Little Read Riding Hood

Rec My Weekend #1

Posted on May 18, 2013 by littleread1

“Rec My Weekend” is a new weekly feature started by Jen over at Books Make Me Happy. My participation is totally a fluke – right place right time kind of thing. We happened to be chatting when all of a sudden she said “Oh! I have this great idea for a feature!” After much convincing, she shared it with me, and well, here I am!

It is meant as a way for me to share a book recommendations with you, then for you, by the linky tool or in comments, to link to your suggestions as well. Because, you know, we all need to add to our TBR piles! No blog? No problem, just leave your rec in the comments!

For my very first recommendation, I am going with an old stand by. If you have speant any amount of time on my blog you will KNOW who I am about to suggest – Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts Series. She is the main reason I got into blogging.

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased.

Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls.

Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

Buy it:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Book Suggestions, Rec My Weekend | 2 Comments

Author Interview with Adam Kunz

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Melanie Marsh

I was recently given the opportunity to get to know Adam Kunz, author of One Tiny Secret, and Co-Author of The Childe, Dark Days, and The Modified, just a bit better. Adam is one of those people that are fun to be around and has a great personality. I met him at Olde City, New Blood back in February, and let me tell you, he’s pretty hilarious. I have really enjoyed getting to know him over the last few months. He has been nice enough to allow me to interview him for my very first Author Interview!

I’m sure you have been asked a thousand times where your story ideas come from, so I won’t ask you quite the same question. But I will ask, where is the strangest place you have had an idea for a story?

Hmmmmm…the strangest place, huh? Well, I guess that would have to be the shower. It’s weird, but a lot of great ideas for books come to me while I’m taking a shower, hahaha!

Now that you have a solo book out, how do you feel? do you think it was easier or harder to do on your own?

At first, I felt weird because I was so used to writing with my mom, but now it’s grown into a surreal feeling. I recently saw the paperback with only my name on it, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. My name was on a freaking book, lol! It definitely brought the largest smile to my face. Annnnd as far as it being either easier or harder to do on my own, I’d say that it was easier to write the book because I could just write and didn’t have to combine my ideas with someone else’s, or divide up the work. On the other hand though, I had to write a book by myself, which was definitely a task, let me tell you. I’m thoroughly glad I wrote One Tiny Secret though, because I learned a lot about myself, and it also seriously helped me hone my craft as a writer.

During football season, I don’t wash my football jersey until the end of the season. It’s my football ritual. Do you have any writing rituals? What about for release day?

I don’t really have any rituals for writing or for release days. I mean, I guess if you count only writing in my office a writing ritual, then that would be one. Oh, and I always have a celebratory dinner with friends and family on our release days. Celebration is very important!

Who is/was your biggest influences for becoming a writer? Famous and non-famous

Well, my parents have always encouraged me to read and write while growing up, and I guess I owe my love of those things to them. As far as famous people that have influenced my life as a writer, I’d say that J.K. Rowling, Gretchen McNeil, Stephen King, R.L. Stine, and Christopher Pike are my author idols!

Are there any doors that you have noticed are open to you now specifically because you are a writer that weren’t there before?

One of the things I ABSOLUTELY love to do is travel, and writing has allowed me the opportunity to travel more. Not only is it allowing me to travel more, but it’s also taking me places I’ve never been before, which is always an added bonus. If it wasn’t for writing I’d probably only go on a vacation every two or three years between projects at Universal.

Is it true that Kate Middleton is carrying your love child?

I plead the fifth!

Are there any secrets about yourself that you would like to share? (I suppose if you tell us, then it won’t be a secret anymore huh?)

I HANDWRITE EVERY FIRST DRAFT FOR A BOOK…(I think that’s awesome because that is how I write my reviews!)

Is there anything that you think your readers would be surprised to know about you?

I HANDWRITE EVERY FIRST DRAFT FOR A BOOK!

Other than writing, what is your dream job?

The one I have now at Universal Studios in the Art and Design department.

Did you have a favorite character in One Tiny Secret?

Dani, I LOVED writing her character. She was fun, spunky, and snarky.

Which character was the most fun to write?

Ooops, I guess I just answered this question up above. Dani!

Which was the most difficult?

I guess that would also have to be Dani, since I wrote the book from her point of view. I really tried to get the female voice down, and it took a LOT of work to make it sound legit. I actually like writing from a girl’s perspective since it offers a challenge that I wouldn’t get from writing from a guy character’s point of view. (I was wondering how you managed to pull that off. And they say women are such a mystery!)

Are there any personality quirks about Dani that we may have not necessarily noticed?

