Meet the Newbies (& Giveaway): Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

Welcome to Meet the Newbies! Meet the Newbies is a blog event dedicated to introducing you to the “newbie” published debut authors. In this event, expect to learn more about the authors, their books, and silly fun facts!

Today, I'm featuring Kelly Zekas and Tarun Shanker, authors of These Vicious Masks!

Nickname: Kel

First Day of School: February 9, 2016

Homeroom: Swoon Reads

Grade: Historical Fantasy

Extracurricular Activities: Drama Club, Vampire Slaying, Entering the Realms

Favorite Class: Teleportation: It's Hard But It Will Happen Favorite 

Favorite Quote/Motto: "Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps." ­ Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare

Nickname: Tuna 

First Day of School: February 9, 2016

Homeroom: Swoon Reads

Grade: Historical Fantasy

Extracurricular Activities: Track, Film Club, Calvinball 

Favorite Class: Telekinesis Target Practice 

Favorite Quote/Motto: “I love talking about nothing... It is the only thing I know anything about.” ­ 

An Ideal Husband, Oscar Wilde

The Interview:

Alyssa: Hi, Kelly and Tarun! Thank you so much for joining me today on my blog! And happy debuting!
Kelly: Thanks Alyssa! We are super happy to be here.
Tarun: And to be debut authors!

Alyssa: My first question (and probably a popular one for you two) - how did you two come to be co-authors?
Kelly: It’s actually kinda funny. We were in a college freshman year writing class together and became friends. Then a couple years later Tarun asked me about writing a YA novel and I was more like a beta reader or consultant at first, but we sorta fell into writing it together!
Tarun: Yep. She started editing pages for me and it was a lot better because she’s the historical romance expert. So we just traded chapters back and forth until we both loved them, and worked from there. Now we’re stuck :)

Alyssa: What about Swoon Reads/Macmillan attracted you to publish your book with them?
Kelly: We actually queried traditionally for quite a while. But Tarun heard about them on a YA forum and I had actually picked up their first book, A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall and loved it. That kinda cemented it for us.
Tarun: We weren’t sure we had enough romance, or if they would want a trilogy, actually. But we liked the platform, the involvement of the community, all the editors’ advice on their blog and their beautiful book design. So we just figured we would give it a try. We were thrilled to be picked and everyone on the Swoon team has been better than we imagined!

Alyssa: How did These Vicious Masks become the title of the book? Are the titles of the next books of a similar pattern?
Kelly: Oh the number of titles we went through at various times. I don’t even remember the first, but we definitely considered EVOLVED, THESE FRAGILE MASKS, and finally we landed at THESE VICIOUS MASKS. We like how many different ways “masks” fits our story - a nod to superhero masks, masked balls and the way people hide who they really are.
Tarun: We don’t know about the future titles, though. That is still being decided, so they may stay in that same pattern or we might do this one other weird idea we had. But that will be decided with our publisher soon.

Alyssa: Can you share anything from book two? A teaser, a line, an unofficial synopsis, a tiny spoiler? ;D
Kelly: Oh I would love to! Can we, Tarun?
Tarun: Sure! Here's a line from Chapter 1 that hopefully gives you a hint of what's to come:

The man smiled and tipped his hat. “Compliments of the Society of Aberrations. We always look out for our own people.”

Alyssa: What?! WHERE IS THE REST? ;D Thanks for joining me! I can't wait to read your book's sequel (please write faster)! :)
Kelly: RIGHT???? Yes, we are spending ALL our time on the sequels, we promise!
Tarun: We are writing like we’re running out of time. (Kelly told me to write that, I don’t understand Hamilton references.)

The Authors:

Kelly Zekas is a writer/actor and New York University graduate living in New York City. Young Adult literature is her absolute favorite thing on earth other than cupcakes and she has spent many hours crying over fictional deaths. She also started reading Harlequin romances at a possibly too early age (12?), and adores a good historical romance.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Mild­mannered assistant by day, milder­mannered writer by night, Tarun Shanker is a New York University graduate currently living in Los Angeles. His idea of paradise is a place where kung­-fu movies are projected on clouds, David Bowie’s music fills the air, and chai tea flows freely from fountains.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Tumblr

The Book:

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: February 9, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

Jane Austen meets X-­Men in this gripping and adventure-­filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

The Giveaway:

Giveaway #1:

Win a copy of These Vicious Masks! This giveaway is hosted by the authors, and it's USA only (sorry, non-USA peeps!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2:

1 Pre­Order or Finished Copy of Any Debut Novel Featured on Meet the Newbies

International (as long as The Book Depository ships to your country)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book Ten of the Maiden Lane series

Publisher: Grand Central

Publication Date: May 31, 2016

Rating: 5 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

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

Summary (from Goodreads):

A MAN OF SIN

Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.

