Blog Tour: Redheads Are Soulless (Review & Guest Post)

Author: Heather M. White

Release Date: May 25th, 2012

Kindle: 209 pages

High school senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcohlic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.
When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.
Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

Beautiful cover, great plot and swoon-worthy guys - what more can one wish for? Redheads Are Soulless has many twists and turns that were completely unexpected and kept me almost the whole way captivated and entertained. Furthermore since this novel the first of a trilogy is, I can understand that there were some things that bothered me but certainly will be better in the next installment.

The plot was fast-paced and captivating!. There was never a boring moment and I never felt like I had to push myself to read. Now to the completely unexpected twists and turns..they were REALLY unexpected. I've never read a novel that has a complete 360 degree turn and that pleased me a lot, even though it was kind of sloppily done. Overall I was really happy with the plot itself but there were some questions left unanswered - who was the enemy and why was the enemy after her? What exactly is Sofia and what does that mean? But I hope we will find out more details in the sequel.

I loved Sofia as a main character. She was a strong character yet still sensitive, after having to care for her alcoholic mother for so long. She was an outcast in her school and I understand how she felt (and it was really well-described) when Jason appears and starts giving her so much attention. The twin brothers had an interesting chemistry. I loved to see how their relationship evolved throughout the novel. But Robbie was my favorite by far. However I think the characters weren't so well-developed as they could have been.

It was a fun and original read. After such a cliffhanger, I can't wait for the sequel to come out! And hopefully we will find out more about what Sofia is and about her enemy. This trilogy certainly is promising and I would recommend it to everyone who loved a paranormal read!

_________________________________________________________

Small guest post by the author: Heather M. White!

Redheads are... unique... and I'm not just saying that because I'm a redhead! Seriously though. Only 1% of the poulation has redhair. That means I'm in the "top" 1%! ;) lol

There is a LOT of history behind redhair... Back in the midevil period, people with redhair and green eyes were believed to be witches, vampires and werewolves. They were all burned at the stake to rid the world of the "evil". (Thank goodness I have brown eyes!)

Also, redheads are known to have tempers. And I can attest to that (so can my parents and my husband)... LOL. It doesn't take much to get me mad. At least I can blame it on my hair.

Some people believe that redheads don't have souls, and that is what inspired me to write Redheads are Soulless. :) I hope you all enjoy it!!

Heather M. White

YA Paranormal Author

Twitter / Website

Hi! I am Heather M. White, the author of the Destiny Saga, the Vampire Hunter Series and the upcoming novel Redheads are Soulless! It's so nice to meet you!
I am a returning resident to Arkansas. I just migrated south from Saint Louis, MO with my husband. We have been married a year. :)
I love to write. I have been writing since I was a kid - literally. I decided in the 2nd grade I would write a book. I wrote lots of stories and poems... And did I mention I wrote over 200 songs? (Yeah, I'm a musician too).

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breakingthespine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's most anticipated book is:
Touching The Surface


Author: Kimberly Sabatini
Release Date: October 30th, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives…

When Elliot dies for the third time, she knows this is her last shot. There are no fourth-timers in this afterlife, so one more chance is all she has to get things right. But before she can move on to her next life, Elliot will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed… and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the mistakes of her past, Elliot must earn the forgiveness of her best friend and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Link me up :)

(ARC) Review: Timepiece - Myra McEntire

Release Date: June 12th, 2012
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Egmont USA

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...
 
After reading Hourglass (and loving it!), I was thrilled to be able to read Timepiece right away. I was curious and a bit afraid to see how McEntire's novel would change with a new point of view (Kaleb's). But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. And the amazing twists and turns didn't disappoint, either. Despite the slow beginning, Timepiece will leave readers begging for more!

The plot was, as usual, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It surely helps that I utterly love McEntire's writing. There were many twists and turns and the story just flows which resulted in me reading this one in one sitting. Kaleb was a fine narrator and I found his relationship with Lily was sweet, even though I didn't like them together that much. One thing that didn't please me in Timepiece was that Emerson and Michael were mostly absent; I would have liked it if they would have appeared more in the novel.

I really don't have anything bad to say about the characters. They are still the awesome characters I fell in love in the prequel. And I kind of loved being able to read Kaleb's opinion on everybody else. He was one of my favorite characters in Hourglass and, well, I wasn't disappointed in any way that McEntire decided to change the point of view. Yet I'm sure that many of you won't like it as much as I did.

