Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, Paperback.
Website: www.suzannecollinsbooks.com
*This book was borrowed from a friend.


GoodReads Summary:
Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death. 
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory. 
When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. , she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.
Review:
I was a little hesitant about this book at first. I assumed it was going to be good, but I didn't know how good it would be. There was so much hype about it, that I was afraid I would begin reading it and find myself disappointed. But oh, was I wrong. I absolutely loved this novel. From the first pages, it had me. And let me say to all of you that have yet to read it... believe the hype. Give yourself up to it and just read it already.

The main thing I loved about this book was that it wasn't easy to figure out. You didn't know what was going to happen until it happened, or how things were going to happen. You were basically left in the dark with no choice but to continue reading. I was kept guessing on every single page. The Hunger Games is very well written. Whether it's the horridity of the violence and the Games, or the heart and emotion you feel as you read on about the individual characters. It was easy to get sucked in and you remained there until the end.

Another thing that stood out to me about this novel was the lack of romance. Of course, there's a little romance in the novel, but only a tiny portion. It doesn't take center stage and demand all the attention. The book itself does not revolve around lust and love like most do. I love my love stories, but this book was a bit refreshing in that sense.

I loved this book so much and it is so different from anything I've read recently. As soon as I finished the last page, I honestly wanted to throw myself right into book two, Catching Fire. This book really does live up to the hype.

Rating:
5 Stars
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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Review: The Marked Son by Shea Berkley

The Marked Son (Keepers of Life, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The Marked Son
Author: Shea Berkley
Series: Keepers of Life #1
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook
Website: www.sheaberkley.com
*This book was provided for free by the publishers for review.


GoodReads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he's never met, he had no idea what. When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents' farm, he knows he's seen her before...in his dreams. He's felt her fear. Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power. Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he's completely insane or he's about to have the adventure of his life, because where they're going is full of creatures he's only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death...

Review:
I was drawn into this book from the very first chapter. It was a different type of book than any that I have read recently. Magic, romance, action. I loved it.

The Marked Son has a way of holding your attention very well. There's so much that happens in this book both in a real world setting as well as in a magical parallel world. The author did an amazing job at weaving these two worlds and the stories of both of the main characters together.

The characters themselves are amazing and relateable and very easy to like (and some to dislike). We're introduced to Dylan, the main male character, right off the bat, as it's mainly his story to tell. You can't help feeling an emotional attachment to him and he tells a tale that, sadly, is a real life predicament that a lot of teens today have to go through. Among all of the magic and the mystery, there's a real depth to him in his emotional realness. I fell in love with Dylan and his attitude immediately.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. There was a great story to tell and I cannot wait until the next installment in the Keepers of Life series comes out.

Rating:
4 Stars
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Saturday, September 27, 2014

Review: Tris & Izzie by Mettie Ivie Harrison

Tris & Izzie
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Tris & Izzie
Author: Mettie Ivie Harrison
Series:
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook.
Website: www.mettieivieharrison.com
*This book was provided for free by the publishers for review.


GoodReads Summary:
A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.




Review:
Alright, first off I absolutely adore the cover of this novel! I think it's one of my favorites! It's so beautiful in a romantic, serene kind of way. It definitely gets an A+ in my eyes. It's everything I'd want a cover to be (for this story anyway).

I was introduced to this novel a little while ago on other book blogs. It was being reviewed and author interviews were popping up everywhere. As soon as I took a look at the cover, I knew I wanted to read it. So to GoodReads I went. The summary for Tris & Izzie had me hooked as well. I desperately wanted to read this book. So after a little research, and finally delving into the world of NetGalley, it was once and for all in my hands (or on my computer screen, I should say...).

When I opened it up, I quickly lost myself within the pages. I could not stop reading it. I was instantly hooked. I ended up sitting on the computer for hours doing nothing but reading Tris & Izzie. I finished it the same day and was a little sad when I was done. I wanted to keep reading.

There was so much about this novel to love; interesting characters, romance, magic, and teenage angst. I have to admit though, the romance and magic is what got me and held my attention. When I read the first few chapters, I was instantly intrigued by the magic and how it was used and portrayed. It made the story desirable and even more interesting to the reader.

