Review: Relic: The Books of Eva, Giveaway + Relic Revealed Sweepstakes from @Soho_Teen

 

Release Date: October 29th, 2013

Publisher: Soho Teen

 

The truth will test you...

For fans of Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games: high fantasy and dystopia meet in this high-stakes tale of a civilization built on lies and the girl who single-handedly brings it down.

When Eva’s twin brother, Eamon, falls to his death just a few months before he is due to participate in The Testing, no one expects Eva to take his place. She’s a Maiden, slated for embroidery classes, curtseys, and soon a prestigious marriage befitting the daughter of an Aerie ruler. But Eva insists on honoring her brother by becoming a Testor. After all, she wouldn’t be the first Maiden to Test, just the first in 150 years.

Eva knows the Testing is no dance class. Gallant Testors train for their entire lives to search icy wastelands for Relics: artifacts of the corrupt civilization that existed before The Healing drowned the world. Out in the Boundary Lands, Eva must rely on every moment of the lightning-quick training she received from Lukas—her servant, a Boundary native, and her closest friend now that Eamon is gone.

But there are threats in The Testing beyond what Lukas could have prepared her for. And no one could have imagined the danger Eva unleashes when she discovers a Relic that shakes the Aerie to its core.

 

I'm torn on this one. There were definitely things about it I enjoyed, and my desire to find out which direction things went for Eva kept me turning the pages, but there were some things that took me out of the story. I appreciate what the author was doing by putting elements of our world's technology into this new world, where things have regressed majorly, but every time they spoke of their perception of these items in the past it was a little too silly for me.

However, The Testing itself was quite intriguing. I like the idea of traveling out into the unknown parts of their world and searching for artifacts, or relics, from the old world. I also thought it was quite clever that it was a few young people from their society that commit to do this testing, as a way of competing for the spot as one of the next leaders of their people. Another interesting part was that they each wrote chronicles for each relic they found, creating the story behind the artifact, so that they can learn about the past and not repeat the mistakes.

Overall I did enjoy the story and the small twist at the end has definitely gotten me curious about where things are going to go from here. I also have some serious suspicions about a particular character. Despite a few gripes, the story was interesting enough that I think I will most likely read the next book once it's available.

 

 

And now for the good stuff! I'm giving you all the chance to win a copy of Relic: The Books of Eva and a matching Tote bag!

 

*US Only 

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RELIC REVEALED SWEEPSTAKES courtesy of Soho Teen!

 

 

And for just a little more awesome, Soho Teen has got a big sweepstakes going on for Relic. Head on over to RelicTheBook.com to check out Chronicle, a free e-book prequel to Relic and get all the details for the RELIC REVEALED Sweepstakes! You have until November 5th to enter for your chance to win a tablet device!

 

This is our second—and last—chance. Thanks to the Gods, and thanks to the Testing.

Each year, the finest Gallants in New North embark on the Testing, a harrowing rite of passage through the frozen wastelands to recover Relics, artifacts from the evil time before the Healing. About these Relics the Testors construct their Chronicles, illustrating mankind’s depravity, his Vanity, his love of Tech, his sins too numerous to count. All true Chronicles are collected and made part of the Lex’s Holy Truths, year by year.

The Chronicle. Nothing is more vital to the resolve of the inhabitants of the New North, the last inhabitants of an Earth flooded by the Healing. But not all Chronicles are deemed True. And not all Testors are Gallants. One year there was a Maiden, Madeline, the first but not the last. Braving the perils of the Testing, she discovered a Relic that, if Chronicled, would be the New North’s downfall...

Two Lies and A Spy by Kat Carlton Blog Tour + Giveaway!

 

Author: Kat Carlton

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013

 

When sixteen-year-old Kari’s dad sends her an unexpected text, she and her brother immediately go into hiding. Because when your parents are superspies and your dad declares a Code Black, it can only mean something bad. Very bad.

Kari soon discovers that her parents have been disavowed and declared traitors, and she’s determined to clear their names. Breaking into the Agency seems like a reasonable plan, especially with the help of a team that includes her longtime crush, Luke, as well as her two best friends—an expert hacker with attitude and a master martial artist—and Luke’s popular, vindictive twin sister. Oh, and a new guy, who’s as cute as he is complicated...

