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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YA Bound Blog Tours

Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

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

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.
Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?
It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

I really like spending time at Mythos Academy and I think Dark Frost was my favorite visit, yet. I’m a sucker for books with private school settings and this is made better by all of the mythology and magic around every corner. Gwen is such a likable character and she’s got plenty of spunk, which I love. I also think her magic is probably some of the coolest I’ve read about, especially after seeing all of the ways that it is evolving in book three. Gwen has got a lot of big stuff coming and at least she has got some kick butt magical abilities on her side.

She’s also some amazing friends and mentors. I really like how the students and teachers, or at least some of them, all come together and fight side by side when there is a problem. Sure these teachers are older, more experienced, and definitely have authority, but they don’t really condescend to the students. Except Nickamedes, who condescends to everyone. As the series goes on, Jennifer Estep has gradually branched out from the core group and we are slowly getting to know more students at the academy. I really like this about the books and now that we’ve seen little bits of Morgan throughout the series, I hope we really get to know her in the future. I feel like she has so much awesome character potential.

The reapers have seriously stepped up their game in book three. Gwen and the gang have to step and finally put all of those skills they've learned and training they've been doing to the test. It was so awesome getting to see them truly getting to live up to their potential, but it was also very sad. They are trained to battle and no matter how many great fighters you have, some people always get hurt in battle. Of course, with the threat of another Chaos War looming, the Mythos kids need that dose of reality so they can be truly prepared.

While this was my favorite of the series, and I am a big fan of the series as a whole, there were a couple of things that bugged me about the book. I was so over Gwen and Logan for most of this book, because it just seemed like the same back and forth. They would make a little progress, but then totally regress, because of the same silly things. Fortunately, once we started getting more information and got to see the bigger picture, it all started making more sense and I don’t mind rooting for them again. The other thing that really bothered me about this book was the constant beating us over the head with previously shared knowledge. I know in a series that it’s important to give a little refresher here and there, and I certainly appreciate it in moderation, but I felt like this time around I kept getting reminded of the same things over and over. It actually pulled me out of the story a couple of times and that was disappointing.

All in all, I really enjoyed getting back to class with the Mythos Academy kids. And despite a few minor gripes, this was an excellent addition to the series, with tons of action, humor, weapons, and Vic! I love Vic, he’s so freaking cool! If you’ve read and enjoyed the series thus far, then you definitely want to pick up Dark Frost. There is so much packed into this book and you won’t want to wait to see how it all plays out in book four. If you haven’t started the series and you are a fan of mythologies of all kinds, then you should definitely pick it up. You won’t be sorry :0)

"Something Like Normal" by Trish Doller

Release Date: June 19th, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult


When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.





I can't even begin to describe how in love I am with this story. Travis is such an amazing main character and I really enjoyed seeing everything through his eyes. He's seen and been through a lot, and it definitely comes through in his personality, but it doesn't completely own him. He's still just a guy, who sometimes does really jackass things and doesn't give them a second thought, at first. Once he starts spending more time with Harper, he starts thinking about how he should be better. The way he sees it, Harper is way too good for him, and unless he shapes up she'll never give him a real chance. Harper is a nice girl, who has a bad reputation, because of some rumors that Travis helped start when they were in middle school. Despite the unsavory nature of their shared past, Harper is intrigued by Travis and they start spending time together. The two of them are so fun together, oftentimes playful and light, which is such an excellent contrast to Travis' stories about being overseas.

This book is so emotional. We see Travis trying to come to terms with the things he's done and not being able to protect his best friend from death, and trying to be there for his mom while his family is going through something. These things are written so well and I felt like I knew exactly how he was feeling. There were so many times I wished I could just reach in the book and give Travis a hug. And while I loved watching the relationship develop between Travis and Harper, I also really enjoyed when we got to meet some of his Marine buddies. Groups of guys are always entertaining to me, because the dynamic changes and you see a different side.

I honestly can't think of anything that I didn't like about this book.  I'm still in a bit of a book haze about it, so I apologize if this is mostly incoherent fangirling, but this book grabbed me and affected me in a way most books don't. It will be getting a reread very soon and my finished copy will be proudly displayed on my favorites shelf. So it definitely deserves some fangirling and Trish Doller deserves all the praise she has been, and will undoubtedly keep, getting!

Definitely give this one a shot. It's an excellently written story full of emotions and real, layered people. There is a main character you can't help buy love and a whole cast of other characters that will make you fall in love with them, too. A must read :0)


*Cover photo & synopsis from Goodreads*

Unbreak My Heart Blog Tour: Author Interview with Melissa Walker + Review!

I am so excited to be hosting Melissa Walker for the Unbreak my Heart  blog tour! She stopped by to answer some questions about the book, writing habits, and pirate ships! Clem's story is such a wonderful one to read and it's definitely a perfect book for the summer. If you haven't added it to your TBR pile yet, what are you waiting for?!?

I loved Unbreak My Heart! The idea of spending an entire summer on a boat is so interesting. Is that something you’ve actually done, or was this story your way of living vicariously?

I haven't sailed for a whole summer, but I spent a lot of time on my parents' boat growing up, and there were a few long weekends where I thought I might go crazy in those close quarters. Of course, it's also really great--I love the water and I always wanted to use it as a setting.

Olive is one of my favorite little sibling characters, ever. I wish I had a sibling just like her, do you know where I can get one? Haha. Seriously, though, what made you decide to have Clem’s sister be so much younger than her? 

I think there's a pre-puberty wisdom that I wanted to have in the story, so Olive had to be pretty young. But super smart. I love her too.

James is great, one of the nicest guys in YA, it needed to be said! Other than your own, do you have a favorite YA male lead?

I fall for SO MANY book boys. One epic crush: Adam from Gayle Forman's IF I STAY and WHERE SHE WENT.

Contemporaries are my favorite. They just make me smile and I never get sick of them! What inspires you to write contemporary novels, instead of something with paranormal creatures?

I'm not good at making things up! I mean, things are fictionalized, but contemporary life is what I see in my head, even when I close my eyes.

Do you get inspired by music when writing? If so, what type of music inspires you most during the writing process?

Yes, I listen to the CHEESIEST music while I write. Songs make me really emotional. Seriously, sometimes I'll put on utter schmaltz, like Celine Dion, just to make myself get sappy.

Are there any quirky rituals you have to do before or during the writing process?

I like to have an iced coffee by my side while I write, but I don't have to touch a doorknob three times or anything like that!

Can you tell us anything about what you’ve got coming next? Circus performers? Identical quadruplets?

I have a letter in the DEAR TEEN ME anthology, out from Zest in late October. And I'm working on a new book but I'm not talking about it yet... stay tuned!

Just for fun! If you were the captain of a pirate ship, which literary characters would you want as your crew?

I would probably choose all secondary characters. If I pick main characters, they'll try to take over. They're pushy that way.

Thank you, so much, for answering some questions! This is the spot where you can add any subliminal messages to persuade people to run out and buy Unbreak My Heart  :0)

Thanks for having me! Um, if you pick up Unbreak My Heart this week and email me to tell me, I'll send you a free signed bookmark. Incentive!

____________________________________________________________

Release Date: May 22nd, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.


I was so excited for this book and it was even better than I imagined. I loved that it was told, in part, in flashback's of the previous year's events. We got to get to know the Clem now and see the aftermath, then slowly we learned what it was that got her there. When we first meet Clem, she is not a happy person. She's lost her best friend and is stuck spending the summer sailing, with her family. Even though a sailboat is a very small space, I think it would be such a cool experience to spend a summer sailing. I've never really been on a boat and this book definitely made me want to go. There are a ton of sailing terms, plenty of which made no sense to me, but it didn't take away from the story.

I really liked Clem. Even though she was mopey a lot, I thought she was a fantastic character. I've never lost a best friend the way she did, but I can only imagine that I would have been feeling exactly the same way. Fortunately, she meets James right away and their budding friendship is good for Clem, no matter how hard she tries to fight it at first. I loved James! He was such a happy and genuine guy, and all he really wanted was for the people around him to be happy. He was also pretty funny, I often found myself cracking up at him. And Clem's little sister Olive, was most definitely my favorite! She was just so darn adorable, but also extremely perceptive for a ten year. Since they were all stuck on a boat together, Olive sort of becomes a stand-in best friend for Clem and their relationship was such a fun one to read.

In the flashback's we get to know Clem's former best friend, Amanda. They have such a great friendship and it's easy to see why Clem is taking the loss so hard. Remembering all of their good times helps Clem to realize what she truly misses and also serves to show us why what she did seemed like such a betrayal to Amanda. (Sidebar: In one of the flasbacks Clem and Amanda are trying to make ranch popcorn, it sounded delicious and inspired me to try and make some of my own, and that popcorn ended up being the best tasting popcorn. So thank you for that, Melissa!)

This book had excellent pacing and never felt rushed. You get to see real growth in Clem and her relationships, but none of it felt forced. I'm so glad I picked this one up, it's such a fabulous contemporary read and it's definitely one I won't be forgetting any time soon :0)

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*

Waiting on Wednesday - RENEGADE by J.A. Souders

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that showcases our most wanted upcoming releases.

Renegade by J.A. Souders

*Release Date: November 13th, 2012*

Publisher: Tor Teen

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.

This book had me at "underwater utopia". I am so excited to see the world that J.A. has created for this story and I can't wait to find out all of the ways it isn't what Evelyn has always thought it was. I'm also a huge fan of stories where the main character can't remember or doesn't have her own memories. I think it's so cool to read about their path back to remembering who they really are. Renegade sounds so original and has so much great story potential. I can't wait to read it :0)