Valia Lind's Blog, page 34

Series Spotlight: The Watchers by Veronica Wolff

Is life offering fewer and fewer options? Then join the dead.When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she's whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she's determined to do so, because to fail doesn't mean dishonor-it means death.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERED WITH A VAMPIRE, YOU HAVE TO WORK THE NIGHT SHIFT.

By her wits, blood, and sacrifice, so far Drew has survived the intensive training on the Isle of Night. As a second-year Acari, her ultimate goal is to become a Watcher, and now she has a shot at her first mission. Except nothing is as it seems. The vampire Alcántara is as sinister as he is sexy, Ronan is more distant than ever, and it turns out there are other vampires out there. Bad ones.

Ancient, bloodthirsty, and powerful, these undead are really old school. They've captured one of the Watcher vamps and are torturing him for information. The only chance to save him is to infiltrate a major summit the baddies are holding on their own island. There will be mortals there, serving as butlers, maids, and various hired help. Drew had better brush up on her skills as a serving girl, because she's about to go undercover…

But, when their vampire prisoner turns out to be a gorgeous bad boy, Drew's first mission quickly turns into more than she bargained for… 
(From Goodreads.com) I have to say that I'm in love with this series! Drew is such a strong character, who has to overcome the obstacles of her life. She's a fighter and she keeps on fighting. I like her consistency throughout the book, struggling to free herself from the bullies of the world. She's one of those characters that you can relate to, even though she's part of a supernatural world.  Ronan is...oh goodness...is...just perfect. I'm team Ronan all the way! I love the way Ronan and Drew's relationship develops. It's not love at first sight for them, they work at becoming something other than strangers. Sometimes I think that aspect is overlooked in books because we dive right into the romance aspects. But in this story, I was right there with Drew wondering if Ronan is more than just a protector, if they can be something other then Acari and Tracer.  In the second book, everything I loved about book one is there but also, everything changes. New characters are introduced that throw a spin into the world that Drew is just beginning to understand. Both books are action packed and fast pasted. I love seeing Drew kick some serious butt. Her friends Emma and Yas are a great addition to the list of characters, and its fun watching them interact.  I also enjoyed the aspect of vampires being the hungry monsters rather than teenage heartthrobs. Veronica went a little farther back in her vampire lore, creating a creature that is to be feared, but who also stays intriguing.  Overall, this series requires a reading! If you enjoy action packed, relationship driven, mythology loving stories, The Watchers is a series for you. I'm dying to know what happens in book 3 (even as I'm terrified after some of the events in book 2). Vampire's Kiss, book 2 in the Watchers series hits shelves March 6th!  Have you read this series? What are your thoughts? Happy reading, Valia 

Book Spotlight: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.
From Goodreads.com

Goddess Interrupted starts out at the end of summer vacation James and Kate took together. She's anxious to get back and see Henry, her husband. When she steps back into the palace she is transported to the Underworld and that's where the real fun starts.This book takes off in a flury of action and emotional rollercoasters. Kate is desperate to have Henry show his love for her, while she feels like she shouldnt even be there. I liked seeing Kate's character develop into someone worthy of a wife and a Queen. Yes, in the first book she had to overcome tests deeming her worthy but in book two she realizes these things for herself. She stands up for what she believes, and she is willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves. Especially Henry.Oh, Henry. I didn't feel like his presence was as evident in this book (which I honestly missed) except through Kate. We watch her struggles, yerning for his love, but we don't see much of his. At least not till page...*fans self* I shall leave you hanging on that one because you will just have to read it for yourself. Make no mistake, I am definetly a Henry supporter. We learn a bit more about him in book two and his story might break your heart.Overall, I enjoyed all the characters and getting a bit of history on them. It was fun watching them interact. Kate and Henry's relationship is beautiful and heartbreaking and they fight to overcome obsticle before them with determination.And that ending, oh goodness that ending will leave you weeping and begging for more. This story has truly touched my heart, and I can't wait to read what happens next!


Let me know what you think!


Happy reading, 
Valia

In My Mailbox #29: The One with Variety

Hello lovelies,
Welcome to In My Mailbox! I'm super excited about the books I have to share with you this week!





So what do you think? 


Special thanks to Rosanne @ Penguin Group


What is in your mailbox?