Not really, if you read One Tiny Secret you can pretty much pick up all her quirks. I tried to not be so subtle with her presentation so that people know exactly what kind of character she is. Now, there are things that people might not pick up about her while reading, but that wasn’t done on purpose or anything

If we were to get arrested together (or be on the news together for something), what would it be for?

Drunk and disorderly conduct while running through a Wal-Mart with nothing on but unicorn masks. Hmmmm, that actually sounds like a great scene to put in a book, hahaha! (that does sound like something we would do! And a great scene for a book!)

Do you have any serious pet peeves?

LOUD CHEWING…biggest pet peeve of mine.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

If you have an idea for a story, WRITE IT! Never hesitate to make your dreams come true, and always work hard toward what you want, no matter what anyone tells you. The only one standing in your way of becoming a writer IS YOU! So get out of your way and make things happen!

Favorites:

Authors: J.K. Rowling, Gretchen McNeil, R.L. Stine, Stephen King, Christopher Pike, and oh so many more!
Music: Florence and The Machine, Ellie Goulding, Maroon 5, Aerosmith, No Doubt, The Sounds, The Donnas, and oh so many more!
Movie: Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Pitch Perfect, Jaws, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and oh so many more!
Vacation spot: New York, New York or San Francisco, California. Buuuuut my two dream vacation spots would have to be anywhere in New Zealand or Japan.
Halloween costume: Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger.
Avenger: The Hulk.
Dessert: Anything that includes apples or peanut butter.

This or That:

Vampires or werewolves: Vampires
Beach or mountains: Beach
Cats or dogs: Dogs
Beer, wine, or liquor: Beer (but only craft or microbrew beers, no major labels.)
Paperback or e-reader: Paperback

All About Adam:

Adam Kunz is the A part of the mother and son author duo C.A. Kunz. Growing up, he always had a fondness for R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series. So, it was a no brainer when he decided to write his own novel that it’d be a thrilling mystery with a dash of horror. When he’s not busy writing, Adam enjoys his job at a theme park in Orlando, Florida as a décor consultant. This job brings him face to face with all sorts of nightmarish creatures, especially when he decorates the haunted houses for the park’s annual Halloween event. It’s been said by many that his addiction to Starbucks coffee will most likely be his downfall later in life. If you would like to find out more about this author, C.A. Kunz, or One Tiny Secret, please visit the links below:

Author Website Facebook Goodreads

Now its Giveaway Time!!!

To celebrate the release of Adam’s debut novel, One Tiny Secret, he has been generous enough to host a super awesome fun Giveaway!

One Tiny Secret Promo Tour Grand Prize Giveaway:

Make sure to visit each blog on the One Tiny Secret Promotion Tour schedule to grab the hidden word or words to crack the code! *Hint: the blogs are in order for a reason.

Once you’ve gathered the puzzle pieces from each blog, and arranged them to complete the hidden phrase, please send your answer directly to authoradamkunz@gmail.com for an entry into the Grand Prize Giveaway. This giveaway IS international!

One winner will be drawn for the GRAND PRIZE:

1)    A signed paperback copy of One Tiny Secret
2)    A Hello Kitty Masquerade plush doll
3)    A mini pink skull-and-crossbones clutch purse
4)    A hand crafted skull-and-crossbones flower pin
5)    A One Tiny Secret book charm necklace
6)    A hand crafted skull-and-crossbones over the shoulder bag
7)    A One Tiny Secret button
8)    A purple skull-and-crossbones lanyard with a pink skull-and-crossbones charm attached
9)    A pair of black and silver skull-and-crossbones earrings
10) A One Tiny Secret beaded bracelet
11) A One Tiny Secret bookplate
12) A One Tiny Secret glitter framed front cover picture (made by Adam Kunz himself)
13) A $10.00 gift card to Amazon
14) A $10.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble.

Tour Schedule

Thursday, May 16^th – A Reader’s Confession
Friday, May 17^th – A Love Affair with Books
Saturday, May 18^th – Little Read Riding Hood
-Sunday, May 19^th – I read Indie Book Blog
Monday, May 20^st – I Love Indie Books Blog
Tuesday, May 21^nd – Blog critics
Wednesday, May 22^rd – Into the Night Book Reviews

MelanieSig

Posted in Book Tour, Uncategorized | Tagged Author Interview, Book Tour, Favorite Authors, Melanie | Leave a comment

ARC Review of “One Tiny Secret” by Adam Kunz

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Melanie Marsh

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for 17+ due to language, violence, and sexual content
Just one tiny secret has the potential to ruin everything.

