Cover Reveal: Before You Go by Clare James

Before You Go by Clare James

Expected Publication: April 8th 2013

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Paralyzed by the past and terrified of the future, Tabitha Kelly is broken.

After a public sex scandal at her college, Tabby moves to a new city with a new school, convinced she can start over. But she soon realizes the changes are not enough. Tabby must take action to help her heal and move on from the past.

And though it sounds crazy, she believes a one-night stand is the best way to take back what’s hers. If she can choose where, when, and most importantly, who … maybe she can regain control. First, she needs a willing participant.

She finds more than that when she meets Noah Adler.

Unfortunately, she can’t go through with it. And when she tries to forget about the plan—and the guy—it becomes impossible.

Noah quickly weaves his way into her new life and her heart. But as he comes dangerously close to discovering her secret, Tabby’s at risk of losing it all.

Review: A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1) by Bella Forrest

Title: A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1)
Author: Bella Forrest
Published: November 14th 2012
Published: Bella Forrest
My rating: 3 stars

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.

A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine. An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains.

Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

Although Vampire-themed books aren't really my thing, from time to time I find myself getting really interested in picking one. I first saw A Shade of Vampire in a promo post from a blog and got interested with its blurb right away. It sounds really intriguing. So when I received an email from the author if I could review this book I didn't hesitate. 

A Shade of Vampire has a very promising plot. It was what really draws me in to it. The world the author created was very intriguing and the positions and situations the characters were put through had made it look even more thrilling to read. However, I'm afraid to say that it lacks some elements that might have made the delivering of the story much more compelling thus making me a quite disappointed with it.

I'm not saying that it was an awful read. I have enjoyed some parts of it and some I find really exciting and interesting. The main problem I had was that I felt emotionally detached to the story. I wanted to be completely connected to it but that's just hard to do if the things are happening too fast. There weren't enough build-up (especially on the romance) to convince me that everything is happening naturally or genuinely. It's only the surface emotion that I can see and every explanations and actions seem too brief.

And one more thing, I was expecting some work and efforts on part of Sofia here in winning Derek over as indicated on the blurb (that was what I was really looking forward, how Sofia would to it and how it would turn into something more) however it has become quite apparent early on the book that there won't be that much action regarding that part since Derek had an insta-attraction to her. 

Nonetheless, there were parts that manage to make still want to continue the book. I was still curious on what Sofia's faith would be. And some of the ideas presented on this book is admittedly very interesting to explore. There were sweet moments too that I do find genuine (like the Sun Room! I really like that). The last part had me really curious on what's gonna happen next that despite the flaws I mentioned made me decide to still read the next book. 

If you're looking for a light and descent paranormal read which isn't really that complicated but still offers some pretty cool world-building and likable characters, I think you might want to check this out.

Thank you Bella Forest for providing me a copy of this book.

Blog Tour: The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan

Welcome to my stop on The Boys of Summer blog tour hosted by YA Bound. Click HERE to check out the full blog tour schedule!

Title: The Boys of Summer
Author: C.J. Duggan
Published: December 17th 2012
Publisher: C.J. Duggan

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.

Amazon | Kindle | B&N Nook

I wouldn't have read this right away if I haven't been part of the blog tour which I actually forgot I signed up for until I, to my surprise, received a schedule for a tour stop. Haha! Yeah, it was during the few weeks before my practicum ended and my blogging schedule was really a mess. But now, I'm so glad I am part of this tour and that I'll be able to share you how much I enjoyed this book because The Summer Boys is definitely a very lovely read!

It's been quite a while since the last time I read a summer book. The Boys of Summer was definitely a good way to start with them. A lot of my GR friends have enjoyed this very much so I was really excited to start this. And to realized that this book isn't just some ordinary contemporary book, but a summer read, set in Australia, in the 90's (!) is definitely a very very good treat and encouragement to read this book.

The characters of this book are very fascinating to read about. Every one of them complimented each other and made this book shine and stand out. They carried the story very well and have provided so much amusement and laughter in me. Tess was a fantastic MC. The development and changes she'd gone through with the help of her friends and the Onslow boys and how she realized and learned things about herself were very admirable. She had her frustrating moments too but I'm glad how she reflected on it in the end.

The Onslow boys are the gem of this book! Haha! They just made this book feel more summery and light. Full of easy banters, teasing and laughter. Even with the age difference they had with Ellie and Tess they treated them with so much respect. They treated them like equal and not like they're just some naive teenage girls but still took great care of them.

After reading this I felt like I just had my own summer in Onslow! I enjoyed going through different experiences Tess, Ellie, Adam and the Onslow Boys had in their summer. The friendship they formed and the lessons they learned with it was wonderful. The romantic build-up between Toby and Tess too was really sweet. Although I think the conflict around the last part felt a bit too dramatic and frustrating, I'm glad how they pass through with it and how it strengthened more their relationship.

This book is such a lovely summer read. I would gladly recommend this to everyone! Read this. :)

About the Author: 

C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.

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Waiting on Wednesday (#27)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlight upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" is...

Title: The Beautiful and The Cursed

Author: Page Morgan

Expected Publication: May 14th 2013

Publisher: Doubleday Canada

It was bizarre and inexplicable, and after it happened, Ingrid Waverly was forced to leave her life in London behind. She had to trade a world full of fancy dresses and society events for exile in gothic Paris with her mother and her younger sister, Gabby.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and disturbingly, the house rented by Ingrid's twin brother, Grayson, isn't a house at all. It's an abbey. A creepy, old abbey with a roof lined in stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And to top it all off, Grayson is missing.

