Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published on 8th December 2014
300 pages
Genres: new adult, romance, fantasy, paranormal
Source: iBooks
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Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.
Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.
Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.
But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

No. NO. NOOO!!!!!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!! YOU CAN'T JUST STOP THERE!!!! *SLAMS FISTS AGAINST DOOR* SO UNFAIRRR. I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR FOR A SEQUEL *SLIDES DOWN DOOR*.....THIS IS TORTUREEEEEE.



Ivy was amazing, as expected. And I will forever think of her was a life-sized Merida (thank you Ren). She's kickass, totally reckless, and understandably closed off (although Ren knocks her walls down with a pickaxe....figuratively speaking, of course).

Ren. Oh Renald. *wink* He was gorgous. And hot. And sweet. And protective. And swoonworthy. And just downright wicked. I loved everything about him, and even though his attraction to Ivy seemed a bit insta-something, I couldn't care less because he's just perfect.

Tink.....*giggles* He's adorable.....in a creepy, totally weird way. And then he has a dirty mind, which completely throws you off the adorable factor. Yeah, he's creepy. But reaallyy entertaining. This (points down) is like, practically my favourite part of the book.

"Well, at least it's not like you have a pet snake, because that shit would be weird. And I guess there are people who have more annoying roommates. I'll be honest, though. I don't trust the little shit, but I respect your decision."
"Well, I don't trust you either, so what-the-fuck-ever," Tink replied with a saucy grin as he stepped out from behind my leg.
Grabbing a scarf off the chair, I threw it at him.
He caught it, clutching it to his chest as he flew into the air. "You gave Tink a scarf. Tink is free!" He flew out into the hallway like a little cracked-out fairy, screeching, "Tink is freeeeee!"
Ren looked at me. "What in the actual fuck?"
I sighed. "He's obsessed with Harry Potter. I'm sorry."
Tink darted back into the room, holding the scarf to his bare chest. "There is no reason to apologize when it comes to Harry Potter."
"You do remember what happened to Dobby, right?" I said.
"Shit." Tink's eyes widened and then he dropped the scarf. "Fuck that shit. I'm hungry. Someone—no name mentioned—ruined my breakfast. So I'll be in the kitchen." He stopped and looked pointedly at Ren. "I got my eyes on you, buddy."
Ren lifted a brow.

The book felt a bit short. But that might (definitely) have to do with the, idk, 8 whole chapters I read on Wattpad before the release. So that's my own fault, really. And besides, I was able to bum-rush through all the remaining chapters, finish the book at 3am, and promptly conk out. So I'm actually pretty proud of myself, since it usually takes at least 2 days to finish a book. I know, I usually suck at readathons because of my turtoise pace.

Now, focusing on the two major plot 'shocks', I have to say they weren't very hard to predict. For me, at least. But then again, I'm pretty good at predicting plot twists, so perhaps the plot twists will be a huuge shock to everyone and I'll be sitting over here shaking my head and sighing sadly. Yup, I'm a lonely soul.
(view spoiler)[I guessed that Ivy could be the Halfling from the moment Ren mentioned that she had been adopted. And yeah, I know that it was unlikely, but I still think it was sorta foolish for Ren to disregard the possibility. He could've taken his stake and checked just to be sure, but perhaps he was too scared to. Perhaps he was already too attached to Ivy and deep down he refused to entertain the idea because he wouldn't go through the same thing with her as he did with his best friend.
And now I'll just sit here and cry my eyes out because Ren is supposed to KILL the Halfling, aka Ivy, and that totally puts a damper on Ivy+Ren=4ever *sniffles into hanky*
I also suspected Val from the moment Ivy told her about Ren. She seemed.....idk, too calm about everything. And then she'd sometimes run off suddenly. Plus that hot date she kept going on about....I felt like that might've been a cover to go meet with the Fae. I didn't want to suspect her, believe me, but out of everyone, she was most obvious traitor. What I wonder about though, is why. Why did she betray them? (hide spoiler)]
And what is the significance of this healing crystal? Because I'm very certain we'll hear more of it in the future.

