddenly become contagious, like mono? That would be just my luck. Or maybe he somehow accidentally transported me along with him. It’s never been done before, but I guess there’s a first for everything. Although it does defy everything we know about his powers.

Afraid to open my eyes, I grope around me, hopeful that Trent’s body is near and waiting to be discovered. Unfortunately, I only come up with handful of dirt, fingering objects that resemble sharp, dry needles.

“Trent?” I croak. “Are you here?”

Silence.

I swallow a bitter taste in my mouth—a cocktail of fear mixed with panic. My mind races through questions as fast as my heartbeat. Where am I? Am I alone? What exactly has happened to me?

Ready to at least face wherever it is I am, I attempt to crack open my eyes. They begin to water immediately, blurring from dizziness. The world rocks around me. Moaning, I reach for my head and tuck into a ball, willing the spinning to stop. I can’t think. All I can do is breathe. The deeper I fill my lungs, I learn, the better the recovery. The cool, heavy air smells like pine and damp woods, which is both soothing and terrifying.

Slowly, with careful movements, I manage to shift around onto my hands and knees. I think it’s progress, but before I can choke it back, I vomit. When that wave of nausea ends, another comes charging through me. I vomit again and again, ejecting my insides like someone being exorcised. My muscles from feet to neck are clenched tight, aching with the slightest movement.

After one last exhausting cough, my stomach calms down. The dizziness ends as well. I chance opening my eyes, and this time I’m able to keep them open, a sense of being more steady and grounded to the earth resonating through me. Sinking back onto my heels, I take in the scenery. I’m awestruck by the view of a grand forest. It’s very green and heavily wooded. Diagonal beams of light filter through an array of giant spruce, redwood, and pine trees, warming my face and highlighting the layer of mulch I polluted with my filth.
I’m stunned, petrified that I really did travel to some other place. My gaze roams around me, still clinging to the hope of finding Trent, but as far as I can tell, I’m all alone. My throat tightens at the thought—alone in a mature, wild forest. God only knows what year it is or for what purpose I’ve been sent here.

I hang my head in my hands. Wow, am I sincerely debating what year it is? I have so lost it. Never in my wildest imagination could I foresee something this insane happening to me. But as I take another gander at my current setting, I can’t deny I’m no longer home in Pleasanton, California.

Although there’s nothing left in my stomach, it doesn’t stop me from a surge of nausea at the harsh reality of my situation. All I want to do is huddle back into a ball until I can wake up from this nightmare. A sob escapes my mouth, echoing into the vast forest before it’s swallowed up by thick layers of bark. Tears threaten to fall until I sniff and force them to retreat.

No! This blubbering has to stop. There’s no point in feeling sorry for myself. Wallowing in self-pity will not get me home any faster. That’s right. Get up and do something, Cassie. Don’t wait for someone else to rescue you, because this time it looks like you’re on your own.

I take a moment to regroup, coaxing strength to arise in me. I consider everything I’ve learned about time traveling. If my instincts are correct and I can make sense of all this, I have to start accepting the facts. Somehow I’ve miraculously become a time traveler like Trent. A flyer through time. How this happened is a question to debate later. But understanding this much means I’m probably the only one who can get myself home. Me. To play this game and win, a mission has to be met before I’ll be given a ticket back to the present. It’s the only way.

Freshly determined, I straighten my spine, eager to figure out this puzzle. In the next moment, an arctic breeze cuts through my skin, and I’m promptly reminded of what I’m wearing, or not wearing, as the case may be, for an adventure gallivanting through Sherwood Forest. My yellow tennis dress looks practically neon compared to the surrounding russet and emerald hues. It’s of little warmth and even less protection from lethal branches. By the angle of the sun and the increasing shadows, I can tell it’ll be dark soon, too. The notion causes me to involuntarily shudder.

Using the aid of a nearby boulder, I claw my way to my feet. It’s an improvement from crawling on all fours, but I have Bambi legs, wobbly and feeble. With stiff fingers, I rub my bare arms and bump into Trent’s leather cuff, too big for my wrist. I forgot I had slid it on at the tennis match to show Trent that I remembered him. It seems suiting I would have it in my possession at the moment and certainly comforting to have a piece of him with me. The necklace he bought me for Christmas, regretfully, is tucked safely away in my locker back at the club.