Happy reading, 
Valia

The One Where I Share My Heart on Classics

Hello darlings, 
How is everyone doing this fine day? So my coworkers and I were talking books last night, and as I drove home this morning I kept thinking about our conversation. We talked about how in school there were books we "had to" read but really enjoyed. While technically I should be sleeping right now, I can't get these books out of my mind. 


You see I adore classics. Books by Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, Alexander Dumas, Herman Melville, George Orwell (just to name a few) are all books that made a difference in my life. Sure, there were times when I was in a middle of a Christopher Pike mystery and had to put it down in order to read 1984, but once I did so, I was thankful. Books teach us important lessons. Lessons that sometimes movies, tv shows, music, and other forms of entertainment overlook. Sometimes in our society, it feels like we're so focused on the entertainment part that we forget that stories are so much more. They're life lessons, adventures, dreams, road maps to self discovery, security blankets, limit pushers, vocabulary teachers, history teachers, guides, and friends. I can go on and on talking about what books, good books, can mean to an individual, but to each of us, they are a different adventure. 



Personally, I loved how Jane Austen always taught me to look for the best in people, how looking past the obvious may let you glimpse the amazing. Alexander Dumas had taught me how not to be afraid to stand up for my friends, knowing that true friends will always stand with me. George Orwell showed me how a world can be, and how I can play a part in making it better. How I can be something other then what society wants me to be. Herman Melville showed how one man's obsessive nature can ruin lives of so many, how a prideful heart can be a downfall, and how bravery is in all of us. 

Each story can be interpreted in so many different ways and this is why I love stories. For those of you who see classical literature as a daunting undertaking, I encourage you to find a story that fits you and read it.  These authors wrote with their hearts, and isn't that what true literature is all about. Today we are encompassed by greatness on every side. I won't start naming authors because I know I will overlook someone. But I think that the books off old still have some very important lessons to teach us and I encourage you to find those lessons and take them to heart. 
Yes, this is how I fell about books! What's one book that made a difference in your life?  Much love,  Valia

Happy Valentine's Day Gift to You!!! - In His Eyes Anthology

Hello darlings,So, technically I'm not a big fan of Valentine's day, except for the fact where it's kind of my name :-) And I'm celebrating today as I celebrate all of the holiday's lately, by sleeping because I had a long night of crazy work. But I have a little special gift for you guys! Jessie Harrell shared this with me and I wanted to share it with you! Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Sixteen original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. 
Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. The contributors to In His Eyes include award winners, frequent "Top 100" placers, and hot 2011 debut authors.  In His Eyes is FREE at Smashwords, and $0.99 at Amazon and Barnes&Noble - hopefully to go free there as well by our release date on February 14th for Valentines Day. Or you can add In His Eyes to your TBR list on Goodreads.For more information about The Indelibles, check out our blog, facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.  Stories included in the Anthology: Surprise, Surprise  by Stacey Wallace Benefiel, author of Glimpse: Half the women in Melody's family can see the future, which makes it nearly impossible for Raleigh to surprise her. What's a guy to do for Valentine's Day when his girlfriend is always one step ahead of him?  First Kiss or First Kill?  by C.K. Bryant, author of Bound: Love isn't always rainbows and kittens, sometimes it can be downright deadly. (A deleted chapter from Bound.)  Shattered  by Ali Cross, author of Become: James and Desi use each other in an effort to cling to the darkness in each of them, but in the end they discover that love changes you. (A chapter of Become from James' POV.)  Before  by Jessie Harrell, author of Destined: When a younger Eros is exiled to a land that doesn't believe in the Greek gods, he finds the first love of his immortal life. Read Eros' first person account of his romance, and heartbreak, in the time before he met Psyche.  The Qualm Before the Storm  by Karen Amanda Hooper, author ofTangled Tides. Yara Jones doesn't want to be a mermaid. Treygan doesn't want to be the monster who turns her. You can't always get what you want. (A short prequel to Tangled Tides.)  Unspeakable  by S.R. Johannes, author of Untraceable: When Mo sees a strange girl in the woods, he follows her. He soon realizes they are both in a dangerous position and might not get out alive.  In the Beginning  by Katie Klein, author of Cross My Heart: Seth is falling hard for Genesis Green, but the guardian angel is determined not to interfere, until an accident changes the course of their lives forever. (A short prequel to The Guardian.)  A Chance Encounter  by Cheri Lasota, author of Artemis Rising: Finnian's eyes hide a terrible secret. But a girl on the train home, the girl in tears with a secret of her own...She sees right through him. A scene from the upcoming novel, Echoes in the Glass.  Family Bonds  by Heather McCorkle, author of The Secret of Spruce Knoll: A Halloween party filled with teens who can channel energy and use it to kill, what could go wrong? For Spruce Knoll fans who are dying to read more about Fane.  Getting Closer  by Lisa Nowak, author of Running Wide Open: Megan is smart, hot, and an upperclassman—in other words, way out of Cody's league. So why did she choose him? (An excerpt of Getting Sideways.)  The Almost Assassin  by Laura Pauling, author of A Spy Like Me, releasing Spring 2012: Malcolm tries his hand at the family business but his conscience and a beautiful "spy" may be his downfall.  Mind Games  by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of Open Minds: Raf wants to take Kira—the only girl in school who doesn't read minds—to the mindware Games, but his friends have other plans. (A short prequel to Open Minds.)  By The Firelight  by Elle Strauss, author of Clockwise: When Nate McKenzie asks an unpopular girl to dance on a dare, he's in for the time of his life.  A Very Alien Valentine's Day  by Magan Vernon, author of How To Date An Alien: After surviving confinement and an intergalactic war for his human half, Alex, now he has to live through the biggest challenge of them all: Valentine's Day.  Aligned  by RaShelle Workman, author of Exiled: A half-Eternal boy and an Eternal girl must free millions of tortured souls from a creature whose been feasting on their pain and suffering.Don't you love stories from the guys point of view? What are your plans for Valentines day? 


