3/30/2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Resisting Atlantis (Atlantis #1) by Jamie Canosa


I am super excited to be hosting one of my favorite YA authors, Jamie Canosa, and celebrating the release of her new book Resisting Atlantis. Check out the post below for my review, an author spotlight, and giveaway.

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What if everything you think you know . . . is wrong?

Cora is your average college freshman. Battling the evils of boring classes and noisy dorms, her greatest concern is how to attract the attention of the drool-worthy, party-god next door.


That is, until Kaden comes barging into her life, insisting everything she knows is false. The family and friends she grew up with don’t exist. Her entire past a carefully-crafted fabrication, created to replace the truth.

Her name isn’t Cora, it’s Cameron. And she isn’t from New York. She hails from Atlantis. Yeah, that Atlantis. Oh yeah, and she’s psychic. 

Crazy, right?

Except, tall, dark, and out-of-his-ever-loving-mind doesn’t come alone. Trouble follows, thrusting Cameron back into a world she can’t remember and a life she must reclaim if they’re going to make it out alive.


But there’s someone out there who doesn’t want her to remember.

Links:
Amazon
GoodReads

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When Jamie approached me about being part of the blog tour for her new book, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on an ARC, even before I had read the blurb for Resisting Atlantis. Jamie became one of my favorite YA writers after I read her Fight or Flight series (which I highly recommend if you haven't read it). The thing that I love most about her writing is her characters. Jamie has an amazing talent for creating characters that you instantly care about and want to root for. You become so invested in her characters that their journey becomes your own. Every step of the way you are with the characters. You feel every emotion, every injury, every moment of triumph, and Jamie doesn't disappoint with her new series.

Once again, it was the characters that made this book for me. Cam is a strong female lead and her vulnerability makes her a relatable and believable character. Kaden is everything a male lead should be and has joined the ranks of my book boyfriends. The connection between the two was real and swoon worthy, adding the perfect dash of romance to this adventure story. I was invested in their story from page one and couldn't put it down. There is plenty of action and even a few twists that keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

My only criticism is that I wish the story contained a little bit more history or back story on Atlantis. As a history and Greek mythology nerd, I loved the idea of the story taking place there. The history/back story is essential to understanding the premise behind Resisting Atlantis, as the central conflict is a rebellion against the Palace. Most of what we learn about Atlantis and the rebellion is through what is explained to Cam as she tries to regain her memories, and I often found myself feeling exactly what she felt, that everyone around me knew something that I didn't and no one was sharing. Having more of a back story would have fleshed out the narrative a bit more and made it easier to connect to the reasons behind the rebellion. However, this "criticism" is probably more of a personal preference than anything. Jamie provides enough in the story to make it flow and make sense; I just wanted more.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This story has everything - adventure, humor, tragedy, romance - that makes for a good read. The characters are well developed and easy to connect to, and fellow nerds like myself will geek-out over the infusion of Greek mythology into the story line. There is a sequel, so be prepared for a cliffhanger. The next book in the series is called Restoring Atlantis, and I am excited to find out what is in store for Cam and Kaden.

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Meet the Author


Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA/NA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Upstate NY with her husband, and their three crazy kids . . . plus the cat, the bird, and the rabbit.

Author Links:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamieCanosa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JL_Canosa
Blog: http://jamiecanosa.blogspot.com

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Giveaway Time!

3/23/2014

Seeing Stars (Celebrity #1) by J. Sterling

Walker Rhodes is the type of guy that is at the top of Madison Myers' Do Not Date List. He is a sexy singing sensation with a bad boy reputation to match. As an aspiring talent agent, Madison knows Walker is the type of guy she needs to avoid dating if she is going to make it in this business.

But when Walker pulls her up on stage during one of his concerts, even Madison can't deny the sparks that literally fly between them. As much as she wants to deny it, there is something about Walker Rhodes that draws her in. Even though she tries to stay away, Walker is determined to make her his, and Madison will soon discover that fate has a bigger hand in their story than she ever could have imagined.