Being the daughter of the sheriff in a small town like Holden Ridge means that eighteen-year-old Danielle “Dani” Marks’ life is under constant surveillance. She’s made a habit of staying under the radar by being a floater among social circles at school, which has kept her out of trouble—until now.

After a missing persons case stirs up the entire town, Dani finds herself caught right in the middle of the scandal. When she’s labeled a possible suspect, things quickly go from bad to worse. The sudden return of her old flame, Parker Reed, manages to make her whole situation even more complicated.

When an elusive unknown person begins to blackmail Dani by threatening to reveal her deepest secrets, Dani refuses to play along. That is, until the person’s actions take a violent turn. Holden Ridge begins to lose its sense of quaint town security, and Dani is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Who can she trust when anyone around her could be a suspect?

One thing’s for certain though: Never underestimate the power of one tiny secret

Let me start by saying I really enjoyed reading this book. I received a free E-copy from the author for my honest review, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to have had that opportunity.

This is the story of Dani. Her dad is the town sheriff, so I’m sure that in itself can come with its own challenges as a teenager. She is a senior in high school and it is Halloween season. She is your typical teenager, at least she seems to be a lot like I was at that age, I feel like I can really identify with her. She has friends and likes boys, has a job, and works on the school newspaper. Her parents are divorced and her dad works too much, so she is often left to her own devices, which really could be a lot worse.

When she goes attends a secret Halloween party hosted by a classmate, things start happening that shouldn’t in such a small town. Dani starts receiving texts from an unknown number that can only be described as threatening. People in town start to disappear or die and for some reason this unknown person is trying to get Dani blamed for it. With the help of her recently returned ex, Parker, she is trying to save everyone she knows from becoming “Unknown’s” next victim.

I really liked the flow of this story. Kunz kept things moving along very nicely and I never got bored or felt like anything was over-written. There are plot twists and excitement. I seriously did not see the ending coming at all. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I found out I was wrong! As much as I always try to figure out the “who done it” part of a story, I really like it when I can’t actually solve the mystery. I love how Kunz was able to accurately tell the story from a teenage girls point of view, despite the fact that he is definitely NOT a teenage girl. And everyone says females are such a mystery! Pshht, apparently not for him!

If I had to complain about anything it would be this: the title. For me, it was misleading, but I may have just missed a point. I never felt like there was a real secret. I mean, yes, climax had some things revealed, but I never saw them really a being classified as a secret. Like I said though, I may have missed something though, so that is why I still gave it 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good YA mystery/horror type of read with interesting characters and a good story.

Buy it here:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Author Website Goodreads Facebook

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged Favorite Authors, Melanie, Mystery, YA | Leave a comment

Review: Wicked as She Wants by Delilah S. Dawson

Posted on May 17, 2013 by littleread1

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published April 30th 2013 by Pocket Books

When Blud princess Ahnastasia wakes up, drained and starving in a suitcase, she’s not sure which calls to her more: the sound of music or the scent of blood. The source of both sensations is a handsome and mysterious man named Casper Sterling. Once the most celebrated musician in London, Sangland, he’s fallen on hard times. Now, much to Ahna’s frustration, the debauched and reckless human is her only ticket back home to the snow-rimmed and magical land of Freesia.

Together with Casper’s prickly charge, a scrappy orphan named Keen, they seek passage to Ahna’s homeland, where a power-hungry sorceress named Ravenna holds the royal family in thrall. Traveling from the back alleys of London to the sparkling minarets of Muscovy, Ahna discovers that Freesia holds new perils and dangerous foes. Back in her country, she is forced to choose between the heart she never knew she had and the land that she was born to rule. But with Casper’s help, Ahna may find a way to have it all….

Having LOVED Wicked as They Come, as well as the novellas (reviews here and here) I was more than excited to read Wicked as She Wants. While the story was great and the world building, like always, blew me away, I found myself missing Criminy Stain. It’s nothing against Casper, he is great, and such a complex character with layer upon layer of hurt that you just want to hold him and tell him everything is going to be ok. There was just something … missing for me. Criminy is just fantastic. But this book isn’t about him, so moving on …

Dawson has some of the most amazing and breathtaking world building I’ve ever seen. Sang has got to be one of the most “real” places to read about. With her descriptions I feel like I’ve been there and seen these places. Smelled the smells. I just bow to her awesome.

