Review: The Bird and the Sword

THE BIRD AND THE SWORD
Amy Harmon
New Adult/Fantasy
352 pages
Self-published
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

MY THOUGHTS
The Bird and the Sword is immensely satisfying from beginning to end, giving us a heroine robbed of words on a beautifully-told journey to find them again amidst the backdrop of a sweeping fantasy epic.

Lark is a Teller, gifted with words that create a call to action when spoken, bringing to life inanimate objects, controlling animals, and healing when needed. After her mother's dying rhyme rips away her ability to speak, she's assumed to be deaf and dumb in addition to being mute, but we're treated to her innermost thoughts and feelings and therefore know she's as smart and strong as they come. She quickly finds herself a pawn in a game of politics, taken from her father and held as insurance to make sure he provides promised assistance to the young king in his war against the monstrous Volgar (vulture-like birdmen). She could have easily spent her days wallowing in self-pity for the position in which she finds herself – in a strange place and forced to be a weapon in the service of her king – but instead she does as she is asked with a quiet pride and a lick of defiance, one that brings a smile to our faces every time she wields it. 

Her romance with King Tiras is of the slow burn variety, one with a start rooted in antagonism as she resents being made into the tip of a spear and hurled at the Vulgar with little care for anything other than her usefulness. Her feelings for Tiras seemingly develop quicker than his for her (though it takes her plenty of time to begin to see him in a romantic light), and she keeps those feelings close to her vest because she knows he's unlikely to return her affection. She is a means to an end for him, an ace up his sleeve in the war against an impossible enemy, and she protects her heart as best she can by defying him in the most perfect of ways when he proves to be too presumptuous.

Their story has my highest recommendation for all those who love apparent underdogs with unparalleled strength, love interests who challenge at every turn, and grand romances that share the spotlight with well-executed paranormal and political wars.

Rating: 5/5

Find Amy:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Friday Flourish: City of Shadows

Happy Friday Everyone!

It's a two-Flourish kind of week this week, and today I have a cover I've been sitting on for a little while now and it's nearly killed me. I'm absolutely that person who can't keep a gift-related secret–so excited to show it to whomever it's for that I can't buy any gifts until basically the day I'm allowed to give them. Otherwise it's a debacle of excitement, impatience, and a big reveal at the completely wrong time.

Trying to keep quiet about about the cover for the sequel to last year's City of Fae by Pippa DaCosta was test of the strength of my will, but I managed to keep everything under wraps until I was given the green light to share. City of Fae is one of my favorite covers I've done, so nothing made me happier than teaming up with Editor and Art Director Meredith Rich at Bloomsbury Spark and author Pippa DaCosta once again to see if we could top what we created for book one. I think we did, and hopefully you guys do too!

As I did with City of Fae, I'm planning on doing a cover evolution post for this new cover as well, so I'll go into more detail about our design process then. For now, a little reminder of City of Fae:

And here is City of Shadows, releasing July 7th from Bloomsbury Spark!

Alina knows she is not real – the fae queen spun an evil web to create her – but she wants more than to spend her days feeding off humans' energy to survive. She isn't content to lose herself in the dangerously attractive Reign. She wants a life of her own making.

Desperate to help the man who saved her life, Alina vows to find his missing sister. Alina is convinced that the general of the Fae Authority plays a part in her disappearance. She infiltrates the organisation and gets close to their strongest fighter. But while Samuel's tormented soul and masterful touch stirs in Alina a feeling of being human again, her loyalty to Reign makes her Samuel's enemy. Who should she trust?

This New Adult urban fantasy is packed with action and suspense and will have you yearning for more forbidden fae romance.

Alina knows she is not real – the fae queen spun an evil web to create her – but she wants more than to spend her days feeding off humans' energy to survive. She isn't content to lose herself in the dangerously attractive Reign. She wants a life of her own making.

Desperate to help the man who saved her life, Alina vows to find his missing sister. Alina is convinced that the general of the Fae Authority plays a part in her disappearance. She infiltrates the organisation and gets close to their strongest fighter. But while Samuel's tormented soul and masterful touch stirs in Alina a feeling of being human again, her loyalty to Reign makes her Samuel's enemy. Who should she trust?

This New Adult urban fantasy is packed with action and suspense and will have you yearning for more forbidden fae romance. - See more at: http://bloomsbury.com/us/city-of-shadows-9781408879733/#sthash.69Nu0Ky9.dpuf

Find City of Shadows:

Bloomsbury Spark • Amazon • Goodreads

Alina knows she is not real – the fae queen spun an evil web to create her – but she wants more than to spend her days feeding off humans' energy to survive. She isn't content to lose herself in the dangerously attractive Reign. She wants a life of her own making.

