In My Mailbox (37)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week?

For Review:

Trapped by Michael Northrop

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted…by magic. When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey
into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth.

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamilla Stevenson

Our philosophy is simple: Promote a latte-colored world! —from the Latte Rebellion Manifesto

When high school senior Asha Jamison gets called a "towel head" at a pool party, the racist insult gives Asha and her best friend Carey a great money-making idea for a post-graduation trip. They'll sell T-shirts promoting the Latte Rebellion, a club that raises awareness of mixed-race students.

Seemingly overnight, their "cause" goes viral and the T-shirts become a nationwide fad. As new chapters spring up from coast to coast, Asha realizes that her simple marketing plan has taken on a life of its own-and it's starting to ruin hers. Asha's once-stellar grades begin to slip, threatening her Ivy League dreams, and her friendship with Carey is hanging by a thread. And when the peaceful underground movement turns militant, Asha's school launches a disciplinary hearing.Facing expulsion, Asha must decide how much she's willing to risk for something she truly believes in.

What Comes After by Steve Watkins

A gripping portrait of a teen’s struggles through grief and abuse - and the miraculous power of animals to heal us.

After her veterinarian dad dies, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight must leave her beloved Maine to live on a North Carolina farm with her hardbitten aunt and a cousin she barely knows. Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, immediately clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats the livestock, spends Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense. Things come to a head when Iris sets two young goats free to save them from slaughter, and an enraged Aunt Sue orders her brutish son, Book, to beat Iris senseless - a horrific act that lands Book and his mother in jail. Sent to live with an offbeat foster family and their "dooking" ferrets, Iris must find a way to take care of the animals back at the farm, even if it means confronting Aunt Sue. Powerful and deeply moving, this compelling novel affirms the redemptive power of animals and the resilience of the human spirit.

Legacy (Ganzfield #3) by Kate Kaynak

Maddie has more problems than the average seventeen-year-old:

A psychotic killer with superpowers wants her dead.

A serious medical issue makes a "normal" life impossible for her.

And she's about to be introduced to Trevor's grandparents.

Guess which one freaks her out the most? The Ganzfield series continues in this third installment.

Dark Moon (Wereling, #2) Contest Winnerda

And the winner of their very own copy of Dark Moon (Wereling, #2) by Steve Feasey is.....

Raelena

Congrats Raelena, enjoy the book and for those of you who didn't win this time around, keep checking back in because I'm still not ready for the holidays to be over and have other contests going on and coming up that you could win!

And if you're not familiar with Dark Moon, check it out below, it's sure to be yet another great addition to an already great series!

A few short months ago, Trey Laporte learned the news that would change him forever: He is a werewolf, and the evil vampire Caliban wants him dead. The threat becomes real when Caliban attacks Trey’s mentor, Lucien Charron, and leaves him fighting for his life.

Gwendolin, a wicked sorceress, holds the only key to saving Lucien. Together, Trey and Lucien’s beautiful daughter, Alexa, must enter the Netherworld to defeat her. The pressure for Trey is great—Alexa is counting on him to save her father.

But when Trey and Alexa find themselves trapped and surrounded by demons, can Trey use his werewolf strength to save them both?

Follow Trey Laporte on another heart-pounding adventure in the second installment of STEVE FEASEY’s terrifically frightening Wereling series.

Angel Star Re-Create Contest Winner

With the voting now closed, the results are in and we have a winner! We got some beautiful and extremely creative interpretations for the re-create and it all boiled down to the readers votes.

Our lucky winner will receive a beautiful bracelet from the Clearwood Collection inspired by Angel Star from the fabulous Jennifer Murgia and come release day will also receive a copy of Lemniscate (Angel Star #2) by Jennifer Murgia from me to show my appreciation for all the wonderful art work we got to check out!

After counting the votes, our winner is......

Amelia @ The Authoress

Isn't her cover beautiful? Congrats Amelia, I've sent an email you way to get your information and thanks so much again to everyone who participated for making this such a hard decision for everyone!

A True Princess ARC Contest

I didn't want the holidays to be over, so I'm keeping the contests going. I received an ARC of A True Princess by Diane Zahler and now that I've read it I want to send it on to another reader to enjoy as well. Fill out the form below for your chance to win a copy for your very own. Contest ends January 21st at midnight.

Happy Reading!!!

A True Princess by Diane Zahler

Twelve-year-old Lilia must save her best friend, Kai, from a terrible enchantment caused by their perilous encounter with the Elf-King and his beautiful daughter. Now the only way for Lilia to break the spell is to find a mysterious jewel of ancient power hidden somewhere in the North Kingdom. But the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it lies is caught up in a different kind of search—the search for a true princess.

