Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 153

{Blog Tour} CAGE OF DARKNESS by Jennifer Anne Davis--Excerpt + Giveaway

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                         ABOUT THE BOOK

CAGE OF DARKNESS by Jennifer Anne Davis
While traveling to Fren, Allyssa and Odar are hijacked by a ruthless assassin who divulges a stunning secret that changes everything.
Trying to come to terms with this newfound revelation, Allyssa is taken to Russek and delivered into the hands of a malicious and twisted royal family. She finds herself an unwilling pawn in a risky political game that will either end with her death or the annihilation of her beloved kingdom. Unsure of where the lies end and the truth begins, she must survive the brutal family and escape the fortified castle, all the while coming to grips with her feelings for Odar.

In a kingdom filled with darkness, Allyssa enters a game where one wrong move means death, secrets hide around each corner, and it will take every ounce of cunning she has to survive. 

***Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Book two in the REIGN OF SECRETS seriesTitle: CAGE OF DARKNESSAuthor: Jennifer Anne DavisRelease: April 4, 2017



AVAILABLE ONAmazon † BN 
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On the exterior, Kerdan appeared every bit as bloodthirsty as the king. However, he was a good man on the inside who would one day be a great leader. He wore masks—just like she did. Just like Odar did. “I understand your concern. But it’s not necessary.”

“You’re wrong. We’re a means to an end. Puppets in this performance.”

“If that’s what it takes to get us out of Russek and stop the war, then so be it.”

“Sometimes, you’re too quick to act and reckless.”

Allyssa stiffened. She hadn’t made the bargain with Kerdan without thinking it through. She wasn’t a fool. “You don’t have to participate in the plan. Go back to Shelene and play the doting fiancé.”

He ignored her outburst, as if he hadn’t heard a word of it. “And you’re loyal beyond belief. You’d walk through fire for those you love.”

“Your point?” she snapped. Once they married, would all their conversations be so heated and exhausting?

He reached up, cupping her cheek. “Both Prince Kerdan and Soma know I care for you. What if they use that against us? All either one has to do is put a knife to your throat, and I’m powerless.”


Allyssa understood his fear—she had it too. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for Odar, her parents, or her kingdom. That was how love worked. She knew her heart couldn’t stay locked in a cage, shielded from everything. “It’s not like you can stop loving me just to protect me,” she whispered. “Love doesn’t work that way.” He closed his eyes. “Odar?” she asked, wondering what he was thinking. He wasn’t . . . afraid . . . to love her, was he?


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About Book One:
Sixteen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as the royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand.

Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their kingdom and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.
Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.

Grab your copy today!Amazon † BN

Check out the series on GoodReads





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Jennifer Anne Davis is the award-winning author of the bestselling TRUE REIGN series. After graduating from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential, she married her high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three highly energetic children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.

Website † Facebook † Twitter † Instagram † GoodReads


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GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along with the tour for daily entries to Jennifer Anne Davis' awesome giveaway!
CAGE OF DARKNESS Blog Tour Schedule:
April 3rd
Books, Dreams, Life - http://staceyschneller06.wordpress.com – Book Highlight & GiveawayReading for the Stars and Moon - http://readingforthestarsmoon.blogspot.com/ - Review & GiveawayGood Choice Reading – www.goodchoicereading.com – Review/Excerpt & GiveawayA Perfection Called Books - http://aperfectioncalledbooks.blogspot.com/ - Review & Giveaway

April 4th
She Dreams in Fiction - http://www.shedreamsinfiction.com – Teaser & GiveawayDesert Divas Book Addiction - http://desertdivasbookaddiction.wordpress.com – Review & GiveawayMundie Moms - http://www.mundiemoms.com – Review & Giveaway

April 5th
A Leisure Moment - http://www.aleisuremoment.com – Review & GiveawayFishing for Books - http://libraryofbooksblog.wordpress.com – Excerpt & GiveawayJrsbookreviews - http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com – Review & Giveaway

April 6th
A Dream Within A Dream - http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com – Teaser & GiveawayBooks of Love - http://gracebooksoflove.blogspot.com – Review & GiveawayBA Harding: Writer - http://www.baharding.com – Excerpt & Giveaway

April 7th
Avid Reader – http://avdreader.wordpress.com – Teaser & GiveawayThe Genre Minx Book Reviews - http://www.thegenreminx.com – Review & GiveawayA Backwards Story - http://abackwardsstory.blogspot.com – Review & Giveaway

