PAYA!

Hey all! Yeah, I've been pretty terrible at updating my blog and I promise to get better at it but I have some fun news for everyone. August 25th (tomorrow), I'll be attending the 2012 PAYA Festival in West Chester, PA! Click here for directions and more information about the event!

I'll be signing from 2-3 so come and meet me! My first book, Elemental Reality, will be for sale. Also, I'll have some fun Elemental Reality and Battle Scars swag for you guys! Hope to see you there!

Ordained Blog Tour: Book Review

Ordained (The Immortal Archives #1) by Devon Ashley

Type: eBook
Published: March 25th 2012 by Self (first published April 15th 2012)
ISBN: 0012190446 (ISBN13: 2940012190444)
Website: http://devonashleywrites.blogspot.com/
Summary:
Normally, the school creates the hunters - not the monsters.
Abby Sorrensten likes to play rough. Ripping the horns off the foreheads of demons, manipulating lightning and setting things on fire with the flick of your wrist can give you a serious rush. So she probably wasn't the best choice for the Order's experimental training program. Thirteen years of isolation, lack of affection and a bruised and broken body from horrendous training sessions creates more than just an exceptional fighter. It creates an evil within - an evil responsible for several deaths the night she left.
Two hundred years later Abby resurfaces as the very thing the Order trained her to kill: a vampire. A mythical demon has set his sights on the school and only the ordained hunter has the powers to face it. Unbeknownst to the Order, Abby's their precious ordained one and their only chance for survival. As much as she would love to leave them hanging, she's not willing to risk the life of Emily, a fellow friend and hunter also fed up with the organization.
But for Abby, locking herself away in a fortress with angry descendents of those she killed causes suspicions and tensions to run high. Abby must learn the demon's weaknesses for battle before the Order learns hers.
Review:
The beginning of Ordained starts out with a bang that has you thirsting for more.
Ordained was a new twist on vampires and not to mention the vampire hunters (haven’t read about them at all). I’m not going to lie when I say I really hated the idea of the hunters living in their academy. To me, it was more like a prison without the bars. The story really started to get interesting when Noel and Abby arrived. That’s when we got to know the characters on a deeper level and find out exactly how Abby and Noel survived for two hundred years. There’s also a twist with Emily that I really wasn’t expecting. I was kind of thrown for a loop there. Okay, not really. But I did think I had it figured out and turns out I was completely wrong.
I think my favorite character was Valerie. She was so misunderstood and left out. She was like the white crayon in the box. It’s placed in a box with all these other colorful crayons yet it’s isolated because it’s usually never used. So Valerie is a white crayon. I wish I could think of something better to compare her to but it’s kind of late as I type this and my funny side is really not in its full effect right now.
Oh and Abby, yeah she does some major ass kicking in this book. When you find out everything that happened to her while she was undergoing her training, you can’t help but root for her to come out on top. And she does.
There’s also crazy-ass demons rearing their ugly heads in Ordained. I blame the Order for all the fallen hunters.
If you enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel you’ll definitely love this series! 5 STARS

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT DEVON'S WEBSITE TO SEE WHERE THE GIVEAWAYS WILL BE DURING THE BLOG TOUR. CLICK THE BANNER BELOW TO BE DIRECTED TO THE PAGE AND ENJOY THE REST OF THE TOUR!

Cover Reveal: The Collector (Dante Walker #1) #DanteFever #DanteisMine #DanteWalker

So I'm happy to announce that I'm one of many doing a cover reveal for Victoria Scott's new book THE COLLECTOR (DANTE WALKLER #1) but before I reveal that wonderful cover, I have some teasers to share with you!

Needless to say, I'm super excited for this book to come out!  I guess I shouldn't hold the cover reveal party up any longer, especially since I posted those wonderful teasers! Well here you have it folks!

SYNOPSIS

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.

Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Love it! I think Dante Walker is going to be my new book crush! GAH! Add it to your TBR pile here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victoria Scott is a YA writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. Her work is represented by the fabulous Laurie McLean of Larsen-Pomada literary agency. She has a master’s degree in marketing, and is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and Teen Shiver.

Her first YA book, THE COLLECTOR, will be published by Entangled Teen in 2013. And her short story, FOUR HOUSES, is available now through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

She currently lives in Dallas with her husband, Ryan.

