Saturday, December 31, 2016

BIG New Year's Eve Book Blog (2016 Round-up)

If there were a book theme to 2016, it would be the year of Fantasy. This year I discovered and fell in love with so many fantasy books that it's dominated my TBR shelf, my what I'm reading posts, and my life.  I read so many books this year that it was hard to narrow it down to my "top" favorites.

My Top 15 Favorite Books of 2016:
Note: Not all of these books have released as of post date

15. Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper
This book was one of my favorite indie books of the year. I'd picked it up free on my Kindle and fell in love with the story from the first page. The author gives a really unique spin on reincarnation and soul mates. 











14. Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young
I'd read about this book from a book blogger and decided to pick it up earlier this year. This spooky book about a hotel where you can stay for the night... or forever was an amazing read! 

Now I just want to pick up a paperback copy with the new cover and title "Hotel for the Lost."











13. Grace by Leanne Rathbone
For a debut book by a new author, this book completely blew me away. You wouldn't believe this was Leanne's first published novel. I just hope she continues the series. Fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen Series and Wendy Higgins's Sweet Series will love this book where good and bad flips.












12. Under the Lights by Abbi Glines
This might be one of my favorite Abbi Glines novels ever! This one just really spoke to me and I loved everything about it.















11. The House by Christina Lauren
I just have one thing to say to you: The house is ALIVE! This book was my creepy obsession at the beginning of 2016!















10. Awaken by Skye Malone
I fell in love with Skye Malone's books over the summer, so this really encompasses her whole Awakened Fate Series. Skye is now one of my go-to authors. 














9. The Obsession by Nora Roberts
This is my favorite Nora Roberts book since Carolina Moon.
















8. The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
This book was really unique, from the way the story was told to the story itself. I won't say anything more... just check this book out when it comes out in March!














7. And The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich
I didn't like The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich but this book was AMAZING! Just wow, it kept me up all night finishing it! 













6. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
I hadn't read the first 4 books in this series but this one was amazing! Just the fact that I could jump in at book five and understand what was going on is a credit to the author.














5. RoseBlood by AG Howard
This was an amazing retelling of the Phantom of the Opera. This is a book you should definitely check out in January!















4. Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
This book was one of my favorite fantasy reads of 2016! Already I'm dying to read the next book in the series!















3. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee
I wasn't sure I would like this book but it was fantastic. It truly is like a futuristic Gossip Girl and the Tower and all of the futuristic gadgets were so inventive. 












2. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
*Sighs* RHYSAND. Enough said. I loved this even more than ACOTAR and I can't wait for A Court of Wings and Ruin to come out in May!















1. The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Wendy Higgins's first attempt at High Fantasy was perfect. There wasn't a thing about it I didn't love and I can't wait for The Great Pursuit to come out to see how everything will end. 















Authors I Discovered and Love in 2016:
Christina Lauren (Co-Authors [Christina Lauren is the pen name of two female authors] of The House)
Suzanne Young (Author of Hotel Ruby)
Sarah J. Maas (Author of the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series)
AG Howard (Author of the Splintered Series, RoseBlood, and The Architect of Song)
Skye Malone (Author of The Awakened Fate Series)
Katharine McGee (Author of The Thousandth Floor)
Erin Summerill (Author of Ever the Hunted)
Amanda Hocking (Author of Freeks)
Anna Banks (Author of Nemesis)
D. Kelly (Author of Just An Illusion - Side A)
Zoey Derrick (Author of the 69 Bottles Series)
Sabrina Ramoth (Author of Curse of the Bruel Coven)
Karen Amanda Hooper (Author of the Kindrily Series)
Brynn Chapman (Author of The Requiem Red)
Leanne Rathbone (Author of Grace)
Jamie Shaw (Author of the Mayhem Series)
Sandra Brown (Author of many books including Low Pressure)
Rin Chupeco (Author of The Bone Witch)

That's it for 2016! I read a ton of amazing books in 2016, and it was so hard to narrow it down to just my top 15 favorites. What were some of your favorite books that you read in 2016? Did one of my novels make the list? Let me know in the comments!

