Merry Christmas from Abbi Glines

The fabulous Abbi Glines posted on facebook just a few minutes ago that her newest book Fallen Too Far is currently on sale for only .99!

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

For Kindle readers, get your copy here!
For Nook readers, get your cope here!

Merry Christmas!

Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. I have had it for a while, but never picked it up.

Day was a character fiercely loyal to the people he cares for. He's the villain to the government and June - the smartest person ever (well according to test scores) wants to catch Day. Day killed her brother, after all. But, when they meet, unannounced to each other, they get a glimpse of the other side. The other side that the government doesn't want them to see.

The romance in the book is minimal in kissing scenes and steaminess. But the relationship being built between the two is undeniable and well-paced. No-insta love there.

I think something I haven't seen in a long time in books is the devotion to family. Day and June both love their families and the devotion given back, is humbling. A great read!

Review: Reached by Ally Condie

 

Author: Ally Condie
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Penguin
Published: November 13th 2012

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

First, I just want to say that Ally Condie writes beautifully. Her books are almost soothing to read because she has such a poetic writing style. I always feel so calm and relaxed when I am reading her work. Which is kind of unexpected for a Dystopian, right? With most you expect a lot of blood, guts and gore but you don't get that with the Matched trilogy.  Instead, what is disturbing about these books is that it is believable. You can see how the society could potentially exist and I think that is what makes a good Dystopian.

I loved Matched but wasn't that fond of Crossed so I was a little reluctant to begin Reached. You see, for me, usually the first book hooks me, the middle book is boring (only exception I can think of is The Hunger Games, I actually enjoyed Catching Fire a lot, even more than Mockingjay) and the 3rd book makes or break the trilogy.

Reached is far more character driven then the previous installments. There are three POVs so we are able to get to know more about Xander since he is introduced as a new narrator. Each character has a unique voice and it was easy to tell them all apart which was good because I had to put down this book a lot, but whenever I picked it back up, I always knew exactly who was "talking".

If you were expecting a lot of action going into Reached, you will be disappointed. There isn't any.

 If you were expecting a lot of romance in Reached, you will also be disappointed. There's not much of that either since Ky and Cassia spend most of the book apart.

We basically follow Cassia, Ky and Xander as they adjust to the changes in their society and grow as individuals. It is definitely not your typical love triangle that is for sure.
 
I will say that though it wasn't what I expected, it was a very nice, hopeful conclusion to the trilogy.

I'd recommend this thought-provoking novel for people who have started the trilogy already because I think you should always see things through to the end, but if you desire an action-pack, heart-pounding, can't-put-it-down-read, this isn't really for you.

Poll It Monday (10)

Poll it Monday (10) Poll It Monday is a great way for us at Dash to know more about the YA community. It's a chance to give a little voice in your likes and dislikes. Let us know if you have anything you want to poll.

This week's poll has to do with love triangles. I think when the "world" became "in love" with love triangles had to do with a certain vampire, a certain werewolf, and a certain klutz. Yes, twilight. But now, years later (yes, it's been years), do you still love them? Do you still wonder who is she going to pick? Or are you more of the "What the hell? Again?"

surveys & polls

Dashers Panel: Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Here on A Dash of YA we are starting a new feature called "Dashers Panel" where all the Dashers get together and analyse a book we have all read.

Recently the Dashers discovered we all had read Deity by the fabulous Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have to say, we are a bit divided on who's team we are on. So without further delay - here are how the teams turn out.

Michelle: Team Aiden - love you Seth, but no. 

Molli: TEAM AIDEN all the way.  Early in PURE, Seth stood a small chance with me but throughout that book and DEITY...Aiden stole my heart.  I fell just as in love with him as Alex is, if not more so.  

Erica: For Alex, I am definitely Team Aiden but for me I have always been Team Seth....until I read DEITY. After that, I found myself completely torn. Even though DEITY showed me a side of Aiden that I REALLY liked, I am still holding on to the small sliver of hope that Seth returns from the "dark side".

Komal: Okay, guys, I'm with Erica on this one. I think Alex and Aiden should be together. Their love is epic and they genuinely care about each other. For me, however, I am Team Seth all the way. I really hope Seth makes it through everything!


Why are you a Team Aiden member or a Team Seth member?

Michelle: Team Aiden here, checking in. Aiden is this cool, collected, charmer. He's sincere when ever Alex is concerned, even when he pushes her away, it's for her. Let's also talk about his abilities, his strength, his ability to kick butt, even Seth's. Or we could move on to his physical appeal. Um, hello salty goodness. And a romantic at heart? Let's all remember what he wears around his neck. 