I’ve already mentioned Casper, who, when not compared to Criminy, is a fabulous hero. But the heroine, Ahnastasia – Ahna for short – starts of as a hard to like character. Ok, she is a raving bitch and I kind of hated her and wanted her dead. But I am pretty sure that was the point. Because as the story moves along, she grew on me. I was even rooting for her at the end. I am one of those readers that first impressions stick, and it is hard for me to change my mind, but Dawson did it.

In the end, I would certainly suggest any of her books to anyone who likes a good sexy steam-punk story. Or vampires. Or just good quality story telling.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was in no way compensated for my opinions*

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged Edelweiss, Netgalley, Sang, Steampunk, Vampire | 1 Comment

How do they feel being the object of our obsession?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by littleread1

There has been blog after blog listing favorite book boyfriends, talking about what people would do if given a day (or night) with their book boyfriend, obsessing over them, etc. But no one has ever thought to ask how they feel being the focus of all our attention. Which got me thinking. So, since I talk to him on Twitter all the time, I figured I would ask Micah Condie from Mythology (see my glowing review here, go ahead, I’ll wait) some questions. And since Janice (Rabidreading on Twitter) joins me in ~~harassing~~ talking to him, I included her. Let the fun begin!

Laura: So I guess my first question for you is how do you feel about me and other women drooling over you, and do you feel like you are cheating on hope when you chat with us?

Micah: I’m okay with that. For the good of the book, ya know? And Hope knows I’d never cheat on her in real life.

L: So are us fan-girls just fictional characters to you then? I mean, we talk on twitter all the time, yet you say you would never cheat on Hope in “real life” … are you just using us as promotional tools then? *sobs*

M: No, but I have a book life (what I guess I kinda think of as “real life” because I started out there and spend most of my time there) and my other life where I hang out with people like you and get in discussions with my author about stuff, etc. I’d never cheat on Hope in my book life. But I can love other people and it’s not cheating on her because it’s a different plane of existence. Oh… this is confusing as hell…

Bottom line: No sobbing!

Janice: LOL. Am I the only one who sees all the holes in demon boy’s answer? Micah, honey, you may want to clarify….unless you want readers to think you are faithful to Hope in book life but spreading your love around everywhere else

M: Why did I think that talking over email would be any different than what we do on Twitter? Gah. You’re both trying to torture me, aren’t you?….

J: We only torture you because we love you *hugs*

M: OKAY, WAIT. Is this part of the blog discussion already? Omg…

Okay, here is what I mean by all that.

My book life is with Hope, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s forever (unless she decides otherwise). Yes, I talk to fans (fangirls AND fanboys, btw – lol) on Twitter, and I love them too, but not in a way that would ever jeopardize my relationship with Hope. It is confusing having two planes of existence, but Hope wants me to reach out to people, and she understands if I have fans and she even understands if I take someone for a flight or ride on my bike. I give as much as I can back.

(Off the record: BETTER, JANICE? AND GIVE ME A BREAK, WILL YA?)

L: Play nice! So why do you think some guys *coughyoucough* get elevated to the book boyfriend status and some don’t quite make it there?

M: *looks around* Me, elevated? Aw, that’s sweet of you.

Hmm…I think a guy needs to have at least one of the “obvious” things going for him – confidence (but not arrogance), looks (but not conceit), a little mystery (or a lot), etc. But I think he also has to show that he has a lot more layered underneath all that: vulnerabilities, imperfections, sensitivities. So you don’t just admire from afar in the book but feel like you actually want to get to know the guy, ya know?

It’s just like what draws me to a girl. Sure, we notice outside appearances first – we’re only human after all. But there has to be something more than that to make me want to have her as my girl.

And are you okay, sweetie? That’s some cough you have there. *hands you cough medicine*

L: Ha, thanks. *takes cough medicine* *gets a little loopy* Well, we all know you are certainly all of those things. But the one thing that will seal the deal for me, is a tough guy crying. Not that I EVER want to see you hurt, but what are some things that would make you cry?

M: Whoa, take it easy with that cough medicine, k? *takes it away from you before you do yourself harm*

Easy. If the love of my life ever crushed my heart. Other things… if anything bad ever happened to my family, especially my brother and sisters.

J: Awww, isn’t he the sweetest? I have a question for the demon boy. A lot of readers have “bad boy” book boyfriends. As one of the good guys, how do you feel about that? Do you ever want to be a bit of a bad boy yourself?

M: Oh, the evil queen has a question about bad boys. Why am I not surprised? *wink*.

I’ll fully admit that when my demon comes out, it feels pretty good. (Sorry, Laura.) Yeah, I have those moments when I wonder what it’d be like to give in. I think it comes out at times in my need to blow off steam/escape on my bike, or in my temper when I can’t. Do I wish I was more of a bad boy? Sometimes, but I know the price would be too high.

