Books: Underneath - Heather Marie Adkins

Author: Heather Marie Adkins
Publisher: self published
Publishing date: June 2011
Number of pages: approx. 50 P.
Language: English
Sort story: Short Story, standalone
Age Category: Adult 

About Underneath

An ancient city, entombed beneath a museum that seeks to understand the brutal race that once inhabited the underground world. A young woman with special empathic powers offered a job to create an exhibit of the city's artifacts. Underneath, they wait for her.

Books: Leopard Moon ~ Jeanette Battista

Title: Leopard Moon
Author: Jeanette Battista
Series: Moon series, book #1
Publisher: Self published
Publishing date: 4th March 2012
Number of pages: 206 p.
Language: English  only
Age Category: New Adult
Other Books In This Series: 
Jackal Moon, book #2
Hyena Moon, book #3
Hunter Moon, book #4

Books: Hopeless ~ Colleen Hoover

Title: Hopeless
Series: Hopeless #1
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publishing date: 19th, December, 2012
Publisher: Colleen Hoover
Language: English, dutch a.o. languages
Number of pages: 327 p.
Age category: New Adult, Young Adult
Other books in the Hopeless series:Losing Hope #2
Finding Cinderella #2.5

Books: Vulture ~ Rhiannon Paille ~ promo



Title: Vulture
Author: Rhiannon Paille
Series: The Ferryman and the Flame #3
Publication date: June 18th 2013
Publisher: Self published
Number of pages: 496 p.
Language: English only
Age category: Young adult
Other books in this series:
Read about the series here

About Vulture:

How far would you go to betray everything you've ever known?

Kaliel didn't think second chances came with this much turmoil. Exiled from her home, surrounded by strangers and in love with a boy she barely recognizes, she can't take it. She has her best friend, a new mentor, and a chance to win the war against the Valtanyana, but it's all wrong. Desperate to salvage some semblance of her former life, she makes a deal that shatters everything.

Add on Goodreads

About Rhiannon Paille

Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She's married to a chef/comic book shop owner and has a fondness for architecture.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Excerpt:

Alive

She was alive and all she felt was the cold. Stinging armor rested against her cheek, clammy hands on her back, sopping dress against her arms. All of it made her shiver on the inside. She didn’t have words to explain how she felt. A heartbeat rang in her ears, breath flushed in and out of her lungs, fingers curled around a boy’s shoulder and pressed into the skin at the nape of his neck. The last thing she remembered was the murderous look in Crestaos’s eyes before she thrust herself into the mouth of a volcano.

 And she remembered exploding.
 It was raining.
 Everything felt so different.

Knots twisted her stomach, limbs heavy, head swimming with thoughts, with questions, with shock. Krishani released her briefly and looked into her eyes. He looked different, felt different. His black hair was longer, reaching his neck, his face pallid, eyes sunken into thin malnourished cheeks, deep bruises underneath them. A curl of black dirt crept across his neck. She barely caught it in the eerie darkness, nothing but torchlight illuminating the night.

 Crowds of people milled around them, stumbling or dragging themselves towards the lights. Hooves pounded back and forth, stopping and starting again, weaving through the wounded and dead. A high pitched lull dulled Kaliel’s sense of hearing. It cast a net over sound, muffling the noise. Krishani tucked his fingers under her chin and pulled her face up to his. She realized he was speaking. Hearing his voice nearly undid her. 

 “I need you to go inside.” His tone was gentle, less ragged compared to the first time he said her name. At the time his voice had been raspy, hollow, lethal. She didn’t want to know what he meant when he told her not to touch him. She went to pull away but he kept her attached, turning. Behind him were large gates and stone walls stretching into darkness. A dirt road marked at intervals by torches spread into a village. It was crowded by people in golden armor or shredded clothing. She didn’t recognize anything and immediately tensed. She glanced at Krishani, gulping. Her throat was scratchy, burning as saliva trickled past her tongue.

“Where are we?” she asked, alarmed. She didn’t know if her eyes had turned their usual green, she wasn’t even sure what color her eyes were anymore. This wasn’t her body.
 “Terra,” Krishani whispered as he pulled her taut against him and covered her left arm with his, twisting his fingers through hers. She glanced at him, fear snaking into her, a million questions pounding at the fore front of her mind. “Go with Tulsen, I won’t be long,” he said, still talking into her ear.

