Sunday, May 31, 2015

Shade Series Read-Along (#ShadeReadAlong)

Team Kilt put together one heck of a Shade series read-along marathon a few years back and we’re about to put all their hard work to good use again.

During the month of June, a bunch of us are going to read (or re-read) ShadeShiftShine, Bridgeand Shattered together.



This isn’t a formal event by any means, just a bunch of fans that miss the Shade world. Hope you’ll join us!

Created by Judy G.

Here’s a suggested reading schedule to keep you on track to complete the entire series during the month of June.  You certainly don’t have to follow this, but we’ll share a special post about each section on the days listed on this schedule.
Watch the #ShadeReadAlong hashtag on Twitter to see these special posts and to chat with other fans participating in the read-along.

06/01/15 – Read-Along begins
06/03/15 -- SHADE Ch 1-11 
06/05/15 -- SHADE Ch 12-18 
06/08/15 -- SHADE Ch 18 - SHIFT Ch 4
06/10/15 -- SHIFT Ch 5-12 
06/12/15 -- SHIFT Ch 13-20 
06/15/15 -- SHIFT Ch 21 - End 
06/17/15 -- SHINE Ch 1-11 
06/19/15 -- SHINE Ch 12-20 
06/22/15 -- SHINE Ch 21-32 
06/24/15 -- SHINE Ch 33- End 
06/26/15 -- BRIDGE 
06/30/15 – SHATTERED

Hope your reading schedule will allow you to join us for this fabulous event!

Created by Marissa O. (aka Bionic Elbow)

