Keeper Ingrid Seymour *Cover Reveal*

Hello all :3! Today I have the privilege of sharing the cover of Ingrid Seymour's KEEPER, a serialized YA fantasy. *claps*

The first volume (Vol. 1) is going to be released on March 5th, and the following three will be released in April, May, and June. 

The breakdown:

Volume 1--March 5
Volume 2--April 2
Volume 3--May 7
Volume 4--June 4

The Omnibus edition with all of the volumes will be released in July. 

I love the 'serial novel' concept, so I'm pretty stoked about this :). Ok, onto the COVER!

Me: *_* Oooh, shiny

Synopsis
Greg Papilio both wants and dreads his impending metamorphosis. He’s tired of being a runt—always picked last on the basketball court—and tired of being ugly, like a caterpillar, when he could be what girls call “drop dead gorgeous.” But as much as he looks forward to the transformation, he also fears the caste it will inevitably assign to him. He doesn’t want a common caste, or one that will obliterate his freewill and make him a slave. He wants a powerful one, a cool one.

Samantha Gibson is average. She’s short and a little full around the hips—a terribly cute look for a future chef. À-la-Rachael-Ray in her old days. She’s two years away from culinary school, from her uncaring parents, and from carving a perfectly Human future. She wants independence, a career and a quiet life of her own.

Except fate couldn’t care less about what Greg and Samantha want and gives them exactly the opposite. Greg’s metamorphosis assigns him a caste that enslaves him to Samantha, while her chance to attend Le Cordon Bleu is taken away when her parents get a divorce. And fate’s cruelty doesn’t stop there. Not content with shattering their dreams, it also makes them fall in love, just to tear them apart when Samantha morphs, losing her freewill and developing a compulsion for a guy she barely knows.


Still, these misfortunes are just the tip of the iceberg, because Greg’s fate is to protect Samantha at a time when someone wants her dead. He is her Keeper and will stop at nothing to ensure her safety, even if her secret past proves deadly, even if she belongs to someone else.

About the Author

Ingrid Seymour loves, loves, loves to write. She's a young and new adult author. She writes in a variety of genres including romance, urban fantasy, paranormal and horror. She loves pizza and sushi, Sunkist and gum. She believes in vampires, witches, but not zombies (uh-uh, never!) She writes to loud music, daydreams constantly and spends too much time on twitter!! Find her there? ;)  Ingrid has incredible fun doing what she does, but more than anything she enjoys hearing from her readers. It's a dream come true.

| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | 

| Pinterest | Google+ |

| Website |

Pendomus Carissa Andrews *Review*

If I had to describe Pendomus in one word, it would be: Average. I realize some people are kind of turned off by that word when it comes to books: 

"Um, I don't wanna read THAT book..."

And I admit, the first thing I think when I see a book described as average in a review: 'I'd rather read something else--or at least read something else first.'

Despite calling Pendomus average, I think it's worth reading. Andrews is very inventive, and her creativity in this novel inspired me as both a dreamer and a writer. 

I enjoyed the genre-bending quality of the novel. Fantasy woven into sci-fi with strong romantic and semi-dystopian overtones--win win. Definitely an interesting read despite some cliches and phrases that didn't make sense in the context of the story.

Sure, some of the ideas were pretty basic for science fiction: the standard tech-y gear, planetary issues, an orderly society that's not so orderly (aka dystopia alert!)...and the typical dehumanization that follows....

But other things--like the 15 minute sleep cycles and mental communication links--really impressed me. I didn't think Andrews harnessed all of the potential she *could* have in her novel, but I enjoyed what she did explore. 

The plot was alright; it dragged a lot in the middle, bogged down by extraneous scenes/dialogue (playful banter) between characters. I skimmed *pages*...and didn't miss anything important. I liked the beginning the most. Great hook.

The most disappointing thing about Pendomus was definitely the characterization/character interaction. I wanted to "share" large stacks of dinner plates with pretty much every character in this novel at one point or another. Large. Stacks. Of. Plates. 

I didn't have a solid grasp of either of the main characters (Runa/Trae). Their motivations were difficult to discern, their backstory was a bit lacking, and they were immature, unrealistic, and extremely focused on the physical. Actually...all of the characters were like this. It was a bit much.   

And Hagrid's--I mean, Fenton's--accent. I just did not resonate with it. 

I like accents. But I found it slightly disconcerting that Fenton was the only one who had one. Coupled with the fact that it sounded an awful lot like Hagrid's, which made me think of Hagrid and thus led to the somewhat inevitable comparison of the two, it made me feel cheated.

First, the logic didn't make sense to me; how was he the only one??! Hagrid has a backstory that explains his accent. Plus...HP's characters are British. (I dunno, I'm American; it could be relevant.) What's Fenton's 'excuse'? 