Happy New Year! See you in 2017!

Friday, December 30, 2016

My Writing, Bookish, and Publishing Goals for 2017

2016 was a seriously busy year for me. I published the first two books in the Eternals Trilogy, wrote book 3 of the Eternals Trilogy, a novelette to go with the Eternals Trilogy, and a standalone YA High Fantasy novel - not to mention turning this blog into a full-fledged book blog where I blog 2-3 times a week, reading at least 74 books - including quite a few ARCs, and getting into #bookstagram on Instagram. 

With the exhaustion of this past year behind me and no sign of slowing down, what do I have in store for 2017?

Publishing:

1.) Publish Through the Fog (Eternals Trilogy  #3) and Eternal Fire (An Eternals Trilogy Novelette) 
I finished writing Through the Fog and Eternal Fire over the summer and I'm preparing to get the publishing process for both started after the first of the year. I'm planning - if all goes according to plan - to publish Through the Fog and Eternal Fire together either at the end of June or beginning of July 2017!

2.) Figure out which course of publishing I want to pursue for my YA High Fantasy novel and begin the process.
I haven't decided whether I want to try to submit this book to a traditional or small press, seek out a literary agent to help me find a publisher, or self-publish this project. Ideally, I really believe this could be the book that changes everything for my writing career and I want it to find a broad audience so I haven't decided which route would be best yet. After the first of the year, I'm planning to sit down, make a few pro/con lists and see what happens from there. Either way, you probably won't see this book available until at least early 2018. 

Writing:

3. Pick A Writing Project (or a couple) and See What I Accomplish in the next 12 months.
I'm not sure which writing project idea to pursue next, but I'm going to look over the ideas I have and see what I feel like working on. I'd like to write at least 2 full-length novels in 2017.
Possible projects:
-A collection of short stories that occur in the Eternals Trilogy world pre-Out of Darkness.
-A classic novel retelling with an unusual twist.
-A vampire romance set in Green Bay, Wisconsin in the 1960s.
- An upper YA paranormal romance set in Nashville. 

4. Participate in NaNoWriMo 2017 and actually attend some of the write-ins.
This year's NaNoWriMo was a huge success for me and I can't wait to see what I come up with next November! I couldn't make it to any of the write-ins for my region due to my schedule and the weather but I'm hoping next year I'll be able to attend a few! 

Bookish:

5. Read at least 30 books in 2017.
I like to set the bar low so I can exceed my goal. 30 books is an easily doable goal. 

6. Expand my blog viewership/subscribers/readership to 2,500 to 3,000 views per month.
Right now between 1,500 to 2,000 of you amazing readers view my blog every month. I am beyond grateful to everyone that stops by! Let's keep growing in 2017!

7. Take better #bookstagram photos and gain more followers.
I've just really gotten into the #bookstagram community on Instagram the past few months and I'd love to try out some new props and see what shots I can come up with in 2017. I've met some amazing people that inspire me every day through the community! 



Thursday, December 29, 2016

"Book Mail" Thursday #8

I broke my no-buying-new-books rule already and splurged on a few discounted ebooks and I have a couple new books to read this "Book Mail" Thursday thanks to Christmas last weekend...

Paper Princess by Erin Watt and The Architect of Song by AG Howard
Despite being a tight year for my grandmother and I this Christmas I got two of the books from my Christmas wishlist this year! I love AG Howard and I can't wait to read The Architect of Song and Paper Princess sounds really great too! 

eBook Splurges:
Want to know one of my favorite things about holidays? Authors and Publishers sometimes put discounts on their books. These are some eBooks that I got on HUGE discount this past week because of the Christmas holiday!
Intercepted by J.Q. Anderson 
Discount: 100% off on Christmas Day - FREE!

Unknown by Wendy Higgins
Discount: On Sale Christmas Week for $1.99!