Desperate to help the man who saved her life, Alina vows to find his missing sister. Alina is convinced that the general of the Fae Authority plays a part in her disappearance. She infiltrates the organisation and gets close to their strongest fighter. But while Samuel's tormented soul and masterful touch stirs in Alina a feeling of being human again, her loyalty to Reign makes her Samuel's enemy. Who should she trust?

This New Adult urban fantasy is packed with action and suspense and will have you yearning for more forbidden fae romance. - See more at: http://bloomsbury.com/us/city-of-shadows-9781408879733/#sthash.69Nu0Ky9.dpuf

Guest Post: Shayne Leighton + Of Light and Darkness

Today I'm so pleased to turn the blog over to author Shayne Leighton, whose latest New Adult Paranormal Romance Of Light and Darkness just hit shelves yesterday. I thought a fun way to introduce this world and its heroine, Charlotte, to readers would be to take a closer look at her bookshelves, so below you'll find a few of the titles that she highly recommends! 

CHARLOTTE RECOMMENDS...

Greetings to those reading this. Charlotte Ruzikova here–writing this during the daylight hours. I should be sleeping, but I wanted greatly to prepare you all for your impending journey into the Occult City and I didn't want Valek to find out what I was doing. (You'll know more about him later.)

Naturally, before venturing over the borders and into our town, forbidden to all human kind, there are some things you should know...for your safety. Perhaps, there are even a few things you should read up on before you begin your journey. I have a few recommendations.

Firstly, heed my warning about Lycanthropes guarding the city borders. They have a no-tolerance policy for mortals trying to pass through the woods into our town. It's wise to carry objects that might distract them. A dead rabbit might do the trick. Maybe, even, a goat leg!

In all Occult Cities, many things are possible. There are Witches, obviously Vampires, Elves, Shifters, dragons, and such other terrifying beasts...Fae being the worst.

J.K. Rowling does a decent job of naming a few possibilities in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. That's my first recommended piece of reading, and perhaps the most important.

Sarah, my best friend and Francis' indentured house Witch, might want you to read up on a few spells and incantations to prepare yourself for the sorcery sort. For this, I'd recommend reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It won't teach a mortal any magic tricks, but it is a good example of the fact that, in my world, things are not always what they seem!

Also, Prague is a city of vast secrets and steeped in mystery. Locals say the streets of Prague seem to change, as if by magic, every day. It would be wise to arm yourself with a guide that appreciates such magic...for I don't think any normal map would help you. For this, I recommend City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte.

Of course, if you're still a bit hesitant about your trek, Autumn: An Introduction by Shayne Leighton is a good way to test the waters. It will give you a taste of what's to come. I'll even get you started by offering you the copy from my library: http://www.instafreebie.com/book/5531

Most inhabitants are nice. Remember to keep to the shadows and not to trust just anyone...

I look forward to your visit to the Southernmost Bohemian Occult City.

Cheers,
Charlotte

Thanks so much Charlotte and Shayne!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS

Shayne Leighton's stunning NA debut is a fiercely imaginative, multilayered contemporary fantasy where Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus meets Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles in a story about a girl caught between two societies . . . two sides . . . and two loves.

Raised by a Vampire in a secret society of Witches, Shifters, and Elves, Charlotte finds that she is the freak in her world of magic and wonder. When she stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of survival in this coming-of-age modern fairy tale is slim, resulting in a war between light and darkness.

Charlotte knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches draw spells of enchantment, Shifters throw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin.

As genocide and war threatens her life and her home, Charlotte will not allow her one true love to be destroyed. Fighting for her adopted coven of rogue monsters, she will do whatever it takes to save them...and she'll do it before the sun comes up and light takes over forever!

Find Shayne + Of Light and Darkness:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Wednesday Flourish: Empire of Sand

Happy 2-More-Days-Till-Friday Everyone!

Back in March I revealed the cover for Love in a Time of Monsters which featured one of my favorite illustrations I've done, so I was beside myself when author Teresa Yea got in touch and said it was time to revisit this series with a prequel novella. Cue spastic happy designer flail.

While we of course wanted to stick with feel established by Monsters, keeping vibrant colors and bold texture as unifying elements, Teresa wanted this prequel to be a bit darker in tone and hark back to the spirit of adventure found in the likes of Indiana Jones. Teresa makes my job incredibly easy by putting together Pinterest inspiration boards that clearly point me in the direction she wants me to go, and then gives me the freedom to put my spin on her initial ideas. I'm always enormously proud of the work we do together, and our latest collaboration just might displace Monsters as my new Teresa Yea favorite.

Empire of Sand, a prequel in The Golden Age of Monsters series, releases December 1st, and I hope you guys consider adding this one to your lists!

