Book Review: Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3) by Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Dreams of Gods & Monsters is the third and final book in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor. This book was very much like the last book with its similar situations and additions of unnecessary characters. These last two books could have easily been condensed into one book, and would probably have been more satisfying. There were hints at another mystery subplot through the story, but it doesn't come completely out in the open until the very end, and by that time, I was just ready for it to be over. I hate to say that. I really do. I did enjoy the deception that took place in the last book through this book. I feel this loyalty to Karou and Akiva, but I wasn't able to enjoy them much at all within this last book. All the other different characters and happenings swallowed them up. I missed the Akiva and Karou of book one. I enjoyed Zusana and Mik tremendously. We all need a Zusana in our lives. Also, Ziri and Liraz were interesting. I would love to know what happens in their future. All in all, this book seemed to drag quite a bit, and I didn't feel like all my "Why?" questions were answered or maybe they too were swallowed up.

Check out my reviews of other the books in this trilogy!

Hi there! I'm a writer of fantasy books for young people, but my books can be enjoyed by adults as well. My 'Dreamdark' books, Blackbringer (2007) and Silksinger (2009) are about faeries -- not dainty little flowery things, but warrior-faeries who battle devils. My first young adult book, Lips Touch, is a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award! It's creepy, sensual supernatural romance. . . about kissing. I am also an artist with a licensed gift product line called "Laini's Ladies."

To learn more about Laini Taylor and her books, visit her blog.You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

Tour! A Review of Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny

Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny
Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: November 18, 2014
Publisher: Swoon Romance

Popular party girl and high school senior Jessica Scott has a secret: she used to be a nerd — a big one; a goody two-shoes, grade-skipping, all-state spelling bee champ. But she lost the braces, put on some contacts, and applied all her academic genius to studying and imitating the social elite. Now she rules the school from the upper echelon of the high school realm. With her cool new friends and hottest-guy-in-school boyfriend, life’s a beach — and that’s where she’s headed for Spring Break. That is, until her teacher breaks the bad news that she’s failing Biology — and her only chance to make up the grade is to throw away the culminating trip of her hard-earned popularity and join the Conservation Club in Panama to save the Golden Frog.

Unable to let go of her faded college dreams, Jess finds herself in a foreign country with a new social crew, and one handsome face that stands out as a blast from the past, threatening to ruin her queen bee reputation. Travis Henley may have grown up, but he still likes to play childish games and as payment for retrieving Jess’ lost ring from the bottom of a jungle pool, he wants three dates. While Jess does battle with spiders, snakes, wildfires and smart mean girls, she desperately tries to hang on to the last vestiges of her popular existence like the Golden Frog from its webbed toe. But as she starts to care about something more than tanning and texting – a species on the verge of disappearing forever – she may realize the worth of her inner nerd, and the one frog in particular that could be her prince in disguise.

Set in the lush and tropical El Valle de Anton, this modern fairytale re-imagining of “The Frog Prince” is toe-curling contemporary romance with an environmentalist heartbeat, in the tradition of Stephanie Perkins.

Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny was a cute story about finding yourself (or rather re-finding yourself) and friendship. Jessica had been teased by Travis and others in her younger dorkier days, and she's carried it with her, and pretty much let it rule who she is. Now, she's the popular girl and she's thrown back with Travis again. Aside from the mean girls, I liked  the people Jessica traveled with to Panama quite a bit. This is a trip I would have loved to do in high school. Harp and Juan were just plain cute. Relationships and friendships weren't the only issues in this book though. So, many animals are at risk of extinction. This book brings our attention to some of them.

Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny was kindly provided to me by YA Bound for review. The opinions are my own.