Nocturne Contest

The publishers of the recently released Nocturne by Syrie James have been kind enough to offer up a copy of the book for me to give away to one lucky winner on the blog!! If you haven't read Nocturne yet, you can check out my review here, or read more about it and the summary below. The contest ends January 19th at midnight, so fill out the form below and enter for your chance to win your own copy!

Happy Reading!!!!

Nocturne by Syrie James

When Nicole Walker runs off the road in a blinding snowstorm after attending a friend’s wedding at a Colorado ski resort, she wakes up to find herself stranded at the remote mountain house of a handsome, enigmatic stranger. She lives and works in a fast-paced, high tech world; he is cultured and modern yet lives a quiet life in self-imposed exile. They are both powerfully attracted to each other, but there are things about him that mystify her and fill her with apprehension—and Nicole can’t shake the feeling that he really doesn’t want her there.

She soon discovers that he’s a famous, reclusive author, renowned for his highly detailed and authentic historical fiction, and fiercely protective of his privacy. No wonder he was so reluctant to take her in, Nicole thinks. But he hides a far darker secret. As the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up.

When Nicole realizes that her host is an ages-old vampire who thirsts for her blood, there’s nowhere for her to run but the blizzard raging outside, and he’s the only one who can save her life. By now there is no turning back; they have both fallen deeply in love, and share several passionate days together while waiting out the storm—a deep, meaningful, and dangerously seductive experience that will change them both forever.

Review: Nocturne by Syrie James

When Nicole Walker runs off the road in a blinding snowstorm after attending a friend’s wedding at a Colorado ski resort, she wakes up to find herself stranded at the remote mountain house of a handsome, enigmatic stranger. She lives and works in a fast-paced, high tech world; he is cultured and modern yet lives a quiet life in self-imposed exile. They are both powerfully attracted to each other, but there are things about him that mystify her and fill her with apprehension—and Nicole can’t shake the feeling that he really doesn’t want her there. She soon discovers that he’s a famous, reclusive author, renowned for his highly detailed and authentic historical fiction, and fiercely protective of his privacy. No wonder he was so reluctant to take her in, Nicole thinks. But he hides a far darker secret. As the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up. When Nicole realizes that her host is an ages-old vampire who thirsts for her blood, there’s nowhere for her to run but the blizzard raging outside, and he’s the only one who can save her life. By now there is no turning back; they have both fallen deeply in love, and share several passionate days together while waiting out the storm—a deep, meaningful, and dangerously seductive experience that will change them both forever.

I was so looking forward to this one and I had no trouble finishing it within a few days. It was indeed a story filled with love, vampires (well maybe just the one), dark secrets and lots of chemistry. What I wasn't expecting was the ending James threw into the mix. If it's possible to take a plot revolving around a vampire a make it realistic, James has done it.

When our main character Nicole is stranded in a blizzard and saved by a stranger the tension is off and running. The two spend a lot of time trying to figure the other our, while at the same time fighting the growing attraction that continues to build between them. I enjoyed the details James threw in that filled in some of the puzzle pieces. I'm not sure what the reason is but this story or more accurately the ending of this story left me disappointed. I understand why it was written the way it was and I may have even done the same if I was the author, but it wasn't the ending I was hoping for.

But despite all that, I really enjoyed James' writing style. It was easy to follow, filled with just the right amount of detail and description, and flowed effortlessly from one chapter to the next. I think sometimes I want or am in the mood for a certain type of read and when I get something outside of that criteria at the time, it's difficult for me to get a judgement for how I really felt about the book. So even though it wasn't what I was expecting I think readers are going to enjoy James' story.

I gave Nocturne 3 shamrocks!!!

Angel Star Re-Create A Cover Voting!!!

Let the voting begin! We got some amazing interpretations for the cover re-create for Jennifer Murgia's Angel Star and now it's up to you to decide the winner. Take a look at the covers below and vote on your favorite using the form located at the bottom. Voting ends January 10th and the winner will be announced January 11th. The winner will receive this beautiful bracelet from the Clearwood Collection, inspired by Angel Star and upon release day, I will send the winner a copy of Lemniscate, the second installment in Murgia's Angel Star series...so get voting!

Cover Choice #1:

Cover Choice #2:

Cover Choice #3:


Cover Choice #4:

Cover Choice #5:

So take a good look at the covers and pick out your favorite and fill out the form below!!!

Wither ARC Contest

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Wither by Lauren DeStefano to tour on my tour site, Star Book Tours, and then received a review copy of my own. I want to share and give someone else the chance to read this amazing YA debut. So fill out the form below for your chance to win. Contest ends January 14th at midnight. And if you haven't heard about Wither yet, check out the summary below...you'll be dying to get your hands on a copy!!!

Happy Reading!!!

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.