For the Love of Swoon Giveaway Hop

Hello there,

This giveaway is hosted by The Book Hookup and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

For this giveaway, I am offering one of the books from the list below, which all contain a swoon-worthy boys.(; This giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

Aiden from the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:

Daemon from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:

Noah from the Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin:

Galen from Of Poseidon by Anna Banks:

Jase from My Life Next Door by Huntsley Fitzpatrick:

Alex from the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver:

Noah from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry:

Fill out the rafflecopter below:

****CLOSED*****
Winner: Marina P.
Reply to my email ASAP!

Have a good week,

Sam :D

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

Sky on Fire (Monument 14 #2) by Emmy Laybourne
Release Date: May 28, 2013

The world hasn't ended...yet.

In this sequel to MONUMENT 14, the group of survivors, originally trapped together in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, has split in two. Most of the kids are making a desperate run on their recently repaired school bus for the Denver airport where they hope to reunite with their parents, be evacuated to safety, and save their dying friend. 

But the world outside is dark and filled with dangerous chemicals that turn people into bloodthirsty monsters, and not all the kids were willing to get on the bus. Left behind in a sanctuary that has already been disturbed once, the remaining kids try to rebuild the community they lost. But when the issues are life and death, love and hate, who can you really trust?

Monument 14 ended on a heart-breaking note! I can not wait to see what happens next! I have a million and one questions that I want answered.

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments and I'll check it out!

Have a great week,

Sam :D

My review of Blood Prophecy

Blood Prophecy (Drake Chronicles #6) by Alyxandra Harvey

Release Date: February 14, 2013

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

 Drake will not claim her birthright; she will not be queen as vampire tradition dictates. But change always comes at a cost . . . 

Possessed by a vengeful twelfth-century witch, Solange commits heinous crimes against the vampire tribes that she pledged to empower. Motives are questioned. Trust is broken. The treaty between the Drakes and the Helios-Ra is under threat. Solange must escape the folds of memory and time and fight for the fate of the royal crown - and win. Her destiny, and her heart, depends on it

Blood Prophecy is the sixth and final book in the captivating Drake Chronicles. It's the most exciting and heart-stopping book yet! Readers will enjoy their last entrance into the world of vampires and hot Drake brothers, where Alyxandra Harvey delivers a satisfying and perfect conclusion to the stunning series.

I'm heart broken that this is the last book because I have loved every page of every book in this series! Alyxandra Harvey hooked me in when I read the first novel "My Love Lies Bleeding" and she wouldn't let me go! She made me stay and wait for this epic conclusion. Not to mention she's also made me fall in love with her set of wonderful and unique characters. Oh, and she just HAD to insert a pack of beautiful boys, didn't she? Way to keep us interested... 

Over the last six books, we have gotten to know each Drake brother for their own charm. Nicholas, Logan, Quinn, Connor, Duncan, Marcus and Sebastian. Yes, guys, seven beautiful un-dead boys. SEVEN! I know a lot more about Nicholas, Logan, Quinn and Connor than the last last three brothers because they each had a book dedicated to their lives, while the other three didn't. Hopefully Alyxandra will write some short stories for Marcus and Sebastian! (She has already written a short story for Duncan it's called Sound and Fury.)

And along side those hot guys are strong and courageous women who are ready to take on a pack of dysfunctional vampires called Helios-Ra. We met Lucy in the first book where she finally gets together with Nicholas after many years of them hating each other. Then we meet Isabeau who is slightly strange and has a magic heritage, and later meets Logan. In the third book, our arrogant and egotistic Quinn, meets Hunter, a girl who has been trained to kill vampires but seems to fall for him nonetheless. And finally, in the forth book the geeky Connor, who is Quinn's twin brother, encounters Christabel, Lucy's cousin, and slowly falls in love with her poetic words. The fifth and sixth book were simply a mixture of point of views, yet still full of action and romance.