A WOMAN OF HONOR

Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery's household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.

A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH

Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can't resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear . . . 

What I Liked:

Oh my heart. I knew I would love this book, but I really had no idea just how much. I've enjoyed the Maiden Lane series, from books one to nine (and now ten). My favorite has always been Duke of Midnight, but I'm pretty sure this book is a co-favorite in the series. Val's story is every bit as wicked and as complex as I'd hoped, and then some!

Bridget Crumb is the Duke of Montgomery's housekeeper, as well as a bastard daughter of nobility. The Duke of Montgomery ("Val") has been away from London, but now he is back, and just as scheming and wicked as ever. But Bridget needs to find something so that Val can't keep blackmailing her her aristocratic mother. To Val, knowledge can be used for blackmailing, and blackmailing means power. Val is intrigued by his housekeeper; she seems like a saint, yet she has been rifling around in his chambers. Unfortunately for Bridget, no one can resist the duke, not even her... and she'll find that the duke has more secrets than her, secrets that make her see him completely differently.

Val is quite possibly the most interesting character in the Maiden Lane series. I believe we're introduced to him at the very end of Duke of Midnight, and we see a lot of him in Sweetest Scoundrel, in which his sister Eve is featured against Asa Makepeace. Val is so strange! He has a taste for certain colors and matching clothes and other vain things. Val likes pleasure, but has no taste for love. It almost seems like he doesn't care for the concept of right and wrong. He wants and he gets, and he is always hungry for power.

Bridget is a bastard daughter of a noblewoman, who left Bridget to be in the care of a working family in the country. Bridget became a housekeeper at a young age (she is only twenty-six, in this novel), and she is very effective at her job. She seems prim and saintly and almost bored with the duke's antics, but Bridget is no saint. Not only has she been snooping in the duke's personal chambers, but she has found herself intrigued by the duke, and admiring him. Things housekeepers shouldn't do.

The dynamic of these two! Bridget seems prim and perfect, and the duke is flirtatious and charming and downright wicked. It seems like no one likes him (he can blackmail just about anyone), and unfortunately he is always really misjudged. Much of his ways are because of his childhood - which we learn a great deal about, in this book. Bridget is the first person to see beyond the facade that has become one with the man. She likes him despite not liking him, if that makes sense. Val, on the other hand, likes Bridget and wants her and has no problem with this (despite the fact that she is his housekeeper). 

This book was so swoony and steamy! Both all wrapped into one! The first sex scene doesn't even appear until nearly two-thirds of the way in, yet the sexual tension is very present in the entire book. There are steamy steamy scenes, but then there are also very swoon scenes. And then there are scenes that made me want to cry, for Val. It's no wonder everyone misjudges him - no one knows his story. He is a sinful, wicked man, but one that I couldn't help but fall for. 

I love how interconnected this series is! You can read these books as standalones, but if you read them as a series (one after the other), the bigger picture is so satisfying. I love how the characters are connected in some way or the other, how everything weaves in and out of each other.

Fun fact - the Ghost of St. Giles may or may not make an appearance in the next book, Duke of Pleasure. I am so excited!

Anyway, as you can tell, I really enjoyed this book. It was a no-brainer to give it five stars! I've given two five-star ratings and eight four-star ratings (ten books so far) in this series - that is a sign of books well written! I can't get enough of Hoyt's historical romances. Bring on Alf and the Duke of Kyle!

What I Did Not Like:

I have nothing to say here! I'll be rereading this book ASAP.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book! This one and Duke of Midnight are my favorite of the Maiden Lane series. But I also really recommend the series in general. You don't have to read any/all of the books, in any order! It's just more satisfying if you do start from the beginning. Historical romance fans, this is a series you do not want to miss!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded up to 5 stars. All the stars for Val and Bridget! They are such a swoony pair. I adored this book so much!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Review: The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

Book Two of The Cage series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: May 24, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

They’ve left the cage—but they’re not free yet.

