Sentinel Blog Tour: Elixir Quotes and Giveaway

Hey,

Welcome to the Elixir stop on the Sentinel Tour! We all know what series these books are from, right? The Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, of course! Elixir is a novella told from Aiden's POV, that fits between Deity (#3) and Apollyon (#4).

For the tour, I've chosen some awesome quotes from Elixir that gave me lots of feels.

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"Love is such a wild and reckless creature. It cannot be planned or threaded. It cannot be controlled. Love can coexist with Fate, or it can undo it. Love is the only thing more powerful than Fate.” 

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“Did you know me then?” she asked sleepily.

“No.” I held her closer, as if I could somehow pull her inside me and keep her safe. “But I knew, in that moment, you were amazing.” 

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“Need is not love.” 

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*Sigh* I just adore Aiden and having the book told from his POV...

Was absolutely perfect!! You can read my review of Elixir HERE! You can get Elixir at: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

As part of the tour, I'll be giving away one copy of Elixir to one winner! All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter below. This giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

**Giveaway Closed**
Winner: Georgina 
Reply to my email ASAP! :)
Thank you to everyone who entered.
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ANNNDDDD, SpencerHill Press if giving away a $200 gift card to Barnes & Noble, Amazon or The Book Depository. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Make sure you add all of Jennifer's books to your TBR lists because they are ALL must reads. And I promise you won't ever regret it.

You can also check out the rest of the stops on this tour over on Valerie's blog: Stuck in Books.

Much love,
Sam :)

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:
# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 


Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (75)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

Toxic Heart (Mystic City #2) by Theo Lawrence

Release Date: April 8, 2014

A city in flames. A trust betrayed. A perfect love destroyed.

Has Aria lost Hunter, her one true love?

Ever since rebellion broke out in Mystic City, pitting the ruling elite against the magic-wielding mystics, Aria has barely seen her boyfriend. Not surprising, since Hunter is the leader of the mystic uprising, and he'll do whatever it takes to win freedom for his people—even if that means using Aria.

But Aria is no one's pawn. She believes she can bring the two warring sides together, save the city, and win back the Hunter she fell in love with.

Before she can play peacemaker, though, Aria will need to find the missing heart of a dead mystic. The heart gives untold powers to whoever possesses it, but finding it means seeking out a fierce enemy whose deepest desire is for Aria to be gone—forever.

I really enjoyed the mystery and romance that Mystic City had, and also the ending was annoying. So.... I need this. Preferably now! And that cover is absolutely gorgeous. 

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments below so I can check it out!

Have a good week,
Sam :D

My review of Crash Into You

Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. 


But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

Crash Into You is the third daring and heart-stopping installment in the Pushing the Limits series. If you have not read these books, I can't stress enough how amazing and utterly brilliant they are! Not to mention the swoon-worthy boys and romance...

We've had the gorgeous and irresistible Noah, dangerous and dark-haired beauty Beth, now... it is Isaiah. Yes, the boy covered in tattoos and may come across as a punk, but inside he's just a broken boy who's just trying to fight his way through life's obstacles and do the best he can with what he's been given. 

Then we meet Rachel who is going through her own troubles trying to hide her panic attacks from her family and trying to maintain the image of the perfect daughter for her mother. When Isaiah and Rachel meet on a dark night at a street race, their problems are thrown together and they have to work with each other to dig themselves out of the hole that they have created... while possible falling slowly in love.

Guys. Guys. Guys. This is about DRAG RACING. What YA book do you know that really experiments with this subject? .... Exactly. McGarry always knows how to make a story unique and stand out. Knowing that this is the third book some may think, "Urrhhh, it's going to be the same as all the rest! A good girl falling for a bad boy while coping with difficult life issues." I've got to admit that that is the main storyline, but it's built up from so much more! The story is complexly woven with twists and turns and gasp moments and swoon-worthy moments. You'll finish the story feeling completely satisfied!

I loved getting to know Isaiah and the lovely guy underneath the hard exterior and I loved following his and Rachel's relationship as they work through their problems and fall, quite dramatically, in love.

Not only did I love the main characters, I adored Rachel's older brothers: Ethan and West. Their protectiveness of their younger sister is both entertaining and admirable. I liked the bond that Rachel shared with Ethan, and I also enjoyed West's more feisty personality. I'm over the moon that the next book in the Pushing the Limits series will be told from his POV! It's called "Take Me On" and will be out next year... I CAN'T CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT.