All in all, Wicked was a swoony, heartfelt, perhaps a bit light, story of a two young adults (in the very early 20s, not YA young adults) with tortured pasts who find each other amid a creeptastic fantasy New Orleans where Fae prowl the streets and come with evil plots to unleash the mighty Otherworld down upon us humans, and a special Order of humans who fight to stop them. (Oh wow, special Order......sounds very Law and Order-ish. You know, the TV show. With the signature music and constant mention the the 'criminal justice system'? Yeaah, that one.)

4 stars <3
—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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Ignite by Lily Paradis

Ignite by Lily Paradis
Published on 26th Aug 2014
326 pages
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After her father’s untimely demise in a mining accident and her mother’s abandonment, Lauren Lindsay is no stranger to loss. She’s used to living life for one person: herself.
That is, until another family tragedy thrusts three children into her care and uproots her life in ways she could never imagine. 
Lauren's first instinct is to run, until she meets their striking, mysterious neighbor Dean Powell. Their immediate chemistry and his connection with her late father just might be enough to keep her in town long enough to uncover pieces of her past that she never had answers to. Dean’s shady past and her reluctance to trust him could cost her the life she's always been searching for, but will she run back to her old life? 
Or will she choose to stay and live the life her father always imagined for her?

I wanted to like this book, but....I couldn't. I just couldn't.
This whole story was so unrealistic, I couldn't believe a single thing that happened. Not to mention that the drama rivalled a YA Wattpad story. And hey, I'm not saying I don't like Wattpad stories, I do (well, depends on the story), but Watty stories usually need a lot of work. They might have potential, but they're generally extremely raw.

I had so many problems with Ignite. For instance, why were the three little step-siblings dumped on Lauren in the first place? Firstly, she's not (view spoiler)[for the most part (hide spoiler)] blood related. Didn't Linda (the stepmum) have any family? Secondly, just because her Uncle's wife has 'flare ups' – whatever that means, doesn't mean they can't take the kids. It may have been a bit hard, but if push came to shove, they could've taken them. Thirdly, don't they have any Godparents or close family friends? Fourthly, Lauren has a twin brother, who had just as much legal connection to the kids as she does.
So what then, she has to give up her youth to look after three kids who she'd never even properly met just because she's the only apparent female who isn't prone to 'flare ups'? What about the fact that she's 21? What about the fact that she's virtually a stranger? What about the fact that she's halfway through college?
(view spoiler)[And let's face it, if Lauren's dad didn't have this surprise magical money stash that he passed onto her and her twin (wow.....convenient much?), there's no way she could've single-handedly paid for her college fees at the more expensive sister campus (colour me surprised! *note the sarcasm*) that she'd need to attend to look after the kids. And if she couldn't pay for her college fees, she would've had to drop out of college, and then how would she be able to support herself and 3 kids? But of course she was saved by her huge inheritance. An inheritence she didn't even know about. That she finally receives 9 years after her dad actually died. It's completely ludicrous. (hide spoiler)]

Another problem was how much of a weak, dramatic pushover Lauren was.
Her Uncle and his wife literally ordered her to look after the three kids, and she just......let them. Forgetting the 'flare ups' joke, it seemed to me that they just didn't want the responsibility of taking care of the kids even though (1 they're older and Lauren's uncle is a lawyer so they'd have a steady income (2 there's two of them whereas Lauren would have to act like a single mum, and (3 they're much more familiar with the kids while Lauren has never even really met them (I can't help pointing out that it seems that Lauren was estranged from her dad....another reason why it's unlikely she'd be given the kids).

Then you have the love interest. Oh my. It just gets worse and worse. Dean's character fell flat from the get go. He was a total jackass at first (and I don't mean in Daemon's swoony style), and somehow Lauren was attracted to him? There was way too much insta-attraction and insta-jealousy, and Dean and Lauren's connection didn't feel one bit sincere.
Oh, and then there's the matter of his past. What. A. Laugh. (view spoiler)[Son of a drug lord?? Seriously?? (hide spoiler)]

Lauren mentions how Dean 'somehow got through her walls', and that she's some kind of ice queen *snorts*, but tbh I don't think she had any to begin with. She's very.....*cough* emotional. Hell, she started crying because of clam chowder and food poisoning! Yeah, I get it, food poisoning has to suck, but she's 21 and she cries over practically everything. She should start carrying a tissue box.

