Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Publisher- Harper Teen

Released- March 11th 2014

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

My Thoughts: 

Truthfully, when I first saw this book, I looked at that cover and wasn't instantly dazzled. I'm a cover-crazz kinda gal and if a cover doesn't get my attention off the bat, then I usually don't bother with it. But! when a goodreads friend (waves to Sam) gave this a wonderful review and talked about how funny it was, I decided to give it a go since I need funny in my life and I'm so glad I did because, Ask Again Later was the real deal. Clever banter, awesome zingers, sweet friendships and an adorable romance. Truly, a fun-filled escape.

Ask Again Later, is the kind of story that makes your heart happy and puts one of those stupid plastered smiles on your face the entire time your reading. The writing is effortless, smooth and quite smart. What a brilliant and refreshing concept idea to have a girl who doesn't date be put on the spot for two good-intention prom invites. Heart doesn't know what to do and decides to leave it up to fate, or in this case, a Chuck E. Cheese token. But fate is a mischievous beast and our tender Heart will be in for one helluva night filled with hilarious disasters, epically entertaining comedy and finally some insightful discoveries. Watching Heart have to endure everything and anything that came her way was such a hoot and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her go through the 'what could happen' for both of her respective prom offers. One was obviously the better choice while the other was the prom from hell, which was both parts sad and hilarious. But no matter how Heart's night is going with both Tyler and his group and Ryan with the No Drama Prom-a Crew, it's where Heart ends up that makes it so incredibly worth it.

My favourite thing about this book is all of the amazingly awesome characters. They were all so funny and just fun to be with. 

Being inside Heart's head was a complete joy. She's sassy and sweet and all kinds of scared. She's the kind of character who doesn't like confrontations, gets manipulated easily by her brother and has commitment issues, but despite some of her flaws I like that she felt real and easy to connect with. But what I thought was so cool about her the most was that no matter what the night threw at her (which was a lot) she took it all surprisingly well and made the most of a bad situation. I liked that she just went with it, head up and just dealt with it. Kudos for Heart.

I also really loved all of Heart's friends, they are all a perfect mix of good times, tough love and endless support. While the romance in this is both sweet and frustrating. Despite what's implied there isn't a love triangle in this one, but I really did love both guys. Ryan is a sweetie-pie and I love how much of a friend he turned out to be when Heart needed it the most. But Schroeder/Chase is a different story and I couldn't help feel a tad conflicted with him. Most of the time he's charming and funny and I adored their banter and the use of witty nicknames, but then we have moody-Schroeder who quite frankly was a pain in the ass. Communication is the key to every friendship and/or relationship but I'm not sure Chase got the memo. Honesty people, it works.

While I really did love all of these characters, the only one I had an issue was with Phil. I'm a huge sucker for great brother/sister and family bonds in my books and was slightly disappointed that wasn't the case here. Phil was such.a.asshat. Period. Or well, at least he was in one version of the night, on the flip side I guess he was okay, but I can't help wishing he was written differently.

I really loved that ending. It felt like a warm fuzzy blanket after being stuck out in the cold for hours. Prefect and adorable.

Basically, I had a lot of fun with this book. It's funny and warm and sweet and cute as hell and the perfect book when your in need for something light and wonderful. A feel good, fun-filled read. Can't wait till Czukas next book, but this time there wont be any hesitation!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes

Cover Reveal: The Beast by Lindsay Mead

Today we are very excited to share some cover love for 'the Beast' by Lindsay Mead. I don't know about you...but this cover totally rocks! 

the Beast by Lindsay Mead

SYNOPSIS

Demon possession has swept through Glace's neighboring kingdom, turning humans into Hellhounds. These great, fanged wolves are wild, desperate, and hungry. Only the sworn Hunters have kept them back for five long, bloody years.

At the young age of fifteen, Belle LeClair became a Hunter. She no longer remembers how many hounds she's killed, or how many friends she's buried. Still, Belle leads the hunt till a tragedy forces her deep into the dark kingdom. Her heart will be turned, her loyalty tested— and fate will intervene.

Amid a backdrop of Steampunk inventions and a harsh winter landscape, The Beast is a re-imagining of the infamous love between a beauty and a beast.

Video Link: the Beast

     

 

AUTHOR BIO

Lindsay Mead lives in her home state, Michigan, with a small demon-dog named Suzie Q. She has obsessively made videos for YouTube since 2007 and can't seem to stop. THE BEAST is her debut into the world of writing.

*The book is set to release this spring*

Main YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/1ag5dGm

Website & Blog: http://lindsaymead.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lindsay_Mead

The Beast on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/17WVJ6t

Cover Reveal & Teaser: my not so Super Sweet life by Rachel Harris

Winterhaven Books is very excited to share with you the beautiful cover for Rachel Harris' upcoming title: my not so Super Sweet life. Soooo.... without further adieu...

