Popularity didn't come easily for sixteen-year-old Brianna Taylor. She didn't
wear the right clothes or come from the right family. In fact, she didn't come
from any family at all, unless you counted Jolene, who just wasn't that much
into being a mom. So when Brianna joins the cheerleading squad, she finds
herself suddenly popular. But then a one-night stand has life altering
consequences, and Brianna must accept help from the one person closest to her
mistake.
No longer in control, Brianna must reevaluate all that she thought was
important and learn the true meaning of family.
Brianna on the Brink isn't fast paced or action packed, but it does pack a bit of a punch. Brianna's story definitely has life altering consequences and we start to see what those are from page one. While a bit jarring at first, to start right from where the problems really start to snowball, it ended up really working for me. We get a lot of Brianna's backstory worked in throughout the book and by the end I felt like I had a whole picture of Brianna's life.
Things for Brianna have never been easy. She has a mother who doesn't really want to be one, a tough as nails sister who doesn't put up with much, and a best friend who is more like a best frenemy. So once everything went down at the beginning of the book I found myself trying really hard to figure out how this all could possibly end up okay for Brianna, but I guess that's the quiet magic of this book. The situation she finds herself in is incredibly awkward and a little unbelievable, but Nicole McInnes writes it in such a way that it just works.
There aren't any bells and whistles to this book, it is strictly about people who are trying to get past some awful things and how they end up helping each other through it. The two main characters are very solid and well fleshed out, the secondary characters really stay more in the background, but it's still a full story. It was a quick read for me, because I found myself really wanting to know where things were going to go. I defiintely think this is a good read for anyone looking for something about real people just pushing their way through life.
And as a bonus, I'm going to be giving away my ARC copy to one lucky winner!
*US/Canada Only. Sorry guys, but I'm a little short on the dough this month :0/
The city of Kersh is a safe haven,
but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised
by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts
before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job,
marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter,
preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to
hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence.
Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best
version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance
of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . .
. though both have the power to destroy her.
As most of you know by now, this book completely won me over. While I was reading Dualed, I felt like I was watching a movie in my head and it was a fast paced and action packed movie. Things start out bleak for West and pretty much just continue to get bleaker, but West is not a girl to just lie down and cry about her circumstances. A lot of the book is spent with West alone and I really liked that, because after a while I felt like I was actually living these things with her, instead of just reading about her doing them. When West was stressed, I was stressed, when West was tired, so was I. How cool is that?
There are some other characters in Dualed, and while you may only see them briefly, they are just as important to West's story. Chord has been in West's life for a really long time. He is her brother's best friend and pretty much part of her family. He isn't really on board with some of the choices West makes, but he cares about her enough that he wants to try and help her no matter how hard she tries to make it. Can we say *Swoon*?!? Then we've got Baer, whose role is small, but extremely important in West's journey. He's actually one of my favorite characters. He doesn't mince words and he isn't gentle with her because she's a girl. And once you start reading Dualed, you'll understand why West doesn't need to be treated like a delicate princess.
It is safe to say that Dualed is one of my favorite books, and for me that is saying a lot, because I usually only fall in love with contemporaries. I blew through this story so fast and have been impatiently waiting for more, ever since! I am so excited that it's finally out in the world and everyone can get a chance to know West, Chord, and Baer. If you are looking for a fast paced, original, no holds barred, action packed adventure, look no further :0)
And, because Elsie is so awesome, she's hosting an International giveaway for a hardcover copy of Dualed! Thanks for stopping by guys, and definitely stayed tuned for the rest of the Dualed blog tour!
During a routine case, private investigator Elena Ronen meets and falls in love with Vittorio Santini, member of a secret coven, and a kiss awakens her dormant magical powers. Because Elena wields an extremely powerful form of magic, she struggles to convince her enemies she has no desire to take over the coven. When loyalties are questioned, and Elena can no longer tell friend from foe, she must prove she wants nothing more than to live her life quietly. When this wish falls on deaf ears, Elena and Vittorio must work together to defeat their enemies as they try to save their love, their lives, and the lives of those they care about.
Character Bios
Elena Ronen is a private investigator. After a rough childhood, she wants nothing more than to be left alone while trying to erase the pain of her past. In rare moments in which she's honest with herself, she wouldn't mind having something to come home to at night.