The only aspect I liked about the story was how the six of them, Lauren, Dean, Callie (the oldest kid), Jenny (Dean's little sister and Callie's best friend), Chase (the middle kid), and of course little Emma (the baby of the three kids), were like one big motley family where Lauren and Dean were halfway between parents and older siblings to the kids/teens. It was cute, I admit.

So yeah, I couldn't get through Ignite, and ended up DNFing it, but quite a few of my blogger friends liked it enough, so I guess it's just me really. I'm glad other's enjoyed it tho :)

DNF.

—Missbloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross
Published on 7th Oct 2014
320 pages
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Life loves a good curveball…
Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas's life is completely upended the moment her dad returns to the major leagues as the new pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. Now she's living in Missouri (too cold), attending an all-girls school (no boys), and navigating the strange world of professional sports. But Annie has dreams of her own—most of which involve placing first at every track meet…and one starring the Royals' super-hot rookie pitcher.
But nineteen-year-old Jason Brody is completely, utterly, and totally off-limits. Besides, her dad would kill them both several times over. Not to mention Brody has something of a past, and his fan club is filled with C-cupped models, not smart-mouthed high school “brats” who can run the pants off every player on the team. Annie has enough on her plate without taking their friendship to the next level. The last thing she should be doing is falling in love.
But baseball isn't just a game. It's life. And sometimes, it can break your heart…

Eeeeekk I loved this one so much! Definitely worth those few dollars on iBooks :D
Let me just start off by fangirling over that gorgeous cover! IT'S SO CUTE I WANT TO HUG IT! *SCREAMS AND RUNS IN CIRCLES*
Okay, I'm good now.
No, waait, one more time. IT'S SO FRIGGING SWEET I'M MELTING!



Sorry, I had to do that. Now I'm good. Truly.

Whatever Life Throws at You was a cute heartfelt read that made me laugh or smile every couple of lines. In other words, it was soooo my kind of book.
There was certainly a cliché element to it with Brody and Annie falling for each other and creating a secret/taboo relationship spin to the book. Throw in the media and you have a potential whirlwind of problems that could scream cliché.
But what made the book unique was the depth of the emotional interaction of the characters. It wasn't a simple girl falls for boy and vice versa kind of story. I could feel real palpable emotion and relationships between Annie, Brody, and her dad. It wasn't solely about Annie and Brody and their romance. There was also Annie's relationship with her dad and how it was affected by her mum.
The book was longer than I thought it would be, and it dragged out somewhat, but there was also a lot more depth and feeling than I expected.

I adored Annie. She wasn't anywhere close to the stereotypical YA female who gets flustered by male attention and has a severe lack of self-confidence.
She had a good measure of maturity (I'd say resulting from having a mother like hers *cough* and looking after her family for so long), but she didn't develop a prissy stuck-up attitude. She wasn't afraid to be girly or flirtatious if she felt like it, and I liked that about her. Annie definitely still acted like a teenager and yes, she did have bouts of naivety, but that just made her human, and overall, she's the kind of girl I'd be content to be at 17.

I loved the interaction between Brody and Annie, and even in the beginning when they were constantly bickering they had a mutual sense of comradrie that connected them becuase of their shared interest in keeping Brody and Annie's dad securely in their respective jobs.

Brody wasn't the classic self-important bad-boy man-whore. Yes, he was sexy and witty, but he was also damaged and vulnerable with a serious lack of self-confidence. I loved how we slowly got to know who he truly was as the novel progressed. Brody was such an honest, sweet, gooey-centred romantic and he and Annie are just perfect for each other. And hot damn, do I love my hot foreign-speaking fictional boys!

I respected the sincerity of the story. I think the ending was well written, and also very realistic, for which I'm extremely grateful. If you know me, you'll know that while I can tolerate some unrealistic turn of events, too far is simply too far *cough*Ignite*cough*, and realistic and relatively happy endings are my favourite kind of endings.
Speaking of which, I'm glad the animosity targeted at Brody by his teammates wasn't an issue tackled in the course of the book and was left to simmer down over time. Not all issues can be miraculously settled and sometimes you can't change something overnight.