A tad more inspired by the bracelet, I trek through the forest at a pace my Grandma Bertie in her last days could’ve kept up with. Of course, I have no idea where I’m going. It’s trunks, leafy bushes, and speckled boulders as far as the eye can see. I’ve yet to find any sign of other people, which makes trying to save someone a real conundrum. And besides the occasional squawk followed by a fluttering of wings high up in the trees, there’s no sign of animals, either. I should probably be grateful for that, but the eerie silence is creeping me out. The isolation pricks at my nerves. I have zero supplies unless you count the extra hairband I have in my pocket, which I don’t. No food or water, no shelter. I can’t think about what I’ll do if I have to stay the night out here.

As I roam, teeth chattering at the dropping temperature, I contemplate what Trent would do on one of his missions. Probably not wig out like me. I’m sure he’s above that by now, having years of completed missions under his belt, but, hey, this is my virgin jump, so I think I’ll give myself a break.

Hmm . . . let me see. I suppose Trent would think back to his flashes. Yes, that’s it! He explained once these spontaneous, uncontrollable flashes are visions conjured from . . . well, I don’t know where they come from. From a supernatural force he can’t fully explain. A spiritual dimension of guides championing his missions, perhaps. These images play through his mind to give him clues of the victims he’s been summoned to save. 
As I told Trent, I thought I was only vividly daydreaming these last few weeks. Apparently not.

Before I begin to pick through my brain for images that might help me figure out what I’m doing here, a lone wolf howls a hundred or so yards away. A second wolf howls until a chorus of haunting wails sends an icy chill through my bones.

Come on! Seriously? Did it have to be wolves? It couldn’t have been a horde of gentle bunnies or a herd of harmless, grass-eating deer?

I’m about to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction of the howling when a human scream pierces through the forest. With that scream reverberating through my mind, time stands still. Suddenly, I become hyperaware of my surroundings, as if I can hear the blood surging through my veins, sense the microscopic particles floating on my fingers, see the forest breathing in and out. Soon a flash of a panicked child in harm’s way burns through my brain, clear as water and impossible to forget.

Got it. It’s no longer a question. As warm adrenaline courses through my veins, I’m reminded I’ve seen this kid before in what I thought were meaningless daydreams. An instinct planted somewhere deep in my core assures me I’ve been sent here for him.

With no more time to ponder, I gallop, weaving through the thick brush. I am strength. I am power. Leaping over boulders, I swipe at any branch blocking my path as if I’ve been raised in the forest and know how to command my way through it. It’s easy to ignore the thrashing on my naked skin, distracted by the thousands of sharp tingles invading my nerve endings. It’s an odd sensation—like I have a fever, though moments ago I was shivering from the cold.

When I reach a small clearing, I find a young boy, a raccoon hat on top of his head. My heart stops. He’s sitting on the ground with at least five sandy gray wolves snapping and circling him. He not only appears to be in horrible pain, but beyond terrified by these beasts inching closer. I can understand why. These wolves are not your fluffy Hollywood specimens, but real savages—scrappy, ravenous-looking. Backed up against a tree, the boy continues to pull at his bloody leg with desperation, but he can’t seem to free himself. It’s caught in something. A metal animal trap of some sort. In the meantime, his only weapon is a long branch he periodically strikes in the air, but it has little effect of scaring the wolves away.

As I hunch down behind a patch of shrubbery, my heart caught in my throat, I rack my brain for what I’m supposed to do next. This is so beyond my expertise. I’m a high school tennis player, for Pete’s sake, not Davy Crockett. Think, Cassie! What would Trent do?

I scan my surroundings, searching for anything that might help distract the wolves from wanting to gobble up this poor kid, but there’s nothing! Only rocks, spiky foliage, and a few dead, sap-spattered pinecones. I’m debating whether I should take off my tennis shoes to chuck at the beasts when I hear the boy scream in a way that makes my stomach lurch. It sounds like a wolf has moved in near enough to nip at him. If I don’t hurry up and do something, they may all attack him at once. There’ll be nothing to stop their eating frenzy at that point.

Wait a minute. Rocks!

Without hesitation, I seize a few jagged rocks the size of my palm that my eyes previously swept past. I spring out from behind the shrubbery with my ammo, ready for battle. A primitive roar spews from a deep-rooted part of my spirit, drawing a couple wolves away from the boy. With superhuman strength, I launch the handful of rocks at them until I nail one between the eyes. It yelps and stumbles before shaking its head in a daze. This gets the rest of the pack’s attention. They reassemble, growling as they tentatively move away from the boy and face my direction.

Oh, crap. This can’t be good.

