Cover Reveal: The Beast by Lindsay Mead

Y’all know I‘m a sucker for just about any retelling! You also know that Beauty and The Beast is my all-time favorite.

I have watched Lindsay Mead on Youtube for quite some time now. I have loved watching her book reviews and other bookish info from her channel.

I am so excited to be able to share the cover to Lindsay’s first work The Beast!!!

Demon possession has swept through Glace's neighboring kingdom, turning humans into Hellhounds. These great, fanged wolves are wild, desperate, and hungry. Only the sworn Hunters have kept them back for five long, bloody years.

At the young age of fifteen, Belle LeClair became a Hunter. She no longer remembers how many hounds she's killed, or how many friends she's buried. Still, Belle leads the hunt till a tragedy forces her deep into the dark kingdom. Her heart will be turned, her loyalty tested— and fate will intervene.

Amid a backdrop of Steampunk inventions and a harsh winter landscape,The Beast is a re-imagining of the infamous love between a beauty and a beast.

Goodreads

The book is set to release this spring.

OK, so I love how unexpected this cover is! Put it together with the synopsis and I think it’s a hit. I am so thankful it is not some random beautiful girl in a big dress!!!

About the author

Lindsay Mead lives in her home state, Michigan, with a small demon-dog named Suzie Q. She has obsessively made videos for YouTube since 2007 and can't seem to stop. THE BEAST is her debut into the world of writing.

YouTube Review Channel | Personal YouTube Channel | Website | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads

So, what do you think???
I’m excited for this, and can’t wait to read it!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Museum of Intangible Things

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

What I'm Waiting On?

The Museum of Intangible Things
Wendy Wunder
Print Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: April 10, 2014

Loyalty. Envy. Obligation. Dreams. Disappointment. Fear. Negligence. Coping. Elation. Lust. Nature. Freedom. Heartbreak. Insouciance. Audacity. Gluttony. Belief. God. Karma. Knowing what you want (there is probably a French word for it). Saying Yes. Destiny. Truth. Devotion. Forgiveness. Life. Happiness (ever after).

Hannah and Zoe haven’t had much in their lives, but they’ve always had each other. So when Zoe tells Hannah she needs to get out of their down-and-out New Jersey town, they pile into Hannah’s beat-up old Le Mans and head west, putting everything—their deadbeat parents, their disappointing love lives, their inevitable enrollment at community college—behind them.

As they chase storms and make new friends, Zoe tells Hannah she wants more for her. She wants her to live bigger, dream grander, aim higher. And so Zoe begins teaching Hannah all about life’s intangible things, concepts sadly missing from her existence—things like audacity,insouciance, karma, and even happiness.

An unforgettable read from the acclaimed author of The Probability of Miracles, The Museum of Intangible Things sparkles with the humor and heartbreak of true friendship and first love.

Goodreads – Amazon

Why I HATE Waiting!

The cover and title is what initially drew me into The Museum of Intangible Things. After reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to read this contemporary about growing up and real friendship.

My BFF and I had grand dreams of taking a crazy road trip after graduation… Though we have had many adventures since finishing school we never did take that crazy road trip. I can’t wait to read how Zoe and Hannah fair on their trip!

Is The Museum of Intangible Things on your to read list?
Can’t wait to see what books you are wanting this week?

Review: Turn or Burn by Boo Walker

Turn or Burn
Boo Walker
Print Length: 305 pages 
Publisher: Sandy Run Press
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Source: Author for an honest review

Harper Knox has ripped up his family's cherry orchard in eastern Washington State and planted grape vines, hoping that a contemplative life making wine might help him conquer his debilitating battle with PTSD. But on the other side of the state in Seattle, the Singularity Summit, a conference celebrating and encouraging the growth of artificial intelligence, is about to get underway. The controversial nature of the Summit has many reeling in fury, and protesters are taking over the city. A man Harper has been fighting alongside since Fort Bragg shows up at the vineyard offering a generous payday if Harper will join a team charged with protecting Dr. Wilhelm Sebastian, the keynote speaker at the Summit. Hungry for the cash and the danger, Harper agrees to join the team. But has he signed onto something much bigger and deadlier than just another bodyguard gig? As much a love story as it is a gripping thriller, Turn Or Burn, driven by the wonderfully cynical Harper Knox, will keep you up late into the night.

