Feature and Follow

Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by for this Feature and Follow!

The question of the week: What is your guilty pleasure as far as reading? Is it a genre or a certain type of book?

Michelle: I love a good romance novel. Take me back to before the 1900's, give me a ball gown or a viking, and I love it. I love the old world and the chivalry that always presents itself, and the steamy scenes aren't bad either. :)

Thanks for stopping by! Let us know who you are and one of us will follow you! Don't forget to leave your answers. Oh! We also have two giveaways going on, so feel free to enter those!!!

Review: Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters

I'm so exited to be able to participate in the Light in the Shadows blog tour! I've been a big fan of A. Meredith Walters ever since I read Find You in the Dark.

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Author: A. Meredith Walters

Genre: YA, Romance

Released: March 26th

 

How do you keep going when you feel like your life is over?

Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to.

Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed. He is healing...slowly. But his heart still belongs to the girl who tried to save him.

When a sudden tragedy brings Maggie and Clay face to face again, nothing is the same. Yet some things never change. Can the darkness that threatened to consume them be transformed into something else and finally give them what they always wanted? And can two people who fought so hard to be together, finally find their happiness? Or will their demons and fear drive them apart for good?

 

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I have previously worked with teens like Clay and while I thought the ending of Find You in the Dark was believeable,  I still craved that happily ever after--and I guess I wasn't the only one because a few months ago I found out that Maggie and Clay would be getting a sequel and I was so excited! I'm a butterflies and rainbows kind of girl by nature so I was really happy that there was a chance for Maggie and Clay to get their happily-ever-after afterall.

 

This book did not disappoint in the romance department. It's realistic and beautiful. Maggie and Clay still have their fair share of ups and downs in this book but they love eachother so much they are willing to work on it together but remembering it's important to make themselves happy and healthy first. That's kind of a crucial lesson I think. You really can't be happy with someone else unless you are truly happy with yourself.

 

I loved Find You in the Dark, it's the kind of story that sticks with you for a long time but I think that I love Light in the Shadows even more because of the powerful message of hope.

 

In the words of A. Meredith Walters:

 For those searching for the light....never stop.

 

 This story had me tearing up at the end, which is always a sign of  a fantastic read so I give Light in the Shadows a well deserved 5 stars and will be giving away one ebook version to one lucky reader!
 

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The New York Times bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including Find You in the Dark, Cloud Walking and Bad Rep.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

A. Meredith recently moved to England and is trying to get used to driving on the other side of the road, eating fish and chips and all things British :-)

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Review: Mortality by Kellie Sheridan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Kellie Sheridan
Released: March 4th 2013

After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death.

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough.

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This was probably one of the most unique stories I've ever read. It's actually two stories in one featuring Savannah and Zarah. While reading it, I knew there had to be a reason that we were reading the two girls' individual stories but I wasn't expecting the way in which they collided!

I have never read a zombie book before but when I read the blurb a few weeks ago, I knew that if there was going to be a story that would make me a zombie fanatic (like everyone else seems to be these days) this would be it. It just sounded so interesting! (PS After I finished reading it, I totally started watching The Walking Dead and now I'm addicted!)

While both girls are featured somewhat equally, I think it's safe to say that Savannah is the "main" character. She very much reminds me of strong, but impulsive characters like Alex from the Covenant series (by Jennifer Armentrout). She makes mistakes, but she's fiercely loyal which makes her likeable despite her flaws.

Usually, I need a good romance to really enjoy a book and though there is a love story (two actually, Savannah & Cole and Zarah & Liam), romance isn't the main focus of this story. However, I was not put off by that at all because honestly, I wouldn't be feeling all that romantic when there were reanimated dead bodies wandering around my world. *shudders*

Of the two "lead" males, Liam is probably my favorite and I hope we get to see more of him in the next book.  Cole was pretty sweet too but I don't know, there was just something about Liam...I felt horrible for him at the end but, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do in a Zombie Apocalypse!

All in all, it's a great, entertaining read and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

AND because I love this book so much,  I'm giving one lucky reader their very own copy!

Click the link for you chance to win an ebook version of MORTALITY:
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Next Wednesday I'll be posting my interview with the author, Kellie Sheridan. Be sure to stop back by for that because her answers are great!

Interview with J.A. Huss

Julie Huss writes new adult science fiction under the pen name J.A. Huss and non-fiction science under the pen name J. Anne Huss. Her fiction titles include Clutch, Fledge, and Flight - the first three books in the I Am Just Junco series. She also has more than 190 non-fiction titles that cater to teaching science to home learners.
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Thank you so much for joining me today!

Thanks a bunch for having my Komal!  It’s so great to be here.

For those unfamiliar with your work, what is the I am Just Junco series about?

I Am Just Junco is an epic science fiction/dark fantasy series told from the point of view of nineteen year old assassin, Junco Coot.  Junco lives in a futuristic version of North America and the death of her father has spurred a mission to uncover secrets about her past. The first character we meet in the story is a winged alien named Tier. He wants to take Junco off Earth and no matter how hot this winged dude is, Junco is having none of it! The first book is all about Tier and Junco and how they come to terms with each other, and their interwoven futures.

Describe your main character in five words.

Tenacious, mouthy, violent, powerful, crazy

What do you love most about writing in the science fiction genre?

I love that anything is possible as long as you make it plausible, and I love world building.  Science fiction is all about the world and the characters and how the two interact. Junco’s world never stays the same – she’s on Earth in one book, but in space living with the winged aliens in the second.

