eBooks Now Available on Kindle's Lending Library

Ordained and Metamorphosis are now available to read for FREE on the Kindle Lending Library.

Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop - 3 Prize Packs (INT)

It's that time again!

Hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Oasis For YA.

Quick and simple. I'm giving the winner a choice of three prize packages.

Prize Pack #1

Any book(s) the winner wants for a list price up to

$15 from the Book Depository*

*If the book depository ships to you, then you are eligible to win this prize pack! Check here to see if they ship to your country!

Prize Pack #2
eCopies of Ordained and Metamorphosis
to be gifted through Amazon

Prize Pack #3
Signed copy of Falling In Between (ARC)
Expected Publication: February 14, 2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James (ARC)

Shattered Dreams
Ellie James
Publication: December 6, 2011

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late. Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen. But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario. Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

Shattered Dreams had an intriguing story line about a girl with psychic visions but the characters' actions and reactions just didn't seem real to me at times. What I did like was that the story took place in post-Katrina New Orleans, as the rundown environment and abandoned buildings caused this eerie feeling to always be present in the back of my mind as I progressed through the story.

Trinity has known for a long time that she can see death before it comes. Since her parents died when she was young, Trinity grew up with her father's mom, who spent the rest of her years shielding Trinity and telling her not to speak of her ability. When she sees the death of her grandmother, Trinity of course tries to stop it but was unsuccessful. So when she has multiple visions of her frenemy Jessica bleeding and in trouble, she tries to speak up. Of course it backfires, cause who wouldn't suspect the girl that had a recent altercation with the missing girl? But even under scrutiny from the police and some of Jessica's friends, Trinity continues to put herself on the line to figure out what's happening to Jessica. And an interesting reason for why her grandmother kept her hidden and shielded all those years comes to light.

One thing I will say is that the romance between Trinity and Chase seemed rushed. From the first chapter we're told that Trinity is the new girl, but she's obviously been around long enough to be Chase's lab partner and work on a project together outside of class - which is why Jessica is wary of Trinity's intentions. Apparently they're both interested in each other but we're never really told why this attraction exists. One minute Chase is Jessica's boyfriend and the next he's chasing after Trininty the same day Jessica goes missing. Even if they had broken up the night before, her dissappearance should've hit him harder. The way he started moving in on Trinity just didn't seem realistic...and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why Trinity would be interested in a guy that behaved like that.

All in all, the novel was a good read. The prose was fine and the storyline kept me interested enough to keep moving forward. Will I ever re-read this? No. Will I read the next in the series? Probably, as curiosity usually gets the best of me, but I hope there's better character depth than was given in Shattered Dreams.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Best I've Read 2011 - METAMORPHOSIS

Metamorphosis has been selected as part of the Best I've Read 2011! Lots of amazing books are being spotlighted and there are TONS of giveaways going on all week, including one for Metamorphosis this Saturday (the 17th) at Books Complete Me.

Check out the Best I've Read Blog Schedule and start entering all the fabulous giveaways!

And thank you for selecting Metamorphosis as the Best I've Read 2011!!!

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel (ARC)

Dearly, Departed
Lia Habel
Publication: October 18, 2011

Synopsis: Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

I almost didn't bother finishing this one. I guess I envisioned a dystopian-zombie book to have a lot of action in it. So when I was 50% done with Dearly, Departed I found myself asking 'Why am I still reading this?' There had been a little bit of action but mostly it was just dialogue. I didn't mind the multiple points of view, or the idea that zombies could be tamed, but I seriously wanted the nontamed zombies to burst through the doors and start killing off all the characters just so I wouldn't have to hear them talk anymore.

So why did I keep reading? Luckily I was late getting to this ARC. If I hadn't noticed Dearly, Departed getting an average of 4 stars on GoodReads, I don't think I would've bothered to finish this novel. The high ratings peaked my curiosity cause I just wasn't seeing it. So...I stuck it out. Sure enough, I finally did see why it was getting decent ratings. Unfortunately, what I considered to be the bread and butter of this novel didn't begin until I hit about 69%...and Dearly, Departed is a looong book at 470 pages so I really had to force myself to read a lot before I felt like it was worth the read.

