Saturday 31 January 2015

January Recap

Read:













Favourites:







Reviews:

Click on the cover to be taken to my review.


http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-soulprint-by-megan-miranda.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-red-queen-red-queen-trilogy-1-by.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-100-hundred-1-by-kass-morgan.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-day-21-hundred-2-by-kass-morgan.html


 
http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/blog-tour-review-giveaway-withering.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-body-electric-by-beth-revis.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-i-was-here-by-gayle-forman.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-mime-order-bone-season-2-by.html




Bloggoversary Giveaway Part 3 - Signed Copy of The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

As you may or may not know I've been celebrating blogging for three years.



 In total there are three giveaways:

In Part 1 you can win a copy of Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini.

In Part 2 you can win a copy of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick.


 And now in the final giveaway you can win a SIGNED copy of The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon!



I'm going to a talk/signing for The Mime Order next week and can't wait!






Blurb from Goodreads:

In the internationally bestselling The Bone Season, Paige Mahoney escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but now her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city’s gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on.



Open internationally!


 


Review - The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2) by Samantha Shannon




Title: The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Pages: 528
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: 27th January 2015

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal prison camp of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the survivors are missing and she is the most wanted person in London...

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on the dreamwalker, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner. Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided.
 






My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) and NetGalley*

4.5/5 stars

Paige has escaped Sheol-I and is back in London but Nashira, the blood-heir of the Rephaim, will do everything in her power to get Paige back in her clutches, including making her the most wanted person in London.
Paige is determined to stop Nashira and her plans to create more penal colonies like Sheol-I in other countries, but how can she get the mime-lords and mime-queens to work together?


I thoroughly enjoyed The Mime Order.
The pacing was better than The Bone Season and there were a lot of twists and turns, many that I didn't see coming (especially that ending!).
Paige has got to be one of my favourite protagonists ever - she's strong and determined but she's not perfect (who is?). It was interesting to see how she coped in the various situations she was thrown into and I enjoyed reading as she grew as a person and learned more about her powers.
One of my favourite things about this series is that the romance isn't thrust into the forefront - Paige doesn't try to examine her feelings for Warden all the time and I like how it's written quite subtly. It's a sweet, quiet romance and I really like seeing Paige and Warden interact.
I loved getting to see Paige as her role as mollisher to her mime-lord Jaxon Hall and reading as she worked with the other Seven Seals.
The Scion London that Samantha Shannon has created is very well thought out and I loved finding out more about the other cohorts.


Overall this was a very enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend.



Book Blitz - Clarity by Loretta Lost




Clarity – The Complete Series by Loretta Lost
Publication date: December 17th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

This bundle contains all three books in the Clarity series:

Clarity 1

Her world has always been dark, but he might be able to change everything…


Fiercely independent Helen Winters was born completely blind, but she vowed never to let her disability keep her down. She did not expect a traumatic event to devastate her life and force her to drop out of college. Disillusioned by the cruelty of people, Helen retreated from society to live by herself as a reclusive writer in the woods–where no one could ever hurt her again.

When a brilliant young doctor shows up on her doorstep, promising her that his new research can give her the ability to see for the first time, Helen stubbornly refuses. She has learned not to trust anyone, and to rely only on herself. But Dr. Liam Larson will not take no for an answer. He makes it his personal mission to rescue Helen from her loneliness, and bring joy into her world once more–the joy she has denied herself for so long.

When Helen’s demons come racing back into her life, threatening to rip her apart and destroy the strength she has carefully rebuilt, Liam is the only one who might be able to save her. Can he reach the broken girl in time, helping her to heal and see the world in a different light? Or will Helen’s grief send her spiraling out of control, lost to him forever?


Clarity 2:

When violent memories come racing back, he is her only hope…


Helen Winters was living a lonely existence when the charming Dr. Liam Larson coaxed her out of solitude with the promise of healing her sightless eyes. She was hopeful at the prospect of gaining vision for the first time and being reunited with her family. She was also growing somewhat fond of the persuasive young doctor. For the first time in years, she was being magnetically drawn to a new friend…

Then everything came crashing down.