You won't find this book at the top of my all-time favorite reads, but it was still an enjoyable read for me. I liked the characters and the story definitely had that element of romantic fatalism that make romance movies such a huge success (especially with the female demographic). It was lacking in the angst department and did not contain the emotional turmoil that I look for in a 5 star read. Having said that, the story was well written and a quick read. Definitely a good read for a lazy afternoon. It is a stand alone novel, so no worries about a cliffhanger. It is part of a new series, and it appears that each book will focus on a new celebrity. I liked this book enough to want to read the next one - Catching Stars, Paige Lockwood's story - when it comes out (no release info at this time).

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Sydney's twenty-second birthday is not going how she envisioned. Finding herself homeless after discovering her boyfriend of two years and her best friend/roommate have been cheating behind her back, and unemployed, Sydney now faces a decision: turn to her less than supportive parents for help, or accept the offer of help from her extremely attractive neighbor, Ridge.

Ridge is facing a dilemma of his own...writer's block. For months he has been unable to pen any song lyrics. When he sees Sydney, from his balcony, singing along to the melodies from his guitar, he can't help but be intrigued. When Ridge discovers Sydney's boyfriend's infidelity, he finds himself compelled to tell her, even if he doesn't want to be the one who has to do so. Determined to keep his new found muse, Ridge offers Sydney the spare bedroom in his apartment.

As time passes, Ridge and Sydney's musical collaboration brings them closer and closer. They find themselves communicating their feelings through the lyrics they write together. But Ridge is not free, and he finds himself torn between the girlfriend he can never leave and the feelings he has developed for Sydney. Their situation leaves them with nothing but heartbreak and the dream of maybe someday.

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Colleen Hoover is a literary genius. I swear she could write a phone book, and I would buy it and love every page of it. I have loved every book of hers that I have read, from the Slammed series to the Hopeless series. However, her books should come with a warning label stamped on the front - Warning: You will be emotionally wrecked by the end of this novel. Maybe Someday was no exception.

She had me hook, line, and sinker from the very first page. Colleen has the amazing ability to create these characters and relationships that you instantly want to root for. I felt every moment of joy, pain, and heartbreak right along with Ridge and Sydney. I found myself reduced to a crying mess as the hopelessness of their love story washed over me again and again, and I found myself profoundly grateful that I was reading this book in the privacy of my own home. Had I been in public, people would have probably wondered about my mental stability. And the ending? I won't talk about it because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it brought on a whole new wave of tears.

Maybe Someday offers readers a truly unique reading experience with the addition of a soundtrack. Because music was such an important element to this story, I was intrigued when I heard that Colleen was collaborating with Griffen Peterson to record the songs featured in the novel. I had heard a few of the songs prior to reading the book, and while I liked them, it wasn't until I heard them in conjunction with the story that I fell in love with them. The songs added so much to my reading experience because I didn't have to imagine what the songs would have sounded like. While I have always had a vivid imagination and consider myself somewhat musical, I am by no means a song writer or a musician. Having the songs took the pressure off me to create them in my mind and allowed me to simply enjoy them for what they were - an honest form of communication between Sydney and Ridge.

I always know when I find a book deserving of 5 stars when two things happen: First, I feel compelled to hug the book to my chest after reading the last page, and second, I instantly want to turn back to page one and start reading it again. Both of these occurred after I finished Maybe Someday. Ridge has joined the ranks of my favorite book boyfriends, right along with Will, Holder, and Daniel. In the few days since I have finished the novel, I still find myself humming the songs and pulling it back off my self to reread some of my favorite parts. I'm sure my future holds many rereads of this book. Colleen Hoover delivers another unforgettable read.

Delilah: The Making of Red (Nova #2.5) by Jessica Sorensen

Delilah Peirce is used to being invisible, to living in the shadow of her mother's magnetism. She wants nothing more than to be seen, to be desired, the way men desire her mother. When she meets Dylan Sanderson, for once in her life she feels seen and beautiful. But the path Dylan leads her down is not exactly what she thought it would be, and she finds herself losing pieces of herself, transforming into something different, along the way.

We first meet Delilah, a.k.a. Red, in Breaking Nova, and now we get a small glimpse into the events that led her down her current path of destruction. I really enjoyed this short story and feel like it went a long way in fleshing out Delilah's character.

I love the Nova series. It is painfully raw and dark, and the characters' stories stay with you even after you read the last page. Jessica Sorensen has an amazing talent for creating these beautifully broken characters that your heart bleeds for. I can only hope that this short story means that Delilah will get her own book in the future. I am dying to know what happens next and if she ever finds her happy ending.