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Discount: On Sale 12/27/2016 for $1.99!

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Discount: On Sale 12/27/2016 for $1.99!

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Discount: On Sale 12/27/2016 for $1.99

Books I Want to Splurge on In the Future:
As a book addict, I'm always thinking about my next book purchase. These are two I want to get in the next couple months...

Ever the Hunted (physical copy, I had an eARC) by Erin Summerill

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Signed Copy)

***
What books did you get for Christmas? Have you indulged in any holiday eBook sales? 

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #55

The end of 2016 is just around the corner and I'm finishing the year off right with an old favorite. I did try one other book this week so I'll touch a little on both this "WIR"-Wednesday...

The One (Selection Series #3) by Kiera Cass
Blurb:
Entering the Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she arrived at the palace, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen—and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think of it so far:
Well, honestly The One became a DNF. I had it sitting on my shelf since August because if you remember, I loved The Selection so I ran out to buy books two and three right away. Halfway through The Elite (Book 2), I stopped liking either the storyline or the series as a whole. A lot of it had to do with Maxon. The character started acting in a way that I just didn't like. Even so, I had The One still sitting on my TBR shelf and I thought since it was a fairly short book I'd breeze through it so I could get to the reread book I usually read around New Year's Eve. I got about four chapters in and I just couldn't continue. I just felt so bad for America. I skimmed through the rest of the book and I know the major plot point things that happen in this book but I just didn't have any interest in finishing the book. I know a lot of people loved the series, but it just didn't sit well with me after the halfway point of book 2.

Now I'm on to my New Year's reread book...

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Blurb:
Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn't as simple as it seems. She also understands that "normal" doesn't mix with magic, and she's worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect her family, who are all practicing witches, but to protect any hope of ever having a normal life herself.
   Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that: good old ordinary, uneventful hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren't alone. There's someone else in the house with them--and it's not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.
   It's a ghost, and it's more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.
   This is the summer when the wall between Amy's worlds is going to come crashing down.

Why I Chose This Book / Previous Review:
The first time I read this book was around New Year's Eve, so every year I've made it a tradition to reread it again around New Year's Eve. I love Rosemary Clement-Moore as an author and Texas Gothic is my favorite book by her.

Review from last year:

Amy Goodnight always tries to project that she is the normal one in her family of witches. She and her sister Phin are spending the summer at their Aunt's ranch while she is away on vacation. 
Things start going awry when someone discovers a set of remains on the neighbor's land and Amy's sister wants to try out her new invention the "Kirlianometer"* (I can't remember the exact name) and Amy finds herself bound to a ghost that seems to want to freeze her to death. To make matters worse Amy can never seem to act normal around her sexy but grumpy neighbor Ben. 
I love this book (I know I've said that already); as usual Rosemary Clement-Moore has the ability of making witty, hilarious, relatable characters. 

This book is for teens and anyone that loves a good story. I've read this book at least 5 or 6 times and I keep coming back. If you're a fan of Rosemary Clement-Moore and if you like her Maggie Quinn series or the Splendor Falls, then you will enjoy this book! Haven't read anything by this author before? Give her a try! She's wonderful and her writing style is sort of similar to Meg Cabot, plus her writing is full of humor.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Book Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
Series: Clash of the Kingdoms, Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: December 27, 2016
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, a legendary bounty hunter—that is, until her father is murdered. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen Mackay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart.  
     She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a force to be reckoned with.

My Review:
When seventeen-year-old Britta Flannery is caught poaching on the king's land and hauled in by the king's guards a deal is offered to her by the High Lord, Jamis: she will escape the noose and be able to hold onto her home in exchange for helping the king's guard track and capture the man that killed her father. 

The catch? According to the king's guard and the high lord, Britta's father's killer is none other than Cohen Mackay - her father's apprentice and the boy she loves. Britta is beside herself. It cannot be true and yet the evidence and the innate way Britta has always been able to tell when someone is telling the truth or a lie says that it is true. Cohen is the killer. 

