Valia Lind's Blog, page 30

Armchair BEA: Introductions

Hello everyone!
I can't believe its time for BEA already! I'm truly sad that I couldn't make it to all the festivities in NYC but I loved being part of Armchair BEA last year and I'm super excited about being part of it once more! But first of all, introduction time!


     1. Please tell us a little about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 


         Well, my name is Valia Lind and I've been blogging for close to three years. (Wow, three years, thats serious accomplishment ya'll). I got into blogging specifically to promote my own writing as I take a journey to publication. I found this to be the greatest encouragement and I love the blogging community to pieces. 




     2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?
          Right now, I'm finishing up Secret Letters by Leah Scheier and starting Vanished by Meg Cabot. I can't even begin to name favorite books of this year, but one of the most recent ones would be Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (my review) There's lots of Dean in that one! :-)






    3. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. 
         I love photography (I think you knew that) and art. I love to do crafts and I throw knives for fun :-)


    4. What is your favorite feature on your blog?
         I love the Walk in the Park feature where I get to interview other authors. I also love posting reviews and author visits. I guess, you can say I pretty much adore when other people let me be part of their journey!
    5. Where do you see your blog in five years?
         Honestly, I have no idea. I hope its still here and going strong. I also hope to have more writing related aspects to it, because I hope to be published in the YA world! 


       Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my ramblings! I can't imagine this journey without you all! Can't wait to see what else is in store for Armchair BEA this year! Hugs!


      Much love, 
      Valia 

Happy (2nd) Birthday Simplicity!!!!!

Hello lovelies,
Can you believe it? It's that time again!!! No, not Christmas, sheesh. Oh, wait, come back don't leave! Even though its not Christmas it's still a day of celebration!!! Simplicity (the new and revamped version) is out in the world today! 
Serious EXCITEMENT!!! 
You guys probably think I'm nuts, and that's okay with me. The thing is, which I've said before, Simplicity is my baby. I never thought she'll see the light of day or that I'd be sharing Alexis and Jake's story with anyone beside my immediate family. Sure, I had no idea what I was doing when I agreed to publish Simplicity or how the publishing world worked. But here's the thing, you live and you learn. 


Today, I am celebrating the fact that I LIVED and I LEARNED!
On the other hand, I'm feeling a bit like this...
My thoughts are: "What if no one reads it?" or "What if everyone hates it?" For me, it feels like Simplicity is out for the first time, taking those first steps, ever. 


What I'm trying to say is that even thought this is the re-release of Simplicity, it's important to me. I wanted to share that feeling of excitement and importance with you. Simplicity is not like the YA books I'm working on right now. It's a story, a romance, a journey of self discovery that we all go through even though we may not end up on a deserted island to do it. 
No, not that one! (However, I'm watching Lost for the first time ever. I'm on season 3 and LOVING it! No spoilers please) :-) 
But that's not the point. The point is, I hope you read Simplicity and I hope it touches your heart. 


You can get your own copy at Amazon! (please, pretty please, do ;-)

Hugs, 
Valia 


P.S. If you do purchase Simplicity, make sure to keep your receipt handy! The blog tour has some surprises in store for you :-) <3 <3 <3

Book Spotlight: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.From Goodreads.com
Thank you to Around the World ARC tours for the book! Shadow and Bone is a story that takes off from page one. We meet a boy and a girl in an orphanage, trying to survive. The friendship between the two is evident and beautiful from the start. Then, we are transported to present time and the boy and girl are now on a journey across the darkest part of the land. They are ambushed and are battling for their lives, when Mal, her best friend and the love of her life, is injured. Alina, who is not a fighter, puts her own life on the line to save Mal and that’s when her life changes.  I was in love with this book from page one. It might’ve been because of all the Russian-like language, but mostly it was because this book was amazing. The story progresses fast, full of twist, turns, and self discovery. Alina is a strong character who has to learn how to deal with her new found power and everything that is expected of her. She is pulled into the world of The Darkling, a mysterious powerful being who sweeps her off her feet. He’s a very interesting character. I enjoyed discovering more about him and watching his interaction with Alina.  Mal, oh Mal. He’s one swoon worthy individual! I loved his relationship with Alina, I loved his character, I loved him to pieces. Leigh does such a good job in writing these two together, their journey, their relationship.  If I were to tell you just how much I adore this book, this review will be a mile long. Seriously, I’m recommending this book to people on the street, shouting about it out of my car on the way to work, throwing things at people to get their attention. Well, maybe not but I love this book! I have so many feelings it requires a gif (or two)!!!        
Leigh created such a beautifully broken world, with characters who take a stand and fight for what they believe in. This book will literally keep you up at night and stay with you long after the last page is read. This book comes out June 5th, 2012. Buy it, read it, love it! Happy reading,  Valia 

