A Million Suns Review

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He’s finally free to enact his vision – no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that’s growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

A Million Suns is the long awaited sequel to Across the Universe by Beth Revis, a book I loved from the word go.  It goes without saying that if you haven’t read Across the Universe (review here) then you may not want to go any further as you will likely encounter spoilers.

I have to start by saying that for a series I love, I found it really hard to get into this book, not helped of course by the fact that I got sick and had to stop reading for a while because I couldn’t concentrate.   However, when I DID get into it, I really enjoyed it – the quest element, following clues, trying to figure out the big mystery and watching the relationship between Amy and Elder develop.  I’m glad I skimmed over the first book beforehand though as the problem with books being published a year apart is that you sometimes forget important plot points so I’d recommend you do this before reading the sequel (unless you have the most amazing memory ever).

One of the things I enjoyed the most was Elder’s character arc.  He has been training to become a leader all of his life and when the time came (albeit a little premature perhaps) he begins questioning his abilities and so do the rest of the ship which in turn causes all sorts of difficulties.  I liked his internal questioning and trying to figure himself out.  Amy on the other hand is still in her ultimate detective role and without her, this ship would be lost is all I’m saying.

The biggest frustration for me about the book was all the lying and bullshit floating around which quite frankly just pissed me off.  And when the ship came off Phydus?  Collectively, they acted like idiots and it made me not care about what happened to them.  I’m not saying that it was unrealistic or that it was badly written, not at all.  It was probably a true reflection of what could happen but I don’t condone their behaviour and if Amy and Elder had decided to leave in an escape pod, I certainly wouldn’t have minded as they are the only two characters I really cared about.

A Million Suns is FULL of twists and turns and yes, you do get to find out the big mystery which will rock you to your core!!  I’m very excited to see what’s going to happen next so bring on Shades of Earth!

There is no official book trailer for A Million Suns so I’m going to leave you with a piece of music that reminds me so much of the series and is one of my favourite modern day film track scores.  If you’ve seen the movie Sunshine, you’ll recognise it ;)


A Million Suns was published on 10th January, 2012 in the US and 5th April, 2012 in the UK.  To find out more about Beth Revis and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Jennifer L. Armentrout Summer Blog Tour: Cursed Excerpt

I'm so, so excited to be taking part in the Summer blog tour for Jennifer L. Armentrout who is without a doubt, one of my favourite authors. I'm proud to say that I've read every single one of her published books so far and I can't get enough of her writing! If she writes it, I'll read it.  As part of the tour, I'm focusing on Jennifer's newest book which is Cursed - her first hardback!!!! 
 

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

What's interesting about Cursed is that if you've read Obsidian, the main protagonist Katy (who just so happens to be a book blogger) talks about a book where the MC has a touch that kills.  Who knows, perhaps she was talking about Cursed ;) Anyway, I'd really like to give you a sneak peek so here is a very short scene from the book:

    The look of jealousy slipped away, replaced by something equally frustrating. His hands slid up to my shoulders, sending tiny shivers down my body. He backed me up until my legs hit my desk. “Can I?”
“Sure.” I had no idea what I was agreeing to.
    Hayden lifted me and sat me on the desk. His hands lingered on my hips, his touch burning through the thin cloth. A smoky scent, like a candle blown out, wafted through my room, but there was no source.
    “What are you doing?” I asked, my breath hitching.
    “I don’t know.”
    “Hayden?” I whispered.
    “Yes?” He shifted closer, his warm breath brushing the skin of my neck like the night in the cabin. This was our form of kissing—our soft, feathery-light kisses that never made contact. My hand rose reflexively, wanting to touch him. I stopped myself a mere inch from his cheek.  Helplessly, my fingers curled around thin air.
“It’s okay.” His hands were on the move again, sliding upward.
    When they circled my waist, all rational thought went out the window. His breath trailed across my throat, around my chin and stopping over my cheek. His fingers curved along my back as his soft breath hovered over my lips. “Do you know what you do to me?”
    I think I shook my head, but I wasn’t sure. All I could concentrate on was how exquisite, how right, how wonderful being this close to him felt.
    His breath still lingered over my lips, and one of his hands drifted upwards, stopping at the collar of my shirt.
    And then he touched me.
    My eyes fell shut and a tiny sigh escaped me. Hayden moved the tips of his fingers across my neck, over my chin. They jerked more than once, but he continued until his entire hand pressed against my cheek.
    “Tell me to stop,” he pleaded hoarsely.
    Any resolve I had shattered. I touched his face, cupped his cheek. His skin felt just like I’d imagined. No. Better than I’d ever thought. His skin was hot, smooth, and inviting. Maybe even as hot as I felt and I was tingling all over.
Hayden let out a ragged sound.

Well *fans self* I'm going to have to read this ASAP and I might just have to picture Hayden Christensen whilst I'm doing it.  Thank you to Jennifer for providing me with the short scene and also to Kayleigh from K-Books for organising the tour.  Cursed is published on 18th September, 2012. 