Vittorio Santini is second in command of the local, secret, coven. He moved to St. Louis from Italy as a young adult, and is content with his playboy lifestyle. He doesn't want any more power than he already has, but would do anything to protect his coven.
Author Bio
Jennifer Sights has been writing since she was a kid, but veered off track for college and a more traditional office job. She lives in St. Louis, MO, with her husband, John, and their two dogs, Tiberius and Emmy. When she isn't writing or reading she loves hiking, riding her motorcycle, traveling, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. She loves to hear from readers. You can find her at www.jennifersights.com or email her at jsights@gmail.com.
EXERPT
“I told you, you are mistaken. No one is usurping your place in the coven, least of all a newcomer. She does not even know our ways yet,” Samuel said.
“‘Yet.’ Even you admit she is going to learn. And then what?” Elizabeth asked.
“And then if she is strong enough, she may displace you, but it will be a long time before that is even a possibility. Why don’t you stop trying to cause problems?” Samuel said, jaw clenched.
“Your friend is the one causing problems by bringing this little girl into our world. We can see what he’s doing. We know he’s just using her to secure his place in the coven,” Elizabeth said.
“Who the hell are you calling a little girl?” I would not stand by and let some stranger insult me.
“You, little girl.” Elizabeth eyed me with hatred I didn’t think possible for a person one didn’t know.
“I’d watch your mouth if I were you.” I clenched my fists at my sides.
“Or what? You can’t even control your power. We all heard about what happened.”
“Is that what you think?” I knew I was taking a risk, but it was one I was willing to take. I steadied my breathing and let my power rise up in me. I didn’t know what would happen. I had only focused on controlling how it reacted to Vittorio. I didn’t know how it would react to my anger towards these people. It rose, hot and liquid inside me.
Instinctively, I knew what to do. I let it slowly reach out toward the three arguing with Samuel, while picturing bolts of electricity in my mind. I only wanted to scare them, to prove I had control over my power. The thought that I might prove them right never crossed my mind. Samuel took a few steps toward me, and I saw Vittorio shake his head out of the corner of my eye. I pictured lightning surrounding Elizabeth and those accompanying her, calling my power back to me only after they had cried out in pain. It came reluctantly, wanting to play with these people who had insulted me, but it returned, allowing me to push it down to wherever it was that it slept in my gut. I collapsed, and Vittorio caught me and helped me to the couch. The look of terror on their faces was well worth the energy spent.
I am beyond excited to be able to bring you the DUALED blog tour! I stumbled upon this book in June of 2012. I had just started following Elsie on Twitter, when she made a tweet announcing that DUALED was up on NetGalley. Thanks to Random House, I was able to snatch it up immediately and boy am I glad I did. This little gem rocked my socks so hard and I told everyone who would listen about it. Unfortunately, it was more than six months before it's release date and telling people about it that soon didn't do much good. I got with Elsie about putting together a blog tour, she got with her publicist, and the rest is history!
The tour is going to run through the beginning of March and there are some great blogs on board. We've got interviews, reviews and guest posts for you to enjoy, plus Elsie is hosting a giveaway!!
Tour Schedule:
2/25/13 Sarah @ The Book Life – Tour kick-off and Interview w/ Elsie
For those of you that don't know Elsie, through Twitter or otherwise, she is just about the sweetest person ever and I couldn't be happier for her that DUALED is finally going out into the world! To kick off the tour I asked her some questions about DUALED, her writing process, and some random silliness :0)
I love the premise behind DUALED, but I have to ask, do you have a twin sister that you weren’t especially fond of growing up? That would certainly be great inspiration for fighting your Alt to the death. Haha. Okay, kidding, but what was one of the biggest inspirations for the premise of DUALED?
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for hosting me today! Well, my son just asked me one day how did we know for sure we all didn’t have twins out there and just didn’t know it. So it kind of stuck with me, the implications of such a crazy idea.
West has not had an easy life. What was it like writing a fight to the death story from the perspective of a character who has almost nothing left to lose?
West is definitely someone who’s had to deal with a lot. And even though it takes her a bit to realize that she can only run for so long, when it comes right down to it, she reacts the way she’s been trained to react. Even though she often doubts herself, she still doesn’t want to fail her family and what they taught her.