EMPIRE OF SAND

Liam is a trained killer--meticulous, cunning, an artist with a knife.

Cat is his protégée–wild, reckless, a girl lost.

They're young.

They're beautiful.

They kill monsters.

Egypt, 1866. A terror is unleashed upon Cairo.

A predator that travels under a cloak of storms and
lurks amongst the dunes.
It reigns like a king in an empire of sand and
kills with human-like precision.
Its prey of choice: man.

Liam can't resist the allure of the ultimate kill.

Cat has a vendetta against all unnatural creatures.

They're deadly.

They're invincible.

They're being hunted.

From the author of Love in a Time of Monsters comes an electrifying prequel that invites you to live fast, die young, and shed a little blood.

Find Teresa & Empire of Sand!

Website • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon • Kobo • iBooks • Google Play

You can find more of my cover design work at Seedlings Design Studio!  

Friday Flourish: Love in a Time of Monsters

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm beyond excited today to share another of my recent cover designs, one I've been attempting to sit on patiently until I was given the green light to do a reveal here on the blog. You guys know by now that while I learn something new with every cover I work on, I have a soft spot for the challenges an illustrated cover presents.

When author Teresa Yea sent me an inspiration Pinterest board featuring vintage absinthe posters and gorgeous drawings of mythical sea creatures, I nearly fell out of my chair in my haste to tell her how much I loved this cover despite not having actually started it yet. We tossed ideas back in forth before ultimately deciding to move forward with an illustration of protagonist Cat in her signature wide-brimmed hat, complete with flowing locks that turned into tentacles toward the bottom. We're both thrilled with how the entire piece came together, and I hope if the cover and blurb pique your interest, you'll add this gothic historical fantasy to your lists!

LOVE IN A TIME OF MONSTERS

(releases March 31st)

 He has a monster problem

Scotland, 1867. When Rob Stevenson’s brother is killed—and eaten—in the forest outside their estate, Rob’s sheltered world is shattered by a monster infestation. Determined to keep his village safe, Rob's first duty as laird involves hiring a professional hunter.

She kills monsters

The sole survivor of a massacre in the Congo, Catriona Mornay is rumored to have lost her mind in the jungle. In Edinburgh’s gas-lit streets, Cat’s skill as a hunter is unmatched. Her reputation as a killer of unnatural creatures, legendary.

Two worlds collide

Faced with a rising body count, Rob takes a chance on Cat, hoping that somewhere inside this tortured yet charismatic girl is the hero he’s been searching for. But in this shadow realm of secrets, lies, and underworld crime, their lives overlap in more ways than one. And in an age where harpies flock the sky and serpents rule the sea, it’s even possible for a boy and his hunter to fall in love.

But can their love survive in a time of monsters?

Find Teresa & Love in a Time of Monsters!

Website • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon • Kobo • iBooks

You can find more of my cover design work at Seedlings Design Studio!  

Wednesday Flourish/Waiting on Wednesday: City of Fae

Hey Everyone!

It's been a little while since I've done a flourish post, and in the meantime I've had the privilege of working on a number of really amazing projects that I can't wait to share with you. I've been lucky enough over the past year to work with the team at Bloomsbury Spark on a few of their covers, and today's cover is one I'm particularly proud of.

Each cover is its own unique design challenge, but every once in a while one comes along that pushes me beyond what I might have initially thought myself capable of, and City of Fae was very much that type of project (some of you may have seen this already as it was officially revealed last week, but I wanted to share it here as well!). Meredith at Bloomsbury and author Pippa DaCosta were instrumental to the design process, taking a look at my initial layout and helping me to see how it could be bigger, bolder and better, and the end result is something I hope you guys love as much as we do.

Also? This book sounds AMAZING and I need it in my life immediately. New Adult Urban Fantasy is something I couldn't be more excited about!

CITY OF FAE

Pippa DaCosta

New Adult/Urban Fantasy

Releases May 7th from Bloomsbury Spark

From Goodreads:

From the moment Alina touches London's hottest fae superstar, breaking one of the laws founded to protect all of her kind, her fate – and the fae – close in.

Below ground, the fae High Queen plots to claim the city as her own and places her pawns, ready for the battle to come. A battle she cannot lose, but for one small problem – Alina. There are four ancient keepers powerful enough to keep the queen in her prison. Three are dead. One remains … And to fight back, Alina risks sacrificing everything she has come to love.

This New Adult urban fantasy is packed with action and suspense and will have you yearning for more forbidden fae romance.

Amazon • Goodreads • Bloomsbury Spark • Official Website • NetGalley

You can find more of my cover design work at Seedlings Design Studio!  