Even though I loved Timepiece, I have to admit that Hourglass was a mind blowing beginning and that the sequel couldn't quite reach the same high, but that's normal in most series. Timepiece ends with a bang and I can't wait to see where McEntire will takes us next! This series certainly counts as one of my favorites. If you haven't read Hourglass yet, you are out of your mind! Fans of time travel, sci-fi, romance and, well, young adult novels will love this series!

Thanks to Netgalley and Egmont USA for providing me with a copy for review!

Myra McEntire knows the words to every R&B hit of the last decade, but since she lives in Nashville, the country music capital of America, her lyrical talents go sadly unappreciated. She’s chosen, instead, to channel her “mad word skills” into creating stories. She’s an avid Doctor Who fan and will argue passionately about which incarnation is the best.      Website / Twitter

Review: Masque of the Red Death - Bethany Griffin

Release Date: April 24th, 2012
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins

Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Being a fan of Edgar Allan Poe I was eager to get my hands on this one. And needless to say I was drawn by this gorgeous cover that was creepy and beautiful at the same time. Furthermore after reading the novel, I think the cover fits perfectly with this novel. I really enjoyed reading this novel yet I should mention that I did have some issues with it. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable and peculiar (in a good way!) read.

The plot itself was amazing. I was captivated by the story, trying to find out what would happen next. The love triangle was built in inextricably that I would have read this one just because of the romance and its amazing twists and turns. Yet I was rather lost when it came to the time frame of the novel - I never really knew if it takes place in the past, in a different present or even in the future. And the flow from a scene to another was sometimes rather sloppily written.

But what I surely enjoyed the most in Masque of the Red Death were the characters. They were all so mysterious which doesn't come as a surprise in such a mysterious and Gothic novel. But I was certainly positively surprised. Griffin's characters had such realistic personalities which provided the novel with many of its twists and turns because they would never react as I thought they would.

Over all Masque of the Red Death was a great read. It certainly entertained me and even though it wasn't as good as I thought it would be, it was still great. And with its amazing ending, I can't wait for the second book! If you like novels full of mystery, Gothic aspects, with love triangles and many, many surprises, this book should certainly be on your to-be-read pile.

Bethany Griffin has always admired Edgar Allan Poe's short stories. "The Masque of the Red Death," which this novel reimagines, is one of her favorites.
"I've always loved the amazing atmosphere Poe creates," she says. "But ‘The Masque of the Red Death' is one of his shortest stories. I wanted to know more. I wanted characters and their stories within the context of this devastating plague. And that's where this story originated." Bethany Griffin lives with her family in Kentucky. Website / Twitter

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop!

And it's time for a new giveaway! Since I'm a summer lover, I decided to participate in this giveaway hop to celebrate the arrival of this wonderful season! And of course, what better way to celebrate something than to win a book to read over the summer? The Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and co-hosted by the Page Turners Blog, so be sure to check their blogs, too.

This giveaway hop will run from May 25th to May 31th and over 200 blogs are participating, so you will have many chances of winning something!

So what is up for giveaway on my blog?

You can win a book of choice from the Book Depository! I know it may sound a bit boring but I always prefer to give the winner a chance of choosing because maybe you want a book really bad and didn't have the chance of buying it yet or maybe you just won't like the book I'd choose! :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The following blogs are participating too! Check out their giveaway too :)

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breakingthespine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
This week's most anticipated book is:
Tiger Lily

Author: C.J. Redwine
Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

I just love books with fairytale themes! And this one sounds rather original.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Link me up!

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2nd, 2012
Hardcover: 236 pages
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. She’s stuck at JFK, late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s in seat 18C. Hadley’s in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight may be one of the sweetest novels I have ever read. Even though I am kind of jealous, since I've never met a gorgeous guy at the airport and I'm so often there! But oh, well, not everyone is that lucky. One thing is for certain, though, Smith's novel is a light and sweet read that will leave readers surely jealous!

The plot was just so cute! I wasn't expecting anything less with such a title. But of course it doesn't only focus on love at first sight but also we get more insight in the lives of the characters and this was a nice surprise. Hadley has to go to England, where her father's second marriage will take place. Of course, she is not one bit thrilled to be going there; for since her parents divorced, her relationship with her father only got worse and worse. But at the airport and later on the plane, she gets to know Oliver and realizes that sometimes something good can come out of a seemingly bad situation. 

