Saturday, December 21, 2013

Until You Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt & GIVEAWAY!!



Title: Until You
Series: A Fall Away Novel, Book #1.5
Author: Penelope Douglas
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 5, 2013
Tour Organized by: As the Pages Turn

***This novel contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.

Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or so numb that you actually felt high? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between.

Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don't care about anything or anyone.

Except Tatum.

I love her so much that I hate her. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn't trust her or anyone else.

So I hurt her. I pushed her away.

But I still need her. The sight of her centers me, and I can pool all of my anger into her. Engaging her, challenging her, bullying her...they are my food, my air, and the last part of me that feels anything human.

But she left. She went to France for a year, and came back a different girl.

Now, when I push, she pushes back.


I'm going to be honest here, I'm not a fan of reading books I've already read from a different POV. I just don't see the point. I only gave Until You a try because I didn't just love Bully but because it is one of my favorite books of the year. I fell in love with the characters, especially Jared. He's such a complex character and really hard to read. When the opportunity came to participate in the blog tour and get a chance to read Until You before anyone else could, I said, why the hell not? But at the same time I was a little hesitant about reading it. I didn't have to worry about it because Penelope Douglas is an amazing writer.

Until You wasn't at all repetitive. Yes, most of the scenes are from Bully but Jared tells it in a very different voice. It felt like I was reading a whole different book. Some things I remembered and then I would get excited to read them from Jared's POV. Also, one of the things I appreciated about Until You was that we get to see more of the secondary characters which made me very happy. Overall I'm really happy I read Until You. It was refreshing and Penelope Douglas did an amazing job of making me fall in love with the same book twice.

I can't say anything more about Until You without spoiling it. I'll just say that Penelope Douglas restored my faith in this kinds of book. I don't even know what to call them, retellings? Anyway, Until You was a perfect blend of new and old. It was just what I needed.


My review of Bully

Excerpt:

“Jared, I’m a bad mother.” She swallowed hard, obviously trying to hold back more tears. I looked off to the side, unable to meet her eyes. “I made it through, Mom.”
“You did… somewhat. I’m proud of you. You’re strong, and you’re not a follower. I know I’ll send you into the world a survivor.” Her light voice turned firm and serious. “I wouldn’t want any other son. But, Jared, you’re not happy.”
The air around me got tight, pushing me from all sides, and I didn’t know where to turn to get out. “Who’s happy? Are you?” I barked. “Jared, I was seventeen when I got pregnant with you.” She folded her arms and hugged herself, more like hiding from something than warming herself. “I’m only thirty-six now. People I graduated with—some of them—are just starting their families. I was so young. I had no support. I didn’t get a chance to live before I had my world turned upside down—,”
“Yeah, I get it, alright,” I cut her off. “I’ll be out of your hair by June.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She moved closer, her voice raspy and holding out her hand as if to stop my thoughts. “You were the gift, Jared. The light. Your father was the hell. I thought I loved him. He was strong, confident, and cocky. I idolized him…” She trailed off, and I swear I could hear her heart breaking as her eyes fell to the ground. I didn’t want to hear about that asshole, but I knew she needed to talk. And for some reason I wanted to let her.
“I idolized him for about a month,” she continued. “Long enough to get pregnant and get stuck with him.” And then she looked at me again. “But I was young and immature. I thought I knew everything. Drinking was my escape, and I abandoned you. You never deserved that. When I saw Tate trying to make you happy that night, I let her. The next morning you weren’t in your room. When I looked out your window, I could see you both passed out in her bed, just sleeping. So I let it be. For years, I knew you were sneaking over there to sleep, and I let it go, because she made you happy when I failed.”
The purest, truest, most perfect thing in my world, and I’d dumped pile upon pile of shit on top of her for years. A knot of realization worked its way into my head, and I felt like punching my fist through a fucking wall.
“Jesus Christ.” I combed my hands through my hair, my eyes squeezing shut as I whispered to myself. “I’ve been so horrible to her.”
My mother, like Mr. Brandt, probably knew nothing of what I’d put Tate through, but she did know that we weren’t friends anymore.
“Honey,” she spoke up, “you’ve been horrible to everyone. Some of us deserved
it, some of us not. But Tate loves you. She’s your best friend. She’ll forgive you.”
Will she?
“I love her.” It was the most honest thing I’d confided in my mother in a long
time. My father could kiss his own ass, and my mother and I would survive, for better or worse. But Tate?
I needed her.
“I know you love her. And I love you,” she said as she reached out and touched
my cheek. “You’re not letting your father or me take anything else from you, do you understand?”
Tears burned my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back.
“How do I know I’m not going to be like him?” I whispered.
My mother was quiet as she studied me, and then her eyes narrowed.
“Tell her the truth,” she instructed. "Trust her with everything, especially your heart. Do that, and you’re already not like your father.”