Which character was the most vocal in your head while you were writing DUALED?
West, for sure. She needed to figure some stuff out, and she took the long way around for most of it. Then probably Chord and his frustration—the guy’s way too patient for his own good!
In case you haven’t noticed, us YA fans like our book boys and we like them swoony. Chord is a very understated character and is behind the scenes a lot in DUALED, but still so dreamy. Can you tell us what his role will be like in book two, or if that’s off limits, do we at least get to see a little more of him?
I’m so glad you like Chord, Sarah! Readers really do seem to love the guy, despite the fact that he is pretty understated as you mention. Well, things can definitely change between now and final edits, but I can say right now that he does appear a lot more in DIVIDED. His role deepens a bit.
West is seriously kick butt and has seen and done a lot of not so pleasant things, but she is not heartless or completely ruthless, which we get to see on more than one occasion in the story. What is it that makes her not completely give into the darker parts of her world?
I think it’s just a way for her to keep feeling human because she’s constantly surrounded by circumstances that ask horrible things of her. It would be very instinctual, I think, and she’s probably not even aware of why she’s doing it, or even that she’s doing it at all.
What is it like creating your own society, with its own rules and various ways of life? Was world building the most difficult part of writing DUALED?
I’m not sure if it was the hardest part, but it was definitely up there! I have to thank my editor for her guidance in helping me visualize West’s world, from the big things to all the little details. All of that makes an impact on how a person would act, and how they would think, or feel.
Okay, so I’m not going to make you pick your favorite character, because that would just be mean. I am, however, going to make you choose between sparkly, happy, magical Unicorns and dirty, bloody, mindless Zombies. Let’s make it official, Zombies or Unicorns?!?
Always, always, Zombies! But I also love the idea of zombie unicorns (vs unicorn zombies, which would actually be pretty hilarious!)!
And because being silly is my favorite past time, if you were the captain of a pirate ship, which literary characters would you want as your crew?
Roland Deschain from Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop from Rick Yancey’s THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST, Jason Bourne from the Robert Ludlum novels, and the Dashwood sisters from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
Thank you so much for doing all of this, Elsie! I'm so excited about this blog tour and for everyone to get to know West and her crazy world :0)
---------------------------------------------------ABOUT THE AUTHOR--------------------------------------------
Elsie grew up in Prince George, BC, before graduating from the University of British Columbia with a BA in English Literature. She currently lives in Vancouver with her husband and two kids, where she writes to either movies on a loop or music turned up way too loud (and sometimes both at the same time).
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.
Elsie has graciously offered up one finished copy of DUALED for one lucky International winner! As long as The Book Depository ships to you, you are eligible to win this awesome book :0)
Along with that, Elsie has sent me a bunch of signed DUALED bookmarks, so I will mail a couple of those to five (5) lucky commenters! Show Elsie and DUALED some love and you could be a lucky winner. Rafflecopter form below is for the book and the commentors will be chosen with random.org.
Guys! GUYS!! I am extremely excited to be able to bring you the cover reveal for J.A. Souders next Elysium Chronicls books, REVELATIONS! The cover for RENEGADE was one of my favorites from last year and then once I got to read the book, it also became a favorite. I was so stoked when J.A. contacted me about participating in the cover reveal and when I finally got to see the cover I was in love. I actually put the two covers up side by side on my computer screen for a bit and stared :0)
We don't have a blurb quite yet, since the release date is still a ways off, but I know REVELATIONS is going to be just as great as RENEGADE. After you feast your eyes on the cover and read a little about the beginning of the Elysium Chronicles, there is an awesome giveaway courtesy of J.A. Souders :0)
Do you guys love it?!? I think it fits so well with the story and where it is heading. I was already pining for this book, now I want it even more :0)
About Renegade
Elysium Chronicles (Book 1)
Since the age of
three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the
People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of
children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was
perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter,
a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world,
she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been
altered.
Her mind and body
aren’t under her own control.
And the person she
knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin
she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb...
and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
There is only one place forbidden to the people of Gavin's village; the island just off the shore, rumored to be haunted. Cursed.
All who venture to the island disappear.
But Gavin doesn't believe in such things. He is a hunter; since his father's death, he is the only one who can provide for the family. Silly rumors of ghosts aren't going to stop him from crossing the dark waters to the island in search of fresh game...