So in hindsight, the first 68% of this book - eh. The last 32% - freakin' awesome. If you can stand to read the first part, all the better for you. But if you can't, just skip ahead...you're not missing anything you won't figure out as you read the end.

The one positive aspect about this novel: Bram. I would have completely given up on this novel regardless of posted ratings if this one character hadn't been worth reading about. And maybe Pamela, who managed to turn into a kick-ass zombie-killer in a pettycoat.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Previously Loved Book Giveaway - December

November's winner of Passion by Lauren Kate is....

Lieder Madchen

December's Book Giveaway

Hardback Copy

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

See my review of Ripple.

Wanna enter to win? Head over to my giveaway page.

ORDAINED eBooks Now Just $.99

Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES

Nook 
GoodReads

Happy Release Day - Metamorphosis

Yay! Today is the day!

To see a list of where you can find Metamorphosis, go to Twindel's.

To check out the blog tour and enter a giveaway for a signed doodle-graph copy, go here.

Metamorphosis Book Tour and Doodle-Graph Giveaway (INT)

Metamorphosis is going on a book tour courtesy of

The {Teen} Book Scene and the stops are as follows:

November 14: Melina at Reading Vacation (Author Interview)
November 15: Stephanie M at Paper Cut Reviews (Review)

November 16: Nicole at Books Complete Me (Character Interview)
November 17: Ivy at Ivy Reads (Review)
November 18: Corrine at Lost for Words (Author This or That List)
November 21: Reagan at Star Shadow (Tens List)
November 22: Melina at Reading Vacation (Review)
November 23: Stephanie M at Paper Cut Reviews (Character This or That List)
November 24: Nicole at Books Complete Me (Review)
November 25: Ivy at Ivy Reads (Cover Feature)

To celebrate the tour, I want to do something fun. So I'm going to give away one copy of Ordained, signed with a personalized doodle-graph. The winner of this giveaway will get the only doodle-graph I'll be doing for Metamorphosis. Here's a pic of the first Ordained doodle-graph:



Click on Pic to Enlarge

Want a chance to win? Just fill out the Rafflecopter below!

Geek Girl Review and Blog Tour Stop

Geek Girl
Cindy C. Bennett
Expected Publication: December 8, 2011

Synopsis: "Think I can turn that boy bad?" 17-year-old Jen turns her life upside down when, out of boredom, she makes a bet that she can turn school geek Trevor into someone like her. Instead, the goth girl finds herself sucked into his world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even-ugh!-bowling. To truly belong with him-and with her new foster family-she must first come to terms with her violent past. 

Freak Girl sets out to turn the Geek Boy bad, but it's the Geek Boy that turns the Freak Girl good.

No, I'm not really spoiling anything you won't figure out for yourself within the first few pages. Jen pretty much sabotages herself on a regular basis, especially when it comes to a steady home. Ever since she was pulled from the one household that made her happy, she's been determined to do something on a yearly basis that'll get her foster family to give her the boot. So it's no surprise she suggests a bet with her friends to bring geek boy Trevor over to the dark side - and if she's able, her friends will pay for a lip ring that's sure to ensure her a one way ticket to a new foster home. Little did Jen know that Trevor is a pretty awesome guy underneath the geek shell, and she finds that  by opening up and learning to love him, she's the one that really needed a change.

Geek Girl wasn't anything that hasn't been done before, but what kept me reading was Jen's voice. It was honest, believable and she had a good heart, learning immediately that Trevor was worth spending time with regardless of some silly bet. It made me laugh a lot and a tear escaped here and there, and I really enjoyed watching as both Jen and Trev began to mold, bend and compromise to make their two different lifesyles become one. Geek Girl is a sweet read, and though there is mild drug use by Jen's friends, it's still appropriate for anyone agea 13 and up.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley. See the rest of Geek Girl blog tour stops here.