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Renegade by J.A. Souders.  Here's the synopsis:

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

OK, so the cover has a pretty model in a nice dress HOWEVER look at the murky background that looks like it's underwater? That's definitely fitting to the story :)  I've been dying to read this story for the longest time now and I'm glad that the wait is almost over.  If it helps your motivation any, I sometimes chat to the author on twitter and she told me that this is her view of Gavin in her mind:

I love YA sci fi novels and I've pre ordered this one!  Renegade is published in November, 2012 with no news of UK rights yet.

Grace Doll Blog Tour (and giveaway)

Welcome to my part of the Grace Doll Blog Tour.  In case you're wondering who or what on earth Grace Doll is, she is the main character in the newest book of the same name by Jennifer Laurens.  Just in case you haven't seen it, here's the cover and synopsis:

Grace Doll had everything a girl could want: Fame. Fortune. Beauty.

Everything except, of course, her freedom. So when a powerful movie producer forces an experimental treatment on Grace--one that's purported to make beauty immortal--she stages her own death to escape him.

With the help of trusted friends, Grace slips into hiding. She's forever flawless, forever young and forever pursued by her past.

But when a stranger arrives on her doorstep, holding the key to a life she thought she'd left behind, Grace must decide between the safety she's known... and embracing the role she was born to play.

Grace Doll is very original and very different from any other of Jennifer's books but it's highly entertaining and another fantastic read from her.   As my part of the blog tour, I'm posting some extra content and first up is the video for the end of Grace Doll (which you may or may not want to watch depending on if you've read the book or don't mind seeing the ending)...

Next up is the official playlist that accompanies the book and I would recommending right clicking on the links and then opening them in a new window/tab so as not to lose this page.  Unfortunately, I could not embed the videos as technically, that is classed as copyright infringement and I don't fancy getting into trouble right now ;)

Nightmare by Artie Shaw (1938)

Someone To Watch Over Me by Frank Sinatra

I'm in Here by Sia (piano version)

Winter Love by Jennifer Mardesich

So Will I by Nik Day

Haunted by Taylor Swift (acoustic version)

Stardust by Nat King Cole

Breathe Me by Sia

Spotlight by Jennifer Mardesich

I hope this has got you interested in reading the book and if you'd like to win a copy then keep reading!  All the blogs involved in the tour are offering a chance to win a very special grand prize consisting of Red Carpet Swag: Sunglasses, an "Oscar", a glittering star photo holder along with a Grace Doll card and bookmark AND a signed copy of the book!  All you have to do to win is fill out the rafflecopter form.  You've got until 30th August to enter and good news, it is international.  Because I don't have the link, I'm going to direct you towards Jennifer Lauren's blog where you can enter.  Good luck!

Don't forget to check out the other tour stops along the way and each blog is participating in the giveaway.

Aug 20 http://www.pageflipperzya.blogspot.com
Aug 21 myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com
Aug 22 http://www.readinglittlebitofeverything.blogspot.co.uk/
Aug 23 http://www.KimmiesBookshelf.blogspot.com
Aug 24 http://simplyinfatuated.wordpress.com
Aug 25 http://captivatedreading.com/ and http://www.merryreading.blogspot.com
Aug 26 http://papercutsya.blogspot.com
Aug 27 http://thebletheringbookworm.blogspot.com
Aug 28 www.narrativelyspeaking.com and www.2readornot2read.com
Aug 29 www.thereisabookinmybag.blogspot.com
Aug 30 http://globugneedsabook.blogspot.com
Aug 31 bodaciousbookaholic.blogspot.com and http://lettersinsideout.net

Grace Doll was published on 20th August, 2012.  To find out more about Jennifer Laurens and her books, please click here to visit her website. 

Last Rite Review

In this final installment of the thrilling, edgy Personal Demons series, the battle between Heaven and Hell has become critical, and Frannie Cavanaugh is right at the center of it.

With the help of the powerful angel Gabe and demon-turned-mortal Luc, Frannie has been able to stay one step ahead of the forces of Hell. But when the demons killed Frannie's best friend and destroyed her brother, they raised the stakes. If Frannie wants to keep her family and friends safe, she knows she has no choice but to go on the run.

Their best defense is the power Frannie has been struggling to master, but her attempts to hone her skill go horribly awry. If Frannie doesn't learn fast, the consequences could be devastating--even apocalyptic.

What happens when you can't outrun Hell...or trust the ones you love?

I was incredibly lucky to win the last ARC of Last Rite from Lisa Desrochers herself many months ago now and I immediately devoured the book in one sitting.  I’m a HUGE fan of this book series and it goes without saying that if you haven’t read Personal Demons or Original Sin, please go no further as you will encounter spoilers.

If you’re still with me, you’ll know that this is the last book in the trilogy which makes it a bittersweet reading experience.  I mean, I was dying to know what happened but desperate for it not to end at the same time.  Luc had me from his very first line in Personal Demons and I’ve loved him ever since.