How did you get your start in writing?

I started writing non-fiction science textbooks about five years ago and all during that time I had this science fiction story building in my head. In January 2012, I decided to make it happen and wrote the first three Junco books last year.

What are you currently reading?

Right now I’m reading an ARC for a friend of mine called SLOW: The Story of Signy and Aden.

What is your favourite science fiction novel?

Woken Furies by Richard K. Morgan. It’s a total military SF novel that most girls would never pick up in a million years, but I love the rogue soldier main character—Takeshi Kovacs—because he’s very complicated and deep.

What is your favourite part of being an author?

Meeting new people in the book world.  I have made so many new friends this past year – it’s been incredible.

Do you have any upcoming projects you are working on?

I do – Junco has two new books releasing on April 1.  RANGE is the fourth book in the series and has Junco struggling to come to terms with her destiny and The Magpie Bridge is a novella that continues the epic where RANGE leaves off—only from Tier’s point of view.

What’s one piece of advice you can give to aspiring authors?

Write every day and release something as often as you can. That’s two!  But they are related, I think.

FUN FACTS

Pen or keyboard?

Keyboard

Science or fiction?

Oh….this is actually tough for me – I have to say both! (I cheat!)

Amazon or bookstore?

Amazon

Coffee or tea?

Neither – I drink Diet Pepsi and water and that’s pretty much it. :)

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To find out more about Julie Huss, please find her on the following sites.

Website
Goodreads
Facebook

Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threaAvertening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

My thoughts:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jennifer Armentrout. I own everything she has ever written so of course I bought WAIT FOR YOU the day it released but I haven't had a chance to read it until a few days ago and oh my goodness I'm so mad at myself for waiting so long!

I loved Cam right away, how could you not? And I wanted to be friends with Avery (and I wanted to have Avery's friends! Especially Jacob! Oh my goodness! So fun!)

Avery is starting college as far away from home as she can possibly manage. She recently came into a crap-ton of money so she is living alone in an apartment not far from campus....just down the hall from the utterly swoon-worthy Cam Hamilton. 

And while she isn't exactly interested in dating anyone, her dreamy neighbor won't give up that easily. 

Cam makes her eggs every Sunday, bakes and has a pet turtle named Raphael.
He's charming and sweet but still alpha-enough that he won't let anyone mess with Avery.

Cam = Perfection.

I love that J. Lynn gradually reveals Avery's secret. I like it when the information just isn't thrown at you all at once.  I thought the way it was revealed was realistic and then after it was revealed, things weren't immediately resolved. You don't get over something like that just because you finally say it outloud so I thought that was nicely done.

WAIT FOR YOU made me cry but it also made me laugh-out-loud A LOT! I was seriously cracking up with a huge grin on my face throughout most of it.

I saw a review that commented that it seemed more "Young Adult" then "New Adult" and I think people are getting a warped sense of what "New Adult" is since most of it is a little on the smutty side and this book definitely wasn't smutty. Sure there were some pretty steamy scenes but it wasn't porn-level steaminess. I think people are forgetting that "New Adult" features college-age characters whereas YA features teenage characters.

That being said, the language and content is way more intense than would be appropriate for YA, so I would recommend this book for the 18 and older crowd.

 

Book Release: Falling for Hadie by Komal Kant

Just wanted to let all the A Dash of YA readers know that my second novel, Falling for Hadie, has been released! This is the second book in a series, but the books can be read out of order. It's available on Amazon Kindle and there will also be a paperback coming in the next couple of weeks.

Here's the purchase link for it. Also, the first book in the series, Impossible, is currently FREE on Amazon Kindle! Click here to get your free copy of that.

I hope y'all will check it out! =)

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. That was the plan anyway, until he meets Hadie Swinton.

Nursing a broken heart and the realization that the boy she’s loved her entire life isn’t Prince Charming, Hadie is set against ever falling for the same type of guy again. But when new boy, Lincoln, arrives in town, she discovers that this is easier said than done.

Hadie assumes that Lincoln is a typical arrogant jock—he is good-looking, confident and charming—but when he doesn’t do anything she expects him to, she is intrigued by him against her better judgment. There is definitely more to Lincoln than just a pretty face, but Lincoln is hiding something that he doesn’t want anybody to discover because when they do, they will never look at him the same again.

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

Review: Beautiful Creatures

Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Okay, so I know I'm behind the times since this book is now a movie and has been in theaters for a few weeks now. BUT I just got around to reading it last week. I mostly picked it up because the movie looked right up my alley and I usually like to read the book before I go see the movie (though this doesn't always happen. I watched The Notebook before I read the book and that movie still holds the honor of the only movie I've ever enjoyed more than the book. Ever. Seriously. The movie was fantastic but the book was just okay for me. Probably has a lot to do with the fact that Ryan Gosling is in the movie.)

Anyway, back to Beautiful Creatures. I would say that I enjoyed the book but I don't know if I will ever re-read it. I thought it was entertaining, but it was so long and so detailed that sometimes I got bored and skipped a few paragraphs to get to the good parts. (I know, I know. Bad reader)
There wasn't that "can't-put-it-down-must-read-in-one-sitting" sorta of feeling to it but I did want to finish so that I would know what happened to the characters so that's something.

It was an interesting and unique story which I really like that aspect but it was a little boring at times sooooooo I'd give it 3.5 stars.
I'm sure I'll eventually read the other books but I'm not going to rush out and buy them right away.
I do still intend on seeing the movie. :)
Have any of you read it? What did you think about it? Did you see the movie?