I know some of you probably think that this is the typical Twilight vampire copy, it's not. At first when I saw this series I didn't expect much, but as soon as I met the characters, understood the plot... well, I couldn't put it down! You will be sucked into a crazy world where you will realise not no where is safe, and that the only place you can be protected is with the gorgeous Drake family. There is action, a ton of mysteries, kick-butt characters and LOADS of romance! How could you say no to that?

In this last book, Solange is being possessed by a strange girl, she doesn't know why and she doesn't know how, all she knows is that she must find a way to get back to her family and search for a way to destroy the soul sharing her body. Meanwhile, back at the Drake house, Lucy, the Drake family and Solange's human boyfriend Kieran, are trying to understand why Solange is suddenly on a killing rampage. Together they must find a way to get to Solange... without anyone getting killed on the way.

Solange is the only girl in the Drake family and it seems that everyone is after her. Poor girl. In this book, we follow her as she battles her demons and attempts to sort her life out. But how can she be truly happy when her boyfriend probably hates her? Kieran is the one bright spot in her life and she can't help but worry that he may not feel the same way. Kieran is so sweet though. I mean, he would go jump in front of a train for her! *Bruno Mars' Grenade playing in the background* I was rooting for a happy ending between them for ages.

I didn't want to give away too much about the book considering that it's the last book and some of you guys out there don't want spoilers if you have yet to read the start the series. If you love paranormal romance about vampires with a good kick then I don't think I could recommend any series that is as good as this one. 

Rating

A review copy was provided by Bloomsbury Publishing.

Book Haul (#33)

Hello,

How are you all? Hopefully the week went as fast for you as it did for me. For the entire week all I could think of was: I'm going to see Warm Bodies on Saturday. Yes, Warm Bodies the movie starring Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. 

And for all you guys out there who are conflicted about watching it... JUST GO! IT'S AMAZING. A bit of horror, mixed with humor and romance. The perfect combination.

Yeah... you should go see it. I want to rave about it none stop now... I'm going to write a post about the movie (I've just decided that), look out for it soon. (;

This week I've received/bought:

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead - Received -
Thank you, Puffin! I CAN NOT FREAKIN' BELIEVE THAT I HAVE THIS! I am actually almost finished... it's so good.
Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes - Bought -
I bought this for £2 from the clearance section in WHSmith :O It sounds so cool.

Leave a link to your book haul in the comments so I can check it out!

Enjoy your books,
Sam :)

My review of Hidden

Hidden (Guardians of Time #1) by Marianne Curley
Release Date: March 14, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

For as long as Ebony can remember, she's been sheltered. Confined to her home in a secluded valley, home-schooled by her protective parents, and limited to a small circle of close friends. It's as if she's being hidden. But something is changing in Ebony. Something that can't be concealed. She's growing more beautiful by the day, she's freakishly strong, and then there's the fact that she's "glowing." On one fateful night, Ebony meets Jordan and she's intensely drawn to him. It's as if something explodes inside of her--something that can be seen from the heavens. Ebony still doesn't know that she's a stolen angel, but now that the heavens have found her, they want her back.

Hidden is the first book in the intriguing new paranormal series Avena. If you like YA paranormal romance, especially about angels, then I think you will be interested in seeing what Marianne Curley has got planned for you in Hidden.

The book is about a girl named Ebony who has been over protected ever since she was young. She lives in a house in a quiet valley and has always been home-schooled due to her parents' protective attitude towards her. She notices that there is some kind of change going on in her body. She demonstrates strength and powers that a normal person should definitely not have. When she meets Jordan at a party and is hopelessly drawn to him, she knows that he is hiding something. Something about her. What Ebony doesn't know is that she's a stolen angel and heaven wants her back.

Hidden was an interesting read, though I feel like it wasn't as good as some other books in this genre. There is a lot of competition in the 'angel' category, and I think that Hidden falls behind others like Unearthly, Hush, Hush, Angelfire and Wicked Kiss. It's not one of the best out there but it is worth a read if you have time because it is well written, the characters are fascinating, and when the plot kicks it: BOOM! It's exciting, fast paced and hard to put down.

