Blog Tour: Dream of Me by A. Star (Review + INT Giveaway)

Title: Dream of Me (The Djinn Order, #2) 

Author: A. Star
Published: January 19th 2016
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Steampunk
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:

Glory St. Pierre never thought so many lies could hold so much truth, especially when her entire life has been one of those lies. Now that she knows who she really is, she must find a way to come to terms with it before the Djinn sorcerer Rasputin and his steel army descend down upon the human and Djinn realms, wielding magic so dark even her own Djinn lover, Irving, is wary of it.

Their only hope to save the realms are a couple of hunters and the Lords of the Djinn Order, four powerful Djinn who have remained elusive for centuries. Armed with her only granted wish, a fabulous airship, and the Djinn she loves by her side, Glory will embark on a quest to find the four lords and enlist their help. But there is a reason the lords have been in hiding, and once this tiny band of adventurers awakens them from their slumber, they will set off a chain of events that has been in the making since the beginning of time.

There is no turning back now.

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Wish For Me is on sale the week of the tour so hurry and grab a copy!

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Thanks to A. Star and Xpresso Book Tours for letting me be a part of the tour!

 My Thoughts 

Dream of Me was my first read of 2016 and it did not disappoint, although there were parts of the book that frustrated me.

I had a hard time liking Glory in this book. In Wish For Me she was a kick-ass chick but in this she drove me quite insane. She'd do something dumb telling herself she knew just how wrong it was but would do it anyways, and then turned right around, and would admit that she should have never done what she just did in the previous chapter. I can understand the occasional screw-up but it felt never-ending this time around. I was also bothered by how Glory and Irving's relationship seemed to blow up so often, they were very back and forth with each other.

Now, having said all that I did enjoy Dream of Me. I adore A. Star's books, and they are pretty fast reads. I loved the steampunk creations, and Irving's airship (so awesome), and Qazi the pilot was a fun new addition to the story. It's hard to say a lot about the story itself without giving anything away but it's like nothing else I've read.

Overall, Dream of Me was a great read. A little frustrating for me (I have a hard time liking female MCs sometimes) but a fun read. It has plenty of adventure, and romance, there's even an Irving chapter too (I love male POV), and the ending was pretty bad-ass. So, if you're a fan of fantasy and romance I definitely recommend this series for you.

 About the Author 

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 and the Djinn Order series. She is a night-owl and a coffee junkie, and the only sneaker she would be caught dead wearing are Converses.

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 Giveaway 
1 winner will receive an ebook copy of Wish For Me + 2 Djinn Order bookmarks.
Open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 25th

–A British Bookworm’s Blog

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–Ogitchida Kwe’s Book Blog

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–Bloggin With M.Brennan

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–Contagious Reads

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Review: The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell

Title: The Cadet of Tildor
Author: Alex Lidell
Published: January 10th 2013 by Dial
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis:
Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

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My Thoughts

Ten or so years ago I discovered Tamora Pierce's novels, which really introduced me to the fantasy genre, and always had a strong female MC. The Cadet of Tildor fits right into the Tamora Pierce comparison, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying it.

It did take me a few chapters to really find myself sucked into the story but soon the characters and action had me hooked. At first I didn't think I was going to like Renee much but she changed for the better, and kicked serious butt along the way! I of course am a Savoy fangirl. I swooned for the green eyes, and demanding personality, loved how he cared for his younger brother, and he kicked butt too.

Overall, The Cadet of Tildor was pure awesome. I loved the medieval setting, magic, and sword fights. Renee and Savoy scenes were fun to read (they can both be so hard headed), and there are chapters from Savoy's POV which I enjoyed. So, if you're a fan of fantasy I'd definitely recommend this one.

About the Author

Alex Lidell is a YA fantasy author. She is also a photographer, a horseback rider, and a paramedic. The latter two go hand in hand more often than one would like.

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ARC Review: Hellraisers by Alexander Gordon Smith

Title: Hellraisers (The Devil's Engine, #1)
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Published: December 1st 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult
Rating: 3 Stars
Synopsis:
When a sixteen-year-old troublemaker named Marlow Green is trapped in a surreal firefight against nightmarish creatures in the middle of his New York City neighborhood, he unwittingly finds himself amid a squad of secret soldiers dedicated to battling the legions of the devil himself.

