Caught my arrow #19

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to In my mailbox and  Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Last week was Québec day, and this week Canada day. Oh, I'm getting tired of all these festivities. So tired, I shall be driving to NY for July 4th.

A big thank you to Hachette Book Canada for sending me The Universe Versus Alex Woods. I can't wait to read this, especially seeing how it made its way into Goodreads June 2013 Movers & Shakers list.

What are you reading this week?

Don't forget the giveaway ends today :D

Hot Covers: Persephone's Orchard + Giveaway

Greek Gods, baby! Molly Ringle, New Adult author of Relatively Honest is back with a new novel  entitled Persephone's Orchard. This time she tackles Greek Mythology and this Cupid just had to blog about it.

The Greek gods never actually existed. Did they? Sophie Darrow finds she was wrong about that assumption when she's pulled into the spirit realm, complete with an Underworld, on her first day at college. Adrian, the mysterious young man who brought her there, simply wants her to taste a pomegranate. 

Soon, though she returns to her regular life, her mind begins exploding with dreams and memories of ancient times; of a love between two Greeks named Persephone and Hades. But lethal danger has always surrounded the immortals, and now that she's tainted with the Underworld's magic, that danger is drawing closer to Sophie


The book was released June 28 2013.  Feel free to check it out on Goodreads.

*Ebook on Special at .99 cents for the next two weeks at the following sites: Amazon, Kobo, B&N,   Apple.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feature and Follow Friday: I like them hard

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, eBooks, paperback, etc...

My heart belongs to hardcover books. Paperbacks scare me; I'm always extra careful not to damage the spine. And although eBooks are weightless, I tend to skip a lot of the narration. Shame on me!! 

Review: Cruel Summer

Greece is a perfect location for a summer book, and Alyson Noel made sure to add enough details to make us feel abroad with Colby. The story is told through diary excerpts, emails, blog posts and comments. So don't expect dialogue, or like me, you'll be disappointed. 

The lack of ''communication'' made the romance between Colby and Yannis feel vague. Also, Colby was going through a lot of teen problems: divorce, friend trading for popularity, sex... and being stuck in her whiny thoughts the whole time is heavy stuff. I often found myself putting the book down, wondering why it was taking me so long to finish a two hundred page book.  

All in all, Alyson did create a realistic perspective and ending. 

   

Top Ten Tuesday: Flashback

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP BOOKS I READ IN 2013

I'm not one to brag when it comes to my choice in men, but my choice in books is something other. Here are my favorites I've read this year so far...

Just noticed that aside from Anya's Ghost, all of them are serie books. Ugh, what does that mean?!?

Review: Meant to Be

We sometimes get it wrong when picking out the guy we are meant to be with. What if it's the complete opposite of who we expect? 

Through humor and romance, Lauren Morrill introduces Julia, a book lover, who believes Mark and her are meant to be -- regardless of the fact that they haven't spoken in years. But if destiny can't be altered, then why is she having strange feelings over Jason, her high school nemesis and class clown, who is the worst person for her to be paired up on an educational trip to London?

Not only is Julia a romantic at heart, she is quirky, often taking herself and school rules too seriously. Making it a pleasure for Jason to teach her how much fun she could have in London if she'd just let go. The problem is letting go brings trouble ... and romance, and Mark? 

Remember love can't be planned, it just happens.

Caught my arrow #18

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to In my mailbox and  Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Long weekend in Montreal. I'd like to take a moment to wish all my Québécois a Happy St-Jean Baptiste (remember the liquor stores are closed that day, so shop before.)

From the library I scored Requiem, The Summoning, The Golden Lily 
and Real Mermaids don't Wear Toe Rings. 

And received a copy of 

Pirouette and Hereafter from Netgalley. I must admit I'm really looking forward to read Kate Brian's new book after the unsettling conclusion of Shadowlands.

What are you reading this week?

Feature and Follow Friday: Heartbreak

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: Share your favorite literary quote.

"The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it...."
                                   Nicholas Sparks

Review: Boundless

The Unearthly trilogy comes to an end with Boundless, a pleasant desert after a great course. 

Clara, Angela and Christian are now at Stanford. This time around, the visions keep getting more dangerous, involving glow and blades. Clara's energy is torn since Angela is hiding a secret, Christian pressing for more than just friendship, Jeffrey angry and Tucker gone. How can she be happy -- or better yet -- achieve her purpose?

Cynthia Hand concentrated on giving all of the characters their own sub plot, combining them into a big climax. Providing everyone with attention, also meant resolving every question the readers might have had during the series. Does Clara's love for Tucker turned into something different? Is Christian the better choice for her? 

The end of the road is painful, for someone always loses in a love triangle. But it is nevertheless well written. Prepare for the return of Michael and Samjeeza.

Top Ten Tuesday: Sunshine, Lollipops and Books

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP TBR BOOKS FOR SUMMER 2013

The temperature is rising, lattes are a buck at Mcdonalds -- the best time to lounge in my backyard with one hand on my coffee and the other on a book. Thrilling!!

Hot Cover/ Promising Writer

Keplinger kept me "hostage" on my lounge chair with Duff, I doubt it was pure coincidence. The girl is talented. 

Desert Heat

Until recently, I was clueless that Uncommon Criminals took place all over the globe. Set me up for a first class ticket.  

Rainy Day -- No Problem

The title speaks for itself.

Oh, Love

What is a summer without love? BookCupid can handle the heat. 

Review: Cracked

Everyone has a good and a bad side, but sometimes the bad is so dark and disturbing, the good ain't worth knowing.

That's how Bull is portrayed in the book. He bullies Victor psychologically and physically, even exposing Victor's privates in front of the entire class. Yes, he was taught violence at home. And although his Dad beats him, none of it makes up for him doing it in return.