What doesn't come as a surprise in a contemporary novel, all characters were really realistic and could portrait anyone of us. I really liked that Smith didn't only focus on the romance but also we get to see different sides to the characters. Hadley was a great main character and she is completely ordinary. Oliver was, well, swoon-worthy but in a believeable way.

I had lots of fun reading The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. It's a great read to pass the time, since it is really light read. I'm not normally into contemporary novels but this one certainly got my attention. Surely there were some things that were a bit exaggerated but without these moments, the book wouldn't go further and be so good. Believe me, I don't like contemporary novels but I really did enjoy this one, so I'm certain this one will please most readers.

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of the three young adult novels: The Comeback Season, You Are Here, and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City.    Twitter

(ARC) Review: The Glimpse - Claire Merle

Release Date: June 7th, 2012
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Once you've seen into the future, can you change your destiny?
In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell.
Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears.
Led to believe Jasper has been taken by a strange sect the authorities will not intefere with, Ana sneaks out of her well-guarded Community to find him herself. Her search takes her through the underbelly of society and into the pits of the human soul. And as she delves deeper into the mystery of Jasper's abduction she uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she has grown up to believe, but she also learns to love as she has never loved before.

Claire Merle's debut isn't just an ordinary dystopian novel. Actually it had many surprising and unexpected aspects to it like faith, religion and even a bit of magic. With such an original concept to an ever popular genre, The Glimpse will keep readers captivated until the very last page.


Ana actually reminded me a lot of  Under The Never Sky's Aria. Ana, like Aria, lived in the supposed-to-be best society but later finds out that everything she believed in was a lie. In this future everyone who is not genetically "healthy" is banned and must live in the City where Ana may be sent to because she finds out that she is a Sleeper (meaning that one day she will go crazy). Her only chance of not being sent to live with the Crazies is Jasper, a pure guy whom she is supposed to be joined with. But right aftertheir binding, Jasper disappears. Ana's search for Jasper uncovers many lies and truths about their society and about Ana herself...


After reading such a summary you may think that this book is pretty predictable, right?! But you couldn't be more wrong! Merle fills her novel with many twists and turns that will certainly leave readers completely astonished. While reading the first few chapters I had to wonder what the mentioned Glimpse in the book description was all about. When it was finally explained I was utterly surprised and couldn't read the whole novel fast enough. The Glimpse is an enthralling and thought-provoking read.


The characters were all pretty predictable. I liked Ana a lot; for she always tries to do the best for everyone not only herself and she is also really determined when it comes to something she needs to do. Jasper was a bit of a disappointment since I was really expecting him to be something he turned out not be (I know, I'm being mysterious on purpose!). And Cole was just the definition of perfection! And I loved the slow romance.


Merle's novel is actually a really chilling novel. There were some moments in the book that were certainly a bit strong for young readers but, well, they are realistic aspects of a broken society. And I can't forget to mention the pretty cover that caught my eyes instantly. Merle's debut has an intricate plot with many surprising aspects that will please most people. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel to this exciting debut!

I wrote my first paranormal screenplay at the age of thirteen and named it after a road sign. Convinced it would find its way into the hands of a film director and me and my best friend would be cast in the starring roles, I entrusted it to my school drama teacher. DANGER ALIVE never made it to the big screen, but I continued to write and daydream my way through school and university, graduated with a BA (Hons) in Film Studies and spent the next few years working in the British Film Industry. I now live in France with my French husband and two young sons. The Glimpse is my first novel coming from Faber & Faber June 2012. Website / Twitter

Review: Insurgent - Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Hardcover: 525 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.


I don't know why but I always have a harder time writing reviews on books that I absolutely loved. I read Insurgent the day that it came out and yet I have been procrastinating to start writing the review. To summarize my feelings: Insurgent was utterly unbelievably and incredibly amazing.


I'm sure most of you have already read Insurgent by now but I won't write anything about the plot itself in case some of you haven't read it yet (what are you waiting for?!). But I can say that Roth did a wonderful job keeping the sequel as interesting and captivating as Divergent. There were so many twists and turns and so many different emotions being put in the foreground that, really, Insurgent wasn't boring, at all. Even though sometimes I got mad because there was this big secret that everybody would mention but we would never find anything about it but I guess that's what keeps us hooked, right?!

