L.H. Nicole's Blog, page 8
May 29, 2014
My Hero authors part 1 Tamora Pierce & Joan Lowery Nixon
In April I took part in the A to Z blog challenge and chose a theme of YA books. Several of the books featured were by a few of the authors who inspired my imagination in high school and who, still to this day, inspire my writing. Not gonna lie this post is being spawned for two reasons.......aka meeting two of my 5 hero authors! OMG!!!!! Let me tell you all about them and their books while I worship at their feet like the proper fan girl I am ;P And the second reason is I just returned from the 2014 RT convention in NoLa, where I got to meet the first author I'm talking about.
Now these are in NO PARTICULAR order, because to have to pick favorite would kill me. They are all goddesses of literary fiction in my opinion. I was originally going to do this in one post but as I'm typing it, I realize that I am too much of a fan girl and just have too much praise to give to address all 5 of these literary queens in one post so I'm going to break this up into 3 posts.
Since I just had the honor and pleasure of meeting her just last week we'll start here:
Tamora "Tammy" Pierce--Goddess of YA Fantasy
She walked into a panel I was sitting in on at RT (solely to see her and try to absorb her awesomeness through hovering like a stalker) When she walked into the room it was like OMG this is the woman/goddess who wrote the Song of the Lioness Quartet! The first fantasy book I ever had the pleasure of reading! I can still remember almost all of the first book with perfect clarity and most of the second, third and fourth. That's how amazing and impactful this one 4 book series was for me! Not gonna lie, I teared up a little and was too star struck to say anything before the panel started, but I caught her at her next panel and got to meet her and take a picture with her! Then even better several days later, at the Giant book fair of RT, I was walking around a few minutes before the fair opened and I went to get a signed copy of one of her many fab books and we got to talking and she asked what I wrote and I said YA Fantasy and she said "Why haven't I read your book? Where can I find it?" Insert dead faint then loud squeal of absolute delight when I mentally regained consciousness! Tammy Pierce might read my book!!!!!!!!!! Just the possibility has me freakin'!Okay, now enough of my fan girling and time to get into Tammy's books and why they are so inspirational and all around fantastical, just like the goddess author herself (Did I mention she talks to marmosets? Totally true, I couldn't make this stuff up!)But I've now spent a good bit of time fan girling, time to give you what you came for: The reasons Tammy is such an amazing influence on me and my writing and a list of her series. These will be in order of my favorites ;P1) Song of the Lioness Quartet 2) The Circle of Magic 3) Protector of the Small 4) The Immortals 5) Daughter of the Lioness 6) Beka Cooper 7) Circle Reforged 8) The Circle OpensNow this is only 8 of her series. Tamora "Tammy" Pierce is the author of over 50 books, most of which are either best sellers or very popular/cult favorites among those who love fantasy books. Song of the Lioness Quartet is my very favorite series of hers, hands down, because the very first book--Alana the First Adventure still rebounds in my head, even to this day, almost 15 years after I first read it. As I said above I can still recall that book almost perfectly and same with the second of that series, In the Hands of the Goddess, because while still being central in the realm of fantasy (and the first fantasy books I eve read and enjoyed) Tammy expertly blends in a healthy dose of romance! Now mind, Alana didn't end up with the boy I wanted her with, but the following books in the series made it quite clear to me why she ended up with whom she did and I now accept it. I especially love getting to see Alana's daughter story in the Daughter of the Lioness series. For many who have read Tammy's books I am sure they would agree that she spins a web of such believability and realistic worlds, characters, events, battles (OMG the battles! EPIC) and romance.Now we all know I love my romance and this is one of the few authors that, while I love the unique romance she writes, I don't necessarily look for it the way I do with other books. For me, the fact that I can still remember such detail about her books, is something I hope to aspire to in my writing career, and something that I am desperately working on with Legendary, the other 3 books in my series and my other WIP. I can't say enough about this amazing author, especially now that I've gotten the pleasure to meet her and see just how......normal......and totally down to earth she is. (Aside front the fact she talks to animals and has some stories, of her experiences in life that you just can't make up!) And I know I'm not the only person who idolizes Tammy, even two other authors--successful authors--teared up and freaked out like I silently did when they met her. Overall Tammy's books have done an amazing job leaving their marks on my imagination and memory and that, along with her world building and character building abilities, are what I hope to take from her and find a way to apply to my writing.
Joan Lowery Nixon--Goddess of YA Mystery and Thriller
Joan Lowery Nixon was the author of more than 140 books, several co authored with her husband. Sadly, Mrs. Nixon died in 2003 of pancreatic cancer, just 6 years after I had started reading her books--thanks to one of my english teachers in middle school. It saddens me that I'll never get to meet this goddess of thrillers, mystery and suspense (as well as historical YA books--but I am inspired by her mysteries so.....) but her spirit and influence live on in her writing and the books I still have from when I was 14 (15 years ago now) and still go back to re-read when the mood strikes.
As you can tell from the graphic of some of my favorite books of hers, girls were always the main characters. While that is not necessarily uncommon, what is--to me at least--is the fact that every girl, every story, every parent, every boy (on the every other occasion that she included romance in these books) were all different every single time. The suspense always had me at the edge of my couch (or desk chair, when I tried to hide the fact that I was reading during math class with my text book) and the mysteries always had my imagination spinning. I just had to know who did it and why! I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Mrs. Nixon won 4 Edgar Allen Poe awards (with another 5 nominations) in her career. And those wins and nominations are no small thing!I talked above about how Tammy is a master of building all the things that creates a successful book, and Joan is no different. Like I said she can create dozens of characters and stories and she won't repeat herself. And that's something that I am always scared of doing when I am writing (whither it's book 2 or 3 or 4 of Legendary Saga or my other project--a YA Paranormal/fantasy) I know I personally get bored when I read more than one series by an author and some of the characters just seem the same, or the same plot formula is used for this book and that and this one. Sadly that can even be said for several YA authors and books---THAT AREN'T WRITTEN BY THE SAME AUTHOR OR EVEN IN THE SAME SERIES. If you compare twenty different popular YA books, I can guarantee you'll find at least 10-12 that are almost the exact same formula, pace, character and world building. And that saddens/frustrates me, and it is something that I am striving to make sure I don't do. And to that extent Joan Lowery Nixon is the perfect example and a standard that I want to live up to and learn from.If you haven't read any of these books by either of these 2 of my 5 hero authors I suggest you do! Or even better, if you have teen kids (girl or boy) get them to read these books! They are beyond appropriate for those age groups. Next up will be two more of my hero authors: Meg Cabot and Cate Tiernan.