Powering this army of young misfits is an ancient machine from the darkest parts of history. Known as the devil's engine, it can make any wish come true-as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. Promised powers beyond belief, and facing monstrous apparitions straight out of the netherworld, Marlow must decide if he's going to submit to a demonic deal with the infernal machine that will enable him to join the crusade-if it doesn't kill him first.

From the author of the Escape from Furnace series, here is the opening salvo in an explosive new horror trilogy about an ordinary American kid caught up in an invisible war against the very worst enemy imaginable.

My Thoughts

Let me start by saying I'm a big fan of Smith's Furnace series so I was thrilled to find Hellraisers on NetGalley. I love me some gore and this one did not disappoint but I'm still having a difficult time deciding whether I really liked this or am just completely meh about it. The synopsis pretty much sums up exactly what does happen in this book and it was quite confusing trying to figure out what the Devil's Engine was and how it worked, and then trying to understand who the soldiers and such were until we finally received a crash course about everything when Marlow did.

I love to read anything with a male POV so that was a plus and Marlow was a pretty likable character. He screws up a good bit of course, runs from most responsibility, and has a crappy home life but deep down he's a good kid thrown into a crazy mess. Pan was a firecracker, strong and kick-ass but sometimes you wanted to slap her but once you find out her backstory you get why she could be so cold and harsh. Herc, Truck, and Night were an interesting lot too. There were also plenty of creeps and baddies, I can't decide if Hanson will end up a bad guy or not and Mammon was came across as pretty evil, although he wasn't in the book much.

Overall, Hellraisers was a decent and pretty quick read. I love Smith's writing and it's easy to get sucked into the story. Granted, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would but it has an interesting story to it and after that cliffhanger I need to know what happens next. So, if you're a fan of blood and gore, devilish creatures and tough characters then you should give Hellraisers a try.

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About the Author

Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby-Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.

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ARC Review: The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco

Title: The Girl from the Well (The Girl from the Well, #1)
Author: Rin Chupeco
Published: April 5th 2014 by Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
I am where dead children go.

Okiku is a lonely soul. She has wandered the world for centuries, freeing the spirits of the murdered-dead. Once a victim herself, she now takes the lives of killers with the vengeance they're due. But releasing innocent ghosts from their ethereal tethers does not bring Okiku peace. Still she drifts on.

Such is her existence, until she meets Tark. Evil writhes beneath the moody teen's skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. While his neighbors fear him, Okiku knows the boy is not a monster. Tark needs to be freed from the malevolence that clings to him. There's just one problem: if the demon dies, so does its host.

My Thoughts

Recently I've developed a love for Asian horror stories and movies. So when I found The Girl from the Well on NetGalley which is based on the Japanese ghost legend of Okiku I was very happy.

The legend varies a bit but in each version poor Okiku ends up dead in a well, having been murdered. The Girl from the Well takes place over 300 years after her death as she roams around the world killing those that have taken the lives of children and boy is it gruesome when she gets to work. Even with those scenes you can't help but come to love Okiku and understand how her spirit could end up that way and after she finds Tarquin you get to see the other side of her, more of what her human side was.

Overall, I really loved The Girl from the Well. It was both scary and beautiful and part of the book was spent in Japan which was interesting. Chupeco's writing kept me glued to my e-reader and I'm excited to find out what happens in the next book. So if you enjoy a creepy ghost story or legend then you should check this one out!

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About the Author

Despite uncanny resemblances to Japanese revenants, Rin Chupeco has always maintained her sense of humor. Raised in Manila, Philippines, she keeps four pets: a dog, two birds, and a husband. She's been a technical writer and travel blogger, but now makes things up for a living.

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Review: Sepherene: The Complete Chronicles by Daniel Beazley

Title: Sepherene: The Complete Chronicles (The Sepherene Chronicles, #1-4)

Author: Daniel Beazley
Published: August 9th 2015 by Daniel Beazley
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Religious, Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
In a time where religion has become no more than a convenient commodity and angels bask within their god-like existence upon the mortal planes, can Sepherene the fallen angel find the path to redemption and at what cost? She has chosen Lucius to journey with her but his past is hidden beneath a dark shroud and he carries troubles of his own. As he is drawn deeper into an ancient struggle between good and evil, will he be able to stay upon the right path or will darkness obscure the way?