The Voluntourist by Ken Budd

"Sometimes, in life, you can drive a familiar road and not know where you are going."

After the unexpected death of his father, Ken Budd finds himself questioning his own life and what he wants out of it. His father's death leads Ken to examine his life and face some hard truths - namely his grief over the fact that he and his wife would never have children. His grief leads him to undertake six voluntourism trips around the world. With each trip, Ken seeks to find purpose, to lead a "life that matters." In his memoir, Ken recounts these trips, remembering the people he met and the lessons he learned along the way. 

I read a quote once (I don't remember exactly what it said or who said it, so I'm totally paraphrasing here) that said something like: "Nothing messes with our happiness like the vision in our head of what our lives are supposed to look like." I remember being struck by the absolute truth behind the statement (I know you're thinking, "How can that be if you don't remember the exact quote?" It was more of the message than the words that struck me). When I think back on the times in my life where I felt lost or uncertain, they are, more often than not, the moments where the reality of my life did not match up with the picture in my head of what my life should look like. In hindsight, I can now recognize those moments as blessings, as they often led me to something far superior to my original vision. But that is a realization that only comes after time has pasted, tears have fallen, and many prayers have been said. When you are in those moments, it's hard to let go.

I think this is what I connected to most in Ken's story. The reality of his life did not match up to the vision he had in his head, and because of that, he was forced to reexamine his life and redefine that vision. I think that this is a pretty universal struggle that all of us find ourselves facing at least once (probably more) in life. We are all searching for meaning in this life, for some way to spend our "650,000 hours" that will leave a mark in this world, so that we are not forgotten. Sometimes leaving home, the familiar, is the only way that we can put enough distance between ourselves and the vision and gain the clarity that we need. I think this is why many of us, including Ken, turn to travel. I love to travel. I love visiting new place and experiencing new cultures, and there are few things in life that will teach you about yourself quite like traveling, especially on your own. 

As I read about Ken's travels, I could not help drawing parallels between the lessons he learned while traveling and many of the things I have learned from my own travels. His stories are full of humor, honesty, and the truth that we are not as different from each other as we would like to believe. I appreciated his candor and honesty. This wasn't a quick read for me. I found lines that caused me to stop and ponder. I definitely felt inspired to undertake my own voluntourism trip, as I think many who read his book will be. A solid 4-star read for me. 

3/03/2014

Saving Quinton (Nova #2) by Jessica Sorensen

Nova Reed has come through to the other side and Quinton Carter played a big part in her success. The problem is, since walking away from him, she has no idea where to find him. She knows that he is still out there, drowning in his own pain and addiction, and she is determined to find him and help him.

Try as he might, Quinton can't forget Nova, but he knows that he doesn't deserve her or anything good in his life at all. Quinton has sunk deeper into his addiction and is finding it harder and harder to hold on. When Nova shows up at his door, having followed him to Las Vegas, he finds himself in a constant battle to push Nova away, while wanting to pull her close at the same time. He doesn't deserve her, but Nova refuses to go away.

While Nova desperately tries to convince Quinton to get help, he continues to engage in drugs and dealing, which leads to some trouble for him and his cousin, Tristan. Nova's hope is continually tested as Quinton heads towards rock bottom and she finds herself wondering if she is strong enough to help him. When Quinton finally hits rock bottom, he faces the most important decision of his life: surrender to the darkness for good or move toward the light.

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This book...I have no words for this book. It was HEARTBREAKING and I found myself on the verge of tears almost the whole time. My heart just aches for Quinton. Having seen addiction with my own eyes and watched helplessly as someone I loved slowly destroyed themselves, I totally get Nova's perspective. What I appreciated about this book is that Jessica did not try and sugar coat anything. There was no easy way out, no magical cure. Addiction is ugly and it brings out the worst in people and makes them do things that they wouldn't normally do. Addicts hurt those around them because they can't see or think through the haze. It is a battle to get out of addiction. It is not something that happens overnight and it is a commitment that must be made each and every day. I believe that Jessica portrayed this perfectly. 

I couldn't put this book down and I read it in a matter of hours. Jessica had me from the very first page. After I finished, I didn't have the heart to pick up another book and my thoughts kept wandering back to Quinton and Nova. I was emotionally wrecked. It's been awhile since I have been emotionally destroyed by a book and this one did the job thoroughly. I cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds for these characters. I desperately hope that they will find happiness together.