Last Rite picks up exactly where Original Sin left off with Frannie, Luc and Gabe on the run from Lucifer and his minions.    Lucifer wants Frannie and will stop at nothing until he has her so that he can use her sway to his own end.  Everyone is lying in order to save each other and at times, you’ll want to knock their heads together.   Gabe is becoming human, Luc is frustrated at still being human as it renders him helpless and Frannie would probably like to be just human at this point!   In the midst of everything, Lucifer manages to trick Frannie into going home and then the mother of all showdowns comes into play.  A lot of authors joke about killing off their characters and how “everyone dies in the end”.  It’s kind of not far from the truth but in a book about heaven and hell, it’s not necessarily being dead that matters but what side you’re on ;) 

Prepare to laugh, cry and generally be a mess by the end of this book.   Last Rite if full of angst and incredible tension with nonstop action and a sense of profoundness.  With one of the best endings I’ve ever read, this book will give you ALL THE FEELS and then some.  I’m gutted to see the end of this series and I’m still hoping that Lisa might revisit it one day but in the meantime, I want to say thank you to her for writing the story as I’ve loved every minute of it.

Last Rite was published on 8th May, 2012.  To find out more about Lisa Desrochers and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Letterbox Love (#17)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it.  Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers.  Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about.  Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there.  It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Sadly, there is no Letterbox Love from me this week because I'm on holiday at the moment.  I'm still happy for you guys to leave me your links and I'll take a look when I can.  I hope you got some great books!!  

Stolen Night UK Blog Tour: Music

I remember when Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel was first published in 2010 and everyone was raving about this spectacular book with its fresh, new take on vampires (review here).  Fast forward to July, 2012 when the sequel Stolen Night was finally published (review here) and in contrast to the attention Infinite Days received, Stolen Night has had very little fanfare.  That's why I'm delighted to announce that myself and several other UK book bloggers got our heads together and decided that we'd have a blog tour of our very own to celebrate the book's release.

A lot of authors talk about how important music is when they write and they often create a playlist of songs that fit particular scenes from the book. I'm going to talk about Rebecca's official playlist BUT I'm also going to offer one of my own.   Sadly, I didn't have enough time to write an original song for the book as I had planned but I hope you like what I've selected.  I've provided links that will take you to the appropriate YouTube video when you click on them although I recommend you right click and open a new window/tab so that you don't lose this page.  I wanted to embed the videos themselves but I didn't fancy getting into trouble for copyright infringement ;)

This is Rebecca Maizel's playlist for Stolen Night:

You by The Pretty Reckless

Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine

The Gathering by Michael Giacchino ('Lost' Season Two Soundtrack)

I Shall Believe by Sheryl Crow

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight by Birdy

Can't Help Falling in Love with You (Ingrid Michaelson version)

I have to say that I LOVE the Sheryl Crow song and I like most music from Florence and the Machine. 

This is *MY* playlist for Stolen Night:


Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor) by John Murphy


Awake soon by Sarah Slean

The Rose by Sarah Slean

Possession by Sarah McLachlan

Amazing Grace (Leann Rimes version)

My Immortal by Evanescence

Love Song for a Vampire by Annie Lennox

If I could be where you are by Enya

My Heart is Broken by Evanescence

Who Wants to Live Forever (Katherine Jenkins version)

I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan

I love all of these songs (obviously) but especially Sunshine and The Rose by Sarah Slean which has a fantastic video!  What do you think of the playlists? Do you ever create your own playlists for books?  If you haven't read Infinite Days or Stolen Night yet, they both come highly recommended by me and I'd like to give you the chance to win a SIGNED copy of Stolen Night!  Just leave me a comment with your name, email address and what country you live in.  The giveaway is international and the deadline is 7th September. 2012.  One winner will be chosen at random, contacted via email and they will have 48 hours to respond otherwise an alternative winner will be chosen.  Good luck!

Stolen Night was published in UK on 5th July, 2012 and will be published in the US on 29th January, 2013 but the title will be Stolen Nights.

I hope you enjoyed this post and don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops.  There will be a chance to win a signed book on every tour stop! 

Dreamless Review

 

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling "Starcrossed" delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.

OMG how I love this series and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve been desperate to read Dreamless for months!!!   This is the kind of book where you drop EVERYTHING and hide yourself away from the world so you can read it immediately.  Heaven forbid, anyone disturb you (don’t worry; you’ll be so engrossed you probably won’t hear them anyway).  If you haven’t read Starcrossed yet (review here) then please, please, please pick that up first as there will undoubtedly be spoilers for the first book in this review.  

