You'll Never Guess My Pick This Month! ~ When Life's Kicking Your Butt, How About a Theme Song? #4

Omigodit'sFebruaryhowdidthathappen??? This month the theme is Go Big Or Go Home! 

This meme was created and hosted by Robyn from robgirlbooks! 

I started thinking about what I was going to choose, and it took me until today to figure out what I wanted to do. You know how sometimes you're trying to make a decision and nothing seems right in your gut? Then you get an idea, and wham! You just know this is it. You know it's super awesome because you're excited to share it. That's what happened to me this month. :D 

 

What did you think? I heard them at ACL this past October but didn't get to see them. They played either right after the Cults or during. I wish I had 'cause I'm obsessed with them now!! 

Here's my past picks: 

"Good Vibrations"        Beach Boys
"Digital Witness"          St. Vincent
"I Wanna Get Better"   Bleachers
"All About That Bass"   Meghan Trainor

What song is big for you this month? 

The Stillness of the Sky by Starla Huchton ~ Blog Tour: #Review & #Giveaway

Title: The Stillness of the Sky

Series: A Flipped Fairy Tale

Author: Starla Huchton

Release Date: February 2, 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: Copy for review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis

"Once upon a time, my life was certain: it was insignificant, and it was cruel. But I refused to let it define me, no matter how great the cost.

Once upon a time, I made a wish. The world I knew grew wider than the sky and higher than the stars, and I listened to the voice within me, reaching out for freedom.

Once upon a time, my wish became my fate, and my destiny the hardest lesson to learn: kindness may be the most difficult path, but it can save entire kingdoms." 

The Stillness of the Sky is a gender flipped take on "Jack and the Beanstalk" with originality. I ADORE Starla's Evolution series and her other gender flipped fairy tale, Shadows on Snow. I not only wish I had thought about this, too, but also wish for her to gender flip everything! XD

In this rendition, Jack is short for Jacqueline. Jack's mother is tired of dealing with her father so she tries to convince Jack to leave with her. Jack chooses to stay with her alcoholic father because she worries he won't be able to take care of himself. He's abusive to her and one day orders her to sell their cows to cover his debt. On her way to town, she stops to rest, falls asleep, and wakes up to find the cows are gone and in their place is a pouch of beans.

Jack ends up leaving, wondering if it would have been kinder to have left earlier so her father would have been forced to face his demons a long time ago. She doesn't have a clear plan or idea of where she's going, but that's what makes her departure so adventurous and exciting. Not to mention that she's finally free - away from her father's abuse and only has to worry about taking care of herself rather than someone who doesn't appreciate all that she does. 

I was so excited for her! She's setting out on this journey this for herself, no one else. To me, the journey she embarks on was also symbolic of the kind young people take to discover themselves. Along Jack's way she meets different people whom she helps because she truly embodies kindness, and they recognize the quality in her. 
One stormy night, the beans are accidentally planted, and she wakes up to find a towering beanstalk. From there, everything becomes magical. 

I love the characters, especially Jack, and the adventure and romance woven into this tale. Starla has the imaginative chops to take this well known story and make it her own. From now on, I'll look at "Jack and the Beanstalk" with a new and fresh perspective. Every time I think about it, I'll think of The Stillness of the Sky and how beautiful and uplifting Starla retold this tale.        

My Rating:

About the Author

 

A geek of all trades, Starla Huchton has been crafting stories in various genres since 2007. Her first novel, The Dreamer's Thread, was released as a full cast audiobook podcast, becoming a double-nominee and finalist for the 2010 Parsec Awards. After releasing short fiction of steampunk, noir fantasy, and other varieties, she released the first three books of the Sci-Fi Romance Endure series in 2013. All three books of the Evolution series, a New Adult Superhero Romance series, were released in 2014, as well as a Steampunk Fantasy novel, Master of Myth (the Antigone's Wrath series, book 1), which was the first place winner of the Crested Butte Writers' contest, The Sandy, in 2012. Shadows on Snow, a gender-flipped retelling of Snow White, releases in November 2014. 

When not writing, Starla trains three Minions, a black lab, and a military husband whilst designing book covers for independent authors and publishers at DesignedByStarla.com. 

Author Links

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook 

Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page 

Other Works by Starla A.K.A. S.A. 

Evolution Series

Evolution Angel #1

Evolution Sage #2

Evolution Hex #3

The Evolution Series Omnibus

The Endure Series

Maven #1

Nemesis #2

Progeny #3

Paradigm #4 (WIP)

The Antigone's Wrath Series

Master of Myth #1

Master of Machines #2 (WIP)

Stand Alones

The Dreamer's Thread

A Flipped Fairy Tale

Shadows on Snow

The Stillness of the Sky (Coming Late Winter)

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Amaranthine: The Heart of Decompose by Nina R. Schluntz ~ Blog Tour: #Review & #Giveaway

Title: Amaranthine: The Heart of Decompose

Author: Nina R. Schluntz

Release Date: December 2014 

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Romance

Source: Copy for review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis

Dragons, unicorns, fairies, zombies...and Santa.