Book Haul Galore with Lots of Awesome!

Hello lovelies,
I'm back!!! I know, I feel like I keep saying that about everything, but it's true! It's been awhile! Not to worry though, it was worth the way. Now without any farther wait, I present to you, the books I got since my last mailbox!


Thanks to: 
Around the World ARC Tours 
Tor Books 
Sourcebooks Fire 
Harper Teen 
Penguin Books 
And random people I don't know! 
Now, that was a lot of books! 


What's in your mailbox?  


Happy reading! 
Valia

Book Spotlight: Kill Me Soflty by Sarah Cross

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.
From Goodreads.com

Thanks Around the World ARC Tours for the book!
Kill Me Softly is a retelling of all kinds of fairy tales. The heroine of the book is Mira, a girl who’s sixteenth birthday is right around the corner. She leaves her two guardians behind, and journeys to a town she is forbidden to visit. There she meets all kinds of interesting people, from a boy named Blue, who’s mission in life is to get on her nerves, to a boy named Freddie, who’s the sweetest guy on the planet. With two new friends, or something, in tow, she searches for her family and for her own meaning in life. She meets Felix, extravagant casino owner who steals her heart and so much more.  This book is a quick read, full of twists and turns. Honestly, when I started the book I expected something along the lines of Once Upon a Time (which is a fabulous show by the way), but it was nothing like it. At times, I wasn’t sure what exactly I was getting myself into. There aspects of the book that I wasn’t too happy with, just because they were a bit awkward/weird? My favorite part of the book was exploring all the different fairy tales how they were first written. I had the villain figured out from the beginning because I have a thing for fairy tales, and it was fun seeing all the characters coming alive.  This book is now available wherever books are sold. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. I’m glad I got to read it, even though I probably won’t be rereading it! :-)  Happy reading,  Valia 

Simplicity Re-release Giveaway!!!!

Hello lovelies,  Can you believe its 10 days till re-release of Simplicity??? *Runs around in a frenzy* EMOTIONS PEOPLE EMOTIONS!!!

As you all know, Simplicity is my first novel and it’s my baby. Before I knew anything about publishing, or really writing, I let it out into the world and it wasn’t ready. Now, its ready and I’m super excited for you all to read it! Simplicity is a fully emotionally  charged journey of one girl and I want you all to have a part in it. Ready for the contest?  I’ve created a Pinterest board specifically for Simplicity.  http://pinterest.com/vlsimplicity/simplicity-re-release/ Alexis is a workaholic, who ends up on an island and has to rediscover the important things in life. What I want you to do is to find things to add to my Pinterest board. These can be anything from ways to survive on an island, crafts, to encouraging words, or simple delights of the life. Think of it as a suggestion board for Alexis, but also as a way for you to rediscover the simple things in life that you enjoy. Make sure to leave a link below with your contact information! And spread the word! The contest will run for a few weeks and the winner will receive a copy of the book as well as a $10 gift card, plus some swag. 
Have fun my darling minions!! This contest is as much for you as it is for me!         Much love,         Valia 

Blogging at @YA_Warehouse today with pretty pictures :-)

Hello lovelies, 


I'm over at the collab blog today briefly talking about my editing journey. It's one of the shortest posts ever, but I think you should take a look. It's full of cute Supernatural boys! :-) 


http://yawarehouse.blogspot.com/2012/05/on-editing-frenzy.html


Well, technically yes, but you can see them right now :-)

Plus, I need suggestions! :-)


Hugs and more hugs, 


Valia

A Touch of Disney World Wonder with Pictures!

