Book Blitz and Giveaway: Spellbound by Nikki Jefford

An introduction to a new series that's grabbed my interest.  And the cover just looks so cold and snowy...

Entangled by Nikki Jefford

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Spellbound Series, Book 1

Nikki Jefford's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Xpresso Book Tours):

Two months after dying, seventeen-year-old witch Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene’s body.

Until Gray finds a way back inside her own body, she’s stuck being Charlene every twenty-hour hours. Her sister has left precise instructions on how Gray should dress and behave. Looking like a prep isn’t half as bad as hanging out with Charlene’s snotty friends and gropey boyfriend.

The “normals” of McKinley High might be quick to write her behavior off as post-traumatic stress, but warlock Raj McKenna is the only person who suspects Gray has returned from the dead.

Now Gray has to solve the mystery of her death and resurrection and disentangle herself from Charlene’s body before she disappears for good.

Duplicity by Nikki Jefford

Spellbound Series, Book 2

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Xpresso Book Tours):

If Graylee Perez thought sharing a body with her twin sister was bad, dealing with a duplicate of herself is two times worse. Gray the second doesn’t seem to get that Lee’s boyfriend, Raj McKenna, is off limits. Then there’s the problem of Adrian Montez. He expects one of the Grays to be his.

Nearly a year later, the council is onto them for past misdeeds; Lee, along with the rest of the coven, has lost control of her powers; and Gray is being stalked by what looks like the Grim Reaper.

If they work together, they may stand a chance of setting things right and making it out alive.

Enchantment by Nikki Jefford

Spellbound Series, Book 3

Expected publication date: April 2013

Goodreads

Description (taken from Xpresso Book Tours):

In the third and final installment of the Spellbound series, Graylee Perez (the duplicate), goes to Spain for a summer of escape. There she meets new friends and comes face to face with her old adversary, Adrian Montez.

When Gray tries to setup a spell that will banish Adrian from her life, she inadvertently falls under a love spell instead.

Charlene returns, having hijacked a new body, for one final battle between the twins.

Author Bio:  Nikki Jefford

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt. She writes edgy teen fiction, including the Spellbound Trilogy and Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter.

Nikki married Sébastien, the love of her life, while working as a teaching assistant in France. They now reside in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands, 70 miles northeast of Forks, Washington.

Giveaway

There will be two giveaways here.  The first is for a "Reading is Sexy" sticker and signed swag (Entangled bookmark and Aurora Sky door hanger).  This giveaway is open internationally and ends on Monday, December 24.  Entries include free entry, tweets, and following people.  The second giveaway is a blitz giveaway.  It is open internationally and ends on Thursday, December 27.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Anna, Book 2

Kendare Blake's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Kendare Blake's website):

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Before I share my thoughts on this book, I have to point out that it has been over a year since I first read the first book in this series.  And I think somewhere between then and now, I fell off of the Anna train. It's been six months since Anna sacrificed herself to save Cas and his friends.  And Cas hasn't gotten over this moment.  In fact, he's being constantly haunted by Anna.

I felt disconnected with this book.  Like I couldn't remember enough of the first to enjoy this one.  All of the memories of Anna and being constantly reminded of her, I felt like Cas was just dealing with some hard times, nothing supernatural (other than the ghost aspect).  And that kind of resulted in a rough beginning for me.  To put it bluntly, I was bored for the first half.

But then we meet some interesting characters.  And Cas' athame gets explained.  And we pretty much get to see Hell form Cas' eyes.  It's uber creepy and really fun to read about.  I was very engrossed with the last fifty pages, and they totally made the book worth it.  But then it ended, and I felt kind of let down.

I absolutely adored the first book in this series, Anna Dressed in Blood.  But this second was a letdown for me.  So my suggestion is for people to pick up both of these books and read one right after the other.  You may have a better experience than I did...

Thanks goes to Tor Teen for providing me a review copy.

Challenges:  Sensational Seconds and Young Adult Reading Challenge

manda-rae's Haul

Stacking the Shelves consists of books we received in the last week, hosted by Tynga's reviews.

I'm still getting quite a few Christmas cards.  It's so much fun.  You guys will all have to think happy thoughts for me because I will be driving through Iowa/Nebraska when this post goes live.  We're doing a 21 hour drive this weekend to get home to family.  Due to our work schedules, we'll be celebrating Christmas a week early with our family.  So I hope you all have a much better weekend than me (and don't get caught in the snow)...

Gifted:

• From Lili, part of the Arcycling Secret Santa
• Trance by Kelly Meding
• Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
• So I definitely scratched my head a little when I pulled this book out.  I'd never heard of it before.  And then I read the back cover and was all, "hey, new adult urban fantasy interest!"  So it sounds like something right down my alley.  Thanks goes to Lili from Lili's Reflections.
• Swag from the Shade Series by Jeri Smith-Ready
• It's in the right-hand corner.  Two nameplates and bookmarks with the original covers for the Shade series (which I like better than the new ones).  I got this a couple of weeks ago and apparently missed placing it in an earlier haul.  Thanks goes to Jeri Smith-Ready.
• Holiday Card Exchange hosted by Turning the Pages
• Ornament Card from Autumn at Paperrdolls - I was surprised to see all of the confetti falling into my lap as I opened the card.  Thank you so much!
• Thinking of You Card plus bookmarks from Megan at Amethyst Daydreams - Ooh!  Bookmarks!  I love collecting bookmarks!  And I definitely need to read Sweet Venom sometime.  Thank you!
• Circular Snowman Card from Melina's Book Blog - This card is so pretty!  Thank you for the Christmas wishes!
• Other Snowman Card from Kim from Read Your Writes Book Reviews - Thank you for the card!