P.s. And the FB updates are da bomb! So hilarious.

5 stars

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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We will, we will rock 2015! Bookish style.

Whoa. To be totally honest I kind of can't believe it's already 2015. I mean, one minute it was the beginning of 2014, and then, BOOM, I'm almost 16 and I have a blog o.O

And talking of Fangirling Misses, I feel guilty. Really guilty. I know, I've been a very bad blogger and abandoned y'all lately *sniff* I'm sorry! Forgive me? *does killer puppy dog eyes* ;)

– BOOKISH 2014 ACHIEVEMENTS –

• Started a blog with my besties!

• Kept said blog running *gaasp*

• Read 59 books

• Met some amazing people and bloggers

• Discovered the secretive Australian blogosphere. I'm Blog Agent 007, if you were wondering....

• Received my first physical ARC!

• Won my first book giveaway!

• Won my first book swag.

• A proud owner of a tiny but dignified book shelf.

• Discovered Twitter, Instagram and Netgalley!

• Became addicted to said sites. Yes, that counts as an achievement. Don't question my logic.

• Joined some street teams. Hoped they would be more hands-on, but it's still fun nonetheless.

– I'M ALSO A GENERAL ACHIEVER! –

• I started dancing again.

• I received a trophy :D *huggles trophy*

Being the brainless newbie-who's-not-really-a-newbie-anymore-and-is-really-just-using-it-as-an-excuse that I am, I found myself at a bit of a loss at what to write even though I knew I wanted to signify the New Year in some way. So I (yes, I really really did) stalked some blogs for....wait for it....inspiration. Heh heh. And everyone seems to love writing blogger goals (why didn't I think of this? *sigh*). So here goes:

– MY SUPER AMAZING (HA) GOALS FOR 2015!!! –

• Win more books. Yaasss.

• Buy more books.

• Get a job so I can buy more books.

• Write more informative reviews.

• Write more funny reviews.

• Go to bed earlier in the night *cough*it's always past 12 so morning*cough*

• Get a new blog theme. Kelly, I love you (so keep slaving away! jk, jk *grins*)

• Do something cool on my 16th birthday....except it's in less than 10 days, so I probably won't succeed in doing anything except sleep half the day and read books *scratches head*

• Schedule posts and organise blogging better.

• In fact, schedule my whole days (because I've been extremely unorganised lately *scowls*)

• Hit 200 blog followers!

• Find a healthy reading pace.

• Be more careful when requesting ARCs on Netgalley. A very big issue for bloggers I imagine ^^

• Celebrate FM's first blogoversary!!!!!

• Now that I have a small load of books, start practicing the art of book photography.

• Learn some CSS/HTML.

• Write more thoughtful/discussion posts.

• Join a 2015 book challenge or two, but don't overload. So far I'm leaning toward the 365 Days of YA Reading Challenge, the 2015 Debut Author Challenge, and the Fairytale Retelling Reading Challenge 2015. Thoughts people?

• Hopefully read 50 books (I read 59 last year, but I might not have as much time this year *sniff*)

• Catch up in TVD and The 100.

• Meet some bloggers in real life......is this too much to ask?! *kneels before the book deities*

• Ace my school studies.....*wink*

• Study for my drivers licence!

• Pet my cats more. I've been a bad mummy *cries*

That's it for me! What are YOUR goals for 2015?

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Semi-Sorta-Maybe-Hiatus?

Hi lovlies. So I guess the title speaks for itself, but I might be a bit absent for the next 2 weeks because I've got my dance concert and then an interstate trip straight after. So I'll be a little busy, and even though I adore y'all, I don't know how much time I'll have for blogging during this time. Besides, I don't even know what the status of my precious wifi will be. Hopefully ample, but you never know. In other words, here's the warning if I suddenly drop of the blogosphere for 2 weeks. But never fear, I'll be baaaack ;)

Bye for now!

I'll miss you!

And here's a smiling cupcake. Just, because.