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Up next in the Nova Series...

Book #2.5: Delilah: The Making of Red
Free novella - release date March 18, 2014

Delilah Peirce: the Invisible Girl. Men crane their necks around Delilah just to catch a glimpse of her bombshell mother. Delilah knows looks of indifference, of friendship-but never of desire.

Then she meets Dylan Sanderson, the impossibly gorgeous guy who thinks she's beautiful. When he looks at her, she feels needed. When he kisses her, her troubles disappear. And when he tells her he will never hurt her, she believes him . . .



Book #3: Nova and Quinton: No Regrets 
Expected release April, 2014

Today is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet.

Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova's life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way-a reminder of life's dark side-and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova's heart?

Take a Chance (Chance #1) by Abbi Glines

"Three kinds of women in this world. The kind that suck you dry and leave you with you nothing. The kind that only want a good time. And the kind that make life worth a damn. The last kind...the right woman's the one who gives as much as she takes, and you can't get enough. She's the kind...if you lose her, you lose yourself."

Grant Carter, with his blue eyes and sexy smile, has always been content to keep love at an arm's length. He knows all too well that love gives you the power to break someone. Knowing that he would never be able to love someone and risk losing them, he filled his days with woman only looking for a good time. Until Nan. Nan, Rush's sister, needed him and Grant loves to be needed. He came close to giving his heart to Nan, but learned the hard way that Nan is not the type of woman you fall in love with. Nothing makes Grant regret his fling with Nan like Harlow Manning.

Harlow is the type of woman you fall in love with, and Grant finds himself completely taken in by her. The problem: Harlow is Nan's half sister, and Nan hates her. Their budding relationship comes to a halt after Grant races back to Rosemary, upon learning of of Jace's death. A few months later, Harlow finds herself living in Rosemary Beach in a house with Nan for the next nine months while their father is on tour. She wants nothing more than to just keep her head down and avoid Nan, but when Grant walks out of Nan's bedroom in nothing but boxer briefs, she can't help but feel betrayed.

Grant is determined to get Harlow to forgive him. The more time he spends with her, the harder it becomes to resist giving her his heart. As Grant and Harlow fall deeper and deeper, Harlow realizes that she is not being fair to Grant, because she has secrets too. As those secrets come to light, Grant and Harlow will need to decide if it is worth taking a chance on each other.

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Abbi delivers another great installment of the Rosemary Beach series. I have loved Grant as a character ever since Blaire pulled her gun on him in Fallen Too Far. I was so excited when Abbi announced that he was getting his own book and I was so relieved to find out that he wouldn't be ending up with Nan. She is just too horrible for words and Grant, while not perfect, is way too good for her. He's a guy and he got sucked in. I don't like it, but I can forgive him for it. I love Harlow. She is super sweet, but at the same time unexpected.

I was hoping that this book would be a little more angsty. It just didn't have the same level of torturous drama that the other books in series had. Sure, there are some unexpected surprises, but the cliffhanger wasn't as dramatic as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was enough for me to be waiting impatiently until July when the sequel comes out, but it wasn't as shocking or unexpected as some of the other cliffhangers. This book does fall a little short when compared to the others in the series, but it is still an amazing read. It is worth taking a chance on.

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Grant and Harlow's story continues in One More Chance - expected publication July, 2014

Grant Carter did everything in his power to convince Harlow Manning that he was a good guy. More than a smooth-talker and someone she could trust. He had to overcome his reputation as a playboy, and his history with Harlow's half-sister, Nan, a woman with a reputation of her own.

Harlow had taken the chance, falling hard and fast for the guy who thrilled her with his all-consuming desire. After a lifetime of avoiding bad boys like Grant, she had opened herself to the possibilities of love...

But a life-changing secret has torn them apart, and now Grant and Harlow must decide if they have enough fight to make it work - or if the pain of betrayal has permanently destroyed their future.

Seeking Her (Losing It #3.5) by Cora Carmack

Seeking Her is a prequel novella to book three in the Losing It series, Finding It, and gives us a peak into the mind of Jackson Hunt. A former soldier, Jackson needs a job and to find a sense of normalcy if he is going to avoid falling back into his destructive patterns. He is hired by Kelsey Summers' father to follow Kelsey around as she travels abroad. The only catch is, he doesn't want her to know she is being followed.