Apart from those characters, we get to see our previous loves! Noah, Echo, Beth, Ryan and Logan! It was nice to have some familiar faces, but they also added another layer of interest and intrigue to the story!

Crash Into You definitely felt dangerous. The plot keeps you on edge but this is also heightened by the elements of illegal driving and dodgy characters that appear throughout the book! But apart from the danger, this book also radiates romance. The type that makes you go "AWWWWR, WHY NOT ME?"

Pushing the Limits still remains my favourite out of the three books so far. However that does not mean that Dare You To and Crash Into You should be forgotten about because they are definitely note-worthy! 

For all of you contemporary junkies out there, Katie McGarry is a must. You must check out her books. You must read. And you must cherish them! Because they are definitely unique and very special. And I'm definitely going to be sulking until the release of Take Me On!

Rating

A review copy was provided by Harlequin Teen UK/Mira Ink

Book Haul (#64)

Hey,

It's been an interesting week at school of just drifting along and wanting to sleep. Thank god it's now half-term! One week off to relax, eat, sleep, and all-in-all do nothing in general.

I have finished the Percy Jackson series! I ADORED THE ENDING SO MUCH!! I cannot wait to see all the movies in the future, they are going to be epic.

Also, I've heard some speculation around the ending to Allegiant. What's been said hasn't been good, and I'm more eager than ever to get my hands on a copy before I come across any spoilers. I'm really worried, I loved the start of the series and I don't want the ending to be a disappointment... 

Anyhow, this week I've received:

Dead Silence (The Body Finder #4) by Kimberly Derting - Received -
Thank you, Kimberly! I won a signed ARC of this book from her YA Scavenger Hunt along with some pretty signed book marks! I cannot wait to start this series. It sounds fantastic.

Leave a link to you Book Haul/Stacking the Shelves/Letterbox Love/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday in the comments so I can check it out!

Enjoy all your books,
Sam :D

Previous Posts:
Review - Mystic City by Theo James
Review - Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Waiting on Wednesday - Alienated 
Cover Reveal - Crash into You by Katie McGarry
Teaser Tuesday - Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Waiting on Wednesday (74)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

I... I don't know how to feeeel. February is too far to wait! I have been waiting for this one for... WAY TOO LONG! It sounds and looks absolutely out-of-this world and... PLEASE I JUST WANT IT IN MY HANDS NOW. Please, I beg you. :(

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments below so I can check it out!

Have a good week,
Sam :D

Teaser Tuesday (8)

Hey,

This is a weekly bookish meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
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To participate you:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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This week, I've chosen a few short snippets from an ARC of Crash into You by Katie McGarry, don't worry, there are no spoilers!

"Rachel smiles. It's a beautiful smile. One that brightens the rat-infested attic room. No one has ever smiled like that at me. No one. Everything inside me twists with the need to keep her close."

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"I don't give a **** who you are," says Isaiah in a low tone that indicates that the threat is very real. "No one touches her."

Make sure you add Crash into You to your TBR lists on Goodreads HERE! And check back next Monday for my review. ^-^

(And add Pushing the Limits and Dare You To because they are seriously good books.)

Love you all,
Sam :)

My review of Mystic City

Mystic City (Mystic City #1) by Theo Lawrence
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Mystic City is an absorbing and wondrous YA book about magic and all the damage it can cause. It's gripping and it's exciting, no way will you be able to put this book down.

Mystic City is about Aria Rose, the daughter of one of the most powerful and important families in Mystic City. She wakes up and finds herself engaged to the son of her families enemies, Thomas. Their marriage is meant to solve the generations of hate between the families. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas, despite all her parents say about their relationship before her accident. Then she meets Hunter and there is something about him that is familiar, but what she doesn't know is that he holds the key to unlocking her forgotten memories. 

I really enjoyed Mystic City! I was worried about starting it at first because of all the mixed reviews, but when I got into it, I found myself enjoying it and unable to rest without finishing it. I had to find out what was going on with Aria and all the secrets the people around her were hiding. But also because I was madly attached to the character of Hunter; a boy we meet a few chapters into the book with a killer smile and good looks. Yeah, I loved him.

I also loved the Romeo and Juliet connection. The whole, "getting married to unite two families" thing was good. And the forbidden romance between two people also made the book absolutely irresistible for me. Hunter and Aria's relationship started off with him rescuing her repeatedly due to her daring habits, but eventually that grew into something more and... Ahh, I couldn't stop swooning.