Molli: Aiden completes Alex.  He lets her be who she is, isn't afraid to push and challenge her when he can tell she can do better, and he always, always makes her safety and well-being his first priority.  He cares so much for her, wants her to be happy, and even puts her happiness above his own.  Aiden is a friend to Alex, and loyal to her, but at the same time it's clear there's a great deal of passion between them. 

Erica: I love Seth's "devil-may-care" attitude. Plain and simple, he makes me laugh.

Komal: There is something I love about Seth's darker side. He is so mysterious and intriguing. And nuts. He is really nuts. I don't think I would ever want to be with a guy like Seth in real life, but there is just something so compelling about him. He is such a complex character.

What was your favorite scene in the book?

Michelle: While I'm a huge fan of Aiden's, but my favorite scene didn't really have anything to do with him. Leon. Can we just take a minute for the curve ball JLA threw with him? Sigh. Leon got expotenially hotter in this book because of his big reveal. I loved how Alex interacted with him. She wasn't afraid and he was his snarky self. I know - I'm being vague but I can't ruin it for you. But when you read the book, you're going to get it! 

Molli: Mine is a sequence of scenes.  I'd say it's the entire time Alex spends at Aiden's house.  I loved getting the glimpse of him "in the wild," so to speak, when he isn't just doing his job.  I feel like JLA let the reader, as well as Alex, get to know the REAL Aiden.  And the real Aiden is swoon-worthy, protective, and just amazing.  I definitely fell all over for him then, and I LOVED the Aiden/Alex scenes we got!

P.S. Leon is pretty awesome! 

Erica: Oh gosh, this has absolutely nothing to do with Seth but I am going to have to say the bedroom scene....you know....when Aiden and Alex finally....well, you know. I was so happy for them.

Komal: For me it would have to be (I'm trying very hard not to give away any spoilers) when Seth and Lucian keep Alex captive in Lucian's house. You see such an ugly side to Seth; it gave me chills! And, the ending! Loved it! Also, the Leon curve ball was pretty awesome!

What was your reaction to the end?

Michelle: I immediately tweeted JLA and told her she needs to take into consideration her pregnant readers, because they are hormonally imbalanced. I cried. Yep. Cried. I was shocked and mad as a reader. As a writer, well played JLA. While some of it was what I expected, but the last three lines, it was a full twist. 

Molli: I won't even lie: I screamed.  Out loud.  And there was a lot of "no, no, no!" involved.  I immediately requested an ARC from Spencer Hill Press and pretty much offered to wash their cars or WHATEVER it took to get me on their list.  JLA has definitely upped the stakes for APOLLYON.  

Erica: Well, if I am totally honest....I cursed....out loud....a lot! Seriously! What the heck?!?! Does Jennifer get some sort of sick pleasure out of tormenting her readers with such cliff-hangers? I don't know how I am going to survive until APOLLYON.

Komal: I didn't react as strongly, but I was definitely affected by the ending. I was kind of expecting something like that to happen, but it was freaking unbelievable when it actually did happen. Also, I need APOLLYON now. NOW!

So that concludes our first Dashers Panel. What did you love about Deity? Are you Team Aiden or Team Seth? Let us know!

Next month we are going to focus on another JLA book - Opal. If you have a book you wants us to "panel", let us know. :) 

Love, 
The Dashers. 

Interview with A. Meredith Walters

 A. Meredith Walters has been writing since childhood and is the author of Irresistible Fear, the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy and Find You in the Dark, a contemporary romance. Having recently made the big move from America to the other side of the pond, to jolly ol' England, she has been afforded the opportunity to write full time. Before that, Meredith spent a decade as a counselor for troubled and abused children and teens.  Working first at a Domestic Violence shelter and then later in a therapeutic program for at risk youth. The experiences and interactions with her clients has been the creative drive behind most of her writing.

When not pecking away at the keyboard, Meredith loves spending time with her husband and daughter exploring the English country side and attempting to cook. While she may not be very good at it, that doesn't stop her from trying.

Recently I got to read A. Meredith Walters' book Find You In The Dark. I really liked it and I knew I couldn't wait to interview her! I love getting to know new authors!
Little did I know that not only did Ms. Walters previously worked in the same field as me, but she shares my passion for all things paranormal, lives in England (my mom was born there and I can't wait for the chance to visit some day) AND has my dream job of being a full time writer. I think I've decided we need to be friends. ;)

Without further ado, please welcome A. Meredith Walters to A Dash of YA!
  
1) What inspired you to write Find You In The Dark?