Cracked isn't an easy read because bullying isn't a pleasant topic. But I found it so difficult to relate to any of the characters. They were too many stereotypes: rich bullied kid who cannot disappoint his parents academically nor disturb their shopping, while poor bully kid lives in a trailer and gets beaten up by his alcoholic father. To be honest, I would have prefered the opposite; it would have set the story apart from so many others.

On the plus side, the stay at the hospital did appear very realistic and the author managed to discuss the benefits of group therapy.

Feature and Follow Friday: Deathbed

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: Activity: Spine Poetry. Create a line of poetry with your book spines (take a picture) Not feeling creative? Tell us about your favorite poem.

A little morbid, but definitely an original, he he.

Review: Drama

What happens offstage is often a lot more interesting than what happens onstage. Especially with characters like Callie, a total go-gether. She likes Greg and instead of beating around the bush, she kisses him first. But life doesn't always give us what we want -- and now Greg is ignoring her, a new guy is in the picture (but won't go to the dance with her), the sale tickets are down, the crew is spiraling out of control.... the list goes on for poor Callie. 

I love the diversity in this book. Raina uses characters from multiple backgrounds and ethnicity: gay, straight, shy, overly confident. When you mix it with the teenage love complications you get an average high school experience. The graphics are detailed and harmonious. All in all, a pleasant read. 

Other books in the series

Smile

Sisters

Top Ten Tuesday: Do you know where your children are?

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP FAVORITE BEACH BOOKS

When I was four -- to keep me quiet during a dinner party -- my uncle said I could eat in front of the TV.  I followed him into the living room where he set up a small table and clicked on the first channel he could find. Lucky me, I got to watch Jaws. 

Since that terrorising evening, I associate the beach with sharks. And till this day, I always bring something scary to read at the beach so it can keep me grounded and far from the ocean.

Review: Shadowlands

A mom lost to cancer, a dad that is barely present, a sister who can't see past her own nose, a lover who is her sister's ex-boyfriend -- Rory has a pretty messed up life. And to make matters worse, she becomes a serial killer's prey. 

Witness protection provides the family with an SUV and sends them off to an island (an upgrade from where they used to live) providing us with the perfect setting to meet hot, tanned, handsome teenage boys who can court our girls. 

Until Rory's visions begin, switching the genre from contemporary, to thriller, to romance, to sci-fi -- to  -- what exactly am I reading and what happened to the serial killer? Yes, the ending has a twist, but in order to conclude that way, Kate Brian was forced to throw the entire plot out the window. 

Prepare for the unexpected!

Looking for the sequel

Hereafter

Caught my arrow # 17

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to In my mailbox and  Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Rainy weekend in montreal, so I picked up  more than my fair of books this week.

Warm Bodies, Burn for Burn and Eve from the library. 

And received a copy of Will in Scarlet from Netgalley

What are you reading this week?

Feature and Follow Friday: It's not you, it's me

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: Have you broken up with a series? If so which one and why?

The House of Night and I broke up in a very amicable way. We still keep in touch, for example, I know that book #12 will be out in 2014. Do I think that's too long a series? Heck, yeah! 

I'd rather not be in such a committed relationship when we don't have that much in common. 

Get your head in the game with Mary E. Sutton

Time for an Author Spotlight. Today, Mary E. Sutton, is with us today to promote her latest novel, Storm Clouds: Hero's Sword vol. 2

Eighth-grader Jaycee Hiller is beginning to fear she only imagined her trip to Mallory. But when a rainy afternoon leaves her with hours of playing Hero's Sword, her favorite video game, she finds herself drawn back into the game - literally.

                   Find it on Amazon                                               Find it on Goodreads 

Welcome Mary, thank you for being with us. Please do tell, what inspired you to write this book?

I guess a little of my own memories of middle-school, as well as seeing my daughter. Middle-school is such a turbulent time for kids. They're often trying to find their "place" in a new social pecking order and dealing with physical changes of adolescence. I wanted to write a story that told them, "It's okay to be you. Find your place and claim it. Don't change just because 'they' say you aren't cool or whatever."

Did you listen to specific songs while writing?

Sometimes, yes. If I'm writing a fight scene, I might pop in the soundtrack from Pirates of the Caribbean to get in the mood. Or if I'm feeling a little sluggish, I'll find some really high-energy rock. A scene in the school cafeteria might need some of my daughter's pop. But sometimes the music is distracting, so I work in the quiet (well, as quiet as the house gets with two kids).

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Just write! Find the story that won't let go and write it. A little bit every day if you can. The only way you'll get better is to sit down in the chair and write. Don't worry that it's not brilliant. I wrote some really horrible stories when I was 13. But you keep working on it. And while you're writing, keep reading, in as many genres as you can (even if it's not something you usually enjoy). Take notes on what worked for you and what didn't. Exposure to other writing through reading is going to help you with your own writing.

What are you working on now -- or would you rather surprise us?

Oh, I don't mind sharing. Of course, I'm working on the final polish to the third book in the Hero's Sword series, called Wedding Bells. I'm not sure when that will be released, this summer maybe? And then I have book 4 to start drafting. That one's titled Lightening Strike. I also write crime fiction under the name Liz Milliron. I'm just finishing a Rex Stout/Nero Wolfe inspired novella for a contest and I have some new short story ideas for my Laurel Highlands Mysteries series, a police procedural, percolating - the first in that series should be published this summer. So lots to keep me busy!

Thanks so much for the opportunity. These were great questions! 

You are free to connect with Mary E. Sutton on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter


Thank you for being with us Mary, and good luck on all your future projects.