The only thing I can think of that could have made the book better is if it had gone a little more slowly. I feel like the book itself, as well as the characters and the situations they were put in, were a little bit rushed. Everything happened a bit quickly. But hey, I don't know anything about other-wordly beasts and a magical whirlwind romance.

I loved this novel.


Memorable Quote:
"If you knew exactly who you were going to fall in love with before it happened, then everything would be a lot easier. But you didn't get to plan things like that beforehand. You just had to scramble and figure things out once they happened."
Rating:
5 Stars
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Friday, September 26, 2014

Review: The Strip by J.J. Salem

The Strip
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The Strip
Author: J.J. Salem
Series:
Version Reviewed: ARC, Paperback
Website: www.jjsalem.com
*I won this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program.


GoodReads Summary:
In a city built for sin, where any fantasy is one phone call away, three successful women scheme through a culture where today’s stripper could be tomorrow’s Governor’s wife—and nobody would blink an eye. They are Las Vegas wives, and THE STRIP is their adults-only playground, a neon-splashed boulevard where excitement, seduction, and betrayal never go to sleep.

Kristin Fox is the bestselling writer of controversial sex-in-suburbia novels who hungers for a sensual feast that goes beyond the pages of her money-making fiction. Jennifer Payne is the insightful marriage and family therapist who has an answer for every relationship problem except the one happening in her very own bedroom. Billie Shelton is the casino showroom song-and-dance dazzler who has been saved, remade, and quietly shattered by a dangerously obsessive Svengali husband.

And Cam Lawford is their stud-for-hire who sees a career-ending sports injury lead him from roaring crowds in NFL stadiums to willing and generous women in luxury hotel rooms. And, ultimately, straight to an early grave...
Review:
I honestly have to say that I absolutely loved this book. Everything from the cover, to the characters, to the story waiting inside was amazing. And is it just me, or does the woman on the cover look like and adult LeAnn Rimes?

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book when I first saw it on GoodReads. It just didn't seem like my kind of book. But when I received it in the mail and starting reading it, I couldn't put it down! It was so easy to get sucked into The Strip. I seriously read for hours, not wanting to put it down. My husband practically had to pry it out of my fingers when it was time for bed.

Not only is this book really sexy and dangerous, (very sexy and very dangerous), but the characters are so well defined and created that you can't help but to love them, hate them, or want to be with them (Cam anyone?).

Even though there's a lot of sexy situations, yummy characters, and a fantasy-style storyline, there's also a dark, dangerous side to The Strip. The book goes really deep and shows the dark side of fame, success, money, sex, control, marriage, and the very greedy side of love. It draws you in.

In my opinion, the ending didn't stand up as well as the majority of the book. But I'm sure that would be different for different people. Different readers would want it to end different ways. I wasn't too fond of this ending, but it definitely didn't take away from the rest of the novel.

All in all, this was a great read that I will definitely read again in the future, and I have to say, it should be made into a movie!

Rating: 
5 Stars.
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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Rebellion by J.A. Souders

Today J.A. Souders and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover for REBELLION, book 3 in the Elysium Chronicles releasing in June 5, 2015! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to win the books!




On to the reveal! 





Title: REBELLION
Author: J.A. Souders
Publisher: TOR Teen
Pub. Date: June 9, 2015
Find it: Goodreads



About J.A. Souders 
J.A. SOUDERS is the author of the Elysium Chronicles and lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and two children where she spends her time writing about the monsters under the bed, day dreaming about living in an underwater colony, and failing miserably at playing video games.


Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive ELYSIUM and book REVELATIONS plus the e-shorts as well as ASK AGAIN LATER by Liz Czukas.. If you have J.A.s books already, she will do an amazon or book depository gift card of the same value. International
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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: The Light of Day by Kristen Kehoe

Today we're excited to announce and share the cover of The Light of Day by Kristen Kehoe. The Light of Day is a New Adult contemporary. This is an installment in the Beyond the Horizon series, not a sequel and does not need to be read after Beyond the Horizon. Release date is October 2014. The first two chapters can be read at www.kristenkehoe.com.
Add it to your shelf! 