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 4.55 of 5 stars
Pages: 464
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay… 

This is the second instalment of The Dark Elements trilogy. A representation of my emotions (hint: my emotions go by a new name called Loki) for your visual entertainment.....

Soooo.....I took over a month to write up my review. Again. I did this exact same thing with White Hot Kiss, weirdly enough. I think I've developed a new habit o.O

Amaazing. This book......kakdjlehkdkjdhsfkj!! *dies* I couldn't keep my face away from the pages to the point I skimmed out of pure guiltylicious excitement. And then I had to wait till the story wasn't fresh anymore to reread it so I wouldn't get all the bookish deets confused. And the second time around I did a total bookfaceplant. Again. Except this time I managed not to skim. Achievement! Do I get a chocolate reward? Pwease?

The plot twists in SCT just kept coming. JLA really pulled out all the stops, and my brain was just going round and round in circles trying to figure out what was happening, why it was happening, and what was the cause. Or causes. It was madness, and that end, oh man, that ending was meaan. Everything took a 180 in the matter of two pages. The mother of all cliffhangers! Every Last Breath you better come soon or I'll unleash my very own personal Thumper ;)

Oh, and can I cheer for Layla with some pompoms?! She was so much more confident and defiant, and she didn't back down from a fight. In WHK she dealt the best she thought she could, but in SCT she was on fiiireee! *waves pompoms*
I admit she was a bit too reckless at times. She should've listened to Zayne when he told her not to go off anywhere with Roth *diehard Roth fans boo*, and not for the sake of listening to Zayne, but because going off with Roth seemed to end with either getting herself hurt, or hurting someone else. I don't suppose she has a slight problem with learning from her mistakes?

I warmed up to Danika in SCT, and I actually think that this weird Lanika friendship where they call each other sexy (I did say it was weird, okay) is sorta cool with epic proportions....and I admit I've been a bit harsh on her, especially in WHK, because I'm reading in, oh, I don't know, Layla's POV. Danika's innate Zayne-targeted flirtatiousness in WHK just got on my nerves, you know?
In truth, Danika is in as much of a tough spot as Layla is over Zayne.....well, she doesn't know Zayne nearly as much as Layla does, so it's a bit of a unsubstantiated crush on her side, but then again people expect for her to be with Zayne, so I guess having that expectation that she'd end up with Zayne, and being encouraged to have such an expectation must have influenced her feelings quite a bit, whereas Layla's crush on Zayne occurred naturally and perhaps (probably not, he's too hawt to be denied *wink*) denied at one point. After all, Layla knew even as a kid that she could never be with Zayne.....or so she thought.

Roth was a total jerk at first, but he didn't do it because he wanted to, and it was rather obvious, so it was hard to get mad at him when I could see he was in as much pain as Layla. Plus, he still managed to be hilarious. In other words, Roth was classic Roth. 'Nuff said.
And Bambi is officially my hero! *cuddles the oversized snake* She's the bestest familiar EVER! (view spoiler)[She made Zayla kisses possible *squeals* (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[I know a lot of people *cough*TeamRothies*cough* are mad at Zayne because of the possibility that he was present when Abbot threatened the kill Layla as a way to get Roth to stay away from her, but I think that's a moot point because Zayne never would've let Abbot threaten Layla's life like that. It's completely against his character, and it's obvious that the one thing Roth and Zayne share is their love for Layla. In other words, Zayne loves Layla. And a protective guy like Zayne would never let someone threaten the life of someone else, let alone the girl he loves. Plus, I doubt Roth would have 'grudging respect' for Zayne if he'd just stood by.
I am a little apprehensive why JLA wrote it so Roth didn't just tell Layla straight up whether Zayne had been there though, because if Roth won the polls (and it's very likely he did) and she uses that plot flexibility to 'make up Layla's mind on her choice between Roth and Zayne' in Every Last Breath, I will be really mad. Like, reaallyy mad.
If Zayne is going to lose Layla, it shouldn't be because JLA writes that he let Abbot threaten Layla and then took advantage of Roth's absence to get closer to Layla romantically as a plot tool to make Layla hate or distrust Zayne and inevitably choose Roth. Hell, even Roth said that Zayne would've done the same that he did for Layla and stay away from her if it meant her safety. So I really, really hope that Zayne's character will stay true and that if he does lose Layla, it'll be in a fair way that doesn't destroy the sincerity of his character. Please. Please. Pretty please. (hide spoiler)]