Cindy C. Bennett
Website and Blog
Facebook
GoodReads

Cedar Fort Publishing
Website and Blog
Facebook
GoodReads

Previously Loved Book Giveaway - November (US)

So I've decided to do something special and offer monthly giveaways just for my peeps. I believe books should be shared and not hanging around on a shelf somewhere. So I'm gonna start giving away some previously loved books. Sure, I could take it over and sell it back to the bookstore, but since I'd only get a buck or two anyway, I'd rather offer them to you guys and save myself the gas for the twenty minute drive (one way). Sound good? Awesome.

November's Book Giveaway

Hardback copy 

Passion by Lauren Kate

Wanna enter to win? Head over to my giveaway page.

First Chapter Excerpt for Falling In Between

 

 

F One F

My wet skin shivered as I cowered atop the cliff, even though the wind was as still as my breath. What was worse, I couldn’t stop my head from bobbing side to side as Sophie hummed that stupid Jeopardy tune. 

      I felt silly being in lace lingerie instead of a bikini, but we weren’t planning on swimming when we trekked through the woods tonight. We were gonna accidentally run into Robert and Jhett at the river spot they always hung out at, but the closer we got the more I freaked out about getting Robert alone.

      Oh why did I let Sophie talk me into coming to the hidden pond first? She probably thought the detour would give me time to calm my nerves. But stupid me, I let her dare me into jumping off the freakin’ cliff as soon as we stripped. And as much as I wanted to talk to Robert, I secretly hoped she’d let me chicken out once I looked like a drowned rat.

      The humming stopped, and the sweet sound of Sophie’s voice was smooth as it taunted me through song now.  “Oh, Ja-hen-na!”

      Crap, crap, crap…

      I forced myself to peek over the rocky edge and look down – way down. There she floated effortlessly in the midnight blue pond, weak ripples flowing away from her pale silhouette,  playfully squirting water towards me with the squeeze of her fist. Sophie’s aim was dead on. Had I not been thirty feet above the surface of the water, she’d nail me easily. I’d welcome it gladly if it would temporarily blind me, cause me to stumble forward and complete the dare I had yet to fulfill.       

      I had never been afraid of heights before. Of course, I had never tried to throw myself from one before either. And the lack of moonlight in combination with the creepy, placid water was freakin’ me out right now. Also, I’m pretty sure that squishy algae thing skimming the surface was The Blob and it was gonna jump out and devour me once I did my face-splat.

      I moaned as I diverted my eyes to the milky white stars above. This was the third time I’d braved the path up the cliffs tonight. And it seemed inevitable that this would be the third time I did the walk of shame back down the way I came.

      “Jenna Baker! If you don’t jump this instant I’m gonna grab your clothes and set them on fire! You know I will!”

      Ha! Maybe I should remind her that the clothes came from her closet. Er, scratch that. Then she’ll have zero remorse for lighting them up.

      Sophie’s been a crazy friend and roommate, to say the least. I’m sure it was a little odd for her to room with someone like me. Like all the other rich kids at Pennington Academy outside Rutland, Vermont, she had everything at her disposal and an unlimited credit card to pick up what she lacked. And parents that actually called and emailed her every week to check up on her.

      Me? I barely had a penny to my name and absentee parents. Literally nonexistent. I was dropped off at a firehouse when I was only a few days old. All the babies born in the county were accounted for, so it was assumed my mother (and possibly my father) drove through Rutland to obliterate their parental rights. The only reason I could attend this swanky establishment was cause the academy sponsored a new student each year and provided them with a full scholarship. I didn’t care how many hoops of fire they made me jump through to get here, it was worth it to get out of those disgusting group homes. I even added a summer class every year just to avoid having to spend summer vacation in one.

