Blog Tour: Entice by Carrie Jones + Giveaway!

Entice by Carrie Jones 5 of 5 stars.

Have you been pixie kissed?

Zara and Nick were soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back--if they can figure out how to get there. Meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But even if Zara and her friends can find the way to Valhalla, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned pixie. . . she's Astley's queen. (Book blurb)

With Nick gone and creeper pixie king Frank's minions still on the loose, Bedford is awash in danger. Zara is still trying to come to terms with the fact that she is a pixie, the same as the creatures that tore her family apart, the thing her friends hate. But Astley is there beside her, helping her to find herself again, as well as to save Nick from Valhalla. But that proves much harder than anyone expected. Twist, turns, and dead ends in the quest leave behind a string of dead allies and despare in Zara's heart.

As new and old enemies crawl out of the woodwork will peace-loving Zara be able to defeat them and save her love while still dealing with the judgment of her friends and family? Especially since her heart is suddenly confused by the attraction she feels toward Astley, her king?

Entice is a heart-stopping, laugh-out-loud, swoony addition to an already addictive series. Carrie Jones has made me fall in love with the characters all over again in what is probably the most action-packed Need Series book so far! I adored Zara and Astley's adventures as they tried to find the way to Valhalla and dealt with their pasts at the same time. I didn't want to put it down for a second, but I didn't want it to end either!

The added depths to the characters has made me change my opinions about them entirely. I thought the last book was a shocker, but this one was about twice as surprising. I am now, officially, Team Astley. Which I never thought would happen. But it did. And I also have a great deal more respect for Zara. Despite everything, she wasn't willing to give up.

The writing, as always, was amazing. The was Carrie Jones can switch so easily between beautiful description, teenage angst, philosophical observations, and snarkiness cracks me up. I love it. Zara may have grown up, but her voice hasn't changed from book one.

Humor, romance, drama, and suspense are the basis for this spectacular series that I would truly suggest for anyone. If you love your paranormal fantasies original and your heroines hilarious, you will adore the Need Series.





To order Entice from Amazon.com, please click here.
Check out the Need Series facebook page!

Giveaway

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Enter to win a copy of Entice by Carrie Jones as well as some awesome Need Series bookmarks! Just fill out the form below

Giveaway ends January 10, 2010 at Midnight EST!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Advent! Day 24

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Let us all give thanks on this Christmas Eve night to the loving God who sent us His one and only son to be born as a man and suffer a horrible death so that we might have eternal life. Let us also praise the Son on His birthday for giving up his life for our sins.

Christmas Advent! Day 23

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

I've been racking my brain for the past week or so trying to figure out the name of a cute little Christmas movie. I finally figured it out. The movie is The Year without Santa Clause. Its an adorable ABC Christmas cartoon I'm sure you will all remember. They just don't make cartoons like that anymore. This is my favorite song from the movie. So turn up the volume and sing along!! 

Christmas Advent! Day 22

222Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Sorry I haven't been able to post the last couple of days due to this stupid cold and crazy last-minute holiday shopping. I think I am finally set for Christmas! (: Anyway, today I heard an old favorite and thought I would share it with you. Anybody else like The Beach Boys?

Christmas Advent! Day 19

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Christmas shopping. The time when you have to beat off the crazy old women grabbing and snatching at the toy store. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas day when you are afraid to leave your house for fear of being trampled by a stampede of holiday shoppers that could put Santa's most rowdy reindeer to shame.

Giving is great. But to be honest, I would rather undergo hours of terrible Medieval torture than step foot in the mall this time of year. Nevertheless, that's what I'll be doing tomorrow. Looking for presents while gathering around me a swarm of cold germs. Despite the fact that I still kinda-sorta have the sniffle disease. Great...

Now that I have sufficiently Bah Humbugged this post, here is a funny Christmas memory for us all...

Christmas Advent! Day 17

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Everyone's favorite...

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce 5 of 5 stars.

THE WOLF OPENED ITS LONG JAWS, 
ROWS OF TEETH STRETCHING FOR HER.
A THOUGHT LOCKED ITSELF IN 
SCARLETT'S MIND:
I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO FIGHT,
SO NOW I MUST KILL YOU.

