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Understanding Carmen's Story

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A Kiss for Emily (Emily Stokes Series, #1)
Emily didn't know that falling in love would place her smack-dab in the middle of a dicey game called deception. Or wake up one morning, shortly thereafter, wondering if she'd actually lost her mind!A KISS FOR EMILY is a thrilling YA paranormal romance, where discovering the paranormal is exciting for the reader, but life-threatening for Emily Stokes, the 17-yr. old high school student from Kansas.

Excerpt:


After a good brushing and other bedtime rituals, I headed back to my bedroom. On the way, I noticed a dim glow coming from Kat's room.
    "Are you still up?"
    "Yeah, I'm not tired." She was watching a video on a small TV that sat upon her dresser.
    "Guess what?" I taunted.
    "You hit your head and now you don't remember who you are."
    "Whatever," I sneered. "I met someone today." I whispered, almost like it was a secret.
    "Kat sat up in her bed. "Who?"
    "His name is Sam. Come here, I want to show you something. He gave me a flower." I grabbed her small hand and pulled her out from under her quilted bedspread. Grabbing my shirt from the back of my desk chair, I reached into the pocket to retrieve the delicate red bud from its place of safety. Only there were no soft petals. Instead, I felt...grit. I pulled the pocket open wide and peered into its depths. It was filled with dark, dry dirt.
    "That's strange."
    "What is?"
    "I must have lost it," I said disappointingly, shaking the dirt out into the wastebasket.
    "It's just a stupid flower."
    "And you're too little to understand."
    She crossed her arms. "All right, tell me more."
    "He's the cutest guy I've ever seen in my life. No one at T-West even begins to hold a candle next to him."
    "Oh," she said. Then added, "Did ya kiss him?"
    I imagined him and me in a romantic first kiss. "No."
    Her eyes dimmed.
    "But I'd like to."
    Kat's nose crinkled.

Giveaway:

If you live in the United States and would like a chance to win a signed printed copy + swag just enter the giveaway on Dark Minds! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway Details:
Ebook of A Kiss for Emily
Open Internationally
Ends 5/28/12 (1 WEEK)


The winner of the Vaempires: Revolution giveaway is... Mar from The Reviews of Mar!

I will be emailing you shortly! Thank you to everyone who entered! Be on the lookout for my next giveaway which will be up tomorrow!
Click to view the blog tour schedule!
Swipe
 Logan Langley is just months away from his thirteenth birthday and the biggest day of his life- the day he will finally be Marked. The Mark lets people get jobs, vote, and even go out to eat or buy concert tickets.

Becoming Marked means becoming free. Or so he is told. Five years ago when Logan's sister went to get her Mark she never came back. Now Logan can't shake the feeling he's being watched...

And then he finds the wire.

Overall Thoughts:
I was pretty paranoid while reading this book... in a good way!

Swipe is about 12 year old Logan Langley who lives in a dystopian world of the Marked and the Markless. The people who are Markless are kind of looked down upon. When the time comes for Logan to get marked, it's kind of like turning 18 in the United States. You become open to a whole new world of opportunities, like voting! So getting marked is usually an experience that people look forward to, but not for Logan. Why, you ask? Well, five years prior, his older sister went to get her mark and completely disappeared. Ever since, Logan feels he is being watched... and he isn't wrong.

What I liked about this book:
The concept is what intrigued me in the first place, but the creepiness factor is what kept me interested and I think that's imperative for a dystopian novel to have - a good fright! Logan kept fearing that he was being followed and was so paranoid about it, which made me paranoid! I'm easily scared I'll admit, so this book definitely gave me the chills!

What I disliked about this book:
Some of the characters weren't very personable, meaning that they didn't stick with me. The only people I really liked were the two main characters, Logan and Erin (She's awesome!). Everyone else kind of fell by the wayside.

Verdict:
This was a quick and easy read that successfully gave me the chills and surprised me at the same time!    

3 TARGETS!   


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Every week you are to share the books you've added to your shelves.

Review: 

The Book of Blood and Shadow
The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

AHH! I requested this book and honestly didn't believe they'd actually send it to me... until it showed up at my door! Huge gracias to Casey Lloyd and Random House for sending it to me!