      Fall session of our senior year began not even a week ago and already Sophie had convinced me to try something stupid. I came to my senses twice already and walked back down the cliffs, only to have her put on the charm and convince me once again that this would be good for me.

      Oddly enough, I actually did wanna jump, so it wasn’t all Sophie’s fault that I was up here again. And at the moment I was more scared to talk to Robert than I was to jump off the cliff. So maybe I could end the night with at least one fear tackled...

      I sucked in a deep breath and edged my toes forward until they curled over the rock. My heart pulsed so hard I thought it would break through my ribs and burst through my body like that slimy alien did to that man in that movie. (Did’ja see that one? Grody, right? – So what if I’m stalling? What are you, the cliff-jumping moderator?)

      Okay, maybe one more deep breath. God, just jump Jenna! I winced my eyes tight and flung myself into the void before I could think anymore about it. The feeling was exhilarating, prickly goose bumps and all, and I managed to brave a peek through the haze of my vibrating eyelashes. My heart gave one sharp pound, then froze when gravity took me. The wind whished and lifted me slightly as I fell closer to the glistening liquid below. The cliff and trees blurred, leaving nothing more than vertical streaks of muted tans, greens and blacks that resembled streaks of camouflage.

      Sophie’s cheer filled the air. I could sense the ‘finally’ in the long, drawn-out hoot.

      Surprisingly, I managed to point my toes and pass through the surface of the water cleanly. So smoothly that the slightest lift of my feet curved my body and sent me farther into the dark abyss like a missile.   Water whooshed as it streaked alongside my body, eagerly parting the way for my descent.

      I did it! I finally did it! Elation filled my body and soul for that one split second.

      And then it happened.

      My feet scraped the bottom of the pond and fire burned on my skin. Debris and dirt swirled about as I skidded across the floor bed, destroying what little clarity the moon’s glow offered underneath the silky surface. Weeds tangled around my legs and snagged my arms.  I tried desperately to slow the impact by digging in with the palms of my hands, but all I did was give myself more rock burn.

      My legs were crumpled and forced upward as an immovable blockade refused to budge. A sharp pain dug into my back as I bobbed up and down across the boulder. The jolt knocked the wind out of me and air escaped from my lungs. A cool gush of foul tasting water filled my mouth and trickled down my throat, causing my chest to spasm.

      My head snapped back as the last of my body shot past the boulder. I felt a surge of sharp pains shoot out from the back of my skull, then a soothing numbness. A heavy daze overcame my head and traveled down my arms and legs. The only thing that seemed to be reacting at all was my heart and it threw itself into hyperdrive. Thub-thump echoed through my stuffy head and pulsated down my limbs. I wanted to breathe, to move my legs and arms toward the surface, but nothing would obey the command. My chest blazed as my heart began to slow now. Thuuub-thummmp.

      My body lay lifeless above the clay bottom, bobbing gently with the ripples caused by my wake. I shot so far from where I crashed that the water around me wasn’t as murky here. My still eyes were swallowed up by the turbid liquid, yet I could still hone in on that blurry sliver of moonlight trying to lead me to the surface. It struggled to overcome the shadows of the depth, to reach out and extend what help it could offer and show me the way to salvation. But it wasn’t enough. My body was heavy – unwilling to move to save my life.

      I was surprised at how good the release felt. Never had I known that stress ate away at my body until it began to dissolve in this moment – little tickles that skidded along the surface of my skin. But with this soothing release came excruciating pain. The lack of oxygen caused my lungs to heave so hard a rush of water gushed down my throat. I tried to gag but my body was beyond that now, even though the water splashing in my lungs left me with the most unnatural, uncomfortable feeling ever.  

      The water around me darkened more, and it had nothing to do with the strength of the moonlight.

      Black… 

      Cool… 

      Silent...

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop (INT)

Hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

and The Diary of a Bookworm

It's that time again!