April 10th
Gizmos Reviews – http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com – Review & GiveawayWishful Endings - http://www.wishfulendings.com/ - Excerpt & GiveawayBook Briefs - http://bookbriefs.net – Review & Giveaway

April 11th
NovelKnight - http://novelknight.com – Review & GiveawayTaylor Fenner's Bookish World - http://taylorfenner.blogspot.com –  ̶R̶e̶v̶i̶e̶w̶  Excerpt & GiveawayU.S. - Brazil Book Review - http://www.usbrazilbookreview.blogspot.com – Excerpt & Giveaway

April 12th
Kindle and Me - www.kindleandme.com – Review & GiveawayTales of a Ravenous Reader - http://talesoftheravenousreader.com – ExcerptLovely Reads Publishing - http://serenityslovelyreads.blogspot.com/ - Review & Giveaway

April 13th
Zach's YA Reviews - http://www.zachsyareviews.com – Review & GiveawayEmily Reads Everything - www.emilyreadseverything.com – Review & GiveawayPositively Book Crazy (PBC) - http://www.positivelybookcrazy.com – Excerpt & Giveaway

April 14th
The Lovely Books - http://thelovelybooksbookblog.blogspot.com – Review & GiveawayReader Girls - http://www.readergirlsblog.com – Review & GiveawayBookwyrming Thoughts - http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com – Review & Giveaway******************************************************************************************
Thank you for stopping by! Happy Reading ❤️

Book Review: Don't Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray

Don't Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray Blurb: For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him.
CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett isblindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe’s gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate. 
Bryn asks CeCe to help her compose messages that’ll charm Emmett.CeCe isn’t sure there’s anything in his head worth charming but agrees anyway—she’s a sucker for a good romance. Unfortunately, the more messages she sends and the more they run into each other, the more she realizes there’s plenty in his head, from food to literature. Too bad Emmett seems to be falling for the wrong girl… 
My Review: CeCe Edmonds is used to people not being able to see past the disfiguring scar that runs down the side of her face. She's used to the staring, the pointing, and the taunting. To protect herself she's hidden behind a thick emotional armor and a witty talent for self-deprecation. She spends so much time focusing on her classes and her varsity volleyball team at her prep school, Edgelake, in Madison, Wisconsin that she can almost forget that she never gets asked out on dates and guys usually don't want more than a hook-up from her. Almost.
Enter the incredibly hot new quarterback, Emmett, who captures CeCe's attention while playing classical music while CeCe is on her way to class. Emmett first lays eyes on the bold girl with the scar when he arrives late to his Shakespeare English class and he doesn't seem at all bothered by the scar. Could Emmett finally be the guy who could look past CeCe's scar and appreciate the girl underneath?
CeCe doubts it because when Emmett spots Bryn, the Volleyball team's newest member and Edgelake's other new transfer student he instantly is attracted to her model-like looks and CeCe casts herself into the role of matchmaking best friend. But Emmett is looking for more than good looks, he wants someone he can talk to as well, and Bryn enlists CeCe's help to break the ice. 
Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, CeCe swoops in and soon she's exchanging emails and texts with Emmett, pretending to be Bryn. CeCe quickly learns that Emmett is anything but a dumb jock and he could be just the guy she's been waiting for all this time. But Emmett thinks he's falling for Bryn - who sounds witty in her emails but acts completely different in person. Will Emmett figure out who he's really talking to? And if he does, can he look past CeCe's looks and actually love her for herself? Or will CeCe lose the first guy she's been able to be carefree with? The guy she's starting to love?
When I first picked up Don't Kiss the Messenger I was expecting a light, breezy, quick read but it is so much more than that. It's a breathtaking story about learning to love yourself and people looking past exterior beauty to get to know the person inside. 
This book had me laughing out loud one moment and nearly crying the next because of how raw and relatable it is. Anyone who's ever thought themselves to have any sort of flaw will be able to see pieces of themselves in CeCe and be rooting for her the whole way through. Emmett was an amazing character, the rare type of guy that you hope actually exist in real life. And Bryn - OMG, I loved Bryn! She was the ditzy friend I always wished I had! 
Overall, I loved everything about this book. The writing was absolutely beautiful! Perhaps it caught me at precisely the right moment, the moment I needed a story like this most. This is definitely a feel good book and I'm so glad I got to read it! 
A few quotes / lines from Don't Kiss the Messenger that I fell in love with:"I read because imagination was the only thing that elevated me beyond my own reality." -CeCe
The heart is the anarcist of the mind. The naughty child that never grows up. The hopeless romantic. The dreamer. The optimist. The risk taker. The sail that always wants to move. The wings that never want to land.
Guys would always want to hook up with me. They would kiss me and pull me into bedrooms at parties. But they wouldn't date me. They wouldn't introduce me to their friends or show me off. They didn't want to grab my hand and walk down the street.
Our own eyes were our worst critics. Our own thoughts, were the world's hardest judges. 
My Rating:5 of 5 Stars
Don't Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray is available in eBook today, Monday, April 10, 2017, from Entangled Teen and Entangled: Crush. Pick up your copy today!