Books: The Ferryman and The Flame series ~ Rhiannon Paille

Today I wanted to tell you about The Ferryman and The Flame series, because tomorrow I will present you with the information about the new and third instalment of this series, as part of the Promotion Tour for the book. Since I hate it when I see a book blitz and don't know anything about the other books in the series, I felt it was necessary to not do that myself! So tomorrows post will also be linked back to this one, in case you didn't know about this series.

I am participating in this book promotion, because I have the first two books in this series on my Kindle, they are on my list to read soon. So enjoy!

Surrender ~ The Ferryman and The Flame #1

How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?

Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
(Source: Goodreads)

Justice ~ The Ferryman and The Flame #2

How far would you go to destroy yourself?

Krishani always knew he would have to go to the Lands of Men, but he never thought it would be like this. Enemies everywhere, an ancestor he can't respect, elders he can't trust, a curse he can't stop and friends he can't help but hate. Desperate to end the pain, he sets out on a quest to find the other Flames and face the enemy that took everything from him.

(Source: Goodreads)

There are also two novella's available in this series, er zijn ook twee novelles verkrijgbaar in deze serie:

Lantern & Poison ~ The Ferryman and The Flame #1.5

This is SURRENDER from the villain's POV.

Hadwen is no more. The Daed have no choice but to travel to Avrigost to awaken Crestaos. They're thrown into a whirlwind quest for the Flames, not knowing how ruthless and sadistic Crestaos can be.

(Source: Goodreads)

Blood and Gold ~ Ferryman and The Flame #2.5

This is JUSTICE from the villain's POV.

The Daed are pawns to one of the most powerful members of the Valtanyana. Crestaos is insane, his hunger for the Flames insatiable. The closer the Daed get to achieving his goal, the more expendable they become.

(Source: Goodreads)

Books: April Showers ~ Karli Perrin ~ promo

Title: April Showers
Author: Karli Perrin
Series: April, book #1
Published in: 16th, June, 2013
Publisher: Self published
Number of pages: 271 p.
Language: English only
Age category: New Adult
Other books in this series:
April fools, book #2

About April Showers

What happens when your head and your heart pull you in completely opposite directions?

April Adams is about to find out the hard way.
When April enrols at Manchester University, it feels like a whole new life. New city, new house, new friends...new crush.

Isaac Sharpe is the hottest guy on campus - with an even hotter reputation. After a chance meeting, April quickly finds herself wrapped up in all that he is. But what if all that he is isn't what it seems?

Caught up in a battle between what she wants and what she thinks she needs, April meets Lukas Roberts. Lukas is the security blanket that she craves so desperately and she finds solace in their friendship. But what happens when she finds more than she bargained for?April has always been a big believer of fate, but will she learn that she's in control of her own destiny before it's too late?

Join April as she embarks on a life changing journey of love and loss, which will have you laughing and crying until the very end.

Buying Links

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK

About Karli Perrin

Karli Perrin is a 25 year old English Language & Linguistics graduate from Manchester. She has always been a big lover of books and has published her first NA novel - April Showers.

She is a big believer of fate and is a sucker for a happy ending. She honestly believes that there is a reason why you are reading this right now (apart from the fact that you are awesome!) Her ultimate goal in life is to live in a house made entirely out of books with her best friend, who also happens to be her fiancé.

...Hogwarts is plan B.

Books: Off Sides ~ Sawyer Bennett

Title: Offsides
Series:  Off, boek 1
Author: Sawyer Bennett
Published: 21st, February, 2013
Publisher: Big Dog Publishing
Language: Available only in English
Number of pages: 137p.
Age category: New Adult
Other books in this series:
Off Limits #2
Off The Record #3
Off Course #4
Off Chance #5

About Offsides

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university’s hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family’s public image.

Forced to abandon her music career,  after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive?

My opinion:

First let me tell you something about my reading progress of this book. I started this by accident, I picked the wrong book on GoodReads I meant to put Off side by Juliana Stone to my Read pile, but I ended up putting this one there. Then it kept showing up at my read pile so I thought what the heck, I will start reading this then.

