Crossroads Blog Tour: Guest Post and Amazing Giveaway: E-book & Kindle Fire!

The amazing J.J. Bonds and Parajunkee asked me to be included in the Crossroads Blog Tour and I'm very excited to bring you a guest post as a part of my stop. You can also enter to win an e-book by commenting and every comment automatically gets entered for the BIG prize at the end of the tour: a Kindle Fire!

For my stop I have a character profile of Nikolai Petrov... Ooooh, smoldering!

Hey there, beautiful. Haven’t seen you around here before. New at Crossroads? I figured as much. There’s no way I’d forget a face like yours.  What? Tall, dark, and handsome doesn’t get it done, huh? Guess I’ll have to try a little harder to impress you with my boyish charm and stunning good looks. Alright, how about this? I’m a Sagittarius, I like long walks on the beach, and I enjoy romantic candlelight feedings.Wait! Don’t go. I’m just teasing. I can see that approach isn’t going to work though. You’re not like the other girls here. Most of them are rather superficial… and mind-numbingly boring.  What? Is there a nice way of saying they’re vapid, shallow, social mongers? No? Well, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? Besides, you can’t blame the kids. Byproducts of their elitist parents if they’re anything like mine. We may have some of the oldest and purest bloodlines in the world at Crossroads, but it doesn’t come without a price.You on the other hand, well, I’d be willing to bet you’re different. Don’t look so skeptical. I have a feeling about you and my instincts are quite good. I don’t want to brag, but I’m hardly ever wrong.Nikolai Petrov, by the way. And you are? Come on. Don’t be shy. I won’t bite. Not today, anyway.  We’re just getting to know one another after all. The real me? I’m only at Crossroads because it’s the furthest I can get from my parents and their conniving political aspirations. If I never saw them again, it might be too soon. I have a sister I love more than life itself and I’d do anything for her. My real passion is martial arts and I can’t wait to see the look on my parents faces when they find out I want to serve the Elder’s Council, not become a member. No way in hell am I going to spend my life being a political pawn. My future lies with the Linkuri brotherhood. I was born to hunt, to punish, to deal in justice. And if I get paid to kick a little ass in the process? I’ll consider it a bonus. After all, I’ve got a wicked spinning back kick. Relax. I may like to throw down, but I prefer to limit my training to the gym. I’m actually a teaching assistant in a couple of the MMA and self-defense classes. Surprised? I’m actually a pretty decent guy.Look, I get it. You probably think my friends are a bunch of tools and I don’t blame you. But if you knew them like I do, you might actually like them. They’re not so bad. And they’re loyal which is a trait I value above all else.Come on. That’s got to be enough to get us on a first name basis? Might as well tell me. It’s a small school and I’ll figure it out eventually. Besides, I’m not one to give up easily.

J.J. Bonds is an independent author who writes young adult and speculative fiction. Her debut novel, Crossroads, was released in fall of 2011. It is the first in the Crossroads Academy series. J.J. lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where her love of all things paranormal keeps life interesting. She lives with her husband and two rambunctious dogs and is expecting a new addition to the family in March. 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

1. Comment to win!

2. One random comment will be selected to win a digital copy of JJ Bonds Crossroads

3. All comments will be counted to win a KINDLE FIRE with a Crossroads Gel Cover

4. Collect Clues along the tour for a chance to win

5. Comment at each tour stop for extra chances to win

6. Tweet and use #crossroadsbooktour for extra chances to win along with random drawings to win digital copies of the book

6. Collect clues to find the final entry to win the Kindle Fire

7. Winners will be selected January 31st

CLUE CLUE CLUE... :)

Find Crossroads

Amazon

Good Reads

Review: Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

Published: September 6th 2011
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Count: Hardcover, 294
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone. 
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love? 
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever. 

I liked Firelight enough, but was a little disappointed with the love story. I wasn't feeling it as much as I felt I should, but the ending had a good cliffhanger and I knew I'd have to read Vanish. 


In Vanish we find Sophie back in the pride with some major problems. Everyone basically hates her and there are plenty of people out to get her. Sophie's attitude in this installment irritated me a lot and I felt hope that the love story might turn in a good direction, but ended up sorely disappointed. This series has a major love triangle and unfortunately, as usual, it looks like the heroine is taking the turn in the wrong direction. I felt Sophie was ignoring all the right signals and using her rebellious nature to make her romantic decisions rather than her heart. Unfortunately I think that if the author goes in the direction I'd want her to go it would somewhat go against what she worked for in this first book, which didn't exactly work for me anyway... 


I am curious to see what happens in the next book --- I need more Cassian! 


                                3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Hushed Blog Tour Stop: Kelley York Interview

Hello everyone! I am happy to be apart of the Hushed blog tour hosted by Entangled Publishing! Today Kelley York is stopping by my blog for an interview! 

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her. 
Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed. 
Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is. 
But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

1. What inspired you to write this story?

Archer. I wanted to write about a boy who killed people for the girl he loved. I don’t know if there was something in particular that sparked the idea for Archer, but he was what came first. I abandoned all the other projects I had going at the time and threw myself completely into HUSHED.