Laters lovelies!
<3 always LH
Now these are in NO PARTICULAR order, because to have to pick favorite would kill me. They are all goddesses of literary fiction in my opinion. I was originally going to do this in one post but as I'm typing it, I realize that I am too much of a fan girl and just have too much praise to give to address all 5 of these literary queens in one post so I'm going to break this up into 3 posts.
Since I just had the honor and pleasure of meeting her just last week we'll start here:
Tamora "Tammy" Pierce--Goddess of YA Fantasy
She walked into a panel I was sitting in on at RT (solely to see her and try to absorb her awesomeness through hovering like a stalker) When she walked into the room it was like OMG this is the woman/goddess who wrote the Song of the Lioness Quartet! The first fantasy book I ever had the pleasure of reading! I can still remember almost all of the first book with perfect clarity and most of the second, third and fourth. That's how amazing and impactful this one 4 book series was for me! Not gonna lie, I teared up a little and was too star struck to say anything before the panel started, but I caught her at her next panel and got to meet her and take a picture with her! Then even better several days later, at the Giant book fair of RT, I was walking around a few minutes before the fair opened and I went to get a signed copy of one of her many fab books and we got to talking and she asked what I wrote and I said YA Fantasy and she said "Why haven't I read your book? Where can I find it?" Insert dead faint then loud squeal of absolute delight when I mentally regained consciousness! Tammy Pierce might read my book!!!!!!!!!! Just the possibility has me freakin'!Okay, now enough of my fan girling and time to get into Tammy's books and why they are so inspirational and all around fantastical, just like the goddess author herself (Did I mention she talks to marmosets? Totally true, I couldn't make this stuff up!)But I've now spent a good bit of time fan girling, time to give you what you came for: The reasons Tammy is such an amazing influence on me and my writing and a list of her series. These will be in order of my favorites ;P1) Song of the Lioness Quartet 2) The Circle of Magic 3) Protector of the Small 4) The Immortals 5) Daughter of the Lioness 6) Beka Cooper 7) Circle Reforged 8) The Circle OpensNow this is only 8 of her series. Tamora "Tammy" Pierce is the author of over 50 books, most of which are either best sellers or very popular/cult favorites among those who love fantasy books. Song of the Lioness Quartet is my very favorite series of hers, hands down, because the very first book--Alana the First Adventure still rebounds in my head, even to this day, almost 15 years after I first read it. As I said above I can still recall that book almost perfectly and same with the second of that series, In the Hands of the Goddess, because while still being central in the realm of fantasy (and the first fantasy books I eve read and enjoyed) Tammy expertly blends in a healthy dose of romance! Now mind, Alana didn't end up with the boy I wanted her with, but the following books in the series made it quite clear to me why she ended up with whom she did and I now accept it. I especially love getting to see Alana's daughter story in the Daughter of the Lioness series. For many who have read Tammy's books I am sure they would agree that she spins a web of such believability and realistic worlds, characters, events, battles (OMG the battles! EPIC) and romance.Now we all know I love my romance and this is one of the few authors that, while I love the unique romance she writes, I don't necessarily look for it the way I do with other books. For me, the fact that I can still remember such detail about her books, is something I hope to aspire to in my writing career, and something that I am desperately working on with Legendary, the other 3 books in my series and my other WIP. I can't say enough about this amazing author, especially now that I've gotten the pleasure to meet her and see just how......normal......and totally down to earth she is. (Aside front the fact she talks to animals and has some stories, of her experiences in life that you just can't make up!) And I know I'm not the only person who idolizes Tammy, even two other authors--successful authors--teared up and freaked out like I silently did when they met her. Overall Tammy's books have done an amazing job leaving their marks on my imagination and memory and that, along with her world building and character building abilities, are what I hope to take from her and find a way to apply to my writing.Joan Lowery Nixon--Goddess of YA Mystery and Thriller
Joan Lowery Nixon was the author of more than 140 books, several co authored with her husband. Sadly, Mrs. Nixon died in 2003 of pancreatic cancer, just 6 years after I had started reading her books--thanks to one of my english teachers in middle school. It saddens me that I'll never get to meet this goddess of thrillers, mystery and suspense (as well as historical YA books--but I am inspired by her mysteries so.....) but her spirit and influence live on in her writing and the books I still have from when I was 14 (15 years ago now) and still go back to re-read when the mood strikes.
As you can tell from the graphic of some of my favorite books of hers, girls were always the main characters. While that is not necessarily uncommon, what is--to me at least--is the fact that every girl, every story, every parent, every boy (on the every other occasion that she included romance in these books) were all different every single time. The suspense always had me at the edge of my couch (or desk chair, when I tried to hide the fact that I was reading during math class with my text book) and the mysteries always had my imagination spinning. I just had to know who did it and why! I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Mrs. Nixon won 4 Edgar Allen Poe awards (with another 5 nominations) in her career. And those wins and nominations are no small thing!I talked above about how Tammy is a master of building all the things that creates a successful book, and Joan is no different. Like I said she can create dozens of characters and stories and she won't repeat herself. And that's something that I am always scared of doing when I am writing (whither it's book 2 or 3 or 4 of Legendary Saga or my other project--a YA Paranormal/fantasy) I know I personally get bored when I read more than one series by an author and some of the characters just seem the same, or the same plot formula is used for this book and that and this one. Sadly that can even be said for several YA authors and books---THAT AREN'T WRITTEN BY THE SAME AUTHOR OR EVEN IN THE SAME SERIES. If you compare twenty different popular YA books, I can guarantee you'll find at least 10-12 that are almost the exact same formula, pace, character and world building. And that saddens/frustrates me, and it is something that I am striving to make sure I don't do. And to that extent Joan Lowery Nixon is the perfect example and a standard that I want to live up to and learn from.If you haven't read any of these books by either of these 2 of my 5 hero authors I suggest you do! Or even better, if you have teen kids (girl or boy) get them to read these books! They are beyond appropriate for those age groups. Next up will be two more of my hero authors: Meg Cabot and Cate Tiernan.Laters lovelies!