As you may remember, our starcrossed-not-quite-lovers-yet found out a shocking secret which means that they can never truly be together.  And even though it’s complete and utter bullshit, the only people that know are, for their own reasons, keeping very tight lipped.   In Dreamless, basically we see that  Helen and Lucas naturally gravitate towards each other despite their best efforts to stay away from each other and so Lucas takes his father’s questionable advice and tries to make her hate him.  Oh, Lucas *le sigh*.  You want angst? You got it.  OH, THE ANGST.  There’s so much angst that even *I* could barely cope so how Helen managed, I’ll never know.   To top it all off, every night she descends into the underworld to try to find the Furies and undo all the blood debt and ultimately, the hating between the houses.  And when I say she descends, Helen goes down there IN HER BODY which is gradually taking its toll on her.  Thank God she finds help down there in the shape of Orion, a scion and new character for the series. Cue a love triangle of sorts.  Due to Lucas’s actions (and the misguided knowledge that they can never be together) she starts to think of Orion as a hot best friend and the attraction is mutual.  EEP!  But there may just be more to Orion than meets the eye and together, they will have to find their way through the underworld.  But what of Lucas?  I’m saying nothing, just read the book ;)

There were some fantastic scenes in Dreamless and my very favourite is right at the beginning of the book when Lucas and Helen brush hands in the school hallway.  So simple yet so full of meaning.   I also enjoyed how the Furies storyline played out which was really clever and I liked being introduced to new characters, even if they threaten the relationship between Helen and my beloved Lucas.

I loved Dreamless as much as I thought I would and I just want more, more, more.  I adore both the story and the characters and Josephine Angelini’s writing lets me lose myself for a while.  She is now firmly on my automatic pre-order list and I’d consider selling a body part to read the next book right now.  I’m not even sure that I’m joking.   

Dreamless was published on 29^th May, 2012 in the US and 5^th July, 2012 in the UK.  To find out more about Josephine Angelini and her books, please click here to visit her website. 

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is The Collector by Victoria Scott.  Here's the synopsis:

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.

Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

I so want this book...but...I'm desperately worried that it sounds exactly like Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers, one of my favourite book series ever.  I'm hoping that it's vastly different and that's one of the reasons I want to read the book, the other is that the synopsis has reeled me in hook, line and sinker.  I have a feeling that Dante is going to be added to my ever growing list of literary boyfriends and at this point, I would definitely welcome him there.

The Collector is published in March, 2013 by Entangled Teen Publishing (they publish some AWESOME books by the way).  No news on a UK release. 

Onyx Review

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

This book series is like crack to me.  For reals.  If you haven’t read Obsidian yet (review here) then get thee to an online book store immediately!  It goes without saying that you need to read that first and also Shadows (review here) before reading this review as you will encounter spoilers and you have been warned.  

If you thought the stakes were high in Obsidian, just wait until you read Onyx.  I’ll admit that I had my own theories on where I thought the story might go but Jennifer always keeps us on our toes and it was nice to encounter things that I didn’t see coming.  I swear to God, if she wrote about postage stamps, I’d still read it and anything else she writes in the history of the world, to infinity and beyond.  

Daemon and Katy are the hottest couple-who-haven’t-yet-defined-their-relationship-properly EVER.  In Obsidian, we saw a VERY hot love/hate thing between them and in Onyx, it’s interesting to see that their relationship only really blossoms when Blake (AKA the new guy) saunters onto the scene and threatens it.   Cue some very swoonworthy scenes.  Sparks are DEFINITELY still flying and we learn more about the “bizarro” connection between Daemon and Katy that came into being in Obsidian and what that means for them both.  Is it just the connection that has forced them to have feelings for each other?  You’ll certainly enjoy finding out.

I have to say that one of the things I really enjoyed about the book was seeing Daemon show Katy what “normal” looks like and having meaningful conversations together instead of just flirting or sparring with each other.   Don’t get me wrong, the two have some serious chemistry but it was nice to see a contrast.

The tension is so thick in this book, you could cut it with a knife because not only are Daemon and Katy trying to figure out their relationship, they’re also trying to avoid the Department of Defense who are sniffing around more than ever.  Obviously, I can’t say a lot about the plot but there are some VERY big surprises in there and some fantastic scenes.  It’s very difficult to keep my mouth shut at this point but I will tell you that Onyx is just as enjoyable as Obsidian and as always, I cannot wait for the next book in the series, entitled Opal.  You learn the significance of the title in Onyx as well as a little hint into what book three has in store for us.  I never thought I would say this about 2012 but December can’t come soon enough.

Onyx was published on 14th August, 2012.  To find out more about Jennifer L. Armentrout, please click here to visit her website.

Letterbox Love (#16)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it.  Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers.  Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about.  Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there.  It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Review Books

 Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

This is obviously the new style paperback edition of the sequel to Immortal Beloved.  I haven't read it yet and really, I want the HB edition (no surprise there, right?) to match my HB edition of Immortal Beloved but the price puts me off.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

I've been wanting to read this book for ages as it sounds so, so interesting hence I'm very glad to receive this.

The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable (Unsolicited)

I'm not sure if this might be a little young for me but I love the cover and the purple edged paper.  The marketing bumpf describes it as a bit like revisiting Narnia, that sort of adventure and it makes me want to give it a go to be honest. If not, I'll give it to my boyfriend's niece.

The City's Son by Tom Pollock (Unsolicited)

This is a fantasy book set in London and to be honest with you, if it wasn't for Tessa Gratton and Karen Mahoney offering a blurb for it, I may not have looked twice at it.

