Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Today WinterHaven Books has the wonderful opportunity to share out review of The Collector by Victoria Scott. Special thanks to YA Bound for hosting this blog tour and allowing us the opportunity to participate.  To see the rest of the amazing tour lineup click HERE

THE COLLECTOR (A Dante Walker Novel) by Victoria Scott
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Expected Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

He makes good girls...bad. Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

My Thoughts:
Dante Walker is a cocky, Soul-Seal-Stickering bad boy. Being the #1 tagger for the Lord of the Underworld, Dante has nothing to prove, right...wrong. Dante wants the promotion  of Soul Director so he can get permanent placement on earth. Boss Man (a.k.a. Lucifer) will forget Dante's recent downslide if he seals the soul of a particular target: Charlie Cooper. Apparently he doesn't typically pinpoint a specific person, but this time it is different, and Dante isn't apprehensive about this assignment. He's got this! So he assumed.

Charlie Cooper is as sweet as they come. Pure and innocent. She may not be much to look at, but her genuine kindness masks whats on the outside. Dante walks into this assignment with confidence. All he has to do is turn this good girl, bad.

As Dante spends more time with Charlie and her group of friends, she begins to rub off on him and he begins to question if he's doing the right thing.

Charlie was a sweet girl. I liked her character but yet, I didn't really like how passive she was. She pretty much caved into Dante's scheming ways. But, when it came down to it, that's just who she was as a character.

Dante...He was full of himself, that was for sure. He started off being the bad boy who didn't care about anyone or anything and didn't care who he crushed in his path. But as the story moved forward, I began to see the goodness underneath this characters shell and his goodness began to shine through.  Of course Dante brings the heat to the pages, but what I really liked about him was that in the end, he proved he was more than Lucifers pawn.

There were some shockers threaded in the story and let me tell ya, I was thrown off by a few of them. I liked the added addition of a few key players and their roles. I was blindsided by a few.

Overall, this was a wonderful debut by Victoria Scott. I think she will be a new YA voice to keep an eye on.

About the Author:

 I'm a YA writer represented by Laurie McLean. Author of THE COLLECTOR (Entangled Teen, April 2013) and THE BRIMSTONE BLEED (Scholastic, 2014). I have a master's degree in marketing, and live in Dallas with my husband. When not writing, I can be found munching cotton candy and snuggling obese cats.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads / Dante's Website
 

As part of this amazing tour we have a very special giveaway to share with you.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  Good Luck!

Don't forget to add both The Collector and the sequel The Liberator to your Goodreads TBR!

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Cover Reveal: Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe

Today Winterhaven Book is participating in the cover reveal for Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe hosted by YA Bound.  This cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

Of Silver and Beasts (A Goddess Wars Novel)

by Trisha Wolfe

Release Date: June 1, 2013
Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy
Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound
Cover Designed by: Steven Novak

Summary from Goodreads:

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

***Excerpt***

I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed me past the surface. But then, I have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone. “Caben…” I start, but still can’t find the right words. He lowers his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top. “You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.” A hollow pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost, broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up with my racing heart. When he sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm. “Caben, I didn’t mean—” “It’s fine, Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.” “No, I’ve said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile, if not more so. He releases a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots. “I honestly don’t think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into the water and sighs. Glancing at the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him, so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him. “Here,” he says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “I can remove my own—”  “Have you never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them. But try to relax.” “Is that the rumor in Perinya?” “What?” I bite my lip, suddenly regretting my blurt. “Nothing. Never mind.” From the corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying not to. “Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well, there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s neck just for making an advance.” My mouth drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.” “All right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal. Don’t be offended.” “Unattainable?” I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after being rejected.” His eyes widen. “No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words, his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.” I nod, many times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to the men of Perinya.” Caben lets out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower, “while I stick mine in my mouth.” Unexpectedly, I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it to your face?”

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

***GIVEAWAY***

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Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway- The Exemeus by Folami Morris

Welcome to my stop on The Exemeus blog tour by Folami Morris and Abeni Morris hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!