I loved how sweet and possessive Zayne was in SCT *dreamy look* My outlook of Zayne completely changed in this book. Layla pining over Zayne and Zayne being over protective/borderline possessive is a familiar scene, but when they're open about their feelings for each other? And actually act on them? Drastically different ballpark. You got to see an adorably vulnerable side to Zayne, as if he'd somehow lost some of his 21 years xD
*whispers* I can't believe he's never 'done the deed' with a girl before because he's liked Layla for ages omg how cuuuteee *high pitched giggle* I almost want to coo and pinch his cheeks.....expect that would be....yeah. Kinda creepy, considering he's a fullgrown Warden. A hot fullgrown Warden.
(view spoiler)[And the fact that he was able to look past the Tomas-Warden-gobble and when Layla took part of that woman's soul and when she accidently started to take his soul just shows how much he loves her because, come on! He's had Warden ideals drummed into him since he was a kid, and sure he got mad for a little bit when she took part of that woman's soul in the club, but he got over it. He totally ignored those wretched Warden ideals. (hide spoiler)]
Team Zayne? Should I? Could I??

Choosing between the Roth and Zayne is sooo hard. But I know only one will get to be with Layla, and I also know that it's pretty likely to be Roth.....almost everyone seems to love Roth you see *grins and rolls eyes*
I really don't want Zayne to lose Layla though, and it's probably cruel but I don't want him to be with Danika *sniffs resentfully*
Besides, Danika and Zayne aren't actually a good match in my opinion. She needs someone where she's not always second best, someone who will accept her for her, including her need for independence, adventure and fighting......and yeah, that just cut out all the prospective Wardens *snickers* because even tho I find some of the classic male Warden protectiveness cute, they generally take it a couple (a lot more than a couple) notches overboard into smothering land high up the creep-o-meter, and I hate how sexist and illogical they are as a society.

I mean come on, how exactly is it smart to refuse to let the women train to fight, or even learn self defence, when they're usually the ones targeted? *facepalm* Maybe if the male Wardens weren't so prideful over their macho protective abiltites, and let the females train, they'd actually stand a better chance......but oh no, Wardens (the males that is, since the females are treated like smothered baby-makers and aren't allowed to fight, let alone make decisions) are always right because they have pure souls, so surely everything they say is correct and holy and just. Yeah, whatever helps them sleep at night.

To be honest, I love Zayne and Roth going at each other......it's entertaining *cackles and joins Stacey munching popcorn* I'll be sad to see it stop in the next book when she ends up with one of them.

Secret Message to My Dutiful Followers

Even tho I love Roth (and would love to have his babies *cough*) I decided to vote for Zayne because he's adorable! Plus, he's the underdog and I don't want to see him become a lost puppy as well as an underdog *sniff* Well, if Layla rejects him in Every Last Breath, I'll have him ;) *coddles and glares at a certain Olivia from Fictionally Obsessed*

5 GARGOYLE BABIES......please? Cookie dough on top? *flutters eyelashes at Zayne* (yes I am aware I practice fictional polygamy, I came out of that closet ages ago, thank you for your concern)

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

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Release Day: Breaking The Rules by Katie McGarry + Giveaway

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day launch for Katie McGarry's BREAKING THE RULES! BREAKING THE RULES is a Young Adult contemporary romance published by Harlequin Teen, and is the follow-up book to Katie's PUSHING THE LIMITS. You do not want to miss Noah and Echo's story! Grab it today!

 

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** Books-A-Million ** Kobo ** iBooks ** Google Play

BREAKING THE RULES Synopsis:

A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry.
For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so . . . different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who's never judged her.
Echo and Noah share everything--except the one thing Echo's just not ready for.
But when the source of Echo's constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants--even as foster kid Noah's search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.
Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn . . . seriously epic.