L: Don’t apologize to me, it’s your nature. Speaking of nature, your whole story is a discussion of nature vs. nurture. Do you credit your parents & siblings for keeping you tied to your humanity? And when the demon tries to make an appearance, how do you reign it in?

(So I know this is off topic, but now I am curious LOL)

M: I largely credit my upbringing (by the Condies, NOT my biological dad) to my family, yes. My mom especially is a stabilizing force for everyone in the family. You can imagine what it did to me when I accidentally hurt her, and when my dad kicked me out.

My demon is always there, lurking just below the surface. When I feel it coming out, I have to think about something good, happy. Picture every detail of it. And it’s usually Hope. No pun intended.

J: So back to the book boyfriend thing…..as you know, readers become very attached to characters and especially to their book boyfriends. We see you guys so clearly in our minds, and we sort of expect you to conform to whatever mental image we have of you in our minds. Sometimes we even get mad when characters we love behave in ways we don’t like lol. Is it hard dealing with the weight of so many readers’ expectations?

M: Nah, I don’t care what people think. Haha – totally just kidding….
Yeah, it can be a little bit hard sometimes. On Twitter, I have had people try to convince me that I don’t actually have this dark side to me. That’s because of exactly what you said – they have this impression of me and want to view me a certain way. (And then I’m like, “Sorry dude, I’m still a demon.”) Bottom line is that I know who I am and I have to act true to myself, whether people prefer me to be a different way or not.
Also, I think it may get a little bit worse after people read book two. While my author has a soft spot for me, she also likes to put me — all of us — to the test (gross understatement). Plus, with my POV being highlighted in the book, you’ll get to see me like you never have before. That’s all I’m allowed to say

L: Along with the whole attached things, some readers get … shall we say … possessive of what they come to think of as their characters. Has that become an issue with you yet, and if not, when it does how will you handle it? Some examples – people getting mad at other people that don’t like you (you can’t please everyone!) or people fighting over you, that kind of thing.

M: Jonathan definitely has more of this problem than I do, maybe because he’s *currently* unattached and my readers know how committed I am to Hope. (Or maybe because he’s got that whole immortal French guy thing going for him.) People call “dibs” on him, get very possessive of him, get in Twitter fights over whose guy he is. He’s always very gracious about it. He’s also a pretty private person so he does tend keep a bit of distance from the mortals. I gotta hand it to him for keeping so cool about it. I’d like to think that I’d do the same.

Umm, and I did once piss someone off by saying I’d go to the Mythology movie premiere with someone else, but it was all a big misunderstanding. I said I’d go with BOTH of them. (I *think* I smoothed everything over since then, but it was a touchy situation.) Honestly, I’d probably go with my author anyhow. *hides*

L: If Mythology went to the big screen, do you think you would play yourself? If not, who would you want to play you, Hope, and Jonathan? And how would you deal with all the new rapid fan-people (girls & guys) that a movie deal would bring you?

J: What is the best part of being a book boyfriend?

When your series is over someday, what are your plans, and will you stay in touch with your fans? (You’d better!!!)

L: Seriously … *glares at Micah* You wouldn’t forget US now, would you?

J: How could he? We are amazeballs

But……..that doesn’t mean we won’t hurt him if he even *thinks* about bailing on us. You’ve been warned, demon boy!

M: Okay, so that first question made me feel like I was in that Inception movie. You’re asking the dream cast who our dream cast would be… We are it.

Left to right: Micah, Hope, Jonathan

Although… if it winds up being a few years more before Mythology hits the big screen, you may have to ask me again because then we’d have to find younger versions of ourselves.

I’m not all about popularity and fame — that’s more of Troy’s deal. But If I ever reached superstar status (you talking like Ian Somerhalder status here?), I would do my best to reach out to fans. And I would never, ever lose touch with the people who helped us get off the ground, which brings me to the last question…

When the series is over, I’ll still be around. I guess I’m like that first favorite child of my author’s that’ll never go away. And don’t worry, Janice and Laura — I’ll always be your demon boy. xo

J: Damn right you will!

Well, that about covers it for me. What do you think, Laura, have we grilled him enough?

L: I suppose that’s all … for now … Thanks for being so open and cooperative!