Goodreads – Amazon

Review

 

Walker has done it again!  He takes a captivating story, mesmerizing characters, and a no-nonsense writing style and creates awesomeness.  I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book.

 

Turn or Burn takes what we like least about religion--the cult/fanatical regime--and makes them the enemy.  And oh what an amazing enemy they make!  I've always been fascinated by how a person could willingly follow someone (someone who society at larges considers crazy) wholeheartedly.  This novel gave me some insight.  Y'all, seriously, it kinda freaked me out...in a good way. 

 

Harper Knox is a hardened, world-weary man.  And he's interesting and real.  I liked him almost from the get-go.  It's hard not to like him.  Even if he is a bit of a butt-munch at times.  I often find it hard to relate to characters that are like him.  I haven't been through what they have.  Walker brings all this psychological stuff to a level where we can see and feel and understand what's going on--where we can feel it with Harper.

 

Turn or Burn is fast paced.  I struggled to keep up with Harper as he worked to solve the murders.  There was  very little down time.  And some of that was filled with sexy times.  And boy were they sexy! 

 

Now, there were a few predictable parts.  But that's on par for the genre, and not at all a problem.  I liked having a little foresight into where things were headed.  It helped keep me grounded.

 

Y'all, I think I'll read anything Boo Walker writes.  He's got a little novella out right now (set in Charleston, SC--my favorite city in SC!!) that I'm going to get ASAP.

 

5 Moons, y'all

 

 

Check out my review of Boo's first novel, Lowcountry Punch, over at my former blog, B&D.

Covet March Release & Giveaway

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, LIKE their Facebook page, and join the Book Club.

Today I'm happy to be featuring Covet's March releases:

Sex and the Single Vamp by Robin Covington

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Cici Trent, vampire and media darling, spends her days finding true love for humans and supernaturals (the “Others”) at her dating agency. But someone is trying to sabotage her business and she needs help. Unfortunately, the best man for the job is the one who broke her still-beating heart two hundred fifty-four years ago.


Deacon is a patient vampire. He’s only loved one woman in over three hundred years— CiCi— and she chose another. So when she shows up in his office asking for help, he finally has the chance to lay that demon to rest. He’ll help her, but for a price—a night in his bed.


Adrenaline, mischief, and a little late-night B&E light the passion that even a couple of lifetimes couldn’t put out. But Deacon has a secret and when Cici is suddenly mortal, his deception might be the only way restore her immortality. Can love bridge the gap between a heartbeat and forever?

Find Out More!

Love and Other Cosmic Nonsense by A.D. Marrow

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Breaking it off with her long-time non-magical boyfriend, Evan, was for his own good. At least that’s what Maggie Owen tells herself. After all, a witch and a human can have no future together. Her vision told her so. But now it seems the universe is exacting revenge for upsetting the balance of what “should be” and her heart is telling her she was wrong.

Evan Jackson can’t believe his bad luck. It’s been a year since Maggie broke his heart, and now his business partner has hired her as their new receptionist. Fine, they need the help. But no way will he let her get close again. He can’t take another heartbreak from the woman he still dreams about, even if it feels like there’s still a magical pull between them.

Being in the same building with Evan is a start, but it’s going to take more than Maggie’s special talents and a wink to get the hard-hearted bad-boy to see that love is really more than just cosmic nonsense and set the universe back into balance.

Find Out More!

Also don't miss:

January's releases, Love At Stake and Haunt Me, are on sale for only for a limited time only! If you missed out before, now's your chance to snap them up at just $0.99 each!

(Click on the covers to grab the limited time deals)

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

 

The Eleventh Plague
Jeff Hirsch
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Release Date: September 1, 2012
Source: Library

In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving.

In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing--and their lives--forever.

Goodreads – Amazon

Review

This book was not at all what I expected.  Awhile ago I had gotten a free preview of The Eleventh Plague and I've started reading it several times.  It just never caught me for some reason.  So, when I visited a different branch of my local library, I saw this on audiobook and thought I needed to give it another shot.  I'm going to forewarn you, this review may be filled with a little hate.
 

What I Liked

 

• It was pretty easy to follow.  A problem I have with audiobooks is that I can get a little lost.  I didn't ever get lost with The Eleventh Plague.
  
