Jaime's Review of Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt (The Royal Circle #1)

Katherine Longshore

Hardcover: 416 pages

Release Date: May 15, 2012

Publisher: Viking (Penguin)

ISBN: 0670013994

Source: Sacramento/San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Really Liked

From Goodreads.

In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free— and love comes at the highest price of all. When Kitty Tylney’s best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII’s heart and brings Kitty to court, she’s thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat’s shadow, Kitty’s now caught between two men—the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat’s meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Remember how I said I wasn’t a fan of historical fiction? I may be changing my mind after reading Gilt by Katherine Longshore! Then again I love all things Henry VIII and that time period so I may be biased when it comes to this book. Also and I know Katherine will groan when I say this but I loved the show The Tudors c’mon Henry Cavil and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers need I say more ;) ;)

The thing I loved about this book was it was historically accurate (or as accurate as it could be) Katherine being a history buff did her research and did it well! That being said Catherine Howard wasn't my favorite of Henry’s wives and I actually couldn’t stand her in the book either; she was a selfish obnoxious brat. I actually felt myself feeling really sorry for poor Henry marrying such a horrible person heck I would have chopped her head off too! I adored Kitty though the MC she was brave and selfless, sometimes a little naïve in the ways of the court but, she held her ground against some pretty big rivals. The one thing I didn’t like about her was her protectiveness of Cat, I would have told on her in a heartbeat and saved myself lol she was never a true friend only a social climber. There were a good amount of handsome men in this book but only one captured mine and Kitty’s heart his name was William and he was *sighs* perfect. What I really loved about William and Kitty’s relationship was that it started outside of court so we got to see them as they were, and not twisted into some deception or game of Cat’s because that chick loved her games. I mean William thought Kitty was beautiful covered in mud which coincidentally just happens to be the passage I’m going to share with you ;)

Ok so before the passage I just wanted to say that Katherine is writing the next book in The Royal Circle trilogy and, she said it takes place 20 years before Gilt. If my math is correct that would mean it’s around the middle of Catherine of Aragon’s reign, a few years after the birth of Mary.  So maybe the next two books are about the first Catherine and Anne Boelyn??? (One can hope)

Here’s the passage between William and Kitty J

I wiped at the mud ineffectively. William coughed. If he started laughing again, I thought I might smack him.

“It’s a lovely color on you, Kitty,” he said.

Lovely color. It was a horrible color. Reminiscent of bodily functions. In spite of myself, laughter burbled in my chest.

“I look frightful,” I admonished him. “Mud is a color flattering to no one.” I caught a smile creeping across my own lips.

“Monks’ habits are often that very brown.”

“We don’t see many monks around here, anymore,” I reminded him. Not since King Henry had shut down all the religious houses. “Besides, I don’t think I’d be accepted into a monastery.”

“Oh, really?” he asked with a grin. “Skeletons in your cupboard?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Actually,” he said “I find secrets get in the way.” And suddenly his expression opened. Vulnerable. I could read everything he was thinking. He looked shy. And hopeful.

“That’s good,” I said. “Because I have none.” None of my own, anyway. I looked away to hide the hope my own face reflected.

Westminster Palace stared back at me from its empty eye sockets. I remembered what William had said before I fell into the mud.

“Is it really more beautiful up close? I asked. From Lambeth, it didn’t look beautiful at all.

“I didn’t mean Westminster,” he said quietly. I felt his gaze on my face and couldn’t move. Could hardly think. “I meant you.”

Add Gilt to your Goodreads shelves.

Buy your copy now!

Places you can fine Katherine. Facebook/Twitter /blog /Goodreads 

Author Cynthia Hand is Interviewed plus Giveaway

So as some of you may know, we love going to book signings and bookish events. Well, at the latest book signing we attended we got to do something pretty spectacular. We got to interview Cynthia Hand. So how did we land such an awesome gig? Well, it’s really thanks to the amazing Maggie from NYMBC. She asked us if we’d want to interview one of authors attending that night and we were elated at the opportunity so of course we said, YES!! Also in attendance at the signing were YA authors: Brodi Ashton who is author of the Everneath series and Bree Despain author of Dark Divine series. Cynthia Hand is the author of Unearthly and Hallowed. Her third and final book in the Unearthly series is due January of 2013.