<3 always LH
May 7, 2014
Cartoon Theme Song One Liners
Hi Lovelies! If you follow my author page you'll have seen a post I just put up a few days ago about my list of favorite cartoon shows from the 80's, 90's and EARLY 00's (aka before cartoons started to get really bad. And in my opinion, have only just started to get good again in the last few years. Yes I'm a big dork, but I think that should be fairly obvious by now o_0)
While me and two of my Lady Knights were having a blast back to the past moment (or maybe it was a half hour.......) watching old cartoon theme songs on YouTube I remembered just how many great one liners a lot of those themes had. Now maybe they weren't all funny, but come on, you know you remember a line or two from a few of them. In honor of that I've decided to give you my favorite one liners from those themes in my top 30 list! -Again big dork here, but that should be abundantly clear by now. I'm just cementing it right now ;PGeek Pride baby!
Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers--- "There's no case too big, no case too small, when you need help just call: Chip Chip Chip Chip and Dale!" I want to be saved by a chipmunk! And we all know Gadget and Chip were made for each other
Duck Tales--- "You might solve a mystery or rewrite history Duck Tales" Once in your head, this song won't ever go away! I've been singing it for 3 days!
Jem and the Holograms--- "Jem is adventure! Ooouu... Glamour and glitter, Fashion and fame!" Me and my friends are Jem girls! **dances around***
Animaniacs--- "Goodfeathers flock together; Slappy whacks 'em with her purse." Now I want to slap somebody with my purse
Scooby Doo--- "Scooby Doo if you come through you're going to have yourself a scooby snack!" And I've made scooby snacks!
Pirated of Dark Water--- "An unlikely but loyal crew of misfits" I totally love misfits! They make the best characters
Darkwing Duck--- "Lets get dangerous" And he was so damn serious about it too! LOL
Captain Planet--- "Captain Planet, he's our hero, Gonna take pollution down to zero" Is anyone else seeing the Disney's Hercules reference here?
Gummi Bears--- "bouncing here and there and everywhere" Where can I get my Gummi Berry juice?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles--- "Heroes in a half shell. Turtle Power!" Is it sad that Leo and April were also my favorite? Magic Knights Rayearth--- "It's true--what you believe. Don't let go--the road will never end!" Call me sentimental but......this line was just so inspiring
Inspector Gadget--- "Inspector Gadget Ooh ohh Inspector Gadget" Not a lot of words, but ya can't stop singing it!
W.I.T.C.H.--- "Water, fire, earth and air---Guardians Unite." I don't know why but this part is the one that always sticks out to me
Aladdin the series--- "Pack your shield, pack your sword, you won't ever get bored." I love the show so much more than the movies! And I love the movies!
Loony Tunes--- "Tonight what heights we'll hit On with the show this is it!" Who didn't love that wrascaly wrabbit? Bugs had some of the best one liners ever!
Kim Possible--- "Call me, beep me if you want to reach me" It's the Disney girl in me... and she had such great hair and could kick butt no matter what outfit she was wearing! Thunder Cats--- "Thunder Thunder Thunder Cats--HO!" Okay so this is the only real line, but come on, who doesn't know this one?
She-Ra Princess of Power--- "Fabulous secrets were revealed to me..." Was it just me or did anyone else want to have Spirit/Swiftwind for a pet?
Gargoyles---"Frozen in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years" You know, I think it was Goliath's voice, he could say anything and I'd love it.
Voltron: Defender of the Universe--- "Loved by good. Feared by evil." I always wanted to be Princess Allura so I could have Keith! Cartoons shouldn't be allowed to be so hot!
Sailor Moon--- "Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight" There is nothing really to say except SAILOR MOON RULES! And in the name of the moon I will punish you!
So you see total geek and darn proud of it. You don't like it then too bad. Really who doesn't like getting reminders of the good parts of their child hood? Several of these cartoons I would always watch with my best friends or my big brother (It was a rare occasion we could both sit down and enjoy watching the same thing!) My nephew--my little tiger prince--is just getting old enough to be allowed to start watching some of these cartoons, and my Niece--the Diva--is almost there too. I can't wait to show them what good cartoons really are!
And now to finish getting ready for RT convention in NoLa! It's gonna be the best week of this year so far!Laters lovelies<3 always LH
While me and two of my Lady Knights were having a blast back to the past moment (or maybe it was a half hour.......) watching old cartoon theme songs on YouTube I remembered just how many great one liners a lot of those themes had. Now maybe they weren't all funny, but come on, you know you remember a line or two from a few of them. In honor of that I've decided to give you my favorite one liners from those themes in my top 30 list! -Again big dork here, but that should be abundantly clear by now. I'm just cementing it right now ;PGeek Pride baby!
Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers--- "There's no case too big, no case too small, when you need help just call: Chip Chip Chip Chip and Dale!" I want to be saved by a chipmunk! And we all know Gadget and Chip were made for each other
Duck Tales--- "You might solve a mystery or rewrite history Duck Tales" Once in your head, this song won't ever go away! I've been singing it for 3 days!
Jem and the Holograms--- "Jem is adventure! Ooouu... Glamour and glitter, Fashion and fame!" Me and my friends are Jem girls! **dances around***
Animaniacs--- "Goodfeathers flock together; Slappy whacks 'em with her purse." Now I want to slap somebody with my purse
Scooby Doo--- "Scooby Doo if you come through you're going to have yourself a scooby snack!" And I've made scooby snacks!