Alt Cover Love

You know the old saying, "don't judge a book by its' cover"? Sometimes when it comes to covers and alternate/foreign covers, you can't help but like some better than others. What do I mean by alternate covers? Well, sometimes when a book comes out in paperback, that was originally in hardcover, a publisher might give it a completely new cover. Other times a publisher may have a different cover for a US edition of a book versus a UK edition or a German edition; etc. If you're a die-hard book collector you might have multiple editions of the same book just so you can admire all the pretty covers. 
Here are a few books and their alternate covers. You be the judge, tell me in the comments which cover you like best. 
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas UK Cover US Cover






The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller Hardcover Edition [image error] Paperback Edition













Freeks by Amanda Hocking UK Cover US Cover






The Thousandth Floor by Katherine McGee UK Cover US Cover






These are all pretty much a draw for me. If I had my way I'd collect copies of each version - which I have with Empire of Storms. But here's a book that's hardcover edition I love and paperback cover I just can't get behind...
Nemesis by Anna Banks Hardcover Edition -
 LOVE IT! Paperback Edition -
No, just... NO!







So what do you think? Which editions get your pick? Let me know! 

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #69

Oooh, the 69th week of my "WIR"-Wednesday posts! That makes me think of Zoey Derrick's 69 Bottles series, but alas - that's not what I'm reading this week. This is partially a "What I'm *Still* Reading" Wednesday and a "What I Will Be Reading" Wednesday because I fully intend to finish reading the book I'm currently on by tomorrow morning at the latest and start with the next book on my list by tomorrow night...
Roar (Stormling #1) by Cora Carmack Blurb: In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
Current Progress: Page 205 of 378 (54%)

Here's What I Will Be Reading Next...
The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins Blurb: One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continues.
The kingdom of Lochlanach has traded the great beast that once terrorized the realm of Eurona for something far more dangerous: the ire of powerful Lashed woman Rosaria Rocato. Rosaria demands that Eurona overturn the laws prohibiting magic, or an innocent will be killed each day.
Despite the king’s resistance, Princess Aerity believes they must make peace with the Lashed, and though she’s accepted a betrothal to the man who took down the beast, she cannot help thinking about Paxton, the Lashed man who stole her heart and disappeared.
Aerity soon discovers that Paxton has joined Rosaria’s army in the war against her family. Though her feelings for him are still strong, her duty to her kingdom and her family is stronger—especially when her parents are kidnapped and she has to step up to the throne and once again put aside what’s best for her in order to do what’s best for her people. Paxton and Princess Aerity must fight to see what is more powerful: their love or the impending war between the magical Lashed and the non-magic humans.
Why I Chose This Book To Read Next | What I'm Hoping Will Happen: I've been waiting to read this book for so long and it's at the top of my TBR list now that I've received my ApollyCon Virtual Signing Order. I've been puzzling and puzzling over what would happen in this book since I finished The Great Hunt and this is what I hope will happen:1) Paxton and Aerity will end up together2) The lashed will find equality with the non-lashed3) Aerity's cousin and her current betrothed will end up together... maybe?4) Paxton's brother will end up with someone... maybe? 
Will any of my hopes come true? I'll let you know after I read The Great Pursuit... or will I? *cue evil cackling*

PERFECT by Cecelia Ahern Release Day Blitz + Giveaway

I'm excited to announce that PERFECT by Cecelia Ahern is available now and I'm lucky enough to get to help share the news!
If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Cecelia Ahern, be sure to check out all the details below.
This blitz also includes a giveaway for 2 sets of finished copies of FLAWED & PERFECT courtesy of Fierce Reads and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.