 

I love a good spy book and this one is no exception. Of course, it was not exactly what I was expecting, either. Kari knows all kinds of spy tricks and she definitely knows how to take care of herself, but Kari isn't the actual spy in this tale. Kari's parents are spies and she and her little brother have grown up knowing about their jobs and learning things along the way. When her parents go missing and get accused of being traitors, Kari knows something isn't right and she's determined to get to the bottom of it. She's just going to need a little help from her friends, and maybe a couple of people she's not too fond of.

 

This book was a lot of fun and was full of a great cast of characters. Kari's little brother was a trip and such a cool kid. Luke, Kari's crush, was such a sweet guy and willing to do some pretty crazy things to help her out, but I liked his sister Lacey so much more. Sure she was a bitch, and a total princess, but she constantly cracked me up. They would all be struggling over something, stressing about how they were going to solve this or that problem, and after they'd wracked their brains for a bit, she'd be all "oh, you're looking for such and such, I already know that." Made me LOL every time.

 

My favorite part about this book was how the story all wrapped up. It definitely wasn't exactly what I was expected, but that made it that much more awesome. From what I've been able to find, this is the only book, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to continue it into a series. And I will be first in line to read book two. This was a fast paced and fun spy read, I'd definitely recommend it for anyone whose looking for something action packed, but isn't interested in the paranormal!

 

Get in on the Action!

Leave a comment about what kind of spy skills you'd like to learn and you could win!

 

Two (2) winners receive:

A copy of Two Lies and a Spy

 Winners will be chosen on September 20th!

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

 

Visit the Official Book Site

Like Kat Carlton on Facebook

Follow Kat Carlton on Twitter

Things I Can't Forget Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway :0)

 

 I am SO excited to be a part of the Things I Can't Forget blog tour! Miranda Kenneally is one of my all time favorites and I feel so lucky to be able to help promote her newest book! This one is hosted by the fabulous Giselle from Xpresso Reads and you can find all of the tour info and scheduling information here.

 

 

 

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally  (Hundred Oaks #3) 

Publication date: March 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: YA Contemporary

Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

 I feel like I say this after each new book I read of hers, and I'll probably say it after the next one, but Miranda Kenneally has done it again. Her stories never fail to make me smile and I love reading about her characters. I was a little nervous about this one going in, because it's set at church camp and I'm not really a fan of religious type stories, but even though her faith and God are a large part of Kate's life it never gets preachy or uncomfortable. The role that religion plays in Kate's life is important in setting up her character's behavior and the choices she makes. It also gives her so much room to grow.

 

And then there is Matt...funny, sweet, swoony, Matt. I can't commit to loving him more than Sam Henry, but I sure did love him a lot. I felt like he was such a good balance for Kate. I really liked the fact that he seemed so easy going and really just got along with everyone. It was cool getting to see Parker and Will again. I felt like I got to know both of them a little more in this story and it was nice seeing them interact in a different situation.

 

The camp setting was fantastic. You never know what kind of trouble people are going to get into at camp and the possibilities for fun storylines are pretty much endless. I used to go to a camp every year when I was younger and it totally took me back there. I remember kayaking in the lake and running from snakes in the woods. So it was really fun reading about the counselors and what they get into when the kids aren't around.

 

This is an excellent addition to my Miranda Kenneally library and has definitely cemented her as an auto-buy author for me. If you are a fan of her other books, or if you haven't tried them out yet, I definitely recommend the whole Hundred Oaks series. This lady writes teens and she writes them well :0)

 

Goodreads l Amazon l Barnes& Noble l TheBook Depository

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.

 

 

Author Links:

   -Website: http://mirandakenneally.com/

   -Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506073.Miranda_Kenneally

   -Twitter: https://twitter.com/MirandaKennealy

   -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miranda.kenneally

And thanks to the ever-awesome Miranda Kenneally we've got a couple of great giveaways going in honor of Things I Can't Forget! The first is a $25 iTunes giftcard giveaway and the second is a grab bag of Miranda's favorite books :0)

 

Both of these bad boys are International, kids, so enter away!!