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister, Rosie, from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and a blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt that her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Scarlett's only friend, Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax. But does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for? (Book blurb)

Scarlett is ready to sacrifice her life to put an end to the Fenris, to protect the young girls they prey on. She has always been ready. Ever since the day they stole her innocence, her grandmother, and threatened her sister. However, Rosie only fights because it is the only way she knows how to pay Scarlett back for saving her life years ago.

Only now neither one of them are so sure of their convictions. When they go to Atlanta in search of the monsters that have been gathering and slaughtering young women, everything changes. The Fenris are traveling with their packs under close supervision by their Alpha which makes hunting them anything but easy for Scarlett. And living in the close quarters of an apartment with long-time friend and neighbor Silas is anything but easy for Rosie who now has to cope with both her need to repay her sister and her feelings toward him which constantly remind her of her desire to have a normal life.

Dark secrets come to rear a nasty head and threaten not only their purpose, but the threads that hold the three of them together. Can the sisters put their differences of heart aside and work together one last time? Or will the Fenris destroy everything they love?

Sisters Red was the kind of horror story I love. The kind that occasionally have you screaming "Don't do that!" or "That's him, stupid!" but still leave you completely surprised and in love with the ending. The kind where the female characters are strong, but still able to hurt, to bleed. There is no invincibility but there isn't any weakness in the March sisters either.

My favorite parts of the story were the fights with the Fenris. I love a battle anytime, but please, keep your watered-down PG-13 crap away from me. And I always hate it when the MC's never get a scratch on them. Don't think me entirely morbid, but it just makes things so unrealistic. In Sisters Red, though, I couldn't just hear the bones of the Fenris crunching, but I could feel the characters' pain.

I met Jackson Pearce at the Decatur Book Festival, and I can now officially say that she is not just an awesome person but a remarkable writer as well. The plot rolled smoothly and the writing held the perfect amount of suspense. The characters were incredibly well written and full of all of the angst, love, and misgivings that make them "human".

I would suggest Sisters Red to anyone who likes their fairytales dark and their romance magical. It is a perfect book to sit down and read in one setting without any interruptions.

For fans of: Sarwat Chadda, Maggie Stiefvater

To order Sisters Red from Amazon.com, please click here.

Christmas Advent! Day 16

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

This has to be one of my all-time favorite versions of "The Little Drummer Boy". Enjoy!

Christmas Advent! Day 14 - Secret Santa (Movie)

Rebecca Chandler, the young reporter with a rocky love life is sent to a small town to uncover the mysterious man known as "Secret Santa". Every year he does something unbelievably generous for his neighbors. Of course, everyone has their theories about who Secret Santa is, but Rebecca had no idea it would be so difficult to find the truth.

Secret Santa is a wonderful holiday movie. Amazing actors, a unique and quite unpredictable story-line, and a lot of heart. While I can't say that it is one of my "favorite" holiday movies it is definitely worth watching.

Christmas Advent! Day 13 - Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage 5 of 5 stars.

When young Thomas Kinkade's mother Maryann isn't able to come up with the payments on their cottage, Thom realizes just how much the place means to him. In a desperate effort to come up with the money, Thom takes on a job painting a mural of the town and in the process learns more about himself and his painting than he could ever imagine.

Christmas Cottage is a simply beautiful movie, but what would you expect from something about Thomas Kinkade? I don't know much about the artist's life, but whether the story was accurate or not, it was eloquent and sweet.

Thomas's aging mentor, Glen, is played by the wonderful Peter O'Toole. His acting in the movie was amazing, his character's struggle against Alzheimer's bringing me close to tears several times throughout the movie.

Overall, I would suggest this movie to anyone. Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage is a tale of hope, determination, and more than anything else, love. It is sure to bring laughter and tears into your home on this holiday season.

To order Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage from Amazon.com, please click here.