The Sepherene Chronicles tell a tale of unity and righteous endeavour where the line between good and evil becomes ever more blurred. As humankind reaches out into the far corners of the universe and colonises extraordinary worlds along the way, the struggle for hope continues against overwhelming odds. With adversity lurking in every shadow, will the bond between man and angel provide the only path to survival?

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I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks Daniel!

 My Thoughts 

I read the first part of The Sepherene Chronicles back in January and was blown away by Beazley's take on fallen angels. I have a hard time finding angel stories that I enjoy and these are the best that I have found. There's action and adventure, mystery and a cool futuristic setting.

There are also so many great characters besides Lucius and Sepherene including smugglers Iolaus, Shon and Cal who help them out quite a bit. Who doesn't love pirates, am I right? I especially loved the variety when it came to the fallen. We learned each one's unique history, no matter how small their part in the story.

Beazley's writing is beautiful and the descriptions of his future grand and truly creative. The fight scenes are absolutely epic with heads rolling and quite a bit of blood spilled.

Overall, Sepherene: The Complete Chronicles is a pretty serious story with wonderful characters and is a must-read for any sci-fi fan.

 Favorite Quote 
"The man's indifference had lit an anger within Lucius that he'd never been able to extinguish. As he got older, even the hard spirits and powdered spice hadn't managed to dampen the burn. His torment had always remained, even when the effects of the drug-induced oblivion wore off."

 About the Author 

Daniel Beazley was born and raised in the South West of England. He began writing in 1996 whilst spending some time in the sunny climes of Sicily. This continued periodically whilst working in the Army and then the Police; living in various parts of the country as well as overseas.

Daniel now lives with his family in the rural countryside of Devon.

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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) Shade, Shift, Shine, Bridge, and 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!

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.

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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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Review: Eventide by Daniel Beazley

Title: Eventide (The Sepherene Chronicles, #1)

Author: Daniel Beazley
Published: November 1st 2014 by Daniel Beazley
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Religious, Adult/Young Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Held within the soft embrace of semi-consciousness upon a strange world, Lucius can barely hear the argument that rages over his fate. Little does he know they're the voices of angels and that he is about to be pulled into an ancient struggle of epic proportions where more than his own destiny will hang in the balance. 
In a time where religion has become no more than a convenient commodity and fallen angels bask within their god-like existence upon the mortal planes, can Lucius find the courage and will to see him through the trials that have now been laid before him? And will his newfound companion always be there to shine her light along the way? 
Eventide is the first instalment in The Sepherene Chronicles, a tale of unity and righteous endeavour where adversity lurks in every shadow and the line between good and evil becomes ever more blurred. 

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I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks Daniel!

 My Thoughts 
Usually I don't have much luck with angel books besides Thomas E. Sniegoski's The Fallen novels and Lauren Kate's Fallen novels. Eventide is now the best angel story I've ever read. It mixes fantasy and sci-fi together to create a new and fantastic setting.
Lucius Gavalas has an angel inside of him, Sepherene, who is out to put an end to other fallen angels believing that she will be accepted back if she succeeds. Lucius is the poor soul who ends up having his body used as Sepherene fights the fallen and he has the scars to prove it. We don't learn a lot about him in this book but what we do is that he's a haunted man and he's fought addiction, using to dull the pain of his past.
I really enjoyed Eventide. This is the first story I've read from Beazley and it won't be the last. The writing is smooth and the action scenes wonderfully detailed. This is a short read and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger but I wasn't upset by that, it worked with what was happening.
So, if you're into sci-fi, fantasy or a good angel story this is the book for you.

 Favorite Quote 
"The man's indifference had lit an anger within Lucius that he'd never been able to extinguish. As he got older, even the hard spirits and powdered spice hadn't managed to dampen the burn. His torment had always remained, even when the effects of the drug-induced oblivion wore off."

 About the Author 

Daniel Beazley was born and raised in the South West of England. He began writing in 1996 whilst spending some time in the sunny climes of Sicily. This continued periodically whilst working in the Army and then the Police; living in various parts of the country as well as overseas.

Daniel now lives with his family in the rural countryside of Devon.

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