WHERE YOU CAN STALK FIND HER

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Cover/Title Reveal!

Hello everyone! I was lucky enough to be a part of the cover/title reveal for Michelle Warren's second book in The Seraphina Parrish trilogy! The title for book two is . . . PROTECTING TRUTH!

Before I reveal the cover, let me show you the cover of Wander Dust in case any of you haven't seen it yet.

Isn't it simply gorgeous?

And now the moment you've all been waiting for . . .

So, so, so, so pretty!!!

AND

I got my copy! Get yours now!

WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE AUTHOR

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Trailer - You Tube

COVER REVEAL: Falling Away (Falling #2)

Falling Away (Falling #2)

Devon Ashley

2013

Synopsis: Jenna’s first two years of community college are almost over and it’s time to decide where to finish her degree. Should she stay near Harvard to be with Robert, or off to Rutgers, where she really wants to go? Their life together seems perfect but she can't help thinking that maybe there's something more out there. As Sophie and Jhett’s wedding nears and Jenna is swamped with Maid of Honor duties, she begins to question if she and Robert will live happily ever after too. Right on cue with her doubts, a familiar dream boy pops up in her dreams again. But Chance’s entrance is as abrupt as his exit and Jenna’s left wondering about his safety. Concern and curiosity get the best of her and a trip back home puts her within arm’s reach of a man that still adores her. Only question is, are Jenna's nerves just playing with her over Robert, or is she suddenly realizing she should've chosen Chance?

Review: Forsaken Harbor (Summer Chronicles #2)

Forsaken Harbor (Summer Chronicles #2) by Laura Kreitzer

Website: http://www.laurakreitzer.com

Twitter: laurakreitzer

eBook, 228 pages

Published February 15, 2012 by Revolution Publishing Inc. (first published February 12, 2012)

Age range: 14 years

ISBN13: 9781937790011

(Goodreads)Summary

The Secret Clock Society has infiltrated every aspect of the government. You can’t hide from them, you can’t out run them—the only choice is to surrender or die fighting. Well, Summer’s found her voice and her confidence. She’ll fight if necessary, but for now she’s on the run. And the only place that can offer her refuge is the one city that’s been devastated with disease and death. Full of savages, Forsaken Harbor holds her life on the edge of a knife. Is there still hope to be found here after all? Or will survival mean savagery?

Review

Summer's story begins right where Phantom Universe ends and you're immediately thrown into non-stop twists and turns. Forsaken Harbor definitely outshines Phantom Universe in every way. Being able to "live" through Summer's growth into the person she has become in the second novel was just amazing. There's something about Summer that makes you want to stick with her through everything and help her fight her battles along the way.

The one thing I really enjoyed about Forsaken Harbor was the growth of each character we've grown to love from the first book. And we fianlly get to meet Julian who is just as swoon-worthy as Gage (if that's even possible)! We see the deeper part of what makes Julian, Julian. By the end of the story I was on the fence with the teams (Team Julian or Team Gage). They both hold a special place in Summer's heart and I couldn't decided who to pick.

Just when you think the worst is about to happen, Laura throws in a breath-stopper of an ending. Now you would think being on Laura's editing team I'd know what's in store for the next book but she refuses to tell me. I can't even begin piecing together what the ending meant or what it means for Burning Falls. I suggest getting your hands on Phantom Universe & Forsaken Harbor if you're down for the non-stop action and adventures of a YA Dystopian Fantasy.

5 Stars

About The Author

Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer is both well reviewed & currently a free download http://bit.ly/zmMhjR

Laura Kreitzer is a published fiction author who hails from western Kentucky. Her full-time 9-5 job used to be working in a lab devoted to water dye-tracing investigations at Western Kentucky University, though her passion was always writing.

Shadow of the Sun is the first book in the Timeless Series of books about a young woman, Gabriella, who is a doctor in charge of paranormal investigations at an influential government lab. A sudden delivery to her lab reveals the possibility that Angels actually exist and she must use her skills in both science and discernment to decide if the previously thought of science fic...morePhantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer is both well reviewed & currently a free download http://bit.ly/zmMhjR

Laura Kreitzer is a published fiction author who hails from western Kentucky. Her full-time 9-5 job used to be working in a lab devoted to water dye-tracing investigations at Western Kentucky University, though her passion was always writing.

