Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn  (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Received From: Publisher via Netgalley  

Synopsis: YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Review:
I love Aimee Carter's Goddess Test series so I was super excited to read Pawn.  I know a lot of people are burnt out on dystopian but I think Pawn has elements that are different enough to entice even the most cynical of dystopian readers.

The world that Carter has created is so rich and detailed. I really liked getting to know the world as Kitty got to know and understand the intimate details of how it is run. Every good dystopian novel needs an evil leader and Pawn definitely has its fair share of corrupt leadership. I was severely creeped out by some of the things the Harts did.

I never knew who to trust while I was reading Pawn. There were so many twists and turns to the plot that I was completely surprised by some of the events that transpired.

While I really liked Kitty and thought she was a strong but flawed protagonist, I think the secondary characters really shone. Whether it was one of the scheming Harts or Kitty's boyfriend Benji they all added so much variety and spice to the plot!

Pawn is one of the best dystopian books I have read in a while. It was unexpected, creepy, and even had a little teeny bit of romance thrown in. I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens to Kitty and the Harts!

Definitely pick this one up today!

Romance Review: Wicked in Your Arms: Forgotten Princesses #1 by Sophie Jordan

Title: Wicked in Your Arms: Forgotten Princesses
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Received From: Library

Synopsis: One of the most notoriously eligible bachelors in Europe is finally ready to marry . . .

For fiercely independent Grier Hadley, being the illegitimate daughter of one of London's most unsavory characters has only one advantage: an enormous, ill-gotten dowry.

Prince Sevastian Maksimi knows where his duty lies: he must find a well-bred young lady—one with a considerable fortune to her name—wed her promptly, and get to the business of producing an heir.

The last thing Grier needs is some unattainable prince curling her toes with his smoldering glances and wicked suggestions. As far as Sev is concerned, she lacks the breeding to become a princess. And yet one kiss from this arresting female is all it takes for him to realize that anyone else in his arms would be unthinkable . . .

Review:
Wicked in Your Arms was the first of Sophie Jordan's adult books I had read. I had read her Firelight (YA) series and really enjoyed it so I decided to give her historical romances a try. I am so glad I did I loved this book and Grier was a fabulous heroine.

I read this book in ebook format and I am glad I did. There were so many passages that I highlighted because they were fantastic and hilarious. Also because I wanted to choose one to share with you so you could get a peek into the banter between Grier and Savastian. I think this passage will convince you to read this book much more than anything I could say.

 "Not that it's any of your concern, but I'm eight and twenty."
He blinked. "You're a bit long in the tooth, aren't you?"
She gasped. "For what? Being alive?"
"For being yet unclaimed."
"Unclaimed? As in unclaimed by a man?"
He nodded once.
"A little archaic, aren't you? I've been busy... haven't gotten around to a man... claiming me yet."
"I see," he murmured, either missing her sarcasm or deliberately ignoring it.
Propping her hands on her hips, she demanded, "And how old are you?"
"It doesn't matter how old I am. I'm a man."
"No, you're a jackass!" she retorted. (58)

 Isn't that dialogue awesome? You want to know what happens next don't you? Wicked in Your Arms is chock full of dialogue just like that. As well as stolen kisses and political intrigue.

One of the main reasons I liked this book so much, besides the dialogue, is Grier herself. She has all these secrets that the reader and Sevastian both have to figure out. She is strong willed and independent and very different from many typical historical romance heroines. Also Sev is sexy.

I think anyone who is a fan of historical romance or who wants to get into reading historical romance should definitely pick up Wicked in Your Arms. It is a real treat!

Sweet Legacy Blog Blitz: Five Fast Facts

Today is the release date for the final book in the Medusa Girl's series by Tera Lynn Childs. Sweet Legacy
In case you haven't heard about this awesome Medusa based series here is the synopsis for the first book Sweet Venom;

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Awesome right?
Well in celebration of the release of Sweet Legacy I have five interesting facts about the author Tera Lynn Childs!