UPDATE: You can also check out the interviews that Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads did with Bree Despain and Tara of Tator's Tall Tails with Brodi Ashton. Nancy from Tales of the Ravenous Reader

So without further ado here’s our interview:

Patricia and Jaime: Hello! Thanks for letting us interview you.

Cynthia: Sure!

Jaime: First question, can you give us any news on book 3 or any teasers or hints?

Cynthia: Yes, it has a title that I will be announcing this week. I’ve seen the cover and it’s my favorite cover so far to date. It’s a dark pinkish color but that’s all I’m willing to share right now.  It’s a really beautiful cover.

Patricia & Jaime: We can’t wait!

Patricia: Was it your intention for us to totally love Tucker in Unearthly and just to push him aside in Hallowed, so that we could fall Christian?  I know that happened to us.

Cynthia: I hear that a lot. [laughs] For me they’ve been sort of equal in my mind. When I conceiving them in the series. The way I knew the characters, I loved them both really sorta equally.  And then I started to understand very quickly that people very much favored Tucker in the first book and I “got” why but for me not looking through the lens of the whole series it was hard for me to be all about Tucker and not Christian. But I will say that I never intended for us to get to know Christian in the first book.  I always thought that it would be more interesting for that relationship be like the kind of relationship that I had with hot guys in high school. Which was that: I saw them. I thought about them.  But I didn’t really know them outside of what I thought they were supposed to be. I think Clara never really gets to know him outside of what she thinks he represents in the first book. They start down that path little bit but they don’t. So in the second book, I devoted a lot of energy to us getting to know Christian better. That way we get to know both characters better. Unfortunately for Tucker that means that he comes off being really, really incredibly attractive and perfect in the first book and then we get to see his flaws a little bit more in the second book. So we get to know Tucker in a sort of more negative way and Christian in a more positive way. But I want them to both have flaws and great qualities. I really want us to get to know them both. This really sucks for Clara to be able to decide who she wants to be with.

Jaime: Do you have a set time when you write or do you write when inspiration hits?

Cynthia:  You know I have a different story of what my writing process is for every book. So, I think in a perfect world, where I was just sort of free to do my own thing. I would write in the mornings for several hours. Say from 8:00 to 11:30. Yea in a perfect world that’s what I would do.  And then I would do the blogging and the marketing in the afternoon. Like when my kids go to school that’s what I envision. But in reality I just have to write when I can, however I can and make it work. And so I end up writing in great spurts of huge amounts. Unearthly I wrote very steadily. I wrote a thousand words a day for it every day for six months…steady, steady, steady.  It was at the same time every day from 1-4pm when my son took his nap. But the books since then, I’ve always had a little less time and a little more on my plate so I just have to make it work. I’m working on a new project now and I find myself writing on it a lot because I want to see where it’s going. So then I just find extra time to slip in to write. So that’s fun to be back in that space, where I don’t know what’s going to happen.  I have to sneak away and find out.

Patricia: I was wondering who was your favorite character to write and why?

Cynthia: I have two favorite characters to write outside from Clara. I really love Clara, I really feel for her.  I really understand her voice. If I was being really truthful, I would say that Clara is my favorite character to write.  But outside of Clara, I think my favorite characters to write are Angela, because she’s unpredictable. I like unpredictable characters because I just don’t know what they are going to do and it always a fun surprise to find out what she’s going to say or do and where that’s going to lead. And then the other character that I really like is Samjeeza, the black wing that we see a little bit of in Unearthly and Hallowed and a lot more of in the third book.  He’s so interesting to me because he just sort of rides this line between good and evil; what drives him and what doesn’t. He’s also very unpredictable so for the same reasons that I like to write about Angela, I like to write about him. But he has this kind of weird vibe that’s different from my other characters. So, I like going there and seeing what he’ll say.

Jaime: How did you come up with the idea for Unearthly?