AUTHOR BIO:
Penelope Douglas is a writer and teacher in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to "just get the degree!" She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, the show Sons of Anarchy, and she shops at Target almost daily.


TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:
Penelope is offering up (1) Kindle Paperwhite, (5) $50 gift cards to either Amazon or B&N, (5) Prize packs (bookmarks, rack cards, a custom key chain and signed copies of Bully and Until You) or (10) eBook copies of Bully up for grabs. The giveaways are open internationally. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 12/23/2013.



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Friday, December 13, 2013

Virtual Chair #16: Nina from The Sea of Pages


Today sitting on the Virtual Chair is Nina from The Sea of Pages. You can follow her on Twitter and don't forget to visit her awesome site!




-When did you start blogging and why? 

I started blogging about a month ago. I kept reading these awesome books and gushing to my sister about them but she didn't really understand why I was so enthusiastic about fictional characters.So I decided to start a blog and gush with people who did!

-Describe your blog in 3 words. 

Quirky. Fun & Gushy (yes that's a word)

-What are you currently reading?

Normally I read a whole bunch of books at once but I have the flu so I've only been reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I got to meet her last weekend and she signed my books! She was so nice!

-Who’s your biggest fictional crush?

Oh man this is so hard! It's a tie between Chaol from Crown of Midnight & Corey from What Happens Next by Colleen Hoover. 

-Name a book you didn't expect to like but did.

The Hunger Games. I hadn't ever read any dystopian novels and wasn't sure if I'd like it so I kept putting it off but finally about a month before the movie came out I read it. I'm so glad I did! That book was ah-mazing! (I'm not a big fan of the last book though)

-Ghosts or Zombies. What would scare you most?

Zombies. No matter how ridiculous it sounds, I feel like it's something that could possibly happen so they scare me. Also, I went to the theme park Universal Studios for Halloween and they had a Walking Dead maze. I'm still jumpy after that and refuse to watch The Walking Dead t.v. show.

-Name one thing that would make you not finish a book.

Wimpy Heroines. It's so annoying when the heroine is a wimp! I know sometimes characters start off that way and develop into a more confident character but when they are wimpy the whole book it annoys me.  

-Do you ever read the ending of a book before finishing it?

No but I do sometimes look up spoilers on Goodreads. I'm too impatient to wait and see what will happen!

-Would you choose to live forever if you could?

Yes. I'd love to see how the future would turn out and all the new technology that would be created.

-How far into a book can you tell if you are going to like it or not?

I'm a picky reader so about 2 or 3 chapters in. I try and stick with it and finish it but sometimes I just have to put it down and read another book instead.


Thanks so much for having me! I loved answering your questions! :)

Thank you Nina!! I loved having you here! 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Pic2Book Wednesday Challenge #82

Guess the Book Title





This is a weekly challenge where you guess the book title just by looking at the pictures. This game is inspired by the game Scene it? and it's one of my favorite challenges in it! If you want to participate and don't want any spoilers don't read the comments. I'll post the answer of this challenge in tomorrow's post.

What's this book's title?


Hints:

  • These two picture don't spell the title of the book. 
  • This book was published on January 3rd 2012
  • The author's initials are M. M.