BLURB:

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

Teaser:

PUB DATE: April 21st, 2014


LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Sweet-Life-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00HTJH9J0

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-not-so-super-sweet-life-rachel-harris/1118048798

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17930616-my-not-so-super-sweet-life

 Author Bio:

Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong families are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, she firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations. She homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches way too much Food Network with her amazing husband.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and losing herself in story. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website: http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/

Teaser Tuesday, # The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

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 Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Expected Publication Date: July 15, 2014

*Quotes are subject to change as they were taken from an Advanced Readers Copy.



Teasers from page: 12

"I'm not a soldier in my father's army."
My mother drew closer, brushing my cheek, and whispered, "Yes, my dear. You are."

Teasers from page: 93
"I see only reminders that nothing lasts forever, not even greatness."
"Some things last."
I faced him. "Really? And just what would that be?"
"The things that matter."

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! 

Review: House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Publisher- Harper Teen
Released- April 15th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves

My Thoughts: 
Josephine and her Nana are witches and the last of the Hemlock bloodline. Witchcraft can only be passed down from female to female in every witching family. And while the Hemlocks have lived in Willow’s End all of there lives, it’s their land that makes them more of a target for the Curse for its potent magical value.

The Curse has been killing witches for generations and what killed Jo’s mother when she was a little girl, but no one knows who’s behind these attacks and the reason why Jo and her Nana have been hiding ever since. But when a strangely familiar man shows up asking about Jo’s mother, he unknowingly brings darkness and danger with him and could only mean one thing for the Hemlock family. The Curse has finally found them. Now is the time to fight as Jo and her Nana come together to try to unlock the secrets and solve the mystery of who could be hunting them and the witching community for hundreds of years and find a way to finally put an end to the Curse. But Jo must first try to find a way to protect everyone she loves from the shadows that could consume them and before she has no other choice but to suffer the same fate that killed her mother.

House of Ivy & Sorrow is such a cool book! I've always been such a sucker for witches and magic in my escape. There are just so much limitless possibilities that come with this lore and its fun and fascinating to see the imagination and creativity crafted for my favorite kind of genre. This would be my first book by Natalie Whipple, but it won’t be my last. You could tell that she put a lot of thought into her world twisting and turning it in unpredictable ways that was unique, clever and sharp. I really liked the way she writes, despite the pacing being a tad quick at times; the flow of the story was smooth and never had a dull or dragged out moment. This book is easily absorbing and I loved being able to sink into the plot and all the wonderful colorful characters. But my favorite part of this book was the old school magic, complete with secret portals, bubbling cauldrons, and nasty ingredients such as; spiders, eyeballs, bear hearts and crows awaiting disintegration for animated spells. I also liked that there isn’t a good or a bad side to magic, there is only darkness but its how you control that darkness that defines you. Magic can be harnessed through the earth and payment must always be paid, whether from blood, nails, flesh, limbs or one of the five senses. Sure, it’s a bit disturbing at times, but still pretty wicked stuff.

I really loved the entire cast of characters. They all balanced and complimented each other quite nicely and I enjoyed the closeness and bonds between family and friendships.

First off, I adored Nana Dorothea! I’d be dead afraid to have a grandmother like this of course, but I’d also be mighty proud. Nana is a tough old witch that goes above and beyond for her family. I wanted to laugh and cringe for poor Jo at times just thinking about having a boyfriend and hoping against hope that Nana doesn't ruin the night with her meddling interference. But while Nana is strict, she’s also very kind and loving.

Jo is such a sweet character but she’s also full of spunk and fight. She wants what all teenage girls want, a normal life with friends and a boyfriend and the freedom to enjoy her youth without worrying about her Nana striking her boyfriend down with lightning just before she gets her first kiss. But Jo doesn't have a normal life and she’s actually quite wonderful about that. She’s fiercely loyal to her Nana and the magical bloodline she must preserve being the only Hemlock left, she’s accepted her fate and fights every step of the way to protect everyone she loves no matter the consequences.

Gwen and Kat are amazing examples of secondary characters that really affect the story in a positive and uplifting way. It was nice to see strong supportive friendships that didn’t involve a lot of drama or angst and it was nice to see them united together especially since Jo could use all the help she could get to fight this battle.

Winn was such a cutiepie. I loved that he was so down to earth and content with who he is. I love that he’s a farm boy, hard working and knows the value of family. The way he was with Jo was just too adorable for words and I loved the subtle twist in his character.

Another character that I really loved was, Levi. I don’t want to spoil too much but I really enjoyed the complexity of the role he played in the story and how it ties in with Jo’s fate.

The romance between Jo and Winn was completely adorable, light but intense. The storyline was so busy that we didn't get a lot of screen time and I wish we got to see some more uninterrupted moments between the two, but they still managed to make a huge impact. We do have a little competition here, not exactly a love triangle but definitely some amusing conflict.

I also really loved the ending and while this reads like a standalone, I wouldn't mind seeing more books from this world since it has a lot of promise and potential for different plot directions for just about any of these characters.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with this one. Natalie Whipple writes an intriguing and enchanting take on magic and witchcraft that really impressed me. The storyline is entertaining and unstoppable and the characters were all made of awesome. They’re warm, charming and full of fight. I look forward to discovering more books by Whipple, she’s got a new fan!

Find the author: 

Goodreads / Website                              4 Snowflakes