Cynthia: That’s always sort of a big mystery for me. I’d been writing a literary novel for years and then not writing, I was just sort of lost in the desire to write. And really felt like I needed to ask myself if I wanted to really be a writer. I’d been in a lot of school for writing and I was just feeling if I don’t want to write—Am I writer? I just kept having that question over and over. I wasn’t writing and I wasn’t reading anything. And then just one day, I was sitting watching a movie with my husband with the sound turned down really, really low so that we wouldn’t my child as it was past his bedtime. And I remember the feeling of wanting to write just washed over me. Then within about twenty-four hours of that I had the idea but where exactly it came from or was there any specific moment of inspiration…not really. It was just me getting a bunch of little pieces and putting them together. I heard a narrative voice in my head, I think that writers are the only people who hear a voice and go “Eh, you’re crazy, let’s get you some medication.” [Jaime and I giggle at this].  So I heard Clara’s narrative voice and talking about this idea of purpose and then I saw my job as asking questions to that. Why? I knew that she was special but I knew she wasn’t a vampire or a werewolf so I hit on this idea of like the Nephilim. I remembered this old scripture, which always seemed weird to me, from the bible about the children of men and angels. And I thought that would REALLY weird. Wouldn’t that be that be weird if that was you. How would you feel about all of these big questions if that was your lineage? So I thought...that’s perfect! Because purpose fits right in with that. I wanted there to be a forest fire so that lead me to the setting and then the setting led me to Tucker. Tucker is born out of that setting. So it just sort of unrolled itself after that. But what are the actual first seeds of it? I honestly don’t know. It’s a happy mystery.

Patricia: I love that you said that Tucker was born out of the setting versus you just already having him in your mind. It’s very interesting to me.

Cynthia: In my literary works, I always felt that setting always led to character and then the characters led me to the story. Like for me, whenever I teach, I always start with setting. For me my career took off when I embraced my setting. So when I wrote Unearthly, I knew the setting had to be big. A big part of the story.

Patricia: Who was your most difficult character to figure out and what made them so?

Cynthia: I have a couple of answers to that: I would say that Christian is one of the hardest characters for me to write. I have actually written a little side piece from Christian’s POV and that was surprisingly easy but he’s so quiet and into him. Like inside himself that it really hard for me and other people to get a read on what he actually feels so that’s hard because I want to express that but it’s just hard for me to. His personality is quiet and for me to express him and still keep him a little mysterious because part of his “hotness” is that he’s so mysterious. [We agree] But to really get inside Christian that’s hard. And then Jeffery in similar way, he’s very uncommunicative and he doesn’t talk a lot about what’s going on with him and hides things. Actively hides things. That makes it harder because I never know quite how to get Cla-… I think one of my flaws in my first drafts is that Clara doesn’t push Jeffery enough to try to find answers for his behavior. As someone who has a little brother, I have to ask myself…Well, would I really push him that hard? That sort of thing; he just doesn’t give that information up very easily. So both of those characters are hard, I would say Jeffery is harder than Christian because we already have such energy around Christian.

Jaime: He totally reminds me of my brother, by the way. [Patricia totally agrees about her own brother as well].

Patricia and Jaime: Thank you so much allowing us to interview you. It was a real pleasure.

SIDE NOTE: Cynthia also shared with us the title to book three. However, we are sworn to secrecy. As we mentioned above, she’ll be sharing that with everyone very soon. Also as mentioned, she is working on some supplemental goodies but it’s up to her publisher when they will be released. (Hopefully soon).


UPDATE: Cynthia has announced the title of book 3 on her blog HERE. So we can officially share it with you, it's....BOUNDLESS!! YAY! It's an awesome title and we can't wait to get our hands on Boundless :) :) 

Top Row: Tara, Nancy, Mindy, Patricia, Jaime, Debbie, Jean Bottom Row: Bree Depain, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton 

Now on to our giveaway, we have a little something from all three authors from the signing. First up from Cynthia is a pair of signed bookmarks one of each from Unearthly and Hallowed. Second we have necklaces from Brodi Ashton’s Everneath book, it’s a chain necklace with a couple of guitar picks hanging from it. And lastly, we have a bookmark and nail polish from Bree Despain’s Dark Divine Trilogy. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jaime's Review of Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily

Jodi Lynn Anderson

Hardcover: 304 pages

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

ISBN: 0062003259

Source: ARC from the Sacramento/San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Kinda Liked

From Goodreads. 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 wanted to write this review while the book was fresh in my mind. I’ve seen the rave reviews and 5 star ratings for this one and while I liked it; it wasn’t a favorite of mine. I have so many thoughts about this one! First and foremost if you’re looking for a cute sweet fairy tale this is not it! It is a fairy tale and, we all know the story of Peter Pan and we like to think that means happy thoughts right? Well in my case there were no happy thoughts; this book ripped my heart out and made me hate Peter Pan and Wendy Darling with a vehemence I didn’t think was possible.