I spent the last ten years as a counselor for children and teens with emotional and mental health issues. Every day I saw their struggles and it was difficult to see. I came up with the idea after a particularly great day with one of my clients. This was a child who at one time was headed for an institution, their issues were so severe. But after years of therapy and support, they are now an amazing, functional individual. I realized that hope was always there, even for people who others think don't have a chance. I wanted to write about a couple, trying to find that hope, even when it all seems...well, hopeless.

2) When will the sequel be released and are there plans for more books about Maggie and Clay?

I plan to release the sequel, Light in the Shadows in February or March. I also plan to release a novella, entitled Cloud Walking, about Rachel and Daniel in January. This will be a sort of companion piece and takes place during the events of Find You in the Dark. I plan to wrap up Clay and Maggie's story in Light in the Shadows. I want to conclude things realistically but make people happy.

3) What made you decide to indie pub vs traditional publishing?

Well, finding an agent who will take the time to look at your work is difficult. After numerous rejection letters I was feeling pretty low. But then the Kindle happened. And I saw how many people were doing the whole "indie" thing. And I'm so glad that's how it worked out. It's wonderful to have total control over your work like that. Yeah, you have to do everything yourself, but I feel a sense of accomplishment that can only come from that control over it all. And it's worked out really well for me so far.

4) What genre is your favorite to read?

Paranormal romance definitely. I grew up devouring L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle. I LOVE authors like Kelley Armstrong and Maggie Stiefvater. Romance with that dash of darkness is my absolute favorite.

5) Do you have a favorite author?

Hmm, well I have a bunch actually. I have a big love affair with Indie writers like Jessica Sorenson, Abbi Glines and Jamie McGuire. But I also love authors like Anne Rice, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris.

6) What is your favorite book?

My favorite book ever is Wuthering Heights. I read it hundreds of times when I was a teenager. There's something about that Heathcliff that really gets to me.

7) When is your next book due to release and can you tell us a little about it?

My next book comes out this month actually, December 21st. It's called Bad Rep and is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. It's about a college aged girl who meets this hot drum player and there's this instant connection...until she finds out he's dating one of her sorority sisters. There's a lot of angst as she struggles to resist the temptation and the fall out when that doesn't go so well. It's a romance but also a story about accepting yourself and learning to do what you want and not to worry about what other people think about you. It's definitely a story about a girl trying to find herself.

8) Do you outline before you write or do you just let the story develop as you write?

A little bit of both. With Find You in the Dark, I just wrote it. There wasn't an outline. But with the sequel, I had things I definitely wanted to cover, so I've outlined it. I think it really depends on where my mind is at as to whether I outline or not.

9) How many hours a day do you spend writing?

That changes from day to day. I'm a feast or famine sort of writer. When I'm in the zone, I will write ten hours a day. But then I can go days without writing anything.

10) Do you have an office or do you write wherever you can?

I have a designated office in my house. When we moved to England and I gave up counseling to become a full time writer, that was one of my necessities. A place to write, where I can separate "home" from "working." I need to be able to close the door and get away from it all.

And just for fun:

Apples or Pears? Apples all the way

Lipgloss or Chapstick? Chapstick
Sunset or Sunrise? Sunset
Early bird or Night owl? Night owl

Edward or Jacob? TEAM JACOB!!!

Thank you very much A. Meredith Walters! I am definitely looking forward to reading more of your work! You can find her books on Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble. 

Cover Reveal: Falling for Hadie

I'm so excited to share the cover of Falling for Hadie with everyone today! You might have already seen it around the internet, so I am also going to direct you to a post I did over on my blog about how the cover of Falling for Hadie was made. Check it out when you have time!

I want to thank Eden Crane for working so hard on this one. She is seriously the best!

Running away from his old life in New York City, Lincoln Bracks ends up in the small town of Statlen, Iowa. He isn’t interested in making friends or getting to know anyone. He just wants to keep his head down and disappear amongst the crowd.

Nursing a broken heart and the realization that the boy she’s loved her entire life isn’t Prince Charming, Hadie Swinton is set against ever falling in love. But when new boy, Lincoln arrives in town, she may have to eat her words.

Hadie fears being hurt and Lincoln fears hurting her, so when they begin spending more time together and form a connection, they try to fight it at all costs. When they finally start to give into their feelings, Lincoln’s secret stands in the way of them ever being together.

Falling in love was the last thing Lincoln wanted to do, so how will he convince himself to fall out of it?

JLA - Feature author

I haven't done an author's focus in awhile and I thought I would do one on the fabulous Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have read all of her Lux and Covenant books. ALL. And pre-ordered most of them. If you havent read something by her - you are missing out. We here at Dash are big fans, like go into battle fans. 