Storms of Lazarus Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Today I'm pleased to welcome author Karen Kincy back to the blog as part of the promotional tour for the second book in her new adult dieselpunk romance series, Storms of Lazarus. I was able to pick Karen's brain a bit regarding Ardis, Wendel, and the world she's created for this series, so I hope you all enjoy the interview! Be sure and check the bottom of the post for all the details on a special giveaway as well as the full list of participating blogs.

In this second installment, Ardis and Wendel head to Königsberg, Prussia from Constantinople. Is there any particularly interesting historical tidbit or piece of trivia you learned while researching either place for Ardis and Wendel’s adventures?

Königsberg, Prussia is Wendel's hometown, and this city no longer exists in reality. (Neither does Prussia, for that matter.) Königsberg suffered heavy damages in World War II, and the Russians renamed the city Kaliningrad after they took over the city. The castle was demolished, though the cathedral was rebuilt. I had to search through old postcards and photographs of Königsberg to get a sense of this lost city where Wendel once lived. As for Constantinople, that's now Istanbul, so I had a lot of inspiration to work with. My grandpa, who's Armenian, actually came to America from Istanbul.

If you could steal one of the steampunk/dieselpunk gadgets of this fictional world for your own personal use in this reality, which one would you most want for yourself?

I would steal a clockwork dragon. (And I can't say anymore without spoilers!)

If both Wendel and Ardis were asked to name a way in which they felt the other  person was different in Storms of Lazarus from who each was in the beginning of Shadows of Asphodel, what would each of them say?

Wendel would say that Ardis is less sanctimonious, since he did think she was rather prejudiced against his necromancy when they first met. She didn't even want to touch him. But I doubt Wendel would say this to her face. Self-preservation, and all that.

Ardis would say that Wendel is finally free to become the person he could have been. He's no longer forced to work as an assassin necromancer, so he's searching for who he is now and what he wants to do with his life. She's not sure how to help him with his nightmares, but she would be damned if she doesn't try.

In Storms of Lazarus, Ardis gets to spend her first Christmas holiday with Wendel. Given the two of them are currently facing innumerable problems and therefore can’t have what one might call a normal holiday together, what would she say her ideal Christmas Eve with Wendel would consist of if possible?

Her ideal Christmas Eve with Wendel would definitely be warmer and quieter. After all, they didn't plan to spend the holiday as fugitives trudging across the snows of Bulgaria. Ardis dreams of a little cottage where they can be alone together and--finally--relax. They talk about running away together to Switzerland someday, and they aren't entirely joking.

Let’s say you’re granted the ability to jump into any piece of steampunk fiction for a single day. Which world would you be most curious to explore and which character in that world would you most want to meet?

Oh man, I would totally want to meet Nikola Tesla! I'd want to meet him in our world's history, too, but if Tesla were given steampunk technology, I'm sure he would invent something genius. As for places to visit, I'd be really curious about steampunk Japan.

I happen to have an enormous soft spot for characters who are damaged or tormented in some way, and Wendel fits that bill pretty well given everything he’s been through. Who would you say is your all time favorite damaged or tortured hero?

Maybe, just maybe, I'm mildly obsessed with Wendel. He was a character in my very first novel, which will never see the light of day, and he waited patiently until I wrote a better book for him. Besides Wendel, I would have to say I'm still a major Snape fangirl. He's definitely a hero by the end of the series, even if Harry didn't always appreciate it.

Thanks so much for stopping by Karen!

• • • • • • • • • • •

STORMS OF LAZARUS

Sometimes escape is impossible. Sometimes love isn't enough.

1913. Christmas Eve. Ardis hardly expects a quiet holiday with Wendel, between fleeing Constantinople and hiding from an ancient society of assassins. And they owe a debt to a certain archmage.

In Königsberg, Prussia, they work with Konstantin on the next evolution of Project Lazarus. Wendel once called Königsberg home, the city now besieged by the Russians and their clockwork engines of war. This may be Wendel’s last chance to save his family and find redemption, but he's tormented by nightmares and tempted by laudanum. Ardis fears her love isn’t enough to save Wendel. Her hands are full piloting the automatons, and she's terrified to tell him a secret of her own. Will they—and their love—survive the storms of war?

Goodreads • Amazon

• • • • • • • • • • • •

KAREN KINCY

Karen Kincy (Redmond, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

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Follow the tour!

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Beautiful Ashes

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

THE BEAUTIFUL ASHES

Broken Destiny #1

Jeaniene Frost

Paranormal Romance/New Adult

Releases August 26th from Harlequin

From Goodreads:

In a world of shadows, anything is possible. Except escaping your fate.

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been gripped by visions of strange realms just beyond her own. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is trapped in a parallel realm. And the one person who believes her is the dangerously attractive guy who's bound by an ancient legacy to betray her.

