Inbetween Blog Tour: Review + Guest Post + Giveaway

Hi guys! Today is my stop for Tara Fuller's Inbetween Blog Tour. I'll be sharing a book review, a guest post about the behind the scenes of Inbetween and a giveaway!

Title: Inbetween (Kissed by Death #1)
Author: Tara Fuller
Publication Date: August 28th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky — and unending — lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option. 

 It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

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Review:

I'm not usually into reaper boy-human girl story. I remember reading some but not many. I don’t really have problem with them but I wasn’t really that inclined to pick them up. Still, when I saw the blurb of Inbetween there something about it that had me hooked. I was intrigued and interested and very curious to find out the story of Finn and Emma. So I was really glad when I was able to join a blog tour for this book and got a review copy of it.

The plot line of this book kinda reminded me of some angel books like Fallen and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The girl being reincarnated as a human who doesn't remember anything from her past life and the guy who knows and remembers everything but torn and guilty from moving back to the girl's new life. Although it wasn't very original I think it still delivered some quite unique stuffs that I find enjoyable and amusing.

Finn was an endearing and interesting character. His guilt and sadness about the things that he did in the past and his love for Emma was so heartbreaking and touching that I wanted to comfort him and hug him. Emma although likable I did find a bit dull. I would love for her to developed more personality, something that would make her character more striking.

The story of Finn and Emma was a very sweet and heartbreaking one. I was curious and intrigued as to why Finn can't go near and reveal himself to Emma and why he feels guilty and responsible for her. I wanted to learn what had really happened in the past. And when I finally learned it I was sad and sympathetic for the two.

However, I think I wasn't completely that invested in their love story. There were moments that I get so fond of it then moments that I just don't quite care. In a story, I love seeing two characters fall in love, how it developed and grew. But in this book, having that part happened in the past, I wasn't able to see more of it. The author did provide flash backs that showed how the two met, moments between them and how the conflict came but I think it wasn't really that enough for me to completely connect and invest in their romance.

The secondary characters were my favorite! Especially Cash (!!!), Anaya, Easton and even Scout. I love that they did make an impression in me and didn't just fade into the background.

Despite all the slight issues I was still satisfied and happy with how things turned out. The ending, I think, was a bit too nice. But it was a happy ending so I guess I should be happy about it. lol! The overall I enjoyed and I do still think that this is a nice and decent read, although not mind blowing but absolutely lovely.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Guest post

Inbetween: Behind The Scenes

Behind every writer and every book, there is a process. For me that process relies heavily on inspiration. I am inspired by books, movies, music, documentaries, and so much more. So, I’ve decided to share some of the things that inspired the book INBETWEEN.

1. Music is a huge inspiration for me when it comes to writing. From lyrics that fit what my character is feeling to a beat or melody that sets the mood for a scene. Each of my books have a playlist. One of the songs from the INBETWEEN playlist that really inspired Finn was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. From the lyrics to the beat, this song was perfect in every way for him.
2. The initial idea for Inbetween actually came from an Edgar Allen Poe quote. When I read this I knew I wanted to write a story where death was keeping two lovers apart. Literally.
   
   
   “The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?”  ~ Edgar Allen Poe


3. Another big inspiration for this book came from a documentary I saw about a little boy who had the reincarnated soul of a World War Two Pilot. That was the story that not only got me very interested in reincarnation for this book but it is also inspired Finn in a lot of ways.


4. Fantasy Cast! I love working with images of actors or models for my characters. Here are the people that inspired Finn, Cash, and Emma.

Xavier Samuel as Finn

Ashley Benson as Emma

Adam Gregory as Cash

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See full tour schedule here. :)

About the Author

Tara Fuller writes novels; some about grim reapers and some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

Review: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1) by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1)

Author: Wendy Higgins

Published: May 1st 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Read synopsis: Goodreads

Rating: 2.5 stars

A lot of people seem to really love this book and seeing all the hype about Kaidan just added more to fuel my interest in reading this. Unfortunately, I was not able to fully see the greatness most people saw in this one. Although I love how the author managed to make the concept of angel/nephilim in this book pretty different and a little weird in a good way, I had quite a hard time warming up and liking the main characters, Anna and Kaidan. 

Anna is a good character, in a sense that she does good things not because she was well written. She follows rules, she's empathetic and understanding, and she always try to help other people and their situations. A character with that kind of personality would be so easy to like, however Anna could be so, so naive, stupid and awkward too. Not in adorable way but in strange and emabrassing way, especially when it comes to Kaidan. I saw very little development and growth in her character and soon her too good personality just felt old and annoying. 

Still I did try to appreciate some of her good characteristics. Her relationship with her foster mom was lovely and her friendship with Jay was great, her good intentions were pretty sweet and touching. There were moments that I'm starting to appreciate her but then she would act or say something that just kind of make the moment weird or awkward. Or just downright embarrassing or pathetic, like acting like a desperate clingy infatuated girl. I can't believe she fell into a freaking depression when Kaidan pushed her away and told her that their kind can't be together romantically.

Kaidan was a very confusing and frustrating guy. At first I thought I'm going to really like him, I thought he would be like the bad-boy type but with real good and endearing personality beneath it. Sadly, I wasn't able to see anything but an exasperating man-whore in it. I didn't give up on him right away though but it was really hard to connect to him when he's confusing the hell out of you. I don't get his intentions. I understand that he was attracted to Anna too but knows it was impossible given their situation but I just can't figure out where he's getting into with his decisions and actions. I should be able to see it as him being torn between wanting what he feels and following the orders of their kind. Simple as that but this dude is making everything confusing by going back and forth, back and forth and raising Anna's hope for nothing. 