M: Good times – it was fun. Thanks for having me, and if either of you ever want to visit my world, just say the word! xo

I strongly suggest you get to know both Micah and Janice immediately. The conversations we have are outrageous. I’ve even made it easy for you:

Janice:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Micah:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Author’s Website ~ Goodreads

Hope Gentry doesn’t believe in Fate. Born with an unusual power to see the dark memories of those around her, Hope just wants to be a normal teenager. But on the first day of her senior year of high school, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a transfer student named Micah Condie. At first glance, Micah seems like a boy that most girls would dream about. But when Hope’s powers allow her to discover Micah’s darkest secret, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of mythical entities she never dreamed existed. Was this her destiny all along? And will her powers help her survive the evil of the Demon Impiorum?

Mythology isn’t just for English class anymore.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bloggers, Book Boyfriends, Demons, Discussion, Favorite Characters, Interview, YA | 3 Comments

Soul Screamers Read-A-Long: My Soul to Steal

Posted on May 15, 2013 by littleread1

blogbuttonblankblack_zps441f546a-1_zps3b796181 photo blogbuttonblankblack_zps441f546a-1_zps3b796181-1_zps2624392d.jpg

The Discussion at the Bottom of this post will contain spoilers

Title: My Soul to Steal
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: January 4th 2011
Page Count: 343
Where I got: Amazon
Where you can get it: Amazon Barnes & Noble
Format I read it in: ebook

Description/Blurb:

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

My Thoughts:

I am going to start this review with a story of my own …

Back when I was in high school I was not popular but not picked on either. It was a pleasant experience overall. BUT (you know there was a but) I had a nemesis. We will call her M. I doubt she reads this, but I don’t want to call her out JUST in case. Anyway, M seemed to go out of her way to steal my boyfriend. Inviting him out, excluding me, showing up at his house, buying him gifts – all under the pretense that ‘they had been friends for years’ – uh huh, not falling for it. It stressed me out and pissed me off and I was glad when I graduated, went to college, said boyfriend and I broke up, and I moved on with my life. I hadn’t thought about M in a really long time.

The reason I am telling you this story, is because this book threw me right back to the days where dealing with M was a daily occurrence. This whole book made me anxious and angry and upset. My chest felt tight and while I couldn’t put the book down I was dreading picking it up at the same time. Whoa. That’s never happened to me before.

I would call that a win in my opinion. A book that takes you back to a time in life and makes you re-live all those same feelings is well written. Stressful as hell to read – but well written.

As I have come to expect from Vincent the whole cast of characters were fleshed out and true to form. There are some character shifts which I am looking forward to seeing fleshed out in the next book or two.

What did you think? Join the discussion here!

What was your first impression of Sabine? How about the first time you heard Nash call her ‘Bina’?
Do you think Kaylee and Nash should give it another shot?
Why do you think Tod was acting weird toward Kaylee?
What about Alec – were you surprised?
Did you have major high school flashbacks too?

READ A LONG SCHEDULE:

And don’t forget to join us June 15th for the next discussion!

February 15:
My Soul To Take (#1) and My Soul to Lose (novella # 0.5)
@ Goldilox and the Three Weres

FIND THE DISCUSSION HERE!

March 15:
My Soul to Save (#2)
@ Little Read Riding Hood

FIND THE DISCUSSION HERE!

April 15:
My Soul to Keep (#3) and Reaper (novella #3.5)
@ Goldilox and the Three Weres

FIND THE DISCUSSION HERE!

May 15:
My Soul to Steal (#4)
@ Little Read Riding Hood

June 15:
If I Die (#5) and Never to Sleep (novella #5.5)
@ Goldilox and the Three Weres

July 15:
Before I Wake (#6)
@Little Read Riding Hood

August 15:
With All My Soul (#7)
@Goldilox and the Three Weres

And don’t forget to see what Christen thought – check out her review!

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged 4 stars, Read a Long, Soul Screamers, YA | 2 Comments

Tour: Infernal Detective

Posted on May 14, 2013 by littleread1

THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE

A Riga Hayworth Paranormal Mystery Novel, Book 4

COMING SOON

Misterio Press introduces THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE, by Kirsten Weiss. A paranormal mystery where nothing is quite as it seems, and where magic lies just beyond the veil.

THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE, the fourth book in the Riga Hayworth series, published by misterio press, will be available on Amazon May 21, 2013.

When Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her bedroom a week before her wedding, it’s par for the course. When the corpse drives off with her fiancée… That’s a problem.

Riga knows dead. More intimately than she’d like. So when a murdered photographer gets up and walks away, she’s believes there’s necromancy afoot. And when she discovers that several of her wedding guests are under the influence of dark magic, she’s certain. But how can she catch a killer and stop a necromancer when even her nearest and dearest are lying to her?

THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE is a fun, fast-paced paranormal mystery based in wintertime Lake Tahoe.