Plunged into a hellish nightmare, Helen is forced to face the same evils she ran away to escape so long ago. She is unprepared to have her hopes crushed and her peace destroyed. She finds herself living in constant terror and drowning in fear–and Liam’s voice is the only thing that can keep her afloat. His comforting touch becomes the only light in her pitch-black darkness. Helen has always been a tough girl who relied only on herself. But this time, she can’t survive alone. Due to the horrors of her past, Helen has promised herself not to trust anyone. When her life becomes unbearable, how can she trust Liam enough to let him save her?


Clarity 3:

After many years of darkness, Winter never thought that she’d be happy or safe again. Her whole world changed when she met Liam Larson, a charming young doctor determined to be her knight in shining armor. When a brutal night unleashes vicious reminders of her past, Winter must struggle to hold on to the little bit of happiness she has found.


When everything begins to fall apart, Liam’s strength and kindness might not be enough to save her. Battling with the betrayal of her family, terrifying nightmares, and frequent reminders of her enemy that make daily life difficult, Winter’s first instinct is to run away. She is tired of being the victim and living in a cruel, crowded city where she doesn’t feel like she belongs.

But Liam promises her that if she only trusts him, he can change everything. And that’s exactly what he attempts to do, starting with an operation to heal her eyes, and then her heart…

 
 
Purchase:
 





Excerpt:
 