There are many other elements of the book that I enjoyed. For instance, the action was well written and fast paced, the mystery part of the book made it that much harder to pull away from, and the characters. There were so many to meet and get to know! I loved it.

Mystic City is an interesting and well-written book about magic that will interest fans of books like Matched by Ally Condie and Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz.

Rating

Cover Reveal: Crash Into You (UK)

Hey,

I thought I'd come along today and show you the UK cover of Crash into You by Katie McGarry... you know, just in case you're interested.

Crash into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry
Release Date: November 26, 2013

The girl with straight A's, designer clothes, and the perfect life - that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. 

One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker - a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks - no matter how angelic she might look. But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

I like it, and I like the colour of the text, but I'm just surprised that Mira Ink/Harlequin Teen UK decided to use such a popular stock image rather than having their own models that looked more like the actual characters.

Let's have a look at the US cover of Crash into You:

See? THAT'S Isaiah! Isaiah has tattoos and he has a shaved head and he has piercings... that that model doesn't have, but he looks more like Isaiah than Pepe Toth, who is the cover model on the UK cover. I adore Pepe cause he and his girlfriend Sztella have been on the covers of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series and certainly very well known as Daemon Black.

I'm just disappointed that they didn't use the US cover, or at least found some more fitting cover models. Not that I don't love it, it's still nice. But, I do prefer the US covers.

UK covers:

US covers:

My review of Crash into You will be up next Monday and a small teaser will be up on Tuesday so don't forget to check back and add these books to your TBR list on Goodreads HERE!

Have a great weekend,
Sam :D

Book Haul (#63)

Hey,

First off, I'd just like to say I use Grammarly's grammar check because it can save the lives of those that you love by correcting, not only grammar, but punctuation as well. Swapping to "Let's eat, Grandma!" from "Let's eat Grandma!"

Grammarly is also perfect for authors who want their first draft looked through and for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors to be pointed out.

Anyway, I hope you are all happy and well and enjoying life. 

Last weekend I went to see the new adaptation Romeo and Juliet starring Douglas Booth and Hailee Stainfeld. And can I just say... it was amazing! The cast were fantastic which meant that the acting was top quality. Guys, you've just got to see it! I smiled and laughed and cried a lot! I might get a post together about it.

This week I received:

Uprising (The Forsaken #2) by Lisa M. Stasse - Received -
Thank you, Hachette Children's Books! I really liked The Forsaken despite its many similarities with The Hunger Games. I can't wait to find out what happens next it sounds kickass.
Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton - Received -
Thank you, Hachette Children's Books! I enjoyed Warburton's Winter trilogy about witches, and from the blurb this book sounds AMAZING! A boy who falls in love with the witch he's meant to hunt and kill, yes please?

Leave a link to your Book Haul/Stacking the Shelves/Letterbox Love/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday in the comments so I can check it out!

Enjoy all your books,
Sam :)

Previous Posts:
Review - Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Review - Resist by Sarah Crossan
Review - Undone by Cat Clarke
Blog Tour Stop: In Harmony Giveaway
Waiting on Wednesday - Evertrue by Brodi Ashton
Cover Reveal - The One by Kiera Cass

Waiting on Wednesday (73)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

Evertrue (Everneath #3) by Brodi Ashton

Release Date: January 21, 2014

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Cannot wait to see how Ashton concludes the trilogy because... It's just awesome and I crave a good ending. And I want me some more Jack. The blurb makes their quest sound terrifying.................. I can't wait!

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments below so I can check it out!

Have a good week,
Sam :D

My review of Lullaby

Lullaby (Watersong #2) by Amanda Hocking
Release Date: December 6, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Gemma had to disappear with Penn, Lexi and Thea after a night of incredible violence on the island. She can still barely come to terms with her new affinity with the ocean – and the siren powers that go with it. Now she’s been transformed, Gemma has no choice but to leave all she loves behind. She swears she won’t lose her humanity, but the call of the sea is maddening and compulsive.


Harper won’t give up on her missing sister. The search draws her closer than she’d like to bohemian Daniel, but she could really use his help. They’d almost given up, until a small news item tells of a horrific murder in a nearby beach town, and Harper thinks she’s found the deadly group. But can Gemma’s curse be reversed – and what if she doesn’t want to come home?