After their failed escape attempt, Cora, Lucky, and Mali have been demoted to the lowest level of human captives and placed in a safari-themed environment called the Hunt, along with wild animals and other human outcasts. They must serve new Kindred masters—Cora as a lounge singer, Lucky as an animal wrangler, and Mali as a safari guide—and follow new rules or face dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, Nok and Rolf have been moved into an enormous dollhouse, observed around the clock by Kindred scientists interested in Nok’s pregnancy. And Leon, the only one who successfully escaped, has teamed up with villainous Mosca black-market traders.

The former inhabitants of the Cage are threatened on all fronts—and maybe worst of all, one of the Hunt’s Kindred safari guests begins to play a twisted game of cat and mouse with Cora. Separated and constantly under watch, she and the others must struggle to stay alive, never mind find a way back to each other. When Cassian secretly offers to train Cora to develop her psychic abilities—to prove the worthiness of humanity in a series of tests called the Gauntlet—she’ll have to decide fast if she dares to trust the Kindred who betrayed her, or if she can forge her own way to freedom.

What I Liked:

In my opinion, this is Shepherd's best published book. I gave all of her other books three stars each, my absolute least favorite probably being Her Dark Curiosity (gosh that book was a mess). I liked The Cage more than I liked any of her debut trilogy's books, but I didn't connected with the characters. I'm not sure what it is about Shepherd's books that keep me coming back, but in this case, I don't regret it. The Hunt is my favorite Shepherd book, and her best to date.

At the end of The Cage, Cora and the other humans tried to escape from the Cage, but they failed. Now split up, they must survive the horror in front of them. Cora is taken to a menagerie called The Hunt, where she sings. Lucky is placed an animal wrangler at the menagerie. Pregnant Nok and Rolf are taken to a facility where they are watched 24/7 by the Kindred, who want to see how typical humans raise a baby. Leon escaped successfully, and has pledged himself to work for a dangerous Mosca. Cora has been working with Cassian to strengthen her telekinetic abilities, in order to enter a game that might free the humans. Cassian is no longer a foe to worry about - the dangers outside the Cage are much greater than Cora and the other humans imagined.

This book is written in the perspectives of the different humans that we met in book one. Specifically, Cora, Lucky, Leon, Mali, Rolf. Usually I don't like multiple POVs (more than two, meaning), because authors tend to scatter events and interrupt key scenes and it's just too much going on. But I really liked how the author crafted this story, with the POVs she decided to include. All of them are in third-person. Cora is clearly the most important protagonist, but I think each of the other POVs were just as necessary.

I felt like I connected with the characters, in this book! That was one of my complaints abut The Cage. I liked Cora in this book; she is determined and willful and a fighter, and she is willing to do just about anything to get back to Earth. Lucky wasn't my favorite in book one, but I liked him more in this book. I felt like I understood him more.

Leon seems like a changed and better person, in this book. He takes on a rather noble and brave role, and I like the progression of his character development. Rolf and Nok's plot aren't as important as the plot of the other characters (it's pretty much just two plots, with Rolf and Nok being the second separate one), but towards the end, their roles are significant. We get a few chapters in Mali's POV; she is a strange one, but I like her.

Cassian is entirely redeemed, in my opinion. I feel bad for him, in this book. It's clear that he is working extremely hard to give Cora and the humans a chance to become an equal race in the eyes of the Kindred and the other species that treat humans like slaves and animals. Cassian is like a revolutionary, yet Cora and the others struggle to trust him. Cora's case is a little different because she has feelings for him and had felt personally betrayed by him in book one. But no matter - she seems him differently in this book.

One thing I really liked was how focused Cora was on getting back to Earth. She's focused on honing her abilities so that she will be strong enough to compete in the Gauntlet. She isn't letting her emotions get the best of her - the romance in this book is not at the forefront of everything.

But I can't go through this entire review and not talking about the romance. In my review of The Cage, I talked about how a love triangle was forming. The love triangle starts and ends with that book, for the most part. Lucky cares about Cora a lot, but it's clear that Cora does not return his feelings the way he wants her to. Cora has feelings for Cassian, and this scares her, because he is a Kindred, one of a species that she hates. But she can't hate him. Cassian loves Cora, which is pretty rare for the Kindred. I'm rooting for these two! Not in a Team Cassian kind of way, but in a way such that I want them to have a happy ending together, even though they are human and Kindred. 

Have I mentioned how cool (and disturbing) I find the science aspect? The Kindred, the Mosca, and other species are all alien species. The Kindred are really advanced, and super smart, and really good-looking, and not entirely human-looking. They have abilities beyond telekinesis and telecommunication, and they are "superior" to humans (not all of them think that way). Cora and the other humans are stuck galaxies away from Earth, with the Kindred and the Mosca and other alien species, in a place where humans are not treated, well, humanely.