• There was a nice simplicity to the way Hirsch writes.  I definitely appreciated that.
  
• The audio was relatively short, it didn't drone on and on.

 

What I Didn't Like

 

• It was very juvenile.  I read a lot of YA.  I mean A LOT.  And this didn't seem YA to me.  It was more middle grade.  And that was a problem for me.  And I can't really say why.
  
• Stephen was annoying.  Always "Grandfather would say this." Or "Grandfather would say that."  I just really wanted him to be his own person.  That revelation for Stephen came too little too late for me.
  
• There was not enough plot.  The story felt very drawn out and there were things done that didn't make sense to me, that didn't add to the story or move the plot along.  Which makes everything very weak for me.  (See the first bullet point in this section)
  
• There needed to be more closure.  I feel that Hirsch left this too open ended.  As if he expected the readers to demand a sequel.  All I demand is that there was an epilogue to the epilogue and tidy the ending up a little more.

 
Some people who's opinion on books I respect very greatly gave The Eleventh Plague pretty high marks.  Others are more in line with my take, granted it wasn't necessarily bad, it just didn't do for me what it should have.
 

2 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday: The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

What I’m waiting on

The Beautiful Ashes
Jeaniene Frost
Series: Broken Destiny
Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Release Date: August 26, 2014

In a world of shadows, anything is possible. Except escaping your fate.

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been gripped by visions of strange realms just beyond her own. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is trapped in a parallel realm. And the one person who believes her is the dangerously attractive guy who's bound by an ancient legacy to betray her.

Adrian might have turned his back on those who raised him, but that doesn't mean he can change his fate…no matter how strong a pull he feels toward Ivy. Together they search for the powerful relic that can save her sister, but Adrian knows what Ivy doesn't: that every step brings Ivy closer to the truth about her own destiny, and a war that could doom the world. Sooner or later, it will be Ivy on one side and Adrian on the other. And nothing but ashes in between…

Goodreads – Amazon

Why I HATE waiting

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Frost fan. I followed the Night Huntress series from beginning to end and loved every moment. I am so excited to get my hands on this new series! Book one The Beautiful Ashes sounds like it is going to be just as amazing as Frosts’ past work. Jeaniene talked a little about The Beautiful Ashes when I got to see her a while back at a book signing, and got me super excited for it. She has also posted numerous tidbits on her blog. 

Is The Beautiful Ashes on your to read list?
Can’t wait to see what books you are wanting this week?

Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken
Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson #8
Print Length: 353 pages 
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: March 11, 2014

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

Goodreads – Amazon

Review

Hello! Can I get a little cover love appreciation right now? The walking stick made the cover!!! Woot! Woot! I have a lot of love for the fey artifact that follows Mercy around.

In the weeks leading up to this release I reread all seven previous books. One thing I love about this series is how each book builds from the story and world right into the next. I feel like I have grown with Mercy and all the other characters that Briggs has brought to life in these eight books through the years.

If you have yet to start this series and think you are going to pick it up you need to stop reading now.

What I liked about Night Broken

I loved the continual relationship build between Adam and Mercy! Yes, they are mated and married, but I in no way get bored with them. Between Mercy’s quick wit and Adam’s temper/alpha-ness I don’t think I could ever get bored with their back and forth.

I really enjoyed getting to see more of the Pack interworking's/ magic, and how the influence of one B*&%$ can throw off the entire dynamic. I don’t want to get all spoilery… If you read the description above you know what I’m talking about. I also loved the pacing of Night Broken! Once I started reading I could not stop. In fact once I reached the end I actually went back quite a few chapters and reread it just to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

I got to see a little of everyone I love in this installment, with the exception of Bran and Zee, but they where mentioned. But, to make up for the lack of page play by characters I know I got to enjoy two new ones! Zack is a submissive wolf that is traveling through and joins the pack while he is in the area. Because of the way he is presented and the way things are left with Zack, I’m pretty sure he will get more page time in the future. Gary Laughingdog, who just happens to be the son of Coyote (who got some fun page time), and is Mercy’s brother. Gary has trouble follow him around in the same way Mercy does. I really liked the meeting, and the dynamic between Gary and Mercy throughout Broken Night. Gary, with the help of Coyote brought a lot of fun and light into this book.

