Review: Revived

Title: Revived

Author: Cat Patrick

Published: May 8, 2012

Source: BookPeople Teen Reviewer

Synopsis:

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

Review:
Revived was a little creepy for me. It was a sci-fi book, which isn’t my forte. I don’t like the scientific books that have to do with weird medicines that bring people back to life. Other than the creepiness aspect of it, Revived had a good story line that kept you interested.


Cover:
Her eyes, there just whoa… They capture your attention and keep you there. Then you notice the other things, like what is she pulling apart and the color of it, which is a very pretty color and matches her eyes.


Plot/Writing:
Revived takes you a couple chapters to get. You have to figure out how she is still alive and all, which needs some explaining. After that everything is interesting and keeps you paying attention to what is going on. Plus there is romance! And you know I love romance! J The story line was well written and made grammatical sense and there were no spelling errors!


Characters:
Daisy is awesome. She is brave, a little reckless, and a great actor. Those might not be the best qualities together, but they work for her. She is a super awesome agent, and she just makes sense for what she was raised to do. Then she meets Matt and Audrey, and her views on the world switch a little. Her journey is an interesting one and it was nice to see the changes in her.

Matt is pretty dang awesome! The older, handsome, caring brother is all Daisy can think about and I don’t see a problem in that. He cares so much about his sister and Daisy that it is so sweet. I loved Matt because you got to see a side of a boy you don’t usually get to see because they act all tough and invincible. Matt is anything but, and isn’t afraid to show it.


All in All:
Revived was a very new and interesting book, if you’re into sci-fi books, check this one out! 4 out of 5 tacos!

Review: Destined

Title: Destined
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Published: May 1, 2012
Source: Anna @ Lit Explorer

Synopsis:

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and she is working with Klea to conquer and destroy Avalon. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares for a fight she never thought she would have to face.

Filled with heart-pounding action, sweeping romance, and higher stakes at every turn, Destined is the series conclusion that readers have been clamoring for—with a twist that will leave them breathless.


Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to touch her hair behind her ear. He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn't kiss her, just held her face to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.

She hated how much it felt like good-bye.

* SPOILERS FOR THE BOOKS BEFORE DESTINED*
 Review:
What a way to end the series. From the very beginning Destined was one big battle after another and just left me feeling like I could never know what would happen! I never wanted Destined to end, but sadly it had too.

Cover:
Well, the cover fits in perfectly in with the other covers, which all have flowers on them. I think they symbolize the different faeries bloom, but I'm not 100% sure. Still it is beautiful and it had my friends gasping when I pulled it out of my bag.

Plot/Writing:
Aprilynne Pike sure knows how to write a story. The whole book was one big battle of pure, epic proportions. The way the story was written, it kept you in suspense just long enough, and then it would save you and tell you what was going on! It was amazing and I loved every second of it!

Characters:
Laurel, well she hasn't changed. She is still and amazingly strong character. All she wants is the fighting to be over with, because then she could go back to normal. She relies on her friends and of course Tamani to help her out, but she doesn't like relying on them. She rather them not get hurt and stay safe, but of course they just want to help her!

Then there is Tamani. He got even more amazing in this book, if that is even possible. He was so dedicated to saving Avalon, it was just amazing to read. He was so strong and beautiful in this book that he took my breath away. I might have a little crush on him! :) Hehe

All in All:
AMAZING! That is all I can say. David's letter at the at the end broke my heart a little, but it made it all wrap up and close perfectly. Job well done Aprilynne Pike, I hope to read more of your stories soon! :) 5 out of 5 tacos!

Friday 56: 4/27/12

This weekly meme is hosted by Freda's Voice!!!

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Turn to page 56

• Find any sentence that grabs you

• Post it

• Add your URL to her Linky!

Zeke told me that I could come to his prison for a conjugal visit any time I wanted. He would tie me down.
Page 56 of Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Winner!

Shelby!!

She has been contacted, confirmed, and picked her book! 

Thanks everyone who entered! :)

#DaemonInvasion!

Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard us talking about the upcoming #daemoninvasion and we’re so excited to finally share with you what is going on.

Really excited.

