Review: Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book One of the Maiden Lane series

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: August 1, 2010

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Publisher - won THIS giveaway

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

A man controlled by his desires...

Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows St. Giles like the back of her hand— she's spent a lifetime caring for its inhabitants at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk.

A woman haunted by her past...

Caire makes a simple offer—in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to London's high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as cold calculation soon falls prey to a passion that neither can control—one that may well destroy them both.

A bargain neither could refuse.

What I Liked:

You all remember when I requested an eARC Lord of Darkness, the fifth Maiden Lane book? I read that one and LOVED it, but I hadn't read any of the previous four books. Almost immediately after, I entered and won a giveaway for all five books! So my reviews will be out of order for the series, going from book five to books one through four.

Needless to say, you do NOT have to read this series in order! While many characters overlap between books, and it's a tad bit of a shame that I read the NEWEST book in the series and then decided to read the previous ones, nothing is needed for each new book. You can read them individually, or as a series. I LOVE THAT about this series. They're all companions, and yet, they're are part of a series.

So. The book. I really, really liked this book. Like Lord of Darkness, Hoyt creates an intriguing plot, a unique set of characters, and NO insta-love, or quick lusty romance. While I love a chemistry-filled romance book, I love it when an author can create a book that is chemistry-filled, but not necessarily from the start, and when the author can allow the characters to fall for each other, chemistry and all.

Caire and Temperance are AMAZING together, and apart. Caire is so strange, but he's so ruined inside! I love his brash, uncaring nature, because really, he is just a sweet man who wants everyone else to feel the same hurt that he does. I just wanted to give him a hug the WHOLE TIME! And run my hands through his hair. I have a thing for long-ish (like, shoulder-length), silvery-blond hair, on males. Yay, Caire!

Temperance, despite my dislike for her name, is an amazing lady. I admire her strength with so many children, her love for her siblings, and her selfless nature towards everyone, but especially towards Caire. She is unflinchingly brave, courageous, and still vulnerable. Hoyt does such an amazing job with indirect characterization of both Temperance and Caire, as well as many of the secondary characters.

I love that BOTH protagonists have a background story. Many times, in historical fiction or historical romance books, one character has a past that haunts them, but not both. I love that Hoyt's characters all have that extra level of depth.

The plot of this story - oh, let me tell you. Usually, with historical romance books, it's generally the same, right? Man + woman + obstacle = happy ending. Well, this book, and this series as a whole, is different. There are "happy endings", which is nice, and obviously, there is romance. But so much action happens between Point A and Point B! And, a lot of that action involves secondary characters of one book who become primary characters of another book (like Silence, who appears in Book Three, and Godric, who appears in Book Five). I love how the secondary plot weaves the series together, and yet, you can pick apart the series to read each book individually.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

What I Did Not Like:

There were some... strange parts to this book. Book Five (Lord of Darkness) did not have the same odd scenes. It wasn't an inhibitor, but I didn't really feel comfortable reading them. Luckily, there were only two or three scenes with the, ah, weird scenes. Trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about if you read this particular book. 

But the scenes didn't bother me too much! 

Would I Recommend It:

YES! To all adult, historical fiction, and/or historical romance book lovers, you will LOVE the originality and  superb writing of this book (and series). For mature readers only though!

Rating:

4 stars. I loved this book so much, but it feels like a four-star one to me. An excellent start to the series!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Stacking the Shelves (#14)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, in which bloggers share the books and swag they've received in the past week!

So, what did I get in the week of Sunday, March 24th to Saturday, March 30th?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

A signed paperback copy of Touched by Corrine Jackson

A paperback copy of Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

A paperback copy of Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt

A paperback copy of Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt

A paperback copy of Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

A paperback copy of Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Special thanks to Stephanie from Read in a Single Sitting - I won those five books from THIS giveaway that she hosted!

An ARC of Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Assorted swag from author Demitria Lunetta

From NetGalley:



Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Oh, and this:

Yeah, you know what that is. My #1 choice. Celebrations are DEFINITELY in order (at home AND on the blog) - once this sinks in.

So, it's safe to say that I had an AWESOME week! How was yours, book lovers? :)

Cover Reveal: Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe (and Giveaway!)

Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe

 A Goddess Wars Novel
Release Date: June 1, 2013

Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy

Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound

Cover
Designed by: Steven
Novak

Summary from Goodreads:

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once
saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to
hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it,
but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant
reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she
becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a
neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the
last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared
Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where
they must fight for their life in a caged arena. 