At the center of it all stands Dee, a man immortalized in legend as Decompose. An ongoing war between unicorns and dragons has led to the creation of a plague...a deadly infection Dee is the host for. Not quite human, but not a unicorn either, Dee and the plague form a symbiotic relationship, resulting in immortality of the undead kind.  

Every ruling Empire has desired control of Decompose. Controlling the infection means control of the people. An intervention of an old rival, Santa, results in Dee going missing. When he resurfaces decades later, Dee has one goal: locate the mythical cure to his plague. 

However, complications of the heart force Dee to decide whether he truly wants to find the cure and give up being Decompose. 

The mix of genres in Amaranthine: The Heart of Decompose is unique and creative. There's fantasy with unicorns, dragons, and fairies, horror with zombies, science fiction with space travel and life on other planets, and a touch of romance. It's amazing how Schluntz had these elements all come together to make a unified story. Santa is even in there! 

Amaranthine begins with finding out that several different planets, including Earth, have been infected with a plague that turns the inhabitants into zombies. The plague was created during a war between unicorns and dragons, and Dee also known as Decompose, carries the plague. The cure lies in his friend, Jhon, and the two end up getting separated. Dee must find Jhon in order to cure the inhabitants of the different planets ravaged by the disease. 

The action and tension kept me on the edge of my seat. Dee and Jhon had an enormous task ahead of them, not only to find each other but also to cure people and stay a step ahead of those who wish to use the infection to control their people. And Dee straddles the line between life and death - he doesn't really belong to one or the other. I grew to like Dee, but it took me time to get used to Jhon. I wasn't sure about him for a while. 

There are a couple of other characters who are as important as Dee and Jhon, but I don't want to say who they are or talk about them because I feel it would give too much away. I will say one character I liked quite a bit, and the other I liked but not quite as much. 

Amaranthine is a novel I believe will appeal to fans of any or all of the genres it includes. It gives a fresh take on zombies - they aren't all like the zombies you're used to - and I loved the space travel aspect of the novel. I haven't seen a novel mixing these genres together before, and it's a cleverly written mashup of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. And there are unicorns! Did I mention unicorns?! 

My Rating:

About the Author

Nina Schluntz is a native to rural Nebraska. In her youth, she often wrote short stories to entertain her friends. Those ideas evolved into the novels she creates today.

Her husband continues to ensure her stories maintain a touch of realism as she delves in the science fiction and fantasy realm. And their kitty, a rescued Abyssinian, is always willing to stay up late to provide inspiration. 

Visit her blog mizner13.wordpress.com for information regarding previous and upcoming publications. She also posts book and movie reviews for a wide variety of genres. 

Author Links

Author's Facebook Page 

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

 Author's Amazon Page 

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Unleashed by Rachel McClellan ~ Blog Tour: #Review #Playlist & #Giveaway

Enjoy Happy Geek Media's debut virtual tour of Unleashed by Author Rachel McClellan!

Follow the tour here! 

Title: Unleashed: A Young Adult Twist on Jekyll and Hyde

Author: Rachel McClellan
Genre: Romance, Thriller, Science Fiction
Pages: 355
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Source: Copy for review

Seventeen-year-old Claire Williams' tough upbringing has taught her how to throw a punch or two to survive, especially when it involves a man's unwanted attention. But her strength waivers when she visits Bodian Dynamics, a medical research facility, and stumbles upon classified information - someone has stolen a drug that not only changes a person's appearance, but also unleashes the darkest, most evil part of their inner psyche. 

After an intimidating security guard threatens the lives of her friends if she speaks to anyone about the incident, Claire pretends the drug never existed. But when she finds a dead girl in her school and is attacked herself, she thinks the events are connected. Especially when she meets Gage, a teenage boy who doesn't seem to have a conscience and who is hell-bent on making her just like him by unleashing her dark side.

The police try to catch Gage, but his increased strength and speed, a side effect from the drug, make him impossible to kill. But Claire knows a secret - he can only die while in his normal state. And since Gage knows personal information about her, Claire thinks she knows who it is: either her best friend or her recent boyfriend. But this doesn't change Claire's resolve. Gage has backed her into a corner so Claire does what she does best: fights. And once she figures out which boy Gage is hiding behind, she's going to kill him, even if it breaks her heart.   