Christmas Advent! Day 12

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

I was thinking today about "Christmases Past" and couldn't help but let my mind wander to a cute little Christmas site I used to spend hours on during the holiday season. And then after I outgrew it spent hours playing with my younger cousins. I hope you'll all check it out, either for yourself or any little ones you are around. There are cookie recipes, game, ecards, and more!

Check out Northpole.com!

Blog Tour: Threads and Flames - Esther Friesner Guest Post

In honor of the Threads and Flames blog tour, I am hosting a guest post by Esther Friesner! Enjoy, and please leave a comment for Esther!



"Feminism is a very important part of my life.  Unfortunately, like many sociopolitical movements, it’s become a question of whose definition of Feminism you support.  This leads to a dreadful quantity of CommitteeSpeak and finger-pointing, with too many people declaring “You can’t call yourself a Feminist because my way is the One True Feminism and anyone who says otherwise is obviously wrong,wrong, WRONG!  And probably a closet agent of the Evil Patriarchy.  And you stink.”  Then they take their toys and go home.
 
 It would be funny, but in the meanwhile, the energy and invective they’ve spent on trying to force everyone be on their team could have been used for—Oh, I don’t know, maybe changing a world where women still don’t get the same pay for the same work?  Or where some women can’t get an education without risking their lives?  Or where women get belabored into believing the message that being in any relationship, including an abusive one, is the only basis of their self-worth?
 
I believe Feminism is about giving women choices and the freedom to access those choices.  Those choices should also be our own choices, not the choices someone else tells us they should be, even if that someone else is also calling herself a Feminist.  A bully is a bully, even when s/he’s claiming to be on your side.
 
I was fortunate to have been raised in a family where Feminism (Well, Feminism as I understand the term) was practiced without being labeled as such.  My grandparents’ neighbors wanted to know why they were bothering to send their daughter to college along with their sons.  Wasn’t it a waste to give a girl a college education?  The neighbors were duly informed that my mother was at least as smart if not smarter than her brothers, so why shouldn’t she get a college education?  I do hope that shut them up.
 
Both of my parents were teachers in the New York City public school system for decades.  My father always shared the housework—he did all the laundry and all the vacuuming, to name just two chores.  When I asked him why, he said “Your mother has a full-time job.  It’s only fair.”  There was no nit-picking negotiation over how to divide domestic tasks; he just did it, without fuss, protest, or speechifying.
 
Because it was only fair.
 
 If we can make fairness an intrinsic part of Feminism, we’ll be on the right road.  And if we have to send the CommitteeSpeakers and the bullies packing in order to make room for it?  Bonus. " -Esther Friesner





Thank you so much, Esther! 

To read my review of Threads and Flames click here.

To order Threads and Flames from Amazon.com, please click here.

To check out all of the other awesome stops on the Threads and Flames blog tour click here.

Christmas Advent! Day 10

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Today, I've got a vlog by one of my all-time favorite people, Jackson Pearce. She's hilarious and brilliant and so is this video. Enjoy!

Blog Tour: Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner 5 of 5 stars.

Hardship,
Romance,
Hope.

It's 1910, and Raisa has just traveled alone from a small Polish shtetl all the way to New York City. It's overwhelming, awe-inspiring, and even dangerous, especially when she discovers that her sister has disappeared and she must now fend for herself. How do you survive in a foreign land without a job, a place to live, or a command of the native language?

Perseverance and the kindness of handsome young Gavrel leads Raisa to work in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sewing bodices on the popular shirtwaists. . . until 1911 dawns, and one March day a spark ignites in the factory. Fabric and thread and life catch fire. And the flames burn hot enough to change Raisa--and the entire city--forever. (Book blurb)

Raisa is a strong and determined young Jewish woman who is ready to leave the home and people she loves to go after her sister in The Golden Land. After fighting down a sickness that left her with ridiculously short hair and an even stronger view on what she is capable of she finally has enough money to go.

On the way to this strange new world, Raisa is left caring for a little girl whose mother died on the voyage. When Raisa finds herself alone in New York City with no way of finding her sister and little to no skills at a sewing machine all she can think about is how she will be able to support them both. But Raisa's strength, courage, and determination save her time and again as she tries to create a stable life for herself and little Brina while still looking for her sister.