*Credit to Jennifer Strand for the post!

~~~

This is the extra push I needed to buy the Shade books and finish the series. I cannot wait for this to begin and I hope you will join us too!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Book Bird Goodies #9

Meet Magnus, my little Book Bird Reviews mascot.
Instead of doing a Showcase Sunday or anything, I've decided to just post any book goodies myself.


 Bought 




by
Colleen Hoover
&
my lovely new bookmarks.



Clockwork Angel,
Clockwork Prince
&
Clockwork Princess
by
Cassandra Clare
&
HyeKyung Baek

Beautiful set of the graphic novels for The Infernal Devices.






by
Karen Marie Moning




Revival
by
Stephen King
&
Dangerous Boy
by
Mandy Hubbard



The Silver Blade
(French Revolution, #2)
by
Sally Gardner
&
Sirens
(Faithful, #3)
by
Janet Fox







Daylighters
(The Morganville Vampires, #15)
by
Rachel Caine
&
The Taken
(Celestial Blues, #1)
by
Vicki Pettersson













Bookmarks and postcard from Schin Loong on Etsy.
I love the Persephone and Hades one!












My Cat's Eye Chronicles bookmark from author T.L. Shreffler on Etsy.












Friday, May 22, 2015

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)
Author: Katie McGarry
Published: 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis:
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. 


My Thoughts
So, I have not been on an emotional ride like Pushing the Limits in forever...my heart is still recovering from this epic book and gods does McGarry punch you in the feels. The story of Echo Emerson and Noah Hutchins has given me hope that I can still find YA romance that makes you give a damn and root for the characters.

The synopsis pretty much says everything that I could about Pushing the Limits without giving the story away. There are still plenty of turns to the story and McGarry has written such human characters with so many flaws that you can't help but fall in love with every single one of them. There are no perfect peeps in this one and I love that. The book is from Echo and Noah's POVs and getting inside their heads was magic. Noah with his cursing and Echo's struggle to remember what happened to her kept me crying and feeling their pain as the story went.

Overall, I obviously freaking loved everything about Pushing the Limits. The romance was sweet and hot in spots and the characters one-of-a-kind. So if you love a good romance you can't lose with this one.


 Favorite Quote
"Sometimes when you see the line, you think it's a good idea to cross it-until you do."


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

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

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Book Bird Goodies #8

Meet Magnus, my little Book Bird Reviews mascot.
Instead of doing a Showcase Sunday or anything, I've decided to just post any book goodies myself.

 Bought 
The Shadowhunter's Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis
The Warrior (Dante Walker, #3) by Victoria Scott

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Shade (Shade, #1) by Jeri Smith-Ready
Shift (Shade, #2) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Bridge (Shade, #2.5) by Jeri Smith-Ready
Shine (Shade, #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

 Freebie 
Shattered (Shade, #3.5) by Jeri Smith-Ready

As you can see I've got my books for the Shade Read-Along next month. :D

 Received 
Ribbon bookmarks and bookmarks from Katie McGarry.
I love them!

 Won 
Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane
I won this on Goodreads and it sounds pretty good.


Monday, May 18, 2015

Cover Reveal: Tome by A. Star (#TomeReveal, @DianthaJones)

I am a very happy fangirl today because I get to share the cover for Tome with you! This is sure to be another amazing series by A. Star so make sure to add it to your TBR list.

The cover is hot, yo!

~


Tome
by A. Star

Publication Date: Summer 2015
Series: Knights of the Joust #1
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance


I knew Tome was going to ruin my life the second I laid eyes on him.



It wasn’t the sexy tattoos or his deep black eyes that warned me of danger. It was his secret. The one he never spoke of. The one he never meant for me to find out about. But then we fell in love and I got tangled up in his world of fast cars and underground street racing. And that’s when it happened.



He ruined me.

*****

I knew I was going to destroy Jules’ the moment she walked into my life. I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how. But I knew it was inevitable.



I wanted to love her and so I did. But then my secret caught up with me and exploded in my face. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way and I never could have imagined how bad it would be.
I destroyed her. I destroyed us. I destroyed our love.



And now I have nothing.




ADD IT ON GOODREADS

A. Star is a fan of dirty passion. She loves to read it, and she damn sure loves to write it. She is the author of the Mythos: Gods & Lovers series, the Djinn Order series, and the Knights of the Joust series. She is a night-owl and a coffee junkie, and the only sneaker she would be caught dead wearing are Converses.


Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Blog Tour: Spotlight/Excerpt: Wish For Me by A. Star #DjinnTour




Series: The Djinn Order, Act One
Publication Date: April 27, 2015
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy/Romance

Three wishes. Two lovers. One destiny.



When the snarky Glory St. Pierre discovers the gold mechanical vase in her deceased grandmother’s basement, she has no idea that she has uncovered a priceless treasure: a genie lamp. With a real genie inside. A very sexy genie with a not-so-sexy grudge against the entire human race.




Irving Amir hates being called a genie. He’s a Djinn, and he is none too happy to be in the service of Glory, who is as intolerable, and beautiful, as humans come. Now he owes her his gratitude for freeing him and three wishes. Damn his luck.



But an arrow through the shoulder alerts Irving to the fact that he is being hunted, and after a truce dinner with Glory ends with them both almost being killed, hating each other goes right out the window. As feelings change and love starts to develop, they must dig through the secrets and lies to find the truth...a truth neither of them will ever see coming.



WARNING: Not suitable for ages 18 and under. A significant source of bad language, sexy times, and dirty jokes. If you suffer from a lack of a sense of humor, take with plenty of wine. If the symptom persists, see a doctor.







CLICK THE BANNER!