Hello lovelies! I’m back! I know, I know you’ve all missed me terribly. It was quite odd not being online for over a week. Sure, I checked my email to make sure I wasn’t missing anything but that was about it. Anyway, that is beside the point. I’m here to talk about Disney World! I’ve never been to Disney World before, I’ve never even been to Florida before this trip. I also don’t remember the last time I’ve taken an actual vacation so this was fun on so many levels. We stayed there for six days, and went to all four parks.  The thing about Disney World that I never really understood before is how happy that place truly is. Sure, I’ve seen commercials and pictures of smiling faces and lots of music. Even with all that I wasn’t prepared for all the amazingness I saw.  That place really did inspire me in so many different ways. I’ve finished my current WIP on the flight home, and now I will be starting edits and a new project that came to me while I was walking the streets of Disney World. I don’t even know where to start talking about all the awesome so here are some pictures!





I am completely and totally in love with that place! Just to warn you, I’ll probably be posting Disney related pictures to everything for a while. :-) In other news, Simplicity officially re-releases June 1st!!! *SQUEE* So very excited about this development. For those of you who haven’t met Alexis and Jake I’m very excited for you to do so! They’re my first complete characters and really my babies. I hope you enjoy their journey as much as I loved writing it.  Oh and if I owed you an email, you probably have it by now.  Well, I’m off to work on boring things now (homework is calling my name). Much love and hugs to y’all! Valia 

Book Spotlight: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs.  She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.
Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door.  He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back.  Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever.  She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove.  They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price.  And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.
From Amazon.com

Thank you Around the World ARC tours for letting me be on this tour! In this book we meet Gemma, a girl who has a love for the water. She lives with her older sister Harper and their dad. In the beginning of the book she’s trying to go for her night swim when her car breaks down. Enter Alex. He’s the boy next door and Harper’s best friend. He offers Gemma a ride and everything changes from that moment on. But Gemma has more to worry about then just the boy next door.  There are three girls visiting the town and they are full of trouble.  I read Trylle trilogy a while back, before they were printed, finding Amanda’s writing interesting. Amanda has a unique way of writing her stories and Wake is an example of that. I loved the characters in this book. Gemma had to make some serious decisions and she did so well. Her relationship with Alex is both sweet and romantic, bringing that innocence into the story. I really enjoyed Alex’s character. He’s the perfect boy next door, but he also stands up for what he cares about. Harper was a fun character, even with all of her overbearing tendencies. I thought she was the perfect big sister trying to be mother, and was well written. Daniel, the guy that gets close to Harper in the way she doesn’t usually allow people, is probably my favorite. He’s fun and real, making Harper see things the way she needs to. Honestly, I probably loved Alex and Daniel the best!  The three girls, the enemy, are written a bit like your typical mean girls, but there is also a underside of cruelty to them.  Overall, the book was a good beginning to a series. There was action, there was struggle, and there were some seriously hot boys. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out where Amanda takes these characters next. Wake comes out August 7th! Let me know what you think!  Happy reading,  Valia

Book Spotlight: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda with Special Treat!

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
 
Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
 
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity? 
From Goodreads.com



Thank you Around the World ARC Tours for the copy!

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. There is so much potential and ways it could be written, but I wasn’t disappointed. Once I started reading, I had to finish to find out what happens!
The book is written from Gene’s point of view, human boy living in an inhuman world. He grew up following a set of rules, keeping his humanity a complete secret. The vampires in this book is a lot like I’ve always pictured them. Ruthless, predatory, complete animals. The contrast between Gene and the vampires was so well written, it was creepy.  Creepy is probably the best way to describe this book. Creepy and gross. The beginning was a little slow for me, there were times where I wanted the action of the Hunt to be present, but the ending kind of made up for it. I understand the necessity of setting up the world, and once you get through that, the book takes off.  There are lots of twist in the book that I really enjoyed. Overall, this was a great read! I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, where Andrew takes his characters. This world is dark, real, and terrifying, written to keep you up at night. If you like creepy you will like this book. This book comes out May 8th! Let me know what you think! 


Special treat for you guys! Macmillan Audio sent me a clip from their audio book. Enjoy! 




What do you think? Happy reading, Valia