As Jackson follows her from a distance, he can't help but be drawn in by her. Kelsey is vibrant, fun, reckless, but she is also sad. As she begins to fall into some of the patterns he suffered from years ago, Jackson can't stop himself from stepping in and coming to her rescue.

I love Cora Carmack's writing. She creates down to earth characters who are believable and I love the awkward and hilarious situations they find themselves in. I loved Finding It, and loved Jackson and Kelsey's love story. Of course, I jumped at the chance to get more of the story from Jackson's POV. I love stepping in the heads of my book boyfriends! In fact, I find that I often prefer their POV.

To be honest, this novella left me wanting a little bit. While I enjoyed it, I really wish that I had read it before reading Finding It. I'm not sure that it really adds anything to Jackson's character, and I think that if I had read it before, I would have liked it better. Because I already knew what happened, there just wasn't anything new or exciting. I think I would have preferred a follow up like Bliss and Garrick, rather than a prequel. Having said that, it was an enjoyable read and if you are a fan of the series I definitely think it is worth your time to read.

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

At the heart of Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale is the love story between Peter Lake and Beverly Penn. Peter Lake is a simple, uneducated thief, who also happens to be a master mechanic. Beverly Penn is the daughter of one of New York's leading newspaper owners and is dying of consumption. Peter and Beverly's paths cross when Peter decides to rob Beverly's Upper West Side mansion. It is love at first sight for them, and their love with not only change their lives, but time itself.

This is a hard book to sum up. It is a beast of a book and it took me a month to get through its close to 800 pages. The language is dense and descriptive, overly descriptive at time, but also beautiful. The language will probably be a hang up for some with this book. While I don't mind verbose writers (to a certain extent), even I felt like I needed a machete to hack through the wilderness that was the language of this novel. While I never found the descriptions to be redundant, they were a bit overkill at times. It is not always necessary to take two pages to describe something, when it can be accomplished in a paragraph or two.

"The plans for the city were drawn on the same table as the plans for war. It promises nothing, and yet it can be inimitable generous."

On the other hand, there were some descriptions that I appreciated, especially when it came to the portrayal of New York City. Growing up in New York State, I spent a lot of time in the city. It is one of my favorite places in the world and it has always had a magical quality to it. While NYC is the setting of this novel, it comes across as a living, breathing character and it is an integral part of the story. Because the language is dense, this is not a quick read and I found myself having to reread passages at times to understand. Yet, there were many passages that were rather profound and had me stopping to consider them.

"No one ever said that you would live to see the repercussions of everything you do, or that you have guarantees, or that you are not obliged to wander in the dark, or that everything will be proved to you and neatly verified like something in science. Nothing is: at least nothing that is worthwhile."

This book also has a lot of moving parts which made the story hard to follow at times. It reminded me of the show Once Upon a Time. There are lots of characters, each with their own stories, that still somehow fit all together. Because there were so many characters and the story switched back and forth between time periods, it was confusing at times and I was somewhat concerned about whether or not it would all come together in the end. There is a magical, fairly tale-like quality to this novel. There are amazing adventures, great feats, wondrous happenings, and a sense of destiny. At times I was able to lose myself in the story, but not as easily as other novels. This one definitely requires some thinking.

"The beauty of the truth is that it need not be proclaimed or believed. It skips from soul to soul, changing form each time it touches, but it is what it is, I have seen it, and someday you will, too."

My biggest issue with the novel is it's non-ending. It is one of those books where the author leaves it up to the reader to decide what happens in the end. I am not a big fan of books that end this way, especially after plugging my way through almost 800 pages. While some may like this, I don't. It actually really annoys me. I want to be told what happens in the end and it better all end happily, in my opinion. Books that end like this always feel unfinished. 

In the end, I would say that I liked this novel, but didn't love it. I picked this novel up because I wanted to see the movie, but having read the book, I'm glad that I didn't pay to go see the movie in the theaters. I am not sure how they managed to adapt this novel for the big screen, but I have a feeling many changes were made. This book requires a commitment. I had hoped that maybe it would become a favorite of mine, but that did not happen. I think this is a one time read for me and don't see myself returning to this one.