Pirated of Dark Water--- "An unlikely but loyal crew of misfits" I totally love misfits! They make the best characters
Darkwing Duck--- "Lets get dangerous" And he was so damn serious about it too! LOL
Captain Planet--- "Captain Planet, he's our hero, Gonna take pollution down to zero" Is anyone else seeing the Disney's Hercules reference here?
Gummi Bears--- "bouncing here and there and everywhere" Where can I get my Gummi Berry juice?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles--- "Heroes in a half shell. Turtle Power!" Is it sad that Leo and April were also my favorite? Magic Knights Rayearth--- "It's true--what you believe. Don't let go--the road will never end!" Call me sentimental but......this line was just so inspiring
Inspector Gadget--- "Inspector Gadget Ooh ohh Inspector Gadget" Not a lot of words, but ya can't stop singing it!
W.I.T.C.H.--- "Water, fire, earth and air---Guardians Unite." I don't know why but this part is the one that always sticks out to me
Aladdin the series--- "Pack your shield, pack your sword, you won't ever get bored." I love the show so much more than the movies! And I love the movies!
Loony Tunes--- "Tonight what heights we'll hit On with the show this is it!" Who didn't love that wrascaly wrabbit? Bugs had some of the best one liners ever!
Kim Possible--- "Call me, beep me if you want to reach me" It's the Disney girl in me... and she had such great hair and could kick butt no matter what outfit she was wearing! Thunder Cats--- "Thunder Thunder Thunder Cats--HO!" Okay so this is the only real line, but come on, who doesn't know this one?
She-Ra Princess of Power--- "Fabulous secrets were revealed to me..." Was it just me or did anyone else want to have Spirit/Swiftwind for a pet?
Gargoyles---"Frozen in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years" You know, I think it was Goliath's voice, he could say anything and I'd love it.
Voltron: Defender of the Universe--- "Loved by good. Feared by evil." I always wanted to be Princess Allura so I could have Keith! Cartoons shouldn't be allowed to be so hot!
Sailor Moon--- "Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight" There is nothing really to say except SAILOR MOON RULES! And in the name of the moon I will punish you!
So you see total geek and darn proud of it. You don't like it then too bad. Really who doesn't like getting reminders of the good parts of their child hood? Several of these cartoons I would always watch with my best friends or my big brother (It was a rare occasion we could both sit down and enjoy watching the same thing!) My nephew--my little tiger prince--is just getting old enough to be allowed to start watching some of these cartoons, and my Niece--the Diva--is almost there too. I can't wait to show them what good cartoons really are!
And now to finish getting ready for RT convention in NoLa! It's gonna be the best week of this year so far!Laters lovelies<3 always LH
April 30, 2014
Z for Zombie vs Unicorn
Day 26 of the A to Z Challenge. Last offering:
Z is for Zombie vs Unicorn by Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan
BOOK BLURB:It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
I would’ve personally gone for something a little more……more, I guessMY THOUGHTS:The last of the A to Z’s TBR shelf.Now, I’m sure you can imagine, finding YA books that start with every letter of the alphabet can be kinds tricky…… Z was the third hardest to find, and that was because there just weren’t many choices. I chose this one because it is a book of several stories, written by several authors, one of whom if Meg Cabot. Ah ha, now you see the reason I chose this one. I have the sample of Zombies vs Unicorns waiting for my on my iPad, but I admit, I’ll probably see if I can find this title at the library by my house, or maybe even at one of the bookstores and read the Meg Cabot story first.If I like that I’ll probably read the others. My biggest hold off is this: I am not a Zombie fan. At all. But I love Unicorns! Who wouldn’t? Heck, one of my oldest friends still has pictures of us when we were seven and I was dressed up as a Unicorn for a party we threw for our imaginary friends. And now that I’ve revealed a slightly mortifying memory for your reading pleasure, anyone out there read this book? If so drop me a line and let me know what you thought.That said, I want to thank everyone for stopping by, taking the time to read my ramblings and follow me on social media! This challenge was a blast and I hope you found at least 1 new book to read or introduce someone too.
I also want to thank the authors who put up books as prizes for the giveaway! You all rock so hard! Today is the last day to enter in the giveaway so don’t delay!There you go, the last offering on the A to Z Challenge! I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did.
Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Z is for Zombie vs Unicorn by Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan
BOOK BLURB:It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
I would’ve personally gone for something a little more……more, I guessMY THOUGHTS:The last of the A to Z’s TBR shelf.Now, I’m sure you can imagine, finding YA books that start with every letter of the alphabet can be kinds tricky…… Z was the third hardest to find, and that was because there just weren’t many choices. I chose this one because it is a book of several stories, written by several authors, one of whom if Meg Cabot. Ah ha, now you see the reason I chose this one. I have the sample of Zombies vs Unicorns waiting for my on my iPad, but I admit, I’ll probably see if I can find this title at the library by my house, or maybe even at one of the bookstores and read the Meg Cabot story first.If I like that I’ll probably read the others. My biggest hold off is this: I am not a Zombie fan. At all. But I love Unicorns! Who wouldn’t? Heck, one of my oldest friends still has pictures of us when we were seven and I was dressed up as a Unicorn for a party we threw for our imaginary friends. And now that I’ve revealed a slightly mortifying memory for your reading pleasure, anyone out there read this book? If so drop me a line and let me know what you thought.That said, I want to thank everyone for stopping by, taking the time to read my ramblings and follow me on social media! This challenge was a blast and I hope you found at least 1 new book to read or introduce someone too. I also want to thank the authors who put up books as prizes for the giveaway! You all rock so hard! Today is the last day to enter in the giveaway so don’t delay!There you go, the last offering on the A to Z Challenge! I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did.
Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 29, 2014
Y for Young Sherlock Holmes-Death Cloud
Day 25 of the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
Y is for Young Sherlock Holmes- Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
BOOK BLURB:It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherlock’s true education in detection, as he discovers the dastardly crimes of a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Definitely a cover worthy of Sherlock Holmes!