Betrayals, epiphanies, deaths, steamy kisses - this book had it all. This didn't seem like on of Shepherd's books, from what I'm used to! I really enjoyed the story. The ending is pretty wide open, though I hesitate to call it a cliffhanger. I am very anxious to read book three! Shepherd sets up the scene perfectly for book three - I can see how things will shape up!

What I Did Not Like:

The beginning of the book is pretty slow - maybe the first fourth of the book. It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I was hooked, I couldn't stop reading.

I feel a little for Lucky, because it was always clear that Cora didn't want him like he wanted her? Their friendship is pretty important in this book, and I think they have a nice relationship, but as friends. Still, I could see how there could have been a love triangle (it's not happening though). I wish Lucky could just fall for someone else! So frustrating.

Would I Recommend It:

I'm not sure how to make this call, because this is my first Shepherd book that I've given more than 3.5 stars (and I've read five of five Shepherd books). If you read The Cage, you should definitely read this sequel - The Hunt is (even) better. But if you haven't read book one, maybe don't start the series. I have a good feeling about this series though!

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm impressed with this book! I honestly wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. It almost didn't feel like a Shepherd book (though it undoubtedly was). I definitely will be reading the conclusion to this series! This series is much better than Shepherd's debut trilogy.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Stacking the Shelves (#171)

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 27th to Saturday, April 2nd?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

I'm not going home this weekend! So I'll share the two-week haul next weekend. There are things at home to open!

From NetGalley:

Seducing the Fireman by Jennifer Bonds

YES! I loved Once Upon a Power Play! I can't wait to read this book. Thank you, Entangled!

Leveling the Field by Megan Erickson

Basically any book with Erickson's name on it is a must-read for me. Thank you, Entangled!

From Edelweiss:

26 Kisses by Anna Michels

I read this a few days after downloading it and guys, it was not so good. I do not recommend it!

It's the weekend! How was your week?

Review: 26 Kisses by Anna Michels

26 Kisses by Anna Michels

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: May 24, 2016

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Kasie West meets Morgan Matson in this hilarious and heartwarming debut about a girl’s summer mission to get over her ex-boyfriend by kissing her way through the alphabet.

Getting dumped by her boyfriend is not how Veda planned on starting her summer. When Mark makes it clear that it’s over between them, Veda is heartbroken and humiliated—but, more importantly, she’s inspired. So she sets out on the love quest of a lifetime: use the summer to forget about Mark, to move on, and move up. All she has to do is kiss twenty-six boys with twenty-six different names—one for each letter of the alphabet.

From the top of the Ferris wheel at her hometown carnival to the sandy dunes of Lake Michigan, Veda takes every opportunity she can to add kisses (and boys) to her list, and soon the break-up doesn’t sting quite as much. But just when Veda thinks she has the whole kissing thing figured out, she meets someone who turns her world upside down.

What I Liked:

You're probably thinking: Alyssa, why in the world would you read something like this?! You despite romances that are anything not binary. A girl kissing twenty-six guys? You're just TRYING to hate all YA contemporary, aren't you? Well, the thing is, this book came highly recommended to me by a fellow blogging peer, and she promised that there were no romantic feelings involved (with one exception) and that it was a cute book. While I definitely could have gone my whole life without reading this book, it wasn't terrible. Just... probably something I shouldn't have picked up.

Veda and Mark had been dating for years, but right after his high school graduation, he breaks up with her. So it's the summer between Veda's junior and senior year of high school, and she's heartbroken. Her friend Mel comes up with a plan to get her to forget about Mark: kiss twenty-six guys, one for each letter of the alphabet, in order. It can be any kind of kiss - from her, from him, and not necessarily on the lips. Veda hesitates but soon she decides the distraction is good for her. But she gets caught up in the challenge, and she also falls for a new guy... Veda doesn't plan for her developing feelings for him, and she'll have to decide if she is ready for a new relationship.

I enjoyed reading the book from Veda's narrative. I felt so bad for her, and I was cheering her on, as she worked towards completing the challenge. Most of the kisses were on the cheek, or on the wrist, or basically not on the lips. I think maybe four or five kisses were actual lip/tongue kisses, and that didn't bother me so much because she was drunk for two of them, and the rest (except one) clearly didn't mean anything. 