I think Anna and Kaidan actually have a pretty good chemistry however the inconsistency of their relationship and decisions was really frustrating. I understand the appeal of forbidden romance and the obstacles coming with it, it makes me appreciate the love story more. However it was handled here in a very disorienting manner. That just soon makes the readers blaze in fury.  I think the only time that I really appreciate the both of them was during the road trip but after that everything went into blurry of annoyance, confusion, and aggravation. 

Fortunately, the story was well-paced and I finished it pretty fast. If it wasn't I might just have abandoned this book. The plot-line has actually a pretty good potential but I have serious problems with the characters. Oddly, when I finished this I came to a conclusion that I would still give this series another try and still read the second book. And I just really hope it would be better.

Review: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of the Days #1) by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of the Days #1)
Author: Susan Ee
Published: May 21st 2011
Publisher: Feral Dream
Read synopsis: Goodreads

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This book is just incredibly beautiful and absolutely awesome! This is not your typical angel/nephilim kind of novel. The idea of angels in a post apocalyptic/dystopian setting really did get my interest. The plot was uniquely cool, the world-building was amazing, the twists and actions were mind-boggling and the character were all kick-ass! I can almost say that this could be as good as the Hunger Games!

Penryn is a great character. She's strong, brave, kind, resourceful and loyal. She knows how to fight and it was amazing that she know a lot of martial arts yet she barely uses it unless she really needs it for her and her family's survival. She cares for her family very much, she'd do anything for them even if that means allying herself with an enemy. One thing I so notice about her that is quite different from most YA heroines is that she doesn't easily get distracted from her priorities even though she's with someone who is achingly gorgeous. Yes, she noticed that Raffe is devastatingly good looking but she doesn't actually fantasize on any romantic possibility between them yet. She does seem to care and had been really loyal to him though.

Raffe is an angel that was saved by Penryn when his wings were cut off. He's definitely mysterious. I was actually a bit surprised that he could actually make jokes and be sarcastic. From the most parts of the book it was clear that his only concern was just to get his wings back. He doesn't even seem to be grateful for Penryn saving him. That his and Penryn's partnership is just purely a partnership. That being friend with her is impossible. But during the last part some of his actions do indicate that he may have really cared for Penryn.

There's hardly any romance in this book. But I can say there could be a possibility. The relationship between Penryn and Raffe is more like companionship and friendship. I love to have a romance between the two but right now I like it just as how the author is developing their relationship, slow but more believable. 

There were those gruesome parts that made me cringe but also made me feel awed. Haha. Weird, I know. The description was vivid and it was appalling but somehow it has a positive effect on me. When I was reading it I felt like I was watching a movie. And it made me more curious and excited. The thing about Penryn's mom was also weird and creepy yet I think there is something more about it.

Everything that happened on the last part left me seriously craving for the next book. The way Ee wrote it was just really amazing. This is one hell of an awesome debut novel! I highly recommend this, everyone! A must read! :))

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Published: September 27th 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Read synopsis: Goodreads

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was very different from most paranormal books I'd ever read. When I started reading this the first thing I noticed was the writing. It was uniquely different. It was elegant and beautiful. But it was also a bit strange for me, it's like the first time I encountered something like this that I didn't know if I would be able to grasp the strangeness/uniqueness of this book and appreciate it as something wonderful.

I almost gave up on this book. The first few chapters were fine but it was like I needed some adjustments with all the ideas and concept of the book. I had a hard time adjusting and grasping the weird, strange but somehow unique concept of the book especially the deal about the teeth. LOL. I saw reviews and they were all good and I was really wondering why this book is not getting me. And so I think maybe I wasn't just in the mood or maybe this isn't just for me. I decided to put this book on hold for a while until I'm pretty much convinced that this book is really worth a try.

And yes! After weeks of putting it on hold and arguing with myself if I should continue reading it I was finally convinced (Thanks to some of my GR friends!)And all its worthiness was proven. I admit during the first parts I thought the book was weird. And I didn't know if I would like it or not. But as I progressed things were finally taking my interest. Slowly I was getting absorbed and caught up by the world of Karou. And I started to really appreciate the uniqueness/strangeness of this book.

I love Karou, Akiva, Madrigal and Brimstone! They are all such wonderful characters. Usually, when I'm reading paranormal books I want characters that know what they are and what their purpose are. When it pass half of the book and it wasn't still very clear I usually get impatient and struggle to know what they really are. But in this book I was incredibly patient and surprisingly taking and absorbing everything slowly. I wasn't in a hurry to know what's up and what or who the character really is. I love how the author revealed everything by jumping from the present to past then to present again. I love how she let the readers know exactly what had happened with the characters by making them see the whole thing not just by letting the characters say what happened but by bringing us to the exact past situation.

The twist and revelations made me really curious and wonder what's gonna happen next. I think this will be an interesting series. This first book doesn't have much actions and adventures yet to offer. It’s more of the learning, realization and revelations. It's like an introduction to this new world, understanding first the whole situation before getting on the next step, the next book, where I think the real excitement and action kicks in. :))

So yeah, I think I'll waiting for the next book and hope it'll be as good or even more as the first book. I recommend this to everyone! Read this! :))