Teaser Tuesday #100 Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes                  Publisher: Razorbill      Published: December 11, 2012  Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.
Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.
Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword.... 

Teaser #1 ebook page 53/293

"Just keep one thing in mind as you embark on this arrangement with your new bodyguard..."
She looked at him sharply. "What's that?"
He held her gaze. "He's not royal either."

Teaser #2 ebook page 77/293

And she also wished very much that she could share her won secret, the one she'd been hiding for nearly a month--the one no one knew. No one at all.


*PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Teaser Tuesday, #61 The Selection by Kiera Cass

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...




The Selection by Kiera Call
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Teasers are from ebook Page 20



"I stayed awake a little while longer, thinking of Aspen, and how much I loved him, and how it felt to be loved by him. I felt special, priceless, irreplaceable. No queen on any throne could possibly feel more important than I did."

"I think he enjoyed the sound of my raspy breathing more than the singing itself."




PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Teaser Tuesdays, #11

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following:

Until I Die (revenants, #2) by Amy Plum

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

My Teasers: Page 3 & 4

"Here you go." Vincent handed me a towel and kissed the top of my head. "Not that I don't think you're totally hot when you' with sweat," he whispered, giving me a flirty wink.

"But Vincent made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He promised not to die. At least, not on purpose. Which goes against every fiber of is un-being. Revenants' compulsion to die when saving their precious human "rescues" is more than enticing and powerful than a drug addiction. But Vincent thinks he can hold out. For me."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!



Interview, Give-away+ Review of Toxic by Jus Accardo

Do we have a treat for you!! Not only do we have an interview with the fantastic Jus Accardo, One lucky winner will receive this fantastic swag pack! Be sure to fill out the Rafflecoptor form below for your chance to win! This includes: Touch post card signed
Toxic postcard signed
Touch magnet
Untouched magnet
Toxic magnet
Toxic bookmark
signed bookplate
Team Kale sticker

Interview with Jus Accardo

1. You definitely wrote one of the most irritating secondary characters
to date. How did you channel in Jade's character while writing her?
Jade is like that girl in high school who has to be the best and the prettiest and have all the attention. The scheming, manipulative girl who will plow over anyone to get her way. I knew a lot of girls in high school like that. Jade is one big mash up of all the mean girls, lol.

2. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you listen to
different bands/artists to capture different moods?
I do! I’d be lost without music. I have a playlist for each book, then a different one for each character. It never fails to get the wheels turning if I get stuck on something.

3. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?
This is a tough one, but I kind of love Elena Michaels from Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld. I have a mega crush on Clay… :D

4. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to bake and be outdoors. Our property backs up to a nature preserve and I love to go hiking with the dogs. I’m also a huge World of Warcraft fanatic.

5. What was your favorite chapter in Toxic (or part) to write and why?
Hmmm. Well I love the Jade/Dez scenes. They rub each other a lot like Alex/Kale and I’m a sucker for that kind of back and forth. There’s one scene in particular that takes place at a party—I can’t say much without giving it away—but I giggle every time I think about it!

6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What
has been the best compliment?
I think the toughest to hear was not long after TOUCH came out, someone went out of their way to email me, stating I should kill myself and put the world out of its misery because the book was just stupid on every possible level. I laugh about it now because, well, come on! Really? But at the time, I pretty much cried.
As for the best, I’ll be totally honest—and you’ll probably think I’m a goober—but any time someone tells me they like my books, it’s a huge high. Like, goofy smile and chair dancing all the way. And really, now that I’ve gotten those first few bad reviews out of the way, those are kind of awesome, too. Think about it. If someone—we’ll use the emailer for example—hates my book that much, then obviously I’ve evoked a strong emotion. As a writer, that’s really all I can ask for. Emotion.

Thanks Jus for stopping by to answer a few questions for us.  

Toxic by Jus Accardo
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen

When a Six saved Kale's life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she'd lose the one thing she'd give anything to keep... And as if it's not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice--surrender to Denazen for the cure...or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn't involve being bagged and tagged--or losing someone she loves--Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there's a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there's any hope of proving Jade's guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead..

My thoughts:

Toxic is the second book in the Denezen series, and one of my most anticipated sequels, so I was so excited to dive right into it without hesitation. I just love Dez and Kale, and their unique world. This installment has a different tone to it than Touch.   Dez is up to her old shenanigans; thriving off adrenaline, but her world is turned upside down when Kale’s touch begins to affect her. There were so many twists thrown into Toxic. And, I don’t say that lightly. I think they were well executed and the plot was great. My only complaint was that Dez wasn’t the kick-butt heroine she was in Touch. She still maintains her snarky attitude, which I love by the way, but her insecurities got the better of her when Jade was able to touch Kale. Jade has a special gift that ground harmful gifts within a fifteen-foot radius. Not only did that tick off Dez, but Jade was impervious to harm and, she had her sights set on Kale.