For all those that love Stefan as much as I do he does play a part in Night Broken, and a secret is revealed that he has been keeping from Mercy… I love him even more!

What dove me insane

Christy!!! I HATE Adams ex! I wanted so badly for Mercy to throw her into the volcano. I can’t think of one good thing about her character. I can say that Mercy handled her with way more grace than I ever could have around this woman. My only conciliation to Christy’s character is just that… She is only a character. I honestly don’t know anyone in real life as horrible as her.

One other thing that got to me just a bit is how things wrapped up a little too quickly. There is a lot going on in Night Broken and a lot of story lines that are woven together. I would have liked this to have been a little longer and maybe even a bit drawn out, just to answer a few more questions I have, but I guess I will have to wait until the next installment.

What I want to see in future books

• I want to know what is in store for Honey after hearing Gary’s mini prediction at the jail.
• I want to know what happened to Zack.
• I always want more Stefan!
• More of Mercy with all her father figures. Girl has like three dads…
• Mercy and Adam
• More Wulfe. Even though he scares the crap out of me!

Ok, I’m stopping there or we will be here all night. I may be way to involved in these fictional peoples lives…

4 Moons: I will be rereading this.

Happy reading y’all

 

Other Books in This Series

Audio Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater
Type:Audio CD
Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books; Unabridged edition
Published: October 18, 2011
Source: Library

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Goodreads – Amazon

Review

I have heard mixed reviews of this book, but it sounded pretty good, so I thought I'd give it a try.  And I loved it.  The only thing I didn't like, is that there's no epilogue.  I needed to flash forward a year and know that everything was OK.  And I really wanted to know what was up with George Holly.
 
Puck is spunky, charismatic, and head-strong.  I loved her.  I think she would be a good example for any young lady to learn from, to have the resolve to do what it takes, to step outside the box and stretch the stereotypes of what people are capable of.
 
Sean is a bit of an enigma, even though we learn bits and pieces about his history.  I like that he's shrouded in shadows, and that we don't fully know him.  Ever.  His perseverance in the face of adversity and his ability to love completely and unashamedly is inspiring.
 
The only thing I had a hard with were the water horses themselves.  I kept forgetting they were monsters.  I fell in love with Core (I think I'm spelling that right) and am amazed at how real the water horse felt, how Stiefvater brought the horse to life.
 
It was a little annoying that most of the characters were referred to by both their names.  For example, Puck was always "Puck Connelly" and Sean was always "Sean Kendrick."  It got a little old.
 
I think guys would like this book.  There's blood, there's fighting, and there's a love story, too.  And there's horses.  Big, mean, monstrous horses.
 
I loved this book.
 

5 Moons!

Booked Beautiful: Bookish Tattoos

My sisters and I have recently been talking about getting matching tattoos. Going through lots, and LOTS of flashes and pics of actual sister tattoos to try and see if I could find something the five of us could agree on I found myself wondering about other tattoos for myself. From time to time I would end up looking at bookish tattoos. Now I don’t know that I will ever end with any of these on my body, but these are some of my favorites.

  

I found this on Pinterest. I can’t find any other source for the picture. I love the placement of this and that the book is so flower like. I also love the simplicity of the black and white and the clean lines.

This is actually a print at society6.com. I think this would make a wonderful Alice inspired tattoo! Love it!

This is a Pinterest find that I would love to find the source to. You know I love anything Alice. I think this would be an awesome back piece, and I would love to just buy a print.

One more with a bit of Alice flare. I think this one is gorgeous, and perfectly placed as a spine tattoo.

This is another Pinterest find. How much fun is this one?

The next few are for my Pride & Prejudice love

 

Found on Pinterest.

Found at Janey – Jane Deviant Art page.

My favorite P&P quote. I think this could make a lovely tattoo depending on script and placement.

Now for my Harry Potter fans

Found at Tattoo Ideas Central.

Pinterest find.

Pinterest find.

Simple and awesome!

Those are just a few of my favorites. I could easily go by category and do a bookish tattoo post a week for months. It has been a lot of fun to see what people come up with for their book love. I love seeing how creative people can be.

Do you have a bookish tattoo?

If not, have you ever thought about getting one?

Happy reading and creating,