Much love, 
Valia

A Walk in the Park with Veronica Rossi

Hello lovelies, 
Welcome to another Walk in the Park with your favorite author! I have to say I'm super excited about today's guest. Veronica Rossi is the debut author of Under the Never Sky (Review here). I absolutely and completely loved that book and Veronica is quickly turning out to be one of my favorite people! Everyone, please welcome Veronica Rossi!


*round of applause*



Welcome Veronica! Thank you so much for taking the time to take a little "walk" with me.Under the Never Sky is a fabulous story. (I'm seriously in love with the story. I couldn't put it down. But you'll see that in my review lol) The world building is truly fascinating. What was the inspiration behind the world you created?Thank you, Valia! The world came out of a desire to compare past and future, technological advancement with something primitive. I read a lot and spent time brainstorming for a few weeks and it began to come together.Aria is a strong character who overcomes a lot challenges before her. (I really liked how she struggles to overcome the prejudice of the world she grew up in.) What was the hardest part in writing her? Well, to be honest, the hardest part was staying true to her prejudices! In the beginning of the story, she had to be terrified, and a little cruel. Her exile into the outer world wouldn't ring true otherwise.Perry is a very complex individual. (and fascinating, and *le sigh* I love me some tortured heroes.) His struggles are very compelling within the story.  What was the best part in writing him? I love writing Perry because he's quiet on the surface but there's a lot going on underneath. He's very loyal and incredibly kind, once you get through his walls. He's just a blast to write.I know you've mentioned this before but who was your favorite character to write and why? This question is practically unanswerable! Of course, the two leads. I also adore writing Roar and Marron. Soren was quite fun, as is Hess. See? I'm just naming them all....What can you tell us about the rest of the series? (CANNOT wait!!! :-) : ) Thank you! Well, I'm working on it now, and I'll say that the stakes really climb. The Aether ramps up, and people start to panic and make some surprising--and sometimes poor--decisions. The Still Blue goes from being a rumor, to the only chance for survival.What is one thing you wish you knew before beginning writing? How much patience it takes! And that revision is the best part of the process. I could revise endlessly and be happy.Do you think being an artist helped you as a writer? (Sometimes I feel it helps me to take a break from writing and just paint or have a photo shoot.) That's great to hear! And I do think my art background brought something to my writing. I'm extremely visual. I need to be able to see the things I write. Coffee or Tea (I always seem to ask this question) :) Coffee in the morning. Tea in the afternoon.Favorite DesertNot much for dessert, but I'll say anything chocolate!One world you wish you could live inWhatever world my sons and husband are in :D Favorite book growing upAnything Judy Blume, and then later, anything Tolkein or Arthurian.Thank you so much for joining me on my "Walk in the Park"!!! Thanks so much for having me, Valia!
So, what are you guys waiting for? Have you checked out Under the Never Sky? What do you think? 
Much love, Valia

In My Mailbox #28: The E-Book Edition

Hello lovelies,
So, I wasn't going to do an IMM this week, because I decided to do it every two weeks. But I realized that I get a lot of e-books and I always forget to share them with y'all. Thus, my plan is to do physical books one week and e-books another. What do you think?
Click on the images for links to goodreads pages: 












Thanks to Netgalley!