About the Author:
Mom, Wife, Coffee Addict, and Book Lover
I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels.  I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly.  I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives.  I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

Giveaway:  

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Monday, September 22, 2014

Fall In Love With Books Giveaway and Book Tour



All of us at Gliterary Girl Media love our clients and are celebrating Fall and our authors with a HUGE GIVEAWAY !

Meet our Authors and Fall in love with them and their books just like we have

KIRSTEN OSBOURNE

Adjusted HeadshotKirsten Osbourne hails from the state of Wisconsin, but has lived in Texas for almost thirty years. She is a mother, a writer, and a wife. Married to the love of her life for fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and wants to share her vision of love with the world. Writing is something she has always loved and plans on doing for a long time into the future. As Kirsten Osbourne, she writes contemporary romance as well as historical. As Morganna Mayfair, she ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy and make believe where there is always a happily ever after at the end.


MICHELE WOLFE

Michele Headshot 2Growing up between the Rocky Mountains and the city of Denver in Colorado, gave me a life-long love of both. I suspect my experiences were similar to others my age in the 70s and 80s; summers in one-piece bathing suits; bicycle riding without a helmet; vacationing in the family station wagon; skiing down the local mountains. I am the youngest of three girls and lucky enough to be supported by friends and a loving extended family. I loved drama, singing, gymnastics and ice skating. And I was never without a good book, no matter where I went. Soon after finishing college and becoming a teacher, I decided I wanted to explore the world. I took long road trips, spent time at Martha's Vineyard, and fell in love with the ocean and California, which eventually became my home.
Four years after moving to Los Angeles, I discovered two things that changed my life. My husband was the first. We fell in love hard and fast. Twenty-two years later, we are fully, after a lot of hard work, co-dependent and co-evolved, and very happy about both. The second discovery was a passion for teaching adults English as a Second Language in a poor immigrant community in East L.A. I'm still there, too.
My husband and I have two handsome sons, Caleb Justus and Joshua William. They are our pride and joy. Caleb is in the Army and Joshua is finishing high school. And I should mention our 'girl' Sophie, who loves running to and fro on our walks, dancing in the kitchen, her tail-wagging in joy.
Being a busy teacher, mother and wife made finding time to write a challenge. When I started my first novel, there was no space in our little home to write except at the kitchen table. I diligently carved out time on the weekends and eventually took my laptop to coffee shops and writers' groups to finish it.
When writing, I let the story and characters come to me in their own time, in their own way. I am inspired by music and art, which often influence a scene or a conversation in my stories. I hope my writing inspires others and makes people think and feel. And of course be entertained.
I am working on my next novel, also about a work of art, this time a painting at the Museum of Modern Art in Rome.





LYNETTE ENDICOTT

Lynette EndicottLynette Endicott grew up in Illinois, met her husband in Western Nebraska, lived 25 years in Kansas where their daughter was born, and has been in Fresno, California since 2000. She has a son-in-law (who lives with her daughter nearby), and has rescued a dog, a bird and three cats. She and Ollie, her terrier mix, volunteer as a team at the local library, where children read to the dog.
Nothing like front end success to keep her writing! Lynette enjoys reading contemporary romance and speculative fiction and writes both. Her debut book, Starting Over Book One: More Than A Job, and two more books in that series, The Return of Joy and Finding Her Voice are available now. The first three of the Time After Time Saga with Tami Dee are available now, including Animal Instinct, Survival Instinct and Pioneer Instinct. The fourth in the series of six, Protective Instinct, will release in August 2014.
Because she didn't have pets until after her 50th birthday the animals she enjoys find their way into all her books. Usually you will also find a character with a disability as part of the day to day fabric of the story. In More Than A Job, Paige works in services to people with disabilities until she loses her job and starts over. In The Return of Joy, Atlas, the yellow lab, becomes a Therapy Dog. In the Time After Time series animal helpers assist the hero and heroine in all six of the books in the series.