• She visited Czechoslovakia behind the Iron Curtain when she was seven
• The only kind of cherries she likes are Rainier
• She almost trained as an Olympic swimmer
• She spent a summer working at an historic dude ranch in the remote western side of Rocky Mountain National Park
• She was born three weeks late (and has been making up for it ever since)

Pretty cool right? I am totally with her on the Rainier cherries thing. All other cherries are inferior!

Let me know, are you excited for the final Medusa Girl's book? Or are you going to be picking up the first book just in time to binge read?

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike Review

Title: Life After Theft
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Received From: Bought

Synopsis: Aprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series, shines in this stand-alone novel that offers a humorous twist on ghosts and is perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Rachel Hawkins, and Kiersten White.
Kimberlee Schaffer may be drop-dead gorgeous . . . but she also dropped dead last year. Now she needs Jeff's help with her unfinished business, and she's not taking no for an answer. When she was alive, Kimberlee wasn't just a mean girl; she was also a complete kleptomaniac. So if Jeff wants to avoid being haunted until graduation, he'll have to help her return all of the stolen items. But Jeff soon discovers that it's much easier to steal something than it is to bring it back.
Paying for your mistakes takes on a whole new meaning in this hauntingly clever twist on The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Review: This was a very interesting book. As a whole I don't read very many books with male main characters. Not because I don't like them or think they are somehow lesser; I just connect better with female main characters.

That being said when I see a book with a very interesting premise I am going to pick it up regardless.  That is what happened with Life After Theft.

Life After Theft is a fun take on the classic klepto story. This is because the aforementioned klepto just so happens to be dead. And so our main character Jeff has to return all of Kimberlee's stolen goods so she can hopefully move on and leave him in peace.

There are quite a few bumps and bruises that Jeff experiences while returning the stuff. Including but not limited to being arrested. 

But even though this is a fun and sometimes harrowing story about returning stolen goods and actually feeling bad for taking the stuff. It is mostly a story about forgiving when someone messes up, as well as not holding someone's past against them.

Life After Theft has amazing character development. All of the major characters grew leaps and bounds and became completely different in a believable way.

I enjoyed the book, it was fun and different and I enjoyed how the romance was incorporated.  That being said I found a little of the pacing a little off. But besides that I really enjoyed it.

Playing With Her Heart Character Interview: Jill

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Jill one of the main characters from Playing with Her Heart by Lauren Blakely!

What made you want to be an actor?

Because I can't imagine doing anything else. This is my passion, this is my love, this feeds my soul.


What is your favorite part of playing someone else?

I love letting go of who I am, forgetting the day, forgetting my world and becoming someone else wholly. It's a chance to live many lives too, to experience what it's like - for a couple hours at least -- of living another kind of life.

I hear that you like to run. How is running similar to acting?

I love to run!! Running clears my head, and I can just focus on the adrenaline and the action of putting one foot in front of the other! It also requires a lot of focus, a sort of single-minded focus, to be able to run for long distances, and that kind of clearing your head is the same thing you need to do when you're stepping into a role.


Being around so many attractive actors must be fun. But how do you stay separated and focused enough that you can do your job?

It's definitely easy to get swept up and caught up! Especially since you have to turn on and turn off emotions, and I do think that's why so many actors and actresses fall for each other and for co-stars. But I try to think of it as a job, and because it is easy to turn off emotions, that's what I aim to do when I walk off stage so that I don't get swept up in anything more!


If you could only sing or act for the rest of your life which would you choose?

No fair!!! How can I choose between my two great loves??? If you force me though...acting.


What are you the most excited about the prospect of working with Davis Milo?

He's so talented, and has such an amazing reputation for bringing out the absolute best in his cast. I know he can be tough, but he's tough for a reason - because he helps you succeed on stage!

What does it feel like when you get the call? Is it all excitement or is there also some trepidation? 