Title: PERFECT (Flawed #2)Author: Cecelia AhernPub. Date: April 1, 2017Publisher: Feiwel & FriendsPages: 352Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBookFind it: Amazon, B&N, Audible, iBooks, GoodreadsCelestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured--all her freedoms gone.
Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick--the only person she can trust.
But Celestine has a secret--one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or to risk her life to save all Flawed people.
And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?
Catch up with book one, FLAWED
Title: FLAWEDAuthor: Cecilia AhernRelease Date: April 5, 2016Pages: 368Publisher: Feiwel and FriendsFormats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook, & audiobookFind it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, Barnes& Noble, iBooks
Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and flaws are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.


Excerpt:Chapter Eight
            They stay there for three hours.
            My muscles burn, my feet ache, but I’m afraid to move.
            When the fire has reduced to a smolder, Granddad and Dahy are ordered to place the bundles of food onto the coals. The farmworkers watch from their orderly line, their F brand armbands all visible on their right arms, just above their elbow.
            This was supposed to be a celebration, a coming together to show that the Guild couldn’t beat them down. Now the Whistleblowers themselves are here. Hiding behind the tree, huddled on the ground, hugging my legs, shivering from the damp forest, I can’t say that I feel empowered. This feels like a defeat.
            Granddad and Dahy cover the food with the soil so it will cook under the ground in the heat. Granddad looks at the ground, his work finished, as though he’s buried me alive. Again I want to call out to him that I’m okay, I made it out, but I can’t.
            A phone rings and the female Whistleblower takes it. She steps aside, walks away from the others, so she can talk in private. She moves closer to me in the woods. I tense up again.
            “Judge Crevan, hello. It’s Kate. No, Judge, Celestine isn’t here. We’ve checked everywhere.”
            Silence as she listens and I hear Crevan’s voice from where I stand. Kate walks farther and stops by my tree.
            I press my back to the tree, squeeze my eyes shut, and hold my breath.
            “With all due respect, Judge, this is the Guild’s sixth visit to the property and I believe Mary May was meticulous in her search. We’ve checked everywhere you can imagine. I don’t believe she’s here. I think the grandfather is telling the truth.”
            I can hear the frustration in her voice. They’re all under pressure to find me, pressure placed on them by Judge Crevan. Kate takes a few more steps, right into my eyeline.
            She slowly scans the forest, her eyes searching the distance.
            Then she looks right at me.

About Cecilia:
At twenty-one, Cecelia wrote her first novel PS, I Love You, which was sold to forty-seven countries. The film of the same title, directed by Richard LaGravenese and produced by Wendy Finerman productions, starred Hilary Swank, Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Bates, Gerry Butler, Harry Connick Jr, Gina Gershon and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. PS, I Love You was one of the biggest-selling debut novels of 2004, reaching number 1 in Ireland and in the UK Sunday Times bestseller list. It was also a bestseller throughout Europe and the USA, staying on the best-seller list in Germany for 52 weeks.

That same year, in November 2004, her second book Where Rainbows End (as Rosie Dunne hardback in the US, Love, Rosie paperback in US) also reached no.1 in Ireland and the UK, remaining at the top of the Irish bestsellers list for 12 weeks and again was a bestseller internationally.  Where Rainbows End was adapted for film titled Love, Rosie and will be released in Oct 2014, starring Lily Collins and Sam Claflin.

Her third book If You Could See Me Now was published in November 2005 and also became an international bestseller. It has been optioned by producer Simon Brooks, producer of Love, Rosie.

Cecelia’s fourth novel A Place Called Here (published under the title There’s No Place Like Here in the US) also became an international number one bestseller.

Thanks For The Memories her fifth novel was also a huge bestseller and is now being adapted for a TV Drama Series by Gate Productions.

The Gift was published in October 2008 and became an International bestseller. It is optioned by Oscar winning producer Andreas Bareiss, and it is going into production later this year.

Her seventh novel The Book Of Tomorrow was released in October 2009 and eOne Television are developing it for a TV series in the US.

In March of 2011 her two short stories, Girl in the Mirror were published.

In November by Cecelia’s eighth novel The Time Of My Life was published and also became a bestseller.

Her ninth novel One Hundred Names was published in October 2012 and became a number one bestseller.

Her tenth novel How To Fall In Love was published last November and also became another bestseller.