                                                                                   
                                                                                   
The Exemeus by Folami Morris and Abeni Morris
Publisher-Royal Colours Ink 
Released-Jan 3rd 2013
Purchase-Amazon / B & N

Hyalee Smith is dead, she just doesn’t know it yet.Her short life was devoted to love and to hate. Love of the man who stole her heart, hate for the man who stole the world. Murdered by the government she swore to destroy, she has been given another chance to make it right. But to save the planet, she needs the help of the most powerful mystic the world has ever seen—unfortunately he hasn’t been born yet.
In a world where fear is the only currency, Dephon has committed the ultimate crime:inspiring hope.His only goal is to make it safely through ninth grade, but on a post-apocalyptic Earth run by the Treptonian government, it isn’t that simple. Heir to a legendary power, Dephon Johnson is the only threat to the government’s rule. And on Trepton, all threats must be eliminated. When hundreds of assassins are dispatched to neutralize him, Dephon is forced to fight back. His only chance of survival is to enlist the aid of the greatest warrior the world has ever known. The only problem is, she's been dead for 13 years

My Thoughts:
This book turned out to be a pretty decent story. I didn't really know what to expect going in, only that the blurb sounded like something I'd enjoy. The Exemeus is a story within a story. It's about a couple named Hyalee and Singleton and their magical fated journey. It's about a raging and magical war where good was destroyed and evil was made to fester. But, it's also  about a boy named Dephon Johnson who never really fit in at school but takes comfort in losing himself in his history books where the past of ancient wars, vast cities and old traditions was the way it use to be, compared to the dark, black, and empty waste Trepton IV is now. But soon, Dephon will come to realize how valuable and inspired his life really is and that the past that had once consumed his dreams is actually apart of  his destiny. But he must learn all there is to learn about what really happened thirteen years ago if he's to fight back against a government that wants to eliminate him. 

This book has just about everything I like in my escape. Magic and madness, suspense and mystery, betrayal, love and an ultimate hope. Folami Morris spins a fascinating and entertaining concept. Her writing is skilled, steady and wildly imaginative. The world-building is unique and creative and I found myself easily and instantly lost within this universe. It was a tad long, but I was so caught up with Hyalee's story that I couldn't bring myself to care.

I really enjoyed all these characters, Dephon, Hyalee, Singleton and Mallea. They each have a key play in this book, like pieces to a missing puzzle. They are all freshly developed and guides the readers effortlessly throughout this adventure. As much as I loved learning about Hyalee and Singletons past and how Dephon is connect to it, I'm actually quite curious how Dephon's story will play out from here. 

Bottom line, The Exemeus is fit for fans who want to experience an extraordinary dystopian magical adventure with inspiring characters, solid writing and an enriched world. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website

                                                                     3.5 Snowflakes 

Don't forget to enter this amazing giveaway!  Good luck!

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Blog Tour: Indigo Awakening

Today, we have the pleasure of joining in the Indigo Awakening blog tour hosted by YA Bound. For our stop, we are sharing an two excerpts of the book along with a tour wide giveaway. Enjoy!

 When Lucas Darby escapes a mental hospital, he hears a girl’s voice inside his head that changes

his life.

Excerpt #1 – Lucas Darby searches for the girl in his head

However his mind had pieced together the puzzle, he knew the girl would be there, in a garage targeted for demolition. A strange unremarkable place to start his new life, but there it stood in its mediocrity. He didn't question how he knew, he just did. Lucas crossed the street, picking up his pace as he got closer. Flashes of a girl teased his mind in precious fragments. She carried the face of his future, every shade and color of her.
The girl in his head came to him in prisms of crystal. Her essence was reflected in countless images caught in the refraction of bouncing light. He imprinted every glimpse of her into his memory. Her skin, a soft curve of a lip, the incredible way her mind held him without a touch. He didn't have to see her to know everything he sensed about her would be real.
She had blinded him to everything—even the van driving slow behind him.