Adrian might have turned his back on those who raised him, but that doesn't mean he can change his fate…no matter how strong a pull he feels toward Ivy. Together they search for the powerful relic that can save her sister, but Adrian knows what Ivy doesn't: that every step brings Ivy closer to the truth about her own destiny, and a war that could doom the world. Sooner or later, it will be Ivy on one side and Adrian on the other. And nothing but ashes in between…

JEANIENE FROST!!!! That's all I really need to know about this book to be honest. I adore Jeaniene Frost, her Night Huntress series was my first foray into the romance genre (though that series is as much urban fantasy as it is paranormal romance), and I fell madly in love with Cat and Bones the moment I met them. I could not be more excited to see what she's going to do with this new book (hell-o dangerously attractive Adrian), and it's definitely my #1 must-have at BEA in a couple weeks. If I could get in line for it now, I totally would:)

Interview and Giveaway: Chanel Cleeton + I See London

Today I'm pleased to welcome author Chanel Cleeton to the blog to answer a few questions about her upcoming Contemporary New Adult novel, I See London. I See London releases on February 3rd from Harlequin, so be sure and mark your calendars, and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for all the details on a fabulous giveaway!

In I See London, Maggie has the opportunity to leave South Carolina and explore all a city like London has to offer. Before arriving, what three London tourist attractions topped Maggie’s list, and did any of them change once she found herself in the city?

Maggie is an International Relations major and she grew up fascinated by politics and international intrigue. Before she moved to London she tabbed a guidebook full of all the things she wanted to see. The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London were the top three spots on her list.

Once she got to London, though, life got in the way a bit and she found herself…distracted :) But eventually she made her way to all of the major tourist stops. What she discovered, though, was that as much as she loved the iconic London sights, the real magic in London was just the simple pleasure of walking down the street and taking in everything around her, or learning from her new friends from all over the world, discovering new foods and hearing different languages spoken on a daily basis.

If someone had told Maggie before she left that she would find not one, but two guys in London who would tie her in romantic knots, what would her response have been?

Disbelief :) She’s never been confident with guys but that’s about to change. Maggie’s a total hopeless romantic. She’s always dreamt of finding the right guy, but unfortunately for her, the “perfect” guy always looked more like a hero in one of her books rather than any boy she knew in high school. Meeting Hugh and Samir rocks her perfectly ordered life a bit. Which is exactly what she needs!

If you could hop a plane tomorrow and go anywhere in the world, where would you go and what one fictional character would you love to have accompany you?

I would go to London. I miss it so much. The four years I lived there were some of the best years of my life and it still feels like home. I have friends in the city and love going back to my favorite spots and visiting with them, reminiscing over some of our adventures.

If I had to pick a fictional character from my book to travel with, I would go with Maggie’s roommate Fleur because she knows all the cool places to go and would definitely be a fun—and slightly crazy—travel companion. If I were single, no contest, I’d go with Samir :)

What would you say is the most romantic spot in all of London? Would Hugh or Samir agree with you?

I think Hyde Park is the most romantic spot in London. London is such a busy city. It’s loud and there’s always something going on. But Hyde Park feels like a secret tucked away in the middle of the city. You can find quiet and peace there. There’s something about the trees and all that green in the middle of a bustling metropolis—it’s an incredible place.

Samir would definitely agree with me. I just wrote a very important and romantic scene that takes place there in the sequel.

After living in London yourself, is there any one particular Britishism that you picked up and found yourself using on a regular basis?

Ooh that’s a tough one :) I rarely use the word “line” anymore in favor of “queue.” I used to go clubbing with British friends and they always said they weren’t going to “Queue up” to get into a club so I think that one rubbed off on me. Also, instead of saying “college” I tend to say “university” because in England, “college” refers to what we think of as high school in the U.S. There are probably loads more!


Thank you for having me!

• • • • • • • • • • •

I SEE LONDON

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

Amazon • B&N • iTunes

• • • • • • • • • • • 

CHANEL CLEETON

Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university.  In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships.  Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever.  But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet. 

Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea.  An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book.  She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband.  Harlequin (HQN) will release Chanel’s New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

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Interview: Jay Crownover + Rule

I'm so pleased today to welcome new adult author Jay Crownover to the blog to answer a few questions about the first book in her Marked Men series, Rule. I finished Rule a little while back (my full review will be posted next week) and couldn't email Jay fast enough to express my love and request an interview. I want to thank her for taking the time to answer all my questions, and if you haven't had a chance to read this one, I hope you add it to your lists!

Let’s say you decide to make an appointment with Rule for a new tattoo. What would the tattoo he created for you look like?

