Scan by Sarah Fine and Walter Jury Review & Giveaway!

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Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush the school, killing his father in the process and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans.

All Tate knows--like how to make weapons out of oranges and lighter fluid--may not be enough to save him as he’s plunged into a secret inter-species conflict that’s been going on for centuries. Aided only by his girlfriend and his estranged mother, with powerful enemies closing in on all sides, Tate races to puzzle out the secret behind his father’s invention and why so many are willing to kill for it. A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

Most of the time I have a hard time with sci-fi books. Which is silly because most of them are super exciting and fast paced. I'm just not a big fan of the genre. I only picked this one up because I adore Sarah Fine! She wrote Guards of the Shadowlands which by the way is one of my favorite series ever. So I had to give Scan a try. I was definitely not disappointed.

Right from the get go I couldn't put this book down. It was fast paced and action packed. The first few pages I was a little frustrated with Tate's dad. He was strict about everything! It made me feel bad for Tate but in the end it was for his own good. He's character development amazed me. This kid was so smart and brave. I don't know what I would have done in his place, really. The secondary characters were interesting and amazing, as well. Scan was overall a win.

I recommend Scan 100% to all kinds of readers. Fine and Jury wrote an amazing book and I wouldn't want you guys to miss out!

Don't foget to visit Alexa's @ Colletions and Joy's @ Joyousreads page and read their reviews of Scan!

This giveaway is INT'l and ends 4/26. Good luck!!

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Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn Review

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Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew?

Urban Fantasy is not my to go genre. Mainly because I feel that everything has been done and every other book I've read is a copycat of something else. I just stick to Fantasy and YA books. I decided to give this one a try, first after reading this awesome review on Rabid Reads and secondly because of the summary. I thought Kitty and the Midnight Hour sounded fun and just went on Amazon and 1-clicked that baby. 
 

I wasn't disappointed. I have to say that the concept behind Kitty and the radio show was very enjoyable. Kitty is a hilarious character. At the beginning of the book, she took me by surprise because I was expecting her to be a badass. She's a werewolf for crying out loud! But werewolves in this book are very different. You see, Kitty is the baby of the pack, she has to be submissive to the other wolves and do as she is told. Her fellow wolves were not the friendliest people/animals around and I was desperate for her to find her place in the pack. I'm happy to say that Kitty grows somewhat of a backbone by the end of the book and I'm excited to see her progress in the next books. 

I feel like the romance takes a back seat in this book. The love interest was there and he's dreamy and everything, but there wasn't enough of him in this installment. Which was a little disappointing, butI'm hoping we'll see more of him in the next book. 

I think overall this was a fun and different Urban Fantasy book. I will definitely continue the series, I can't wait to read more about Kitty and her awesome adventures.

  

Blog Tour: Survivor Roundup by Angela Scott Review and Giveaway!!!

Get the Zombie West†Omnibus†on 

Amazon. Add the†Zombie West Omnibus†to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

Red always knew she would have to face the man who nearly destroyed her. She just didn’t figure it would happen so soon...

With the plague sweeping across the nation, destroying many and turning others into walking corpses, survivors head West in search of a chosen land, a place designed to keep the infected out, while sealing survivors inside. In theory, the idea seems the only way to keep humanity alive. In practice, it doesn’t matter whether a person is on the inside or the out—there is no humanity.

...And even though John Gatherum hunted her down and instigated their reunion, Red’s no longer the passive girl he once manipulated. This time, she has a hidden agenda of her own.

Kill him. Save her family. Save herself.

I fell in love with Angela's writing when I read the first book in the series Wanted: Dead or Undead. She has this gift to engross the reader from page one. Her books are hard to put down. Like the first book in the series Survivor Roundup is full action and zombies! At times I thought the suspense would kill me. It was that amazing! I'm actually not a big fan of zombie books but I'll always make an exception for Angela's books.

I was surprised at how easy details from book one came back to me. I read the first book in 2012, and thought that it would be hard to get into this one but it was so easy to get lost in the story. I loved that we got the same kind of awesomeness, suspense and action from book one. We see new and old characters in Survival Roundup and they are all fascinating. Red like always was such a strong character and so fearless! River was amazing also. This little girl was so mature for her age but at the same time you could feel that she really was a little kid.

I'm in love with this series and wish it was more popular because whoever hasn't read these books are missing out big time! 