Also the title and synopsis may be about Tiger Lily (whom I didn’t like much either but felt for her) but this book was told from Tinker Bell’s POV and therefore I feel this was more Tink’s story than anyone’s. I loved Tink she was my favorite character in the whole entire book! There were a few characters that I really did like as well. I adored Nibs (one of the lost boys) and Pine Sap (one of Tiger Lily’s friends from her tribe) and believe it or not I liked Hook. Yep Captain James Hook he was a bad dude but he was honorable and I really respected him for that.

The story starts pretty slow but, you’re quickly swept into Neverland and sometimes you almost wish you could escape because of the heartbreak and pain. Also Tiger Lily’s awkwardness and Peter’s blatant refusal to accept facts made it hard to root for either of them. Like I said I rooted for Tink the whole time. If you love Neverland stories I suggest giving it a try.

I chose a passage from Tink because well quite frankly her thoughts made me feel the most emotion.

I confess. I flew back to the burrow on secret, nightly visits. I watched Peter and the boys. I nestled behind Peter’s ear one night while he slept. I lay on his chest and listened to him breathe. I wanted to be close to him and smell him and hear his heartbeat.

I watched the lost boys living without a girl in sight. I watched how they existed hand to mouth, from one kill to the next. And how they wondered what else there was out there to see and to do and what was missing. Next to Tiger Lily, Peter was the loneliest person I’d ever set eyes on. But mostly, I saw something they wouldn’t let anyone else see. How scared they were, and how well they hid. And I knew, too, what they hid from, and how much they should fear.

Add Tiger Lily to your Goodreads shelves.

Also if you want to see one of those rave reviews I was talking about above. I direct you to my good friend Brooke’s blog  J

Pre-order your copy today.

Of Poseidon Blog Tour Release Day!!!! And a Giveaway!

We are super stoked today one of Jaime’s favorite characters from Of Poseidon by Anna Banks has graced us with his presence! Toraf the fierce tracker, loyal friend, comic extraordinaire (and bane of Rayna’s existence lol) has stopped by to tell us why Galen and Emma are perfect for each other.

It also just happens to be Of Poseidon’s release day so Happy Bok Birthday Anna!!!! *Throws Confetti*!!!!!!! We also have a finished copy of Of Poseidon up for grabs so make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

Toraf’s Take

First of all, why does everyone keep asking how I “feel” about things? What’s to feel? Are humans really that emotional about everything?…Anyway, how do I “feel” about Galen and Emma?

First, you have to understand a few things about Galen. No one knows Galen better than I do, not even his sister Rayna (and there’s no reason for you to tell her I said that). I’ve known the Royal twins since we were all fingerlings learning how to swim straight, and I’ve been good friends with Galen since the first time he punched me for staring at his sister.

Most of the time, Galen is a good little minnow. He’s loyal and honorable and everything a Triton prince should be. Oh, don’t worry, he’s not boring all the time. Sometimes his jokes are even as funny as mine.

But Galen has serious flaws too, such as the way he talks to Rayna. Like the time he yelled at her for embarrassing the Triton Royals at an Archival ceremony. If he wouldn’t have been irritating her in the first place, then she wouldn’t have tried to bite him. And if she wouldn’t have tried to bite him then she wouldn’t have accidentally missed and bitten the ink out of the squid he was holding. And if she wouldn’t have bitten the ink out of the squid then she wouldn’t have had to attend an Archival ceremony with stained teeth. But to this day he will not take any blame for that, even though it was clearly his fault!

And that’s another of Galen’s flaws: He’s stubborn as a bullshark. Which is why Emma is perfect for him. As a Royal, Galen’s not used to being disobeyed or sassed or ignored or made fun of or interrupted or yelled at. He’s used to getting his way mostly. That’s why it’s good for him to struggle so hard with Emma. Sure, it’s excessively entertaining to watch, but more than that, Galen needs a little excitement. I mean, how interesting can serving as ambassador to the humans be? (No offense.)

But ever since he met Emma, he’s not as confident as he used to be. He doesn’t think he knows every single thing anymore. Sometimes he even asks me for advice. Me, who he always used to call an idiot. (Well, he still does call me an idiot, but nearly as much as he used to.) Now he’s realizing just how much he needs me. I mean, you should have seen Galen’s face when he admitted that he felt tingles when he touched Emma that first time on the beach. I would trade my good looks just to see that face again.