Shadow of the Sun is the first book in the Timeless Series of books about a young woman, Gabriella, who is a doctor in charge of paranormal investigations at an influential government lab. A sudden delivery to her lab reveals the possibility that Angels actually exist and she must use her skills in both science and discernment to decide if the previously thought of science fiction is a reality.

The main character is similar to the author in many ways, the least of which is her incredible intelligence. Both Gabriella and Laura are both strong women who let very little stand in their way.

Becoming a published author is a harrowing, and often disheartening, experience. Laura bravely decided to pursue the path of self-publishing. The editing experience was an exercise in patience as version after version were carefully picked apart for proper grammar, spelling, formatting, and appropriate storyline continuity. After several months of Shadow of the Sun being available for purchase, she was offered a job and an offer to publish her first novel at Obsidian Mountain Publishing, which she accepted.

Although the storyline of Shadow of the Sun poured from her fingertips onto her computer screen, the process itself of bringing the book to life has been one of hard work and dedication and Laura has also decided to use this website not only to promote her book, but also for author support to encourage other writers to publish their work and become authors in the eyes of the rest of the world.

Please keep in mind that this website is a work in progress, as is everything in life. That being said, the team that supports Laura is always ready and willing to answer any questions that adults or young adults may have regarding her process to becoming published and the intense determination she has shown to make it a reality.

You may contact Laura via email at laura@revolutionpublish.com

Facebook Challenge

Hello! Anyone out there?! I have a challenge for eveyone of you. Want to hear about it? Here it goes! On March 30, all Facebook Pages will get a new design. It's basically just like the timeline but it's revamped for the Pages. If you're not sure what the timeline for Facebook looks like, here it is:

 

The cool thing is I can also have a cover photo for my page (on this timeline, it's the water at the top)! So the challenge: Those of you who are interested can accept the challenge and get the chance to design me a cover photo for my Page. The winner will receive a signed copy of Elemental Reality AND Battle Scars (when it comes out) along with a whole lot of swag. Sound good? You guys in? Let me know.

 

The Rules:

1. Be creative!
1. It can go along with my current series OR me in general. Like me being an author.
2. You have until March 30th since that's when the Pages will officially change.
3. All entries should be submitted to my email: cesya.cuono@revolutionpublish.com
4. HAVE FUN!

AND GO!

February R.A.K. Wrap-Up

Ah, the end of another great RAK month. Thank you Book Soulmates for coming up with this great idea!

Sent

The Future of Us to Amanda at Hippies Beauty and Books

Cinder (eBook) to Amber at The Musings of Almybnenr

Received

Here (eBook) from Dani at Refracted Light 

Winner!

Apologies for not posting this when I said I would. As you can see from the title of this post, this is my winner announcement from the Valentine's Day giveaway.

#25 Bronwyn Liebner

Her winning answer:



He wakes her up with her favorite breakfast in bed, a single bloom of her favorite flower in a delicate vase on the tray. They head to a local cave and sneak kisses during the tour. Lunch is a picnic at home on a blanket in front of the roaring fire. After eating, they make slow, tender love in front of the blaze. She cooks him his favorite dinner and they eat by candlelight. For dessert they taste each other. The rest of the evening is spent naked in each others arms, alternating between passionate lovemaking and delightful conversation.

 

She has been emailed and her prizes will be sent out soon. I just want to thank everyone for participatting in my giveaway. Stay tuned for my St. Patty's Day giveaway. I'm having something awesome up for grabs all thanks to my beta/BFF, Traci!



Review: Falling In Between (Falling #1) by Devon Ashley

This review was supposed to be posted on February 15 but due to my BFF's father passing away it slipped my mind. Then I was going to have it scheduled to post for 6am EST on February 17 but after working a 12.5 hour shift at work I was beat and couldn't even process what I was writing. So, without further adieu (Devon I apologize for the lateness), my review.

Falling In Between (Falling #1) by Devon Ashley

Website: http://www.devonashleywrites.blogspot.com

Paperback ARC, 284 pages

Published February 14, 2012 by Self

Age range: 17+

ISBN13: 9781466388901

Rating: 5 stars

(Goodreads)Summary

Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me…(yeah, that’s sarcasm)

Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker’s life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert.

Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong?

Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination.

Note: Jenna's coming of age story is a little edgy. There is mild language and some sexual content.