So what is it about JLA? 

She creates plots that are gripping. I mean her hott characters are not bad either, but she weaves these plots and sub-plot lines that pull you in. I needed to know what happened to Katy, Dawson, Alex, Leon, Seth. I mean even the bad guys, I want to know what happens. She makes you want to turn the page. She gives you enough so you can make it through your work day, but when you get done with work, you pick up the book immediately to know what happens. 

How does she do it exactly? Yeah, I don't know, but I hope to be like that one day. 

JLA also released this week Opal, an installment in the Lux series. Give her credit; she makes up some seriously hott aliens. 

I would start with these.

Book Review: Find You In The Dark

Author: A. Meredith Walters
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self
Released: October 10th 2012

Summary from Goodreads:
Maggie Young had the market on normal. Normal friends, normal parents, normal grades...normal life.
Until him.
Clayton Reed was running from his past and an army of personal demons that threatened to take him down. He never thought he had a chance at happiness.
Until her.
Maggie thought their love could overcome anything. Clay thought she was all he needed to fix his messy life.
That together, they could face the world.
But the darkness is always waiting.
Sometimes the greatest obstacle to true love is within yourself.

This was one heck of a roller coaster read! Normally I am a butterflies, sunshine and rainbows kind of girl and this book definitely wasn't any of those things but it didn't matter, I still loved it. Maggie and Clay's relationship, in a word, is dysfunctional and as an adult there were certain situations that were difficult to read about. But after I sat and thought about it (and remembered what a drama queen I was when I was in high school) I realized it was actually a fairly accurate portrayal of the intensity teenagers are capable of feeling.
I found myself torn between wanting Maggie to run to the hills just to get away from Clay and other times where I wanted her to stick around and love Clay despite all of his...uh....issues.
I used to work with troubled teens and I know how important it is for them to have someone there no matter what to offer stability, but at the same time what Clay was doing to Maggie was abuse. And my heart was broken for the both of them because neither one of them realized it.
This book was intense and hard to put down. It had some really funny parts, some really mushy-gushy parts, some really steamy parts and some "I want to slap you across your face" parts thrown in there as well.
You know I won't ever give away any spoilers but I will say this, while the ending definitely wasn't happy, I was content with the ending because I knew there really couldn't be any other way. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Ms. Walters and seeing where she takes Maggie and Clay's journey next (because yes there is supposed to be a sequel!).

Favorite Quote: "I have learned that sometimes 'sorry' is not enough. Sometimes you actually have to change."
  
 I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it to most people who enjoy this genre but especially those who don't require their stories to end in sunshine and rainbows. I think this is a story that will stick with readers for a long time after they've finished it.

Poll It Monday (9)

Poll it Monday (9)! It's hard to believe A Dash of YA has been around for over two months! Thanks for everyone who has participated in our giveaways, hops, and been leaving us comments.
Poll It Monday is a great way for us to know more about the YA community. It's a chance to give a little voice to your likes and dislikes.

This week's poll has to do with the upcoming releases this holiday season. Which book are you looking forward to. If you end up picking "other", leave us a comment telling us what it is so we can check it out!

feedback surveys

Limbo in Writing

The limbo part of writing.

You know, it's that part where you're manuscript is done and you've got to get it to the BETA readers. So what do you do? Do you start something new? I don't feel like I can work on the manuscript because then the changes the BETA readers make don't make sense and they just spent so much time on your manuscript. (Anyone else feel that way?) Or do you just sit and wait? Do you take a writer's break? But that reminds me something Colleen Houck said "Writers are either writing or they are thinking about writing."

So what do I do?

I try to read something completely out of my comfort zone or out of my current baby's realm. I think it's good to see other craft's and it kind of wipes my brain clear of the manuscript so when I do go back to it, I get a fresh look at it.

I don't start another WIP - but I do brainstorm for one. I will set up the setting, the characterization of a character, the climax. OK I may write the epilogue. I know weird - but - it reminds me how I want the novel to end up.

What do you while you are waiting on your BETA readers? I would love to have a few ideas to keep my mind off of it?

K- what do you do?

Liebster Award

Thank you Melissa and Ashley from Smardy Pants Book Blog for nominating us for the Leibster award!