However, nothing could have prepared her for what was to come. . .

Threads and Flames is a beautiful and gripping tale of hope, love, and persistence. Esther Friesner's beautiful storytelling and character creation bring life to a tragic event in our countries history. She gives us a solid way to connect and sympathize with the helpless victims of the Triangle Factory Fire.

Esther Friesner has been one of my favorite historical fiction writers for years. She brings solid realism to stories shrouded in the dust of time, and brings a fantastical air to the simplest of things. Normally, reading a story about a girl going on a voyage and trying to find her way in a new place would be interesting to me, but ultimately rather boring. Threads and Flames wasn't like that. I hung on the author's every word as I followed Raisa through the story. Her personality and voice kept me interested the whole time. The story's other characters where just as amazing. From spunky, little Brina to the hilariously adorable Gavrel there wasn't a dull moment in the whole story.

The novel brought me both laughter and tears, but most importantly, it left me feeling good after reading it. There aren't many good books that leave you satisfied, without wishing there was something more. This one did, though I do wish there could be a movie based on this book. I know it would be gorgeous.

Whether you like realistic fiction, historical fiction, or pretty much anything else if you can appreciate strong characters and beautiful storytelling you will adore this novel! I highly suggest it to everyone.

To order Threads and Flames from Amazon.com, please click here.

Check out the rest of the stops on the Threads and Flames blog tour by clicking here.

Christmas Advent! Day 9

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. Today my creativity is running dry so I searched youtube for some cute Christmas slide shows, and I love this one! The music is some of my favorite as well. Enjoy!

Christmas Advent! Day 8

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit.

Christmas trees! Gah! Every year I think how much I want one, how the aggravation is worth it. And every year I end up realizing what an idiot I am. Especially this year. I suggested a live Christmas tree because we haven't had one in years. I didn't remember all the sticky, icky, irritating mess that went along with it. Now, the trees is up, the lights are on, and we keep having trouble with our decorations. Its back to the store tomorrow to look for different color ribbon.

How are your Christmas trees going?

Christmas Advent! Day 7

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. Today I found a really beautiful video of one of my favorite Christmas songs, "What Child is This?" So, enjoy and let's not forget the reason for the season!

Christmas Advent! Day 6

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to "elf" people! It is sooo much fun!! If you haven't heard of the Elf Yourself thing put out by OfficeMax then you have DEFINITELY been missing out. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Click here to Elf Yourself!

Christmas Advent! Day 5

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. In honor of my Christmas special, I'm going to share my sorrows with you today. Usually by about this time (actually, way sooner!) Hallmark has been playing marathons of my FAVORITE movie series The Love Saga based on the books by Janet Oak (all of which are wonderful as well, you should definitely check them out!), but so far either I have missed them or they haven't played them. So, here's the trailer for the first movie Love Comes Softly, it is absolutely wonderful and the one that is most like the book in my opinion. It also happens to be the movie that made me begin READING the books. Enjoy!

In My Mailbox!

Yes, In My Mailbox is a meme started by the Story Siren! <--- Check it out!

This week I didn't get much in the mail. Heaven knows I don't need to get much in the mail as far as books go, but I couldn't help doing a little happy dance when this came in! 




That's right! Its the third in the Need Series by Carrie Jones!! I can't wait to read it. Entice will be released in hardcover by BloomsburyUSA on December 14th. Sounds like a pretty awesome Christmas gift to me!

"Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out.
 

For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?
 

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned. She's Astley's queen." -Goodreads.com

Thanks Bloomsbury for the review copy!

To pre-order your copy from Amazon.com, please click here.

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This blog is an Amazon Associates Affiliate. When you buy an item from Amazon.com after following one of our links to the site, we gain a small commission. However, this does NOT effect our opinion of the books. Thank you.
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Christmas Advent! Day 4

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. In honor of the decorations going on in my own home I'm giving you some "Deck the Halls" music!