The wolves advance as one unit, creeping toward me, stalking me with their raised tails and hackles. Their orange irises are fixed directly on mine, appearing as feral as their unruly coats. Their razor-edged teeth are bared, columns of foamy drool spilling out of the corners of their black gums.

A fit of trembling wreaks my body, my mouth as dry as the dusty forest floor. Way to go, genius. What’s your next brilliant step? Sure, you prevented the boy from being attacked, but by way of offering your own flesh for them to feed on. Nice. Some time traveler you are. One mission and you’re already finished!
I’ve lived through a few nail biters—being held at gunpoint by a lunatic scientist and plummeting to my most certain death in a hot-air balloon mishap, for example—but at the moment, feasted on by wolves is ranking up there as the most horrifying. The pack has moved in dangerously close, growling at me from deep within their chests. They’re pushing me back out of the clearing, cornering me against the same dense patch of shrubbery I was hiding behind. In another second, my plan is to turn around and sprint like an Olympian track star, but I’m already doubtful I can outrun them. They’ve got to be familiar with every nook and hollow in this blasted forest. There’s nowhere I can hide they won’t track my human scent.

As I continue to cautiously step backward, one eye steady on the wolves, my foot catches on a root. I trip and land on my backside with a painful thud. So much for running. My vulnerable position excites the wolves. They look moments from pouncing, leaning back in their haunches, licking their chops at their easy prey. A scream escapes from my lungs.


I’m sorry, Trent. I really did try. I love you.



Books One & Two in the Vortex Series:

Author: Janine Caldwell
Pages: 231
Publication Date: March 11, 2012

Trent Astor is many things—orphan, runaway, musician. But what’s most extraordinary about Trent is that he’s a time traveler. His supernatural gift sends him on missions to the past to save unsuspecting victims from harm. However, when he fails to save the life of a young girl, his life changes in ways he could never have dreamed.

At eleven-years-old, Cassie Moore suffered through a horrific shooting. Tragically scarred from the ordeal, the once promising tennis prodigy was forced to throw away all hope of a future in tennis. Now, as she begins her senior year of high school, the past continues to haunt her. She struggles to find herself, her self-esteem at an all time low. If only she could resolve the past, she might be able to move on with her life. She never imagined that could be possible until she meets the gorgeous new student in her PE class.




Author: Janine Caldwell
Publication Date: March 11, 2012
Pages: 231

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun. As they fight through the repercussions of creating a parallel world, other dangers are lurking. After years of running, Trent and his orphaned sister, Lorelai, sense the dangerous and power-hungry Dr. Fox is close to discovering their whereabouts.

While Cassie fears for Trent’s life, her tennis career hangs in the balance. Caught between her old and new life, she watches her world slowly crumble until it’s a tragic portrayal of all that she used to know. But worse yet, if her secret is revealed, she might lose what’s most dear to her heart.


Purchase Links:







About the Author:

Janine Caldwell was born in Concord, CA and raised in the small San Francisco Bay Area town of Clayton. Four days after high school graduation, Janine attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and graduated with a degree in English.

Janine now lives in Anthem, AZ with her husband and two sons. As a lifelong literature fanatic, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would become obsessed with writing her own work. With relatives like the Brothers Grimm and Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), she figured fantasy writing had to be in her DNA.

Books published by Janine include Visited, a YA coming-of-age fantasy, Rematch and Double Fault–the first two books of The Vortex Series. The final book in this YA fantasy romance, Deuce, will be released soon





Giveaway
10 ebooks of Deuce (via smashwords coupon) (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: 

Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

Monday 24 February 2014

Mini Reviews: Awaken (Abandon #3) by Meg Cabot & The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson


Author: Meg Cabot
Pages: 343
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Point 
Rating: 3/5 stars

The final installment of the Abandon trilogy, Awaken brought a decent conclusion to the series. If you've seen my review of the first book, you've known that I had a rocky start with this series. Abandon was terribly slow and lacked plot and suspense. The second novel, Underworld was my favourite of the series. Meg had finally brought in substance and meaning to the novel that left me wanting to read Awaken. When I finally recieved the notification that Awaken was ready to picked up, it was the first book I read out of the twenty books that I had burrowed.

I liked the romance in Underworld, but after finishing this one, I realized that I, in fact, despised it. Pierce didn't have the guts to say I Love You to John so she repeatedly kept saying it in her head. I can't explain to you how much this annoyed me. For the most part, I kept yelling "just say it already."