Of course Galen gets frustrated with Emma, but I think he secretly likes it. All of it. And why shouldn’t he? Syrena live to be hundreds of years old. That’s a long time. I think—oops, sorry, I “feel”—that deep down in his little minnow heart, Galen knows Emma will make things interesting for him. Just look how interesting things have gotten since he met her just a few weeks ago, right?

So how do I “feel” about Galen’s and Emma’s pull toward each other? I “feel” a sand dollar could have seen that coming.

If you haven’t read Of Poseidon yet you definitely should add it to your Goodreads shelves. And check out Jaime’s review of Of Poseidon here!

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Order your copy today!

Cover Reveal My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century an Exclusive Excerpt and a Giveaway!!!!

Hey all! We have a cover reveal for Rachel Harris’s new book My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century today! You may be saying wait didn’t I see that on here a while back? Yes you did but Entangled Publishing re-vamped it and we think it suits the book much better than the previous one did. Oh and over at YA Bound they’re having A *Super Sweet* giveaway along with the reveal! Rachel's giving away a backpack full of signed swag: bookmarks, bookplates, tattoos, and other fun stuff.  So make sure you fill out the Raflecopter form below. J

On to the reveal…………….

And here’s the synopsis!

 On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Oh and did we mention there's a trailer????? 

Never-Before-Seen Excerpt from MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY:

“I thought I’d teach you a dance from where I come from,” I tell him. “One that’s much easier than that multi-step mess inside.”

            I place my left hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder and slip my right one into his. I pause to listen to the music floating over the tinkling voices and bubbling fountain, and begin counting the three-beat tempo. “One, two, three. One, two, three.”

            I stand still, only my head moving, slowly nodding with my words so he can hear the rhythm.

            When his head begins subtly bobbing with mine, I show him how to add his feet. He takes a tentative step forward with his left while I step back with my right, then we side step, close, and repeat the steps with our other feet, all while I lightly whisper the beat count.

            The breeze picks up, blowing my skirt and skimming my veil across the back of my neck. Chills run down my spine, but the warmth coursing through my veins from being in his arms provides a delicious contradiction.

            Lorenzo continues nervously darting his eyes to our feet, but he is dancing. As he relaxes into the movement, his shoulders rising and falling with the steps, the confidence he always seems to exude creeps back on his face, and he tightens the hold around me. Our faces are kissably close, our lips a hairs breadth away from touching. I stare into the chocolate depths of his eyes and the rest of the ball fades away. The only music guiding our steps is my light whisper and the erratic rhythm of our breathing. Time slows. Lorenzo grins.

            “I think you got it,” I say breathlessly, running my hand along the soft fabric of his shoulder, feeling the rock-hard muscles underneath.

            My body curls inward, pressing against his. The proper form for the waltz is a straight spine and shoulders back, but if there was ever a time to break the rules, this is it.

Here’s a little info about Rachel.

As a teen, I threw raging parties that shook my parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels.

As an adult, I read and write obsessively, rehash said embarrassing fodder, and dream up characters who become my imaginary friends.

When I'm not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, you can find me homeschooling my two beautiful princesses, hanging out with my amazing husband, or taking a hot bubble bath…next to a pile of chocolate.

MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY is my first novel. I did have my own fantabulous Sweet Sixteen in high school. Sadly, it wasn’t televised.

Author website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Jaime's Review of Once by Anna Carey

Once (An Eve Novel)

Anna Carey

Hardcover: 368 pages

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

ISBN: 0062048546

Source: ARC from Maggie at Books Inc.

Rating: Loved

From Goodreads. Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love? Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet.

I just want to say upfront that Anna Carey is evil! No not really but man can she write an amazing book with a wicked cliffhanger! I thought after ending Eve like she did there would be no way that Once would leave me saying WTF? But I was wrong!!!!! I saw Anna a few days ago and asked for hints about book 3 and got nothing; so yeah wow I just know I need book 3 now!

Ok on to the review lol. I love how Eve and Once are set in areas I’m familiar with and it was really cool reading about them. I felt like I was out there with Eve, Arden, and Caleb. There’s so much that goes on in this book! I cried quite a bit I also chewed a hole in my cheek worrying about what was going to happen. Oh yeah and there's a scene in an IKEA yep Anna threw that in there to ;) There was also a part that I believe I said out loud “I knew it!!!!!” once Eve gets to The City of Sand and that place is creepy I’d rather live in the wilds.