Yet no one seems to be concerned about Grayson's whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant who has some deep and dark secrets of his own.

There's one secret about the city that even Luc can't keep hidden, though: there's a murderer on the loose. And every day that Grayson is missing means there's less chance he's still alive.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows that he's in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.

And yet the path to him is more dangerous than she could ever imagine.

Gargoyles? Paris? Creepy old abbey? A murderer? Give me this! 

I'm not really into gothic historical fiction but with all those things I've mentioned, the mysteriousness of it all, they definitely made this book sounds so interesting and exciting to read! 

Review: Wait for You by J.Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Title: Wait for You
Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Publisher: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: February 26th 2013
My rating: 4.5 stars

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

I'm probably one of the most fanatic readers of New-Adult contemporary books when it started inching out in the book blogosphere. I found myself grabbing and devouring every NA book I think I might like. However, just as fast at it have started, my enthusiasm for them has been just as short-lived. The problem, I think, was that everything has been the same. Same plot, same drama, same conflicts, same set of characters. I want new and unique. So, you see, I've been really pretty reluctant in picking up some NA lately. 

But here comes a NA from J.Lynn. As in Jennifer L. Armentrout. She's one of my most trusted author. I have enjoyed almost all her books. Sooooo I said, let see...

And boy oh boy, it was fantastic! Truthfully, I didn’t find Wait For You's plot as something new, original nor unique. But I can certainly say the opposite to its characters. JLA has this knack of making cliché or not so original plots into something very enjoyable by making her characters very very interesting. Her characters overshadowed the things that might have bothered me with the plot. They carried the story so very well that all you'd wanted to do is follow them and see what they would do with the conflicts and situation. 

Avery was a character I greatly empathize with. There was this vulnerability and innocence in her that would want you to hug her and protect her. Yet there were moments that she could be really feisty too and I really like that about her. Cam, oh boy, this guy just stole the number one spot from Daemon on my top book boyfriend list! Like Nick had said in her review, I think Cam is the swooniest hero Jennifer has created. He was sweet, caring, has an ego the size of the sun, cocky but also very understanding and patient. He has the right amount of Daemon, Aiden and Seth in him. Plus, he has a pet tortoise. Which is just so freaking cute!! The secondary characters too were never dull and never left in the shadow. Jacob and Brit are fantastic friends and I can't count how many times Jacob made me laugh so hard with all his antics and gay terms.

Another thing that made this book even more enjoyable - the great build-up and anticipation between the two main characters. I was so used to having the characters jump right into being in lust before building up any concrete relationship in most NA books I've read. Although I enjoyed some steamy stuff here and there, a good relationship build-up before anything else doesn't really hurt. And isn't it much better if everything is bottled up first and when the time comes it would just explode into so much awesomeness? Haha! I just loved how Avery and Cam's relationship developed from being schoolmates to neighbors to friends and then to lovers.

And yes, I almost forgot! The banters and the dialogues are the best! It drove me insane but also had me laughing out so loud. Seriously, do not read this late at night, it's very hard to stiffle laughter and this book definitely wouldn't let you sleep!  

Overall, this was very fantastic read. The plot may not be unique or original but the characters are definitely one hell of a lot of fun to read! I had so much fun reading this! I highly recommend this. Read this now!

And here's something for you guys that might encourage you to read this book:

I was gripping the door until my knuckles ached. “That’s… um, your tortoise?”

“Yeah.” A half grin appeared as he lifted the little guy. “Raphael meet Avery.”

Giving the tortoise a little wave, I kind of felt stupid afterward for doing so. It just stuck its head back in its green and brown shell. “That’s a very interesting pet.”

“And those are very interesting shorts.” His gaze dropped. “What are they?” Leaning forward his eyes narrowed, and I stiffened. “Pizza slices?”

Heat swamped my cheeks. “They’re ice cream cones.”

“Huh. I like them.” Straightening, his gaze drifted up me slowly, leaving an unfamiliar wake of heat behind. “A lot.”

I immediately let go of the door and crossed my arms over my chest. The corner of his lips tipped up. My eyes narrowed. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“It should. They have my seal of approval.” He bit down on his lower lip as his lashes lifted. Those eyes pierced mine. “I need to get Raphael back in his little habitat before he pees on my hand, which he’s bound to do, and that sucks.”

Look Who I Met! Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs!

The best way to start the month? Meet one of my favorite authors and have my books signed! 

Last March 2, I get the chance to meet author Tahereh Mafi and had my copy of Shatter Me and Unravel Me signed. I almost wasn't able to do that because, yeah, I'm kind of stupid, to my excitement I forgot that the event was sponsored by a certain bookstore and one of the requirements was that your copy has to be purchased in any of their branch. I bought my copy of Unravel Me to a rival store. Fail. So I was forced to buy a new copy of Shatter Me on the event. Haha! But it's okay because it was totally worth it. And yes, Ransom Riggs was there too. He was only supposed to be an audience member but he end up speaking and signing books too.

Tahereh was super fun and cool. The Q&A part was very funny, especially when Riggs joined in. Teherah also said that she might write something on Adam's pov (Wohoo!), an e-novella between book two and three. And yes, she's done with the final book! Unfortunately we will have to wait for another whole year before it comes out. 
My signed copy of Shatter Me and Unravel Me! :)
So there you go. This is my first post for almost a month of not updating. I'm really sorry guys. I just finished my internship this week. Yay! And I think I'll have more time now to post some stuff and update this blog. Thanks for all those who've been visiting this blog and seriously, I gained some followers even with my lack of new posts!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! :D