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Review: Brianna on the Brink by Nicole McInnes + Giveaway!

 

Release Date: March 15th, 2013

Publisher: Holiday House

Format: ARC

 

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/

 

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Bookapalooza Scavenger Hunt w/ Making the Grade!

The Bookapalooza Scavenger Hunt Has Begun!

Making the Grade is Celebrating One Year of Blogging! And to add to that celebration, Bookapalooza has been created in order to share our love of reading with all of you - and win great prizes while you're at it. To see all that Bookapalooza has in store for you, visit Making the Grade.

There have been a lot of good things that have come into my life since I started blogging. I've met some wonderful new friends and authors, I get to talk to people I admire on a regular basis, I've been introduced to so many books and genres I might never have read before, and I get to share all of that right here on the blog. Of all of the worlds I've been given the opportunity to step into, there is one author whose books consistently make me smile and her next release date is never soon enough. So I just wanted to say thank you to her, however shallow my thanks may be.

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An Open Letter to Miranda Kenneally:

First, I would like to say thank you, for making it possible for me to enjoy sports without actually having to participate in them. This may seem like a small thing and pretty unimportant in the grand scheme of the world, but I promise you, for me it is epic. Let me explain. I loathe running, I’m not a fan of grass ( I know, it’s weird), sweaty people seriously gross me out (including when I’m the sweaty person), and I am mildly offended by the blatant overuse of high five amongst athletes. Knowing all of that, most would assume that I would never pick up a novel about a girl athlete, but I like to keep people guessing. Jordan and Parker’s stories almost made me want to join the team and thanks to you, I have two new fictional best friends.

Mostly, though, I would like to thank you for the boys. Has anyone ever told you that you have mastered the art of writing the swoony teenaged boy? I’m sure they have, but I’d like to tell you again. You have definitely mastered the art. I’m most definitely too old be swooning over all of these wonderful boys you’ve put before me, but I really don’t care. I’ll take the Sams and Wills of the literary world any day. Book boyfriends are not hard to come by these days, but book boyfriends that are so realistically portrayed are definitely not a dime a dozen. And one thing that definitely makes a book better is when an awesome, well-drawn female heroine has an equally awesome and well-drawn male lead. So thank you for them and I look forward to meeting Matt, whom I will be introducing myself to very soon. Coincidentally, I have a history with boys named Matt, so he might just be my favorite yet.

Lastly, I just wanted to thank you for all of the sleep I’ve lost staying up to read your books and for all of the ways that you totally rock my bookshelves. As long as you keep writing books, I promise to keep reading them!

Sincerely,

Sarah

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Wanna know more? Complete the Bookapalooza! Scavenger Hunt and you, too, can delve into the life of a book blogger.

Complete the hunt to win great prizes!

By completing the Hunt you will uncover a 9-word phrase that can earn you up to 35 bonus entries in the two EPIC giveaways being offered as part of Bookapalooza! (Giveaways are listed below.)

"But how do I complete the Bookapalooza! Scavenger Hunt?"

Nine blogs are listed below - each with their own unique post that includes a Secret Word you will use to complete a special bookish phrase. The completed phrase will allow you to earn 35 bonus entries in the two giveaways also listed below. In addition, each blog will likely be offering a giveaway of their very own!

Instructions:

• Visit each blog below in the order that they are listed. Read their unique posted created just for you!
• Keep an eye out for a Secret Word highlighted in BOLD RED somewhere within each post.
• Continue to visit each blog in order until you have collected all nine Secret Words.
• When put together, the nine Secret Words will build a special bookish phrase.
• Enter the completed phrase into the two Rafflecopter forms located below for 25 bonus entries!
• Name the author or book from which the phrase is taken to earn an additional 10 bonus entries!
• Be sure to check out the giveaways offered by each blog on the Hunt for more great prizes!

Got that? Good! Then Let's Go Hunting!

A Big Box of Bookish Fun!