Getting the call is one of the most thrilling parts of working in the performing arts! Well, besides the reaction from audiences! But getting the call that you've been cast often a moment of true ecstatic joy. In my case, I didn't get the call - I found out when I bumped into my director on the street, so it was even better!

Thank you so much Jill!!

To find out more about Jill and to see how her story ends be sure to check out Playing With Her Heart

Here is a synopsis to get you started!

Twenty-three year old rising theatre star Jill McCormick has built a life out of pretending. Pretending she's happy, pretending she's not haunted by the dark secret that shattered her world six years ago. But then she comes face to face with her new director -- sexy, sophisticated, jealous, all-alpha, dirty-talking Davis Milo. He tries to resist the actress he's cast, but the attraction between them is too powerful, and soon their private rehearsals spiral into new, forbidden territory. The connection, the chemistry is undeniable, and it hits them anywhere, and everywhere -- in the theater, on the piano, in the limo, in the restaurant...But the tragedy in Jill's past stands between them. Davis has walls too, so they can either face their fears together, or risk the most intense love, sex and passion either has ever felt...

Join the Agenda with Gennifer Albin author of Crewel #JointheAgenda

I don't know if you guys have heard of the book Crewel by Gennifer Albin but she is doing an awesome promotion where you will have the chance to win one of three scholarships!

One cool thing is that no one is too old or too young to win! Though those under 18 will have to receive parental permission. More info about the scholarship contests will be announced this Friday so get ready!

In the meantime check out the recruitment video and #JointheAgenda



If after watching the video you are ready to #JointheAgenda go to Gennifer Abin's website to sign up! 

Also be sure to check out my review of Crewel to get ready for Altered coming in October!

#JointheAgenda

The Look of Love by Bella Andre

Title: The Look of Love (The Sullivan's #1)
Author: Bella Andre
Release Date: January 1, 2011
Received From: Library

Synopsis: With THE LOOK OF LOVE, bestselling author Bella Andre introduces you the Sullivan family. In this fun and emotional contemporary romance series, when a Sullivan bad boy falls...he falls hard. And it's forever.

Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she’s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he?

As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he’s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is—until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love—and protect—her, but will she let him?

Chloe vows never to make the mistake of trusting a man again. Only, with every loving look Chase gives her—and every sinfully sweet caress—as the attraction between them sparks and sizzles, she can’t help but wonder if she’s met the only exception. And although Chase didn’t realize his life was going to change forever in an instant, amazingly, he isn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he’s gearing up for a different fight altogether…for Chloe’s heart.

Review:
I received a copy of the fourth book in The Sullivan's Series from ALA and fell in love (review coming soon.) Because of this I knew I had to go back to the beginning and read the rest of them.

Each story in the Sullivan's series is the story of one of the eight Sullivan kids The Look of Love is Chase's story. I knew what happened to him and Chloe because I read I Only Have Eyes For You but I was still super excited to see how their relationship grew and came to be.

With each one of these books I read I fall more in love with the Sullivan family. Yes they have rocky relationships but they all care so much for each other and want the best for them even if that person may not agree. Chase and Chloe really only come into contact with Marcus, the oldest Sullivan and the subject of the second book. I loved seeing how open Marcus was with Chloe even though it would be completely weird to have your brother bring some random girl to your house.

Most of The Look of Love takes place in Marcus' vineyard. It was so gorgeous sounding and Bella Andre made me want to be there. It was also the perfect place for a romance novel to be set. Chase was shooting at the vineyard and I loved watching Chloe become more comfortable with both Chase and his team.

I don't think I could be as brave as Chloe was, I mean getting into a car with a perfect stranger in the middle of the night. Not that she really had many more options. I really felt for Chloe, she had gone though so much that I could completely understand her trepidation.

The Look of Love like all of Bella Andre's books is very sexy, but I love how all of the Sullivan men care about their women. It makes it seem like less of an overtaking and domineering relationship. Especially since that is what Chloe needed.

Basically you should read this series so we can squee about them together! And even if you have only read historical romance like I had you will still like it!