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive
while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic
that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can
somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

***Excerpt***

I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed me past the surface.

But then, I have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone.

“Caben…” I start, but still can’t find the right words.

He lowers his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top. “You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.”

A hollow pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost, broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up with my racing heart.

When he sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm. “Caben, I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine, Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.”

“No, I’ve said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile, if not more so.

He releases a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots. “I honestly don’t think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into the water and sighs.

Glancing at the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him, so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him.

“Here,” he says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.”

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “I can remove my own—”

“Have you never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them. But try to relax.”

“Is that the rumor in Perinya?”

“What?”

I bite my lip, suddenly regretting my blurt. “Nothing. Never mind.”

From the corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying not to. “Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well, there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s neck just for making an advance.”

My mouth drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.”

“All right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal. Don’t be offended.”

“Unattainable?” I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after being rejected.” His eyes widen.

“No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words, his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.”

I nod, many times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to the men of Perinya.”

Caben lets out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower, “while I stick mine in my mouth.”

Unexpectedly, I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it to your face?”

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon
***GIVEAWAY***

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Feature and Follow Friday (#12)

The Feature & Follow is a creative meme that allows bloggers to get to know each other, and gain more followers! It is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

If you would like, it would be great if you followed me via Email, GFC, Linky, or Google+ (all on the right). Let me know in the comments if you did, leave a link to your blog, and I will comment and follow back! I always do, I promise! Thank you so much!

Q: Tell us about the most emotional scene you've ever read in a book - and how did you react?

That's... difficult to answer. There are so many scenes that bring some emotion out of me, but I generally NEVER cry for books.

However, read Fire by Kristin Cashore. That one has so many heartbreaking scenes. I don't want to spoil any, but... there are so many instances where the heroine is made, well, imperfect. The ending is "happy", but the hero and heroine aren't perfectly perfect, as many YA series have their protagonists at the end of the series.

Don't let that deter you! That book is amazing. One of my favorites of ALL TIME.

What about you?

Swoon Thursday (#12): Sidekick: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight by Pab Sungenis

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Sidekick: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight by Pab Sungenis!

(no, I'm not a huge fan of the cover, either)

From Bobby's POV:

My muscle aches were suddenly replaced by an electric feeling that shot straight through me and covered ever inch of my skin as she leaned forward again and kissed me firmly on the mouth. I gently grabbed hold of her and kissed her right back. I swear we didn't come up for air for at least two minutes before she looked me in the eyes and grinned.

- eARC, 70%

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

This book was so fun! Bodies and swords and fists everywhere! But there were tender moments here and there, and I really enjoyed this one. It was nice to read such an action-packed book from a guy's POV. 

Check out my tour post and giveaway for this book!

SO! What made you swoon this week?

Cover Reveal: Frigid by J. Lynn

I made it extra big :D 

Summary:

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love. 

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have. 

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one. 

Frigid will be available in digital formats on July 30, 2013 

Print release of Frigid will be November 5, 2013 

Add Frigid to your Goodreads shelf

About the Author:

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is a # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki. 

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. 

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday (#13): Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

Publisher: Philomel

Publication Date: June 27, 2013

Summary (from Goodreads):

Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.

With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make a wager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem Annabel Lee, Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

I love Edgar Allan Poe (I'm from Baltimore!). I love Annabel Lee. I did NOT like Mary Lindsey's debut novel (not big on reincarnation), but this one is unrelated, so I'm willing to give it a shot! :)

What are you waiting on? Leave me a comment, or a link, and I'll comment back on your blog!

Interview with Maurissa Guibord, author of Revel (and Giveaway)!

Hello! Recognize that beauty up there? That is Revel, a standalone novel written by the fabulous Maurissa Guibord, also the author Warped, another standalone novel (not associated with Revel). 

Revel came out on February 12, 2013, and I recently have had the pleasure of reviewing Revel and interviewing Mrs. Guibord. Stick around, because at the end there is a giveaway for a signed copy of Revel!

Check out my review of Revel HERE.

The Interview:

Alyssa: Hi, Ms. Guibord! Thank you so much for doing this interview with me! I am so excited to pick apart your brain! I absolutely adored Warped, and when I saw that you had another book hitting the shelves, I was beyond crazy excited! So, How does it feel to be a published author AGAIN?!