 “It’s dangerous to be out here like this,” he tells me, crouching down to my level. “Jesus, Helen. Your lips are turning blue. We should go back inside.”
“I’m not going back into that house,” I say adamantly. “I’d rather die here.”
“But Helen...”
“No. I told you I had a bad feeling. I never should have come back here.”
Liam takes my hands into his and begins to rub them between his own to generate some heat through friction. “You’re shivering way too much. Let me go inside and get some warmer clothes and some blankets...”
“No, I’m fine.” I pull my hands away from him and wrap them around myself.
I hear him standing up and moving briskly toward the exit of the shed. “I should grab some hot cocoa at the very least, and maybe a portable heater...”
“No—no. Liam. Please don’t leave. Just stay with me?” I can’t believe how pathetic I sound. I can’t believe that sentence even left my lips. My embarrassment is quickly assuaged when I feel the floorboards creak as he moves back over to my corner, and lowers himself to sit next to me. I am relieved to have him near me, but I am swiftly seized with a fear that he will get too close. I remember Grayson’s hands on my body, and the gun against my chest. I remember the disgusting, degrading kiss. I flinch away from Liam, pressing myself against the wall of the wooden cabin. I feel a sudden suffocating claustrophobia. I am not usually one to dislike small spaces—in fact, I usually prefer them—but being confined in close quarters with other people is entirely unnerving.
I am grateful when Liam maintains his distance. He does not try to embrace me or move any closer; not even under the pretense of keeping me warm. He seems to be able to sense my anxiety. When he sits beside me for over a full minute without trying to touch me or even asking why I’m upset, I begin to relax. I stop holding my breath, and I feel the erratic pounding of my heart slowly ease. I reach down and lift his coat, arranging it so that it covers his legs as well.
“Can I at least keep trying to warm your hands?” he asks me. “I’m worried.”
“Yes,” I tell him softly, “but I think my toes are the real problem. They feel like they’re going to fall off.”
I feel Liam slide his coat over my ankles to study my feet. “Helen... okay. This is going to sound awful, but you need to listen to me.” He speaks in a brisk and commanding tone that I haven’t heard him use before. “Put your feet in my lap.”
“In your lap?” I say awkwardly.
“Yes. Unless you want to risk losing your toes.”
“You’re probably exaggerating,” I accuse him, but the cold is so agonizing that I am beginning to grow desperate for any warmth. I try to flex my toes, and wince, because even that tiny bit of motion hurts like a bitch.
“I’m not really exaggerating. It’s damn cold out here. But I won’t let you get severe frostbite,” he tells me firmly, “because I’ll drag you kicking and screaming back into that house before any permanent damage is done. However, if you don’t follow my instructions right away, you’ll probably develop blisters and swelling so painful that you can’t walk for days.”
I make a face, for this sounds almost as unpleasant as my feet already feel.
“Trust me,” he says. “I’m a doctor.”
“You know that every time you say that I get even more suspicious, right?” I ask him lightly.
“Feet. Lap. Now.” He demands this while vigorously rubbing my fingers.
Biting my lip, I angle my body perpendicular to his and place my feet in his lap. I carefully rest my toes against what should be the warmest part of his upper thigh, while still being as respectful and polite as possible and not plunging my toes directly into his genitals. Unfortunately, I am so numb that I can’t feel any of his body heat and it offers no immediate relief to my stinging pain.
Liam arranges his coat more closely around my legs as he continues to rub my fingers.
“Thanks,” I tell him softly.
“You don’t need to thank me,” he responds, and there is a bit of anger in his voice. “I’m just trying to keep you all in one piece. Jesus. It’s like you’re determined to sabotage yourself! If being blind isn’t bad enough, you have no appreciation for your fingers and toes. Your body parts aren’t just expendable, you know!”
“No,” I tell him. “That’s not what I meant. Thanks for not asking what happened in the house.”
“Oh,” he says in surprise. “Well... you’re welcome. I figure that if you want to tell me, you will.”
I am quiet for a moment, except for the noise of my teeth chattering and my short, rapid breathing. “Can I sit a little closer to you?” I ask quietly.
“Sure,” he says, but he moves toward me instead, pinning me into the corner of the shed. He slips his arm around me, trying to cradle me in a cocoon of comfort and warmth.
I lean forward and press my shoulder against his body, trying to burrow into the warmth of his armpit. My ears and nose have been stinging with pain, and I press my face against his chest to steal the heat of his torso, through his tuxedo jacket. My feet are still positioned in his lap. I am shivering quite uncontrollably now, and running out into the snow no longer seems like it was the perfect rebellious and dramatic idea. It feels like it was immature and self-destructive. I wouldn’t have cared if Liam hadn’t followed me; if it was just me alone, shivering and getting frostbite and possibly dying, I might be comfortable with that. But forcing him to take care of me? Making him deal with my stress and my crisis? That’s selfish of me, and it’s not right. I feel so childish and needy, and I hate myself for being like this.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble against his chest. “I didn’t mean to involve you...”
“I involved myself,” he responds. “Are you feeling a bit warmer? Does it hurt anywhere?”
“Just my ears and face,” I say quietly. My nipples are also hurting a great deal, but I am far too embarrassed to mention that. The cold is starting to make me sleepy.
I feel one of Liam’s hands leave mine, and a warm palm is pressed against my exposed ear. He gently rubs my ear between his fingers, and I wince at the pain. I feel his fingers under my chin, lifting it so that he can examine my face. He presses his thumb against my nose, massaging it gently, followed by my cheeks. He leans down and breathes hot air into my face, and it tickles my eyelashes. He skirts his thumb over my frozen lips, while breathing more hot air onto my skin.
“Um,” he says awkwardly, suddenly pulling away. “Sorry about that.”
“About what?” I ask in confusion.
“You know...” He clears his throat. “The situation in my lap.”
“Oh!” I say in surprise. I’m not sure why, but I try to wiggle my toes around to figure out what he’s talking about. I am almost disappointed when all I feel is the burning pain of my toes. “Unfortunately, I’m too numb to feel anything and I hadn’t noticed.”
“Dammit. Then I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” he grumbles. “How humiliating. Can you please stop poking your feet around now? That’s not helping.”
“Is something happening in your lap?” I ask innocently. For some reason, this is somewhat amusing to me. The gentle beginnings of a smile cause the corners of my lips to crinkle, and this hurts my face as though my skin is made of ice which has begun to crack and shatter.
“Helen,” he says with warning. “Stop teasing me. You refused to go inside or let me go in the house and bring something warm back—so I’m improvising. This is the best I can do.”
“Thanks,” I tell him sincerely. I lean forward and press my face against his chest again, but this time it’s not entirely for warmth. “Why was there a situation in your lap?” I ask him.
“Oh. I was just thinking of ways to help you get warm... and for an instant, the thought of kissing you might have crossed my mind.”
Luckily, my face being hidden against his chest conceals my surprise. “Thanks for not doing that. I don’t think I could handle it right now.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me for being a decent human being, Helen. Besides, logically, my armpit is warmer, so you should probably stick your face there—it was just a fleeting thought I couldn’t control.” 