Lol…I don’t really have room for any more and I just filled up the bottom of one arm with my book inspired tattoo so that’s out. I dunno something that reflected change and taking risks. That’s what Rule was for me…a big ole scary risk! Hmm maybe an eagle head or something that represents freedom. He gave me freedom to just do what a I wanted and not be scared to be reliant on someone else for anything ever again…so yeah maybe that, plus it would fit with all my other traditional style work :-)

If, as a surprise for Shaw, Rule were to ask Jet and his band to play a dedication song to her, what song would he choose?

You’ll have to keep reading the series…I just finished a scene where this exact thing comes up so I’m not gonna give it away. Let’s just say the song is for a very special day in Rule and Shaw’s life.

What’s one quirk or habit of Rule’s that he’s unaware Shaw knows about and might be embarrassed by if he knew?

That his hair color choices aren’t random. It changes a lot because it matches his mood or his mindset. At the end of Jet we see him with green hair, that’s because green is happiness and he’s stoked he just moved in with Shaw.

If Remy had the chance to see how Rule and Shaw are together at the end of the book, what would the first words out of his mouth be?

“Finally”. Or maybe “Make each other happy.”

They are his 2 favorite people in the world he would just want them to take care of each other and finally be together.

You write very appealing and absurdly attractive "bad boys". Who is your all-time favorite bad boy character (book, TV, or film)?

Well I love Jax Teller and Opie from Sons of Anarchy, Ryan Gosling in Drive was amazing, and I like all the guys in the Black Ice series Anne Stuart wrote years ago.

Being a bad boy is subjective to me, I never look at Rule or Jet and see a “bad boy”, I see young men comfortable in their skin, okay with what life has handed them and living life on their own terms. I think the outer trappings get them lumped into that bad-boy category but it really isn’t the case.

We are treated to the alternating point of views of both Rule and Shaw in their story. What’s one challenge each of their perspectives presented for you as a writer?

Well I’m not a boy so getting the male thought pattern and reactions to sound authentic and true to a 20-something year old man can be difficult. Making him sound like Rule and not just some generic young guy can also be hard.

With Shaw it was making her sound, and feel like her own person, not me. Her thought patterns and her reactions are her own, but I caught myself making her talk more like me than I meant which I had to go in and adjust.

It’s a girl’s night for you, Shaw, Ayden and Cora. What are a few of the activities your night will consist of?

Prolly drinks some Bud Light for me…shots and silliness for them. They use girls night to commiserate about the hard-headed, hard to handle men in their lives so I’m sure that would be on the agenda.

Looking forward to Jet, what’s a song title or lyric that gives us a little taste of what’s to come for our next couple?

You can’t always get what you want by The Rolling Stones.

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RULE

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want—and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess—and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw—even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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JAY CROWNOVER

I’m a native Coloradoan and if you live here you know why that is a source of pride.  I love all the things Colorado has to offer and that is why I choose to set my books in this familiar setting.  I try to write about things I know and am familiar with which is why my stories feature plenty of rock and roll and body modification.

I’ve been in the bar industry since I was in college and I spend over forty hours a week watching the interaction between men and women in a unique way.  I think my 9 to 5 job offers me valuable insights into how relationships start and evolve in a social setting.  I love it.

I like to write New Adult novels because I remember being in my early twenties and thinking I had it all figured out only to be proven wrong time and time again.  When I look back those were the years that defined who I am today, and good or bad those decisions untimely set me on my current path, so that’s what I like to explore in my writing.

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter

Cover Reveal: A Little Too Much

I recently read and reviewed A Little Too Far, a new adult release from Lisa Desrochers that thoroughly impressed me and made me crave new adult books once again after taking a much-needed break from them. After finishing the first book I was of course desperately craving the next, and today I have the pleasure of sharing with you the cover of book two, A Little Too Much!

*Note: If you don't want to know who Lexie from A Little Too Far ends up with, don't read the synopsis below as this book tells the story of the one she walked away from.

A LITTLE TOO MUCH
(releasing November 12th from William Morrow/HarperCollins)

In the follow-up to Lisa Desrochers’ explosive New Adult novel A Little too Far, Alessandro Moretti must face the life he escaped and the girl he loved and left behind.

Twenty-two year old Hilary McIntyre would like nothing more than to forget her past. As a teenager abandoned to the system, she faced some pretty dark times. But now that’s all behind her. Hilary has her life on track, and there’s no way she’ll head back down that road again.

Until Alessandro Moretti—the one person who can make her remember—shows up on her doorstep. He’s even more devastatingly gorgeous than before, and he’s much too close for comfort. Worse, he sees right through the walls she’s built over these last eight years, right into her heart and the secrets she’s guarding.