To date Cecelia has sold over 22 million copies of her books worldwide.
Website | Twitter | Instagram
Giveaway Details:2 Winners will receive finished copies of FLAWED & PERFECT, US Only.
Ends on April 18th at Midnight EST!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Cage of Darkness by Jennifer Anne Davis

Cage of Darkness (Reign of Secrets #2) by Jennifer Anne Davis Cage of Darkness
Reign of Secrets #2
Jennifer Anne Davis
Reign Publishing
YA Fantasy
April 4, 2017 Blurb: While traveling to Fren, Allyssa and Odar are hijacked by a ruthless assassin who divulges a stunning secret that changes everything.
Trying to come to terms with this newfound revelation, Allyssa is taken to Russek and delivered into the hands of a malicious and twisted royal family. She finds herself an unwilling pawn in a risky political game that will either end with her death or the annihilation of her beloved kingdom. Unsure of where the lies end and the truth begins, she must survive the brutal family and escape the fortified castle, all the while coming to grips with her feelings for Odar.
In a kingdom filled with darkness, Allyssa enters a game where one wrong move means death, secrets hide around each corner, and it will take every ounce of cunning she has to survive. 
My Review: After the deaths of both her friend Grevik and the man she thought was her betrothed, Prince Odar - not to mention finding out that the man she had known as Jarvik (and fallen for) was really Prince Odar, Allyssa and Odar find themselves kidnapped and held captive by an assassin who turns out to be a sort-of prince of Russek.
Their kidnapper, "Prince" Soma has been tasked with bringing Allyssa and Odar to his mother, Queen Jana (who is also Allyssa's long lost aunt) who wants revenge against Allyssa's parents.
At the Russek palace, Allyssa is tortured while Odar pretends to still have feelings for Jana's daughter, Shelene - and his act is more than convincing.
Is there any way out of the hell Allyssa finds herself in? Could aligning herself with Russek's crown prince Kerdan to kill Jana and her children lead to Allyssa's freedom? Or is she once again trusting the wrong person? And if she does make it out, will Odar still love and want to marry her in the end?
I will admit, I did not finish the first book in this trilogy, Cage of Deceit but I did skim the ending and it made Cage of Darkness sound promising. And the beginning of Cage of Darkness was somewhat okay, I had a good feeling about it.
Then I ran into the same issue I had with the first book - I really, really couldn't stand Allyssa. Most of the time she acts like a whiny, annoying, petulant pre-teen who acts up when she doesn't get her way. And in demanding that Odar follows her ideas to escape their captor at the beginning of the book they just ended up getting recaptured over and over again which was ridiculous and boring. And she kept bringing up things like "if her soldiers talked to her that way" she'd never tolerate it - which again sounds like an immature spoiled brat thing to keep saying.
For a supposed fantasy novel this book was surprisingly lacking in the fantasy department. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series, by Ever the Hunted, and even by The Bone Witch (and so many others) but where was the magic??? Or any other fantasy element for that matter??? Oh and the non-swearing swearwords drove me absolutely insane. Blimey, bloody hell, wimp, pansy, and bloke me to death, why don't you? Seriously, if you want to keep it "clean" then I guess just don't have any kind of cursing because that just sounds like a little kid experimenting with curse words.
Overall, I did not like this book, not at all. It became torture to try and read through it so I started skimming instead and let me say, the beginning was slightly promising and the end was slightly promising but the middle was snooze-worthy. And the book is listed as YA but I'd say it's more like Middle Grade, which might be why I couldn't get into it.
The verdict: Would I run out and read the final book in the trilogy? Nope.
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars

March 2017 Wrap Up

In case you missed anything on my blog or social media last month, this is what I got up to:

READING

Books I Reviewed In March:

Garden of Thorns by Amber Mitchell - I loved this unique fantasy novel and I hope it will get continued as a series! 

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco - I read this book last summer and I really loved it!

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves - An amazing YA Historical Fantasy by a debut author. 

Just An Illusion - The B Side by D. Kelly - Follow up to Side A, which I read and loved last fall.

Books I Read In March:

Garden of Thorns by Amber Mitchell

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Don't Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray

Cage of Darkness by Jennifer Anne Davis

Roar by Cora Carmack (Still Currently Reading)

Books To-Be-Read in April:

The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins 

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

WRITING

Other than blogging I didn't do any story writing last month. I did some self-editing for my fantasy novel, CurseBreaker and outlined my April CampNaNoWriMo project, Headless. I tried something new with my story development and we'll see how well that keeps my ideas organized. 