Review

I’d like to thank Devon Ashley for giving me the opportunity to take part in her blog tour. So THANK YOU!

I’ll admit I didn’t get into this book until the second time we met Chance. You know the one I’m talking about? When he’s playing soccer and Jenna gets hit in the head with the soccer ball? Yeah, that one. Chance was very frisky and flirty. The perfect dream boy and I literally mean dream because that’s the only time he saw him. Everyone needs some lovin’ right? Even dream boys.

Then we have Robert. Jenna’s real life crush-turned-boyfriend. He’s pretty amazing. Definitely swoon-worthy too. He treats Jenna great and isn’t pushy with the intimate side of their relationship which gave him brownie points in my book.

My heart ached for Jenna when she came face-to-face with Chance in real life. Why you ask? Because a part of her loved both Chance and Robert. How do you choose between two real life guys who both have a piece of your heart? I couldn’t even tell you who I wanted Jenna to be with because I like both guys for very different reasons.

I thought Falling In Between had a great ending that set us up for the second book. I’m dying to know how it’ll play out. Even though in the end of this book she did choose who she wanted to be with, I’m curious as to who her heart will truly belong to.

Review: The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

Website: http://www.jasminerichards.com

Twitter: jrichardsauthor

Paperback ARC, 400 pages (Source: Once Upon A Twilight Book Tours)

Published: January 17, 2012 by HarperCollins Publisher

Age group: 8-12 years

ISBN: 0062010077 (ISBN13: 9780062010070)

Rating: 5 stars


(Goodreads)Summary
Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all.

When her own beloved sister is captured by the evil ruler, Zardi knows that she must go to any lengths to rescue her. Along with her best friend, Ridhan—a silver-haired, violet-eyed boy of mysterious origins—and an unlikely crew of sailors led by the infamous Captain Sinbad, Zardi ventures forth into strange and wondrous territory with a seemingly impossible mission: to bring magic back to Arribitha and defeat the sultan once and for all.

Review

I’d like to thank Once Upon a Twilight for giving me the opportunity to be on this book review tour.

Now, on with the show . . . er . . . review!

I have to admit that I was a little leery about reading this book because of the age range but I trudged along and slowly got swept away in Zardi’s adventures. I have to say, she was very brave for only being thirteen and I admired her for that. She was a little firecracker and when she set her mind to doing something, she followed through until it was finished. I think back to when I was thirteen and though my life was nothing like Zardi’s, I don’t think I would have followed through with anything. At that age, I was all talk and a big pile of—excuse my French—chicken shit. Another thing I really like about Zardi is that family and friends were her main priority. She’d make sure they were protected instead of worrying about herself.

Next, we have Ridhan. He was a very mysterious boy and I loved how his mysteriousness grew when they boarded Sinbad’s ship. (Side note: I failed to mention Sinbad was in this story. Surprise! We’re introduced to him in the beginning of the story in Arribitha where Zardi and Ridhan and listening to his stories as he tells them to the crowds. When Zardi and Ridhan speak to him after the crowd begins to scatter, Sinbad mentions a land where Ridhan’s people are said to live. This piques his interest and he’s determined to get aboard Sinbad’s ship so they can sail to his home land.)

I could go on and on about this story but then you'd never want to read it because I'd probably end of ruining the whole thing for you so I'm going to leave it at that. If you have children in that age range at home or you want to jump into a different genre for a day, I suggest picking up The Book of Wonders because of the wonderful mysteries written on its pages.

Valentine's Day Giveaway

Since I missed my blogoversary, I decided to hold a Valentine's Day giveaway. My giveaway will run from February 1st-14th. So what's up for grabs? Two signed posters (sneak peek of the posters below) with a little Valentine's twist and a signed/personalized copy of Elemental Reality. There will only be one winner. How do you win? Fill out the form here. And follow the instructions. The winner will be picked solely on how they answer the question in the form. The giveaway ends February 14th at 11:59pm EST. At that time the form will be closed for entry. The winner will be announced/emailed on the 16th. Good luck to everyone who participates!

January R.A.K. Wrap-Up

Is it really the end of January already? It seems like only yesterday we were ringing in 2012. This was the first month I participated in Random Acts of Kindness hosted by Book Soulmates. I enjoyed it and I will be participating next month!