The love story between Caleb and Eve is so awesome and real. I loved that it takes them time to acknowledge their feelings and when they do it’s seriously one of the sweetest moments. That is definitely one of the parts I cried. There’s also a scene early in the book that happens at an Ikea and I’ll leave it at that because I’m tearing up just thinking about it. (Remember me saying Anna is evil? Yep another evil moment)

I chose a passage that made me melt and hopefully it will for you all too!

The boat pulled up beside the stone stairs. Caleb glanced at the cluster of people still lingering by the edge of the bridge, enjoying the last thirty minutes before curfew.

“I’ve fallen in love with you,” he whispered, kneeling to kiss the top of my hand. He stayed there for a moment, smiling up at me, before helping me from the boat.

I started up the stone steps, every inch of me humming with a new energy. I wanted to scream it then---I love you I love you I love you—to grab his hand and run away from the Palace, these people, that bridge.

“Good night, Miss,” he said loudly, as though I were any other stranger. “I hope you enjoyed your evening.”

The woman who had greeted me was still standing beneath the overhang. I walked toward her, but not before turning back, my eves wet. “I love you too,” I mouthed. It didn’t seem stupid, or foolish, or wrong. I’d said something I’d always known, the admission sending me into the happiest, irreversible free fall.

His face broke into a smile. He studied me, not taking his eyes off mine, as he pushed off the dock and glided away.

See total swoon right?!?!

So you know you want to read this! Add it to your Goodreads shelves.

Pre-order your copy now!

Jaime's Review of Soulbound (Legacy of Tril #1) By Heather Brewer

Soulbound (Legacy of Tril #1)

Heather Brewer

Hardcover: 394 pages

Release Date: June 19, 2012

Publisher: Dial (Penguin)

ISBN: 0803737328

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Loved

From Goodreads. What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him... Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.

I’m sure you’re all sick of me saying OMG I loved this book but, I’ve been on an amazing book roll lately so sorry you’ll have to suffer  again ;) OMFG I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!

Y’all know I love a good fantasy story and this was another that had amazing writing, beautiful world building, loveable characters, and great plot twists! I think one of the things I loved the most was Heather created her own cuss words for the story and I believe that Fak will be a permanent fixture in my vocabulary from now on ;) so yes there’s a love triangle (I know peeps you’re probably saying “Ugh I’m sick of love triangles”) but this one is really different! As a matter of fact the MC Kaya doesn’t even know she’s in one lol. There’s two beautiful but different boys; Trayton who’s tall dark, handsome, caring, and just a great guy (only problem is he follows all the rules), and then there’s Darius the boy with a secret that has silver hair, a body that screams to be touched, a fast sword, and even faster temper. He’s basically a total Dek as Kaya says but, that doesn’t stop you from swooning and turning into a ball of goo in his presence. Yeah if you can’t tell I’m Team Darius I’ll go for the mysterious rule-breaker any day.

The world of Trill is super awesome! There’s beautiful lush rose gardens, a forest that seems to come alive, and a school that seems to be an entity all its own. There’s dragon-like monsters with blue scales and a bad guy that we hear about but don’t meet (I’m hoping in book 2) but don’t worry there’s enough WTF’ery and plot twists in the book that you won’t miss the bad dude. There’s blackmailing, lies, secrets, tons of action, and yes romance. Oh and the ending even though I figured it out I really did, I still didn’t see to coming! And yeah there’s a cliffhanger and the waiting is gonna suck but, it is a must read peeps!!!! Make sure you go buy it when it hits the bookstores!

Ok so choosing a passage for this one was really difficult I think I had half the book bookmarked lol. But because I love him Darius won so here’s a scene between Kaya and Darius!

Beyond the scent of the salve, I could smell something else. Something that reminded me of wild, wooded places. With surprise, I realized that the scent was coming from my host. Not a shock—Darius seemed to live for the outdoors. It was a pleasant smell, and reminded me of home, of walks in the forest and camping near the river. I sighed, relaxing back on the bed. Darius glanced up at me and I managed a small smile. My throat was raw when I said, “You remind me of home.”

His fingers slowed as they dipped into the pestle once again, his eyes still on mine. “In what way?”