When I first started I thought it was not really original after reading similar books. So I put it down and almost didn't pick it up again. But since not finishing a book is not in my nature I picked it up again after I read some other very different books. I started to enjoy and appreciated more after that. And the last 40% of the book turned out to be really interesting.

After the instant love and the acceptance of Danny by Ryan's friends, I felt it was  to good to be true. This bothered me, I was afraid there wouldn't be any resistance from the outside world, regarding the relationship between Ryan and Danny. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Rating

I ended up being shocked, emotional and really liking where the story ended up. However the start was not very original, the ending was. For me this was an average read, no major wow moments, not many surprises so that makes this book a 3 stars!

Music

Some good ole country would suffice! I would suggest typing in Grand Ole Opry at YouTube and just put on a playlist! I was listening to Bruno Mars at youtube, when I started listening to the lyrics of Locked Down In Heaven, this book crept back into my mind so I thought I'd share it!

Buy the books on Amazon: 

Books: Fire Burn And Cauldron Bubble ~ H.P. Mallory

Title: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
Author: H.P. Mallory
Series: Jolie Wilkins, book #1
Published in: July 2010
Publisher: Self published
Number of pages: 246 p.
Language: English Only
Age category: Adult
Other books in the series:
Toil and Trouble #2
Witchful Thinking #3
The Witch is Back #4
Something Witchy This Way Comes #5

About Fire Burn And Cauldron Bubble 

Life isn't bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn't have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend Christa.

Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she's a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost's demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life!

Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.
(Source: Goodreads)

Important characters

Jolie:  The story is told from Jolie's point of view only. Jolie is such a character, she reminded me a bit of Bridget Jones (in the movie, I haven't read the books, shame on me I know), minus the overweighted part. Jolie also gets into those strange and awkward situations which made me laugh out loud. Also she doesn't believe she is a witch nor that she has an incredible power.

Rand: He is the to-die-for warlock, secretive, strange in some ways and very protective of Jolie. Although he has trouble explaining himself, nor does he seem to know what he wants. I think he fights a lot of battles in his head. This makes him an awesome character.

Christa: The remarkable thing about Christa is that she doesn't seem to be bother by the fact that the underworld exists. She walks inside a room filled with vampires, werewolves, demons, witches and warlocks without hesitation. She is a wonderful side character, also she is from now on my favourite bookish best friends!

Sinjin: Oh Sinjin, a vampire and a very old one at that. I am still not sure what his motives are. He is Always the gentlemen when it comes to Jolie. He's hot, a real ladies men but in a way that is very charming. I liked the conversations between Jolie and Sinjin, mostly because of the language use. He turns out to be a pretty decent vampire.

My opinion

The first thing that made me want to read this book was the funny cover. It promised laughing out loud, which was a promise that was kept! I laughed a lot which was good, the subject matter was light, not many shocking event that want to make you cry nor emotionally draining.  Just a quick light read!

The story some journey! with lots of bumps, magic, hot man, wicked witches, thirsty vampires,  funny ghosts on the way. At least it didn't have a major cliffhanger on the end pfiieew! I will continue this series, I am curious what the author has in store for us in the next books! I hope lots of fun!  All in all  I just enjoyed this story very much. Great characters, worldbuilding and writing! So that means 4 stars!

Music ~ Paolo Nutini ~ Last request

This song describes the relationship between Rand and Jolie. It also made me think of the scene where Jolie will have to defeat an faerie.

Books: Killing Time ~ Daisy White

Title: Killing Time
Author: Daisy White
Publisher: Self published
Published: 4th, December, 2012
Number Pages: 180 p.
Sort of story: Standalone
Age category: Young Adult
Genre: Adventure

About Killing Time

…Sometimes doing your duty can be the hardest thing of all…

Seventeen year old Alia finds herself mysteriously drawn to the new kid in school, Zac, and she knows it isn’t because of his sporting prowess, or even his good looks; this is deeper, and freakier. What with the death of her dad, and a terrifying stalker watching her house, life is pretty tough. Then one night, everything changes again, as a phone call sends her and her mom running for their lifes.

Alia’s discovers she is part of the Time Guardian Family, a legacy from her father, and having turned seventeen, is ready to take on ‘Family’ duties. But she won’t be the only one; there are always four at any one time.