MY THOUGHTS:Another on the TBR shelf. I admit, I’ve only read a few of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyly Sherlock books, but ever since Robert Downey JR starred in Sherlock back in 2009 I have had my love of the series re-ignited. There are so many great movies and (of course) TV shows. BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary. So I needed a YA book to go along with it. If you will recall, day 3 of the challenge, C for Clockwork Scarab was also a Sherlock involved book, but that one was centered around his niece. This one is all about the famous detective himself as a teen! Who wouldn’t want to read that?I’ve read plenty of the reviews and many seem to agree, this is worthy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is caulk full of action, intrigue, mystery and kidnappings! Several if I read correctly.
Definitely excited to sit down with this one and get started. It’s in my top 5 of my TBR pile.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 26!Later lovelies!<3 L.H. Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants a Rafflecopter giveaway
Y is for Young Sherlock Holmes- Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
BOOK BLURB:It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherlock’s true education in detection, as he discovers the dastardly crimes of a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Definitely a cover worthy of Sherlock Holmes!MY THOUGHTS:Another on the TBR shelf. I admit, I’ve only read a few of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyly Sherlock books, but ever since Robert Downey JR starred in Sherlock back in 2009 I have had my love of the series re-ignited. There are so many great movies and (of course) TV shows. BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary. So I needed a YA book to go along with it. If you will recall, day 3 of the challenge, C for Clockwork Scarab was also a Sherlock involved book, but that one was centered around his niece. This one is all about the famous detective himself as a teen! Who wouldn’t want to read that?I’ve read plenty of the reviews and many seem to agree, this is worthy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is caulk full of action, intrigue, mystery and kidnappings! Several if I read correctly.
Definitely excited to sit down with this one and get started. It’s in my top 5 of my TBR pile.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 26!Later lovelies!<3 L.H. Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 28, 2014
X for X-men Misfits
Day 24 of the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
X is for X-Men Misfits by Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier and Anzu
BOOK BLURB:THE X-MEN GET A RADICAL NEW REMIX IN A STORY ABOUT TEEN ANGST, FIRST LOVE, AND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
High school student Kitty Pryde has always been the odd girl out. A mutant, she was born with strange superpowers, magical talents that make her the class freak. But Kitty’s world is changed when she’s invited to study at Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, a special home for mutant teens. There’s just one catch: Kitty’s the only girl at the all-boy school, and she ends up just feeling like a freak all over again.Then Kitty meets Pyro and the ultra-hot bad boys of the Hellfire Club. They’re the school’s elite–handsome, rich, and totally above the rules. Now Kitty seems to have it all: a dreamy boyfriend, super-cool friends, and the chance to develop her extraordinary talents. But why is her heart telling her that something is wrong? Will Kitty ever find the place where she belongs, or is she doomed to be a misfit forever?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
The art, the color, the technique…need I say more?MY THOUGHTS:I LOVE KITTY PRIDE! She had been and will always be my favorite X-woman/X-men character. While this is more of a comic/graphic novel/mange, and not really a YA book, it is still under the umbrella of YA. I can’t tell you how much I love this book or why, because it will take hours, but all I can say, love!Kitty Pride was always the easiest for me to relate to, of all the x-men characters. She’s smart, kinda shy, doesn’t know who she is as a person, wants to fit in, but can’t because of her powers. Then the Xavier institute came a calling, and from there she meets the hellfire club boys. Pyro and Bobby, oh boy two different sides of the same coin and both yummy!Now this is a far cry from the mainstream X-men comics, but it was designed that way. I think that’s another reason I liked it so much. It was a new way for seeing the beginning of Kitty’s story in a way I hadn’t seen done before.
Even if you don’t really get a “YA comic” I suggest you at least pick this one up, because the artwork is detailed, wonderful and expertly done. One thing you can always count on with X-men graphics is world blowing art work and story lines.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 25!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants a Rafflecopter giveaway
X is for X-Men Misfits by Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier and Anzu
BOOK BLURB:THE X-MEN GET A RADICAL NEW REMIX IN A STORY ABOUT TEEN ANGST, FIRST LOVE, AND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
High school student Kitty Pryde has always been the odd girl out. A mutant, she was born with strange superpowers, magical talents that make her the class freak. But Kitty’s world is changed when she’s invited to study at Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, a special home for mutant teens. There’s just one catch: Kitty’s the only girl at the all-boy school, and she ends up just feeling like a freak all over again.Then Kitty meets Pyro and the ultra-hot bad boys of the Hellfire Club. They’re the school’s elite–handsome, rich, and totally above the rules. Now Kitty seems to have it all: a dreamy boyfriend, super-cool friends, and the chance to develop her extraordinary talents. But why is her heart telling her that something is wrong? Will Kitty ever find the place where she belongs, or is she doomed to be a misfit forever?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
The art, the color, the technique…need I say more?MY THOUGHTS:I LOVE KITTY PRIDE! She had been and will always be my favorite X-woman/X-men character. While this is more of a comic/graphic novel/mange, and not really a YA book, it is still under the umbrella of YA. I can’t tell you how much I love this book or why, because it will take hours, but all I can say, love!Kitty Pride was always the easiest for me to relate to, of all the x-men characters. She’s smart, kinda shy, doesn’t know who she is as a person, wants to fit in, but can’t because of her powers. Then the Xavier institute came a calling, and from there she meets the hellfire club boys. Pyro and Bobby, oh boy two different sides of the same coin and both yummy!Now this is a far cry from the mainstream X-men comics, but it was designed that way. I think that’s another reason I liked it so much. It was a new way for seeing the beginning of Kitty’s story in a way I hadn’t seen done before.
Even if you don’t really get a “YA comic” I suggest you at least pick this one up, because the artwork is detailed, wonderful and expertly done. One thing you can always count on with X-men graphics is world blowing art work and story lines.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 25!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 26, 2014
W for When Lightning Strikes
Day 23 of the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
W is for When Lightning Strikes (1-800 Series) by Meg Cabot
BOOK BLURB:Jess Mastriani has never been what you'd call a typical Midwestern teenager—her extracurricular activities, instead of cheerleading or 4-H, include fist-fights with the football team and month-long stints in detention. A part of Jess would like to be the prom queen her mother has always envisioned her being, but another part is secretly counting the days until she's saved up enough money to buy her own Harley.