DEBRA PARMLEY

Debra ParmleyDebra is a multi genre author born in Columbus, Ohio and raised in Springfield, OH. She has lived just outside Memphis, TN since 1997. Debra attended Marywood University in Scranton, PA and was the first student to win first place in two categories of the Delta Epsilon Sigma Beta Epsilon Chapter writing competition, in creative prose and in informal expository. Her poetry was published in literary journals while attending college. She holds a BA in English Literature. When she graduated she asked her academic advisors which genre she should concentrate on. None of them would advise her because she showed strength in each area. Advice at the time and for many years afterward was to concentrate in one area and to focus on one genre. But only she could decide which one. In 2012, Debra decided this was not working for her and forged her own path. This meant writing in more than one genre and working on more than one manuscript. She no longer believes in writers block. She believes in finding joy in the act of writing and in allowing her muse to play. For Debra, writing is about joy. Today she teaches Creative Writing classes locally, passing on what she has learned and finding the joy in teaching as well. Debra traveled and worked as an independent travel consultant. She has visited thirteen countries. She has worked in banking, newspaper advertising, as recycling cocoordinator for the City of Bartlett, as an office manager, and as a belly dance instructor. When not writing, Debra enjoys dancing, history, primitive archery and medieval reenactment, travel, yoga and meditation.
 







L.M. PRUITT

PruittLM.Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. As a result, she's not allowed to walk in the gardening department of any store without supervision. She's also not allowed in the card aisle of any grocery without an escort since she'll spend thirty minutes opening cards and laughing for no good reason. She continues to make her home in Florida in spite of the heat and mosquitos and shares her home with two cats. One of them smart, the other not so much.
 







AMY L. GALE

Gale_Amy_006PRsmlRomance author by night, pharmacist by day, Amy Gale loves rock music and the feel of sand between her toes. She attended Wilkes University where she graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. In addition to writing, she enjoys baking, scary movies, rock concerts, and reading books at the beach. She lives in the lush forest of Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, six cats, and golden retriever.
 






JENNIFER SILVERWOOD

jennifer04 Retouched croppedJennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it's the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town.
After attending three different universities without managing to square a degree, she decided to the next logical thing; become a writer. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas.
She is the author of the Heaven's Edge series, Stay and Silver Hollow.




LAUREN MARIE

9d883b8e020e0ad8986cbb.L._V359984740_SX200_LaurenMarie spent years writing and dreaming of being published. After spending many years wanting to write the ultimate thriller and become the next Le’Carre, Clancy, or Turow, she decided to try romance. She admits, with a huge smile, she’s never had so much fun. Lauren lives with her four cats in Western Washington State. When she isn’t pounding the keys, she is an amateur paranormal investigator. She formed her own group in 2006 to hunt ghosts and some unusual experiences have put in an appearance in some of her stories. Lauren is currently working on a contemporary romance called the Canon City Series






JILLIAN HART

Strickler 5Jillian grew up on her family's homestead on Washington state, near Carnation, Washington, where she raised cattle to pay for her college tuition, rode horses through the pristine foothills of the Cascade Mountain range and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning an English degree from Whitman College (what better way to go through college than to constantly read books?), she traveled, worked in advertising, taught Sunday school and volunteered before becoming a writer.
When she's not hard at work on her next story, Jillian can be found chatting with a friend, stopping for a café mocha with a book in hand, and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
 



LARA NANCE

cropped new pic of me - retouchedLara Nance grew up and lived in many cites throughout the South. She loves to write in a variety of genres, but the basis of all of her stories is a great tale that will take you on an adventure of imagination.
If you want to escape and lose yourself in a novel, you've come to the right place. Choose your genre and settle in to be entertained. From thrilling mysteries and steampunk tales to paranormal romance and adventure, she's willing to explore a variety of compelling stories full of danger and suspense, along with a touch of romance. Her first paranormal romance, Memories of Murder, won RWA's New England Chapter's readers' choice award in 2012 for Best Paranormal Romance, as well as an award of merit as Best Book from a Virginia Author in the Holt Medallion contest. In 2013, her novel DraculaVille - Discovery in New York, won the Rudy award for best novel with romantic elements.
Lara's newest endeavor is under the name L.J.Nance, a children's book series titled: Lyra's Ocean World. The first book is out now: Lyra to the Rescue. The illustrator is Karen Webb.
Most of Lara's books are in print, electronic and audio format, with others soon to follow.
Having been on the fencing team in college and now living on a sailboat convinces her that she was a pirate in another life, or possibly kin to Errol Flynn... However, due to the unfortunate demise of the romantic pirates of the past, she lives out her fantasies, thrills and adventures in her stories. Lara loves to weave interesting true historical tidbits into her fiction which invite the reader to explore further after the novel is finished.
Currently docked in Norfolk, Virginia (until the wind changes) Lara enjoys living on her sailboat and spends time reading, of course writing, indulging a variety of artistic endeavors, cooking and sailing with her husband, Joe and their Yorkie, Rio.