About the†Zombie West†Omnibus

The Wild West is hard enough to survive with its native territory, wanted outlaws, and harsh terrain, but with a plague turning civilized people into brain-eating monsters, survival becomes nearly impossible. Red has lost everything to the fast-spreading disease: her family, her trust in mankind, and her hope for a better tomorrow. When she meets Trace, a smooth-talking gambling man whoís more city boy than cowboy, sheís forced down a path sheíd been avoiding for years. Until his arrival, sheíd lived by a certain set of rulesódonít ask names, keep to yourself, donít let anyone too closeóbut the jackass of a man wonít let her be, and he has an uncanny knack for appearing at all the wrong times and in all the wrong places. Each, with a secret of their own, will need to learn that only by working together do they have any chance of surviving The Zombie West. That is, if they donít kill each other first. [Angela Scottís†Zombie West†Omnibus†includes the three books in the†Zombie West†series†WANTED: DEAR OR UNDEAD, SURVIVOR ROUNDUP, and DEAD PLAINS. Find these books on†Amazon,†Barnes & Noble,†iTunes,†Kobo, and†Smashwords.] Genre classification:†YA/Western Romance/Action and Adventure/ with added zombies for utter mayhem.

About Angela Scott

Angela Scott hears voices. Tiny fictional people sit on her shoulders and whisper their stories in her ear. Instead of medicating herself, she decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. Sheís not crazy. Sheís an author. For the most part, she writes contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, she found herself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild Westñand loving it. Her zombies donít sparkle, and they definitely donít cuddle. At least, she wouldnít suggest it. She lives on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of her love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didnít require math. She canít spell, and grammar is her arch nemesis. But they gave her the degree, and there are no take backs.

  Find Angela Scott on her

†website,†Facebook,†Twitter, and†Goodreads.

Get the book!

Find the†Zombie West†Trilogy on†Amazon. 

Don't forget to†add the†Zombie West†Omnibus†to your Goodreads to-read shelf. 

 Connect with Angela Scott on her†website,†Facebook,†Twitter, and†Goodreads.

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The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan Review & Giveaway!

 

(The Heroes of Olympus #3)

 

 

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Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare....

I'm kind of surprised that haven't gotten tired of these characters. At least tired of Percy and Annabeth. I just love them so much. This series is very close to my heart. I always thought that I was helpless when it came to Greek Mythology. It always fascinated me but before these books I had a hard time remembering names and places. But Rick Riordan makes you want to learn more. When I read the books, I take twice as long to read them because I'm always googling gods, demigods etc. He takes Greek Mythology and blends it with modern twists, and the result is awesomeness.

The Mark of Athena, like the previous books in the series, was amazing. We have different narrators, and despite popular belief it wasn't hard to follow. Each character has an unique voice, so it was always easy to tell who was narrating when. I also love that each character had its time to shine (except for poor Frank). I also like how the challenges or mini quests were sprinkled throughout the book. Their adventures were so entertaining, at the expense of our poor heroes, but it wouldn't be a Riordan book without a little bit of suffering.

Like always Riordan makes it seem like our heroes won't be able to complete the book's quest. I won't tell you if they made it, or not but this was me the whole book:

 I can't wait to read the next book which is out thank goodness! I don't think I would be able to wait a whole year to continue this series!

I'm giving away 1 clip necklace and 2 Heroes of Olympus pin badge buttons! This giveaway is INT'l and ends 2/6/14. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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Omens by Kelley Armstrong Review

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Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

First of all thank you to Joy from Joyous Reads for sending me a signed copy of Omens!

I enjoyed Omens more than I thought I would. Maybe it's because I read reviews and most of them said the same thing. They warned readers not to expect a lot of romance. They also said not to expect Omens to be a typical Armstrong book. The paranormal aspect of the book takes a back seat for pretty much the whole time. There are hints here and there, but nothing ever gets explored in depth. But because I knew about this it didn’t upset me that much. Of course,  I wish that some things were explained better but hopefully in the next book we’ll get some answers.

I loved all the characters in Omens. They all have unique voices. Even the secondary characters were strong. I liked Olivia a lot. Once the truth was out about her birth parents she didn’t freak out or went running to her fiance or mom for help. She was very strong and fearless. I liked Gabriel also. I wanted something to happen between Olivia and Gabriel though. I know that’s the way the book was supposed to be written, but my romance loving heart was yearning for something, anything to happen. I knew nothing was going to happen, but God, they are so perfect for each other.

To me what made this book were the omens. I love the omens creepy meanings and the songs that would come to Olivia’s head out of the blue. I don’t know why this fascinated me so much. But I think my grandma has something to do with it. She's a very superstitious lady. That makes me and my whole family superstitious people. We believe in all that crap. All add some of her superstitions at the end of the post.

Omens was a very different read for me, and I loved it! I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Bad Omens According to my Abuelita (Grandma)

-There’s this giant centipede in Puerto Rico that’s venomous and aggressive. My grandma believes that if you say its name (alacran) one of them will appear in your house the next day.

-My grandma believes that if you sweep an unmarried young lady’s feet she won’t ever get married. She used to do that to me a lot. She loved me too much to share me with anybody else.

