Thursday, October 2, 2014

Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale - Review







Mortal Enchantment (Mortal Enchantment #1)
by

Mortal Enchantment spins a unique twist on elemental mythology. This series is not to be missed.”
Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

In Kalin Matthew's world, elementals control the forces of nature. They are divided into four courts: air, woodland, fire, and water. At sixteen she will leave the life she's built with her mortal mother. Kalin will move to Avalon to rule with her father—the elemental king of the air court. Along the way, she's attacked by a fire court assassin and saved by Rowan, a swoon-worthy elemental with a questionable past.

Worst of all, she learns her father is missing.

To rescue him, Kalin will have to work with a judgmental council and a system of courts too busy accusing each other of deceit to actually be able to help her. But, they aren’t her biggest challenge. With the Midwinter’s Ball only five days away, Kalin must take over her father’s duties, which includes shifting control of the elements—power Kalin has yet to realize.

As Rowan attempts to train her, a war looms between the four courts. If Kalin fails, her father will die and the courts will fall, but the betrayal she’s about to uncover may cost her even more.


Mortal Enchantment: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
 
Jennifer's Review:
By the end of THE SHADOW PRINCE I was hooked on this series!  I did a happy dance when this book arrived. Stacey did a great job of introducing us to Avalon, all the various elementals, the way things worked in this world (politics etc...) as well introducing us to our yummy & sexy hero Rowan in that short novella. I would definitely recommend reading The Shadow Prince prior to reading MORTAL ENCHANTMENT. (And why not the novella is FREE!)

This book was told from Kalin's POV. She has just turned 16 years old (she's young so clearly doesn't act mature all the time because she's not). She has spent her whole life in the mortal world with her mortal mom and now at the age of 16 she will go to Avalon to live with her Father and learn about her elemental powers. Her father is King Taron of the elemental court of Air. (We meet him briefly in The Shawdow Prince and he came off as a caring, fair, and good hearted) Kalin is a half-ling - half mortal/half air elemental (which is not a good thing in Avalon -- so strike one against Kalin). She arrives in Avalon to a disaster -- Her father has disappeared and the shift of power is about to occur. With her father being gone that shift of power responsibility falls on all Kalin!  Despite her young age, cluelessness of her own potential powers, the powers of others, the politics, and the world of Avalon itself Kalin is strong and never gives up. She also had a strong love for both her mother and father which was refreshing to see and she always spoke her mind! Overall a fun, strong, and witty female lead. 


Rowan - oh how I loved Rowan!  The Shadow Prince was told from Rowan's POV. I have to admit I was hoping for one chapter from his POV in this book. (Stacey -- maybe an idea for next book?? :-)). I kept holding out hope that maybe at the very end we would be able to see something through his eyes as I was dying to know what was going on in his head! His personality is awesome - snarky, a little arrogant, loyal, strong, and sweet. There were some serious laugh out loud moments with his banter and comebacks to Kalin. Their romance was slow and cautious -- going from friendship to something more as they built up trust in one another.

Rowan and Marcus had such a strong friendship in The Shadow Prince that I was kinda disappointed that Marcus entered this story so late and entered at the request of Ariel. (I thought he should of come to save his BFF Rowan)  I am hoping we see more of Marcus and Ariel in the next book as the strong friendships played a big part in what I loved about the series.

While you may be able to predict a thing or two there are some things you will never see coming so get ready for this story of the elementals. This packs in a lot opinion the 225 pages- friendship, deceit, fighting, love and adventure. I can’t wait for the next book in this series! 
Goodbye Rowan, Kalin, Marcus & Ariel for now. :-)
 






Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.
Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.
Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.

 
GIVEAWAY Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway






COMING SOON!
 
 
FRAGILE REIGN (Mortal Enchantment #2)

 It’s been a week since all hell broke loose…

Rumors of King Taron’s weakened powers have left the air court vulnerable. Kalin is desperate to awaken her akasha powers, except she doesn’t know how. Tension within the court is at an all-time high. Pressure is mounting for her to ascend to the throne, but a halfling has never ruled over any court. To solidify her position, the council has advised her to marry Sebastian—a high ranking air elemental she’s never met and her betrothed. 



 

Will Kalin sacrifice her relationship with Rowan to strengthen her court?

 

Rowan and Marcus return to a fire court in turmoil. Liana’s death has fueled the fire elementals’ distrust against the air and woodland courts. The unbalanced elements have set off natural disasters all over the mortal world. Rowan takes the throne to restore balance, promising to unite the fire court. But not all elementals are happy with his leadership. Many are secretly loyal to Valac, which means Rowan needs to find allies for his cause.

 

Can Rowan unify the court of fire before the elements destroy the world?

 

Fragile Reign: Goodreads

 

THE SHADOW PRINCE(Mortal Enchantment #0.5)

 


Katee Robert, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author 

 

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: 

 

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. 

 

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

 


 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Julie Cross’s WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Trailer Reveal

6 Days Teaser  

We are so excited to bring you the Trailer Reveal for Julie Cross' WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU! WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU is a YA contemporary romance published by Entangled Teen, and is releasing on October 7th!!