The Last Princess


Another requested book that I had no hopes of actually receiving... Dreams really do come true :) It's even more beautiful in person! Thank you so freaking much to Ames O'Neil and Little, Brown Books for sending it to me!

Netgalley:

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

It's been a good week.






House of Night #1 (House of Night: The Graphic Novel, #1)
Wilde's Fire (Darkness Falls, #1)



“There is no pain in this death, only peace, knowing I am going to die with the one I love the most.”—Katriona Wilde. This quote plus the gorgeous cover makes for an intrigued Shae!




Tell me what you got by linking your post in the comments!
Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read!






Q: This Sunday in the U.S. is Mother's Day. In celebration, what are some of your favorite books with strong mother/child relationships?

I'm going to say Vampire Academy because: 1) I'm just embarrassingly obsessed with that series.  And 2) I loved how insightful Rose and her mother's relationship was. Rose's mom was tough and unyielding so Rose turned out to be just the same. I especially loved when Rose lost one of her best friends in... Frostbite (Was it Frostbite?) and her mom let her cry on her shoulder. Very touching!

Also, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, even though I thought this book was just okay. Lena and her uncle, Macon, had a nice relationship. I know that's not really... mother/daughter... but if you squint your eyes... Hey! There are not a lot of good mother/daughter books in YA! The parents never care about their kids! Lol!



It is the morning of Princess Cassandra’s sixteenth birthday. Everyone’s attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate the momentous event.

Cassandra’s boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He’s still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires—former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood—have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.

The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons—væmpires with special powers.

What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, or walk through walls?

 Overall Thoughts:
This was a fun, brief read that easily had me engrossed!

Vaempires: Revolution is about a Dystopian world that is being taken over by mutilated vampires called Vaempires, which is exactly how the story begins. We follow a fifteen year old vampire named Daniel (Son of the head of the Royal Guard) who is literally fighting his way to Princess Cassandra's Sixteenth birthday party. Because she is the heir to the vampire throne, every guard and soldier is in attendance to ensure that she and her wealthy/powerful acquaintances are safe and sound, leaving the rest of the city completely vulnerable... which is when the vaempires decide to attack.

What are vaempires, you ask? Well before they even came into the picture, humans and vampires fought against each other in a terrible war, until synthetic blood was discovered. Then, a long period of peace ensued. But for some unknown reason, certain vampires started mutilating into a new kind of vampire named Vaempires. Here's the catch though: Vaempires don't like synthetic blood; they like vampire blood. And Daniel is looking to destroy anything that gets in his way when he finds out that his girlfriend, Cassandra, was taken by a vaempire...

What I liked about this book:
This book has an extremely unique plot! I really love the fact that the author decided to explore both the old, grotesque vampire as well as the modern, shapely vampire.

Also, the action in this book is nonstop! Daniel spends the entire book fighting his way through vaempires to get to his missing girlfriend, Cassandra, which made me want to melt, in a good way.

What I disliked about this book:
The author was very descriptive, which don't get me wrong, I love when an author is able to create a vivid setting for me but a couple of times while reading, I thought it got a bit wordy.

Verdict:
If your in the mood for a fast-paced quick read, don't hesitate to pick this book up!

A prelude to this book named Vaempires: A White Christmas is out now! Review on it is coming soon!

Trailers:




Giveaway:

16-year-old Brin Skar hates everything to do with the supernatural, so the obsessive film geek isn't happy when she discovers that her junior year Film class at Grisly High is devoted to the horror genre. She's even more disconcerted when she learns that six groups in the class will be writing and directing their very own horror movies.

Brin and five classmates travel to Bodie Ghost Town in California to shoot their creepy film, but they soon find themselves fighting a real terrifying threat when a clan of mean, bloodthirsty vampires emerge from beneath the surface and start attacking the group. The teens, headed by Brin and the egotistical director Anaya Frost, have no help from the outside and become outnumbered by the vampires a hundred to one. 

But when Brin meets Paul, a helpful and smoldering vampire outcast who's had enough of his shameful life, she realizes he might be the only key to her survival.

Overall Thoughts:
I couldn't possibly summarize this book so the only thing I will say is: This book is an absolute roller coaster! My eyes stayed glued to it from start to finish. Ahh... so entertaining!

