Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Excerpt & Giveaway: The Liberator by Victoria Scott



The Liberator (Dante Walker, #2)




The Liberator
Victoria Scott
Series: Dante Walker #2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Expected release: August 27th 2013

Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.



Excerpt from THE LIBERTOR
By Victoria Scott

When I open my eyes, the sun is trying to murder me. It’s shining on my face and making my head pound. Or maybe it’s my hangover that’s giving me the headache, but nonetheless—me and the sun?—we’re not on friendly terms.

Charlie murmurs beside me. My arms are still wrapped around her waist, and I suddenly realize I must have crashed out in her bed last night. If Grams wakes up and finds me here, she’ll run me a bath…and toss in the toaster.

“Morning, babe,” I whisper.

“Morning, hot stuff,” a distinctly male voice responds.

I whip around, my heart racing, and find Max sitting in a chair across the room. “You look so hot when you first wake up,” he says. He raises a hand to his hair. “Got that whole sexy bed head thing going on.”

Charlie doesn’t even move from her place, but I feel her laughing against me. “Your friend is kind of creepy, Dante,” she manages.

“Max, what the hell are you doing in here?” I ask, pulling the covers farther up even though I’m (regretfully) fully-clothed.

“Real question is, why did I wait so long to join you guys?” Max stands from his chair and cocks his head. A mischievous smile crawls across his face.

“No,” I say, trying to appear serious. “Don’t even think about it, dude.”

Max starts running in place, his smile widening farther until he looks deranged. “Ready or not!” Before I can stop him, Max races toward the bed and dives on top of us. “Oh! Oh it feels even better than I imagined.” He rolls back and forth across our bodies as Charlie laughs and I wonder why I’m friends with such a raging idiot.

With all my strength, I grab Max’s shirt and rotate him toward the edge. He falls off the side, his arms pin-wheeling. There’s a loud thud, and then nothing.

I wait for several seconds before leaning over to search for him. Max is lying face down on the floor, his arms and legs curled like a dead spider. “You’re not really hurt,” I say.

“I think you gave me spinal bifida. You need to call someone.”

“That’s a genetic disorder,” I respond with a sigh, collapsing back onto my pillow. A second later, he raises his head very, very slowly up from the side of the bed. It’s one of the more unsettling things he’s ever done. “Max, is there a purpose to this visit?” I ask. I want so badly to act like he’s annoying me. But he knows, and I know, that we both love this game: the one where I pretend he’s a pain in my ass, and he acts like a damn circus clown.

He stands up, crosses the room, and plops back down in the chair. “Valery sent me.”

I throw an arm across my eyes. “Of course she did.” Beside me, Charlie moves to get up and I immediately reach for her. She squeals and wiggles out of my grasp.

I watch as she walks around the bed and ruffles Max’s hair. The twenty-eight year old pants like a dog. It’s a bit disturbing considering Charlie’s seventeen. She eyes me with a grin. “I’ll make waffles.”

My face lights up.

“Yes,” she continues. “And bacon.”

I glance at Max and nod toward Charlie. “That’s my girl.”

“Damn straight,” he says.

“I’m still making breakfast for your birthday,” I call after Charlie. Then, looking at Max, I add, “My girl’s going to be legal soon.”

Max says, “Boom.”


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The Collector (Dante Walker, #1)
First book in the Dante Walker Series.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Review: Latter-Day of the Dead by Kevin Krohn

Latter-Day of the Dead
Latter Day of the Dead
Kevin Krohn
Paperback: 182 pages
Publisher: SpiralBound Publishing; 1ST edition (2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0578100193
ISBN-13: 978-0578100197
Source: won/own
Goodreads | Amazon

Harrowing cries escaped the contorted faces of our flock. End of Days was a known truth but never a faced reality. Once the madness broke...we feared it would never subside. [Goodreads]


Review

I’ve had this book on my shelf for awhile.  I think I won it sometime in 2012.  Maybe.  Could have been 2011.  At this point, I’m not sure.  Regardless, I picked it up the other day and decided I needed to read it.  Each time I’ve seen the cover or spine on my bookshelf I would think to myself, “that’s a crazy cover, I need to read that book.” 

What I ended up reading is an intriguing book, with some frustrations thrown in.  In all the zombie books I’ve read, I' have not read one that was set on the compound of a sect of the Latter-Day Saints.  That created such an interesting environment for the plot to unfold in. 

Some of the frustrations lied with the main character.  The Prophet (the spiritual leader/decision maker) decided that Elias would leave the compound and study to be a doctor.  So, he’s pretty much the only one of the members that has been outside the compound…ever.  Which means that he would have been exposed to popular culture, myths, legends, etc.  Which means that Elias should have heard of zombies.  And the fact that he couldn’t figure out what was going on was beyond…irritating. 

He also had this habit of saying, “If I had to describe [subject here] in two words, I would probably use [adjective] and [adjective].”  Way too often.  It was too the point that when Krohn used it a funny way, I just rolled my eyes.

And there’s the sexual attraction between Elias and Keturah Dawn.  I’m hoping that the Prophet dies and Keturah and Elias end up together.  I really want to see what happens here.