Then something happens that guarantees Jess will be one of the in-crowd...at least until her newfound talent ends up getting her dead.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
So covers 13 years ago weren’t exactly fantastical, but this series doesn’t need great covers to be fantasticMY THOUGHTS:Here we have another book from my teen years. It’s paranormal-lite, full of action and suspense, and of course hot guys! By hot guys I mean, wrong side of the tracks Rob Wilkins.Jessica is our heroine in this series, but after being struck by lightning (gee didn’t see that one coming) she is able to locate missing children. She sees a picture of them and then she dreams about them and can help people locate them. But Jess ain’t no typical YA girl. No, no, no. I still remember when she was in a her cafeteria and this guy was saying some nasty stuff about her, and Jess turns around and decks the guy, breaking his nose. Detention anyone? How freaking fantastic is that? Okay not the punching part, but standing up for herself and others and not worrying about being the prom queen her mom wants her to be. Nope, Jess wants her own Harley and to help the kids she’s suddenly able to find.Now a gift like that will definitely get noticed, and boy does it ever. By the Federal government. That’s enough to ruin any girls day. But she’s got Rob on her side, and when he’s on his motorcycle he’s her knight on a shining Harley!This is a six book series, originally published under Meg Cabot’s penname Jenny Carol. But after the first 4 books didn’t sell so well, they reprinted it under her real name and sales popped, sort of. The fifth in the series was written four years after the fourth, and Jess was 19. Then the last book #6, came a few years after that one.
This is a great series! Meg Cabot can do no wrong in my opinion. But I think it's been made clear by now that she is also one of my 5 hero authors so... I may be biased by my love of her greatness. Just like all her other teen series, it’s perfect for younger and even older teen readers, and of course al lovers of YA.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 24!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !a Rafflecopter giveaway
W is for When Lightning Strikes (1-800 Series) by Meg Cabot
BOOK BLURB:Jess Mastriani has never been what you'd call a typical Midwestern teenager—her extracurricular activities, instead of cheerleading or 4-H, include fist-fights with the football team and month-long stints in detention. A part of Jess would like to be the prom queen her mother has always envisioned her being, but another part is secretly counting the days until she's saved up enough money to buy her own Harley.
Then something happens that guarantees Jess will be one of the in-crowd...at least until her newfound talent ends up getting her dead.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
So covers 13 years ago weren’t exactly fantastical, but this series doesn’t need great covers to be fantasticMY THOUGHTS:Here we have another book from my teen years. It’s paranormal-lite, full of action and suspense, and of course hot guys! By hot guys I mean, wrong side of the tracks Rob Wilkins.Jessica is our heroine in this series, but after being struck by lightning (gee didn’t see that one coming) she is able to locate missing children. She sees a picture of them and then she dreams about them and can help people locate them. But Jess ain’t no typical YA girl. No, no, no. I still remember when she was in a her cafeteria and this guy was saying some nasty stuff about her, and Jess turns around and decks the guy, breaking his nose. Detention anyone? How freaking fantastic is that? Okay not the punching part, but standing up for herself and others and not worrying about being the prom queen her mom wants her to be. Nope, Jess wants her own Harley and to help the kids she’s suddenly able to find.Now a gift like that will definitely get noticed, and boy does it ever. By the Federal government. That’s enough to ruin any girls day. But she’s got Rob on her side, and when he’s on his motorcycle he’s her knight on a shining Harley!This is a six book series, originally published under Meg Cabot’s penname Jenny Carol. But after the first 4 books didn’t sell so well, they reprinted it under her real name and sales popped, sort of. The fifth in the series was written four years after the fourth, and Jess was 19. Then the last book #6, came a few years after that one. This is a great series! Meg Cabot can do no wrong in my opinion. But I think it's been made clear by now that she is also one of my 5 hero authors so... I may be biased by my love of her greatness. Just like all her other teen series, it’s perfect for younger and even older teen readers, and of course al lovers of YA.There you go, come back tomorrow for day 24!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 25, 2014
V for Venom
Day 22 of the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
V is for Venom by Fiona Paul
BOOK BLURB:Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love the colors, spunk and beauty of this cover! Plus I collect masks so any cover with a fantastic mask is gonna catch me.MY THOUGHTS:This another on the TBR pile. Now I’m a bit behind with the series, because since I picked it up, at RT convention in Chicago two years ago, the other two books in the series have been released. The plot sounds fantastic and I love all things Italy (thus why my current WIP is set in modern Rome and features the Borgia family). But I am not a historical person. At all. Sure I love the occasional historical movie and TV shows (Reign!) but reading about it is quite different. Only because the kind of back bone and spunk that a heroine has to possess for me to really like her was not typical or even common back then.Yes, there were strong women, cunning girls, and devious socialites. But they were few and far between, and usually still lost out to the cruelty of men. And from what ‘ve gathered, there’s a lot of crazy action--and by that I mean death, in this series. But I’ve also heard the romance in it is very good and addictive and swoon worthy.
So again, I’m back to why I’m still on the fence about picking up this series. I don’t know anyone who’s read Venom to ask their opinion, so if any of you have, let me know what you thoughtThere you go, come back tomorrow for day 23!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
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V is for Venom by Fiona Paul
BOOK BLURB:Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love the colors, spunk and beauty of this cover! Plus I collect masks so any cover with a fantastic mask is gonna catch me.MY THOUGHTS:This another on the TBR pile. Now I’m a bit behind with the series, because since I picked it up, at RT convention in Chicago two years ago, the other two books in the series have been released. The plot sounds fantastic and I love all things Italy (thus why my current WIP is set in modern Rome and features the Borgia family). But I am not a historical person. At all. Sure I love the occasional historical movie and TV shows (Reign!) but reading about it is quite different. Only because the kind of back bone and spunk that a heroine has to possess for me to really like her was not typical or even common back then.Yes, there were strong women, cunning girls, and devious socialites. But they were few and far between, and usually still lost out to the cruelty of men. And from what ‘ve gathered, there’s a lot of crazy action--and by that I mean death, in this series. But I’ve also heard the romance in it is very good and addictive and swoon worthy. So again, I’m back to why I’m still on the fence about picking up this series. I don’t know anyone who’s read Venom to ask their opinion, so if any of you have, let me know what you thoughtThere you go, come back tomorrow for day 23!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
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April 24, 2014
U for Unearth
Day 21 of the A to Z Challenge Today's offering:
U is for Unearth by Jenna Barnel
BOOK BLURB:Aria Darwin has always considered herself cursed. She is obsessed with finding a cure for the bad boyfriend plague. Worse yet, she’s in denial about her weird abilities and terrified of her mysterious stalker who causes the earth to quake violently with the snap of his finger.