WHAT I SENT:

To Jenny from Books To The Sky: Soul Screamers Volume One by Rachel Vincent

To Amanda from MannaB On Books: She Smells the Dead (eBook) & my book, Elemental Reality (signed)

WHAT I RECEIVED:

Jenny from Books To The Sky: Destined (eBook)

Amanda from MannaB On Books: Hourglass & A Touch Mortal

Thank you ladies!!

Blog Tour: Top Tens with Devon Ashley

Hello all and welcome to my stop on the Falling In Between Blog Tour! Before we get started with my interview with Devon, clink on the above image to find out about the giveaway she's holding on her blog! Oh ok, it's a doodlegraph copy of Falling In Between! How awesome is that?! Check it out!

Now onto my interview.

So Devon, what were your Top Ten favorite books of 2011? Why?

2011 brought a lot of great books, many of which I haven't even gotten to (my to-read pile is shameful). From what I've managed to read thus far, here are my faves for 2011.

1. Wither by Lauren DeStafano - Obviously kidnapping and marrying young girls just to procreate turns my stomach, but the budding romance between Rhine and Gabriel is what really kept me reading.

2. Ashfall by Mike Mullin - Yellowstone finally goes kaput and a boy ventures out into an ashfilled world in search of his family. But what really made this book a winner was Darla constantly having to save Alex's life cause he pretty much had zero survival skills.

3. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick - Patch...need I say more? <drools>

4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Love is a sickness? Of course it is! Doesn't mean I want to live in a society where everyone's lobotomized just to avoid all the stupidity and heartbreak we suffer because of it.

5. Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins - Seriously, who couldn't love Sophie Mercer? Her sassy voice alone keeps me coming back for more.

6. Under the Stars by Rebecca A Rogers - Loved that for once the fairytale didn't end with happily ever after...it actually made me cry.

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth - Dystopian at its best.

8. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep - Hogwarts meets mythology...uber cool.

9. Out in Blue by Sarah Gilman - Finally someone's written a book that involves poachers going after the freakin' angels. The romance seemed childish to me but the story was still really good.

10. Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon - I love fairytale retellings and I particularly loved the supernatural twists this one had.

Thanks Devon! I've only read Divergent so far and I have to agree with you on that one! Thanks to everyone who stopped by. Be sure to check back February 15th when I post my review for Falling In Between!

Review: Nightshade (The Poison Diaries #2)

Nightshade (Poison Diaries #2) by Maryrose Wood, The Duchess of Northumberland

Website: http://www.maryrosewood.com/

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published: October 25^th 2011 by HarperCollins (first published September 1st 2011)

ISBN: 0061802425 (ISBN13: 9780061802423)

Summary:

A dark, gothic tale of romance… and murder.
The latest book in the grippingly dark series, The Poison Diaries.

Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure. 

Review:

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Nightshade in return for a review. What more can I say about this book than BRILLIANT! Everything Jessamine had to put up with in this book was heartbreaking. She lost all faith in herself and was willing to do anything to be with Weed again. And I mean anything! With Oleander’s guidance, she became an assassin and went by the name Belladonna—a beautiful but deadly flower—because that’s how she felt. 

I enjoyed hearing from Weed throughout the story too. He went through so much to save Jessamine. His main goal was to get her back and away from Oleander. It was a great goal. Save the one you love. So Weed did what he does best—talked to the plants. He also traveled to Spain to learn more about plants and to see if they had heard the whereabouts of Jessamine but the plants feared Oleander so they were afraid to speak. When Weed finally found Jessamine, she was a mess and not the same girl he fell in love with but he still wanted her with him. 

We heard more from Oleander too because he was Jessamine’s guide to finding Weed. Oh Oleander, Prince of Poisons. He is sweetly evil and a master manipulator and I hated how Jessamine believed every word that fell from his mouth.

The ending was the worst. No, I'm not saying it was an awful ending. I'm saying it was sad. I yelled at my book because I couldn't believe what was happening. I'd tell you what happened but I don't want to ruin it for you. Five stars to Nightshade for holding the suspense over my head the entire way.

And the winner's are . . .

13 - Nikki A

She got first prize which was a signed Elemental Reality & Battle Scars poster!

8 - Kaitlynne W

2 - Gabi

They both won a signed Battle Scars poster!

I know I forgot to have the email option on the form but because I had everyone enter their addresses I'll just send your prizes out ASAP! Congratualtions again to all three of you!



HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!