The Vampire Underground is about a girl named Brin Skar who begins taking a film class in high school where they're studying the horror genre, which is Brin's least favorite genre. Her teacher decides to give the entire class a group project which consists of the students creating a horror film. Brin gets a bit discouraged when she's not partnered up with her best friend, Ash, but is okay with her group until she's finds out that she has to work with a girl named Anaya, who's pretty much terrible.

Each person in the group has a specific job to do (i.e. director, writer, actor, cinematographer). Anaya chooses herself as both director and writer, and decides that they should film their movie in Bodie Ghost Town, which is exactly what it sounds like. Not a soul wanders in Bodie, so the group sees it as the perfect setting! What they don't see is the clan of vampires lurking in wait to attack them...

What I liked about this book:
It surprised the crap out of me! I loved that the author used old school, ugly, gory vampires and not the Twilight-esque kind. Less sparkle, more gloom! This book was all about fighting to stay alive and survival. Just think about it: Six kids travel to a ghost town... who makes it out alive?

I read the summary and although it sounded interesting, I didn't think I'd love this book as much I did. It was an incredible page turner! It brought me to the edge of my seat (even though I read it in bed, laying down)! And it made me want to bite my nails right down to the nub (Old habits die hard!). 

The author has a very easy way of writing and uses subtle comedy & romance to lighten the mood, so even though there's a lot of gore and freaky stuff in this book, it wasn't technically scary.

And even though Anaya was a terrible character in the beginning, the little nugget grew on me and I kept praying for her to survive with Brin and make it out alive. You will be totally shocked! Yes, I was excited.

What I disliked about this book:
Eh... not a huge fan of the cover. Oh, and there was a very mean cliff-hanger at the end that made me want to pee my pants.

Verdict:
Please read this book if you need an adrenaline rush! I loved the subtle comedy, the subtle romance, and the none too subtle action!

4 TARGETS!

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.

Overall Thoughts:
I definitely agree with the summary! This book was the perfect blend of my favorite vampire stories, including: Twilight, Vampire Academy, and House of Night! I definitely recommend this book if you liked any of those series!

Darkness Before Dawn is about 17 year old human named Dawn Montgomery, who is the city of Denver's appointed delegate to Lord Valentine, the most ferocious, unforgiving, and powerful vampire around. Both of Dawn's parents were the delegates before her until they "accidentally" died in a carriage crash. Even though Dawn's parents held the position before her, being delegate was not something you could inherit. Lord Valentine chose her specifically...

Because Dawn's parents died working for the most rueful vampire ever and Brady, her older brother, died at the hands of vampires, she could never bring herself to trust them. That is, until she's saved by a mysterious and kind man named Victor. The two become close until Dawn discovers that he is none other than Lord Valentine's son.

What I liked about this book:
Honestly, this book lured me in from the very beginning! I loved the fact that there were different types of vampires:

Old Families Vampires - The wealthiest, most powerful, and strongest of the vampires
Natural Born Vampires - self explanatory
Lessers - Humans turned into vampires, below Old Families vampires and natural born vampires

There were twists, turns, and I was definitely whip-lashed by the end of it, which is a good thing. The main character, Dawn, was someone I could look up to! Instead of Dawn being all weak-kneed like most main characters are in human/vampire romances, she was strong and bold, and did not give into Victor's charms that easily. In fact, he was the one who couldn't stay away from her! That's Girl power for you!

What I disliked about this book:
The high points of the book weren't as dramatic and touched on as I would've liked. I'm not going to describe any of the climaxes because I don't want to give anything away, but I wanted the authors to give more details, go more into depth, just embellish it more! Still loved it though :)

Verdict:
Any lover of vampire stories, or dystopian novels, or whip-lashing action should definitely give this book a shot!

4 TARGETS!

The winner of the Pougkeepsie Ebook giveaway is... Sophie from Sweet Sweet Pages!


I want to thank everyone who entered my very first giveaway! This blogging thing is still new to me, so I love learning & experiencing new things like giveaways! Anywho... bye!
Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche.