With her two best friends, Aria enters her first semester of college armed with a “no more men” pact in an effort to demagnetize the sleaze balls. Unfortunately, the agreement proves difficult when she meets Liam, a charming foreign exchange student, on the first day of school.
Aria quickly discovers that Liam is not only Mr. Perfect, but he also somehow ignites her supernatural side. Upon the invitation of her dream guy, Aria travels to Ireland through the study abroad program, dragging her friends along with her. But her world of euphoric bliss quickly comes crashing down as she uncovers the truth about her past, revealing who she really is and what she was born to do.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love how this cover sets up perfectly for the whole series. It’s unique, eye catching and pretty!MY THOUGHTS:I’ve read this entre series, and the novella, several times over. Unearth, and the whole Fae-Witch series is an Indie gem that doesn’t have the recognition it deserves. Ari’s voice, and the over all drama of this series makes me think of this book as an upper YA, but, the book starts with Ari going off to college so, it could easily be classified as New Adult.Those facts put this series in a very unique and cool position: the coveted Young Adult/New Adult crossover. This story does have its moments when you’re like “okay. Why did this go there?” but it’s a small part of the series so I can easily look past that. Ari is a fascinating character that has had such bad luck with boys, and then boom—Mr. Oh Yeah Baby Liam—walks right in, literally. But oh wait, there’s a twist coming that took me pleasantly by surprise! And it tied in wonderfully to the shadow that has been guarding/watching Ari since she was child and she was nearly killed. Now she finds out that she’d got these amazing powers, comes and she needs to figure out who she really is and who her real family are.The character interactions and over all quality of this book is great and I highly recommend it. Even better, Unearth, Ignite (book 2 of the trilogy) and Stir, the first book of Jenna’s new Nephil-Vamp series, are all up for grabs in the huge giveaway I’ve been running all month.
And here is a play list provided by Jenna. Ari’s playlist to be specific, click the link to go to the playlist. Great songs!ARI'S PLAYLIST:1. Kelly Clarkson – Stronger
2. Christina Perri – Jar Of Hearts
3. Snow Patrol – Run
4. Pop Evil – Monster You Made
5. Jordin Sparks – Battlefield
6. Theory of a Deadman – Hurricane
7. Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
8. Jessie J – Who You Are
9. Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
10. Evanescence – Everybody’s Fool
11. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years
12. Demi Lovato – Skyscraper
13. Kelly Clarkson – Dark Side
14. Fink – Perfect Darkness
15. Christina Perri feat. Jason Mraz – Distance
16. The Cab – Lovesick Fool
17. 10 Years – One More DayThere you go, come back tomorrow for day 22!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
a Rafflecopter giveaway
U is for Unearth by Jenna Barnel
BOOK BLURB:Aria Darwin has always considered herself cursed. She is obsessed with finding a cure for the bad boyfriend plague. Worse yet, she’s in denial about her weird abilities and terrified of her mysterious stalker who causes the earth to quake violently with the snap of his finger.
With her two best friends, Aria enters her first semester of college armed with a “no more men” pact in an effort to demagnetize the sleaze balls. Unfortunately, the agreement proves difficult when she meets Liam, a charming foreign exchange student, on the first day of school.
Aria quickly discovers that Liam is not only Mr. Perfect, but he also somehow ignites her supernatural side. Upon the invitation of her dream guy, Aria travels to Ireland through the study abroad program, dragging her friends along with her. But her world of euphoric bliss quickly comes crashing down as she uncovers the truth about her past, revealing who she really is and what she was born to do.COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love how this cover sets up perfectly for the whole series. It’s unique, eye catching and pretty!MY THOUGHTS:I’ve read this entre series, and the novella, several times over. Unearth, and the whole Fae-Witch series is an Indie gem that doesn’t have the recognition it deserves. Ari’s voice, and the over all drama of this series makes me think of this book as an upper YA, but, the book starts with Ari going off to college so, it could easily be classified as New Adult.Those facts put this series in a very unique and cool position: the coveted Young Adult/New Adult crossover. This story does have its moments when you’re like “okay. Why did this go there?” but it’s a small part of the series so I can easily look past that. Ari is a fascinating character that has had such bad luck with boys, and then boom—Mr. Oh Yeah Baby Liam—walks right in, literally. But oh wait, there’s a twist coming that took me pleasantly by surprise! And it tied in wonderfully to the shadow that has been guarding/watching Ari since she was child and she was nearly killed. Now she finds out that she’d got these amazing powers, comes and she needs to figure out who she really is and who her real family are.The character interactions and over all quality of this book is great and I highly recommend it. Even better, Unearth, Ignite (book 2 of the trilogy) and Stir, the first book of Jenna’s new Nephil-Vamp series, are all up for grabs in the huge giveaway I’ve been running all month. And here is a play list provided by Jenna. Ari’s playlist to be specific, click the link to go to the playlist. Great songs!ARI'S PLAYLIST:1. Kelly Clarkson – Stronger
2. Christina Perri – Jar Of Hearts
3. Snow Patrol – Run
4. Pop Evil – Monster You Made
5. Jordin Sparks – Battlefield
6. Theory of a Deadman – Hurricane
7. Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
8. Jessie J – Who You Are
9. Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
10. Evanescence – Everybody’s Fool
11. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years
12. Demi Lovato – Skyscraper
13. Kelly Clarkson – Dark Side
14. Fink – Perfect Darkness
15. Christina Perri feat. Jason Mraz – Distance
16. The Cab – Lovesick Fool
17. 10 Years – One More DayThere you go, come back tomorrow for day 22!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 23, 2014
T for True
Day 20 of the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
T is for True by Hilary Duff
BOOK BLURB:The epic love story of Clea and Sage comes to its thrilling conclusion in the final book in the Elixir series by multitalented star Hilary Duff.Following the harrowing events ofElixir and Devoted—and the ceremony that almost killed Sage—Clea faces a new reality: With Sage’s soul in Nico’s body, the love of her life looks an awful lot like her best friend’s boyfriend. Can Clea and Sage really be happy under these circumstances?