Alisha Sevigny holds a degree in Sociology and Professional Writing from the University of Victoria, is a film school graduate, former literary agent and current Social Media and Communications Director for an award-winning English school. A shameless romantic, Alisha and her husband have travelled the world together. On a recent trip to Panama with their new daughter, Alisha fell in love with the country, culture, and their national emblem, the Golden Frog. She was inspired to write her first Young Adult novel, Kissing Frogs. Born and raised in Kitimat, British Columbia, Alisha has always had a strong connection to the environment and conservationist spirit. She now lives in Toronto with her family.

To learn more about Alisha Sevigny and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Tour! A Review of A Very Grey Christmas by T.A. Foster

A Very Grey Chrsitmas (Kissing Eden #3) by T.A. Foster

Genre: New Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: November 20, 2014
Publisher: Self

I was getting ready to spend the single most important holiday of the year alone. Completely and utterly alone.

That meant he wouldn’t be there Christmas Eve. No making Christmas cookies, or listening to my dad sing off-key while my mom bustled around wrapping last-minute gifts. No decorating the tree. No midnight Christmas kiss.

No waking up in Grey’s arms. We were actually going to spend our very first Christmas in different states.

That was until Grey gave me the most unexpected gift of my life.

A Very Grey Christmas is the third book in the Kissing Eden series by T.A. Foster. This was a short and sweet little story about Grey and Eden's first Christmas. It looks like they'll have to spend it apart. Grey has so much he needs to get done, and Eden has never missed a Christmas with her parents. This is a great read for the holiday season. A Very Grey Christmas is a novella that works as the perfect epilogue to Eden and Grey's story. If you're a fan of these two, then you must read this book.

The ARC of A Very Grey Christmas by T.A. Foster was kindly provided to me by Inkslinger PR for review. The opinions are my own.

Take a peak at the previous books in this series!

Check out my reviews of more books by T.A. Foster!

T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children and two canine kiddos.

Her long love affair with books started at an early age, and as soon as she was able, she transformed imaginative stories into words on paper. Time Spell is T.A.’s debut novel, and the first in a series about a very adventurous, clever, and magical girl named Ivy.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip.

To learn more about T.A. Foster and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

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Book Review: The Harder I Fall by Jessica Gibson

The Harder I Fall (The Harder I Fall #1) by Jessica Gibson
Genre: New Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 22, 2014
Publisher: Self

Becca Langer was not a normal girl, she didn't have normal girl problems. For most of her life, she’s had to take care of herself, her younger brother Chad, and her drunk mother. She’s lived under the shadow of what her father did when she was ten years old. Forever branded by his actions.

College was her escape, she could get away and finally live. Her dream was to make it in the New York Ballet Company one day. That for her meant a long road full of hard work and dedication. She didn't have time for distractions, and Levi Klein was definitely a distraction.

Will Levi be able to crack through her tough exterior and really see the wounded soul underneath? Becca needs to be loved, but the question is, will she let Levi love her?

The Harder I Fall is the first book in The Harder I Fall/Falling Fast series by Jessica Gibson. Becca has had a rough life. She doesn't know how to truly love someone, aside from her brother. Her parents, the people who are supposed to love her most.. don't. She's seen some truly horrific things, so to say she has baggage is an understatement. With that being said, she seems to let people in pretty quick once she gets to college. Too quick to be believable in my opinion. The reasons behind the break up didn't really make sense to me either. Then, Levi's behavior after the breakup was a little much too. I sure wouldn't have taken him back. The story kept my attention and was entertaining, but I needed a little more something to make it feel real.

The Harder I Fall by Jessica Gibson was kindly provided to me by Mark My Words Publicity for review. The opinions are my own.

Jessica Gibson is a recovering bookaholic, she's down from four books a week to a more reasonable one. It was that love of words and creativity that made her dream about writing her first book. That dream was hidden for years, always put on the back burner, filed away in the "someday" section, until her husband Matt gave her the kick in the pants she needed to actually get off her butt and write.

Jessica and Matt live in Southern California and have a serious addiction to reality tv shows like Pawn Stars and American Restoration. They have one son and hope to add to the family in the near future.