And don’t forget to read the first books in the Pushing the Limits Series…

PUSHING THE LIMITS

CROSSING THE LINE

DARE YOU TO

CRASH INTO YOU

TAKE ME ON

Belle:

Okay, I am so confused with the timeline of this series because each of the previous books centered on different characters. In Pushing the Limits (I've read this one – I loved some aspects in PtL but others I didn't like that much, so I'm quite mixed on reading the rest of the series) we focus on Echo and Noah.

In Crossing the Line, a Pushing the Limits Series novella, we look at Lila, Echo's bestie (I adore her *GIRLCRUSH*) and her love interest, Lincoln.

In Dare You To, we peek into Beth's (one of Noah's best friends) life and her new love, while in Crash Into You we get to delve into the story of Rachel (I honestly don't know who this is...whoops) and her new love Isaiah (Noah's other best friend).....and I said new both times because, well, I'm pretty sure that when I read PtL, Beth was sorta in a relationship with Isaiah. I'm so confused!

As for Take Me On, I've never heard of either MCs, so no help from me there. Sorry hons.

And now to, yes, Breaking The Rules! I'm a little surprised that Echo and Noah are having a sequel since I was quite happy with the ending of PtL, but it seems the author still has room for both characters to grow, which I guess can't be a bad thing (Echo and Noah are quite....ahem, complicated beings). I'm interested to see how McGarry has continued the great Echo and Noah saga. *claps hands*

TEASER ALERT (Noah's POV):
“Did you fall into some paint, Echo?” Isaiah asks, changing the subject.
Echo’s shoulder slumps as she pivots toward the mirror. She groans as she touches her cheek and forehead that are more red and pink than skin. “Dang it. Why am I such a mess?”
“I think it’s sexy as hell,” I say.
“I think I’m going to barf,” Beth mocks my tone.
Death radiates from the look I send her way. Enough that it should melt her. “Ever sleep in a tent, Beth?”
Beth focuses on the screen while raising her middle finger in my direction.
“Screw it.” Echo turns away from the mirror. “I need a shower.”
I smile, Echo blushes, then I laugh. Damn me for inviting Isaiah and Beth to share our room.
“Anyhow.” An excited glint strikes Echo’s eyes. “Are you ready? I hope you like it. It’s sort of…for you. But it’s not done, okay? I mean, something like this would actually take a while to perfect, so I guess I’m saying—”

“Echo.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s all good.”

“Okay.” Her fingers drum nervously over the top of the canvas before she repeats, “Okay.”

“I’m assuming that’s not the constellation Aires?”

“No. I’ll have to start on that tomorrow.” With a deep inhale, Echo pulls out a chair from the table and rests the painting on the arms and leans it against the back so it will stay upright.
Air rushes out of my body, and I sink onto our bed. It’s the same damned shock as when she drew my parents this past spring. There’s awe and joy and this ache that hits deep in my gut. I bend forward and rest my joint hands on my knees and stare at the sight in front of me.
Fuck me, my eyes burn. I shut them, attempting to get my shit together. It’s a painting. Only a painting. I reopen them, and it’s the same disorientation as a right hook to the head. It’s more than a painting, and that’s the reason my throat swells.
Last night meant as much to me as it did to her and she painted it, capturing it in a way unique to Echo. She’s right, it’s not done. It’s a skeleton compared to her other work, but I see enough to know what she desires, what she plans to design. Up close all those colors would look like chaos, but when viewed as a whole it creates this beautiful picture. In the end, that’s the best way to describe me and Echo, our relationship. Our love.
The bed dips as Echo eases onto it, settles behind me and props her chin on my shoulder. Her signature scent that reminds me of walking into a bakery becomes an invisible blanket surrounding me. “What do you think?”
“It’s us,” I whisper, and knots form in my stomach. Echo always finds a way to blow my mind. She tenses behind me and I continue, “It’s where we spent last night.”
“It is.” Echo relaxes, and her fingers curl around my biceps. “Do you like it?”
Struggling for composure, I place my hand over hers and pause. “It’s…” I’m not Echo. I don’t have words for what happens inside me. If I did, I’d fail at describing this. I shift to rest my forehead against hers. “I don’t deserve you.”
“That’s my statement,” she says so only I can hear. “I wish we were alone again.”
I press my lips to hers, slide my hand through her hair and watch as the curls bounce back into place. “Me, too.”