Here is what you have to do:

1.Thank and link back to the nominator
2.Answer questions from award giver
3.Nominate 5 other bloggers with fewer than 200 followers
4.Ask questions for nominee's to answer
5.Post Liebster Award on your blog


1. Who are your top 5 book boyfriends?
Erica: 1. Loki Staad 2. Daemon Black 3. Shane Maxton 4. Adrian Ivashkov 5. Beau Vincent
Michelle: 1.Patch 2. Dimitri 3. Dameon. 4. Kaiden. 5.Aiden 6. Ren (I know it said 5, but hey.)
Komal: 1. Frederick Wentworth 2. Dimitri Belikov 3.Daemon Black 4. Beau Vincent 5. Heathcliff
Molli: 1) Gale Hawthorne, 2) Daemon Sadi, 3) Etienne St Clair, 4) Mal Oretsev, 5) Aiden St Delphi

2. What is your all time favorite book?
Erica: Ah, tough call. I have so many favorites....but probably my all time favorite is The Princess Bride
Michelle: This is an unfair - but an old friend would be To Kill a Mockingbird.
Komal: Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut is brilliant!
Molli: UMM SUCH a hard question.  Probably The Hunger Games.  

3. What made you decide to start blogging and how long have you been at it?
Erica: It seemed like fun so I gave it a go! Over 5 years now
Michelle: I wanted to do it because my friend did it. About three years.
Komal: I've been blogging since 2005, so it's been about 7 years now. I just wanted a place to share my thoughts and my favourite books.
Molli: A good friend started a book blog, and I thought it would be a cool adventure!  I've been blogging (on Blogger) for about a year and a half.  

4. What book was the most difficult for you to read?
Erica: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I still read it in a day...I just was super depressed that Edward just left Bella like that. LOL
Michelle: Pride and Prejudice - no one throw anything at me. It's just not for me. 
Komal: New Moon was also difficult for me to read. It never lived up to Twilight for me.
Molli: Recently, probably SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt, because it was so emotional, but in a good way.  

5. Out of all the books you have read. What character would you Marry? Who
would you be? Who would be your best friend? and Who would be your enemy?
Erica: I would marry Loki Staad (Trylle Trilogy). I would be Katy Schwartz (Lux series). My best friend would be Alice Cullen (Twilight). Kance Logan (Impossible) would be my enemy.
Michelle. I would remain a floozy and marry Patch, but still have a relationship with the other four. I would be Rose from the VA series. My bff would be Katy Schwartz. My enemy would be Abigail Williams. 
Komal: I would marry Frederick Wentworth or Dimitri Belikov. I would be Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. My best friend would be Eddie Cavallari from Impossible. My enemy would probably be Mrs. Coulter from the His Dark Materials trilogy.
Molli: Marry: Gale Hawthorne (someone needs to love that boy.)  Be: Alina Starkov from SHADOW AND BONE.  Best friend: Dee Black from the LUX series.  Enemy...SO many to choose from...since I ADORE a good Big Bad, so I can't choose!  EEP.  

We would like to nominate:
1. Nikki at Take Me Away!
2. Katie at Twirly Reads

Questions for these bloggers:
1. Who are your Top 5 favorite authors?
2. What is your favorite genre to read?
3. What is your favorite film adaptation of a novel?
4. Who is your favorite fictional couple?
5. What is your favorite quote from a book?

Poll it Monday (8)

Poll it Monday (8)

Another round of book hotties, coming your way. The Vampire Academy series is one near and dear to my heart. Richelle Mead's world - well, I live there on the weekends. I will tell you this in the Academy series I am 100% team Dimitri - you know the bad ass angel in a black duster who says Mich- I mean Rosa. But then the alchemy series and you have carefree Adrian - the carefree, wants to change for Sydney - stealer of the kisses.

Who will you pick.


PS - if you have not read these books and do not know who these men are - you're missing out.

polls & surveys

Follow Friday :) (2)

Hi everyone! We were so happy last time with getting a few new friends on the blog and a few more people to follow ourselves, we thought we do the Friday Follow again. This week's follow is a question  going along with the season.  Thank you Alison and Parajunkee.

The Question: What are you thankful for?

Michelle: I'm going to keep my answer limited to the book world because I could do on and on. I'm thankful for wonderful people that I've met through blogging, for Dimitri, Daemon, Ren, Aiden, Will, and Kaiden, for great worlds the Suzanne Collins and Cassandra Clare build, and for a place that my nerdyness is completely acceptable.

Komal: I am thankful to my friends and family for always supporting me, and for all the friends I have met online who I couldn't imagine not knowing. I am thankful that I have my furry babies in my life. Finally, I am thankful to my readers, because you guys makes all the writing amd the revising worth it. :)

Erica: I am thankful for my family (including my fur-babies) and my friends (especially the ones who share my nerdy passion for reading) I am a pretty lucky girl to have so many wonderful peope in my life!