Julianne can’t understand why Isaac suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it before she inherits her mother’s madness. Isaac knows he must resist his attraction to a student ten years his junior, but loneliness and jealousy threaten his resolve.

Their indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball—the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite—forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past.
Will Julianne accept the help she’s offered and get everything she ever wanted, or will she self-destruct and take Isaac down with her?
Overall Thoughts: 
There were a few things I got a little annoyed at, but overall, I liked this book!

Want is about a 17 year old girl named Julianne Casquette, who has been practicing playing the piano all her life to get accepted into New England Conservatory after she graduates high school. When her mentor and close personal friend, Mr. Cline, becomes ill, he sends in his nephew. Thus, enters 27 year old Isaac Laroche. In the beginning, he's guarded and stoic and not very likable, but Juli is persistent, and the two become secretly involved.

This story is set in Mobile, Tennessee so it has a southern feel to it; Meaning: Even though them getting together is technically legal (in Tennessee), it's still extremely inappropriate. So what happens when their secret is out and everyone turns away from Juli just when she needs them the most, all except for Dave Gaston, Isaac's best friend?

What I liked about this book:
Yes, there is a love triangle, which I don't mind just as long as it's believable, and this one was! Isaac was the brooding lover, whereas, Dave was the supportive, lovable best friend. And I know what you're thinking, "Ugh, another Twilight-esque love triangle..." Well, you're wrong! I don't want to give it away, but I will say that Jacob would've been proud!

Although this has a lot of romance in it, it also covers some of real life issues. One being, abuse and depression. I found those to be the most interesting parts of this story because it was so emotional, vivid, and addictive!

What I disliked about this book:
Isaac was annoying. He was so fickle with Juli. One minute he'd be all up on her and the next he'd be denying her. That was a huge turn off for both Juli and for myself.

Verdict:
This was a very enjoyable read from the very beginning. It had a few glitches, but nothing too big.

3 TARGETS!




Jessie moved from New York to North Carolina one week after school let out for summer break. Her newly single mother and Jessie move in with grandma Gayle. Being a teen in a retirement area, is one more thing to add to her 'this sucks' list. It's bad enough to have to move, but even worse her alcoholic father left them as he went on a quest to be an artist in Greece.

Things begin to look up when she is reintroduced to Caleb, the dorky boy that saved her life one summer at the beach. Caleb is no longer scrawny and nerdy, he is now tall, dark and handsome. Caleb is a Light Tamer.

Jessie and Amber become fast friends. Amber is a no frills girl, her snarky comments and sassy attitude will raise a few eyebrows and have you laughing out loud. Amber is rough around the edges, a light tamer with only two years left to find the one she is bound to. Her father's surfing accident left her dad paralyzed and her brother dead.

Excerpt: 


“Well, you and I are mates. It is when two Light Tamers are bound together by an event. When you drowned, that bound us together. When my mom died, it killed off the protection that my parents gave me, making me weak. Dad does his best to protect me, but seriously he can’t be with me all of the time. We’ve realized that at the school, there are teachers that are protectors of some sort. There are several Light Tamers at the school, but not all know it. The young ones don’t seem to know, and some of the other kids don’t either. It is confusing to keep it all straight in the beginning. Stick with me kid, I’ll keep you in the know,” Caleb said.

“How do the Dark Ones steal light from us? Do they only take the light from the room?” I rinsed off the shell in the water, only to discover it is cracked. I throw it back out to sea.

Caleb stopped walking and turns to face me, he drapes his arms over my shoulders and I shudder as he steps in closer to me. We stand like two love sick kids taking a stroll on the beach. I put my arms around his waist and take a deep breath as I felt his energy radiate through me. He bends his head down and puts his forehead to mine. “After they take the light from the room, they drain the light energy out of you. If we survive the draining, we become Dark Ones. No one knows how to survive, so we can’t chance it. We have to stay charged with light always, I mean always. On dark gloomy days, we need to stay in a lit room. Light to us is like blood to a vampire. Even vegetarian Edward needs blood. The FROG is equipped with special lights for days like those. I think your grandma installed those lights in your room. Don’t you have the solar system in your room with lights that flash to every constellation? My dad and I went over to help her set it up. She did it so you could enjoy the night without fear of the shadows. The way it is set up is to keep the room in a hovered type light and the lights on the ceiling are special too.”

