Friday 31 October 2014

October Recap

This month was okay. I read 10 books and managed to write lots of reviews.
The most exciting thing that happened was the release of the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer *fangirls*







Also tonight was the finale of Frankenstein M.D. and oh the feels!
If you haven't watched this series I would recommend it (it's not as good as The Lizzie Bennet Diaries though).







Anyway onto the books...
 


Read:











Favourites:

Only one this month...



I did enjoy some of the others but there was always something about them that I didn't like which is why I've only chosen one book as my favourite this month.







Reviewed:


Click on the cover to read my review.



http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-hidden-sins-by-karice-bolton.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/book-review-throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-moment-collector-by-jodi-lynn.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-between-lives-by-jessica.html


http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-zodiac-station-by-tom-harper.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-almost-dead-by-hl-houghton.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-crown-of-midnight-throne-of.html


http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-paradigm-by-ceri-lowe.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-afterworlds-by-scott-westerfeld.html




What are your favourite reads of the month?

Month9Books 4 for Friday October Blitz + Giveaway

4-for-Friday-Oct-Banner



Welcome to the 4 for Friday Blitz for Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Into the Fire by Ashelyn Drake, Boneseeker by Brynn Chapman, and The Emissary by Kristal Shaff, presented by Month9Books!


Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post.





Predator-Cover



 “Predator is a fast-paced, creepy page-turner! Bashman had me at the opening sentence and she’s still got me. I want more!”

Nancy Holder, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Rules



The hunt is on!

Sixteen-year-old Bree Sunderland must inject herself with an untested version of her father’s gene therapy to become a werewolf in order to stop a corrupt group of mercenaries from creating a team of unstoppable lycanthrope soldiers.

When Bree went with her scientist father to Ireland, she thought it would be a vacation to study bog bodies. She never expected to fall in love with a mysterious young Irishman and certainly never expected to become the kind of monster her father said only existed in nightmares. Dr. Sunderland discovers that lycanthropy was not a supernatural curse but rather a genetic mutation. When they return home, her dad continues his research, but the military wants to turn that research into a bio weapons program and rogue soldiers want to steal the research to turn themselves into unstoppable killing machines.

Bree’s boyfriend Liam surprises her with a visit to the United States, but there are darker surprises in store for both of them. As evil forces hunt those she loves, Bree must become an even more dangerous hunter to save them all.

Predator gives the werewolf legend a couple of new spins by introducing the Benandanti (an actual folkloric belief that certain families of Italy and Livonia were werewolves who fought against evil), as well as a modern scientific approach to mutation and the science of transgenics.



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About the Author


Janice Gable BashmanJanice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Wanted Undead or Alive and Predator. She is managing editor of the The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers’ ezine). Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she at work on her next novel. Visit her at janicegablebashman.com.

Author Links:  










ITF-Cover



Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman’s life is a perfectly normal one until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is inexplicably drawn to him, but she’s not exactly complaining. Logan’s like no boy she’s ever met, and he brings out a side of Cara that she isn’t used to. As the two get closer, everything is nearly perfect, and Cara looks forward to the future.

But Cara isn’t a normal girl. She’s a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical phoenix bird, and her time is running out. Rebirth is nearing, which means she’ll forget her life up to this point—she’ll forget Logan and everything they mean to one another.. But that may be the least of Cara’s problems.

A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he’s determined to put an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family, once and for all.



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About the Author


Ashelyn DrakeAshelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

 


Author Links:  










Boneseeker

Arabella Holmes was born different and raised different. After it became apparent she wouldn’t fit the role of a proper 1900′s lady, her father, Sherlock, called in some lingering favors, and landed her a position at the Mutter Museum. The museum was Arabella’s dream; she was to become a purveyor of abnormal science. What her father called a BoneSeeker.

Henry Watson arrives at the Mutter Museum with a double assignment–to become a finder of abnormal antiquities and to watch over and keep Arabella Holmes. An easy task, if he could only get her to speak to him instead of throwing knives in his general direction.

But this is no time for child’s play. The two teens are assigned to a most secret exploration, when the hand of a Nephilim is unearthed in upstate New York. Soon, Arabella and Henry are caught in a fight for their lives as scientific debate swirls around them. Are the bones from a Neanderthal … or are they living proof of fallen angels, who supposedly mated with humans according to ancient scrolls?