By far, in my opinion, the best part about Insurgent were the characters. Tris and Four's relationship was just so realistic. It wasn't anything like I expected it to be: boring. Nevertheless I found Tris a bit strange in this novel. She is one of my favorite main characters, ever, but she was a bit aggressive and mean in Insurgent. But somehow I understand why she reacts that way. Four is still the swoon-worthy guy we met in the prequel. And of course some new characters are introduced and well, I liked them all! They bring some new spice to this series.

The ending was something completely surprising and fantastic, meaning: please release the third novel now?! Insurgent only made me more sure that this trilogy will certainly stay forever in my favorite bookshelf! If you haven't read this novel yet (which is kind of unbelievable), do it for your own good!  

Veronica Roth is a twenty-two-year-old debut author and a recent graduate of Northwestern University's creative writing program. While a student, she often chose to work on the story that would become  Divergent  instead of doing her homework. Now a full-time writer, she lives near Chicago. Blog / Twitter

Hot off the Press!

Have you guys seen the trailer for Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass?

I'm dying to read this one! What did you guys think of it?

Review: Entangled - Nikki Jefford

Release Date: February 20th, 2012
Kindle: 303 pages
Self-published

Twin witches Graylee and Charlene Perez agree on one rule: No dating warlocks.
Not so easy when a certain rogue warlock is convinced he and Graylee belong together and will use anything, including magic, to try and impress Gray. When Charlene’s boyfriend dumps her, she threatens to kill either herself or the girl who stole Blake. Somehow, Gray ends up dead.
A Resurrection Spell Gone Wrong:
Two months after dying, Gray wakes up in Charlene’s body. As a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her daughter back to life? Only now Gray’s stuck sharing her sister’s body 50/50 in twenty-four hour shifts.
The race is on for Gray to find a way back inside her own body before Charlene purges her from existence. Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he’s after Gray’s invisibility spell and worse – her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever.

What first drew me to this novel was the gorgeous cover. Soon afterwards I was buying this Entangled because of the intriguing description yet I think the synopsis gives too much away. Regardless this novel was full of surprises and was utterly enjoyable.

With many original aspects like the main characters being twins (I've never read a novel with twins as main characters!) and the part about a resurrection gone wrong, Entangled surely seems like a great novel. And the plot certainly didn't disappoint me. The first few chapters were a bit slow and I only kept reading because of Raj, the love interest. But when Gray wakes up in Charlene's body, Entangled starts showing its potential.

What did disappoint me were the characters. The only character I enjoyed was Raj. Graylee was just, for lack of a better word, weird. I don't know really why, but she just wasn't to my liking. She treated Raf pretty bad at first even though he was only nice to her! And Charlene was just mean and I couldn't understand the reasons behind her actions but she was still a good antagonist.

Entangled was an enjoyable read and I'm certain that I will read the sequel because Entangled ends in a small cliffhanger that will keep me hooked till the next book. If you a fan of witches, romance and lots of tension, Entangled is a book for you!

Married Sebastien in Meaux, France – pronounced “moe” as in: eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a Frenchman by the toe. (March 27, 2000).

Westie Mama whose life revolves around her dog, Cosmo.

Libra (September 27, 1977) born in Anchorage, Alaska.

Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Alaska Anchorage (May 2003).

Graduated from Dimond High School (Anchorage,     Class of 1996). 

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breakingthespine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's most anticipated book is: 
Defiance

Author: C.J. Redwine

Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making

The main character is called Rachel! I can't wait to read this one :D
What are you guys waiting on today? Link me up!

Blog Tour Stop: Eulogy's Secret by Grace Elliot

Books to Consider is a stop in the blog tour for Eulogy's Secret written by Grace Elliot. Today we welcome the author for an interview!


First let's find out more about her book, Eulogy's Secret:

Eulogy’s Secret - a story of greed prejudice and a stolen identity.

In the four weeks since her guardians’ death, Eulogy Foster has lost everything. Penniless and alone she seeks the help of her estranged brother, Lord Lucien Devlin. But Devlin throws Eulogy onto the streets and the mercy of a passing stranger, Jack Huntley. As Eulogy seeks the truth behind her birth, she is drawn into the world of art and artists, where her morals are challenged and all is deception.

Jack Huntley: bitter, cynical and betrayed in love. He believes women are devious, scheming, untrustworthy creatures - and when he rescues a naïve Miss from being raped, his life is about to change forever. As his attraction to Eulogy grows, caught in a deadlock with both denying their true feelings, events take a sinister turn as someone seeks to silence Eulogy….forever.