He pulls me in, closing the space between us and hugs me in tight. I put my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and the ocean waves. Right or wrong, he feels right…that’s what matters, right?

Blog Tour:

Giveaway:


Giveaway Details:
Nook/Kindle/I-pad Charm
Open U.S. only
Ends 05/01/12 (1 WEEK)

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship. 

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Overall Thoughts:
Such a heavy, yet thrilling read!

Breaking Beautiful is about a young girl named Allie Davis who used to be the girlfriend to abusive, moody, aggressive Trip Phillips. That is, until one night he died in a tragic car accident. Then, she becomes the town's charity case. She shuts down after his passing, not knowing whether or not to be relieved or devastated or both. Her parents try to give her some space; Andrew, her loving and disabled twin brother constantly worries about her; even her closest friend, Blake, who was distanced from her before, shows his concern. The whole town turns suspicious when people start to wonder if Trip's "accident" was just that or a murder... caused by someone close to Allie.

What I liked about this book:
This story grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Everything was very believable and intense and emotional. I also loved that there was some mystery to it; I kept wondering, "Who done it?!" until the very end when everything was finally revealed.

My favorite character had to be Andrew, Allie's disabled twin brother. Even though he had to live out his life in a wheelchair and use a voice box, he was still protective of his sister and was sort of like a guardian angel to her. He surprised me a lot in this book!

What I disliked about this book:
Allie's parents annoyed me a bit. Her father used to serve in the military and made it a mission to protect the people he loved, but he was too oblivious to see his daughter getting physically abused by her boyfriend... What?

Verdict:
This was such a powerful story. It's deep and touching and if you need a good emotional read, pick this book up!

4 TARGETS!

Just wondering if anyone watched The Legend of Korra when it premiered on Saturday? Can I just say that I was completely obsessed with Avatar: The Last Airbender, so when I found out they were making another show with the same concept I did a little happy dance. Yes, I did. 

So... this new show... it's pretty promising! I loved everything about it, well except how... modern it felt. I liked how olden-times Avatar was set in, but I'm willing to overlook that little thing because pretty much everything else was awesome. 

I couldn't believe Katara was so old! And her grand kids called her, "Gran Gran," OMG! My little Katara is all grown up now. This show is definitely going to make me miss the old group so much! Goodbye, Aang. Goodbye, Sokka. Goodbye, Toph. Goodbye, Cabbage Man. MY CABBAGES!

I have high hopes for this show. I don't think it's going to live up to Avatar, but hopefully it'll still be good!

Don't let me down, Korra!


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Every week you are to share the books you received that week. It could either be ones you bought, or gotten at the library, and ones that you'd receive to review on the blog.

Review:

Vaempires: Revolution (The Evolutionary War, Book One)
Vaempires: Revolution by Thomas Winship

Received for upcoming blog tour! It's going to be my first blog tour ever! *jumps for joy*



Vaempires: A white Christmas: A prelude to the Evolutionary War







Vampires: A White Christmas by Thomas Winship

Prelude to Vaempires: Revolution.




Shaman, Healer, Heretic





Shaman, Healer, Heretic by M. Terry Green

My first shaman book... I hope I like it!






Shaman, Friend, Enemy (Olivia Lawson, Techno-Shaman, #2)









Welcome Debra Anastasia to Understanding Shae's Story!

Debra Anastasia grew up in New York and got a bachelor's degree in political science at SUNY New Paltz. At the start of her marriage, she moved to southern Maryland with her husband. She still doesn't trust crabs and all their legs, though everyone else in her family thinks they're delicious. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, painting furniture and wall murals, and slapping clowns.

Earlier this year Omnific Publishing published her debut novel, Crushed Seraphim, and she's currently pounding out the sequel to angel Emma's adventures. You can visit her website at www.DebraAnastasia.com and find her on twitter @Debra_Anastasia.