The beautiful and uber cool models, Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, who grace the Lux covers, will be joining us in the United States!  You heard right.  They are flying here, from Hungary to spend a few days as Daemon and Katy! While they are here, they will be working with Vania, from VLC Productions (the team behind Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, Melissa de La Cruz, Kimberly Derting, Moira Young, Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl, Hillary Duff, Lauren Destefano, and many, many more authors’ book trailers), to film book trailers for the Lux Series.

During the filming in Atlanta, they will be accompanying us on tour! What does that mean? You get to meet them. In the flesh. They will be participating in the signings and events. At those signings, we’ll be giving away signed posters, photos, and other swag. There will also be meet and greet events you can join in on.

At each signing, there will be advanced copies of Onyx given away!

And to top things off (as if this isn’t enough, but we don’t do anything small), there’s something very, very exciting in the works! It involves advanced copies of Opal, water, and a little destination known as the Bahamas.

I am not kidding.

This will be epic.

Aare you excited? I am! This tour is going to be so, so much fun, and I’m so thrilled that Pepe and Sztella are a part of it. We owe them a huge thank you and a giant welcome making the 16 hour flight to meet the readers of the Lux Series.  You!

Daemon Invasion Signing and Event Schedule

June 8^th
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, GA
3:00pm

June 10^th
Barnes and Noble
St Johns Town Center
Jacksonville, FL
3:00pm

June 13^th
Barnes and Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center
Orlando, FL
3:00pm

June 14^th
Barnes and Noble
The Palladium at City Place
West Palm Beach, FL
4:00pm

There are several #daemoninvasion street teamers out there and if you want to join a team to win exclusive prizes, search down the #daemoninvasion hashtag to join one of the teams!

Don’t forget to visit Jennifer L. Armentrout’s blog to win a signed set of Half-Blood and Pure (insert direct link: http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/2012/04/tempting-best-man-and-contest.html  in celebration of her adult romance release, Tempting the Best Man, under pen name J. Lynn.  It can be purchased here (insert direct link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempting-the-best-man-j-lynn/1110370701?ean=2940014566698 )

 

Daemon Invasion!!!

The Daemon Invasion is coming! 

Be prepared for complete and total awesomeness of epic proportions.

I have my own elite street team and I need members for my awesome team! I need you, if you have an epic love for the character Daemon Black and a love for the Lux series!

You will get a street team pack to help me promote the series and get a chance to win awesome prizes! There is going to be a bunch of fun and easy contests going on!

What do you need to enter? A blog, Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook!

I have 9 spots left on my team so act fast!

Email me @ samjam (at) earthlink (dot) net if you want to join my team!! :)

 

Waiting on Wednesday: 4/25/12

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It showcases books that we can't wait on to come out!

This week I'm waiting on Inbetween by Tara A. Fuller!

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.
It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left...his soul

Release: August 7, 2012

Review: Until Next Time

Title: Until Next Time
Author: Amy Lignor
Published: February 1, 2012
Source: Review Copy

Synopsis:

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

Review:
I really enjoyed Until Next Time. The story was a new and interesting one. I liked the world that was created in the book, even if it was a little confusing at moments.

Plot/Writing:
The plot was interesting. It went back and forth between the Angels and their charges. It was different to see that. The story progressed in a very well written matter. There were points that were confusing, it was mostly when they were in Heaven.
The writing was exceptional. It was easy to read and no errors that I could notice in the story. It was nice to see a very well edited/written book.

Characters:
Emily was very determined. She kept her head on her and was very set on her actions. She had a mind of her own in a place where it wasn't wanted. If you were a lady you were seen as a mute person, only there to compliment your husband. Which isn't true, it is wrong. She does all this in the body of Liz, who is an exceptional lady.
Then there is Matt, who is a warrior and very headstrong. Personally I loved Matt and his second personality Daniel. I thought he was determined to see everything through and was very sweet. Even if things didn't exactly go as planned, he was still loyal and sweet through it all!

All in All:
I liked Until Next Time, even if it did end a little weirdly. 4 out of 5 tacos!

Teaser Tuesday: 4/24/12

This lovely weekly feature is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Rules:

• Grab your current read!

• Open to a random page

• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page!

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

• Share the title and author!

"I've heard a lot about Americans, and they don't like white sneakers."
Page 3 of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 

Review: Unbreak my Heart

 Title: Unbreak My Heart
Author: Melissa Walker
Published: May 22, 2012
Source: eGalley

Synopsis:

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

Review:
Gahhhh! I loved this book! It was the kind of book that made you happy and sad at the same time. I couldn't put this one down, all I wanted to do was keep reading. Even though I had chores to do... and homework.