Secrets, Lies & Locker 62 by Lil Chase (Unsolicited)

This book sounds interesting, what if you knew the deepest, darkest secrets of everyone in your school?  What would you do with the information? 

Thank you publishers!!!

Books Bought

Touched by Cyn Balog (US HB edition)

I got the opportunity to read an ARC of this and I loved it (my review is already on the blog).  Cyn always writes such original books and they're always highly entertaining.  I'd read anything Cyn writes. 

Rift by Andrea Creamer (US HB edition)

I had to buy the US HB edition to go with the rest of my Andrea Cremer books and I'm definitely interested in reading how it all began.  I'm also really interested in the adult book she's writing that will be set in the Nightshade world and can't wait to hear more about that! 

False Memory by Dan Krokos (US HB edition)

I've been wanting to read this book since last year when I met Dan at BEA. I'm so glad to finally have it in my hands and I look forward to reading it.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (US HB)

This is the US edition of The Gathering Dark.  I can't believe I still haven't gotten round to reading this yet but I've heard so many good things about it and I just might get the chance to meet the lady herself soon.

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

You must know how much of a huge fan I am of Jennifer's books by now, right?  I've just realised however that this doesn't match my cover of Obsidian so I might have to rectify that.  If you haven't started reading this series yet, please do as it's so good.  I've actually read Onyx already and my review is going up on Monday. 

Inbetween (Kissed by Death) by Tara Fuller

I actually received this as an electronic book for review but found it hard to read so I ended up buying the paperback as it's easier.  I hope it's good!

Books Won/Gifted

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor 

So, the same week I received a sampler from the publisher, I also won an ARC of the book! WOOHOO! It *might* just have to come on holiday with me but we'll see ;)

E-Books

Captivated (An Affliction Novel) by Deb Apodaca (Bought)
I've seen some really great reviews for this book featuring at least one vampire and so I thought I'd give it a go, especially as it was only 77p.

Between the Lines by Tammara Webber (Bought)
After reading Easy, I knew I wanted to read more from this author so I downloaded another book of hers which is Between the Lines.

Taken by Kelli Maine (Bought)
I've already mentioned this book in a past Letterbox Love post when I received an electronic copy for review.  I've actually bought a finished electronic copy for my kindle because I enjoyed it so much.

Writing a Novel with Scrivener by David Hewson (Bought)
I really want to use Scrivener but to be quite honest, I have no clue how to use it and to be even more honest, I haven't exactly tried hard to find out.  I thought this cheapish ebook might help.

Intuition by J. Meyers (Free)
This is a short story set in the world of Intangible which is the first novel.  I really need to get my hands on that book and read it first.

Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Misa Bourbon Ramirez (Bought)
This book is part of the Covet imprint from Entangled.  I've worked my way through all two of their Brazen imprint books so I thought I'd start on these.  What I like about these books is that they're romantic, fun, easy reading and not badly priced at under £2 a book.  I've just realised that I know this author so this should be interesting.  I have to say that I am enjoying it so far though :)

Tall, Dark and Divine by Jenna Bennett (Bought)
This is another Covet imprint book and is an adult book featuring Greek Gods which I thought might be fun.  

Take it Like a Vamp by Candace Havens (Bought)
Another Covet imprint book, I've actually read this one last week and again, it was fun, romantic and easy reading.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover (For review from Netgalley)
I *think* this is a New Adult book but it might just be YA.  Anyway, tons of good reviews for this and I thought it sounded interesting.

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover (For review from Netgalley)
I believe this is the sequel to Slammed.

Just to let you know, I'm going on holiday soon so there will be no Letterbox Love for a couple of weeks but I've been busy writing and scheduling reviews for when I'm away.  I'm also part of a couple of blog tours and the posts are also scheduled (seriously, I've worked HARD lately).  The scary part is, I actually counted up how far behind I am with writing reviews and I counted 26.  That's too high to sit comfortably with me so I'm going to work hard to get that number RIGHT DOWN ASAP.  The thing is, I can't stop reading LOL.  I hope you all had a good week and read lots of great books over the next couple of weeks.  As always, please leave your links and I'll take a look :)

Question

You may have noticed that I'm reading more New Adult fiction and also adult fiction at the moment and posting the reviews on the blog.  I wanted to ask your thoughts about this and whether you think there should be a separate page for adult reviews or whether you don't mind them being mixed in?  Are you even interested in the adult fiction reviews? 

Thank you in advance for your response, I really appreciate it and I just want to give my followers what they want to see from the blog :)

Not the Marrying Kind Review

Who said marriage had to be convenient?

LA party planner Poppy Collins has kept her secret side business – planning divorce parties as the Divorce Diva – a close secret, but keeping her business afloat is proving tougher by the day. When her sister’s divorce party gives Poppy the opportunity to save the day and boost her business, Poppy approaches Vegas golden boy Beck Blackwood for help. But this time, she’s about to get way more than she bargained for…

Beck knows Poppy’s secret, and he’s not afraid to use it to get exactly what he wants – a wife. With his reputation and business expansion plans on the line, the only way he can repair the damage is by getting hitched, and fast. And if blackmail is the only way to get Poppy to the altar, then so be it…

But they’re in the city of high stakes, and Poppy has a few aces up her sleeve. Now it’s time to find out if they’re playing to win… or if they’re playing for keeps.