It’s wonderful and intimidating too, I really hope that readers will like this story as much as they did Warped!
(trust me, we did! Or, we will!)

How was the publication process different, the second time around?

Well this book was with my same wonderful editor, Michelle Poploff from Random House so I knew a bit more of what to expect with the process of editing and how she works. The level of work, rewriting and anxiety was just the same though. With each new story I have a feeling of jumping off the high dive board- in a skimpy bathing suit- in front of a crowd…

What was something different about writing Revel, in comparison to Warped?

It is different to write a book on a deadline, with a contract. Not bad by any means! Just different. It becomes a commitment to the publisher and the readers to get the job done. It some ways it’s a very good thing- it makes a girl step away from the Netflix queue and get cracking. It also means that someone likes your work and wants more- always a good thing!

Both Warped and Revel have paranormal aspects. Why paranormal?

I always liked the feeling when I was younger, of reading a story and thinking “Yes, that could happen to me!” No matter how strange the events. In fact, the stranger the better! As long as the author helped me to enter that world and believe in it. That’s great story telling and that’s what I aim for.

Do you ever read reviews of your books?

Honestly I try not to read any. I may read a sentence or two to get the gist- then I stop. The good or the bad- both make me uncomfortable. I love to hear that someone enjoyed my book- but to have it analyzed is just painful. Although I have to say- I did read a few criticisms of the first book and realized there were things I could do better. Hopefully that shows in Revel. I want to please readers and to entertain them.

Alyssa: Is there an author (or authors!) that has greatly influenced you and your writing?

Yes, I love the crisp plotting and story telling of Agatha Christie- I’m always amazed by her ability to surprise.

Alyssa: I know that Maine is absolutely beautiful, year-round! The nature there is still much more intact than here in Maryland. What do you do (or would like to do) when you are not writing or editing?

I really enjoy spending time walking along the beach, picking up shells and sea glass and looking out at the water. Especially on a cool, windy day- there is nothing like it to wash away my worries and get my imagination churning.

Alyssa: What’s your least favorite part of the publication process?

That would be the waiting. I was amazed to learn how long it takes to go from a finished, edited manuscript and the book actually appearing. For some folks it can be a year, two years, even longer!

Alyssa: As of right now, are both Revel and Warped standalone novels? 

Yes, both are standalones.

What are you currently writing? 

It involves a girl travelling to the underworld, to Tartarus, and trying to solve a mystery. Like my other books it takes a story from mythology and twists it around a bit. Unlike my other books though- it is very much a mystery- a case of whodunit .There’s also a hint of romance and humor- because you know, I can’t live without those!

A few non-book-related questions…

Alyssa: What’s one of the most embarrassing things you've done in college?

Going to a Halloween party dressed as an atom. Yes. Black leotard. Yellow styrofoam electrons swinging from yarn. I think it was a Chlorine atom but I can’t remember why it should have been chlorine. I had to spin around for the full orbit effect, of course. I didn’t have a car so I traveled to the party on the city bus. Oy.

Yes, I was a nerd girl.

If you decided to stop writing, and could get paid to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?

I would be involved in the theater, maybe backstage creating sets or helping with makeup or costumes. I love the energy and friendship of theater people.

Alyssa: What is your favorite thing about living in Maine!

Lobster rolls!

Alyssa: Thank you so much for being here! And good luck with your current projects :)

Maurissa's Site | Maurissa's Goodreads | Maurissa's Twitter

Revel on Goodreads | Revel on Amazon | Revel on B&N

Warped on Goodreads | Warped on Amazon | Warped on B&N

The Giveaway:

Maurissa is all sorts of awesome, and has sent me a SIGNED copy of Revel to give away! Here are the rules:

- US ONLY (sorry to all the international folks!)

- There will be ONE winner

- You must be 18 years old or older, or at least 13 years old with a parent or guardian's permission (I didn't know this, and it makes sense, but it's illegal to take addresses from minors under the age of 13 years old)

- Winner must respond to the email within 48 hours. Failure to do so will result in me choosing another winner

- Please enter via the Rafflecopter widget below

- DO NOT CHEAT!

Good luck! :)

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Blog Tour Review: Sidekick: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight by Pab Sungenis (and Giveaway!)