In Wake, we meet Gemma and her older sister Harper who are just stumbling through their lives each focusing on different things; Gemma on swimming, and Harper on studying and trying to keep everything together since their mother is stuck in care after a horrid accident. Everything goes pear shaped when Penn, Lexi and Thea come to town. They are stunningly beautiful, yet deadly. They recruit Gemma as one of them; a siren. In Lullaby, Harper is doing her best to find Gemma with the help of Daniel, the boy she can't stop having feelings for, and Alex, Gemma's boyfriend. They also need to find a way to break Gemma's curse. And fast.

I thought that Lullaby was a great installment. Not as exciting as the first book in my opinion, but still keeps your attention until the very last page. The pacing was a bit slow and nothing major happens except finding out more about a few of the characters; Daniel, the sirens, etc. There was some action, which appeared quite a lot towards the end which spiced up the story, but also plenty of mysteries to solve and romances to swoon over.

Gemma is trying to cope with being a siren; but in order to survive she needs to kill, and she's not prepared to do that. She is also not prepared to put her family and friends in danger because of what she is and what the other sirens may do to them. This means staying as far from Harper and Alex as possible, even if they are desperately looking for her.

I found Gemma and Alex cute, but they could NOT beat Harper and Daniel. They are entertaining and an absolute joy to read about. The flirting and Harper denying her feelings for Daniel shows a sweeter side to the story. Yeah, gotta love some Daniel.

Amanda Hocking has a lot more to show us in the next two books, I'm sure. This is only the beginning and the books can only get better and better! Especially with so many paths the story could go down. I'm excited to see what Tidal has in store for us next!

Rating

Book Haul (#62)

Hey,

HOW YA DOINNNNN'???? Sam here. It feels like I've been gone for so long... when I really haven't. I simply missed a book haul last week because I didn't get any books and I was extremely busy with school work. *Sigh*

But yes! What have I missed? Any good book releases? Cover reveals? Book to film news? Let me know! I feel like I'm out of the loop.

Anyway, this week I DID get some books so here we go:

Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry - Received -
THANK YOU A MILLION, Harlequin UK/Mira Ink! I am just.... GAHHH I CAN'T PUT MY EMOTIONS INTO WORDS. This book is gonna be so good. I JUST KNOW. Katie McGarry is amazing.
Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter - Received -
Thank you, Harlequin UK/Mira Ink! I really liked Carter's Goddess trilogy, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in this intriguing story!

Elegy (Watersong #4) by Amanda Hocking - Borrowed -

Oh my gawwwwwd! The last book in the Watersong series! I cannot freakin' wait to dive into this one head first! It is also a monster. The other books have been about 300 pages, this one is almost 600!! Not that I'm complaining...

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles #2) by Kady Cross - Borrowed -

I read Girl in the Steel Corset last week and really enjoyed it! Let's hope this is just as good.

Wake (Dream Catcher #1) by Lisa McMann - Borrowed -

I've seen this one around on some US blogs and it's been out for a while now so I thought, "Why not?"

Dead to You by Lisa McMann - Borrowed -

Another one by Lisa McMann, I thought it sounded really, really cool! Check out the blurb, it's very intriguing.

Nocturne (Clair de Lune #2) by Christine Johnson - Borrowed -

The first book, Clair de Lune, was pretty interesting, it would have been fine as a standalone, but I want to know what happens next.

Leave a link to your Book Haul/In My Mailbox/Stacking the Shelves/Showcase Sunday/Letterbox Love in the comments so I can check it out!

Enjoy all your books,
Sam :D

Previous Posts:
Review - Resist by Sarah Crossan
Review - In Harmony by Helen Newbury
Review - Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
Tour Stop - In Harmony Playlist and Giveaway
Cover Reveal - Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Waiting on Wednesday - Champion by Marie Lu

In Harmony Blog Tour Stop: Playlist and Giveaway

Hey,

This is my stop on the In Harmony by Helena Newbury Tour hosted by Itching for Books! For all you that don't know In Harmony is a new adult romance.

In Harmony (Fenbrook Academy #2) by Helena Newbury

Release Date: September 21, 2013

Everyone expects her to succeed...

Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music...not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.

Everyone expects him to fail...

Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.

But what no one expects...

When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love...and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible...

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I've reviewed the book and you can check out my review HERE!

For this tour stop I have made a playlist:

- I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift

- Right Place, Right Time by Olly Murs

- Can We Dance by The Vamps

- Nothing by The Script

- Sweet Love by Chris Brown

- Beautiful Life by Union J (for Jasmine)

- Made in the USA by Demi Lovato
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About the Author:
Helena Newbury is a New Adult Romance author with a love of bakingly hot summer days, strawberry gelato, good coffee and interesting people. Unlike the characters in her books, Helena cannot dance, act or play anything (though she is substantially more flexible since she started writing Dance For Me and tried doing dancer’s stretches, so she's hoping that something will rub off on her from each book).