ANGELA KNIGHT

10716b891f490ad8956e5b.L._V192199623_I have been writing erotic romance since 1996, when my first novella appeared in Secrets Vol. 2. In June, 2004, Jane's Warlord, my first novel, was published, followed by FOREVER KISS in July, 2004 the anthology HOT BLOODED in September, and MASTER OF THE NIGHT in October. MASTER OF THE MOON, my next book, hit the USA Today list for three weeks, much to my amazement. Since then I've been writing like a lunatic and having a wonderful time.
I've been married to a wonderful man for more than twenty years now. He's a senior investigator with our county sheriff's office. As a result, I know an awful lot of cops, which is one reason I love putting police procedural elements in my fiction. I also spent ten years as a reporter, which gave me a collection of war stories you would not believe.
My husband Mike and I have one son, Anthony, who is in his twenties now.



And Now for the Prizes!

GRAND PRIZE

Kindle Fire
Kindle Fire HD Pre-loaded with: Mail Order Melody by Kirsten Osbourne Montana Hearts by Jillian Hart Stolen Gifts by Rasha Selim Trapping the Butterfly by: Debra Parmley Love Bites by Angela Knight Winged by L.M. Pruitt One Touch at Cobb’s Bar and Grill Blissful Tragedy by Amy L. Gale
Paperback: Draculaville Part I by: Lara Nance The Three Graces by: Michele Wolfe Stay by: Jennifer Silverwood

SECOND PRIZE

Sara_Banner 1Paperback of The Three Graces by: Michele Wolfe and a Graces Necklace of your choice Tea Gift Basket with Signed copies of Lynette Endicott’s Starting over series Paperback of Stay by: Jennifer Silverwood Paperback copy of Draculaville I by: Lara Nance and a stuffed bat Paperback copy of Blissful Tragedy by: Amy L. Gale

THIRD PRIZE

Sara_Banner 1 Digital Copies of: Mail Order Melody by: Kirsten Osbourne Montana Hearts by: Jillian Hart Stolen Gifts by: Rasha Selim Trapping the Butterfly by: Debra Parmley Love Bites by: Angela Knight Winged by: L.M. Pruitt One Touch at Cobb’s Bar and Grill Blissful Tragedy by: Amy L. Gale Stay by: Jennifer Silverwood The Three Graces by: Michele Wolfe

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN !

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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Review: Unlit Star by Lindy Zart

Unlit Star
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Unlit Star
Author: Lindy Zart
Series:
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook.
Website: www.lindyzartauthor.blogspot.com
*This book was provided for free by the author for review.


GoodReads Summary:
We are not guaranteed anything, not even this life.
Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different.

He falls far and he falls hard.

Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life's ironies. Alone, in the dark, like dusk as it falls on the world. When Rivers hits the ground, she is the night that catches him. In the darkness, they meld into something beautiful that shines like the sun.

Only, the greater the star is, the shorter its lifespan.
Review:
I was excited when I received the ARC for Unlit Star.  It's actually the very first book that I have ever read by Lindy Zart so I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I'm happy to say that I absolutely loved it! 
Rivers and Delilah's story was absolutely beautiful and on more than on occasion reminded of something Nicholas Sparks would write. 
The characters were amazing and very believable.  I found them both very relateable in their pain and sadness and how they learned to live through it and create something beautiful out of their lives. 
Unlit Star was a gorgeous story and I cannot wait to read more of Lindy's work.
Favorite Characters: Delilah and Rivers
Rating: 5 Stars.
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