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT.
Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website | Twitter @KatieMcGarry | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumbler | Instagram

 

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Book Blitz: Compulsion by Martina Boone

Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island #1)

by Martina Boone 

Release Date: 10/28/14

ISBN: 1481411225

Simon Pulse, Simon Teen

448 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Buy Links:
   

Compulsion is available anywhere books are sold. Signed copies are available from One More Page Books. You can also order with the special “I have a Compulsion for reading” bookplate from Eight Cousins.

Belle: Special thanks to the author Martina Boone for generously providing her dream cast....because I am super curious about this!!

The COMPULSION Dream Cast

Before I get to the human characters, I have to say that setting is very definitely a character in the HEIRS OF WATSON ISLAND trilogy. Watson Island is loosely based on Edisto Island, and I borrowed from actual Charleston area plantation history to create the three plantations that shaped who the three families became. There was tons of material to work with-I mean, pirate treasure, ancient spirit witches, blood feuds, lonely, demented characters, curses, forbidden romance . . . How could I resist?

My dream cast of plantations would include Boone Hall Plantation, with bits of Magnolia Plantation and Drayton Hall thrown in. For the ruins of Colesworth Place, I’d love to use part of the columns that are all that’s left of the Windsor Plantation in Port Gibson, Mississippi. There is a Windsor Plantation on Edisto Island, too, but it doesn’t have the same level of drama and echoing sadness.
Okay, and now on to the fun part. Human characters.

Barrie.

Barrie first. I’d love to Jennifer Lawrence play Barrie, of course, but basically, I’d like Jennifer Lawrence to play the main character in every movie, so that may not tell you much. I might go with Nicola Peltz.

Eight (Charles Robert Beaufort, VIII)

Liam Hemsworth, I think, although Alex Pettyfer is probably the default here for most readers, and of course I wouldn’t turn him down.

Barrie’s cousin Cassie.

Rooney Mara. This one’s a no-brainer for me. She could do Scarlett/Vivien Leigh, and I think she’d pull off the various sides of Cassie with the complexity that Cassie needs.

Barrie’s godfather Mark.

Idris Elba. I can picture him ROCKING a pink Chanel suit and heels and shaking his booty and singing along with Whoopie Goldberg in Sister Act doing “Hail Holy Queen.” I wonder if he’d be willing to shave?

Barrie’s Aunt Pru.

Hard to believe that Reese Witherspoon is about the right age, but she is. And she would do a fabulous job.

Eight’s father Seven (Charles Robert Beaufort, VII).
If they cast Patrick Dempsey as Seven, then McDreamy might finally get the girl he missed in Sweet Home Alabama. Maybe. Eventually. By the end of the series—if I decide that Seven is truly good enough for Pru.

Belle: And here's a teaser 'cause I love you guys :P

Eight spun her toward him and kissed her, a long, deep kiss, until she thought she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen to the brain. “Now I’m better. You?”

“Yeah. Fan-freaking-tastic.”

“Good, because we’re going to get out of this. Look at me.” He ducked his head so he was eye level with her, and laced the fingers of both hands through hers. He spoke so intently, it was hard not to believe him. Not to believe in him. “We will get out.”

Maybe the human brain was hardwired to require faith. Some people believed in God. Others believed in sports teams. Some believed blindly in their own talent or intelligence, regardless of evidence to the contrary, and then there were those who believed in family no matter how often it betrayed them. The people who mattered were the people you chose instead of the people who were yours only by an accident of birth. Real family was heart as much as, if not more than, blood.

About the Author:

Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. She fell in love with words and never stopped delighting in them.

She’s the founder of AdventuresInYAPublishing.com, a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers site, and YASeriesInsiders.com, a site devoted to encouraging literacy and all this YA Series.

From her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, children, and Auggie the wonder dog, she enjoys writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she’d love to visit. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Tumblr | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

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