As a THANK YOU to the followers of my blog, I will be offering a giveaway of EPIC proportions: Ten books hand-selected by me, a SIGNED Beautiful Creatures movie poster + plus a plethora of awesome (most are signed!) swag. One winner takes all! Open to US/Canada only, to entrants aged 13 and older.

What's included?

SIGNED Beautiful Creatures Movie Poster (not framed) The Diviners by Libba Bray (Hardcover) Origin by Jessica Khoury (Hardcover) Dust Lands: Rebel Heart by Miora Young (Hardcover) Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (UK Paperback Edition) An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (Paperback) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Rare Slipcase + Arc) Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (ARC) Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (ARC) Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons (ARC) Everbound by Brodi Ashton (ARC) Beautiful Creature Swag (Shirt, Lip Gloss and Phone Cleaners) Bookmarks and Stickers (Most are signed!) Dust Lands Water Bottle

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Signed Books by the Dozen!

Twelve fantastic authors. Twelve amazing signed books. Starting tomorrow, January 2nd, I will be unveiling the first author taking part in an EPIC signed book giveaway! One author will be revealed every 2-3 days until all twelve authors and all twelve signed books are revealed by the end of the month. PLUS! Each author will share their own Appreciation Stories here on the blog as part of Bookapalooza! One winner will receive all twelve signed books! Open to US/Canada only, to entrants aged 13 and older.

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Head on over to Fic Fare to check out the next stop on the scavenger hunt and find the second secret word :0)

Overstuffed Bookshelf Giveaway!

Having too many books is not a bad problem to have. In fact, I'm not sure it's even possible. However, my creaking bookshelves disagree and are begging for a little relief. It turns out that I have doubles of a few things and while I'd like to be one of those people that can own every book ever in multiple forms, I just don't have the space. SO...what's sad for my bookshelves turns out to be good for you guys, because I am going to give some of them away to one lucky winner!

This is a pretty random assortment, but variety makes life exciting, right?

Up for Grabs:

NOBODY BUT US by Kristin Halbrook (ARC)
REBEL HEART by Moira Young (HC)
TEMPESTUOUS by Kim Askew & Amy Helmes (ARC)
THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen (Paperback)
THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS by Lynn Weingarten (ARC)

Since I spent all of my Christmas money on books, it's going to be US/Canada only this time around. The giveaway will run until January 11th. All five books will go to one winner. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below and Good Luck :0)

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Cover Reveal: Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein + ARC Giveaway!!

Hey guys! Today we've got something awesome. A two-for-one cover reveal! We've got the new redesigned cover of Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein, which I think is really great. It's a little bit gritty and a lot eye-catching! And I've got the cover for Flicker & Burn, the second book in the Cold Fury trilogy! The covers go together perfectly and they will make such a gorgeous addition to your bookshelves :0)

 

Cold Fury releases, in the redesigned paperback, in June of 2013 and Flicker & Burn comes roaring onto the scene in August 2013! Don't forget to put them on your shopping lists!

 

Without further ado, here are the covers for Cold Fury and Flicker & Burn! Scroll on down and feast your eyes:

The thrill ride that began in Cold Fury kicks into high gear in Flicker & Burn, as the threats to Sara Jane Rispoli come at her from all directions. She continues the desperate search for her missing family, but this time she’s on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and ghostly white skin chasing her through the streets of Chicago in black ice cream trucks – they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're skeletal and ferocious, hell-bent on catching or killing her, but also a weird link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them.

While Sara Jane battles these new pursuers, she learns painful lessons about the phenomenon that possesses her, cold fury. At the same time, she’s uncovering buried secrets about the misdeeds of her family – old murders and blood vendettas – that might be connected to the disappearance of her mom, dad, and brother. The mysteries, violence, and constant state of chasing or being chased could be the undoing of her relationship with handsome Max Kissberg. Despite the love growing between them, Sara Jane can’t tell him the truth about her life, and fears for his safety.

 

Not only do the Ice Cream Creatures display the grisly amputated finger of her mom to prove their viciousness, and not only does Lucky, the Outfit Boss of Bosses, whistle in Sara Jane for a sit-down with deadly consequences, but her gorgeous cousin, Heather Richards, enters the scene, as well. All that matters to Sara Jane is saving her family and keeping everyone she loves alive and safe. But the forces she encounters, both external and the ones crackling inside of her, fight her every step of the way.

 

Alright, now that you've seen the awesome new covers and devoured the synopsis for Flicker & Burn, how would you like a chance to win an ARC? Author, T.M. Goeglein is offering up an ARC of Flicker & Burn, once they are available! Just fill out the Rafflecopter below :0)

 

 

 

 

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Blog Tour: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore + Giveaway!

Release Date: May 29th, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .ANGEL EYES
Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.
Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.
Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.
A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.


Brielle comes back to her home town after the death of her best friend. She's having a hard time dealing with life, because she doesn't understand why someone like her friend was taken so soon. I really liked Brielle as a character, she was just a girl trying to deal with her pain and guilt about what happened to her friend. Jake is the new guy at school and he is definitely interested in Brielle. He is there just at the right time for Brielle, because she really needs someone she can count on while she is trying to understand and grieve her loss.

I like multiple POVs in paranormal stories and I was glad to see that Angel Eyes had them. I feel like you get to see deeper into what is going on in the world, when you see it through more than one characters eyes. I liked that the story here wasn't exactly like so many other angel stories out there. It's not just about Brielle finding out she's an angel and having to deal with what that means, there are twists and other factors that kept it interesting. And the cold, I was so curious about the cold. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that made this book less of a hit for me. I'm not really a religious person, but I can appreciate the angel/demon lore and really enjoy reading about it. The thing that pulled me out of the story a little with this one, were all of the religious undertones and Brielle's struggle with God. I understand the point that it served and it wasn't like it was preachy or out of place in the story, but it's not really for me.

Overall I thought Angel Eyes was a really interesting take on angels and demons, and there was enough mystery swirling around to keep me turning the pages. This book may not be for everyone, but there is a great story here and Shannon Dittemore has done a wonderful job telling it.

And now, for one lucky winner, I've got an ebook copy of Angel Eyes up for grabs!

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YA Bound Blog Tours

Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham + ARC Giveaway!

Release Date: June 12th, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: ARC
Genre: Young Adult

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends.

Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3. But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.

Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show. Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there. But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?


What could be better than a cross country road trip with your three best friends, or ex-best friends, as the case may be? This book packs so much fun, mayhem, laughter, tears, and girlbonding into one amazing story. I love a book that can deliver unique, kick ass characters, crazy adventures, and music. Reunited  delivers all of these in spades!

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are as different as any three girls could be, but they have two things in common, their love of the band Level3 and the fact that they used to be inseperable. High school, boys, and misunderstandings got in the way and the girls don't talk anymore. Until Alice finds out that Level3, the band they obssessed over when they were younger, is reuniting for one night only. Sure the concert is on the other side of the country, sure the girls haven't spoken in years, and sure a roadtrip in Alice's VW camper van seems like the craziest idea she's ever had, but when has anything been too crazy when it comes to Level3? So with the hopes of reconnecting with her former besties, Alice buys the tickets and sets the plan in motion.

I loved all three girls in this book. Alice was smart, organized, and so determined to make this all work out. Tiernan was sassy and more than a little rebellious. Summer is a rule follower, who also happens to be extremely popular, and a little bit sassy. Initially it's hard to see how the three of them were ever so close, but as the story goes on we learn more about them and their shared pasts, and you really start to see how much these girls cared for each other. And maybe, deep down, still do. I don't want to forget the Pea Pod, Alice's VW camper van, which is just as important a character as the girls. Their friendship, and Level3 obssession, blossomed and endured in that vehicle. And it carries the three of them on some awesome adventures along their trip.

There are a few cute boys thrown into Reunited  as well, but it's not really what the story is about and I found myself enjoy the girls journey with each other, even more than I needed the romance. Okay, I'm going to share something that got me totally geeked while reading, feel free to laugh at me. One of the characters has the same name as me. First and last, which is so silly, but I loved it! Haha.

Moving on.

This book is so much fun and definitely the perfect summer read. It's got a little bit of everything and I have so much love for the story that she has told here. And thanks to the awesome and so generous, Hilary Weisman Graham, I have got an ARC copy to giveaway to one of you! Check out the Reunited  book trailer below, then scroll below it for instructions on how to enter :0)



This book is the perfect summer roadtrip book and it's got plenty of good music stuff, too. So with that in mind, if you were going on a roadtrip with a few of your best girlfriends, what would your perfect playlist be? Playlist should have a minimum of five songs and a maximum of ten, and it will count as your entry into the giveaway. Email playlists to me at sarah(at)thebooklife.com and at the end of the giveaway a winner will be chosen randomly. Their name and playlist will be posted on the blog!

Giveaway ends on Saturday June 2nd, at 11:59 PM EST. One entry per person. US/Canada only.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask :0)


*Cover photo and synopsis from Goodreads*

Week of Giveaways - Day Four: All about Indie/Self Published Books!

Today's giveaway is for a couple of Indie/Self Pub authors I really enjoy! Now I know Amanda Hocking has gone and gotten herself a book deal, but the book in this giveaway is still one of her self published works and it's good!

One winner is going to get both books shown below. One is a paranormal and one is a contemp, so hopefully that works for everyone! The winner will receive ebooks of both titles, from either Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com. It's international, as long as you can read either of those ebook formats. Scroll to the bottom for the Rafflecopter and enter away :0)

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A Week of Giveaways - Day Two: Sloppy Firsts!

I have been jonesing for a reread of SLOPPY FIRSTS by Megan McCafferty, the first book in the Jessica Darling series. Since it's such an awesome read, I decided it need to be shared! So today's giveaway is for...

Jessica Darling is one of my favorite female leads and I hope everyone else enjoys reading about her as much as I do! It's definitely a series that you can read and reread :0)

Proceed to the Rafflecopter to enter...

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Giveaway: The Catastrophic History of You and Me + Wristcutters: A Love Story DVD :0)

One of my favorite books is coming out next month, "The Catastrophic History of You and Me" by Jess Rothenberg, and I wanted to celebrate by hosting a giveaway for it! But wait, that's not all! The book always makes me think of one of my favorite movies, "Wristcutters: A Love Story", because there are some things in both that are similarly awesome. So, I'm giving a copy of the movie away with the book! I highly recommend both the book and the movie, and I love to share, so this giveaway was born :0)

Both items will be shipped together from amazon, so unfortunately, this one is US only. It's a little too much for international shipping costs, but don't worry, I'll be doing more international giveaways in the future :0)






One winner will receive both the book and the movie! "The Catastrophic History of You and Me" doesn't come out until February 21st, so that's when the winner will be chosen! To enter just go to the rafflecopter below. Good Luck :0)

Check out the new book trailer for "The Catastrophic History of You and Me"! It's so fun :0)




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The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour ARC Giveaway!!

I just finished this book this week and I can't say enough good things about it. I absolutely LOVED it and I want to share it with you! (My Review)

A good book deserves to be read by as many people as possible, and my hope is that when I pass it on to one of you, you'll pass it on again after you've read it. This one should be spread around guys, it's such a great story and fabulously written. Share the love :0)

The giveaway is for my ARC copy of "The Disenchantments"! Just go to the Rafflecopter below and put in your entries!

Good Luck :0)





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Happy New Year Giveaway Hop! Mystery box of arcs :0)

Welcome to the Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop!

This is my first time participating in a blog hop and I am really excited to be a part of it! This hop is running from December 30th until January 3rd, and has more than 200 blogs participating! Blog hop linky is after the jump :0)

I thought, since this was an end of the year giveaway, that it would be fitting to have some great books from 2011 as prizes. Then I thought, to make it a little more fun, that I'd put all of those arcs I wanted to give away into a mystery box!

The mystery box will include mostly arcs, possibly a finished copy or two, and will be mostly books from the second half of 2011!

Since it's going to be such a heavy package, this one is going to be US only, sorry for all of the international readers. I'll do something for you guys, soon :0)

To enter, just fill out the rafflecopter below:

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Linky after the jump :0)

Blog Tour: "On A Dark Wing" by Jordan Dane - Review + Giveaway!

I’m really excited to be on the On a Dark Wing Blog Tour! The tour is running from December 19th thru January 2^nd and 10 of the blogs participating (including this one) will be hosting giveaways for a copy of On a Dark Wing.

Jordan Dane will also be giving away a Kindle Fire to one grand prize winner!

The winners will be announced by Jordan during a live chat on January 5^th.

Be sure to stop by YA Bound to visit the other tour stops and to enter for your chance to win the Kindle Fire!

Check out my review and then fill out the Rafflecopter below, for your chance to win your very own copy of On a Dark Wing!

Release Date: December 27th, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. I would learn a lesson I wasn't prepared for. And Death would be my willing teacher.

Five years ago, Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her "lucky" break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.
Now she's the target of Death's ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey's secret crush—starts to climb Alaska's Denali, the Angel of Death stalks him because of her.

And Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.



I was expecting a full on angel story when I started this one. That's not what I got at all, but it was a nice surprise to wade into something completely different for this genre. We start the story with Abbey and honestly, for a good bit I wasn't really sold with her as the main character. I know she had some serious tragedy in her past, but she was really immature and had an unhealthy obsession with fellow classmate, Nate Holden. As the story went on, though, I started to warm to Abbey and she definitely grew up a little by the end of the story. I really liked her best friend Tanner. Abbey was one of the only people who stuck by after the accident that put him in a wheel chair and he was extremely loyal to her. He was also in love with her, but she didn't know it. He put up with a lot from Abbey and for her, but he still managed to be a good guy and not get too bitter about things that weren't going his way.

I really enjoyed Jordan's version of the Angel of Death in this one. He was still death, but after an eternity of  being and feeling nothing, all he wanted was to know humanity and what it is like to feel love. I've never really thought about death as being anything or wanting more than it has. Weirdly enough, it was the Angel of Death that connected with Abbey and showed her things that led to her eventual growth as a person.

Overall this turned out to be a good book and I'm glad I stuck with it. A lot of stuff is going on with the characters, but by the end you get a nice sense of closure for all of them. Nothing ends up perfect, but ultimately there is hope for their futures. 


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Fracture ARC & Swag Giveaway!

I recently read, and LOVED, "Fracture" by Megan Miranda. It was so good guys! Then the lovely and completely sweet, Ms. Miranda, sent me some awesome Fracture swag! I loved the book and I know you guys will, too, but it doesn't come out until January and I wanted to share it now! So that's where the giveaway comes in. SO...I am giving away my ARC copy of "Fracture" and some of the pretty swag!

There are actually going to be 2 winners for this one. The first winner will get the ARC and a piece or two of swag. The second winner will get a whole handful of the swag! The contest runs until November 30th, 2011. Just fill out the form below and may the odds be ever in your favor :0)

Shatter Me Giveaway

Hey guys! I just finished Shatter Me and I am blown away! I liked it so much, I want to spread the love.

SO...I'm giving away my ARC copy to one lucky winner :0)

I'll pick the winner on November 18th, 2011 and contact them by email.

The winner will have 48 hours to respond, if I don't hear from them, I will pick a new winner!

Good Luck Ya'll :0)

Halloween Giveaway!

Congrats, Katie (entry #7) & Angie (entry #40)!

Giveaway is closed.
Winners have been notified by email, they will have 48 hours to respond, before I will pick a new winner.

Thanks for entering! Happy Halloween :0)





Halloween is just a couple of weeks away and it seems like a perfectly good reason to have a giveaway of some creepy books, for the scariest of holidays :0)

I want everyone to have a chance at winning some creepy goodness, so I'm going to make this one International (as long as The Book Depository ships to you), folks!

If you win, you will get to pick one book from the selection below and I will have it shipped to you. I'm picking two winners for this one and since they are coming straight from TBD, it's okay if both winners want the same book :0)

Your choices are:

        

*To enter fill out the form below
*You must be a follower of the blog, to enter

*The contest deadline is October 31st, 2011

*One entry per person

*Contest is open to the Internationally (as long as TBD ships to you) 

*You must be 13 years or older

Good Luck Everybody :0)