J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive
imagination and an overabundance of curiosity that was always getting her into
trouble. She first began writing at the age of 13, when she moved to Florida
and not only befriended the monsters under the bed, but created worlds for them
to play together.
Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her
imaginary friends to work and started writing. She still lives in the land of
sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children.
J.A is hosting a giveaway of a signed hard copy of RENEGADE,
an e-copy of A DARK GRAVE (for those that don't have it, of course.) and signed
copies of ARTICLE 5 and BREAKING POINT by Kristen Simmons.
Blaze is tired of spending her life on the sidelines, drawing comics and feeling invisible. She's desperate for soccer star Mark to notice her. And when her BFF texts Mark a photo of Blaze in sexy lingerie, it definitely gets his attention. After a hot date in the back of her minivan, Blaze is flying high, but suddenly Mark's feelings seem to have been blasted by a freeze-ray gun, and he dumps her. Blaze gets her revenge by posting a comic strip featuring uber-villain Mark the Shark. Mark then retaliates by posting her "sext" photo, and, overnight, Blaze goes from Super Virgin Girl to Super Slut. That life on the sidelines is looking pretty good right about now...
Blaze is the type of teenager I always imagined I was, when I think back to those years. She is sarcastic and at the same time she has her insecurities. I guess that's pretty similar to a lot of teenagers, at least the insecurity part. I wasn't obsessed with comics like Blaze, but considering the father she had and the fact that he actually named her Blaze (it's not a nickname, folks), it's not really a surprise. I knew I was going to love this book when in the first chapter we learn that Blaze is basically a soccer mom. She has the van, she carts her younger brother and his team to games, and she sits on the sidelines all season long. She's got the bumper sticker, too, but that's just because she's ironically cool.
Blaze's crush, turned archnemesis, Mark wasn't really all that for me. I totally get how she could have a crush on him. He's the hot popular jock and he coaches kids in soccer, but he wasn't really all that for me. It was definitely more fun when he reached archnemesis status.
Blaze also dabbles in comics and has created one that's kind of an alternate reality for herself, called the Blazing Goddess. I'm totally jealous of this. When I was a teenager I always wanted to be a super artistic and creative type, but I never really found my niche. It definitely made Blaze's character more relatable for me. Seriously, guys, this book is so awesome and funny. You definitely want to pick it up and give it a go. Anne Cain's art was such a cool addition to the story and really brought it all together. I can't wait to see what Laurie Boyle Crompton has in store for us next :0)
Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and was inspired by The Story
Siren's In My Mailbox posts.
This is what I got this week before I went to the Olde City, New Blood Mini-Convention. That's where I really went crazy with the books, but I'll include that haul in my recap post :0)
First they ventured deep under New York to save the city itself. Then things got personal as the Irregulars ventured into a haunted mansion in Chinatown to uncover an evil twin. Now, in the third installment of bestselling author Kirsten Miller's Kiki Strike series, this delightful group of delinquent geniuses jump feet first into a fast-paced international pursuit, going underground in Paris to pursue a pair of treacherous royals who have killed Kiki's parents. With a dash of romance, a fresh take on good manners, and loads of butt-kicking bravery, Kiki, Betty, Ananka and the other Irregulars sharpen their amazing skills in this highly anticipated new adventure.
I am such a fan of the Irregulars. I first started reading about Ananka Fishbein years ago, before I ever dreamed of having a blog to write about what I thought of her adventures. I don't think anything can compare to the magic of reading about the Shadow City, but this one is definitely up there right along with it. There is so much going on in The Darkness Dwellers and Kirsten Miller does an excellent job of weaving it all together.
This series is the epitome of smart girls kicking butt and getting things done. I love the adventure and mysteries that are written all through the series and I especially liked that we get to see some resolution for Kiki in this book. It's been a long time coming, and it certainly doesn't come easy for her, but she's finally able to prove who killed her parents.
I definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for really fun adventure with a handful of sassy female characters. Join Ananka, Kiki and the Irregulars in the Shadow City and stick with them until Kiki gets to claim her place in Pokrovia. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Completely unrelated to plot or story, I really loved the original covers for this series, I feel a little underwhelmed by the new redesign that was done for the release of book three. Of course, what's on the outside doesn't change all of the awesome things on those pages :0)