Buy Eulogy's Secret:

Smashwords

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Kobo

Nook.

AllRomance eBooks

iTunes

To get to know Grace better, here is a short bio:

Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace works in a companion animal practice near London and is housekeeping staff to five moggies, two teenage sons and a guinea pig. Grace started writing as an antidote to modern life and believes intelligent people have the greatest need to read romance!

If you would like to know more about Grace please visit her blog or website.

Interview: 

To begin how about you tell us a bit about yourself?

 

Hello Rachel, it's great to be here and to meet your readers! My name is Grace Elliot, and I lead a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. You might think the two professions are odd bed-fellows, but I love how they stretch different parts of my brain!

I have worked in the same companion animal practice just outside London, for over fifteen years. The surgery is in a village, complete with duck-pond and Norman church, so history is all around me. In fact it was a cottage on the High Street, where a Victorian lady artist once lived, that inspired me to write my first novel (still languishing on my laptop)….and I haven't stopped writing since!

I am dotty about cats and act as housekeeping staff to five, previously abandoned, felines. Each one of them is an individual and I cant imagine life without them, or my husband, or two teenage sons (not necessarily mentioned in order of importance!!) 

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?  

My latest book is titled "Eulogy's Secret." Strange as it sounds, the idea for the story sprang from reading one word on a poster - 'eulogy'. I glimpsed the poster (for a memorial service at the Royal Albert Hall) on the London underground and it struck me what a fantastic name Eulogy would make for a heroine.

A 'eulogy' is a song or speech in praise of a dead person, and it set me thinking what circumstances would lead a parent to name their child such a sad name; perhaps the mother died in childbirth, or another, and altogether more sinister reason. Anyhow, the reason why Eulogy has such an enigmatic name is all part of her secret…. So you'll have to read the book to find out! 

Any future projects or something you are working on right now? 

            "Hope's Betrayal" (Book 2 in The Huntley Trilogy) is set for a June release. This book tells the story of the middle brother, Captain George Huntley. The idea behind the book came from the true story of a female smuggler, who legend had it was so beautiful, that the excise officer sent to arrest her, fell in love instead….What a cracking start for a historical romance!

            Indeed in 'Hope's Betrayal', Captain Huntley is tasked with breaking up a smuggling ring, but when he captures one of the gang, a woman, his troubles are just beginning. Hope Tyler is unlike any woman he has met before; she is brave, resourceful and loyal…qualities Captain Huntley admires and respects. But Hope was seriously injured in the raid, and if Huntley wants information, his must first keep her alive.

            With her father too ill to fish, Hope Tyler has a choice - smuggle or starve. When a landing goes wrong and she is captured by the arrogant, overbearing Captain Huntley little does she realize just how much their values overlap. They both believe in justice - but from opposite sides of the law. As she is nursed back to health, a battle of wills ensues that ends with them falling in love. But a love where either Hope betrays her own people, or the Captain is court-marshalled, is a difficult destiny to follow…

Since my blog is called Books to Consider, which book should we consider reading next? 

  

My all time favourite book is "The Autobiography of Henry VIII" by Margaret George. This novel is a gem, Henry's remarkable and controversial life as told by the great man himself. It's compulsive reading, entertaining and informative. It was through reading this novel that I first discovered a love of history, after hating the subject at school. Don’t be put off by the thickness of Ms George's book; it is a joy from beginning to end and you won't want it to finish! 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Here is a small teaser of Eulogy's Secret just for you: 
 

But before he left, there was one last thing he must do and the ache in his chest intensified. After taking a deep breath Huntley turned to face the portrait, leaning against the tallboy. Even though he had prepared himself, it still robbed him of breath, his dark eyes grew darker and a small vein pulsed at his temple. He could stare at the painting for hours, trying to armor his emotions, but each time it was the same eyes that pierced his soul, and with no more weapon than a stare, made him her prisoner.

He, or rather Chaucer, had come across the picture by chance. A few weeks earlier, to his amazement, rumors circulated in artistic circles that Tristan Farrell was painting again. Out of idle curiosity Huntley had dispatched his man to Red Lyon Square to investigate, only to have Chaucer return bright eyed and burbling on about a stunning portrait of a brown-eyed woman. It amused Huntley to instruct Chaucer to buy the painting, for an anonymous client of course, as an investment in the resurgence of a once great talent. But the moment Huntley saw the piece he knew he could not bear to part with it.