Sidekick: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight by Pab Sungenis 

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: March 12, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC provided by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Bobby Baines is in high school, which is bad enough. When his hero, Scarlet Knight, dies, Bobby is forced to take up his mantel. Only Scarlet Knight never had to deal with eking out a passing grade in math, keeping his fellow sidekicks in check, or stopping a giant squid from bearing down on his school and crushing everyone inside. After all, Bobby Baines is no super hero, he’s a Sidekick!

What I Liked:

When I finished this book, I could only think of how extraordinarily fun and action-packed this book was! I really liked the balance of lighthearted humor and scene-to-scene action. The cast of characters is diverse and numerous, but I found that all of the characters had a good amount of depth.

Bobby is our protagonist, and what an interesting protagonist he is! After the tragic death of his "Uncle" or foster father, the former Scarlet Knight, Bobby finds himself stepping back into the world of superheroes, and into his foster father's old shoes. It's not easy, going from sidekick to hero, especially when Bobby stopped being a sidekick for quite some time to focus on his schoolwork.

Nevertheless, I found that Bobby did an excellent job becoming the new Scarlet Knight. He made mistakes - several of them - but he handled himself well in most situations. His thinking was clear and easy to follow, and it was always fun to see what he would do in the next adventurous outing.

Speaking of adventure - there was plenty of it! I loved the amount of action there was in this book. It felt like every time a new scene opened, someone was going to die, or Bobby would be chasing after someone. I loved this! Nonstop action for the win!

The rest of the characters were extremely likable, and added to the dimensions of the plot. When I say this, I mean that each character had a specific role to play in this book, and I feel like each character played their role well. It was easy to tell who meant the most to Bobby, who was kind of sketchy, and oddly enough, who the real villain was. I knew almost from the start. This isn't a bad thing, but, well, I knew.

No love triangle! Woohoo! And, I can happily say that in terms of the romance, all's well that ends well. Sort of. The overall ending? Well, you'll just have to read this book to know. *winks*

What I Did Not Like:

There wasn't much that I didn't like about this book, but I think that some of the "telling" scenes, in which the reader gets a ton of information dumped on him/her, could have broken up into shorter sections, and the information could have been introduced at other times. Because sometimes, I was either a little overwhelmed by those scenes, or a little bored. Or a little of both. 

Would I Recommend It:

YES! What a fun book. Anyone can read this book and probably enjoy it. Don't let the cover fool you - this is a very quick, fun, and enjoyable read.

Rating:

4 stars. I know my dislikes section didn't seem very large, but to me, this book felt like a 4-star book. It didn't completely wow me, but I really enjoyed it.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

About the Author:

Born in the swamps of Southern New Jersey, Pab Sungenis developed a childhood fascination with cartooning and drew a daily strip for his own amusement for two years before realizing he couldn’t draw. He wound up in broadcasting, worked for numerous stations including WSBU, WOND, WMGM, WSKR, WBNJ, WWBZ, and WKTU. He describes his drawing ability as like that of “a mentally challenged rhinoceros on a Ny-Quil bender”, but thanks to the wonders of photo-manipulation and computer image editing, on February 8, 2006 he found himself creating The New Adventures of Queen Victoria, which has appeared ever since, first on Comicssherpa.com., and now in online syndication with gocomics.com. Pab Sungenis is available for quotes, signings, video or podcast appearances, and all opportunities relative to SIDEKICK: THE MISADVENTURES OF THE NEW SCARLET KNIGHT.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | New Adventures of Queen Victoria website

 

Month9Books Links:

Goodreads | Blogger Central | Facebook | Twitter | Website

Tour-Wide Giveaway!

Grand prize includes a print copy of SIDEKICK: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight, Kick-Ass DVD, and a Superhero mask set. Grand prize is open to US residents only.

Five ebook copies of SIDEKICK: The Misadventures of the New Scarlet Knight will also be given away, open internationally.

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Review: Revel by Maurissa Guibord

Revel by Maurissa Guibord

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 12, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Source: Copy provided by the author

Summary (from Goodreads):

There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map.

Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn’t her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia’s not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night.

Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it’s Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water’s edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

What I Liked:

First, let me say that this book is in no way associated with Mrs. Guibord's first novel, Warped. Warped (2011) is AMAZING, a story about time-travel and curses and Fate, and I totally recommend to anyone, but Revel is not related to Warped in any way. Just a note :)

Second, can I just say how GORGEOUS the cover of Revel is!? I love the blue and white swirls, and trust me, it's even prettier in person. AND SHINY. This one is quite the stunner from Delacorte.