Here at The Crazy Dream Blog, I'm giving the winner a choice of three prize packs.

Prize Pack #1
Any book(s) the winner wants for a list price up to

$15 from the Book Depository*

*If the book depository ships to you, then you are eligible to win this prize pack! Check here to see if they ship to your country!

Prize Pack #2
Copies of Ordained and Metamorphosis
(The Immortal Archives 1-2).

Prize Pack #3
 Signed copy of Falling In Between (ARC).
Expected Publication: February 14, 2012

All three prize packs are international. This contest will have four additional ways to to earn entries. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good Luck! 

Check out the list below my header picture for more giveaways!!!

Seers by Heather Frost (ARC)

Seers
Heather Frost
Pub: October 4, 2011

Synopsis: For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

If the novel Seers had an aura, its color would be pink, with flecks of yellow scattered through.

Kate Bennet suffered from a life-altering summer. The car wreck that killed her parents almost took her life as well, and when she awoke from her near-death experience she began seeing funny colorful halos around people - halos Kate realized are auras depicting people's emotions. Everyone seemed to be a blend of certain colors. Everyone that was, except for the new guy Patrick, who's only color was something Kate had never seen before - a thin ribbon of silver. Most of the novel is told from Kate's point of view but occassionally we got Patrick's, who we learned was the Guardian assigned to watch over her now that she had become a seer and attracted the attention of some power-hungry demons.

Seers was simplistic yet enjoyable. It's been awhile since I felt the urge to sit down and finish a story within a day or two, probably because I was waiting for Kate to admit her failing relationship with her boyfriend Aaron so she could focus on the emotions that were building for Patrick. And I had no idea that this was going to leave a cliffhanger for the possibility of a second book! I certainly hope there is!

ARC provided by Publisher via NetGalley.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin (ARC)

Ashfall
Mike Mullin
Exp. Publication: October 11, 2011

Synopsis: Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Top Ten Things to Start Stockpiling in Case of Cataclysmic Event:

1. HOW TO SURVIVE A CATACLYSMIC EVENT FOR DUMMIES. Has anyone written this book yet cause I'm thinking you'd automatically become a best seller once Ashfall hits the shelves. Perhaps Mr. Mullin would like to be a contributing writer. LOL.
2. MATCHES. The world will very likely be a frozen wasteland for many years. Let me simplify: Heat = Good = Life. No Heat = Bad = Death. If you've never been cold enough for your extremities to freeze or hypothermia to really set in, trust me, it's not the way to go.
3. GUNS and an infinite supply of BULLETS. Cause if you're naive enough to think you'll be immune from violence and looters, you'll be one less person in the world I'll be fighting over supplies for.
4. SEEDS. Particularly seeds that can grow well enough in a greenhouse with freezing temperatures outside.
5. CONDOMS. That's right, condoms. When doctors are forced to bactrack to times similiar to the 1800's, no one is going to want to get pregnant. I've had a kid myself and if that emergency c-section hadn't been possible, I wouldn't be here today. Not to mention, not everyone's body takes to breastfeeding, and if there's a shortage of water, you're not going to be able to drink enough to keep you hydrated, let alone make enough milk to feed the baby. (I wonder how much time would pass before people thought to raid Planned Parenthood?)
6. VITAMINS and MEDICINE. Your diet is going to suck for years and without a way to get all those missing nutrients that are oh-so important to your body, you're far more likely to weaken and become susceptible to illness.
7. WINTER WEAR. You know those lovely long johns that flatter your figure so well? Yeah, stock up on those cause you're going to want as many layers as possible. In fact, the more layers you can add and the thicker coats you can find, the fatter you're going to look, and you're less likely to attract the attention of those willing to commit unforgivable sexual assaults (in this instance, see #3 and pop their @sses before they even gets close).
8. SKIS, SNOWBOARDS, BOOTS, ETC. Did you catch the part where the world will be a frozen wasteland for who knows how long? You really want to lose your legs cause you chose to walk and couldn't get your body out of the sinkhole made of snow?
9. EARPLUGS. In case of a supervolcano, you'd probably need this cause a volcanic explosion is currently the loudest sound in recorded history and it wasn't even a supervolcano, which would be more than 100 times as loud and would be heard even thousands of miles away...and it'll go on for who knows how long. Do yourself a favor and top off the earplugs with a set of those noise cancelling headphones from Bose (you don't want to start wasting your pain meds here cause you've got a headache).
10. FOOD. Seriously, if I have to explain this one, there's no hope for you... And by food, I do not mean stockpiling cases of Hershey bars (perhaps Skittles? at least they'll last longer presevative-wise) :D