As you may know, I’ve started intermingling reading YA with adult books and this is of course one of the latter.  Mostly, Not the Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh is pure, unadulterated entertainment and a fun and easy read.  I really enjoyed the story and the writing was good, the dialogue was superb and there were no cheesy lines, thank goodness which is something I ALWAYS look out for in an adult novel.  My only slight bugbear as a wannabe copy editor  is that the word “bloody” was used as a curse word in a couple of sentences which is obviously a Briticism.  The term “Sort it out” was also  used and again I think this something a Brit would say, rather than an American.  This leads me to question whether the author or the editor was British as this novel is set in and around Las Vegas! Those are just little nitpicks though and they most certainly did not detract from the story.

I want to start by talking about Beck.  Ahhh, Beck.  I LOVE the name Beck and I blame Dawn Rae Miller (author of Larkstorm) for that). The Beck in THIS story was a man who came from the humblest of beginnings and clawed his way out of poverty to become a successful businessman.  His past has spurred him on and he’s worked hard to get where he is only there’s one problem - other businesses/companies won’t take him seriously because he isn’t married.  This storyline reminds me a little of the film Picture Perfect only this time, the guy is the lead character.

Poppy is the sassy, self assured and confident-without-being-arrogant woman in the story who is trying to save her grieving sister’s business by planning divorce parties.  When her world collides with Beck’s, there’s a deal to be done but is it purely business?  Beck and Poppy have finally met their match and will challenge each other’s wants and beliefs before the end of the book.  Yes, you can sorta guess the ending but it’s the journey that’s the enjoyable part ;)

I thought Not the Marrying Kind was a fabulous book and I read it in one sitting.  If you’re looking for an entertaining read, this comes highly recommended.

Not the Marrying Kind was published on 14th July, 2012 by Entangled publishing and is available as an e book.  To find out more about Nicola Marsh and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Waiting on Wednesday

 

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Altered by Jennifer Rush. Here's the synopsis:

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

OK, let's start with the cover.  A lot of people (myself included) have complained about the sheer amount of YA book covers featuring pretty models in floaty dresses that tells us nothing about the story.  I'd just like to go on record as saying I HAVE NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER with half naked guys being on covers (but only if it correlates with the story).  WOW, I love this cover so much!  Not only because of the hot guy but I love the trees/veins covering him and I'm guessing this is relevant in some way.  

Now for the inside of the book.  I love the concept and I'm desperate to find out who these guys are, what's happened to them and what's going to happen next!  I'm so excited to read this that I've pre ordered a hardback of it.  The French and German rights have been sold so I'm guessing (read: hoping) that it's only a matter of time before the UK rights are sold.  Fingers crossed!

Altered is published on 2nd January, 2013.

Touched Review

Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work.

But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?

In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make. . . .

I want to start by saying that I think Cyn Balog’s books really deserve a lot more attention than they get.  They deserve to be bestsellers really.  Touched was WOW, reaaaaally good.   Cyn always comes up with the best, most original ideas that never fail to entertain me.  I understood every part of the book perfectly and the plot was flawless.  Every question I had was answered and there was nothing left to explain.

Nick wasn’t the usual romantic hero and I found that refreshing.   He was a decent enough guy but he stumbles over his words sometimes and is considered by many of his peers to be a freak.  Known as “Crazy Cross”, he lives with the curse of knowing his future which can change in a heartbeat depending on whether he “stays on script”.  One day, he deviates and it sets a series of events in motion that will change his life forever.

Nick’s mother was an interesting character in that it seemed like she had given up.  She has locked herself away from the world, presumably because not interacting with people makes it easier to live with the curse but is that really a life worth living?

I really liked Taryn and how she gave Nick a chance.  I enjoyed learning about her spooky family history and I liked the part she played in the story as she wasn’t JUST the love interest.   Also, a little shout out to Super Gran who was just fab.

Touched definitely has a touch of the supernatural and it’s nice to read a standalone book sans cliffhanger ending.   Prepare to laugh, cry and root for the unlikely hero in this book which cannot fail to touch you...in a good way.

Touched is published on 14th August, 2012.  To find out more about Cyn Balog, please click here to visit her website.

The Immortal Rules Review

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

When I first heard that Julie Kagawa was writing a book about vampires, many eons ago now, to be quite honest I think I groaned out loud.  Does the world really need another book about vampires?  The answer my friend is a very resolute YES.  This book was OUTSTANDING and that’s not a term I throw about lightly.  The Immortal Rules is centred on one girl’s survival in a terrible dystopian future where vampires outnumber humans but both are threatened by rabids, mutated creatures who are not easy to fight.  Is it possible that a cure exists to turn the rabids back into humans?  Can Allison save the human race from both vampires AND rabids?