2. Which character do you relate to the most in Hushed?

Probably a combination of Evan and Archer. I spent a lot of time in high school being the friend who was the voice of reason, trying to get others out of bad relationships and situations. I was also the friend who got used a lot, who people ran to when it was convenient for them.

3. Do you have any other novels in the works?

I have another contemporary book with a male/male romance. I don’t want to say too much more than that, especially since it’s still in its early stages!

4. Which 5 books would you say are your absolute favourites?

(1) HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones

(2) MRS. FRISBY & THE RATS OF NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien

(3) A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness

(4) GONE, GONE, GONE by Hannah Moskowitz

(5) WARM BODIES by Isaac Marion

Hard narrowing it down like that, but those were the first ones that came to mind.

5. Your house is ON FIRE and you only have time to grab three things, what are they??

Assuming my family doesn’t count... MY PETS!! Do they count as one thing? (Growing up, when Mom tried to talk to me about what to do in case of a fire, she always worried I’d end up dying because I insisted I would not leave the house without my animals.) Computer. Probably my sketchbooks.  

Kelley was born adn raised in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, daughter, and an abundance of pets. (Although she does fantasize about moving across the globe to Ireland.) She has a fascination with bells, adores all things furry - be them squeaky, barky or meow-y - is a lover of video games, manga and anime, and likes to pretend she's a decent photographer. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or maybe a mermaid.
Within young adult, she enjoys writing and reading a variety of genres from contemporary with a unique twist, psychological thrillers, paranormal/urban fantasy and horror. She loves stories where character development takes center stage.

Find Kelley

Good Reads

Twitter

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler

The Future of Us by Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler

Published: November 21st 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Page Count: Hardcover, 309
Source: ARC [From a Friend]
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Romance
Find the Authors: Jay Asher: Blog, Good Reads, Twitter, Facebook // Carolyn Mackler: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.
Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.
Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.
Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out. - Good Reads

The summary of this book caught my attention right away. I remember the days of AOL and dial-up. A lot of my growing up was in that era. Looking back at those times, the internet was such a primitive place and it's amazing to think of how much it's grown in just my little lifetime. I remember the first time I ever logged onto the internet in 1995! 


The Future of Us is a hard book for me to sum up. I liked the premise of the story. The fact that two teenagers log on to the internet for the first time and see their future on Facebook. I loved that and it was interesting to see how it affected them in their present and how their changes of attitude in the present would in turn change their future. But I can't say I fell in love with the characters or the book. I wasn't always satisfied with how the story was playing out... I really enjoyed the nostalgia factor the book offered though and I'm glad I read it. I received a copy from a friend, but this is something I would have mostly likely bought for myself and I can't say that I would have regretted it. I know that sounds confusing and a little contradictory, but that basically sums up how I felt about it. 


RECOMMENDED TO
Those who read the summary and know it something they want to read for the nostalgia factor!


                                    3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Waiting on Wednesday: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


SWEET EVIL BY WENDY HIGGINS
Release Date: May 1st 2012

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil. 
Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna. 
A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Love the cover and this one sounds SO good! Can't wait! 

Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1) by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1) by Beth Fantaskey


Published: February 1st 2009
Publisher: Harcourt
Page Count: Hardcover, 351
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

The undead can really screw up your senior year ... 
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction. - Good Reads

Reviewing this book is actually one of the hardest reviews I've had to do. I typically fix up review posts with the book cover, links and summary and then go back and write the review a few days to a week later. And this has been sitting in my unfinished posts for quite some time now. Now before I go and give you the wrong impression, I'd like to say: I liked this book. It was not earth shattering by any means, but it was something I'm glad I read and I'm eager to read the next book Jessica Rules the Dark Side.


I think this is the type of book that some may love, some may like and some may dislike. Unlike many paranormal books I had a difficult time taking this seriously. I'm not exactly sure of the authors intentions with this book, but it felt very... fluffy? Lucius, the vampire love interest was ridiculously arrogant and hard to take seriously. I laughed a lot throughout this book and it was mostly while reading Lucius's letters to home, where he bitched and moaned about nearly everything, but in such an old fashioned and off-the-wall manner. At times this books DRAGGED. It was a little longer than it probably should have been, but I do have to say I like how Jessica had a difficult time believing vampires exist and jumped to the conclusion that they think they are vampires, but are obviously mentally deranged. Of course Jessica is eventually given enough evidence to finally believe, but it takes a long time to settle and I actually liked that quite a bit. I think whenever vampires or anything supernatural is involved it's realistic to check your sanity and the sanity of others before you go believing. Maybe that's just me... 


RECOMMENDED TO
This is tough. If you like the summary and think this is something you'd like to read, I'd definitely recommend trying it. I would probably check it out from the library though.


FAVOURITE QUOTE
Lucius smirked at me, raising one eyebrow. "Really? No suitors? How shocking. I would have thought your pitchfork skills would be attractive to certain bachelors here in farm country.” 


                                      3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Amazing Giveaway: Book Brat's 200 Followers Giveaway!

My friend Megan over at Book Brats is having a 200 Followers Appreciation Giveaway! Winner gets book of their choice that is $11 and under! And if she is able to get 300 followers before December 7th she'll throw in a second prize which is an ARC of Bond Girl by Erin Duffy! GO ENTER! There are tons of entries!