-Abuelita believes that if someone sees a black bee something bad is going to happen to that person.

I can go on forever with this list! LOL! Do you believe in bad omens? If you do let me know in the comments!

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller Review

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Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

When I saw that Melina Marchetta wrote a blurb for Where the Stars Still Shine I had to read it as soon as possible. My expectations were very high for this book, and while it didn’t disappoint me, it still wasn’t what I was expecting.

When I can’t connect with a main character, I know that I’m in for a challenging read. I could not connect with Calli the way I wanted to. To me she was a robot that was learning how to be human. I’m a very emotional person and when something is bothering me I will speak my mind and cry and scream. Calli barely stood up for herself and I wanted her to so badly! I did understand her to a point. This girl went through so many horrible things and in the process she lost her voice. Thankfully as the book progressed I found myself rooting for her and wanting her to be happy.

I do have to say that Trish is an incredible storyteller. Her ability to transport me to Tarpon Spring amazed me. They way she described the town made it feel so real, well it is a real town, but I’ve never been there, now I feel like I have. The sponges were another nice touch to the story. I was definitely fascinated by them. This part of the book was incredibly well done. Not every author can take the reader to a different time or place. Trish Doller did.

Another thing that I loved about Where the Stars Still Shine was the glimpse Trisha gave us into the Greek culture. It was a lot of fun reading about the different foods, the Greek terminologies. I absolutely adored this part of the book! Even the way the family acted was fascinating. I think the grandma was my favorite. She reminded me a little bit of my grandma. I also loved the unconditional love these people gave Calli without even knowing her. They were supportive even when she didn’t disserve it.

The romance between Calli and Alex was a little too insta-love for me, but it was still sweet to read. The scene when she sees him for the first time made the butterflies in my stomach come back to life. At the end of the day Where the Stars Still Shine was a great read. Even though I had some problems with it I still think this book is definitely worth the read.

Lick by Kylie Scott Review

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Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this.

Evelyn Thomas’s plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure as hell never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened.

One thing is for certain, being married to rock and roll’s favourite son is sure to be a wild ride.

Is it ok to say that I love reading about complicated couples? Very bad boy + your average Jane = 1 entertaining book, if done well of course.  I like it when they hate each other, but they don’t, they are just too stubborn to realize that they love each other. I also love the anticipation and the moment when every emotion is too much to hold, and then they can’t anymore and have to let it out in some way. Well, Lick gave me what I like.

There are different levels of angst for me in romance, New Adult and contemporary books:

Too little (boring)
 Moderate (good)
 Almost too much (perfect!!)
 Too much (turn off)

Lick was in between “moderate” and “almost too much”. To me that was good enough to keep me reading until late at night. I could not put this book down! Music, tears, mean girls, lies and the sexual tension were enough to make my drama loving heart stop beating a few times. I can’t say much without spoiling it, but I’ll say that David is hot enough to melt your e-readers.

The only thing I don't like about the book is the emo-goth cover. I feel like it doesn't go with the book. But that's only a cover right? What matters is that Lick rocked!

 With a worthy to remember heroine and perfect pacing, I say that Lick is a must read!

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles Review

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After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

I was so excited when I first heard of Wild Cards! I loved Simone’s other series. I remember reading all of her books back to back until I got Simone Elkeles overdose. Wonderful times. I was a little nervous at first about Wild Cards. How can this book come close to her other series? At the end, I did not have to worry because like always Elkeles wrote an awesome book.

Before gushing about how much I loved Wild Cards I have to explain why this book wasn’t a solid 5 star read for me. When I first read the summary of Wild Cards I thought that when it described Derek’s stepmom as “ditzy” it would be a mild case of it, but this woman was oblivious to her surroundings. I also wanted her to make a connection with Derek earlier in the book or to try harder to win his affections instead of just being in the background. Ashtyn’s dad also got on my nerves he wasn’t supportive at all, and I wanted to punch his face off! The lack of parenting was the only thing I didn’t like about the book.

Now with what I loved about it! I loved Ashtyn to death. I loved her determination to go for what she wanted. There were many obstacles in Ashtyn's  way, but she never gave up. She was awesome. The romance was oh, so sweet and hot! I melted every time there was a mention of Derek in the book. He made me want to stay in liquid form for the rest of eternity. He was a bad boy, but I could see that he was also missing his mom and dad, I just wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be ok. I also loved, of course, Elkeles’ writing. The way she writes teenagers makes me want to be one again, and the plot was fantastic. It was so easy reading Wild Cards. This book and I were meant to be together!

Wild Cards is the kind of book that will not allow you to do anything else but read it. Say bye to: bathrooms breaks, sleeping and working.