Molli: I am thankful for my family, and friends; for my writing, which lets me express myself, and for the amazing blogging community I've become a part of.  I'm thankful for authors who write stories I can get lost in. 

Book Review: Charity Rising (Charity #2)

Author: DeAnna Kinney
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: UR Published Inc.
Released:September 1st 2012

Summary from Goodreads:
In this fast-paced, two-part sequel Charity is finally settling into her new role as alpha female to the Drake pack. With Prom and Graduation approaching, this should be the best time of her life, but something is wrong with Levi—dangerously wrong. With his odd behavior growing daily and her now blackening connection symbol, Charity is spurred into action. It’s a race against time, and any delay could result in the death of the only man she can ever love. Can she save him in time? If so, will their undying love and a stronger-than-ever heart connection be enough to withstand the damage created?

My thoughts:

Another action packed novel from DeAnna Kinney. It is amazing to me how much happened in just 290 pages! This is going to sound confusing, but it felt like the book was much longer than it actually was. It didn't take me very long to read or anything, it was just that so much happened it was like reading a series instead of just one book! Does that make sense? There was nearly always something happening so it rarely got boring.
In this sequel we see Charity finding her place in her new pack and though they don't always take her seriously (probably because she keeps bringing home strays and drives her new car way too fast among other silly, but charming things), their affection and respect for their Alpha female is obvious.
Charity and Levi can finally begin their life together and boy do they get off to quite the start! But I won't tell you everything that happens because it would ruin it for you and I don't like to give away spoilers (actually, I would LOVE to give away spoilers but for some reason there are people out there who are really against it.)
DeAnna Kinney concludes Charity and Levi's love story while leaving it open to continue other beloved characters' stories which I liked a lot.

Favorite Quote: "If any of you hurt my cat I'll beat the crazy out of you!"

CHARITY RISING is a face-paced, wholesome read that I would recommend for anyone, especially Christian YAs, who enjoy Shifter books with happy endings.

Poll it Monday (7)

Poll it Monday is a way for us (the fabulous Dashers) to see what our followers are like.
Last week we had our biggest involvement in Poll it Monday. For some reason our bloggers like to talk about guys... weird.  We are going to continue with that. I thought about doing another JLA survey with Daemon, but who competes with him? Yeah. Nobody.

So this weeks poll is for Cassandra Clare's fans. Are you going to pick the smoking hot, bad ass Jace from the Mortal Instrument series or the flirtatious, old-school handsome, bad ass Will from the Infernal Devices series.

Tough choice.

What do you think?

survey service

Cover Reveal: Runaway Mortal by Komal Lewis

I'm so excited to share the cover of Runaway Mortal with A Dash of YA today! Eden from Eden Crane Design took everything I said and made me the perfect cover. And Eden's mum, Julia Crane, picked the model for the cover! So exciting!

I hope you guys like it!

Seventeen-year-old Katerina Lyrille is one of several mortals given the privilege to attend Esteré Academy alongside powerful angels and demons. Big stress on the “privileged”, because most of the supernatural beings look down in disgust at mortals like Katerina and want nothing to do with them.

When the Headmistress of the school—a powerful angel—is found dead, Katerina is accused of her murder. Desperate to prove her innocence, Katerina runs away to seek the help of a seer who can tell her the true killer’s name, but the information comes at a price. Katerina must find an all-powerful, mythical Triad object for the seer, and in order to do so she must return to the very place she ran away from: Esteré Academy.

Now, back at school, Katerina not only has to keep her promise to the seer and find the mysterious object, she also has to deal with the arrogant, yet sexy, supernatural agent hired to guard her until her trial for the Headmistress’s murder.

The closer Katerina gets to finding the answers, the more danger she puts herself in because someone is out to stop her at all costs.

Even if it means her death.

Thank you so much to Eden for her wonderful work! The cover is even more than I hoped for!

Also, the blurb might be a little different once I publish the book, so I will update it and re-post it before the release.

If you would like to add Runaway Mortal to you Goodreads, you can do so here.

Feature and Follow for Dash :)

Feature Follow is a great way to go out and meet people and for people to find you in the blog world. We over at Dash thought we would give it a try and see who meet. We would love to meet you and get to know you! You can pop over to Alison Can Read to meet the feature of the week and a list of all the other blogs! 

Q: Books are turned into movies all the time! Turn it around. What movie would make a great book? 

Michelle's answer: I have a few and I will admit I'm going completely classic on this - well my childhood classic. Dirty Dancing and The Goonies. I am 100% positive that if they were books I would teach The Goonies in class and re-read Dirty Dancing when ever I was in a slump. 