Excerpt #2 – Lucas Darby Meets Kendra Walker

Slowly Lucas turned to look for her. He squinted into the candlelight and found her in the shadows, sitting on a wooden crate. She pulsed in a cobalt-blue aura and looked as serene as the deep blue of the ocean. He recognized the curve of her lips, the soft pink of her skin, and the odd mix of defiance and vulnerability in her dark eyes. He'd seen her before in the crystal fragments of his mind, but because she'd been his first, they shared an intimacy of mind that connected them deeper than anything Lucas had ever felt. It was as if he had
always known her.
Fighting his pain, he cleared his parched throat. He could have sent her a message without using his voice, but speaking aloud made her real and not just a distant voice in his head.
"You're…the one," he said. "The girl…in m-my head, aren't you?"
She came with water for him to drink and knelt by him with a fragile smile. When he saw her eyes filling with tears, he had his answer. Even though it hurt to move, Lucas reached for her hand.
Don't cry, he told her. I'm here.


Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published on December 12, 2012
Purchase: Barnes and Noble /  Amazon

Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all

Book Trailer:

Now for the giveaway! Take a look at all the awesomeness!

Giveaway will include:

HarlequinTEEN prize pack, includes (US only):

INDIGO AWAKENING by Jordan Dane

ON A DARK WING by Jordan Dane

IN THE ARMS OF STONE ANGELS by Jordan Dane

THE JULIET SPELL by Douglas Rees

BELONGING by Karen Ann Hopkins (ARC)

DANCERGIRL by Carol M. Tanzman

2 Harlequin notebooks

4 Infinity Bracelets: (US only)

For anyone who has read an advance copy of INDIGO AWAKENING, you know that a silver

infinity bracelet plays an important part in the story. Special bracelets will be given away on the virtual tour so the lucky winners will be part of Rafael’s street family. Rafe’s bracelet was in black leather, but I’ve added a white leather braid as my personal remembrance to you for being in MY family.

1 audio book of In the Arms of Stone Angels. Digital download only. (International)

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Click HERE to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!

About the Author:
Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty romantic thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. She also pens young-adult novels for Harlequin Teen. Formerly an energy sales manager, she now writes full time. Jordan and her husband share their Texas residence with two cats of highborn lineage and two lucky rescue dogs.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest
Thriller/Crime Fiction Blogs:
The Kill Zone
YA Blogs:
ADR3NALIN3 / Fringe Dweller

Review & Blog Tour: Sneak by Evan Angler

 

Today WinterHaven Books has the wonderful opportunity to review Sneak by Evan Angler. Special thanks to YA Bound for hosting this blog tour as well as allowing us 

 

Sneak by Evan Angler
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
           

When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, bot to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?

My Thoughts:
Wow this book definitely delivers.  I really enjoyed the first book, Swipe, and I am very happy to say that this one was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The story takes place right after Swipe ends, with Logan on the run trying to find his sister.  Erin, his friend, is also trying to piece her life back together after losing Logan and the trust of her Father.  Both Erin and Logan had a really rough time in this book.   They are both alone without each other and everything they encounter ends up not being what they thought it would be.  I enjoyed all the different points of view we got to see throughout this book. even Logan's Grandma POV.  I was completely shocked at the ending of this book. I was not prepare for it at all and all I can say is that the next book will be epic!  There is so a lot of Government conspiracy and I am very anxious to see how Logan gets himself and his sister out of this mess.

In my opinion this sequel was a tad stronger than the first book. I really enjoyed all the intense Government stuff and I liked getting to know more about Peck, Hailey, Logan, and Erin.  I cannot wait to see what trouble Logans Grandma manages to get into and I have my hopes up that something good can still come out of all this destruction.

4 Snowflakes

 

 

Evan lives without the Mark, evading DOME and writing in the shadows of Beacon.  Swipe is his first book.  But if anyone asks, you know nothing about it, and you didn't hear anything from him.  Don't make eye contact if you see him.  Don't call his name out loud.  He is in enough trouble already.  And so are you, if you've read his book.

Find the Author:
Website / Twitter

For more tour stops on this tour click here.

Also here is a chance to win paperback copies of both Swipe and Sneak!! 

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