Valia Lind's Blog, page 29

Book Spotlight: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.     

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.
From Goodreads.com



Such a Rush is a story of Leah Jones, a girl with a dysfunctional family and a serious love for the sky. We meet her as a scrawny little kid who just moved to a trailer park right next to the airport. She falls in love with flying and begs Mr. Hall, her boss and mentor, to teach her. So he does. 
Years later, Leah is a high school senior still working at the airport, saving every for her own flying dreams. Suddenly, Mr. Hall dies, bringing home his two sons. And thats where the real fun begins.  I’ve only read one Jennifer book before and I loved it. So when I got the opportunity to read Such a Rush, I jumped right on it. This book was a surprising read for me personally. It was a compelling story full of emotion and a girl set on following her dreams. The relationships between Leah and those around her are painted with a brush full of intensity. I felt like the whole book, Leah was trying to figure out who she is and where she stands and it was an appealing journey. The boys in the book are brothers, but nothing alike. Alec is the boy next door, with sweetness pouring out of him. Grayson is the villain next door, conflict pouring out of him. The contrast between the two was so real, I loved all the tension. Seriously, Leah and Grayson in one room was probably hazardous to the environment with all the chemistry oozing off them!  Overall, this was an enjoyable read for anyone who loves romance. Jennifer is very good at creating characters who leap off the pages. Such a Rush comes out July 10th! I’d love to hear your thoughts! Happy reading,  Valia  

Book Spotlight: Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard

A modern-day retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydewith a chilling twist

Harper has never been worried about falling in love, something she is skeptical even exists. But everything changes when Logan moves to town, and to Harper's shock, the two tumble into an intense romance. It's everything she never thought she wanted.

Then she meets Logan's twin brother, Daemon, who was expelled from his last school. True, he's a bad boy, but Harper can't shake the feeling that there's something deeply sinister about him--something dangerous. When Logan starts pulling away, Harper is convinced that Daemon's shadowy past is the wedge being driven between them. But by the time she uncovers the truth, it may be too late.

The author of Prada & Prejudice, You Wish, and Ripple delivers a modern-day retelling of a famously gothic tale, full of suspense, lies, and romance.
From Goodreads.com

I’m going to start out by saying that I didn’t read any reviews or descriptions going into this book. All I had is the info from the back cover, and I had no idea what to expect. Even though, I had the book figured out pretty fast, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. A lot. 
The book starts out with our heroine on a date, hanging out with a few of her friends. Logan is the new kid in town, and he’s taken by Harper. Everything seems to be going great until Harper forgets her purse in Logan’s truck and has to go to his house to pick it up. What she finds there is a bit more than she can handle. She meets Logan’s brother Daemon and he is of the scary sort. Then, everything changes.  Harper is an interesting character. She lost her mother to her mother’s crazy ways, so Harper stays cautious, making sure her life is safe. Logan works on getting her out of her little shell, taking her list of ten things she’s afraid of and making it into ten things she has to do. Harper grows as a character tremendously. She becomes a stronger character, and fights to become the person she wants to be. Logan is an interesting character, and so is Daemon. I enjoyed watching Mandy creating these two in contrast because they’re so different. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and their development. Harper’s cousin was a fun addition, so was Harper’s best friend, and B was one of my favorites! Overall, this book was on intense ride. Mandy makes this story so real, you fell like glancing over your shoulder as you walk down the street. This book was definitely worth the read! It comes out August 30th!  Much love,  Valia

Book Spotlight: Erasing Time by C.J. Hill

In this high-action and romantic futuristic adventure, there is no escape from the future for two contemporary girls pulled out of their own time.

When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that’s so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can’t go back home.

The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The moblike Dakine fights against the government, and somehow Taylor and Sheridan find themselves in the middle. The only way to elude them all is to trust Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city.