Another Netgalley thank you!   



Thank you Entangled Publishing!
Some of these I have already read, and LOVED! Look for the reviews in the future! I have to ask, has anyone read the Celestra Series? Thats what I'm reading ATM and Loving it! Its pretty addicting! What are your thoughts?
What is in your mailbox?
Happy reading, Valia 

On Coloring Outside the Lines

Hey lovelies,
I'm blogging over at YA Warehouse today On Coloring Outside the Lines: http://yawarehouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/on-coloring-outside-lines.html


I'd love for you to go take a look, and let me know what you think! I'm off to work some more on this project of mine. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I leave you with a video (because I'm a photographer and this is true):





Much love,
Valia

Book Spotlight: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART. 

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. 

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim. 

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive. 

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answer.


From Goodreads.com


Aria is a Dweller. Perry is an Outsider. One night, their paths are brought together and then everything changes. This book pulled me right in. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed Aria and Perry's characters (along with everyone else). There is so much truth in these pages, written with excellence that will leave you wanting more. But I digress. 


Aria is a wonderful character. From the beginning of the book she is growing and developing. When she is kicked out of her home, she's in despair. Yet, she doesn't give up, she becomes a fighter.
Perry has always been a fighter. After all, his life requires him to kill or be killed. When his world crashes around him, he must make decisions he never thought he would. These two become allies.
I loved Aria and Perry's characters and their relationship. Nothing about their world is easy, including the alliance they develop, and that is the beauty of the book. Veronica created a place of pain, brought two characters together, and taught them that not everything is how it seems. Even though I wouldn't want to live in a world filled with Aether and storms that burn your flesh, I wouldn't mind finding myself a Perry. This book is filled with twists and turns, beautiful characters, and a lesson we all must learn. Beauty is found in the deepest hearts of people. I sat, stunned after reading the last page of the book and I cannot wait for more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian genre and characters that stay with you long after the pages are read.


Veronica is a sweetheart and she will be stopping by a "Walk in the Park" in the near future. I hope you guys get your hands on Under the Never Sky and come back to hear a few insides about the story. 


Have you guys read this book? What are your thoughts? 


Much love, 
Valia 

A Walk in the Park with Robin Mellom

Hello lovelies, 
I have a special treat for you this morning on our Walk in the Park. I've asked Robin Mellom, the fabulous author of Ditched: A Love Story (review here), to share a little about perseverance as a writer. So here is a bit of encouragement for your day!


There were several times I wanted to give up in my path to publication, but it was the advice from other writers, agents and editors that kept me going.I remember being a conference once and an author said, "If you're getting good feedback on your writing, do the work and then wait in line for your turn."I really think that's true. While we're waiting for our turn, we have to do the work. Write the book. And then write another one. And then…yes…write another one. My first book that sold, DITCHED, was actually the sixth book I'd written. And I don't regret writing those other books for one moment. They helped me develop my skills, find my voice and develop the confidence to take a concept like the one I came up with for DITCHED and do it in the way it deserved. I wasn't ready to write that novel ten years ago. However, the gravy for this story? The very first book I wrote  (yep, ten years ago!)  is now being re-imagined and will be published as THE CLASSROOM in June. So you never know if something sitting in that drawer might season up nicely for the future. My follow-up to DITCHED will be a companion novel titled BUSTED. Here's a quick summary:In BUSTED, 17-year-old Serenity takes a job running errands for an eccentric couple and finds herself involved in the crazy world of LA nightlife. After a misunderstanding lands her in jail, she has one fateful night to clear her name, help a rising movie starlet avoid the paparazzi and find Adam, the coworker who is quickly stealing her heart.As she makes decisions that can change the course of her life, Serenity discovers just how far she'll go to set the record straight. 


Anyone else feel as encouraged by this as I do? 


Hope this brightens your Monday! Have a wonderful day! 
Much love, 
Valia