As Hilary finds herself falling back into love with the man who, as a boy both saved and destroyed her, she must decide. Past or future? Truth or lies?

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LISA DESROCHERS

Lisa Desrochers lives in central California with her husband and two very busy daughters. There is never a time that she can be found without a book in her hand, and she adores stories that take her to new places, and then take her by surprise.

Look for her New Adult novel, A LITTLE TOO FAR , courtesy of HarperCollins Sept 2013, and the first companion, A LITTLE TOO MUCH , in Nov 2013. Also in stores is her YA PERSONAL DEMONS trilogy (Macmillan). 

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • •

EXTRAS

•  Want a chance to ask Lisa any and all pressing questions you have about this series? Well, you're in luck because this Wednesday (October 2nd) Maryse of Maryse's Book Blog will be hosting a book club Q+A at 3pm EDT, so be sure and pop over to say hi!

•  If you're a fan of new adult (like me), you'll definitely want to check out the newly-created Between the Covers Facebook page which will keep you updated on upcoming releases and fantastic author events.

Review: From Ashes

FROM ASHES
Molly McAdams
Contemporary New Adult
416 pages
William Morrow/HarperCollins
Available April 16th
Recevied via Edelweiss for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
Aside from her dad, who passed away when she was six, Cassidy Jameson has only ever trusted one man: her best friend, Tyler. So of course she follows him to Texas when he leaves for college. She just didn't expect to be so drawn to their new roommate, Gage, a gorgeous guy with a husky Southern drawl. The only problem? He's Tyler's cousin.

 Gage Carson was excited to share an apartment off campus with his cousin. He didn't mind that Tyler was bringing the mysterious friend he'd heard about since they were kids . . . until the most beautiful girl he's ever seen jumps out of his cousin's Jeep. There's something about Cassi that makes Gage want to give her everything. Too bad Tyler has warned him that she's strictly off-limits.

Despite everything keeping them apart, Cassi and Gage dance dangerously close to the touch they've both been craving. But when disaster sends her running into Tyler's arms, Cassi will have to decide whether to face the demons of herpast . . . or to burn her chance at a future with Gage.

MY THOUGHTS
From Ashes is a story that, based on the synopsis and cover art, we enter into assuming there will be a fair amount of romantic drama as well as a prominent love triangle. What we discover a few chapters in is just how correct our assumption is with regard to the former, and luckily for us, how incorrect with regard to the latter. What could have been an extraordinarily frustrating love triangle between Tyler, Cassidy and Gage turns out to be something entirely unlike what we initially expect (though still quite frustrating, just in a drastically different way), with Cassidy and Gage's feelings for one another solid and reciprocated, though unbeknownst to them, neither is fully aware of what the other is feeling. There's thankfully no waffling on Cassidy's part, and neither Cassidy nor Gage is deliberately obtuse when it comes to their miscommunications, instead they are manipulated and misled by someone they have no reason to assume would do something so hurtful. As a result, our irritation is derived from the circumstances rather than the characters themselves, and we continue on in the hopes that good things await the two of them once they sort through the layers of deception.

There are certainly some beautiful moments between Cassidy and Gage; quiet, stunningly intimate moments that do a nice job of smoothing the feathers of ours that have been ruffled along the way, but ultimately this story is so intensely and unnecessarily dramatic at times that not even those sweet and sexy scenes can hold off our ire. For the first half of the book it's easy to root for both Cassidy and Gage, their unwitting roles in Tyler's twisted game of possessiveness something that has us instantly in their corner, wishing we could step in and clear the air with just a few simple words so they could both finally start the relationship they've been desperately wanting. As the story continues however, Cassidy becomes increasingly difficult to like, our budding connection with her stalling out as she continues to hurt Gage with her cluelessness, and when yet another romantic player other than Tyler and Gage enters the picture, any lingering affinity we had for her is quickly extinguished.

Tyler is equally problematic, his history with Cassidy initially endearing him to us only to have him rather suddenly undergo a massive behavioral overhaul shortly after Gage first lays eyes on Cassidy. For someone who claims to want nothing more than what's best for her, Tyler does everything in his power to keep her happiness at bay in the misguided hope that she'll finally develop feelings that have never once been a part of their unique and seemingly unbreakable bond. When his actions escalate from small falsehoods and manipulation to downright cruelty, our patience with this book as a whole wears dangerously thin, and we flip the pages with a sort of dread as we wonder what massive drama will be hurled at us next.