I personally do not think it's the best idea to go around kissing anyone and everyone just for the heck of it. It will send the wrong message, and in this book, it did. See more on that below.

Part of me is torn because while I hated the twenty-six kisses challenge, I saw and understood how it helped Veda move on. It gave her focus and distraction from Mark, which she really needed, after the breakup. It helped her move on. 

Falling for someone else expedited the process (of moving on) as well. Killian is from the town over, and he's working at Mel's dad's store with Mel and Veda. Killian is a sweet nerd who hates his town and high school. He and Veda get along really well, and hit it off immediately. Veda knows she's not ready for a relationship (she was just dumped by the boy she dated for years), but she discovers that she does want more from Killian.

I think that romance with Killian saved this book a little. The story started to slide down a slippery slope around two-thirds in, as the challenge started to catch up with Veda negatively. But Killian's patience and sweetness were things Veda needed, especially as she needed the time to figure out what she wanted. I'm glad she went through with the challenge, though I think it was wholly idiotic to begin with.

Overall, not bad, but not something I'd recommend or ever reread.

What I Did Not Like:

I kept saying this, but the whole challenge is absolutely dumb. Mel has no brain cells apparently; Veda never wanted to do this, but Mel suggested it and really bullied Veda into doing it. Friend? No. Mel... I don't know what to say about her. Clearly she's an idiot for thinking this challenge was a good idea, and clearly she's naive if she thought Veda would want to do it. Eventually Veda got into the game but she never really wanted to do it!

Did I mention that Veda is spineless? Because she is. She lets Mel, and her dad, and her brother Jeffrey, walk all over her.

People started calling Veda a slut, and while I do not think that's okay, I also don't think it's okay that Veda felt weird about kissing so many boys, and she kept doing it. On the lips, too! And then she acknowledges the fact that she likes Killian, and still kisses at least one more guy on the lips. Don't go looking for a reputation you don't want. What do you think is going to happen when you kiss one boy one day, another boy another day, etc., and you're kissing them like they're oxygen? Obviously other people are going to judge you (and the mean ones are going to call you a slut). 

The drama in the last fourth of the book was too much for me. Veda got a little irrational, and an argument she had with Killian was so ridiculous. Both of them were out of line, but Killian is the one who has to apologize. No! It should have been both of them! Veda doesn't get a free pass/excuse because she just got out of a relationship.

I also don't think Veda was being fair to Killian, in continuing the kissing challenge. You see how I'm torn about that, right? On the one hand, the challenge was good for her, and helped her get over Mark. On the other hand, she falls for Killian, the two of them acknowledge the fact that they more than like each other, and yet, Veda still wants to kiss other guys. Even if those kisses mean nothing, the ones that get really heavy... it's like cheating on Killian, even if the two of you aren't in a committed relationship (yet). Yes, she owed him nothing at that point, but I think it's human decency to not keep kissing other people when you have an understanding with a guy?

Again, the drama in the ending of the book was ridiculous. And the actual ending, after the drama is resolved, is barely wrapped up. This book could have seriously benefited from an epilogue. 

Would I Recommend It:

I sooooo do not recommend this book. Again, like I said in the early part of my review, this book wasn't terrible. But it's also not worth reading, even if you are a YA contemporary romance fan. I tried this book because it came highly recommend from a blogging friend who assured me of certain things, so I thought it wouldn't be that bad. I think my preferences in romance are a little tighter than hers (and that is okay!), hence why I ended up not enjoying this book.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. Maybe it's my age that is affecting this rating (I'm just out of my teen years) but I couldn't really understand the logic of some of these characters - i.e. the entire point of this book. At no point after starting the book did the twenty-six kisses challenge seem like a good idea (even if it did help Veda get over Mark)!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Blog Tour Swoon Thursday (#166) and Giveaway: The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows

Welcome to the blog tour for The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows! This is the highly anticipated sequel to The Orphan Queen, as well as it is the conclusion to the duology. Today I'm sharing a swoony excerpt from the book! Check it out, and enter to win prizes!

The Orphan Queen review | The Mirror King review

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 The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows!

(POSSIBLE spoilers if you have not read book one, The Orphan Queen.)

His fingers slid beneath the mask, cool against my throat. Slowly, the silk slipped up and off my mouth and nose and eyes, then dropped to the bed as Tobiah moved close. There was a long, hesitating moment with fire surging through me. All the places we touched were bright and sharp and sensitive. More than anything, I wanted this part to linger - this aching and wanting, with his fingertips glancing off my jaw, when anything was possible. We might still make the right choice.