Second, Fenton isn't half as funny as Hagrid (in my opinion). Shallow, I know...but I had a hard time connecting with him because of the association.

I also found Runa's moods extremely difficult to understand/connect with. At one point toward the end of the book I was baffled by her, uh, transformation. Up to that point, she always struck me as curious and defiant, but always in a soft, demure, thoughtful kind of way. She was determined--but cool, like water. 

Then she snapped because of Trae's accusation...and she became so enraged that her character was eclipsed. Everything she said was brimming with hatred. I mean, like, fire breathing dragon mode was entered. 

And then there was me:

(2 gifs in one review isn't overkill...) 

It ripped me out of the story for an entire chapter because it was so unprecedented; I didn't understand where any of it was coming from. 

And then there was Kani. SMF (and my head). My impression of Kani throughout the first half of the book was terrible. Thankfully that didn't last throughout the book. However, I don't feel her characterization was very honest. I began to like her because she was a different person, not because I understood her better. 

And THEN (I was noticing a trend, bear with me) there was insta-love. Oh yes--I'm definitely bringing the dreaded Lust vs. Love argument into this review. 

If I had to choose ONE THING in this novel that I thought was truly bad, I'd pick this one: Lust masquerading as Love. Young 'love'...in other words, the guy can't stop thinking about how much he just wants to kiss the drop-dead-gorgeous heroine-to-be...and the heroine can't stop thinking about how blue his hair is. 

-_-

No, wait. 

--____-- 

AH, much better.

Sure, Runa and Trae are attracted to one another. I get it. They're supposed to be; it's a budding romance. Speaking of which, what kind of legitimate romance only involves the physical? What about spirituality? Intellect? Dreams (aka life plans that may or may not actually pan out)?

Their relationship could be boiled down to this: He thought she was very pretty, especially with her platinum blond hair/beautiful eyes; She thought he was handsome with his blue hair. Oh. And he (sort of?) saved her from being eaten, so he got chivalry points. 

Of course their relationship has the potential to grow, but in Pendomus the romance simply isn't well-developed or realistic. 

***

So. Pendomus has a lot of potential as the first in a series, and it isn't a particularly bad book. It just isn't a particularly *great* book.

While Pendomus probably won't be your Most Favorite Book (Ever), I still think it's worth picking up. After all, we don't know where Andrews is going with the series...and it could get very interesting :).

| Goodreads | Amazon |

About the Author
Born and raised in central MN, Carissa Andrews has always loved books. She started her career at 15 in a bookstore, just to be able to afford her book fetish. By 19, she worked for a magazine publisher. At 22, she was working for printers to learn their trade. At 27, she went back to school for graphic design, and became an award winning designer. Little did she know all of her experiences would lead her to becoming a self-publishing power house.

| Twitter | Facebook |

| Website |

Now That I'm Stronger Valina R. Rudolph *Book Blast and Giveaway*

NOW THAT I'M STRONGER

A Novel

What Would You Do If, In One Moment, You Learned Your Entire Life Was A Lie? 

Synopsis

"I did it." These three words, uttered by Brianna's father, changed her life forever. Confident in her father's innocence, Brianna had been convinced that the jury had made a mistake. Instead, with her father's admission of guilt, everything she believed to be true is suddenly called in to question. 

Heartbroken and confused, Brianna sets out to find out the truth about her past. But what she discovers is more than she could have ever imagined. From the aunt who helped raise her to the new love in her life, it seems as though everyone in her life has a secret agenda. Shattered a little more by each revelation, Brianna finds herself alone with no one to trust. 

Now That I'm Stronger invites you along on Brianna's journey as she courageously uncovers the truth about her past and finds the strength to embrace her future.

| Goodreads | Amazon |

About the Author
Valina Rudolph knew two things from a very young age: she wanted to be a lawyer and she loved to write fiction. She attended John Jay College in New York City, where she majored in Legal Studies and English and she received her law degree from Hofstra Law School. Rudolph currently works as an attorney in New York City. Her love of fiction writing has never waned and Now That I’mStronger is her debut novel. Rudolph lives in Far Rockaway, New York with her husband.

| Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest |

| Website |

Giveaway

Open internationally. Must be 13+ to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Moth in the Mirror A.G. Howard *Review*

The Moth in the Mirror, aka Splintered 1.5, is an ebook-only novella well worth trying, especially if you enjoyed Splintered (...obviously). Plus, cover love :3! *ahem*

Howard utilizes the perspectives of both men in a simplistic, yet ingenius way--Morpheus views Jeb's memories, and in doing so, he takes on all of Jeb's feelings, living through him for a brief period of time. Fans of either 'team' won't be disappointed. (I'm definitely rooting for Morpheus, btw.)