Allison Sekemoto is one strong willed, tough cookie and what she lacks in stature and muscle, she makes up for in spirit.  She’s the kind of girl that you might be a little scared of at first but you definitely want her on your side.  One of the best parts of the book was watching how Allison coped when she was turned into a vampire, the very thing she despises with every fibre of her being.  How do you live with yourself knowing that you’re a monster?  Allison will tell you everything you need to know.  And more.

The Immortal Rules is brutal and intense with nonstop action and a tidal wave of tension.  Just be warned, Julie is NOT afraid to kill off her characters and this really upped the ante as I never knew what was going to happen next (or who was going to die). 

The Immortal Rules is not a quick read but it is by no means laborious and you’ll savour every moment.  I really liked how the book was cut into sections entitled Human, Vampire, Wanderer and Monster and I’m glad Julie did this.  It was very appropriate for the book.  Overall, The Immortal Rules was a really clever book with a well thought out and flawless plot and believable characters that are truly worth rooting for.  My personal feeling is that it is a shining example of outstanding writing and how other YA novels should be.  I wasn't when I heard that Hollywood had come knocking and I can’t wait to read the next instalment in the series!  I might only have read one other Julie Kagawa book before now but by God, she’s made a fan girl out of me. 

The Immortal Rules was published on 24th April, 2012 in both the US and the UK.  To find out more about Julie Kagawa and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Letterbox Love (#15)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it.  Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers.  Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about.  Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there.  It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Review Books

Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick
This is the sequel to Ashes which I'm afraid I haven't read yet but I've only heard good reports. 

Breathe by Sarah Crossan
This is the first book of a new dystopian series by author Sarah Crossan who also brought us Weight of Water.  I'm excited by the concept of the book and I've heard some good reports.  Definitely interested to read this although I do struggle with ARC's that don't have a proper cover yet (I know this might sound weird but it's the cover that draws you in initially, right?)

Thank you publishers!

Books Bought

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter
This is a collection of stories based on The Goddess Test novels and is designed to give us an insight into the characters.  I have all the other books in this series (although I've not started them yet) and so I bought this for my collection.
 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (US paperback edition)

Obviously, I have already read this book (review here) but I saw this in Forbidden Planet and it was 99p so I HAD to buy it.  I've recently won an advanced copy of the next book and I'm quite excited to read it when it gets here!!

Books Gifted

Awry by Chelsea Fine

Anew by Chelsea Fine

This is one of my favourite book series EVER, I'm just so in love with the story and the characters.  Just in case you're interested, my review for Anew (the first book) is here and Awry is here. Chelsea (being the awesome human that she is) very kindly sent me signed copies of her books as well as bookmarks, posters and a mug in a beautifully presented box!  Best. Present. Ever.

Rivals and Retributions by Shannon Delany
This was ordered a long time ago but I believe it was a gift from Amber Sweeney (who I think is a blogger) and I chose this book.  I'm REALLY behind on this series which is disappointing but I love Shannon's writing, I love the story and I love the characters which makes it ridiculous that I'm not right up to date with it.  I'm thinking this is something I'm going to have to rectify soon. 

E-Books

Breaking Point (The Order of the Elements) by Jess Bowen (Bought)
Another "New Adult" or Older YA book that sounded interesting and has received some good reviews. 

The Marriage Price by Alma Katsu (Free)
I'm a big fan of The Taker and this is a short story from the saga.  This was free when I got it (as part of a promotion) although I believe now it has gone up to 77p.  Even at that price, I would still buy it.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (For review from Netgalley) 
I've been wanting to read this book since I first learned about it, hell I even wrote a song about it (see here if you're interested) and so I'm stoked to get this! 

Taken by Kelli Maine (For review)
This was recommended to me by Dawn Rae Miller (author of Larkstorm, a book I LOVE).  This is an adult book and as such, yes there is definitely adult content but I LOVE the sound of it.  To be honest, I read it immediately and LOVED IT.  Watch out for the review soon. 

No Take Backs: A Taken Novella (Give and Take) by Kelli Maine (Bought)
This is a novella set at the end of Taken (see above) and judging by how much I enjoyed Taken, I HAD to get this.

Last week I told you I was reading Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  I've now finished that book and let me tell you, IT WAS AWESOME and you must read it!!  I've just read Taken (see above) and am working my way through the novella before moving on to something else - I haven't quite decided what yet.  As always, please leave me your Letterbox Love links and I'll take a look :)

The Marriage Bargain Review

A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

It was the title that grabbed me first.  Well, that and the smexy front cover of course ;)  In case you haven’t guessed already, The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst is an adult book and so I’m just warning you now, that whilst it has a lot of romance, it obviously features adult content.

All in all, this was a quick, fun read and I really enjoyed it.  I loved the chemistry between the two main characters and am surprised more wasn’t made of her being a witch.  I guess I thought it might have a paranormal edge to it because of the book description but it didn’t and you know what? I’m not sorry.  I liked the fact that it was more of a contemporary romance.  The love spell Alexa cast however reminded me of Practical Magic when Sandra Bullock’s character (as a little girl) made a list of all the qualities she would like in a man and wished for him to come to her.   Ahh, if only it were THAT simple...