I want the Prophet to die.  A slow, horrible, painful, miserable, torturous death.  Krohn did an amazing job at effortlessly writing the villain here.  I really do hate him.  Kevin, do you think you can arrange that epic death scene?

There is a lot of character introduction throughout the first 3/4 of the book.  A lot of plot development.  Most of the action really takes place during the last 1/4 of the book.  And it moves like at a break-neck pace.  And is awesome.  And when things really get going, Krohn just stops writing, leaving us all hanging.  Majorly.  And now we have to wait until book two releases.  And according to Krohn’s Twitter account, there is a book two coming “soon.”  Um, I’m gonna need that faster than “soon.”  [Hint.  Hint.]

Will I read the sequel, yeah.  I gotta know what happens.

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This is between and 3 and a 4, but closer to a 4.

Get to reading,
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Monday, May 20, 2013

TV Show Review: Game of Thrones

Let me go ahead and say I am not going into any detail in this quickie review. I don’t want to give anything away incase you plan on starting it soon.

Image from wallzonehd.com

I had seen so many reviews about the Song of Fire and Ice series that the Game of Thrones HBO series is based off of. And though most of the reviews I read for the book’s where very positive I never picked the series up for some reason, then HBO created the series, again I heard great things but didn’t really think it was for me.

Last month my sister who loves the show looks at me and says.
“Sissy! You have to watch this show Game of Thrones!”
Me: “I don’t really think it’s for me.”
“You don’t understand… Sissy, there are dragons!”

Yeah, my sister Sarah is a total dragon geek. LOL
But, I have to say that day she talked me into trying out Game of Thrones. Y’all I got totally hooked and it only took me like a week to get caught up. Ok, so I may have stayed up super late watching show after show marathon style. I honestly could not help it, I got so invested in these characters that I had to know what would happen next because this is not one of those shows where your favorite character will always come out on top. No one is safe in Game of Thrones anyone can die at any time.

Image from TG Daily

Let me warn you as my sister did for me this show is not for the faint of heart. First, the violence is gory, graphic, and in abundance. If you have a weak stomach when it comes to blood you may have to turn you head from time to time. Second, there is nudity and sex… Lots of it. But, if you can get past those things I think you would become as hooked as me. The characters are those that you become truly involved in. I love a few characters so much that I know I would cry if they end up dead and there are those that I hate so much I would love to see them die.  All of this is twisted into an amazing plotline that has me guessing what will happen at every turn.


If you enjoy books of this nature (fantasy with an amazing plotline, think R rated Girl of Fire and Thorns) then I think you could enjoy this show as much as I do.

Have you started this series?
Happy viewing,
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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Children’s Review: Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi, John Manders (Ill)

I know this is Riah’s day to do reviews but I just wanted to say a few words about this cute book. I have already read Where’s My Mummy five times to my three little ones and my middle little girl is reading it herself this morning. Once this one goes back to the library I am positive I will be ordering a copy for us have very soon after. 
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Where's My Mummy?

Where’s My Mummy
Carolyn Crimi
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick 
ISBN-10: 0763643378
ISBN-13: 978-0763643379
Goodreads   Amazon
Source: Library

This gently spooky read-aloud treat is also a satisfying bedtime book — sure to delight the youngest reader on many a deep, dark night.

Little Baby Mummy wants just one more game of hide-and-shriek with Big Mama Mummy before bedtime. The night is deep and dark, full of friendly creatures that click their clacky teeth and whoosh past on flippy-floppy wings. But who will comfort Little Baby Mummy if a small, scritchy-scratchy someone gives him a scare? Big Mama Mummy, of course! Fresh, comical illustrations complement this ever-so-slightly suspenseful story with a satisfying ending.

What I thought about it

Where’s My Mummy is about Little Baby Mummy trying to find his Mama Mummy during a game of hide and shriek. While he is trying to find Mama Mummy he meets all kinds of monsters that tell him to go to bed because there are scary things out and about. It was cool to see every few pages what monster he would meet next while looking for his Mama Mummy.

Why I picked this book…

Actually my little sister picked it and I’m glad she did. Everyone loves it. I love it. So I hope you love it to.

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What I liked about this story…

I liked the illustrations. They where fun and colorful. I enjoyed all the different monsters in Where’s My Mummy, but my favorite monster is Mama Mummy. She is my favorite monster because she is a good Mama Mummy. I also liked how it could get spooky but you don’t get scared. Boo! Got you! Smile

Would I recommend other kids read this book?

Yes, to all kids. Where’s My Mummy is great for everyone.

Have fun reading,
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5 Moons: We all keep reading it!
 
Reviewer
riah
Come back next Sunday for more kids reviews from an eight year old.



Saturday, May 18, 2013

Stacking The Shelves #25




Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a post for bloggers to share what books they've received to review, bought, won, borrowed or were gifted.



Books I got this week

 For Review

Blood and Sand (Elemental World, #2)
I have never been disappointed by anything I have read from Elizabeth Hunter. If you have not started her Elemental World Series you need to start NOW! I am so excited about starting Blood and Sand.


I Purchased

Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse, #13) 
I have been reading this series for years through all its ups and downs. Now it is the end, I know a lot of people out there are not happy about the end of this series, but I’m cool with it… I was never a huge Eric fan.


I hope you have all had a great reading week,
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