BLOGGING

Last month this blog was filled with many Cover Reveals, Release Day Blitzes, Giveaways, and Teasers. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. 

MISC NEWS

Last month I announced that I will be attending the Afternoon with the Authors event at the Shawano City-County Library one week from tomorrow (April 10, 3-6pm). I hope to see some of you there!

What was your March like?

"Book Mail" (Friday) #15

As you can see my blogging schedule got a little rearranged this week and my "Book Mail" Thursday post is happening today instead. On the bright side... my ApollyCon 2017 Virtual Signing order came this week!!! 
One of the boxes was a little beat up (and by beat up, I mean the whole one corner of the box was ripped away) but I was bouncing off the walls when I saw the mailman bring the boxes in on Wednesday. 
This is my book mail for this week...

ApollyCon 2017 Virtual Signing Order

Books: 
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (US Cover)
Play by Kylie Scott
The Affiliate by K.A. Linde
Beautiful Creatures signed by Kami Garcia
Nowhere but Here, Walk the Edge, and Long Way Home by Katie McGarry
Sublime by Christina Lauren
Oblivion, Lux: Beginnings (Obsidian & Onyx), Wicked, & Crushed by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins
Riot & Chaos by Jamie Shaw
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
**Bookmarks from Christina Lauren, Katie McGarry, Wendy Higgins, and Jamie Shaw**


MAY Waiting On:
Virtual Signing orders I'm waiting on for May are: 
A Court of Wings and Ruin and the ACOTAR Coloring Book by Sarah J. Maas 
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
Unknown, Unrest, and Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Book Review, Release Day Blitz, & Giveaway: Just An Illusion - the B Side by D. Kelly

Just an Illusion - the B Side (Illusion Series #2) by D. Kelly Blurb: Three life-altering months …
That’s how long it’s been since Amelia Greyson joined the Just an Illusion Tour with Bastards and Dangerous. She’s made new friends, embraced her past, and even found love.  Back on the road …
Following a tragic situation, Amelia is determined to hit the road, put her life in order, and finish the book she was hired to write. Mel’s not the only one affected by what happened; the men of BAD are all trying to move forward, not wanting the past to ruin the remainder of their farewell tour.
Brother vs Brother …
Tensions are high on the Weston brothers’ bus. As each brother settles into their role in Amelia’s life, secrets threaten to rip their relationship to shreds. Can Noah and Sawyer find a way to save the brotherly bond they share? Or will the woman of their dreams end up tearing them apart for good?  
My Review: Just An Illusion - the B Side picks up from Side A's cliffhanging end. Who got shot at the end of Side A? Are Amelia "Mel" Greyson and Noah Weston alive? Or has Mel lost another person she loves?
        As Mel and Noah recover from the shooting their relationship will be tested by Noah's increasing desire for marriage and children, the constant watchful eye of the paparazzi, crazy fans, and Noah's twin Sawyer's feelings for Mel.
       Is their relationship built to last? Or will some outside force tear them apart? Will Sawyer be able to get over Mel? Or will his feelings for his brother's girlfriend ruin his relationship with his brother forever?
      I both liked and disliked Just An Illusion - The B Side. I'm still not Team Noah - he's just too perfect in my opinion - and I don't mean that in a good way. I loved the storylines of the more minor characters more than reading about Mel and Noah's relationship because it felt, mostly toward the end, a little too sickening. Maybe it's just that I see so much more potential for Mel with Sawyer that I just can't get behind the Noah thing.
     I will say that Just an Illusion - the B Side was easy to get caught up in. The pages fly by as the reader tries to figure out what will happen next. On the flip side, I could have done with more happening in this book - it just seemed like everything moved too smoothly without much conflict. Almost like the author was waiting for the shocking cliffhanger at the end to speed things up.
     After that ending, I'm dying to see how the trilogy will wrap up. Overall, this was a quick, mostly enjoyable read and I'm glad I read it.
           My Rating:         4 of 5 Stars!