Cover:
The cover is gorgeous! It captures the book perfectly, and if I'm not mistaken it's a candid shot. Which Clementine loves taking! :)

Plot/Writing:
I'm going to start with the plot. The plot kept me interested throughout the whole story. Like I said, I couldn't put this one down. The way she had it written was she would stay in the present for a couple, and then go back into the past for a couple. Which was really cool, and explained a lot.
The writing though was a little sub-par though. The story had some inconsistencies, like in the summary they say its the end of sophomore year, but it kept mentioning junior year like it had already happened. Then there was this note, and well let's just say they wrong person signed the note and that really threw me off. Other than that the writing was very interesting!

Characters:
Clementine has made a big mistake. Which she's just a little over dramatic about, but then again she is a teenager girl. You spend the whole story wondering what happened to Clementine to make her the way she is. Once you figure it out you feel a little bit of remorse, and then hopeful as she gets out of this glum mood and becomes really happy. It was nice seeing the change! :)

Then there is James. I reallyyy, reallyyyy liked James. That might be because he is a mix of two of my best friends and their little brother. He acts and looks just like them in my mind and it was a little creepy. James is there for Clementine though, his whole goal is to make her laugh and I find this sweet caring guy that you can't help but love.

The other characters were a mix of female dogs (bad kind) and major poop-heads. When someone has been your best friend since kindergarten, you don't just drop them. Not cool. I am going to stop my mini rant there or else things will get spoilery! :)

All in All:
I loved this book. I want a sequel now! I don't care if there isn't one, I will stalk the author to get one! :)
5 out of 5 tacos! :)

Friday 56: 4/20/12

This weekly meme is hosted by Freda's Voice!!!

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Turn to page 56

• Find any sentence that grabs you

• Post it

• Add your URL to her Linky!

"You know, Anna," Rashmi says, "most Parisians understand English. You don't have to be so shy."
Page 56 of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Waiting on Wednesday: 4/18/12

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It showcases books that we can't wait on to come out!

This week I'm waiting on My heart be Damned by Chanelle Gray! 

If you're a Hunter, there are only three things you must know about the Damned. The Damned can't lie, can't live without a body, and can't leave you alone.
Amerie Carter has the blood of a Hunter, unfortunately. She is one of a rare line of women who, upon her sixteenth birthday, will come into extraordinary powers used to hunt the Damned; escaped souls from Hell who take up residence in human bodies. It's supposed to be her sweet sixteen, but Amerie has never dreaded a day more, and her worst fears are confirmed as the celebration turns tragic when her mother is killed.
Grief-stricken, Amerie vows to never hunt a day in her life. She's determined to hide behind normalcy, attending school, hanging out with her friends and working an after-school job at The Hut. All Amerie wants is to be left alone. But try telling the Damned that. The harder Amerie tries to ignore her powers, the more the Damned come looking for her.
When an attack leaves one of Amerie's friends in the hospital, and endangers the lives of her fellow students, she knows she has no choice: Hunt or Be Hunted. Thankfully, the gorgeous, secretive, and so-off-limits Marshall offers to train Amerie to take out her supernatural enemies. But training with Marshall means leading lying to her friends, her family, and confronting the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death.
Amerie soon discovers she’s not the only one with something to hide, Marshall's secrets might kill her before the Damned get the chance. 

Release: July 15, 2012

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Teaser Tuesday: 4/17/12

This lovely weekly feature is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Rules:

• Grab your current read!

• Open to a random page

• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page!

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

• Share the title and author!

"How do you fell about Batman?" Xavier asked with a wink. "I've always wanted to be a superhero."

Page 5 of Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Blog Hop: No Strings Attached

Hey y'all! Sam here with a No Strings Attached Giveaway! 

It is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer!

I am giving away any book with up to a $15 amount! If you want an ebook, a paperback, a hardback, whatever!! :) As long as it is $15 its free game! The book will be from Barnes and Noble so you have free reign of their catalog!

How do you win? 

Simple: Leave a comment with your favorite love story and some way to contact you and we'll be good! 

Now have fun, and pick a good book! :)
Giveaway ends  Sunday, April 22!

Who else is in on this awesome giveaway? 