Shrugging, I said, “You smell like the woods. Like wind and rain. It’s…nice.”

“Kaya…” His tone was something I barely comprehended. It was soft and wondering, unlike the man I knew Darius to be. He kept his eyes on his work, his tone even and focused. “If you feel the need to come talk to me, at least come during the day when it’s somewhat safer, okay?”

I couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t say that I shouldn’t come, only that I should be more careful about it. Did that mean he’d hoped I come see him eventually? And just what was that about, anyway? He hated me. Didn’t he?

Make sure to add Soulbound to your Goodreads shelves!

Pre-Order your copy now!

Jaime's Review of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy)

Leigh Bardugo

Hardcover: 368 pages

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)

ISBN: 0805094598

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Goodreads. Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

How can I start a review when all I want to do is say OMFG I loved this book read it the minute it comes out?!?!? Well….. *gathering thoughts* *breathing* here goes J

This book was fantastic! It is beautifully written and sucks you in at page one. Leigh has created a world alive with Russian culture blended with fantasy and has delivered a masterpiece! I literally loved everything about this book I mean everything! I loved Alina, and her clumsiness with her inner strength and fierce love and protectiveness over the people she cares about. I loved the Darkling, as bad guys go it didn’t matter to me how truly evil he was; I found myself falling for him with every touch and every smile. I loved Genya the beautiful Grisha servant that has some pretty awesome powers I wouldn’t mind having myself. And last but not least I loved Mal who’s friendship was true and by the end had fully captured my heart! Oh and there was one character the Apparat who reminded me of Rasputin!

Aside from the characters the story was beautiful and the court intrigue was delicious! What I loved was the Royals played only a small part in the story and the Grisha stood in the foreground. Again peeps I loved this book go buy it when it comes out!!!!!!!

Trying to find a passage for this was super hard there were so many good ones! But I chose one between the Darkling and Alina because *sighs* yes he’s bad but he’s so damned hard to hate.

He studied me for a long moment, and I wished fervently that I’d kept my mouth shut. But then that half smile flickered across his face. “You may have a point.”

A little fear ebbed out of me.

“Why do you do that?” he asked suddenly.

“Do what?”

He reached out and took hold of my hand. I felt that wonderful sense of surety rush through me. “Rub your thumb across your palm.”

“Oh,” I laughed nervously. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it. “Just another old habit.”

He turned my hand over and examined it in the dim light of the hallway. He dragged his thumb over the pale scar that ran across my palm. A shivery hum shot through me.

“Where did you get this?” He asked.

“I…Keramzin.”

“Where you grew up?”

“Yes.”

“The tracker is an orphan, too?”

I drew in a sharp breath. Was mind reading another one of his powers? But then I remembered that Mal had given testimony in the Grisha tent.

“Yes,” I said.

“Is he any good?”

“What?” I was feeling it hard to concentrate. The Darkling’s thumb was still moving back and forth, tracing the length of the scar on my palm.

“At tracking. Is he any good at it?”

Lol ok enough for now if you want to find out Alina’s answer you’ll have to read Shadow and Bone! So make sure to add it to your Goodreads shelves.

Oh and did I mention there’s a trailer? Check it out!

Buy your copy today!

Vicious Deep Blog Tour! Zoraida's Playlist

Today we have a music post! You know how much we love these and we love some of the songs that Zoraida has chosen for her Vicious Deep Playlist. There are some explanations next to the songs and we have attached video clips for some of our favorites J


Well heck we did them all lol! 

Pardon Me by Incubus (My favorite song from high school. Fitting for Tristan, and unapologetic) Jaime freaking loves this band and this song!!!!!!

Come Undone - My Darkest Days (For Betwixt) This is one of Jaime's new favorite bands!!! Check out Porn Star Dancing (I'd love to link to the music video but it's a litle explicit lol) when you get a chance ;)

Jaded - Aerosmith (For Layla) 

Second Chance - Shinedown (Tristan's song) Another favorite!!

Oceans - Evanescence (During the storm...) Pretty!!!

Breaking the Girl by Red Hot Chili Peppers (For Maddy) Love Anthony Kiedis!

Are You with Me - Sixx AM (Tristan & Layla's song) 

Lovumba - Daddy Yankee (For the boys in the swim team)

See her taste in music rocks! Aren’t you happy we posted all the videos? Leave us a comment and tell us which was your favorite J