***

BONUS: RELEASE DAY BLITZ & GIVEAWAY  
Just An Illusion - The B Side (Illusion Series - Book 2)Cover Design: Regina Wamba / Mae I Design and PhotographyRelease Date: March 30, 2017 
SynopsisThree life-altering months … 
 That’s how long it’s been since Amelia Greyson joined the Just an Illusion Tour with Bastards and Dangerous. She’s made new friends, embraced her past, and even found love. 
Back on the road … 
 Following a tragic situation, Amelia is determined to hit the road, put her life in order, and finish the book she was hired to write. Mel’s not the only one affected by what happened; the men of BAD are all trying to move forward, not wanting the past to ruin the remainder of their farewell tour. 
Brother vs Brother … 
 Tensions are high on the Weston brothers’ bus. As each brother settles into their role in Amelia’s life, secrets threaten to rip their relationship to shreds. Can Noah and Sawyer find a way to save the brotherly bond they share? Or will the woman of their dreams end up tearing them apart for good?     Add to Goodreads    
Giveaway$20 Amazon Gift Card  a Rafflecopter giveaway   Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d12/?       
Available Now Just an Illusion - The A Side (Illusion Series - Book 1)                                   Synopsis
One night changed her life…   
 Bestselling author Amelia Greyson has grown up in the music industry and isn’t the slightest bit fazed by fame or celebrities. However, when she attends a Bastards and Dangerous concert with her best friend Belle, her world shifts on its axis. 
   Double trouble…   
 Sawyer and Noah Weston are the front men of BAD. They’re fraternal twins and sexy as sin. When they hear the author of The O Factor is in their green room, they’re intrigued. She’s just the person they need to write their farewell story. The brothers offer Amelia the opportunity of a lifetime, which she reluctantly accepts.  
 Three hearts…   
 Noah is sweet and considerate, working hard to make Amelia feel at home on the road. Unfortunately, the closer they get, the more obnoxious Sawyer becomes. Sawyer is arrogant and distant and he wants Amelia, even though she’s not his for the taking. Only during stolen moments does Sawyer show her who he really is.   Can Amelia maintain a safe distance from Sawyer and keep her heart intact? Or will she shatter Noah’s heart by giving hers to his brother instead?   
 *Mature Content- This book contains situations not intended for persons under the age of 18. Including, but not limited to - open door sex, cursing, alcohol and/or drug use, and possible triggers.*     Add to GoodreadsPurchase LinksAmazon: http://amzn.to/2nmHCCrBarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2mEPqAUiBooks: http://apple.co/2lU6aFLKobo: http://bit.ly/2nmABl6       
About the AuthorDee Kelly was born and raised in Southern California. She is the author of The Acceptance Series and the upcoming Illusion Series. Dee has loved writing since she was a child and used to enjoy spinning stories to her childhood friends and seeing their reactions. Dee is a mom, a wife, a dog lover and a margarita enthusiast. She also loves chocolate, caramel, Starbucks, and sarcasm. Dee would love it if you could hit that yellow favorite button under her picture on this page. When you mark an Amazon favorite they will email you when the author has a new book release. Connect with DeeNewsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2ngwyK4Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mCW4GkFacebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2lU7EzGGoodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mkiDPbTwitter: http://bit.ly/2nmHTVXInstagram: http://bit.ly/2nxf9ZIAmazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2n2aiTW  

Special Announcement & Cover Reveal for author Cora Carmack

As promised, I had a surprise announcement post today and it's all about NYT Bestselling Author, Cora Carmack's upcoming novel... ALL CLOSED OFF! Read on for this special announcement & cover reveal!******
   
From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack, comes the highly anticipated fourth standalone title in her Rusk University Series, ALL CLOSED OFF! A passionate story and journey, get ready to be mesmerized with Stella’s story! ALL CLOSED OFF is coming your way May 1, 2017!   
Cover Design and Photography by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton at K. Keeton DesignsABOUT ALL CLOSED OFF (Releasing May 1, 2017):Stella Santos is fine.Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.     
✦ Add it to your Goodreads ✦     
Don’t Miss All of Cora’s Standalone Rusk University Series Titles! 
ALL LINED UPAmazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunesALL BROKE DOWNAmazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunesALL PLAYED OUT Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes       About Cora Carmack:  Cora Carmack is a twentysomething New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twentysomething characters. Raised in a small Texas town, she now lives in New York City and spends her time writing, traveling, and marathoning various TV shows on Netflix. She lives by one rule: embrace whatever the world throws at you and run with it (just not with scissors).           Website | Facebook | Twitter | Cora Carmack Goodreads