Kirsten Weiss is the author of the Riga Hayworth series of paranormal mysteries: the urban fantasy,The Metaphysical Detective, The Alchemical Detective, and The Shamanic Detective.

Kirsten worked overseas for nearly fourteen years, in the fringes of the former USSR and deep in the Afghan war zone. Her experiences abroad not only gave her glimpses into the darker side of human nature, but also sparked an interest in the effects of mysticism and mythology, and how both are woven into our daily lives.

Now based in San Mateo, CA, she writes paranormal mysteries, blending her experiences and imagination to create a vivid world of magic and mayhem.

Kirsten has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer reruns and drinking good wine.

You can connect with Kirsten on:

Kirsten’s Website | Kirsten’s Twitter Profile | Kirsten’s Facebook Page
Kirsten’s Google+ Page | Kirsten’s Pinterest Boards | Kirsten’s Amazon Page

Kirsten Weiss’ The Infernal Detective Book Blast Tour Schedule

May 13 – 31

5/13 – Curse of the Bibliophile

http://curseofthebibliophile.blogspot.com/

5/14- Little Read Riding Hood

http://littlereadridinghood.com/

5/15- Curling Up With A Good Book

http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/

5/16- Page Flipperz

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/

5/17- Book Lovin Mamas

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com//

5/18- Confessions of the Paranormal

http://confessionsoftheparanormal.blogspot.com/

5/19- You Gotta Read Reviews

http://yougottaread.com/

5/21- United by Books

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

5/22- FUONLYKNEW

http://fuonlyknew.com/

5/23- Queen of All She Reads

http://queenofallshereads.blogspot.com/

5/24- Jessie’s Book Place

http://xjessiexbellex.blogspot.com/

5/25- Mythical Books

http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/

5/26- Auggie Talk

http://auggie-talk.blogspot.com/

5/28- Toot’s Book Reviews

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

5/30- Over The Edge

http://overtheedgebookreviews.blogspot.com/

5/31- Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kirsten is giving away copies of THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE (winners choice of eBook or signed paperback) along with a bookmark and handmade book charm to FIVE (5) lucky winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Book Tour, Giveaway | Tagged Book Tour, Giveaways | Leave a comment

The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto – Excerpt

Posted on May 13, 2013 by littleread1

The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto
Publication date: December 21st 2012
by Dreamscapes, Ink
Genre: NA Paranormal/Ghosts

Be careful what you let in…
Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart rate…when he’s not resurrecting the dead.

The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

Something stirred under the bed again and she took a few safe steps away from the bedskirt.

“Jess!” a child’s voice whispered. Her heart in her throat, Jess bent down and carefully lifted the bedskirt, nearly tumbling backward at the sight. Gracie looked out from under the bed, then slid the Ouija board forward.

She wasn’t afraid of the girls, but that didn’t make her any less nervous. Jess still rationalized that good ghosts could be trapped in the same location as evil ones. If Grams appeared inside Siler House right now, Jess would still be jumpy. No, what scared her was that the girls had shown up under the bed.

“Geez, Gracie! You scared the crap out of me!”

Gracie’s bottom lip took on a pout. “We didn’t mean to scare you. But she scares us. We’re sorry Allison won’t help you. She doesn’t want to help us, either.”

Jess took in a steadying breath. “It’s okay. I’m fine now. Hey, we were just talking—”

“We said we’d help,” Gracie interrupted, still staring unblinkingly at Jess. She pushed the board forward another inch. “Don’t be mad we took it.”

Jess’s hands shook slightly as she took the Ouija board and planchette Gracie offered her. She’d explain about taking the board to Dr. Brandt later. Maybe he wouldn’t notice if it was gone for a few hours. “Thanks,” Jess managed to say.

Gracie smiled, then scooted backward, disappearing behind the bedskirt. From underneath the mattress came the sound of Gracie and Emma’s echoing laughter.

***Good lord little kid ghosts are creepy …*** Laura

Michelle Muto lives in northeast Georgia with her husband and two dogs. She loves changes of season, dogs, and all things geeky. Currently, she’s hard at work on her next book.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Posted in Book Tour | Tagged Horror, NA, Paranormal, Promo Post | Leave a comment

Why the FTC is a pain in my … neck

Posted on May 10, 2013 by littleread1

Tonight the blogging world (ok, the little corner I call home) has blown up with the newly released FTC (Fair Trade Commission) Guidelines. You can see all 53 pages here … if you want your eyeballs to bleed.