Komal's answer: Ooh, this is a tough one! Let me think...maybe Avatar? I wasn't a huge fan of the movie, but I could see myself getting into it if it was a book. I am a HUGE fan of 80's movies. Give me St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club, Heathers, Footloose, or Pretty in Pink as books and I will devour them. Correct me if I'm wrong and they already are in book form. :)

Charity Moon Book Trailer

Interview with DeAnna Kinney

DeAnna Marie Kinney is a busy wife and Homeshool mother of three. That's why, when she felt an undeniable pull to write a book, she seriously questioned her sanity. Now, 4 years and 3 books later, Charity Moon has finally made it's debut.

Please welcome DeAnna Kinney to A Dash of YA!


What inspired you to write Charity Moon?
I was having a conversation with my teenage son, actually. One day and he said, "Mom, you should write a book about a girl who falls for a werewolf. And not the wimpy kind, but the awesome, massive kind that has to have a lot of self-control." And that is where the thought was born. I sat down to write my thoughts and before I even knew where the story was going, it took on a life of it's own. I never had a clear thought about what the story was to be about, only that I wanted my heroine to be tough and cheeky. At the end of every day, after reading what I had written, I would actually say, "Hmm, that's not too bad, DeAnna. Somebody might actually want to read this someday." Haha, and yes I do talk to myself sometimes.

Do you have a secret obsession with raspberry flavored lip balm?
I didn't start obsessing over lip balm until after I finished writing the book. I wanted to add more quirkiness to Charity's character and so I made her have an obsession with a particular Raspberry Ice lip balm. I loved this quirk in her. I had fun with it. Actually, a company has recently started making Charity's raspberry ice lip balm in honor of the books. There is a link in the back of Book 2.

Will there be more Charity books after Charity Rising?
I know for sure there will be a Book 3. I'm almost halfway through it now, but after that I'm not totally sure. I feel like Windrake Mountain has quite a few stories yet to tell, so we'll see.

Who is your cover artist?

My cover artist is an amazingly talented woman named Laura Hudson. She has made all 3 of my
book covers to date, and I hope to have her do all of them in the future. She's sort of my idol, lol.

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?
I actually have a few authors I like and most are Indie authors, but my favorite author for the moment would have to be Becca Fitzpatrick. I really like her style of writing, and I like the way she develops her characters and their relationships with each other. Of course, then that would probably make my favorite book Hush, Hush. I also really like this book called Warm Bodies, it's about a Zombie and a girl. I know, creepy, huh?

What is your writing routine like?
My writing routine is really boring. Because of all the chaos in my home, what with all the crazy kids running around, and the music and dancing and fighting, etc., I find it rather hard to write during the daytime hours. Most of my writing is done at night, after bedtime. That's when I can seem to concentrate the most.(If I can stay awake long enough to get anything done.)

Do you have any upcoming projects?
My upcoming projects include: Charity Series Book 3(I don't have a title yet). And maybe something about Zombies, Bullying, Vampires, and something about the end of the world. Although not necessarily in that order

Thank you DeAnna! You can check out DeAnna Kinney's facebook page for more information about her Charity Series!

Poll It Monday (6)

I feel like doing a few polls on crushes. It's a long standing debate. Have you ever witnessed book bloggers going back and forth about crushes? For isntance - Ya-Sisterhood Crush Tourney. We stand by our men.

One of my favorite author's - Jennifer L. Armentrout has two swoon worthy men in her series Covenant Series.

Aiden - the swoon-worthy - kick ass - hot as sin - pure blood
or
Seth - the Apollyon - sexy with a devil may care attitude - and oh yeah - super powerful.

web surveys

Top 5 List with Samantha Durante & Giveaway!

Today, I have a special treat for all our readers. Samantha Durante, author of Stitch, has stopped by with a list of her five favourite things about being an author. She also has details about a super exciting giveaway that she is running throughout the month of November!

Samantha Durante lives in New York City with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. Stitch is her first novel. Learn more about Samantha at www.samanthadurante.com.

Please welcome Samantha to A Dash of YA!

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Top 5 Things I Love About Being an (Indie) Author by Samantha Durante

Thanks so much to Komal, Michelle, Erica, and Molli for hosting me today!  I recently published my first novel, Stitch, and though I’m still new at this whole “author” thing, it’s really been a dream come true!  To celebrate, here are the top five things I LOVE about being an author (so far!), in no particular order:

1. Total empowerment.

There were a lot of reasons I decided to go the indie route when publishing Stitch, but by far the main one is that I’m a bit of a control freak and I really liked the idea of having final say over every little detail of my book.  I worked with an artist to design the cover, devoted painstaking hours to formatting the e-book versions, and made the final decision about every word, every punctuation mark, and every plot twist.  While this is a little scary (after all, I know there are people out there who can do all of these things far better than me!), it also means that the success of my book lies solely on my shoulders…  And therefore, as long as I’m willing to put in the work (which I am!), I know my book will do well!