She agrees to go along with three of the king's guards - the harsh but fair Captain Omar, the friendly mammoth of a man Leif, and the lewd, nasty Tomas. Tracking Cohen turns out to be an easy task - almost too easy. Could he know that Britta would come after him and be leaving her bread crumbs? 

When Britta does finally catch up to Cohen everything changes. It's immediately apparent to Britta that Cohen has been set up. As she and Cohen band together and cross the border into the country of Shaerdan - Malam's enemy whom they are on the brink of war with - to search for a woman named Enat they soon learn that not everything is as it appears. 

Who is Enat? What secrets does she hold about Britta's parents and even Britta herself? Will Cohen and Britta find out who the real murderer is? Or will Cohen be executed for a crime he did not commit? 

I loved Ever the Hunted. I haven't been this in love with a fantasy novel since finishing Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury. Fans of SJM and other fantasy authors/novels will gobble this up, unable to put it down until the last cliffhanging page. 

I thought the pacing was good, keeping me wanting to see what was going to happen next and the writing and storyline were perfect. I loved the romantic tension between Cohen and Britta as Britta tried to unravel the reasons Cohen left  so abruptly, whether she can trust him, and if they could possibly have a future. 

I did find a few things predictable, like Enat's relationship to Britta's family and Lord Jamis's secret, but overall the book was filled with enough action that those things were easily overlooked. 

The ending leads me to think a potential love triangle is brewing in the world of Britta and Cohen and I'm eager to see if the impending war can be stopped and who Britta's father's murder's accomplice is which leaves me eager to read book two. 

Overall, I think this book is amazing and I loved disappearing into Britta's world.

My Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Ever the Hunted is available today from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Grab your copy today!

Friday, December 23, 2016

Book Review: The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend’s death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: nothing matters. At least, that’s what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad―an undercover cop. She transfers to public school in the Downs, where fistfights in the halls don’t faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him…and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

My Review:
After seventeen-year-old Frankie Devereux's boyfriend Noah is beaten to death outside a club, Frankie's life spirals out of control. Earning a DUI after getting wasted at Noah's lacrosse coach's memorial for Noah, Frankie's socialite mother and stepfather and her undercover cop father decide it is for the best if Frankie goes to live with her father in the Downs.

The Downs are a completely different world than the upscale neighborhood Frankie grew up in but she plans to stay under the radar - go to school then her community service and come home. She doesn't want to let anyone in, not even her best friends Lex and Abel. All she wants is to fill in the gaps in her memory and remember who killed Noah.

On Frankie's first day at her new public high school, she spies sexy, confident Marco. Their chemistry is instantaneous and soon Frankie is wrapped up in Marco's world and making a new friend in Cruz, a tough street racer who Frankie bonds with. But not everything in Marco's life is pleasant - and Marco's dangerous hidden life may destroy the little bit of stability Frankie is gaining in her life and put her in the crosshairs of a psychotic killer.

Will Frankie and Marco's love be enough to overcome it all? Do a cop's daughter and a bad boy really have any chance at a future?

I really liked The Lovely Reckless, it's sexy and addicting. It's a really fast-paced, light, easy read and I devoured the whole book in about 24 hours.

Marco is a swoon-worthy book boyfriend that readers will love and Frankie's journey from a broken girl to a girl getting a handle on who she is and what she wants is truly beautiful. The storyline is thrilling and packed with enough obstacles and drama for Marco and Frankie that a reader will want to keep reading and the secondary characters compliment the main characters well.

A few minor things irked me about The Lovely Reckless, just a couple grammatical issues that an editor should have caught and a question about a character - who is Ava? She pops up toward the end as Cruz's sister but the only one of Cruz's sisters named toward the beginning of the book is Teresa. Also, I'm a little unconvinced that after so short a time it was really "love" between Marco and Frankie. To me, it felt more like lust until the ending.