I think Jus wrote Jade as the most irritating secondary character ever!!! Just thinking about her gets me all fired up. She was always getting in Dez and Kale’s way. Seriously folks, when I say this girl is annoying, I so am not kidding.

There were many facets to the story that really brought it to life. The unique gifts the characters have as well as new characters that were introduced were just great. There were a lot of relationship developments throughout Toxic. One in particular was Dez and her mom.

Dez wasn’t used to answering to anyone, so when her mom began showing parental authority, it didn’t sit well with Dez, but she really tried to take it in stride. I think that Dez had so much going on in her life that she began to feel defeated in a way.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I loved all the twists thrown in. The ending was a big opener for the next installment and I really can’t wait to see what Jus will pull on us next. I just hope that she gives Jade what’s coming to her!

3.5 Snowflakes

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Defiance (Defiance, #1) by C.J. Redwine

 

Title: Defiance (Defiance, #1)

Author: C.J. Redwin
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Hardcover: 416 pages 
Publication Date: August 28, 2012
Preorder: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Thoughts:

Defiance is a delicious debut by C.J. Redwine, and one you will want to mark on your TBR list, no doubt.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous!! I love the detail of the castle in her cape. The story is filled with tension, betrayal, murder, heartbreaking moments, action avenging love and romance. You will fall head-over-heels in love with Rachel and Logan.

In the city-states the people are deemed safe from the Wasteland and somewhere beneath it, the Cursed One that roams and seeks to devour what's left of a once great civilization. The Cursed One is one to fear. He poses a huge threat to the lives of anyone, but especially those in the Wasteland. In Baalboden, they are ruled by the evil Commander. Rachel's father, Jared Adams, was Baalboden's courier, but also their best tracker. He never returned from a mission from Rowansmark. The Commander deemed her Dad dead and placed Logan as her protector, until she is legally Claimed. Rachel was furious her father chose Logan as her protector and Logan was equaly confused, but Logan wouldn't fail the man who trusted in him the one thing that meant the world to him. Logan was Jared's apprentice.

At 15, Rachel told Logan she loved him, but he couldn't say the same. He didn't want to lose his apprenticeship over it. Rachel opened her heart and was so completely vulnerable, but that rejection left a scar on her and I think when that happened it really changed her into the tough, closed-off headstrong protagonist she is.

The story was written so well, and when Rachel's father was deemed dead, you felt heartbroken for her. All she had left was Oliver and Logan. Oliver was like a grandfather to Rachel, he was kind and loving and was always there for her. I loved this character and felt a soft spot for him. One by one the nasty Commander took the ones Rachel loved from her. I couldn't believe how ruthless that evil Commander was. I wanted to kick his butt too! I was rooting for his demise right along with the characters.

There was a package that Rachel's father was supposed to deliver to the Commander. It was of high importance because not only would the Commander go to extreme levels to ensure that he got it, but the trackers from Rowansmark were after it too. Rachel made a deal that her and Logan would go into the Wasteland to retrieve the package and bring it back. The Commander made sure that Logan would not accompany her, but send his tracker Melkin with her. The Commander said if she didn't return the package to him, Logan would be tortured and killed.

Rachel was trained to fight by her father. She wasn't the typical girl in Baalboden. She was a fighter. I loved this about her. She wanted out of Baalboden, but so did Logan. He watched his mother die because she went into the market without a Protector. See, the women are not allowed to wander in the market without their protector with them. They could be killed if caught. My heart just broke for him.

On the mission, Rachel met a few new friends and learned the truth of what happened with her father. I admired Logan and the promise he tried so very hard to keep, and that was to keep Rachel safe and avenge the deaths of their loved ones. The chemistry between them pulled at me and made me love them. They had some very sweet moments that made me melt and feel all gushy inside. I could feel how much he loved her and her him. Together, they made a great team. Logan is a great hero. He is smart and witty, quick on his feet and always trying to stay one step ahead. I love reading the male POV. It just does something for me, and I LOVED Logan! He was such a warrior and his determination was captivating.

The plot was strong and the writing was smooth and easy to melt into. The ending was great! I loved the action and the determination in Rachel and Logan. I can't wait to see what C.J. Has in store for Rachel and Logan in the next installment. This has to be one of my favorites in 2012.

5 Snowflakes!

                                                         

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