  Whatever Life Throws at You  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmfG4ZOv_rQ

Amazon ** Amazon UK ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Powell’s Books

 
About WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU:
Life loves a good curveball… Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing. After an awkward first meeting with “Brody” involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her? Julie Cross Author PhotoJulie Cross Bio: Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.      

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Author Goodreads | WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Goodreads

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris Launch & Giveaway

h2>TFAOP RDL Banner

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris' THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel's The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.

The Fine Art of Pretending

Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon | Amazon UK | IndieBound

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Synopsis: According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player. With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time. But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want. EXCERPT: An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy. Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight. When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart. Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently. He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back. Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience. And that I’m kissing Brandon. We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes. That was unexpected.   Author PhotoAbout Rachel Harris: Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Rival Love by Natalie Decker Review & Giveaway - YA Bound Book Tour









 



Rival Love
by Natalie Decker

Release Date: 08/26/14

Swoon Romance

 Summary from Goodreads:  Goodreads Link

Skylar Fletcher is a proud Harris Academy Bulldog! She has everything she’s ever wanted: a perfect boyfriend, great friends, and her dream college waiting for her in the fall. But nothing lasts forever. Skylar's world shatters when her mom decides it is time to move and drags Skylar, kicking and screaming, into Bobcat territory.

At Delmont High School, home of the Bobcats, Skylar has no friends and is often bullied. To make matters worse, her home life sucks thanks to all-star quarterback Caleb Morgan, nephew of her mom's live-in boyfriend.

At first Skylar and Caleb want nothing to do with one another. But they soon discover they're not that different after all--and each is harboring a secret attraction to the other. But can a Bulldog and a Bobcat ever really be more than friends? And are Skylar and Caleb willing to risk everything to find out? Rival Love is a debut young adult contemporary romance from Natalie Decker.

 
Buy Links:  Amazon

 Jennifer's Review:
 Skylar Fletcher had everything planned for her future as a sports star, she was going to head to Duke University on a full-ride swimming scholarship. That was until her mother moved them to the rival school district! This reminded for of one of the Bring It On movies :-)  I initially had a hard time with a high school rivalry being so intense that Skylar fears not making it through the first day of school alive. But that's the premise so I went with it - be prepared for some extremely intese RIVALRY in this book. We watch Skylar deal with her old friends who dump her and watch her make new friends. What happens to Skylar's dreams when a school prank gets blamed on Skylar b/c they still think of her as the rival even though she's done nothing but adapt.

Caleb Morgan is the Rival school's football star who lives with his Uncle Ben (the one who is dating Skylar's mom and reason behind Skylar and her mom's move into rival terratory)  So Skylar and Caleb have to live under the same roof. What will Caleb's friends and teammates think when they discover he lives under the same roof as their rival? Can Caleb help Skylar become one of them? What happens when Caleb starts to feel something else for Skylar? 

Be pre warned - this book has a cliffhanger :-) I am now looking forward to seeing what Natalie Decker brings out in the future for Rival Love.





About the Author

Natalie Decker is the Author of Rival Love. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn’t her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She’s a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she’s not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she’s off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!

 

Author Links:





 

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Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Cover Reveal & Giveaway FRAGILE REIGN (Mortal Enchantment #2) by Stacey O'Neale!

We're thrilled to help reveal the cover for FRAGILE REIGN (Mortal Enchantment #2) by Stacey O'Neale! Check out the cover below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Then be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon or B&N gift card!
Fragile Reign by Stacey O'Neale

Details about the cover, from author Stacey O'Neale:

In case you're curious about the cover, the model represents Marcus. The background represents the woodland court and the caves at the bottom are where the members of the royal family live. I chose caves because the woodland court protects the forests of the world. I didn't think they would choose to cut down trees to make a castle, so the massive caves worked out nicely. If you zoom in, you can see where the doors and windows are cut out. The inside is very lavish. If you read FRAGILE REIGN, you'll learn all about it.
FRAGILE REIGN (Mortal Enchantment #2) by Stacey O'Neale | November 18, 2014
It’s been a week since all hell broke loose… Rumors of King Taron’s weakened powers have left the air court vulnerable. Kalin is desperate to awaken her akasha powers, except she doesn’t know how. Tension within the court is at an all-time high. Pressure is mounting for her to ascend to the throne, but a halfling has never ruled over any court. To solidify her position, the council has advised her to marry Sebastian—a high ranking air elemental she’s never met and her betrothed. Will Kalin sacrifice her relationship with Rowan to strengthen her court? Rowan and Marcus return to a fire court in turmoil. Liana’s death has fueled the fire elementals’ distrust against the air and woodland courts. The unbalanced elements have set off natural disasters all over the mortal world. Rowan takes the throne to restore balance, promising to unite the fire court. But not all elementals are happy with his leadership. Many are secretly loyal to Valac, which means Rowan needs to find allies for his cause. Can Rowan unify the court of fire before the elements destroy the world?
Add Java Man to your Goodreads TBR!
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Be sure to add FRAGILE REIGN to your TBR on Goodreads, or pre-order on Amazon! The prequel novella, THE SHADOW PRINCE, is currently free on Amazon, and you can also read MORTAL ENCHANTMENT for free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

Stacey O'NealeAbout the Author

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
Stacey O’Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she’s not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.
Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.
Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.

Giveaway

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