Sent to recover the skeleton, they discover they are the second team to have been deployed and the entire first team is dead. And now they must trust their instincts and rely on one another in order to survive and uncover the truth.


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About the Author


Brynn ChapmanBorn and raised in western Pennsylvania, Brynn Chapman is the daughter of two teachers. Her writing reflects her passions: science, history and love—not necessarily in that order. In real life, the geek gene runs strong in her family, as does the Asperger’s syndrome. Her writing reflects her experience as a pediatric therapist and her interactions with society’s downtrodden. In fiction, she’s a strong believer in underdogs and happily-ever-afters. She also writes non-fiction and lectures on the subjects of autism and sensory integration and is a medical contributor to online journal The Age of Autism.





Author Links: 








The-Emissary-Cover



For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king’s army, an unmatched force with inhuman Strength, Speed, Accuracy, Perception, Empathy, and Healing. With the army behind him, the king—a man who wields all six abilities—was invincible and unquestioned in his rule. To most, serving the king was an honor. But for others, it was a fate worse than death.

When seventeen-year-old Nolan Trividar witnesses the transformation of his brother from kind to cruel after entering the king’s army, he vows never to follow the same path.

So when his own power—the Shay of Accuracy—comes upon him at the Tournament of Awakening, Nolan conceals his emergence instead of joining the king’s ranks. For years, he traitorously hides his power, pretending to be only a gifted scribe. But when Nolan comes face -to-face with a deserter, the man discovers his secret.

To evade detection and a death sentence, Nolan escapes with the deserter and flees into a night filled with dark creatures who steal both powers and souls. He joins a resistance, a village hidden deep in the forest, filled with others who secretly wield a Shay. But his peace is short-lived when they discover that the dark clouds, undead creatures, their own decreasing powers, and even the king, are all connected.



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About the Author


Kristal ShaffKristal Shaff grew up with books (and used to drive her mom crazy when she wouldn’t leave the library); her first job was even shelving books at the library. She loves anything creative, and you can often find her exploring strange and fantastical worlds in her choices of movies and fantasy fiction. Kristal resides in Iowa with her farmer husband, numerous pets, and 3 awesome kids (plus one more on the way though the journey of adoption). When she isn’t writing, she is a professional face painter who enjoys making children smile.




Author Links:  










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Book Blitz + Giveaway - Raven (Chronicles of Steele, #1) by Pauline Creeden




Raven (Chronicles of Steele #1) by Pauline Creeden
Released Date: 10/2014 


Summary from Goodreads: 

This is the complete Steampunk Fantasy novel - all four parts of the serial in one volume! 

 Human life has value. The poor living in the gutter is as valuable as the rich living in a manor. The scoundrel is no less valuable than the saint. Because of this, every life a reaper takes must be redeemed. 

Raven has lived by this first tenet since she was trained by her father to become a reaper. But since his death, she’s been spending years redeeming the lives she’s taken. By her count, she’s even and it’s time for that life to end. If she settles down and becomes a wife, she might just feel human again. But on the way to the life she thinks she wants, the baron of New Haven asks her to complete a task which she cannot ignore… Just when Raven decides to give up on her life as an assassin, she’s pulled right back in. 





Buy Links: 







Excerpt:

Two sets of footsteps clipped across on the cobblestone. Before they rounded the bend to the stable door, Raven’s fingers twitched over her knife. When she saw Gorman and the younger baron, she relaxed and continued attaching her weapons.
“Can I trust you?” Baron Darius’s voice rose hesitantly as he approached.
She smiled. “I’ve saved your life once and promise to do it as many times as necessary.”
“Why?”
“It’s the reaper’s way. A life for a life.”
“How many have you killed?”
Raven clinched her jaw. “Too many.” Her gaze met the butler’s. “Will he have his own horse?”
“No. The young master’s condition makes him subject to untimely fits. He would be in danger of falling.” His ice blue eyes held a fire unmatched by his frozen features.
“Right. I expected as much.” She placed her boot in the stirrup and mounted. “Hand him to me then.
The butler lifted him to the front of her saddle. She knew it would be an uncomfortable place to ride for a long period of time, but he’d only have to make it to Gregory’s house. On a horse, it should only be about four hours if they took it slow, less than three if needed.
A horn sounded, and the butler paled. “It’s him. The duke approaches.”
“Father is early.” The boy sounded happy but tentative.
Gorman gripped the horse’s rein and turned it toward the other stable exit. “We must leave by the north gate. The duke approaches from the south. You may have as much as an hour’s head start before he commands a pursuit.”
Raven swallowed hard. “That’s not enough time.”
“Follow me.” He released the rein and jogged forward.
The horse trotted in response. Even in the jarring up and down motion of the trot, the young baron remained silent. He gripped the chestnut mare’s mane with both hands. His knuckles glowed white under the lamps. Raven pulled gently on the reins to slow the horse to a more tolerable speed but followed the butler closely.
“Guards!” Gorman reached the gates, speaking in breathless tones. “Baron Solomon orders passage for this woman and the young baron.”
Raven recognized Grant’s red band before he turned around. He narrowed his eyes at her and barked the order to open the gate. Before she could urge her horse forward, Grant gripped the bridle by the cheek piece. He called back toward the butler, “Will she need guard?”
“That will not be necessary. She is capable of caring for the young baron on his errand.”
Even in the half-light, Raven could see the guard’s jaw tighten and nostrils flare in indecision. “Baron Solomon trusts this woman?”
The butler frowned and stiffened in disapproval. Still he answered softly, “Yes, with his brother’s life.” 







About the Author 


In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. 
Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. 
Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary is scheduled for release September 30, 2013, and has already been nominated for two awards in YA Science Fiction. 
One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group. 



Author Links: 

  












Book blitz organised by:

http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.co.uk/
 

Thursday 30 October 2014

Book Blitz + Giveaway - More Than Exes by Elizabeth Briggs




More Than Exes by Elizabeth Briggs
(Chasing the Dream 0.5)
Publication date: October 28th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis:


Keyboardist Kyle Cross may look like a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings, but he’s really the good guy who’s always stuck fixing his band’s problems and never gets the girl. His band is competing in a college Battle of the Bands, but when their bassist doesn’t show, Kyle must track her down with the help of the person he least expects: his ex-girlfriend Alexis Monroe.
Kyle hasn’t seen Alexis since she dumped him in high school, and she’s dropped her preppy image for fiery red hair and a bold new attitude to match. With only hours before his band goes on stage, Kyle has to be a little bad if he wants to win both the Battle and the girl he’s never gotten over. But when their old problems resurface, the good guy might just get his heart broken all over again.



Purchase:









AUTHOR BIO

Elizabeth Briggs is a full-time geek who writes books for teens and adults. 
She plays the guitar, mentors at-risk teens, and volunteers with a dog rescue group. 
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a pack of small, fluffy dogs.

Visit Elizabeth online at: 
website | Facebook | Twitter

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Wednesday 29 October 2014

Review - Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld




Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Pages: 608
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release date: 23rd September 2014

Blurb from Goodreads:

Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.








My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss*


3/5 stars


Teenager Darcy Patel is putting college on hold in order to live the dream of being a writer. Her book Afterworlds is going to be published and she's signed a contract for the sequel. Will Darcy be able to write the sequel? Will she be able to live her dream?


Afterworlds is essentially two books in one and the chapters alternate between Darcy, the author, and Lizzie, the protagonist of Afterworlds.


Darcy's story:
I preferred Darcy's chapters mainly because I found it interesting to read about the process authors go through - editing and then touring - and how Darcy was feeling throughout it all. I liked Darcy and thought that she was brave for going against her parents and doing what she wanted to (moving to New York to be a writer instead of going to college). The romance was okay and I liked that it wasn't cheesy or over the top.


Lizzie's story:
I didn't enjoy Lizzie's chapters as much - the romance felt forced and unnecessary. I didn't find the plot that interesting or gripping. Lizzie was okay but I didn't really connect with her. However there were aspects to this half of the book that I did think were clever.


Overall I enjoyed the book but I was slightly disappointed.