Okay, now the actual book. This review might be a little short, because I LOVED this book. And usually, with books that I absolutely love, I tend to go on and on and gush endlessly about things that I loved (which tends to be everything), and I'm sure people get the idea after a while.

The story does not start slowly at all - which I appreciated. While I will read through them, I am not a fan of slow starts. Revel kicks off quickly and gains speed, adding the mythological aspect of the book faster than I expected (not at all a bad thing). The pacing of this book was perfect (in my opinion), and fit the story extremely well.

I enjoyed reading about Delia. She is a heroine that anyone can like, and she is tough and inquisitive. I love the way she stood up for herself at every chance she got. She wasn't snarky or rude, but she was assertive, and I found myself cheering her on. It is never easy fitting in a place where no one wants you. I think she handled everything thrown at her very well, especially the no-technology-on-this-island thing. That one would not have sat well with me.

Delia's Gran is a fabulous mentor, and Zuzu and Reilly are excellent friends. Each character's relationship with Delia is different and rocky, but each character cares about each other and Delia, so I genuinely liked each of them by the end of the book. Sean is another sweet secondary character who fights to protect everyone on the island, which almost ended up being a disaster for him.

But Jax. Jax is my favorite character of this book. Right from his formal introduction (there was an informal one first), we know that he is not perfect, or godlike (no pun intended), or the stereotypical divine male that pops out of nowhere and is suddenly a love interest. He still is a love interest, but he's not like, the usual HOT supernatural male creature. That made me love him even more. He is an outcast, but he is so noble. There seriously aren't enough to describe this guy. Just trust me - he's amazing in a not-so-typical way. I feel like only shallow readers wouldn't like him, because he isn't perfect. But I think his imperfections make him even more appealing, and apparently, Delia thought so, too (hint hint).

So, yes, there is sort of a love triangle. But you can tell where it was going as soon as you read about both love interests. It is so obvious, which is GOOD. No choosing teams or getting up-in-arms over Delia. She knew what she really wanted, they knew what they really wanted, and the romance wraps up cleanly.

The plot of this book was fantastic. I don't want to give anything away, but believe me, you will not be bored at any point in this book. I always found myself wondering, "What happens next?" throughout the book, and I could not wait until the end to find out. And contrary to what I thought, the ceremony Revel is NOT the climax of the book. Usually, the one big event of the book is the climax, towards the end-ish. Well, the ceremony Revel is past the middle, but it isn't the climax. A nice surprise for me, who usually has things figured out halfway through books. The monsters, the transformations, the deaths... you will NOT be disappointed! Or bored! 

I thought this was going to be a short review, and I wouldn't gush. Oops.

What I Did Not Like:

There really isn't anything that I can put here. Maybe the fact that I can't understand how Delia gave up technology to live on Trespass Island? I could never do that. But that's more of a personal preference, not a negative in a book.

Would I Recommend It:

YES! Go get it NOW! Anyone can read and will most likely love this book. 

Rating: 

5 stars - there was no doubt in my mind after I finished this one that it would be 5 stars from me. Revel will definitely be in my favorites of 2013 list, just as Warped as in 2011!

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Stacking the Shelves (#13)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, in which bloggers share the books and swag they've received in the past week!

So, what did I get in the week of Sunday, March 17th to Saturday, March 23rd?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

An ARC copy of The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher (Goodreads giveaway)

A paperback copy of Enclave by Ann Aguirre (Fierce Reads Twitter contest)

A signed ARC of Insomnia by J. R. Johnansson 

The Dreamer's Dictionary

Finnish candies

A bottle of "pills" for to cure insomnia 

Insomnia swag

The signed page! 

From the public library:

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

From NetGalley:

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

From Edelweiss:

This Is W.A.R. by Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker

From Amazon for my Kindle:

Jordyn by Tiffany King

The Alchemist's Perfect Instrument by A.L. Davroe

YAY for this week! Lots of awesomeness. This coming week, look for a post (probably on Friday) about my college process, as I will be hearing back from my last two colleges on Thursday. 

Also, Friday is my three-month blogoversary. And I've surpassed 850 total blog followers, 500 total Twitter followers, and a ton of other milestones that I never actually acknowledged here on the blog. Celebrations may be in order for all three of those things.

SO! How was your week! :)