Full of adrenaline-injected chases and heartbreaking confessions, Erasing Time explores the strength of the bonds between twins, the risks and rewards of trust, and the hard road to finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.
From goodreads.com

Thank you ATWAT for the copy!
Let me start out by saying that I had no idea what to expect from this book. I ended up reading two books having to do with twins back to back, and honestly I wasn’t sure how well that was going to work for me. The other side of this is the fact that I was a little nervous about the whole 400 years in the future aspect. I adore science fiction, when its written well, and sometimes when its not I just want to cry myself to sleep at night. Now, after all that, I just like you to know that I enjoyed Erasing Time. Tremendously.  Literally, I flew through this book in one sitting (with lots of stops because I was at work, but still).  Erasing Time follows the story of two girls, who are twins, and get stuck 400 years in the future. Apparently, the world is falling apart and only someone from our time can save it (Or help destroy it. You know them political types). Sheridan and Taylor are both likable characters. They’re twins and sisters, but different like night and day. I really enjoyed the writing of them together, it was a nice contrast. Personally, I felt more drawn to Sheldon, the reserved twin. I felt like her character was one I could relate to more and I was rooting for her the whole book.Then, there is Echo. Oh Echo, the broken hero of the story. His character has a lot of potential behind it. There is depth, there is warrior, and there is the romantic. This maybe a little spoilery but there is no love triangle in this book, which made me insanely happy. I can’t say if that will change or not in the next one, it might, but as of right now, I’m glad its just one girl and one boy. Sometimes I just get so tired of the whole triangle thing, its nice to read something without it.  Overall, this book was an interesting read! C.J. created a very realistic futuristic world, full of twists and turns. While I would have like a bit more character and relationship development (seriously, they just fall into the whole relationship thing) this is a good beginning to a series. C.J.’s use of words and descriptions will transport you 400 years in the future and take you on a journey like no other! Erasing Time comes out August 28th! Let me know what you think! Happy reading,  Valia 

Simplicity Blog Tour Welcome!

Hello wonderful people! Can you believe it? It’s finally here! My first ever blog tour, featuring Simplicity. I’m so excited I can’t even contain myself! 




Seriously, this is mega huge and I thank each and every one of you for all your support and love! Getting Simplicity out there was such a long journey, one that didn't have a good beginning. However, now, I'm doing it right!
I have some extra special things planned for you with the help of some amazing ladies. 
Make sure to visit each stop on the tour and find out more about me, my characters, and my book! June 17th - Good Choice Reading - http://goodchoicereading.comJune 18th - Jessie Harrell - http://jessie-harrell.blogspot.com/June 19th - Paige - http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.comJune 20th - Margie - http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot.com/June 21st - Savannah - http://eternalwolf-fallenangel.blogspot.com/June 22nd - Brenda Pandos - http://brendapandos.blogspot.com/June 23rd - Kelly -http://www.bookmarkbelles.com/
June 24th - Farah - http://tumblinginbooks.blogspot.comJune 25th - Dana - http://www.bookmarkbelles.com/June 26th - Linda - http://www.missiontoread.com/ June 27th - Wrap up at Words Are Things! Make sure to show some comment love when you make stops on the tour! I know they ladies would appreciate it. Also, don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I really hope you enjoy the tour, and go out and buy your own copy of Simplicity! Maybe I’ll do something special for ya’ll when you do that. Like sing a song on YouTube? or something *hides* 

Have fun!  Valia 

Book Spotlight: Secret Letters by Leah Scheier

Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin's ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits--and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective--to save her cousin's reputation and help rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way. 
Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this gripping novel heralds the arrival of a fresh new voice in young adult literature.


From Goodreads.com



Thank you Around the World ARC Tours for the book!
I was very interested in reading this book because I love mysteries and Sherlock Holmes. Recently, I haven't read a lot of historical fiction so this was a bit new for me. Secret Letters follow the story of Dora, a girl living in the country, dreaming of becoming a detective. When she learns that Sherlock Holmes is her biological father, she can't wait to go to London and meet him. However, her plans don't turn out quite like she hopes they would.  Instead of Sherlock Holmes, Dora meets Peter, a young detective who takes it on  himself to help Dora and her cousin with their little blackmailing problem. I liked Dora as a character. I enjoyed watching her try to prove herself in the male dominated world. She took risks and she used her head, and I always love that in a heroine.  Peter, however, was probably my favorite aspect of the story. He was fun and dominated the story even though he wasn't the main character. I just loved him. A lot. I wish there was more of him in the story, and I wish there was more of him and Dora in the story.  Overall, this was a good read for anyone interested in Sherlock Holmes-esque stories. The ending left an opening for another book, so I'm looking forward to other adventures by Dora and Peter. This debut comes out June 26th. 