But what was one more mistake?

A soft groan escaped as I pushed toward him, and he pulled me in, and then I sat astride his lap, kissing him. Our mouths, touching. Our breaths, gasping. Our hands, grasping. The silk of his shirt slid across his skin where I caressed. His shoulders and arms were strong and toned, and the muscles flexed when he pulled the tie off the end of my braid and combed his fingers through my hair. His palm pressed flat against my spine and lit fires at the small of my back. His free hand rested on my hip, holding me in place.

He whsipered my name between kisses, moving from my lips to my cheeks to my jaw to my throat. He made me feel alive.

- ARC, pages 193-194

About the Book:

The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows

Book Two of The Orphan Queen series

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right. 

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy and the forthcoming ORPHAN QUEEN Duology (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen).

*A Kippy is a cat.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Giveaway:

One (1) copy of The Orphan Queen + one (1) copy of The Mirror King for one lucky winner! The giveaway will be open internationally (as long as Book Depository ships to you).

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Release Week Blitz and Giveaway: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Welcome to the release week blitz for Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry! I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it if you're a fan of YA contemporary romance, Katie McGarry, or both. Check it out, and enter the fantastic giveaway!

Nowhere But Here | Walk the Edge

About the Book:

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Book Two of the Thunder Road series

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Publication Date: March 29, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds 

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life. 

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules. 

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

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About the Author:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

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The Excerpt:

“This is going to be the best night of our lives,” announces Reagan. Addison sits at the desk in front of me and Reagan’s to the left of Addison. 

I check the clock on the wall over our English teacher’s desk. In exactly two minutes, the bell will ring and the first day of my senior year will begin. It’s not only the first day of school, but also the first Friday of the school year. 

Three years ago, Addison, Reagan, and I promised we’d do something crazy on the first Friday of our senior year. After notifying High Grove that I declined their scholarship, crazy is exactly what I need. “Are you sure your parents aren’t going to check on us?”

“Trust me, everything will be golden.” Reagan uses the camera on her phone to fix stray pieces of her dirty blond hair. She curled it this morning and much to her displeasure the curls are falling out. “Has Cass started following you yet? I told her you created a Bragger account.”

I sigh and Addison scowls. She’s less than thrilled with my lack of excitement. I currently have twenty-five followers. It’s better than none, but not nearly reaching Addison and Reagan’s totals. Not sure how this whole social media thing is supposed to be fun. It’s like being back in elementary school and waiting to be picked for kickball.

“To gain followers you must post something.” Addison has this teacher to pupil reprimand going on, and it’s scary on her. “Don’t make me start posting for you, brat. You’re the one that wanted to join the world. Reagan and I are trying to catch you up on how to participate in the land of the living.”

“Because everyone will love reading how I was up doing dishes until midnight,” I say. 

“Tell them you were doing it naked and half the boys in school will follow you.” Reagan tosses me a sly smirk and I laugh. She’s always saying things that push the envelope. “Tell them you’ll post the picture if you reach five hundred followers. Watch your stats climb, girl.”

“That would be interesting.” A new voice joins the conversation. 

I see the jeans first. Actually I see a rip in the jeans, and that rip is an inch above the knee, and I’m staring at a very muscular male thigh. I enter this weird zone, because there’s this sinking feeling of where this is heading, and ominous sirens are sounding off. 

It’s like being stuck in slow motion as I glance up. My heart stops. Starts. And when it starts again, I find I can’t breathe. Golden hair that’s a little long on top. Light blue eyes drinking me in. All I see is a whole lot of gorgeous…and dangerous. 

It’s Thomas freaking Turner. He wears the same leather vest that he had on the other night, and underneath it is a black T-shirt with the name of an old-school metal band. My eyes automatically scan his patches and I wonder which one is the warning that he carries a gun. 

His fingers skim my desk as he strides past. There are small cuts on his knuckles, and the skin on his hands look rough—like him. For some reason, I find that attractive. It reminds me of him hunched in front of his bike yesterday as he was repairing his machine. The steady way he moved. The serious set of his face. The way the muscles in his arms flexed as he worked. 

“Hello, Breana.” Thomas’s voice is deep, smooth and feels like a caress along my skin. 

The Preorder Incentive:

Order Walk the Edge, register your order by April 1st and receive an exclusive Echo and Noah short story and a chance to be in the next Thunder Road novel!  Register at https://offerpop.com/campaign/796530.

The Giveaway:

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