From the Library:

• Flock by Wendy Delsol
• Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
• A paranormal series involving storks and Jack Frost.  Oh yeah, this is a series that I can cozy up to the fire with.  And I might need some hot chocolate to go with it...
• Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey
• Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
• So I have read the first three books in Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series and really enjoyed them.  Then I saw a new urban fantasy series coming out.  I just couldn't resist...
• Rebel Heart by Moira Young
• Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
• I really enjoyed Blood Red Road.  It was the personality and the twang that pulled me in.  So of course I'm really looking forward to this sequel.

For Review (e-edition):

Prophecy Girl by Faith McKay

Amazon | Goodreads

I just realized the cover has a mountain in the background.  Oh how I miss my mountains.  This book seems like it has some paranormal secrets just waiting to be found out.  And I'm curious to find out what happens.  Thanks gors to Faith McKay!

Renhala by Amy Joy Lutchen

Amazon | Goodreads

This book seems like pure fantasy.  Jumping from our boring world into Renhala, a world where things become alive and interesting.  Plus, there's a moon on the cover!  Thanks goes to Amy Joy Lutchen!





manda-rae's Past Week

Reviews:

• Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Book Blogging/Personality:

• 2012 End of Year Survey

Book Blitz:

• Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Giveaways:

• The Grimm Diaries Prequels by Cameron Jace (ends 12/27)
• 1 Year Blogoversary: Book of Choice (ends 12/29)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Genre:  YA Contemporary Romance

Pushing the Limits, Book 1

Katie McGarry's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Katie McGarry's website):

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

This book is full of emotional roller coasters, and it really doesn't disappoint.  You have two traumatized teenagers that are trying to let go of the past and try to reclaim their lives.  But that's a lot easier said than done.  And trust me, my eyes welled up with tears at a couple of spots in this book.

This story is from both Echo and Noah's points of views.  I had an easier time relating to Echo because her story hit closer to home with me.  Her parents divorced, her dad remarried the girl that was once considered harmless.  And somehow, she's been replaced in her father's eyes.  It's easy to see why she felt like she wasn't apart of the new family.  Now bear with me while I jump up on my soap box for a second, all guys who have daughters in their lives should be man enough to tell their daughter he loves her every day of her life.  And they shouldn't have to have a reason to say this.

All-righty, moving along to Noah now.  He has some major trust issues because he's one of those kids who happened to fall through the cracks of a system that was meant to protect kids.  Yep, he's in foster care.  And how he ended up there, how he copes, and what he wants to accomplish in life is really just heart-wrenching.  All I can say is I am thankful I didn't have the kind of life he was stuck with.  Also, teenagers have no reason to trust adults because we give them no reason to trust us.  We have a policy where we lose all faith and trust in a teenager when they mess up just once.  And then we wonder why they don't trust us...

This book is all about coming to grips with your past and accepting it.  The past isn't full of colorful rainbows, in fact, there's quite a bit of pain there.  But as Echo and Noah begin to depend on each other, they find that trust and love can come from hard places.  I definitely recommend this book to contemporary fans and others who are looking for a good contemporary.

Challenges:  Debut Author Challenge, YA Mythology Challenge, and Young Adult Reading Challenge

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Cameron Jace' website

Expected publication date:  February 2013

Goodreads

Description (taken from Xpresso Book Tours):

What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong?

Sixteen year old Loki Blackstar is no Prince Charming. His mother is a ghost. His only friend is a red Cadillac that talks to him through the radio. He looks like an Angel but acts like jerk. No wonder he has been banned from Heaven, which is the least of his troubles. Loki needs a job to pay for school and support himself.

Still, Loki has a rare gift: He is a Dreamhunter. One of the few in the world who can hunt and kill immortal demons in their dreams so they never wake up again.

When Loki is sent to kill a sixteen-year-old vampire girl the locals call Snow White Sorrow, he is pulled into a magical but dangerous world. The locals believe the monster to be Snow White.

The real Snow White... living in the ruins of an ancient castle in a small town. She is described as horribly beautiful, terrifyingly enchanting, and wickedly lovely.

What he finds instead is a beautiful monster girl filled with rage and hurt, who has an epic untold story to tell of things such like why the Brothers Grimm altered the fairy tale, who the Evil Queen really is, where the mirror came from, and who possessed it.

Snow White has killed every person who has dared come near the castle where she once lived with the queen. Mysteriously, she lets Loki live, and whispers two words in his ears; two words that will change his life forever.

A fairy tale retelling involving vampires?  Count me in!  Plus, the cover looks awesome!!

The Grimm Diaries Prequels

Amazon | Goodreads

Special Note:  The prequel pack (all 6 stories) is available on Kindle for only 99 cents today.

Author Bio:  Cameron Jace

Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales. I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.

Another Special Note:  If you like Cameron's Facebook page, you will be notified of the exact release date for Snow White Sorrow.  And on this day only, you'll be able to purchase Snow White Sorrow for only 99 cents.

Giveaway

Cameron Jace is offering one of my readers a Kindle copy of his Grimm Diaries Prequels.  This giveaway is open internationally and ends on Thursday, December 27.  Entries include free entry, tweets, and following people.

a Rafflecopter giveaway