Happy Reading, 
Valia

Book Spotlight: Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.
Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.From Goodreads.com
Thanks to ATWAT for the book!
Cold Fury is a story about Sara Jane Rispoli, a sixteen-year-old girl who's life comes crashing down around her on her birthday. Her family disappears and she is left to deal with the aftermath of the event, while trying to figure out the secrets her parents kept from her.  This book took me a bit by surprise. From the summary, and even the cover, I expected this book to take off from the first pages. However, for me, the beginning was a bit slow. Written from Sara Jane's point of view, she takes us through memories and events in her life that shape what happens on her sixteenth birthday.  Sara Jane's two friends Doug and Max are fun additions to her journey. Honestly, I would've liked to have a bit more Max in the story. To me, he plays a part in defining who Sara Jane is as a teenage girl and I think that aspect is needed in the story. He was also a good balance to her crazy life, but like I said, there just wasn't enough of him.  Overall, I actually enjoyed this book, even with the slow parts. T.M. has a great grasp on the workings of an organization and it was fun reading how he entwined that into the story. While I wish some aspects were a bit different in the book, I am interested to see what happens next. Make sure to pick up your copy of this fresh new voice in YA! Cold Fury comes out July 24th! Let me know what you think!

Book Spotlight: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.


From Goodreads.com



Lies Beneath is not just another mermaid story. Right away, I knew this book would be different, and the different surprised me. 
The story is told from Calder’s point of view, a brother to three mermaids seeking revenge. Calder’s job is to get close to Lily, the daughter of a man who is responsible for  their mother’s death. While Calder is a merman who needs to kill humans in order to absorb their energy, he is not a cold hearted killer. He’s different and that difference brings him into Lily’s world and her heart.  The relationship between the two develops past the hunter/hunted. Calder makes himself appealing to Lily, trying to win her over and as a result ends up with an outcome he didn’t see coming. Calder is the perfect wounded hero, trying to survive and do the right thing at the same time. I loved watching him struggle and grow through the challenges his quest (and his sisters) presented. Lily was a fun character to read as well. She’s a take no prisoners kind of a girl with a love for poetry. When she finally opens her heart to Calder, she doesn’t back down. They’re adorable together! I loved the more realistic take on the mermaid lore. It was nice to see the monster aspect of beloved creatures. Anne explores that in the most profound way that is very appealing. I really enjoyed this book and I really can’t wait to read what happens next. Lies Beneath comes out June 12th!  Happy reading,  Valia 

Book Spotlight: Survive by Alex Morel

Hatchet meets Lost in this modern-day adventure tale of one girl's reawakening

Jane is on a plane on her way home to Montclair, New Jersey, from a mental hospital. She is about to kill herself. Just before she can swallow a lethal dose of pills, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black. Jane wakes up amidst piles of wreckage and charred bodies on a snowy mountaintop. There is only one other survivor: a boy named Paul, who inspires Jane to want to fight for her life for the first time.

Jane and Paul scale icy slopes and huddle together for warmth at night, forging an intense emotional bond. But the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive
From goodreads.com
Thanks to Around the World ARC Tours for the copy!!! First of all, I have to admit that I had a lot of expectations when I got this book. When you compare something to a classic like Hatchet (and fabulousness that is Lost) what else can you expect?  Survive tells a story of Jane, a girl struggling with suicidal tendencies. People in her family had taken their own lives and Jane feels like its her duty to do likewise. She gets on a plane to go home for Christmas determined to never land alive. What she doesn't expect is the plane crashing deep in the mountains and her surviving. Everyone else on the plane dies, save one boy, Paul. Together they must journey through the mountains to reach some kind of help or freeze to death.  Honestly, I really wanted to like this story. Yet, from the beginning I didn't feel anything for Jane as a character. I don't know if its because I deal with people like her situations every day or what, but her struggles and "duty" to take her own life were something I didn't feel pity for.  Paul was a character I really wanted to like as well, but I just didn't. Their relationship didn't seem at all gripping like I would've expected from a story that was referred to as Hatchet meets Lost. Maybe I'm too hung up on that comparison but I couldn't help but think of that as I was reading.  I did enjoy the way Alex wrote the struggles on the mountain itself. The way the winds and the storms were described, I felt like I was actually there. Overall, this is a fast read, with natural danger at every turn. While I didn't enjoy the story as much I would've like, it was a worthy read through once.Survive comes out August 2nd, 2012.
Much love, Valia  