Review: Torn

Title: Torn
Author: Ashley S. Morgan
Published: February 20, 2012
Source: Review Copy


Synopsis:

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her. Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it. Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody, and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

Review:
Torn was a very confusing story. I felt as though there should've been a book before this. The story was fine, but I just felt like I was very confused. Plus the formatting in PDF was wonky. It would be bold face one letter and normal print the next. Those kinds of things piss the crap outta me.

Cover:
Frankly it is quite creepy. What is it supposed to be? It doesn't seem to go with the book at all and just confused me. Plus this is the first time I've seen the cover.

Plot/Writing:
The story was well written and everything was fine grammatically and spelling wise. Other then that, it seemed to be all over the place. There seemed to be no real plot to it. Well there was, but the way I interpreted it was that the organization wasn't as well thought through as it could've been. The set up finally ended around page 90, and that's when everything interesting started happening. In my opinion, that took way to long. Still, the story was a feel good story and had me guessing the whole way through!

Characters:
Izzy was a very confused character from the start. She has this need for an adrenaline rush, and that sorta ruled the story. She is a very headstrong person, and that makes her rush into things. She remembers things that she shouldn't even know about and it creeps her out. She feels this connection with a strange man, and well.. She rushes into things without thinking.

Then there is Tristan. The strange man I mentioned above. He takes the town by storm. Saving Izzy and capturing her heart, and a couple of other people hearts too. He is very devoted and would risk his life for the people he loves. Which made him a very, very sexy character in my book! :)

All in All:
Minus some of the plot issues, the book was really good. If you like a feel good story then you should look into getting a hold of this one! 3 out of 5 tacos!

There is a new cover that has been recently made, it is shown below!

Review: Blood Song

Title: Blood Song
Author: Rhiannon Hart
Published: September 1, 2011
Source: Book Tour: Dani @ Refracted Light


Synopsis:

I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

Review:
A new and interesting take on vampire that will leave you wanting for more. Blood Song had a very different take on a new world, and I found myself enjoying it. After I got past the very slow part of the story.

Cover:
I absolutely love this cover! I love how her black hair contrasts her pale skin. Then the outlining of light around her skin is just beautiful! Plus the cat and the bird on the front are awesome! They incorporated aspects of the story perfectly!

Plot/Writing:
The story started off really slow. It was just a lot of setting up the characters and the background. Once they got on the road it picked up the pace a lot, but I found myself becoming a little bored. Of course, I am one of those people who sit there and scream KISS KISS KISS! at the book at the most awkward times. I found myself doing this because there was absolutely no romance. At least not until the end, which bothered me! I need my romance!!
The story was really well written. Except for the slowness of the plot, it was well written. I think Blood Song was the first book in the series, so she was just setting up the story and giving us a background into the world of Zeraphina.

Characters:
Zeraphina feels a force drawing her towards the North. She doesn't know why, all she knows is she saw a phantom in her room and she wants to know what is wrong with her. She is very headstrong, and will do whatever she can to get what she wants. She doesn't know whats wrong with her, and yet she doesn't let that get her down. She pushes through and fights it!

Then there is Rodden, who I loved. Sure he was really mean at the beginning and ignored her, but then he started warming up to her! He is hiding something, and all throughout the story I wanted to know what her was hiding. There is a couple scenes with Rodden that just made me smile and hope that things turned out his way! That would've made for a very interesting story if things turned out Rodden's way!

All in All:
I really did enjoy Blood Song. It left me wanting for more and I can't wait for the sequel! Job well done, Rhiannon Hart! 4 out of 5 Tacos!

Friday 56: 4/13/12

This weekly meme is hosted by Freda's Voice!!!

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Turn to page 56

• Find any sentence that grabs you

• Post it

• Add your URL to her Linky!

"How bad is it? Should we try getting him to a doctor?"

"We're are screwed if we call 911."

Page 56 of Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Waiting on Wednesday: 4/11/12

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It showcases books that we can't wait on to come out!

This week I'm waiting on Of Poseidon by Anna Banks!

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

Release: May 22, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: 4/10/12

This lovely weekly feature is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Rules:

• Grab your current read!
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page!
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS
• Share the title and author!

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

"They were waiting at the edge of the woods, blank eyes shinning through the rain, watching me with the unblinking stare of death." Page 341

"Monsters in the night, sizing each other up." Page 341

*Check against published copy, ARC*