Helena writes in a very noisy, very busy coffee shop which means she sometimes end up mainlining caffeine to keep her seat. You’ll know when this happens because she’ll still be on Twitter that night at 4am.
She loves meeting and talking with other authors, traveling to new places and discovering new books.

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Helena has also provided some prizes for a giveaway that you can enter for below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enjoy your week,

Sam :D

Waiting on Wednesday (72)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Release Date: November 5, 2013

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. 

Legend was brilliant, but Prodigy was just on another level! I loved the action and the rebels... I NEED to find out what happens between June and Day... I NEEEED TO BECAUSE THE CLIFFHANGER IN PRODIGY WAS HORRIBLE.

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments below so I can check it out!

Have a good week,
Sam :D

My review of Resist

Resist (Breathe #2) by Sarah Crossan
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie.

Sarah Crossan set the bar very high in the dystopian genre with her book Breathe last year, but Resist? Resist is simply one of the best conclusions I have read this year! The world that Crossan has built is irresistible and so fascinating. I couldn't put it down and was completely engaged until the very last page.

In Breathe, we met Alina, Bea and Quinn. They were naive and did not completely understand the world that they were in. Following the disastrous events at the end of Breathe, they are all searching for one thing: Sequoia. The only other refuge other than the Pod. They must all get their safely, especially since there is someone after Quinn with a mission to take him back to the Pod. However, Sequoia might not be the perfect paradise that they've been waiting for.

Everything in this book was perfect! Sure, I would have liked a more detailed and extended epilogue, but I think Crossan wanted to leave us with our own imagination and creativity, which is fine with me. 

I loved the characters in this book! Quinn and Bea need each other more than ever while Alina discovers who she is and what she wants. We also meet Ronan. At first I wasn't too keen on having chapters told my a complete stranger, but Ronan manages to stand out and fit in with our much-loved cast. He is one of the best young adults in the Special Forces and Quinn's father has sent him on a mission to find Quinn and bring him back to the Pod. He is a wonderful character who is very likable and once you're half way through you realise that he plays a big part in the plot.

The plot... WOAH! So many surprises I never even saw coming. My heart literally stopped at one point. Yep.

I just cannot get over how well thought out and developed the world of Breathe is. It was easy to imagine that that is really the future of the world we are living in now. I read Breathe a year ago, and I wasn't too sure on the little details when I started reading Resist. But Crossan's writing is simply devine and it was not difficult to slip back into the world that she had created.

I originally thought that this would be a trilogy, but, nonetheless, I'm happy for it to be a duo because the story rounded off nicely. Sarah Crossan has gifted us with two amazing and breath-taking books that will be loved by everyone who wants a unique and exciting post-apocalyptic read. Get reading as soon as you can get your hands these books!

Rating

A review copy was provided by Bloomsbury

My review of In Harmony

In Harmony (Fenbrook Academy #2) by Helena Newbury
Release Date: September 21, 2013
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Everyone expects her to succeed...
Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music...not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.

Everyone expects him to fail...
Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.

But what no one expects...

When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love...and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible...

In Harmony is a new adult romance that will sweep you off your feet with its charming characters, music aspects and the romance itself. This is the companion novel to Dance For Me, and I had no problem slipping into the story having not read the previous book, therefore you can start with whatever book you want first!

We follow Karen; a girl who dreams big when it comes to her music and she is on course to graduate with perfect grades until things start going down hill. Her duet partner breaks his arm and she has to find someone at last minute who will be willing to take his place. This is where Connor comes along. A cocky boy with too much attitude for anyone to handle. He is her option, her ONLY option. Karen's main goal is to pass with high scores, but she might just end up learning a few things along the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It had plenty of humorous and swoon-worthy moments. I wasn't keen on Karen at points because she was just annoying and not using her head to think, but in between that, I found her thoughts amusing and enjoyable.

We all know the whole "bad boy fall in love with innocent girl" plot, and that cliche carries on here, except Newbury adds some fresh twists to keep things interesting. I ADORED Connor. Yes the bad boy, but can I help that? No. Because Newbury insists on making such a lovable character with flaws that make him even more lovable. 

Definitely don't miss In Harmony if you're looking for a new adult romance with plenty of sub plots to keep the book interesting. I will be reading more from Newbury ASAP!

Rating

A review copy was provided by the author