Last Week's Challenge answer: 

Night of Cake & Puppets (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2.5) by Laini Taylor

Night of Cake & Puppets (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #2.5)




Thanks to:  


For participating in last week's challenge!!! 

Monday, December 9, 2013

Displaced by J.F. Jenkins Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY!

Displaced



Genre: New Adult/Science Fiction/Dystopian
Chevelle Donahue thought going into work would be just like any other boring day at the mall. Sure, there was her annoying co-worker Wicken Sanders, and a promotional visit from teen heartthrob Timber Hudson, to watch and keep her entertained. But who was she kidding? Working retail was lame no matter what happened.

A terrorist attack changes everything - an attack from aliens of all things. The patrons are given two options: comply or else. Complying means giving in to a new set of rules and changing her entire life. "Or else" means she has no chance of going home again.

She must figure out the truth behind why the aliens are holding everyone hostage. In doing so, she risks her chance at freedom - but by the time she learns what's really happening, she might not want it.

Author Bio:


J.F. Jenkins

J.F. Jenkins lives in Minneapolis where she spends most of her time creating and plotting world domination – something that has been in the works for roughly 13 years.
In her free time she works as the local coffee wench and dominates the minions of the pixilated world on her PS3.
She’s also got a little man (J Walk) and a little man trapped in a big man’s body (J Dawg) to take care of along with her two fur babies Ushi and Tibu.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 6, 2013

Shadows of Asphodel Blog Tour: Excerpt and GIVEAWAY!!



Shadows of Asphodel


When Ardis discovers a man bleeding to death on the battlefield, she knows she has to walk away.

1913. In her work as a mercenary for Austria-Hungary, Ardis has killed many men without hesitation. One more man shouldn’t matter, even if he manages to be a charming bastard while he stands dying in the snow.

But when he raises the dead to fight for him, she realizes she must save his life.

If a necromancer like Wendel dies, he will return as a monster—or so the rumors say. Ardis decides to play it safe and rescues him. What she doesn’t expect is Wendel falling to one knee and swearing fealty. Ardis never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer, but it’s too late now.

Ardis and Wendel forge an uneasy alliance underscored with sexual tension. Together, they confront rebels, assassins, and a conspiracy involving a military secret: robotically-enhanced soldiers for a world on the brink of war. But as Ardis starts to fall for Wendel, she realizes the scars from his past run more deeply than she ever imagined. Can Ardis stop Wendel before his thirst for revenge destroys him and everyone else around him?


(Dieselpunk romance. Recommended for ages 17 & up.)
Shadows of Asphodel excerpt 

“Necromancy is fascinating,” he murmured. “There’s a certain repulsive elegance about the magic. With it, I can recover memories long lost. I can speak to the dead who left this world days, weeks, even centuries ago.”

His eyes gleamed in the dusk, and she wasn’t sure it was sadness for his childhood pet. She thought she heard pride in his voice.

Then he looked at her, and he smirked.

“If I’m an abomination,” he said, “I might as well enjoy it.”

“And you expect me not to be sanctimonious?” she said, but she couldn’t help smiling.

“I do tend to bring that out in people,” he said flippantly. “I aim to please.”

“Please who?” she said.

“Those whose fancy the repulsively elegant.”

“Or despicably handsome?”

A slow grin spread on Wendel’s face. “That too.”

Ardis cleared her throat. She was not about to admit that she found him handsome. Unless she already had, which was a mistake. Clearly he knew about his good looks, considering how much he resorted to charm. Not that she found him charming.


Don't forget to visit the other stops in the tour!

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Pic2Book Wednesday Challenge #81

Guess the Book Title




This is a weekly challenge where you guess the book title just by looking at the pictures. This game is inspired by the game Scene it? and it's one of my favorite challenges in it! If you want to participate and don't want any spoilers don't read the comments. I'll post the answer of this challenge in tomorrow's post.

What's this book's title?


Hints:
  • This is a short story
  • L.T. are the author's initials
  • Published November 2013


Last Challenge's answer: 

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Wild Cards (Wild Cards, #1)



Thanks to:  
For participating in the last challenge!!! 
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