At the time of reading (back in March) it made me question whether I’d like to read more adult books and whether I was growing out of YA.  I’m happy to say that this is definitely not the case although yes, I am enjoying reading a mixture of YA and adult books at the moment.   I understand that The Marriage Bargain is just the beginning of a series but I’m not sure if other characters might take the spotlight in future books.   I will definitely be picking up the next book and watching this author with interest.

The Marriage Bargain was published on 14th February, 2012.  To find out more about Jennifer and her books, please click here to visit her website.

The Things We Did for Love Review

France: February, 1944.

As war rages in Europe, teenagers Luc and Arianne fall passionately in love. But German forces are closing in and Luc, desperate to atone for his family's past, is drawn into the dangerous world of the Resistance. Arianne will do almost anything to keep him safe, but someone else is secretly in love with her - someone who will stop at nothing to get rid of his rival...

I’d wanted to read a YA book set in World War Two for some time but didn’t really know of any titles until I put a request out on Twitter and was flooded with recommendations.  My desire to read about war came after watching the movie Pearl Harbour on TV (don’t judge me, I know the dialogue is crap but I love the soundtrack) and wishing there was a YA story like that.  I didn’t quite get what I wanted with The Things We Did for Love by Natasha Farrant but it was still a beautifully told story, full of youth and innocence.

The Things We Did for Love is set in a sleepy Nazi occupied French village and features heavily on two main characters – Luc and Arianne who fall in love despite the difficult circumstances.  Luc is a strong willed young man who gets himself tangled up with the resistance and I don’t blame him.  There’s a war going on and he wants to help his country, his people but of course, this is fraught with danger.  Watching from the sidelines is Romy, a young man with issues who fell for Arianne when she was nice to him one day and now he’s got it in his head that she should be with him.  With everything that’s going on, all the secrets, the lies, the risky behaviour, now add in a particularly jealous love rival and you’ve got trouble with a capital T.

This book is a romantic tragedy and you can see that from the setting alone.  This is war and so it’s never going to end well.  I will say however that I was impressed with the ending of the book which was not predictable and there was a little twist I didn’t see coming which was very clever indeed.  The book reminded me of a story I read back when I was ACTUALLY a teenager and I could definitely see this being turned into a Sunday afternoon drama.

I loved the historical side of things and despite the throes of war; it was nice to see the human side of the soldiers portrayed.  I particularly enjoyed the blossoming romance between Luc and Arianne and how their youth and innocence shone throughout the novel.  It’s quite refreshing to read a standalone with no awful cliff hanger to worry about as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this heartbreaking story set around real world events, a story of innocence yes but in the end, everyone was guilty of something.

The Things We Did for Love was published on 1st March, 2012 and you can currently buy the UK kindle version for 99p which is a bargain!  To find out more about Natasha Farrant and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Pushing The Limits UK Blog Tour: Cover Wars

                      US                                                                                                           UK

Welcome to the third stop on the Pushing The Limits UK Blog Tour and today we're talking about the book covers (US vs UK).  Firstly, just in case you haven't heard of the book, here is the synopsis to whet your appetite:

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise."

Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms.

 "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?"
No one ever asked that question.
They stared.
They whispered.
They laughed.
But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.”

I've got to tell you that I loved this book like woah and this is coming from someone who doesn't always get on with contemporary reads.  If you're interested, my full review is here. 

So, now that you've heard what the story is about, what do you think of the book covers?  Over to Katie to tell us a little bit more about them and what she thinks...

1)    How much influence do you have in terms of the book jackets?

Not much. Harlequin Teen did ask me to put together a description of Echo and Noah and what type of clothing they wore. I also helped a little with the cover copy, but overall, Harlequin Teen influenced the majority of the book cover/jacket.

2)    Are you happy with the jackets for Pushing the Limits, do you feel like they are an accurate reflection of the book? Are there any particular aspects that you like or dislike?

I absolutely love the jackets for Pushing the Limits and, yes, I feel that they are accurate reflections of the book.


The UK did an excellent job finding someone with Noah’s hair (how it’s short on the sides and a little longer in the front) and their cover copy blew me away. Both countries did an excellent job with Echo. The US cover deserves five stars for nailing the sexual tension between my characters.

3)    Do you prefer the US or UK cover (if you don’t mind asking?!)

Honestly, I love them both.

4)    More generally, are there any book jackets that you’ve come across recently and really loved? Do you have an all time favourite?

The cover for Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death is spectacular and the cover of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake definitely caught my attention.

My favourite cover is my beat up and battered copy of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. It’s the version inspired by the movie. 

Thank you Katie for being on the blog today.  Just for the record whilst I like both covers, I think the US cover is my favourite.  What about you?  Don't forget to visit the other tour stops (listed below) and if you haven't read the book yet?  DO IT, you'll love it!

Pushing The Limits was published on 31st July, 2012 in the US and 3rd August, 2012 in the UK.  To find out more about Katie McGarry and her books, please click here to visit her website.