SUPERVOLCANOS SUCK ASH!

From the Author's Note: There is a colossal volcano under Yellowstone National Park. The volcano's crater...measures roughly 34 by 45 miles. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, events so powerful they are usually classified as supervolcanoes. The largest of the these eruptions released about 2,500 times as much magma as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.

Soooo.....I totally loved this book. Don't get me wrong, it's dismal and depressing and the events following the eruption of the supervolcano are total speculation, but I just got sucked into the possiblity of this post-cataclysmic dystopian society. Alex was all alone when it happened, and like a complete-stupid-effing-teenager he set out into the ash-filled world to journey more than a 100 miles on skis to get to his family. Why do I call Alex a complete-stupid-effing-teenager? When you read Ashfall, count up the number of times someone else had to save him from what would have been yet another tragic death. I completely understand family being important, but in times like this, survival tops the list. Hunker down and survive until you figure out what it is you're dealing with, how to overcome it and then go on your journey.

Darla, I think I love you and I would be just as annoyed with Alex as you were. This is a woman who knows how to survive in post-cataclysmic world. All I can say peeps, is find your Darla and stick to her like glue for the rest of your life!!!

You're going to want to read Ashfall. But just a warning: there are moments in the novel when I think it really pushes the YA label, but they were also actions you would expect to happen when the world is falling to crap around you.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Cover Reveal and Blog Tour Sign Ups

So this is the cover for my new YA Contemporary Romance Falling In Between. Just what I wanted - dreamy and romantic!

Finally! A private conversation.

And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life.

Yay me…(yeah, that’s sarcasm)

Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker’s life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert.

Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong?

 

Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination.

Falling In Between by Devon Ashley

Exp. Publication: Valentine's Day 2012

Blog Tour Sign Ups HERE
Click on Add To GoodReads and enter to win a copy starting October 1st!

Wanna read a snippet?

Wanna win a signed copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick?

THOUGHT SO!!!

Just head over to A Book Lover's Review to enter.

Ends October 4th!

and just for fun...

I want this freakin' book already!!!

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford (ARC)

The Poisoned House
Michael Ford
Publication: September 1, 2011

Synopsis: Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs.Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there's something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself—-a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows.

The Poisoned House turned out to be a more enjoyable read than I originally expected it to be. I began this book while in the middle of a reading slump, not expecting to get more than a few pages in that first night. Lo and behold, I read large chunks at a time and finished it in just a few days. The writing style made it really easy to read: it was clear, clean and to the point.

As for the story, anyone that can do math in their head and has a lick of sense will figure out the answer to the mystery pretty early on in the story. As soon as Abi believed her mother had no longer died of Cholera, but was poisoned, it was completely obvious to me who did it. However, I still really enjoyed experiencing Abi's servant world in Victorian London so I didn't mind waiting for Abi to catch up and figure it out for herself.

The Poisoned House is definitely more suited for mature readers, as today's YA crowd typically likes romantic interludes and more action-driven plots, which this novel lacks. But don't let that steer you away from picking this up. You'll be surprised at how enjoyable it is to read about this servant Victorian world in 1800's London.  

ARC provided by Albert Whitman & Company via NetGalley