Also...the premise of this novella is beyond hilarious to me. Maybe that's just my offbeat sense of humor shining through, but I love Morpheus' resolve to get to know his 'rival' and to change himself to win over Alyssa's heart. He just so--well, cute. 

Additionally, I loved that none of Howard's style is compromised by the length of the text; the detail and decorative flourishes she pours into her work are equal in ratio to the amount she pours in Splintered and Unhinged. It's just...a mini trip down the rabbit hole :)

One tip-off: The beginning of Jeb's time in wonderland apart from Alyssa might shock you. **Blush-worthy alert!** I say this because it shocked me until I realized what was going on. It's probably because I'd forgotten the event, having read Splintered so long ago. Either way, you've been forewarned ;) 

The only thing I didn't thoroughly enjoy about it was the length/pacing. Oh, the length...! I wish it would've been a novel instead of a novella. *sigh* I never realized how little time Jeb spent apart from Alyssa in Splintered until I read this. 

Because it was so short, the pace was like that of a rocket ship. That was difficult to adjust to (again, mostly because I wanted it to last longer...). 

Overall, The Moth in the Mirror is definitely worth reading whether you've already read Unhinged or not--but if you haven't read Unhinged, I recommend reading The Moth in the Mirror before doing so. 

If I could only choose one reason to recommend this novella, it'd be that you stand to gain a clearer understanding of both Jeb and Morpheus--their personalities, sentiments, motivations, and backstories. 

Favorite moment:  The ending

Least favorite moment:  First scene in which Morpheus explores Jeb's memories in Wonderland 

| Goodreads | Amazon | 

About the Author

Anita Grace Howard lives in the Texas panhandle, and is most at home weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She’s inspired by all things flawed, utilizing the complex loveliness of human conditions and raw emotions to give her characters life, then turning their world upside down so the reader’s blood will race.

Married and mother of two teens (as well as surrogate mom to two Labrador retrievers), Anita divides her days between spending time with her family and plodding along or plotting on her next book.


When she’s not writing, Anita enjoys rollerblading, biking, snow skiing, gardening, and family vacations that at any given time might include an impromptu side trip to an 18th century graveyard or a condemned schoolhouse for photo ops.

| Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |

  | Website |

GET EVEN Gretchen McNeil *Cover Reveal and Giveaway*

Welcome to the the Official *Cover Reveal* for Gretchen McNeil's GET EVEN (Get Even #1)!

Release Date: September 16th 2014

Publisher: Balzer+Bray (HarperCollins)

So much cover love... :3

Synopsis
Follows the secretive exploits of four high school juniors - Kitty, Olivia, Margot and Bree - at an exclusive Catholic prep school.

To all outward appearances, the girls barely know each other. At best, they don't move in the same social circles; at worst, they're overtly hostile.

Margot Mejia – academically ranked number two in her class, Margot is a focused overachiever bound for the Ivy League.

Kitty Li – captain of the California state and national champion varsity girls' volleyball team, she's been recruited by a dozen colleges and has dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Olivia Hayes – popular star of the drama program, she's been voted "most eligible bachelorette" two years running in the high school yearbook and has an almost lethal combination of beauty and charm.

Bree Deringer – outcast, misfit and the kind of girl you don't want to meet in a dark alley, the stop sign red-haired punk is a constant thorn in the side of teachers and school administrators alike.

Different goals, different friends, different lives, but the girls share a secret no one would ever guess. They are members of Don't Get Mad, a society specializing in seeking revenge for fellow students who have been silently victimized by their peers. Each girl has her own reason for joining the group, her own set of demons to assuage by evening the score for someone else. And though school administration is desperate to find out who is behind the DGM "events", the girls have managed to keep their secret well hidden.

That is until one of their targets – a douchebag senior who took advantage of a drunk underclassman during a house party, videotaped it on his phone, and posted it on YouTube – turns up dead, and DGM is implicated in the murder.

Now the girls don't know who to trust, and as their tenuous alliance begins to crumble, the secrets they've hidden for so long might be their ultimate undoing.

| Goodreads |

Pre-order links will be available in the coming months--keep an eye on your favorite retailer for more information!

About the Author
Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys and she currently sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She is a founding member of vlog group the YARebels where she can be seen as "Monday," and she is an active member of both The Enchanted Inkpot, a group blog of YA and middle grade fantasy writers, and The Apocalypsies, a group blog of 2012 children's debut authors.

You can find Gretchen on: 

| Twitter | Facebook | 

| Blog |

Giveaway

| Must be 13+ to enter | 

See restrictions in Terms & Conditions located at bottom of Rafflecopter Form

a Rafflecopter giveaway