ALSO AVAILABLE AT


ADD WISH FOR ME TO YOUR TBR LIST!


A. Star is a fan of dirty passion. She loves to read it, and she damn sure loves to write it. She is the author of the Mythos: Gods & Lovers series, the Djinn Order series, and the Knights of the Joust series. She is a night-owl and a coffee junkie, and the only sneaker she would be caught dead wearing are Converses.



Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads | Pinterest




Excerpt
“What is all this stupid shit?” I mumbled, pulling out moth-eaten linens, gaudy knick-knacks, and old, dusty books with strange symbols.

“Mementos of a life well-lived and well-traveled,” Elena replied as she rummaged through a box of shit I was sure was trash but she seemed to think was treasure.

I had to admit that Old Addie had seemed to be overly content with her life, even if she was a mean hag. She had regrets, just like any person, but she was happy and always talked about how “normal living” was underrated. Whatever the hell that meant. Looking around, nothing in my grandmother’s basement spoke to normalcy. Everything I saw only confirmed what I already knew: Old Addie was bat-shit crazy.

“The hell…” I pulled out a bag of rodent skulls, rodent skulls, from a beaten up box labeled “Safe Keepings.” Old Addie was looking battier by the second. With a sound of disgust, I tossed the bag aside.

“Now this is more like it.” My next find was a burgundy bowler hat complete with a ribbon and feather. I blew at some of the dust covering the hat, then slid it down over my ash-blonde pixie cut. I turned to show Elena, but she had been roped into an argument with my mom over what to do with some dishes they’d found. 
Turning back, I grabbed my backpack and tossed the hat inside, already dreaming up an ensemble to go with it. Now eager to find more treasures, I dove back into the box. I found a ratty old purse, a busted speaker with no cord, and a cracked boomerang before I discovered the jeweled treasure buried at the bottom of the box.

It was a vase. No, it was more than a vase, but the hell if I knew what it really was. It was shaped like a vase, with a long, thin neck and a wide, round bottom. Colored jewels–real or not, I didn’t know–sparkled all along the rim of the vase’s opening and along the base. In between lay a network of tiny antique gears that all seemed to be connected in some way, like they could be powered to make the vase actually dosomething. After further inspection, I found a small key hole near the top of the vase’s neck, fueling my suspicions.

With a surge of excitement, I turned the dusty box upside down and shook it. Sure enough, a key dropped out and hit the cement floor with a tiny cling.

I grabbed the key up and tried it out on the keyhole in the vase. It was a perfect fit. I moved to turn it, but not wanting mom or Elena to try and claim my find, I held off. I didn’t know what would happen if I turned the key, and if it was something cool, or terrible, I wanted to be alone when it happened. So I shoved the vase in my bag beside the bowler and swore the second I was back at my place, I was turning that damn key.

Giveaway
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Monday, May 4, 2015

Review: Sora's Quest by T.L. Shreffler

Title: Sora's Quest (The Cat's Eye Chronicles, #1)
Author: T.L. Shreffler
Published: April 18th 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Sora Fallcrest always dreamed of adventure, but as a member of the nobility, she learned the ways of a Lady instead. Now seventeen, she is expected to choose a husband and marry. She plots to run away, but just as she is stepping out the door, she runs into a mysterious man--and is kidnapped.

Abducted from her manor, Sora is plunged into a world of magical races, arcane jewelry and forgotten lore. She finds herself at the mercy of a dangerous assassin, haunted by an even darker past. She yearns for freedom, but he won't let her go--not when her Cat's Eye necklace is the only thing that can save his life.

But the necklace itself presents a problem. It is an ancient device from the long forgotten War of the Races, and its magic has the ability to steal souls. Can Sora learn to wield its power -- or will the power wield her?


Check out the official site for the The Cat's Eye Chronicles where you can find all kinds of info about the books and characters, you can take the quiz to find out which race you are (I'm a Harpy) and there are tons of other awesome things to discover.

My Thoughts
I have to start off by saying that I had absolutely no clue that I would love this book so much and it's permanently free guys so go grab yourself a copy...like now.

So, I've recently become obsessed with anything and everything fantasy and I just happened to come across Sora's Quest on Goodreads. The synopsis sounded amazing, with a fresh idea and I was hoping for a strong and smart heroine. It's been a long time since I've found such a great MC.

Sora is turning seventeen, she's bored by her life and dreams of adventure and finding her long-lost mother. She gets her wish within the first couple chapters when she's kidnapped at her birthday ceremony. In taking her, Sora's captor pulls her into his mess...he's on the run from the Wulven mage, Volcrian (pretty bad-ass name, right?). Her captor is Crash the assassin who is so hard to figure out sometimes and I am dying to know more of his backstory. We also have mercenaries, Dorian and Burn, nice guy Wulvens who travel with Crash.

It's hard to tell much of the story without giving something away but there is so much to Sora's Quest. It has an original world with different races of creatures, magic, mystery, a dash of romance, a surprising amount of blood and gory moments (which I must admit was pretty awesome) and new book boyfriends of course.

Overall, I think Sora's Quest is a must-read for fantasy fans. With kick-ass characters and tons of twists and turns you won't be disappointed.




Favorite Quote
"Each constellation had a history, a piece of lore. If one listened closely, the stars would share their stories, telling of years long past, of places long lost to the world, of secrets long forgotten by man."

About the Author
T. L. Shreffler lives in Los Angeles, CA. She loves diversity, fantasy, romance, iced tea, long walks, philosophy, and thrift store shopping. She recently graduated with a BA in Badass (Creative Writing) and her poetry has been published consecutively in Eclipse: A Literary Journal and The Northridge Review. She is author of The Cat's Eye Chronicles(YA/Epic Fantasy) and The Wolves of Black River (PN Romance.)

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