The highlight of From Ashes is Gage himself, a young man with a butterfly-inducing southern drawl and an unwavering loyalty to Cassidy despite her tendency to push him away at every turn. He is patient, kind, and sinfully attractive, and while Cassidy loses a bit of our respect as she tries to sort herself out through major and minor dramas alike, the romantic scenes between them still cause our pulse to quicken and a flush to spread on our skin. Overall, From Ashes is full to bursting with tension and angst, so much so that we find ourselves drowning in it, desperately searching for some small facet of the story to keep us afloat, and while Gage is that lifesaver for the most part, he alone is unable to help us make peace with many of the decisions both Cassidy and Tyler make.

Rating: 2.5/5

Mini Reviews: Beauty, Starstruck, and Crash and Burn

My mother in law Cathy is flexing her reviewing muscles
on the blog today!

BEAUTY
Lauren Conrad
Beauty tips/make-up
288 pages
HarperCollins
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
To be honest, when I started these books, I had preconceived ideas based solely on what I knew of Lauren's personality from the show "The Hills".

The first book, Beauty, is a exactly what the title suggests–a beauty book. Ms. Conrad admits that she's learned most of her hints on make-up and hair from the professionals she's worked with while doing reality TV. Her tips are probably geared more for the teen to thirty age group, but do seem to be well-researched and offer helpful instruction.

What I was most surprised by was Ms. Conrad's personal anecdotes and insights. They were thoughtful and well-written. She was not boastful when she talked about personal beauty. She emphasized playing up your best individual features, and trying to be your best self. Her personal beauty idol is her mother, you have to love her for that!!! She was very sweet in her description of her mom.

As in most beauty books, the pictures make it a bit difficult to distinguish and understand all the techniques being depicted, but overall, some good tips and a pleasant surprise in her stories.

Rating: 3.5/5

STARSTRUCK
Fame Game #2
Lauren Conrad
352 pages
HarperCollins
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
This is a story of a group of twenty-somethings living in LA working on a reality TV show. Sound familiar? Assuming Ms. Conrad is simply writing about what she knows, it does make you think about reality shows and how they're produced. Most seem to be scripted and not all that real. If you like these type of shows though, it's fun to see "behind the scenes" and even spend some time trying to guess who she may have based some of the characters on.

The plot is fairly predictable in that the characters don't have much depth, and they are often inexplicably surprised when they have no privacy while on the show. Another small frustration is that the story just ends without any real resolution. There are some lessons learned in the book though, such as fame is fleeting, stick to your values, and work harder and don't settle. These seem to be lessons that Ms. Conrad learned while working in LA because she has moved on and accomplished more than her fifteen minutes of reality fame might have otherwise allowed. I have to say I was biased starting these books, but was pleasantly surprised by both.

Rating: 3.5/5

CRASH AND BURN
Michael Hassan
Contemporary Young Adult
544 pages
Balzer + Bray
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Mr. Hassan takes a unique and interesting approach to a very current topic–school violence. He gives us a look at the lives of two boys, Crash and Burn, one the hero and one the antagonist. Crash is our narrator, writing a book about "the event", and we therefore learn everything through his memories and hindsight. And as many of us know, there is always a different perspective after the fact.

Crash, the hero, and Burn, the perpetrator, have a long history together. Both have similar backgrounds: affluent neighborhoods, problems in school, mental and behavioral issues, and lots of frustration in dealing with life. If we were not told at the beginning of the book who was the hero, we might have had trouble deciding which character was going to crack first.

The chapters alternate between Crash's book and the chaos of the aftermath of him saving the school. This is a very insightful way of presenting the story and keeps us interested throughout. We see how Crash and Burn's lives have intertwined since elementary school, both in positive and negative ways, and really either of these boys could have snapped. Mr. Hassan seems to overload Burn's live with disasters though, and I don't know if anyone could have handled all the bad things that happened to him on top of being poorly medicated for mental illness.

The overabundance of problems in Burn's life as well as the fact that Mr. Hassan spends a touch too much time on Crash's pursuit of drugs, sex, and truancy made the story feel a little overindulgent, especially considering this is a YA book. I realize sex and drugs are often parts of teenagers' lives, but having Crash be so extraordinarily proud of these things (particularly his sexual conquests), as a parent, made me question the message it might be sending to younger readers. I understand that he was not intended to be the typical hero, but I felt certain things were glorified that didn't need to be glorified.

I do think this story opens our eyes to teenage angst and the fact that we can never truly know what is happening below the surface. There are always signs, and there are many in the book that should have been addressed by the adults, but then again hindsight always provides the clarity missing from the original situation.

Maybe that is the message–be aware and don't be afraid to step up and help. That is how Crash saved the day and became the hero.

*Cathy did mention to me when we were discussing her thoughts on this book that she was surprised it was considered YA due to some of Crash's behavior and his constant fixation on sex and drugs. As a result, this book is recommended for older readers.

Rating: 3.5/5