Christmas Advent! Day 3

Every day in December leading up to Christmas, I'm going to be posting a cool little something to get us in the holiday spirit. For today I have a clip from one of my favorite Christmas movies, The Ultimate Christmas Present! Enjoy!

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

Wildwing by Emily Whitman 5 of 5 stars.

Addy knows there's so much more to life than what she has. She must be destined for more than being a maid to an eccentric elderly man. And so when she finds a mysterious contraption in the gentleman's study, of course she steps inside. Of course she bumps into the wrong button. Suddenly Addy is in medieval England, mistaken for the young woman betrothed to the lord of the nearby manor. It's destiny. But is it home? And will she ever find her way back to her own time? Will she want to, once she's met the shy, handsome falconer's apprentice? (Book blurb)

Addy is tired of being ridiculed, tired of listening to the other girls calling her a bastard for a mistake her mother made years ago. More than anything she is tired of swallowing her pride and apologizing for losing her temper when it was never her fault to begin with. When her mother takes her out of school and forces her to get started working as a maid for a "crazy" old man who has been grieving for the last sixteen years, it is that same quick wit and daring behavior that saves her time and again.

Working for Mr. Greenwood is better than Addy could have ever expected. She has easy hours, good company, and a library full of books. But something is missing. When after stumbling across one of Crazy Mr. Greenwood's "inventions" and taking a walk in the past, Addy's mother decides its time to send her away as a live-in.  The thought is almost too much to bear, but when Addy decided to go back in time to medieval England in hope of living a better life she didn't quite know what she was getting herself into.

Wildwing is a coming-of-age story full of love and hardship, joy and grief. Emily Whitman's writing flies off the page drawing us all into both Victorian times as well as the Middle Ages. The story follows a young girl hoping to break away from a life without the bonds of servitude and submission but soon finds herself becoming much more entangled in far heavier chains.

Addy was one of those characters I couldn't decide whether to love or hate. In the beginning she seemed like a fiery young woman who was tired of being put down by girls who thought she was better than them. Shortly after, all I saw in her was greed and selfishness. But I guess that's what made the book so satisfying in the end. I got to watch her grow and be shaped by the things happening around her.

The plot is well shaped with equal parts predictability and surprise. The smaller side characters in the story were probably my favorites. And the romance between Addy and Will was adorable. In the end I found myself close to tears.

The story was well-written for the most part, though some places in the book were better than others. My favorite scenes though (as far as writing goes) where the ones where Addy was hawking. Emily Whitman described it beautifully, and I truly wish I could see it myself.

Overall, Wildwing was an enjoyable read, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter day. I've seen plenty of not-so-great reviews on this book, so I suggest you check a few more out before deciding whether you want to read it or not. But if you like medieval/Victorian fairytale-type stories I think you would like it just as much as I did.

Many thanks to HarperTEEN for sending me a copy to review!

To order Wildwing from Amazon.com, please click here.

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This blog is an Amazon Associates Affiliate. When you buy an item from Amazon.com after following one of our links to the site, we gain a small commission. However, this does NOT effect our opinion of the books. Thank you.
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Christmas Advent! Day 2

Good morning, everyone! Do you remember I told you that I had something cool planned for December? Well, I completely forgot yesterday. So, starting today everyday up until Christmas I'm going to have an "advent" post. What I'll do is post cool little Christmas stuff like videos, songs, movie reviews, etc.

For today I've got one of the cutest holiday songs ever!

Prisoners in the Palace Giveaway Winner!!

 

How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel.

London, 1836. Seventeen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in a tragic accident. Alone and penniless, she accepts the positions of lady's maid to the young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servants' world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the opportunity to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future Queen? (Book Blurb)

The winner of this absolutely gorgeous book is... Nevey from La Vanity Victorienne! Congratulations!

The book will be sent out by Chronicle Books in honor of their Prisoners in the Palace blog tour.

For those of you who didn't win, you can still buy the book from Amazon.com by clicking here.

Thank you to all those who entered!


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This blog is an Amazon Associates Affiliate. When you buy an item from Amazon.com after following one of our links to the site, we gain a small commission. However, this does NOT effect our opinion of the books. Thank you.
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