Overall, I did really like the book; it reminded me of a cross between Katie McGarry's Crash Into You and Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry.

My Rating:
4 of 5 Stars

Thursday, December 22, 2016

"Book Mail" Thursday #7

Christmas came early and I got book mail on Tuesday! 

Just An Illusion - Side A by D. Kelly

As I mentioned last week, I won a signed paperback copy of Just An Illusion - Side A by D. Kelly through a Facebook giveaway and I was excited to get it in Tuesday's mail. The print copy is even more gorgeous than I thought it would be. I loved Just An Illusion - Side A and I can't wait for the B-Side to come out later this winter! 

Waiting On:
I broke down and ordered the Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition of RoseBlood (because when you preorder RoseBlood you can get a free Thorn postcard signed by AG Howard! More details here)

And I also added three books to my Apollycon 2017 Virtual Signing order...
The Affiliate by K.A. Linde

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (US Cover)

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Do you want to get signed copies of books by some of your favorite authors? Shop the Apollycon 2017 Virtual Signing! More info can be found here.

Neither of the orders I've mentioned will come to me until after the new year (April for the Apollycon order to be exact) so it might be a little while before you see another Book Mail Thursday post from me! 

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #54

I breezed my way through The Lovely Reckless and started an ARC I have to finish by January 3rd. This week I'm reading...

Freeks by Amanda Hocking
Blurb:
Mara has become used to the extraordinary. Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future.

She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry, and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe. But before long, Mara realizes there’s a dark presence lurking in the town that’s threatening the lives of her friends. She has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she had in order to save everyone she cares about―and change the future forever.

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think So Far:
Freeks is one of my most anticipated reads of Winter 2017 and I've been dying to get into it. I got the ARC from a blogger friend of mine and my fingers have been itching to read it. Since the book isn't released yet and this isn't my official review, I won't give away any of the details but I can tell you that I am really enjoying Freeks so far. 

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

COVER REVEAL & TEASER TUESDAY: DARK GODDESS BY AMALIE HOWARD

I am honored to reveal the cover of DARK GODDESS by Amalie Howard, the second book in the Alpha Goddess Series. Isn't it stunning...


Hardcover, 384 pages
Expected publication: July 4th, 2017 
by Sky Pony Press

After an epic struggle that unseated the Asura Lord of Death and placed Serjana Caelum’s best friend, Kyle, on his throne, the Mortal Realm is peaceful and the balance between good and evil—which Sera is sworn to protect—has been restored.

But signs of a new threat to the world of men quickly begin to appear: A scourge of demons descends on the Mortal Realm, and Sera is beside herself trying to locate their source. She sends word to the gods for help, and their answer comes in the form of Kira, the living incarnation of Kali, goddess of destruction.

Stunning and dangerous, Kira plans to protect the heavens at all cost, even if it means destroying the entire Mortal Realm. Soon Sera and Kyle find themselves fighting not just the demon plague, but Kira and her twin. But when an even more sinister threat arises—putting not just the human world but all planes of existence in jeopardy—they must all learn to work together or lose everything they sacrificed so much to save.



     Without a backward glance, she closed her eyes and jumped into the midst of the blue-black pool, the sticky fluid sucking her body down to its depths like some kind of ravenous beast. As it devoured her, Sera’s mind emptied of all thought…and of all memory as she plummeted into the space where love would be nothing but weakness. She’d learned that the hard way. She stripped away all emotion, all empathy.
     It was time to become the monster.


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BOOK ONE IN THE SERIES: ALPHA GODDESS



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AMALIE HOWARD grew up in Trinidad & Tobago where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees, and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks, and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published by the University of Warwick press. At fifteen, she was  a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed dual Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for her research contribution to Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a postgraduate certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale SupĂ©rieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, account executive, and global channel sales director for a Fortune 500 company.

She is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, SLJ, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national silver IPPY medalist and a silver Moonbeam award winner. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.

Find Amalie Howard: WebsiteTwitterFacebook † Instagram






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