Neptune's Tears by Susan Waggoner

Title: Neptune's Tears
Author: Susan Waggoner
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Received From: Publisher in return for honest review

Synopsis: London, 2218 A.D. Seventeen-year-old Zee is an intern empath. She’s focused on her job, poised for a great career—until one day an attractive patient undoes her hard-earned calm. As an empath, she cannot afford such distractions, but neither can she stay away from David, even when she discovers he’s one of a mysterious alien race. As London comes under attack by anarchist bombings, and as Zee struggles to get a handle on her unusually strong psychic abilities, David starts pulling away. Although Zee’s sure he’s attracted to her, David has secrets he cannot share. But it’s too late for Zee. She’s losing her heart to the gray-eyed alien boy, and she’s determined to follow him—no matter how far it may take her.

 Review: I was really intrigued by the premise of Neptune's Tears but once I started reading it I realized that the story was even more than I had imagined.

As a science major I really connected with Zee. And I think many people can connect with her drive to keep her job/schooling at the forefront of her life. Beyond that I really liked Zee, she was a strong character and knew what she wanted.

I also really enjoyed the world building in Neptune's Tears. I felt like it was fully fleshed out and very vivid. Also the story about the aliens coming and everyone embracing them seemed like something that could really happen.

There was a major twist at the end and while I knew something was up I was not expecting that at all! But there was also a heart-breaking part that made me want to cry.

David and Zee's relationship was very natural. It was not fake feeling and even though they had some istant chemistry I felt like it progressed from there in a more accurate way than many other books. It also did not feel forced like in some other stories I have read. Their connection was vivid.

There is a whole plot line about Neptune's Tears which are some very important diamonds. But I never really understood what they had to do with anything besides the old woman who Zee treats. I hope it is more elaborated on in the next books. I was just surprised that they were not a bigger deal considering that's the name of the book.

Besides that I really enjoyed it and think it is a great new sci-fi series.

New Design!

I don't know if you guys have noticed but I got a fabulous new blog design courtesy of Katie at KD Designs! I love it and think it fits my blog perfectly!

Besides being a fabulous designer Katie is also a book blogger at Sophistikatied! I really recommend Katie's design services because she did everything in a timely manner and she also was able to bring my (confused) vision to life. If you are looking for great design services look no further.

So what do you think? Let me know in the comments and check out Katie's other designs at http://www.kdcreates.com/!

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen (Audio Review)

Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Received From: Library

Synopsis: THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

Review:
I listened to The False Prince on audio and I really enjoyed it! The reader was fantastic and he totally embodied not only Sage but all the other characters. I think when I read the second book it will probably be in his voice. So if you have the opportunity to listen to this one I definitely recommend it! Also it would be great for road trips with your family because it is technically middle grade.

I love fantasy books. While I really enjoy all other types of books, fantasy is my love. Though even I can admit sometimes the plots feel contrived. Not The False Prince, the idea is very similar to others. A group trying to take over a country you know the story. But how often does it happen that they try to take over the country by trying to essentially bring the Prince back from the dead. (He has been missing/presumed dead. No sorcery or necromancy here)

I loved all four boys. They were all so different and so like many other boys that I have known over the course of my life. But even with that I fell in love with Sage. He is the perfect middle grade boy character. His is a rascal, smart, and funny. Plus he has a few more tricks up his sleeve than you may think.

Jennifer Nielsen created a richly developed story with just enough twists and turns to make it interesting. Also, I loved the major plot twist. It was perfect and executed so well!

Basically if you are looking for a book to read with your kids or just plain want a good fantasy to read yourself, The False Prince is right for you. And even better the second book; The Runaway King is already out so you don't have to wait!

It is debated on whether or not The False Prince is MG or YA but it does not really matter since it is really good for MG on up!


Also through the 31st The False Prince audiobook is one of the free SYNC titles so if you want to try the audio: http://www.audiobooksync.com/2013/07/25/sync-has-a-secret-identity-week-9/