LINKS:
Website: www.DebraAnastasia.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/debra_anastasia

INTERVIEW

Favorite Color and why? 
Pink because I’m such a nimrod. I always gravitate towards it.
Dog or Cat? 
Both. I have three dogs and one adorable cat so I’m not allowed to pick.
Twilight, Harry Potter, or the Hunger Games. 
Harry Potter is first, but I love the others as well. JK Rowling is amazing though, her circular plot through seven books? Bam. That’s how a master does it.
What/Who inspired you to write your book?
It was sort of a slow process but my own stupidity gave birth to my first tale for entertainment purposes. I went to the do-it-yourself car wash and wound up squirting myself in the face with the huge sprayer, fighting off a hairy spider and flashing my boobs (unintentionally) at a group of guys. I laughed so hard at myself that I had to share it with the world. Then I went on to detail my family’s trips to Disney Word in trip reports online, and finally I tried making stuff up.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? 
I have to have music on in the background and 99% of the time I write “fro” instead of “for.” Which makes things interesting because fro is a word, so spell check ignores it.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 
The message in anything I write is (I hope) for women to trust that they are beautiful and warriors. And that love is the most important thing in any day we get live.
Summarize your book in 3 sentences or less. 
A homeless man and a girl fall in love. The world crumbles around them. Love gives all the characters the strength to fight for one another.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 
I’ve always had a plot working in my head, but I was very afraid to put it on paper. People would know what I was thinking! The anonymity of the Internet gave me courage. Now I can stand behind my words with my name. So I guess I knew all my crazy dreams would be real when I held my first book.
Can you describe what you think makes a good story in 3 words? 
Characters, love, and adventure.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? 
I wanted to be a vet, the President of the United Sates, a teacher, and a lawyer. No kidding. All those things. I was a mess. And my parents supported me in every one of those choices. They rock.
What are your current projects? 
I’m currently working on finishing the sequel to Crushed Seraphim.
Give 5 interesting facts about yourself. 
1 I hate spiders. 2 I love my readers. 3 My kids are the only things that matter. 4 My husband still puts up with me after almost 15 years. 5 I will slap a clown hard if it gets too close.
Hardest thing about being an author? 
Finding time to write that doesn’t take away from other important family things.
 Most rewarding thing about being an author? 
The readers. Hands and feet down. I’m the hugest fan of my amazing, intelligent readers. They floor me.
Can you share with us your favorite line(s) from the book? 
My favorite has to be when Blake says to Livia, “When you saw me, you saw me and then you smiled like I was anyone else on that platform.” I love it because it sums up what I think is so special about the characters. He wants to be seen as a person and she can’t stop herself from caring.
What would you say is the best part of your job? 
When I like what I wrote but don’t remember actually typing it. It feels like a gift. When the words flow like they were already supposed to be on the paper. 
What do you think people search for in a book?
Themselves. I think they relate to finding how they might react in certain situations. At least that's what I do and I really love to read.

Poughkeepsie
He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right? 
Giveaway Details:
1 Ebook copy of Poughkeepsie
Open Internationally
Ends 4/27/12
He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

Overall Thoughts:
I was captivated from the very first page! No lie.

Poughkeepsie begins with the lovely Livia McHugh going to school via the train station. Every morning at the train station, she smiles at a certain green-eyed stranger named Blake Hartt. Now even though Blake is a beautiful and kind man, he's also homeless, so most people don't even give him the time of day. When a group of mean boys start harassing him, Livia steps in to defend him, which is how the two officially meet, but she doesn't realize that Blake has counted every smile she's ever sent his way.

They start talking and Livia finds that she enjoys being friends with Blake way more than she likes being the girlfriend to her long-time boyfriend, Chris. Blake continues to secretly count her smiles as he introduces her to his family, which consists of his 2 foster brothers: Beckett, an intimidatingly large man with an evil job, past, and life but has a soft spot for his brothers, and Cole, who is the complete opposite of Beckett because he's a sincere, trust-worthy Christian man.

As Livia and Blake fall harder and harder for one another, things start spiraling out of control. She learns more about Blake's traumatic past that has left him with a lot of self-issues; Blake has trouble dealing with the fact that someone other than his brothers could actually love him; Cole is shocked to find himself infatuated with a fiery girl named Kyle, otherwise known as Livia's little sister; and Beckett's thrown off course when he gets the hots for a hard-core chick named Eve and finds out that his dangerous job puts them all in absolute danger.