Clea wants to try to enjoy their new life together, but Sage is acting different—angry—and she struggles to keep her friends from finding out what has happened to him. Something is clearly haunting Sage, and Clea is losing control. Can she trust her friends with the dangerous truth, or will she have to risk losing Sage to madness?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Can’t say how much I love this whole series of covers, but this one is my top favoriteMY THOUGHTS:Funny. I love Hilary Duff. Loved her in Lizzie Mcguire, loved her as a singer & actress and love her even more now as an author. She has an amazing talent, and her characters have clear, crisp, fun and intriguing voices.I won’t give away too much, since this is the last book in the series. But Clean and Sage—extra points for creative cool names—are a great couple that are connected through a love bond that stretched centuries! Reincarnations and soul mates…I love it even more. There is a few fade to black sex scenes but they are tactfully done and very sweet, much like the romance through the whole series. Thought I admit I haven’t read this one yet. Again, writing Legendary kinda put my pleasure reading on the back burned, but True is on the very top of my list, once I am able to get back into reading. I read the first quickly, took my time reading the second as I was writing book 2 of Legendary, and so I plan on doing the same as I write book 3 of the Legendary Saga.
Anyone have any thoughts?There you go, come back tomorrow for day 21!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
a Rafflecopter giveaway
T is for True by Hilary Duff
BOOK BLURB:The epic love story of Clea and Sage comes to its thrilling conclusion in the final book in the Elixir series by multitalented star Hilary Duff.Following the harrowing events ofElixir and Devoted—and the ceremony that almost killed Sage—Clea faces a new reality: With Sage’s soul in Nico’s body, the love of her life looks an awful lot like her best friend’s boyfriend. Can Clea and Sage really be happy under these circumstances?
Clea wants to try to enjoy their new life together, but Sage is acting different—angry—and she struggles to keep her friends from finding out what has happened to him. Something is clearly haunting Sage, and Clea is losing control. Can she trust her friends with the dangerous truth, or will she have to risk losing Sage to madness?COVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Can’t say how much I love this whole series of covers, but this one is my top favoriteMY THOUGHTS:Funny. I love Hilary Duff. Loved her in Lizzie Mcguire, loved her as a singer & actress and love her even more now as an author. She has an amazing talent, and her characters have clear, crisp, fun and intriguing voices.I won’t give away too much, since this is the last book in the series. But Clean and Sage—extra points for creative cool names—are a great couple that are connected through a love bond that stretched centuries! Reincarnations and soul mates…I love it even more. There is a few fade to black sex scenes but they are tactfully done and very sweet, much like the romance through the whole series. Thought I admit I haven’t read this one yet. Again, writing Legendary kinda put my pleasure reading on the back burned, but True is on the very top of my list, once I am able to get back into reading. I read the first quickly, took my time reading the second as I was writing book 2 of Legendary, and so I plan on doing the same as I write book 3 of the Legendary Saga. Anyone have any thoughts?There you go, come back tomorrow for day 21!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants !
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 22, 2014
S for Shadow of the Mark
Day 19 f the A to Z Challenge. Today's offering:
S is for Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
BOOK BLURB:Their love could destroy them all.
Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.
Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.
But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked lineCOVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love that it is a mirror/color swapped copy of the first bookMY THOUGHTS:Here is another that is on my TBR list. I read the first, liked it and waited for the second to come out, and then it just kinda sat there in my kindle, the sample teasing me and whispering, “you know you want to read me”. Now I just have to make myself do it, but I know I want to reread the first, just to refresh myself.Megan and Adam—great couple together, and I love the whole star crossedness of it. And I love the secret society, the world changing magic and prophecy. Megan’s magic can literally spell the end of her kind! I also like the Megan isn’t like most of the YA heroines that are popular right now. Anything different is good by me. Plus this series is set in beautiful Ireland. Can’t go wrong there. LOL
The first book was a quick read, so I expect the second to be the same. Has anyone out there read either carrier of the Mark or Shadow of the Mark? Thoughts: Loved it, hated it, passed it over?There you go, come back tomorrow for day 20!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge , and check out the other participants!a Rafflecopter giveaway
S is for Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
BOOK BLURB:Their love could destroy them all.
Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.
Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.
But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked lineCOVER RATING: On a scale of 1-9
Love that it is a mirror/color swapped copy of the first bookMY THOUGHTS:Here is another that is on my TBR list. I read the first, liked it and waited for the second to come out, and then it just kinda sat there in my kindle, the sample teasing me and whispering, “you know you want to read me”. Now I just have to make myself do it, but I know I want to reread the first, just to refresh myself.Megan and Adam—great couple together, and I love the whole star crossedness of it. And I love the secret society, the world changing magic and prophecy. Megan’s magic can literally spell the end of her kind! I also like the Megan isn’t like most of the YA heroines that are popular right now. Anything different is good by me. Plus this series is set in beautiful Ireland. Can’t go wrong there. LOL The first book was a quick read, so I expect the second to be the same. Has anyone out there read either carrier of the Mark or Shadow of the Mark? Thoughts: Loved it, hated it, passed it over?There you go, come back tomorrow for day 20!Later lovelies!<3 L.H.
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