 

Blog Tour + Interview + Giveaway - Love's Last Call by Beth Matthews


Find the tour schedule here.





Love’s Last Call by Beth Matthews
(Ladies of Jezebel’s #1)
Publication date: October 20th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Lucy York is an aspiring mechanical engineer working as a shot girl serving watered-down drinks to drunken frat boys at Jezebel’s Bar & Lounge. The job isn’t so bad—it pays her bills, and she’s managed to make a surrogate family for herself at the bar. But now, at 24, she’s ready to spread her wings and fly north to attend UC Berkeley and, maybe, distance herself a little from the all-consuming social scene at Jezebel’s.

Then her boss hires a new bouncer, Norm, a literature dork who seems like everything a bouncer shouldn’t be: tall, gangly, sweet (and, you know, named Norman). But as she gets to know him, ol’ Norm turns out to be everything Lucy never knew she wanted and the best friend she’s ever had. He’s not a bad bouncer either.

One obstacle to their happily ever after: the owner has a strict no-dating rule for employees. If anyone at Jezebel’s finds out she’s dating a bouncer, Lucy will lose her job, her surrogate family, and the money she needs to go to Berkeley.

But, if she loses Norm, is she losing her best chance at happiness?


Goodreads



Purchase:



----


AUTHOR BIO

Beth Matthews is a California girl, born and raised. 
She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. 
She lives in sunny SoCal with her boyfriend and two of the neediest housecats on the planet.




Author links:










When did you start writing? 
 I first started dabbling in (very bad) short stories as a kid, and I wrote my first (very bad) novel the summer after sixth grade. My first novel, a fantasy romance, was published in 2010 by a small press.


What makes you want to write? 
 I love telling stories, I love writing witty banter and blocking action scenes. It's just fun to imagine and let my mind play.


Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it? 
If it gets really bad I go to a coffee shop with no WiFi and tell myself I'm not allowed to leave until I hit a certain word count.


Do you have a special way of going about writing? 
Not really. Just turn the laptop on and type. Occasionally, if I'm having trouble with a scene I might switch to hand-writing it to jog my brain a little.


Do you have any works in progress? 
I'm working on a novella right now in my Stage Kiss contemporary romance series about theater actors in Southern California.


What are your hobbies? 
Swing-dancing is one of my favorites, and my boyfriend is slowly but surely picking it up.


How did you choose the character names for Love's Last Call? 
For the hero Norm I wanted something that would immediately single him out. An unusual name and not your typical strong "hero" name like Jack, Mike, etc. For the heroine, Lucy, I kind of went the other way and tried to think of something that screamed wholesome girl next door. Also, "Luce" means "light" and I play on that a little in the book.


Who is your favourite character in Love's Last Call? 
Definitely the hero Norm. I have a soft spot for betas. He's self-deprecating and sweet, but he's not afraid to stick up for himself when necessary.


How did you get the idea for Love's Last Call?  
My boyfriend was a bouncer in the LA bar scene for several years and he would always come home with these interesting war stories. It's a crazy, fun, chaotic world that I thought would be great for a romance novel.


What was your favourite part of writing Love's Last Call? 
The banter between Norm and Lucy was really fun.


What are you currently reading? 
I just (like five minutes ago) finished The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen, which is an excellent New Adult romance.


What is your favourite book? 
Probably Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel. It's about a Regency soap opera (and was written decades before Downton Abbey was a thing.) 


Who is your favourite author? 
Jennifer Crusie. Her books are so hilarious and romantic. BET ME is one of my favorite comfort reads.


What is your favourite film? 
Return of the Jedi is my sentimental favorite. I grew up watching that film and I still get a little happy kick in my gut every time I hear the Ewok song.


What is your favourite TV show?
My boyfriend and I are working our way through Parks and Rec together. That show is so adorable and I love all the couples on it. They do romance really well, and I think it's wonderful how many established couples they have on there to show that romance goes on even after you say "I love you."


Quick-fire questions:

Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate ice cream! With peanut butter!
Paperback or ebook? Ebook. It's easier to multitask.
Dogs or cats? Cats (I have two.)
Go out or stay in? Stay in and snuggle!
Summer or winter? Winter! I love the rain.







Tour-wide giveaway

Open to US