What I liked about this book:
This book has so much action in it!!! The characters are all so colorful and have their own pasts and stories. It was interesting to see the many different personalities come together in this book.

Also, there was tons of romance! Hot, believable, passionate romance that would not allow me to look away for even a split second.

What I disliked about this book:
There wasn't really anything that I disliked about this book, but I will give you a warning: The romance got steamy at times... really steamy. I didn't mind this at all, but just so you know.

Verdict:
I was addicted. I was touched. I was completely floored.        

5 TARGETS!

Excerpt:

She heard him in her ear again. “You didn’t have to do that.”

When Livia turned, she had to tip her head back to see his face as she handed him his cardboard. He’s beautiful. 

The training she’d received from her father about being alone with a strange man tickled the edges of her brain, but she refused to acknowledge it.

“If they’d caused you pain, I’d never have been able to live with myself,” he said as he backed up a step.

“Watching you get attacked would have been more painful than taking a slug to the face,” Livia said. “You might want to find another place to sit. Those idiots could cook up a plan for revenge.”

Instead of being the friendly advice Livia intended, her words seem to slice into him.
Why is he in such pain?

“I can’t leave.” Green Eyes took a huge breath. “This is the only place where I get to see you."

He looked like a man who’d just bet his entire fortune and laid his cards on the table.
Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read!






Q: Have you ever bought a book BECAUSE of a bad review?

Yes and no. Yes, because when deciding on whether or not to buy a book I always read reviews on it first. I read good reviews and I also try to search for a few bad reviews as well. Why, you ask? Good question, young grasshopper. I like hearing the pros and cons on books because it helps me better decide if I want to read it myself. Lets say for instance, I was contemplating on whether or not I wanted to visit this new ice cream shop down the street, and I trained my ears to hear nothing but good things about the ice cream shop (Work with me, I have a point, I swear!). So I walk into the shop with a 12-watt smile on my face, ready for a good 'ole time. I taste the ice cream and... it tastes like my right foot! Not the left one, the right! So I walk away disappointed. Why was I disappointed? Because I tricked and bamboozled myself by only reading good reviews on it! 

And no, because I've never actually bought a book solely because I read a bad review on it. I don't think that'll ever happen actually... I don't... understand why anyone would... buy a book because... it looked bad... *Ends off awkwardly*
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.
Overall Thoughts:
I was so disappointed once I finished this book! I thought I was going to absolutely love it and I didn't... 

Fated is about 16 year old Daire Santos who is a Soul Seeker. For most of her life, Daire has known that she was different from everyone else. Not because she's only had one parent (Her mother, whom she calls "Jennika"), not because she's never really had a place to call home because her mom is a traveling Hollywood makeup artist, but because she sees things regular people don't. When it becomes too much, her mother sends her to live in Enchantment, New Mexico with her grandmother. At first Daire wonders how in the world her grandmother could possibly understand her when she's never even met the woman. In fact, the last time she was ever seen was at her son's (Daire's father, Django) funerall, before Daire was even born. 

Once there, Daire comes to realize that her grandmother, Paloma, is the only one who could ever truly understand what she's going through. And Daire finally meets the guy she's been dreaming about all of her life, literally. The dark-haired guy's name is Dace. And while Dace is the purest thing in the world, his twin brother, Cade, is the complete opposite... 

What I liked about this book:
Let me just say that I absolutely adore Alyson Noel, which is the main reason why I was so excited to read this book! I also think the cover is so enticing, and goes well with the story. That's about it. 

What I disliked about this book:
This book was so confusing, which was really annoying. Even after having read it, I still couldn't tell you what a Soul Seeker really is! You know how some books keep you in the dark for most of it, but they reveal everything at the end? There was no big reveal in this book! 

Also, the love interest between Daire and Dace wasn't authentic at all. I didn't know why they liked each other, other than the fact that they were like... pretty. But most of all, I was just disappointed. I was expecting this to be 5 stars easily. I couldn't really stay engaged because I didn't understand or believe it. 

Verdict:
It wasn't bad at all, I was just expecting it to be a lot better. I probably will read the next one, just out of curiousity and maybe it'll be better than this one.



3 TARGETS!
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