There are some really good action scenes in Hidden that made me sit on the edge of my seat. As for the romance, I found it really interesting, but it was one of those 'instant paranormal connection' type of love. There was some weird connection between Ebony and Jordan, but then there was another connection with some other angel guy. It's all explained by the end and it will leave you wondering of what is to come next for this strange love triangle. 


I would recommend Hidden to all those YA paranormal angel lovers out there who simply want another another book to devour in their free time. 

Rating

- A review copy was provided by Bloomsbury Publishing

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

If I Should Die (Revenants #3) by Amy Plum

Release Date: May 7, 2013

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

The last book in the trilogy!! *Cries* I've loved and followed this trilogy for so long and now it's coming to an end. :( As for the covers, I think I prefer the other two. What do you think?

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

Have a great week,
Sam :D

Gayle Forman Giveaway

Hey!
I recently reviewed Gayle Forman's new novel Just One Day. If you've read my review, you will know that I completely loved it. Not only is it as good as If I Stay and Where She Went, it also shines in it's own way. The book was utterly unique and I cherished every page.

You can read my review of her books by clicking one of the links below:

If I Stay

Where She Went

Just One Day

Since some have yet to read any of Gayle's books, I've decided to host a giveaway for one person to win one of her books. You can pick If I Stay, Where She Went or Just One Day. 

This giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to your country. FIll out the rafflecopter below.

****GIVEAWAY ENDED****
Winner: Hailey P.
She picked Just One Day!

Have a good day,
Sam :)

My review of Monument 14

Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne
Release Date: April 4, 2013 (UK), June 5, 2012 (US)
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository


Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong ...
Fourteen kids stranded inside a superstore. Inside they have everything they could ever need. There's junk food and clothes, computer games and books, drugs and alcohol ... and without adult supervision they can do whatever they want.
Sounds like fun? 

But outside the world is being ripped apart by violent storms and chemicals leaking into the atmosphere that, depending on blood type, leave victims paranoid, violent or dead. 

The kids must remain inside, forced to create their own community, unsure if they'll ever be able to leave. Can they stop the world they've created inside from self-destructing too?

Monument 14 is an edgy and completely absorbing post-apocalyptic following a teenage boy named Dean, who is on his way to school in the school bus like any other day. Until the bus crashes and the bus tips over and all the children are helped out and sent to refuge in a superstore. There are no adults to look after them, to tell them what to do. Dean and thirteen other kids, including his younger brother, are stuck in a building with a long-lasting amount of food, clothes, books and all the computer games you could wish for. They must all remain inside the building because outside the walls are people dying due to the deathly storms and strange chemicals in the air which effect people in different ways depending on their blood type. They must find a way to communicate with the outside world and find rescue, before mayhem is caused inside the walls.

The author manages to hook you in from the first chapter with an explosive event that you will want to learn more about. I really loved the idea of fourteen teenagers being trapped in a supermarket and trying to find a way to communicate with the outside world, but also the idea that one child may turn on another. Monument 14 is described as "Lord of the Flies meets The Day After Tomorrow", and I don't think you could sum-up this book any better than that!

The book is told from Dean's point-of-view; a teenage boy who isn't that popular among others his age. I thought that he was a likable character who always tried his best to keep in control and help those around him. He had his flaws, I must admit, but I loved reading from his perspective because he is an honest guy who sees things for what they are. 

The one thing that sticks out for me would be the setting. Fourteen children and teenagers are stuck in a SUPERSTORE. I mean, how could that not be fascinating? They have everything they could ever need, plus more! I was anxious to see what they would decide to do inside: Stay sensible, don't touch the alcohol and try to make the place a home, or raid the junk food, play computer games all day and destroy products. Fortunately, there are a few born leaders who try to set up a good working community and keep calm, though there are a few who decide to fall off the wagon and cause a few problems, but that just made the story a load more interesting to read about.