Buy Unleased on Amazon US, UK, 

and CANADA  and Barnes & Noble

  

It's been a long time since I've read a good YA thriller, and Unleashed is a great one. Although I haven't read Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I know the story and have always been fascinated by it. The way McClellan handles her re-imagining of this classic is clever and suspenseful. Unleashed takes you on a fast action-packed ride from beginning to end. 

Claire is a high school student who's in a band and wants to get out of the town she lives in. She doesn't have a great home life, and she's had to protect herself because neither of her parents will. Once she accidentally overhears classified information at the medical research facility in her town, her life is in danger from a security guard who's been tasked to find out what she knows and a guy she runs into named Gage. Luckily, she has a father figure in her life who also happens to be a policeman. He looks out for her just like a father would his own daughter. 

Soon it becomes apparent that one of two important people in Claire's life play a role in the information she overheard - she just doesn't know which one, and neither does the reader. That was one of my favorite aspects of Unleashed - not knowing and trying to figure out who Gage's identity before he could harm Claire. You only know Gage could be Claire's friend, Logan, or her boyfriend, Ethan. McClellan writes both characters in a way that either one could be the culprit, and you use clues and hints she drops to take a guess. 

I really didn't know which one was Gage and was kept guessing until the end. The ending was spectacularly intense and kept my pulse pounding! McClellan did a stellar job with her re-imagining of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Unleashed. And what a perfect title for the book! I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a YA thriller with romance sprinkled in.  

My Rating: 

Playlist

Rachel McClellan, author of Unleashed and many others, was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads 

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Purenet by H.J. Lawson ~ #Review

Title: Purenet
Series: The Sanction Series #1 
Author: H.J. Lawson
Release date: December 30, 2014
Source: Copy for review via RAVBT 

Purchase: Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis

Purenet is one of six wealthy Sanctions, formed by the Emperor and the Untouchables after a devastating world war. Only those born in Purenet have the privilege of living under the dome, protecting their bodies from the sun's deadly UVA rays. 

Skylier is desperate to escape her underground confines and save her mother's life. 

On a school visit, she hears something she's not supposed to, and now she realizes that not only is her whole life a lie, but she is in grave danger... She doesn't know who to trust, and her enemies are everywhere... even closer than she realizes.

Now she is in a race against time to save not only her life, but her mother's and those she cares about. And if she fails, she'll suffer a fate worse than death... 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Gah! I really, really wanted to like Purenet. To love it. Sadly, that didn't turn out to be the case. The idea behind the story is phenomenal and creative, but unfortunately, the way it played out killed my excitement about reading it. Between the characters and the speedy plot, I wasn't able to enjoy reading it.   

Skylier has some spunk to her, and I liked watching events unfold from her perspective. However, the other characters were one-dimensional, and characters really make a book for me. If I don't like who I'm reading about, then it's hard to read the book. In Purenet, they just felt flat with no personality. Two guys end up crushing on Skylier, but I didn't have a preference for either one because I didn't have a chance to get to know either one of them.  

Purenet's plot was way too fast paced - so much was happening it was hard for me to keep up. Scenes changed quickly and made the story seem like it was on hyper drive. It's a short book, and at first I thought it was because the plot whirled by me. But it is actually a short read, and if more time had been spent on developing the characters, the plot, and the world they lived in, I would've loved it. 

I wouldn't have minded the book being longer in that case. As a matter of fact, I think it should have been longer to achieve what I mentioned above. It's better to take your time and tell a fantastic story than to rush through it as though you're in a hurry to get to the exciting parts. Good things come to those who wait, right? 

There was also a lot of telling rather than showing. I know this is hard to do, I really do. But I want to be shown rather than told about the world the author has built. 

Overall, Purenet had a lot of potential to be a terrific and interesting sci-fi/dystopian novel. Unfortunately, the novel didn't reach up to its full potential.  

My Rating:

 

Losing the Ice by Jennifer Comeaux ~ Cover Reveal!

So excited to share this cover reveal with you today! I just listened to the audio book for Crossing the Ice, and it was ah-mazing! 

Click here for my review! 

Now check out the cover for the second book, Losing the Ice!  

Losing the Ice (Ice #2)

by Jennifer Comeaux 

Release Date: 02/23/15

Summary from Goodreads:

Courtney and Josh are in love and excited to finally compete as skating partners. When they take the ice for their first competition, they want to show everyone, especially Josh's family, they are the perfect pair. But ice is slippery, and one misstep puts all their dreams in jeopardy. Now they must show each other both their love and their partnership are strong enough to survive.

Pre-order for only $.99:

Book One:
(linked to Goodreads below)

Crossing the Ice (Ice #1)

by Jennifer Comeaux

Release Date: 08/03/14

Summary from Goodreads:

Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

Buy Links:

    

About the Author

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 

Jennifer loves to hear from readers! Visit jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com for contact information and to learn more about her books.

Author Links:

    

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