Aside from writing, she runs an online event planning business called the Release Day Diva. In addition to novels, Jessica writes and maintains the blog Book on the Bright Side. Keep up with Jessica and her latest releases and events on her blog.

To learn more about Jessica Gibson and her books, visit her blog.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

Book Blast!! Nellie by Cynthia Woolf

 Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco #1) by Cynthia Woolf
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction/ Romance)
Date Published: November 9, 2014
Publisher: Self

Nellie Wallace is a young widow with two children. In post civil-war New York, the men are scarce and none want the burden of a wife with children. Her dead husband's family is wealthy, and cruel. Desperate to escape their influence, and eager for a home, a husband, and a stable life for her children, Nellie decides to make a new life in San Francisco as a mail order bride.

Saloon owner Blake Malone is a bachelor and likes it that way. He worked hard for everything he has, but the San Francisco City Council won’t approve his plans to build a family emporium unless he is a family man himself. The solution? A mail order bride from New York who will bring him a ready-made family, stability, and the council's approval.

Blake expects his future wife to care for his home and, other than helping him impress the city council, to stay out of his business. He expects life as usual. What he gets is an unexpected desire to win Nellie's heart, a dangerous threat to his new bride, and a rich benefactor determined to steal his new family out from under him. Blake believed his battle for success a hard one. But he will discover that the battle to win Nellie's heart and keep his family safe is going to take everything he's got.

PROLOGUE
April 28, 1865

RAP! RAP! RAP!

If only she could fix her problems with a needle and thread she’d be set. Nellie looked up from the socks she was darning toward the knocking on the front door.

Who could that be? She set aside the socks, straightened her dress, checked her reflection in the mirror on the wall in the hall, patted her blond hair back into place and then answered the door.

“Mrs. Robert Wallace?” asked the soldier in dress uniform who stood at attention on her front porch.

Oh, God. No. Please. No. “Yes,” she said, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. “I…I’m Mrs. Wallace.”

The young soldier handed her an envelope. “I regret to have to inform you that Lieutenant Robert Wallace was killed at the Battle of Appomattox on April 8, 1865. I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Wallace.”

Nellie didn’t know what to say over the lump in her throat. She always knew this could happen—from the first moment Robert joined, to his last farewell eight months before Violet was born.

“I, uh, thank you, Officer…”

“Black, ma’am. Sergeant Black.”

“Thank you for letting me know, Sergeant.” Her grip tightened on the door knob. “I…I have to sit down now.”

“Of course, ma’am. Do you need help?”

Nellie shook her head. “No. Thank you. I’ll be alright.”

The man saluted her, turned and walked down the sidewalk to the waiting carriage.

How many of these calls did he have to make today? Was I the only one? I doubt it. Not in a city the size of New York.

She closed the door and leaned against the wall next to it, her legs no longer able to support her, she slid to the floor. Tears left salty trails on her face, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember crying. Screaming, cursing God, yes, but crying, no. Even though our marriage wasn’t what I’d dreamed it could have been when I was a child, I shall miss him. He had his good side, he was funny and could make her laugh. He was gentle every where except…no I will not think about that now. I endured and have two beautiful children.

How am I to tell Henry his father is dead? Violet was just a baby and didn’t know her daddy but Henry… Her son missed his father something fierce. Robert had doted on Henry. They spent so much time together that Henry cried for days when his father left the last time. And now I have to tell him his father is never coming home. How do I do that?

She wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands, took the hanky from her apron pocket and blew her nose. No need to put it off. The task would be difficult enough, without waiting and making it harder. Perhaps she and Henry could grieve together. In any case, she needed to be strong for her son and daughter. She was all they had now.

Taking a deep breath, she mounted the stairs to the play room and her children.

Cynthia Woolf is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more books on the way.