Monument 14 will not be everyone's cup of tea, but it will please those out there who love a gripping YA post-apocalyptic with plenty of edgy and gripping moments. I expect Sky on Fire will be even better because the ending to Monument 14 was heart-breaking and left me with a bunch of questions.

Rating 

- A review copy was provided by Hachette Children's Books.

Book Haul (#32)

Hey,

Damn, it has been a seriously tiring week. I just want to collapse and sleep for the next few months. 

There are times when I think everything is just getting too much, and all I want to do is close my eyes and forget because I can't take stress very well. And those are the times when I worry about my blog, and simply life in general, and I think: Can I really keep this going on top of school work? But of course they are only brief thoughts and I immediately dismiss them because I love blogging, even if it's a bit crazy at times.

I would like to quickly thank you all for reading and supporting blog. It means a ton to me. Thank you.

Anyways, I received one book this week:

Speechless by Hannah Harrington - Received -

Thank you, Mira Ink! I've read this book and I ADORE IT! I loved Hannah's Saving June so I knew immediately that I would love this book. I prefer the US cover though...

Leave a link to your book haul in the comments and I'll check it out!

Enjoy your books,

Sam :)

Other Posts:

Review - As You Were by Samantha Summers
Giveaway - Young Adult

Review - Just One Day

Waiting on Wednesday - Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein 

My review of Just One Day

Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman
Release Date: January 8, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is an insightful and beautifully written novel that has touched me deeply. I don't think I'll be forgetting about this story for a long time. Gayle Forman has, once again, delivered a heart-felt and honest novel that not only portrays love in its truest form, but takes you on an incredible and unforgettable journey.

Allyson isn't a daring girl at all. She and her best friend are on a tour discovering Europe, leaving America for the summer. When they reach England and meet the charming, dutch actor Willem at an underground performance of Twelfth Night, Allyson can't forget about him. On the train she meets him again and she can't wrap around the fact that she'll have to leave soon. So when he offers a her a day to discover Paris at its best, she can't resist. In just one day, Allyson turns into "Lulu" and takes more risks than she thought she ever would. She can feel herself slowly falling for Willem, but the following morning she discovers that he has left. Over the next year, Allyson attempts to erase him from her mind but only finds herself drawn back to Paris on a conquest to find him.

I have waited months and months for this book to be released. At first I was worried about it not living up to If I Stay and Where She Went, but there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Gayle Forman is an incredibly talented writer who can effortlessly write about anything, really. I fell hard for the characters in this book just as much as I did for those in her previous duology. They are realistic and well developed in every single way. 

Just One Day isn't just some random YA contemporary about a girl trying to find a boy. It's a book about self-discovery and determination. Allyson is an amazing character, and I felt inspired to actually take some risks like she did. Throughout her journey to find Willem, I could actually feel my heart breaking for her. She was completely and utterly lost, not just physically but emotionally as well. She felt that she could not be herself without him, which is understandable since he is the one who has changed her into a new person. Someone who is willing to take risks and say 'yes' to an opportunity.

All the supporting characters were also developed and I think that's really important in a contemporary novel because if the characters don't feel real then the reader won't completely get lost in the story. 

The setting! The way Gayle described Paris was exquisite. She brought out the negatives and the positives of the city and went into detail of the streets, the shops, the food, making it seem like you were actually there! I wanted to be there. I wanted to see the sights and eat the macaroons and take risks and simply be spontaneous.

Believe me, I loved so much about this story but one thing really gets to me. The ending. I feel like Forman has just cut us off at a significant point, like the point where the story is really getting a kick. I have suffered heart break in this book and to leave me hanging like that? No, just no. An incredible book with a cliffhanger is always a bummer. Luckily, the sequel Just One Year will be out in September/October this year. Yipeeeee! To make things a whole load more exciting... IT'S TOLD IN WILLEM'S POV! I hear you all screaming. Yes, it's just that exciting. Once you read Just One Day you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Just One Day is a novel that must be read. You simply can't miss this. 

Rating

A review copy was provided by Random House