They have required for several years that we mention if we are a part of an affiliate program, and when we receive a book for review. They are now considering that as payment, so now anytime I review a book for an author or a publisher, I am getting “paid” for that review. Even though I don’t guarantee a review, and even if I do I don’t promise it to be a good one. But I digress …

They even go so far as to discuss how we should tweet these reviews, as “paid advertisement.” Um, just because I have a ton of files on my computer DOES NOT mean I am paid for my opinion of them. This is a HOBBY BLOG. Have I made money from it?

Yes. $10. In a year. I spend more on hosting the blog annually. So if I were doing this as a source of income, I’ve been doing it wrong. Bad business plan.

To the rescue comes Beauty & Fashion Tech, who has read the whole document, and has pulled out the important bits. But this still means I have to make some of my reviews look like flipping advertisements.

What this means for you as a reader – I beg your patience as Melanie and I adjust to the new guidelines. The format of our posts will be different. There will be more legal mumbo-jumbo in the posts, and some new buttons/labels for some things. I will try to explain them as they come out, but they should be self explanatory. Also, it may mean fewer posts on occasion, as the time spent per post will be increased.

For right now? It means I am not writing the reviews I wanted to, because I am going cross-eyed from trying to understand all this and how it effects me. But don’t you worry, I am not going anywhere. And I feel secure in saying Melanie is sticking around too, but don’t quote me on that.

If anyone has more or better or other explanations, please leave a link in the comments. The more information we have the better equipped we are.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Review: Awaken by Sarah Ross

Posted on May 10, 2013 by littleread1

Lucy Donovan was supposed to have a weekend of fun in the sun, celebrating her upcoming graduation from college. In a split second, everything changed. A drunk driver ended Lucy’s mortal life.

Lucy opens her eyes to a world she never imagined possible and a new destiny: as a Patronus, a guardian of spirits. Adjusting to her new role and abilities while negotiating this confusing realm will test her limits and push her further than she ever dreamed she would go. From wayward spirits who don’t want her help to soul stealing vampires, and even a stuck-up British royal, Lucy must brave them all to save one spirit she can’t bear to lose.

Further complicating her life is an inexplicable yet growing connection she feels to a member of her team, Max, whose mysterious behavior leaves her both confused and intrigued.

Waking up dead was just the beginning of her problems. Lucy’s death is about to become the greatest adventure of her life.

This book was so completely different from what I expected. I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.

To begin with, I really enjoyed this story. The story begins with Lucy, our heroine, in a great mood happily considering her future plans as she and her bff headed to the beach for their last weekend of excitement before they graduate from college. Cut to Lucy waking up in an unfamiliar room that is quite apparently NOT a hospital room. She is then made aware that she has been chosen as Patronus. A spirit guardian. In this world, when a person dies, a Patronus shows up to escort them to another realm to wait until their final judgment comes from either above or below. In the mean time, various beasties will try to steal the soul to use for their own nefarious purposes. Here vampires and werewolves are terrifying creatures that are more than happy to steal the souls of the innocent and turn them into creatures of nightmares. When Lucy is told that the soul of someone she is close to will soon be released, she makes it her mission to be the guardian who escorts the soul to its destination.

For the rest of the book, it is mainly about her training as a Patronus and preparing her for collecting this soul. I love that Miss Ross uses so many exciting characters from history. I’m a big history person, so it made me happy to see them in a new light. Lucy is a weird character for me. She can act very immature and mature at the same time. She will throw a fit, and no one really responds to it, but then turns around and sucks it up to do what needs to be done. I liked that she refused to give up. She is tested in ways I would not have thought and has her abilities tested in different ways. She shows promise as a guardian. I didn’t notice an explanation as to why she has all of these abilities that others don’t have, and that bugged me a little, but it was easy to overlook because the story itself kept my interest.

The romantic side story was sweet, but I wanted to slap them. She is inexplicably drawn to Max, who is one of the members of her “team”. She is almost obsessive about him and it’s obvious that he wants her too. There are several references between him and other characters as to what is going on, but you don’t find out what’s really happening until the end. I would like to have known sooner, and with more detail but I guess it’s better late than never! That story is kind of awesome in its own right and was very creative.

Essentially, I really did enjoy this story. There is action, adventure, love and lots of fun stuff. It runs on a fairly positive note whenever possible and ends with a crazy cliffhanger! Ross does a really good job describing what being a Patronus is all about and I really liked her world building. I recommend this story for anyone who is looking for a book that is pleasant to read, has an element of positivity, exciting action, and likes romance, but not the kind that overtakes the story. I definitely look forward to reading Avenge, which is the next in the series.