As for the ending, it was okay. Nothing stood out. As I'm writing this, I don't even remember how it concluded. But luckily for my notes, I still remember bits and pieces.




Author: Rae Carson
Pages: 423
Publication Date: September 20, 2011
Publisher: Greenwillow
Rating: 2.5/5 stars

If I hadn't received an ARC of The Bitter Kingdom, I would've never started this trilogy. When I first read it in August, in hopes, that I'll be able to finish the trilogy by the time the last installment is released, I didn't expect to be so completely bored. I DNF books all the time. Simply, because if I don't enjoy the first hundred or so pages, I put it down. But this one, I really wanted to stop reading it. But I also really wanted to read The Bitter Kingdom ARC so I pushed through it. And boy, was it torturous. Funny thing is that I haven't even finished the second book.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns holds a unique and creative premise, but the plot wasn't satisfying. It didn't appeal to me at all. But once I passed the three hundred page mark, I started to get into it. This may be good that I finally started to enjoy it, but also bad for the fact that it took nearly half of the book for me to get into.

I've started the second book. The Crown of Embers, but I have no plans of finishing any time soon.












Thursday 13 February 2014

Review: Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Evertrue (Everneath #3)
Author: Brodi Ashton
Pages: 368
Publication Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray


Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.



If it wasn't for my exams, I would've finished this novel the day it came out. Ever since, I read the previous novel, Everbound, I've been dying for the next one to come out. Believe or not, Everbound had one of the best cliffhangers I've ever read. Never in my reading experience, have I come across a novel that surprised me so much. You wouldn't believe how close I was to pre-ordering Evertrue. Thankfully, I saved myself money and burrowed it from the library.

When I received the notification that Evertrue was ready to be downloaded onto my iPad, I was squealing. Words can't explain how much I loved the first and the second book. Ashton brings a special take on Hades and Persephone. The only book series that is quite similar to this is the Abandon trilogy by Meg Cabot, but I wouldn't recommend that one. Compared to Abandon, Everneath has a more well-rounded plot than Abandon where the plot is non-existent. I mean, there is a plot, but I felt like the plot is more visible in the second book, Underworld. Not only that, the characters in Abandon weren't half as good as the ones in Everneath. But after completing the series, what the heck did Ashton do to her characters?

I used to love Jack, but once the symptoms of a possessive and jealous boyfriend started to appear, my liking of Jack soon began to die down. To me, I  felt like Jack had one emotion in this book and that is anger. Where was the sweet Jack in the first and second novel? The only time I remember him being sweet was the last page of the book.



This what I feel like doing to Jack. Hitting him with my purse and hopefully, knocking some sense into him.

Another character I was disappointed with was Cole. One of my favourite villains ever. Manipulative. Evil. Cocky. But extremely hilarious. He brought humor into the series which made me want to go on. Not only that, his love for Nikki was quite heartbreaking. I knew from the beginning that it was going to Nikki and Jack, but I always wondered where Cole was going to go. Once I figured it out, I was completely shattered. Literally, the gif below explains my feelings. My heart couldn't take it.


One of things that I didn't like about this book was that it lost its humor. It was funny at some parts, but overall, it didn't have as much as the other books. Cole lost his memory, meaning that he lost his cocky side. I admit cocky jerks aren't attractive, but compared to Jack, Cole had more substance than him. Nikki and Jack were sweet and cute and some cases, too lovely-dovey. But the interactions between Nikki and Cole were so entertaining. 

I left my books on my desk and followed Cole out of the room. I grabbed his arm and started to pull him toward the courtyard. Nobody would be there. We could talk without everyone starting.Cole let me pull him, saying loudly, "Lead on. I like a who-"
 "Shut up."

 
 Or better yet this was even funnier. 
He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "That's the best part. The mother bird is the Everliving who holds your heart.
The Everliving holds my heart. Cole stole my heart from my bedroom two weeks ago. He'd said there special perks for the Everliving who held it. Cole was the mother bird? I closed my eyes.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I am your only source of survival." His face broke out into a wide grin. "I wish Gavin was here. I'd have him give me a drum roll."
"Stop playing games. Tell me."
He raised an eyebrow, gave me a devilish wink, then grabbed me and kissed me. 

I could go on and on but I wouldn't want to spoil the whole book. Overall, the conclusion to the Everneath series was disappointing. Even the last page didn't sit well with me - beyond cheesy. Though it didn't meet my expectations, I would still recommend this series.