Armchair BEA: Alyson Noel's Book Signing

Hello lovelies, 
      Today on Armchair BEA we're discussing networking beyond the blog. Often time, we become so focused on the Internet aspect that we forget that there's a whole world out there. I was like this. Then, I discovered book signings.              I love bookish events! I never even knew these types of things existed until I started writing and became involved in the blogging community. It's kind of funny how something can be right outside you door and you don't even know its happening. That's how I felt about book signings. Since discovering book signings, I've been to a few so far. (Yapalloza recap, Dark Days 2012, Dark Days 2011). Personally, going to book signings is the best kind of encouragement to yourself and to the authors who've worked hard to get where they are. The most recent one I went to was last week and it was Alyson Noel's Fated tour stop. 
Changing Hands is a local Indie bookstore Can I just begin by saying that I adore Alyson to pieces? We've been friends for two years now and she was one of the first authors I've read when I got back into the YA literature. She is the best encouragement when it comes to my writing journey and she's always available for questions on twitter (I try not to bug her too much but ya know *shrugs*)
She's so fun. While she was introducing herself, she stopped in the middle of a sentence to say hi to me. Can I just say how happy that made me? She's a wonderful author and she answered all the questions, extensively. (*snickers*)

One of the best pieces of advice she gave was to read Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. For those of us who struggle with making sure our stories have all of the elements, the Beat Sheet comes into play. Seriously, I recommend taking a look at blakesnyder.com It's super helpful! This is what I love about the writing world! We're seriously one big family. Alyson is a great example of someone who talks to her readers regularly, making them feel important. Honestly, this is how I want to be. I think this aspect is so important, and I thank Alyson kindly for showing me the way. :-)  My bestie and I finished the day off with some delicious frozen yogurt! 

There is really nothing like getting your book signed. Don't you think? :-)
What are some of the book event you've been to? 
Much love, Valia

Armchair BEA: Best of 2012

Hello lovlies,


It is officially day two of Armchair BEA and today I get to share some of my favorite books of the year with you! By the way, how much did you enjoy all the introductions? I love getting to know the wonderful people of the blogging community, don't you? 
Anyway, favorite books time! ( in no particular order)




Guys, this book is Fabulous! Just wait till you read my review!
Honestly, I can't even begin describing to you how much I loved everything about this story. The main character is amazing, strong female who I loved from the first pages. The captain of the guard and the prince both play a huge role in Calaena's lives and boy are those two adorable or what? Seriously, this book is full of awesome characters, kick butt action, and relationships that take your breath away!
(There will be a full review later)
A Must read!!






Seriously, if you aren't tired of me talking about this book yet, you really should be, because I've been talking non stop. (I know twitter is ready for me to take a breather from singing praises to this story) I adore every piece of this story (and not just because I'm Russian). Leigh created a story that pretty much swept me off my feet. I love the characters, the world building, everything. 
Full review here (with gifs and lots of feelings)
Read it! I'm serious about this! (The book, not the review, although I would love for you to take a gander at that too) :-)








This book, people, this book is amazing! I had the privilege of winning the first ever ARC of this book and I devoured it! Rachel and Logan are amazing characters and I fell in serious love with them and their struggles. I know right? Falling in love with their struggles sounds kind of weird but I'm not kidding. This book was amazing (yes, I used that word again) and you should DEFINITELY add it to your TBR list!
(Will post a full review in a few months)






If you haven't noticed yet, I love world building. Each of the books I've mentioned so far had wonderful take on a world the character had to live in. This book is no exception. It might be one of my all time favorite books when it comes to world building. This is another story that I devoured. There is just so much going on here, and the characters have so much to learn. With every page, I sat frozen wondering if they were going to make it. That's what I love about books. The unknown and the predictable all mixed in together for an adventure that will stay with you forever! This is one of those books! Can't wait for more!
Full review here (with lots of love)
For me, this book was one of the most fast paced books I've read in the last few months. Literally, every page had something going on on it. I loved the characters and the fight and the flight and just everything. This seriously read like a thriller and I couldn't be more happy with it. Well, actually if I could have the other two books now I'd be more happy but you know what I mean! This is a great debut and I can't wait to read more. 


Now, let me be honest for a minute. Sometimes I really dislike these "Best of..." posts because I always feel like I overlook some great titles. And then I start feeling guilty, and then I get all twitchy, and then I rip my hair out (not really on those two, but you know what I mean). 
Anyway, these five books were some of the most recent ones that I've read and loved and I hope you will read and love as well. 
Well, I'm off to visit some Armchair BEA blogs!!! What are some of your favorites this year?
Hope everyone has a wonderful day! 


Much love,
Valia