So here he stood, like a priest before an altar. Goosebumps raised on his arms as he gazed at the pale-skinned beauty with softly parted lips and enormous brown eyes, warm and alluring, staring out of the canvas as if taken by surprise. The swirling background of chocolate browns served to heighten the woman’s natural beauty. The piece was unfinished and yet utter perfection. Only an artist of great foresight would stop when he had, capturing the moment when a great artist discovers his muse. Huntley’s instincts had been correct. The model was Eulogy Foster, and the painting as divine as the woman it depicted.

Of course Chaucer was right; it made sound business sense to sign Farrell up to The Gallery before news of his work reached the ton. If the gallery manager was perplexed by the owner’s sudden indecision, he knew better than to mention it. As if it was fate intervening, there soon appeared a hastily scribbled note from Farrell, offering The Gallery first refusal of his future work. Huntley laughed aloud as he read. Even when fighting infatuation, he wasn’t such a fool as to decline an opportunity to make money.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breakingthespine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's most anticipated book is:
Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas


Release Date: August 7th, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA


After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

After reading the novellas, I can't wait to read this novel!! 
What are guys waiting on today? Link me up! 

(ARC) Review: The Hunt - Andrew Fukuda

 

Release date: May 8th, 2012
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?         (Summary taken from Goodreads)


The most terrifying yet still completely enthralling book I have read in awhile. One thing is for sure: The Hunt will be on your thoughts long after you've finished it, maybe because you won't be able to sleep after some disturbing parts or because this book makes you reflect about life.

The story is told from Gene's point of view. He is a human, or as they call it, a Heper. In the world Gene lives in, humans are almost extinct, in addition to the ones living in hiding or blending in with the vampire population, there are "Hepers" being kept in a dome, being treated and fed as animals for society's entertainment. Gene has been blending in with the vampires for a long time and everything has almost always gone smoothly until the Ruler announces a Hunt to keep the country's population in his side. Unfortunately Gene is chosen to participate, which means he will have to hunt his own kind: humans.

With such a premise, it's not surprising that this novel has some sinister scenes. Not like most books nowadays, the vampires in this book are depicted as real monsters that behave as real monsters do. They are almost intoxicated by human's blood and flesh that when they are near one, they can't control themselves. Even though they were horrifying, I found myself fascinated about Fukuda's vampires. There were some little details that were interesting like laughing by scratching their wrists or their way of showing affection by touching elbows and armpits. They also don't express themselves with a smile or even blinking, which only makes that much harder for humans to mingle with them but not impossible. 

One of the most astounding things in this novel is that Gene succeeded in living among vampires for a long time before the Hunt (I wouldn't probably last a day!). His father taught he everything he should do to not be discovered and that kept him going even after his father was bitten. So it doesn't come as a surprise that Gene lives in "survival mode" and doesn't have the slightest idea how to behave as human anymore. Even after meeting the other Hepers, he had a hard time learning to laugh and even sing. His fragile romance with Ashley June is what weakened his self preservation instinct. He fell in love and learned the hard way that you can and should care for one another. Even though his reluctance to help the other humans was understandable; for helping them meant his probable death, it was a beautiful thing when he came around and saved them. 

The Hunt was a surprisingly great read that is full of heart-pounding action, sweet romance, terrifying moments and unexpected twists. Andrew Fukuda's writing, besides being beautiful, has abundant details that enable you to imagine everything perfectly and experience the character's feelings as if you were the one going through it. You will go through an emotional roller coaster while reading this one and it will certainly be a book that will stay with you long after you finished its last page.

A big thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this unforgetful book!

Born in Manhattan and raised in Hong Kong, Andrew Fukuda is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. After earning a bachelor's degree in history from Cornell University, Fukuda worked in Manhattan's Chinatown with the immigrant teen community. That experience led to the writing of Crossing, his debut novel that was selected by ALA Booklist as an Editor's Choice, Top Ten First Novel, and Top Ten Crime Novel in 2010. His second novel, The Hunt, the first in a new series, was bought at auction by St. Martin's Press and will be published in May 2012. Before becoming a full time writer, Fukuda was a criminal prosecutor for seven years. He currently resides on Long Island, New York, with his family.