2. My book IS me.

Following with #1, since I didn’t have to get sign-off from a publisher, I could write about whatever I wanted, even a genre-bending thriller that combined paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi in one (yes, one!) book.  I pulled in ghost lore, super-geeky spacetime physics, post-apocalyptic scenarios, a biological pandemic, and of course, a kick-ass female protagonist and sexy-but-sensitive male lead.  And yes, the fact that my book does not fit squarely into one genre makes it kind of difficult to market (which is why the traditional publishing industry would be wary of it), but it is full of the things I love.  And since – as an independent author – I have the exclusive right to decide what gets published under my name, the fact that I was excited about my book and believed in it was all that mattered.

3. Quick delivery to readers.

The other big factor that drove me to go indie was the ability to get my book to market QUICKLY.  It can take months – even years – for a first time author (going the traditional route) to find an agent and a publisher and go through the editing and revision and publication process.  Even though part of me wanted the validation of having credible industry professionals sign-off on my work before it went to the public, a bigger part of me just REALLY wanted to share my book with readers NOW (and the thought of waiting that long to get my book out was like a knife to the gut!).  By publishing the book myself, I was able to get it to readers only weeks after it was done, instead of months/years (and now that readers are clamoring for part two of the trilogy, I’m really glad that I’ll be able to get it to them as soon as I can!).

4. Bloggers, bloggers, bloggers.

WOW.  I have never met a more supportive and encouraging community of people than the world of book bloggers.  Since I am doing all my marketing myself (notice a theme here?  J), I’ve been in personal contact with literally hundreds of bloggers since my book and blog tour launched a few months ago, and each and every one of them has absolutely blown me away.  There’s just been an incredible outpouring of assistance and enthusiasm from the blogging community, and I feel SO grateful to have made contact with all of these amazing people.  Thank you SO MUCH to all of the bloggers who have helped me promote Stitch!  You guys are amazing!!

5. Reader commentary!

Last but CERTAINLY not least are the readers themselves!  It has been just INCREDIBLE to share Stitch with so many people and to hear their feedback and see them getting excited about the story the same way I am.  Stitch is definitely a different sort of book, and I have to say, even though I knew I loved the story, I didn’t know if most readers would feel the same.  So when 4- and 5-star reviews started popping up all over the internet, you can only imagine how gratifying that felt!  I’ve read every review that’s been posted online and it always makes my day to hear that someone enjoyed the book.  I’m SO indebted to every reader who’s taken the time to read and talk about Stitch!  Nothing is more motivating than passionate fans who are itching for the next installment – I can’t WAIT to get started on the next one for you guys!

______________

Samantha has kindly provided the details for her giveaway below. Please fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win one of the amazing prizes up for grabs!

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!

November Releases that I am Dying For!

November 2012 YA Releases.
Fridays is my day to typically talk about writing. I wanted to talk about NaNo month, but I want to wait until I'm another week in. Maybe some of the other dashers will put in their input.

In no particular order

Will be released Nov. 13
After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

Released on Nov. 6
In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.





Released on Nov. 6
History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time.
Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.
If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.
But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.
Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

Released on Nov. 27 

In 1929, the Bright Young Things escape Manhattan's heat for the lush lawns and sparkling bays of White Cove, looking for leisure, love, and luck.

New York City's latest It Girl, Cordelia Grey, is flying high with celebrity pilot Max Darby. But Max is a private person with a reputation to uphold—and a secret to hide. A public romance with a bootlegger's daughter could cost him more than just his good name. . . .

Aspiring triple threat Letty Larkspur has finally gotten her big break, but will her talent—and special bond with the married silver-screen star Valentine O'Dell—make her a target in the cutthroat world of Hollywood? Perhaps the ingenue knows how to play the leading lady after all.

Newly married to her longtime sweetheart, socialite Astrid Donal finds herself spending more time with one of her husband's henchmen than with him. With so many secrets between man and wife, is the honeymoon already coming to an end?

As summer reaches its hottest peak, these sun-kissed girls will find out if their luck can last . . . or if dark surprises are on the horizon. So those are my top four for this month. What are you most looking forward to? It doesn't have to be just in November either. Or if you have a released page, leave it so I can check it out. 

<3 Michelle