She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner. Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

To learn more about Cynthia Woolf and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Tour! A Review of The Prospective Princess by Kary Rader + Author Interview

The Prospective Princess (Reign of Light) by Kary Rader
Genre: New Adult/Adult Fiction (Historical/Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Giving up the beautiful Lady Brislyn is only the first step toward Commander Marchant saving her from Darkness—and then winning her heart.

A MAN AMONG PRINCES

Five years ago Lady Brislyn of Komissa fell in love. Five years ago her heart was broken, never to be mended. But when one careless act finds her abducted by marauders and forcibly betrothed to a seductive enemy prince, there’s only one man she can count on to free her: Her father’s brilliant—and devastatingly handsome—military commander. The very man who rejected her.

Five years ago, Commander Marchant rebuffed the fifteen-year-old daughter of his duke. Now she is a woman grown, a Gifted musician whose song captured his heart. Yet Brislyn is not so easily reclaimed. To save her from one royal suitor, he must make a show of engaging her to another. Then March will rescue the kidnapped lady or die in the perilous journey to reach her. If he can survive the storms, the pirates, and the princes, he will win back Brislyn’s heart.

The Prospective Princess is a Reign of Light novel by Kary Rader. Within this book, we really get to know Marchant, who we met in The Pirate Princess, as well as Brislyn. If you read The Pirate Princess, then you know a lot of the story already, and this book fills in the blanks. Marchant is Brislyn's guard, and she has loved him for a very long time. He hasn't returned her feelings, and is pretty much a player. I liked getting Brislyn's perspective while kidnapped, and seeing her point of view just as much as Marchant's. I loved watching his emotions change, but he has some competition now. Is he to late to win her love?? This was a fun little book, and I'm curious to read the first two books in the series so I know the stories of all the characters and get the full picture.
The Prospective Princess by Kary Rader was kindly provided to me by Reading Addiction Blog Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing about five years. I always wrote poetry even in grade school, middle school and high. But I never really thought I could write fiction until about 5 years ago.

What inspired you to start writing The Reign of Light Series?
I was reading a YA fantasy novel and thought, I can do this. The story began to pour out of me and I couldn’t stop it.

When you first started writing it, did you plan for it to be a series?
No. I hadn’t planned anything. I just started writing. It wasn’t until after I’d finished the first book and a friend asked me if one of the secondary characters would ever get his own story. That sparked my imagination and The Pirate Princess and The Prospective Princess were born.

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
My first heroine, Abby has a lot of my own personality. I relate to her but I also admire her. She does so many things I’m not sure I could do.

What is a secret about you that nobody else knows?
I’m such an open book. What you see is what you get describes me well. I can’t think of anything that no one knows.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
I was a little professional in high school. I always wore skirts, suits and blouses. I went to a high school for the preforming and visual arts—I was in theater—and we had to take set construction. I loved the class. We got to use power saws, drills, and hammers and nails and I did it all in skirts and heels.

What book have you read too many times to count?
The Bible, Outlander

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Write every day. I don’t always follow it, but I try.

If you could hop into the life of any fictional character, who would it be and why?
Claire Randal has a fun story. I’d like to know what she knows and see if I would make the same decisions she made. And having Jamie Fraser as a husband would be tolerable.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
That I didn’t always know what my characters would do. I always assumed that the writer knew exactly what would happen in the story, but that is not the case. My husband laughs when I say, I’ve got to go write some more to find out what happen in my story.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love spending time with my kids and crocheting.

Are any of the things in your books based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Some things are real for sure, but a lot of it is a tapestry of events pieced together from life and imagination. I, like all writers, play ‘What if...’ all the time.

This has been fun! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Thanks for having me! It was a pleasure.

Check out my review of The Pirate Princess!

Kary Rader is a stay-at-home mother of three, avid reader and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head.

Always creative, she’s drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn’t anything that can’t be accomplished. And it’s the power of words that creates and destroys.

Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day’s work. And with the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.

Let the fantasy begin…

To learn more about Kary Rader and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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