AUTHOR BIO
 
Loretta Lost writes for the same reason that you read: to experience all the love and excitement that can often be lacking from real life. 
She finds it therapeutic to explore her issues through the eyes of a different person. 
She hopes to have a family someday, but until then, her characters will do nicely.

 
 
 
 
 
Author links:
 
 





Friday 30 January 2015

Review - Soulprint by Megan Miranda




Title: Soulprint
Author: Megan Miranda
Pages: 368
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Release date: 1st February 2014

Blurb from Goodreads:

Alina Chase has spent her entire life in confinement. With the science of soul-printing now a reality, she is 'protected' for her own safety – and the safety of others – because her soul has done terrible things ... or so she's told. When Alina finally breaks out of prison, helped by a group of people with unclear motives, she begins to uncover clues left by her past life that only she can decipher. And she may not be as innocent as she once believed. Can Alina change her future, or is she fated to repeat her past and face the consequences?








My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK&ANZ) and NetGalley*

3/5 stars

Soulprinting means that spinal fluid can be used to see who people were in their prior reincarnation and as a result Alina Chase has spent her life trapped on an island because of who she was in a previous life – a criminal called June who hacked into the soulprint database.
At seventeen, Alina has dreamed of escaping for years and one day it finally happens – a group of people break her out. Can Alina trust her rescuers? Will she ever truly be free? Was June really the villain people saw her as?


Soulprinting is a very intriguing idea and you could tell that the author had thought about it in great detail. I liked Alina and felt sorry for her – she didn’t know her parents and all she wanted was to live her life in peace but the shadow of June was constantly hanging over her. There was some romance in this but it didn’t feel that real to me. The plot was okay but I did see something coming early on. It did feel like the middle dragged a bit but the writing style was easy to read and engaging.

Overall this was an interesting read that I enjoyed.

 

Review - Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy, #1) by Victoria Aveyard




Title: Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy, #1)
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Pages: 320
Publisher: Orion
Release date: 10th February 2015

Blurb from Goodreads:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?







My Review:
 
*I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley*

2.5 stars

Mare Barrow lives in a world where people are either Reds or Silvers. Reds have red blood and are poor. Silvers have silver blood, extraordinary powers and rule over the Reds.
Unable to get a job, Mare picks pockets knowing that she doesn't have long before she will be conscripted into the army.
Mare is shocked when she somehow manages to get a job at the summer palace. Then Mare learns that she has a dangerous power, despite not being a Silver. Stuck in a deadly game, Mare must be careful if she wants to stay alive.


This was, unfortunately, a disappointing read.
While Mare was an okay protagonist and I understood her feelings towards the Silvers, I didn't feel that I fully connected with her. None of the other characters stood out particularly except maybe Julian.
The plot was predictable, VERY predictable and it felt like I had read the story before. I started losing interest towards the end and didn't really care what happened.
While the idea of people having different coloured blood was intriguing we never learned much about how that came about and I would have liked to know more.
I'm not sure if I will continue with the series.


Overall I found Red Queen, unfortunately, disappointing and very predictable.
  



Cover Reveal + Giveaway - Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2) by Jen McConnel



M9B-Friday-Reveal


Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2) by Jen McConnel

presented by Month9Books!

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



Gods of Chaos

The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

When Darlena Agara declared to follow Red Magic last fall, she had no idea what she was getting into. Since then, however, she's had a crash course in danger, deceit, and destruction. In an effort to gain an ally, Darlena heads to Scotland in search of another Red Witch, but she didn't count on the new obstacles (and crazy gods) that await her.

add to goodreads


Title: Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2)
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Jen McConnel






About the Author

Jen McConnel

Jen McConnel now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. 
When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. 
Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.






Author Links:  










Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)




Button

Cover Reveal + Giveaway - Lion's Share by Rachel Vincent



Lion’s Share by Rachel Vincent
(Wildcats #1)
Publication date: February 23rd 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.







AUTHOR BIO

 Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series and the Unbound series for adults, as well as the Soul Screamers series for teens.

Rachel's next young adult book is THE STARS NEVER RISE, coming from Delacorte in June of 2015, and her new series for adults will debut with MENAGERIE, coming from Mira books in the fall of 2015

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who's been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy--but social media is a close second.



Author Links: