Follow Friday

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list  

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: If you could get an ARC of any book, already published, or not yet, what would it be?  – via Words I Write Crazy 

MY ANSWER: Oooh! For this one I have 2! One of each actually! The ARC that I would looooove to have that's already out and gone is A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes! I have a serious cover love for the original cover art! The finished product is still pretty and all, but there's just something about that ARC cover that I loved sooo much!

If anyone has it and is willing to work a trade, please refer to my ARC list here. These are all the ARCs that I have that I am willing to trade! Also willing to do a gift card exchange as well!

The other ARC that I would love to possess hasn't been written yet! And that my friends, is the untitled Ian book by Jeaniene Frost! I would love to read that baby early!!

Random Thursday

So we've reached the end of July and I have one final post of movie facts for you about Jaws!!

And like I said before, I got these facts from an article on Yahoo that was written by Brian Raftery. And as promised, here is the link to the full article.

• For the scene in which Hooper goes into the underwater cage, Spielberg needed footage of a real-life great white, so he secured documentarians Ron and Valerie Taylor to film the animals in the waters of Australia. But because the sharks there were only 14 feet long — about 10 feet smaller than the killer fish in Jaws — Spielberg came up with the idea of placing a dwarf in a miniature cage, giving the illusion that the shark was much bigger. He eventually hired Carl Rizzo, a 4-foot-9 stuntman who doubled for Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet, but who had no diving experience. “We had to … dangle him into the Southern Ocean, and have big, huge, monstrous sharks swimming around him,” Valerie Taylor later said. “He was very much afraid, and we had a lot of difficulty getting him into the cage.” A dummy was also used for the underwater sequence.
• Dreyfuss wasn’t available to shoot the close-up of Hooper’s face when he spots the shark swimming toward the cage. Luckily, stunt-double Frank Sparks had a Dreyfuss-sized beard, and was able to complete filming the sequence.
• For the scene in which the shark plunges to the bottom of the ocean, Spielberg blended in the sound of a roaring dinosaur from an old B-movie — the exact same sound he’d used to score the cliff-tumbling truck from the end of 1972′s Duel.
• On the last day of shooting, Spielberg — who’d heard rumors that the crew was going to throw him into the water once the five-and-half-month shoot finally wrapped — wore leather and suede to the set, hoping it would convince the team not to attack. He then snuck away to a ferry and headed toward a waiting car, which would quickly whisk him to the airport. As his boat pulled away, the director could be heard yelling “I shall not return!” He suffered a panic attack almost immediately afterward.
• In order to secure the film’s PG rating — as opposed to an R, which would kill its chances for widespread success — Spielberg had to cut a few frames from the scene in which the boater’s leg is bitten off; the ratings board didn’t want audiences to see it linger as it hit the bottom of the sea. Brown further sealed the deal by pointing out to the MPAA, unlike other scary movies, no one should be worried about Jaws-inspired copycat crimes. After all, he noted, “nobody impersonates a shark.”

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Excited for this one!! I enjoyed the Grisha Trilogy so I'm pretty much excited for whatever Leigh throws our way next!

TITLE: Six of Crows
AUTHOR: Leigh Bardugo
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Company
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2015

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes the second book in the exhilarating Young Elites series

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers that murdered her love, the Crown Prince Enzo Valenciano.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

I had mixed feelings over The Young Elites, but hoping The Rose Society cements my fandom for this one!


TITLE: The Rose Society
AUTHOR: Marie Lu
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: October 13, 2015

ARC Review--The Veil by Chloe Neill

Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil's Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused.

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack—in full view of the French Quarter—Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs, even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

But when the Veil threatens to shatter completely, Claire and Liam must work together to stop it, or else New Orleans will burn…

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


Chloe Neill has a new series out called Devil's Isle and it was an incredible read! In The Veil, we have a reimagined New Orleans where tragedy has struck some years ago. It has a sort of dystopic feel to it, but yet at the same time, not completely. The setting is kinda of bleak, there's shortage of real food, and other things we take for granted like electricity. Also is this world, magic isn't something that's smiled upon. If you are found to be wielding magic you get sent to a detainment village that's apart of the city, better known as the Devil's Isle.

Claire had been living a rather normal life, as far as normal can get anyway, when she suddenly discovers she has such magical powers. She's been keeping them a secret for awhile now, until one night, somebody sees her. That somebody is Liam Quinn, a bounty hunter who brings in magic users to Devil' Isle, but in a way, it's for their own safety. There have been an abundance of wraith attacks lately and he's been investigating the issue. Wraiths were once magic users but have retained so much magic that they basically turn into a wraith and there's no cure for that, so far at least.

I found the story to be intriguing though there were times I felt like I couldn't focus entirely on the book. Those parts were when we got into politics and such and all the corruption within them. There's a lot to learn in this book besides the politics and corruption. There's history that revolves around the Veil and why people try to keep it closed...and why some people want to open it again. 

Despite that though, I did really enjoy this one! In true Chloe Neill fashion, we have a heroine who isn't afraid to speak her mind or do what's right. She has got two great friends at her side, and then of course there's the brooding love interest. Liam is a mysterious guy. We learn somethings about him and we can see the sparks of a possible relationship, but all good things come to those who wait! That's one thing I did enjoy, that the heroine and hero weren't all lovey dovey or falling in love with one another right away. Attraction is always one thing and that's an expected instant reaction.

Claire has a bit of self-discovery going on in this one and it's definitely just the beginning of her story. I feel like there's going to be a lot of character development and plot growth in this one. While I can't foresee where things are headed just yet, it is only the first book. But I look forward to embarking on Clarie's journey alongside her.

The Veil is a remarkable book where magic is forbidden, but still exists. It has a dark and gritty world setting that fits the mood. The characters were awesome, I don't think I had a dislike for any of them. My favorite was Mos in particular, I have a feeling he'll be having me laughing quite a bit in this series. I look forward to reading more in this magical series!


Overall Rating 4/5 stars


The Veil releases August 4, 2015

RELEASE DAY BLITZ--Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout +CONTEST

The Epic Finale in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s

 

Dark Elements Series...Who Will She Choose?

 

 

 

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

 

Don't miss the conclusion to this stunning Young Adult Paranormal series filled with danger and romance published by HarlequinTEEN. 

 

Grab your copy today! 

 

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** BAM

 

 

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

Roth cleared his throat. “Shortie, look…look at your hand.”

Look at my hand? Why in the world would he be asking me to do that in the midst of all the cray?

“Do it,” he said quietly and too gently.

The dread exploded in my gut like buckshot, and my gaze dropped to my left hand. I expected to see the weird marbling of black and gray, a mixture of the demon and Warden that existed inside of me and a combination I’d become almost familiar with by now. My nails had lengthened and sharpened, and I could tell they were hard enough to cut through steel, as hard as my skin, but my skin…it was still pink. Really pink.

“What the…?” My gaze traveled to my other hand. It was the same. Just pink. My wings twitched, reminding me that I had shifted.

Zayne swallowed. “Your…your wings…”

“What about my wings?” I almost screeched, reaching be‑ hind me. “Are they broken? Did they not come out—” The tips of my fingers came into contact with something as soft as silk. My hand jerked back. “What…”

Stacey’s watery eyes had doubled in size. “Um, Layla, there’s a mirror above the fireplace. I think you need to look in it.”

I met Roth’s gaze for a second before I spun around and all but ran to the fireplace I was sure Stacey’s mom had never used. Clutching the white mantel, I stared at my reflection.

I looked normal, like I did before I shifted…like I was going to class or something. My eyes were the palest shade of gray, a watered-down blue. My hair was so blond it was almost white, and a mess of waves that went in every direction like usual. I looked like a colorless china doll, which was nothing new, except for the two fangs jutting out of my mouth. I wouldn’t show them off at school, but that wasn’t what caught my attention and held it.

It was my wings.

They were large, not as massive as Zayne’s or Roth’s, and normally they were almost leathery in texture, but now they were black…black and feathered. Like legit feathered. That soft, silky thing I’d felt? It had been tiny feathers.

Feathers.

“Oh my God,” I whispered at my reflection. “I have feathers.”

“Those are definitely feathered wings,” Roth commented.

I whipped around, knocking over a lamp with my feathered right wing. “I have feathers on my wings!”

Roth cocked his head to the side. “Yeah, you do.”

He was absolutely no help, so I turned to Zayne. “Why do I have feathers on my wings?”

Zayne shook his head slowly. “I don’t know, Layla. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Liar,” hissed Roth, shooting him a dark look. “You’ve seen that before. So have I.”

Some loves will last ‘til your dying breath 

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust. 

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction. 

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell… 

“Armentrout is a major talent…I just can’t stop reading!”

--New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

“Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.”

--#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** BAM

 

 

And don’t miss the first titles in the Dark Elements Series!

BITTER SWEET LOVE

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** BAM ** Kobo

WHITE HOT KISS

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** BAM ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo

STONE COLD TOUCH

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** BAM

 

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. 

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. 

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Here are the rules:
 
1. Grab your current read      
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc

Who's ready to be BAD? And by bad, I mean by breaking the two lines rule! And furthering that and using 2 teasers I couldn't decide between! Ironically within the first two pages too! LOL!

"I woke up to my ex-fiance calling. Which was awkward, considering we'd broken up only two months ago and I was in another guy's apartment. Even more awkward when that guy wasn't the one I was currently dating. In my defense, I was on the couch." p. 1


"'I still feel bad. It was a nice car.' I paused. 'I'm also sorry about almost getting you killed.'

'She says, as an afterthought.'

'It was a really nice car.'" p 2

TITLE: Deceptions
AUTHOR: Kelley Armstrong
PUBLISHER: Dutton
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: August 18, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This week's topic is: Ten Characters Who Are Fellow Book Nerds

*in no particular order

And oooh tough one!! Can't think of too many bookworms, but I have a few book nerds who are the super smart type as well! So let's give this a go!!

 1. KATY from Obsidian--naturally! Us book bloggers got to stick together!!

2. MATILDA from House Immortal--books are a rare commodity, so when Matilda gets her hands on one, she's very happy!

3. HERMIONE from Harry Potter--Hermione is the smart one! She's more book nerd that book worm, but in that super smart sense. Aka something I'll never be because I'm reading my paranormals!

4. MARY ANN from Intertwined--another book smart girl! But hey, it's still reading! But I adored her character! My heart still ACHES that this one is cancelled! Makes it worse that Goodreads still shows a book 4! SOBS!

5. ANNELISE from Isle of Night--yet another genius type girl! She goes from being book smart to needing to learn to be tough and fight! And wow! I love this series, though it seems to be in limbo. TEARS! 

6. ECHO from The Girl at Midnight--Echo is a reader too! She actually lives in a secret room in the library!

7. SYDNEY from Bloodlines--yet another book nerd! She's our super smart Alchemist and knows sooo much! I feel dumb in comparison!! LOL!

8. MAC & BARRONS from Darkfever--using both of them since they both end up working in Barron's bookstore!

9. GEORGINA from Succubus Blues--yet another heroine who works in a bookstore! If I ever worked there, I wouldn't get a paycheck cause it'd likely be spent before I got it and I'd owe them! 

10. BELLE--because it counts! LOL! Beauty and the Beast is based off the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Belle stemmed from Beauty, and just so happens to love books! Oh, and there are plenty of film to storybook adaptations of this Disney story, so Belle in those books, loves books!

You wouldn't believe how long it took me to pick out the right Belle picture! I was going to choose her reading a book, but the better quality images didn't show her face very well, or she wasn't smiling.

And omg, googling Disney pics is both fun and horrifying!! You see amazing pics from the movie or other artist creations, but then there are some who muck things up! Turning Belle into a boy...having her kiss Phoebus from The Hunchback of Norte Dame! Horror stories!!!

 

ARC Review--Alice by Christina Henry

A mind-bending new novel inspired by the twisted and wondrous works of Lewis Carroll...

In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside.

In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…

Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.

Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful.

And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice. 

I received this eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


I loved Christina Henry's Black Wings series and was over the moon when I heard about her new series--or at least I hope it's a series--that is a spins a new twist to the Alice in Wonderland story. Alice reads as a standalone or is hopefully the first in a new series as there are still more adventures to be had in this new world.

Alice has spent that last several years in a mental hospital, she was brutally attacked when she was a teenager and based on what she said happen, her parents threw her in the hospital without batting an eye. Then one night the hospital is set on fire and Alice, along with her neighbor Hatcher escape.

The world in this story definitely has a dystopic feel to it. The town has been divided into two cities; basically the wealthy and the poor. It's a dangerous and seedy place, yet it has a colorful feel to it. All around you see what makes this our new Wonderland. There are territories within the Old City, ruled by Cheshire, Rabbit, Caterpillar, and the Walrus fights Mr. Carpenter for the other section. This is not your typical Wonderland retelling and that's what makes it so intriguing!

Alice is set on killing Rabbit for what he did to her years ago. Hatcher wants revenge on the Jabberwocky, who also plays a role in this story. The two find a common ground and work together. There's also a possible romance between them, but it's not as clear as it could be. But there's definitely a friendship between these two that I was fully behind. Hatcher was sent to the asylum after he murdered a bunch of people with an ax. He's dangerous, yet with Alice, he's kind and gentle, and very protective.

The world setting here is very dark. It's not a separate place like the Wonderland of old. This is Wonderland in a sense. Yet it is still as dangerous as we've ever learned. Everyone is "mad" in Wonderland, and that pretty much rings true here too. The people are a bit mad and also, very, very dangerous.

I was surprised to see so much resolved in this one. Again, I am only guessing this is the start of a series. I thought I heard Christina was already hard at work on another title that rings of Wonderland. I can't quite remember said title, but it did fit within the Wonderland world. While this adventure gets wrapped up nicely, there is still another journey to be had. This time it's for Hatcher, he has some unresolved issues that will likely be the center for another book. Only time will tell.

If you like retellings of any kind, I highly recommend this one. While it's not your usual retelling, it's still an entertaining read with a dark and gritty edge! I found myself loving the madness and seeing true evil lurking in the shadows. This read had some sensitive issues and I liked the way Christina executed them. It's rare to see an author not tiptoe around such subjects, or else I just haven't read many books that deal with said issues. Regardless this is definitely a [potential] series I will be keeping an eye on!


Overall Rating 4/5 stars


Alice releases August 4, 2015

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Made some good progress in the TBR Mountain and Review pile, mostly the review pile! Makes up for reading nothing last week and I'm nearly finished with my current read, so I should hopefully squeeze in another long read this week after Deceptions! I was nearly finished with The Drafter when I continued on Monday and then Lust and Dead Upon a Time were really quick reads, like 1-day reads! So it allowed for yet one more read and the start of another within the week! Plus I had a phone call interview and an in person one! 

Last Week I Read:

The Drafter by Kim Harrison (ARC)--Review to come at a later date

Lust by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC) (5 stars)

Dead Upon a Time by Elizabeth Paulson (ARC)--Review to come at a later date

Crucible Zero by Devon Monk (ARC)--Review to come at a later date

Currently Reading:

Reawakened by Colleen Houck (ARC)

What I Plan to Read this Week:

Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong (Early Copy)

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser Tuesday
Waiting on Wednesday

Random Thursday

Follow Friday 

Stacking the Shelves