Alia, Zac and the two other Guardians Cloe and Jake are thrown together in a little dessert town in the middle of nowhere. The Family is gathering, which can only mean one thing; the end of a cycle of time, and the latest generation of Time Guardians must prepare to reset the Clock of Deep Time.

But someone else has discovered the Family secrets; Mars Petersen, leader of apocalypse cult Avera Moon is determined to use the Time Guardians in his own plans. But is it chance, or can he really know April fourteenth could be the end of the world?

As the final countdown begins the modern day ‘Family’ must outwit Mars Petersen and his followers, and reset the Clock of Deep Time to save the world.

(Source: GoodReads)

My opinion

First of all, I don't think I have read any adventure books in like, years! I think the last was a Dutch book called Pinkeltje which was when I was a even littler Irene (with 1,53 meters I am still defined as a little person I think). I do watch a lot of adventure movies such as the Mummy, Tomb Raider, National Treasure or The Librarian, all favourites of mine. But adventure books? (looks over the shoulder at my bookshelf) Fantasy, more fantasy, non fiction, cook books, uh nope no adventures.

The thing about this book that pulled me in was the cover, there's a Husky dog on it! Another favourite, lol. I was very curious about the dog having any part in the book. And luckily he did, he's named Oreo, his owner is Alia.

I enjoyed this book, I liked Alia she's a little shy, overweighed, insecure which makes her different in a good way. She is not the perfect long legged girl you read about in other books. Then there is her opposite half, Zac popular, athletic, self-assured. 

The story is told from both Alia's and Zac's point of view, but Jake and Cleo are the once that make this story totally great! Cleo who always speaks her mind and can be very bitchy. And Jake, the quiet Emo boy, the only thing he really wants to do is find his father. The contrast between all four characters, is what makes the characters realistic and easy to relate to either one or all.

Rating

Another reason why this book deserves a 3.5 rating is that there aren't many grammar issues, which I have encountered in other indie/self-published authors works! So, that's great for all the grammar snobs out there :).

I am very curious if there will be a sequel to this book, there is unfinished business in the end of the story, so I think there will be a sequel. I hope we will get to know Cleo and Jake a bit better then and what their background is.

Muziek ~ Hotel California - The Eagels:

Books: Offside ~ Juliana Stone

Title: Offside
Author: Juliana Stone
Publisher: Juliana Stone
Published in: 1st October 2012
Number of pages: 222 p.
Series: The Barker Triplets, book #1
Age category: New Adult, Adult
Other books in this series: 
Collide #2
Conceal #3

Books: Her Mad Hatter ~ Marie Hall

Title: Her Mad Hatter
Author: Marie Hall
Published: 7th, July, 2012
Publisher:Marie Hall (self-published)
Number Pages: 129 p.
Series: Kingdom #1
Age category: Adult
Genre Paranormal romance, retelling
Other books in the series:
Gerard's Beauty #2
Red And Her Wolf #3
Jinni's Wish #4
Hook's Pan #5
Moon's Flower #6
Huntsman's Prey #7
Rumpel's Price #8
Hood's Obsession #9
Her One Wish #10
A Pirate's Dream #11

Books: Famous... Or Not ~ LeAnn Coston

Title: Famous... or not
Author: LeAnn Coston
Publisher: LeAnn Coston (self-published) 
Published: 16th, February, 2013
Number of Pages: 176 p.
Sort of story: Novella, Standalone
Age category: Adult
Genre Contemporary Romance

Book: Redemption ~ Venise Webb

Title: Redemption
Author: Venise Webb
Publisher: Venise Webb (self published)
Publishing date: 3 February 2013
Number of pages: 621 p.
Serie(s): Fallyn #1
Age category: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal romance
Other books in the series:
Retribution (Fallyn #2)

Books: Jenny Pox ~ J.L. Bryan

Titel: Jenny Pox
Author: J.L. Bryan
Publisher: J.L. Bryan
Publishing date: 22 July 2010
Number of pages: 310 p.
Serie(s): Jenny Pox #1
Age category: New Adult/Adult
Other books in the series:
Genre: Horor, Paranormal Romance
Tommy Nightmare (Jenny Pox #2)
Alexander Death (Jenny Pox #3)
Jenny Plague-Bringer (Jenny Pox #4)