Waiting on Wednesday #72

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett
Publication Date: January 10th, 2017

Synopsis: 

“I plead the blood.”

Those were the last words seventeen-year-old golden boy quarterback Clay Tate heard rattling from his dad's throat when he discovered him dying on the barn floor of the Neely Cattle Ranch, clutching a crucifix to his chest.

Now, on the first anniversary of the Midland, Oklahoma slaughter, the whole town's looking at Clay like he might be next to go over the edge. Clay wants to forget the past, but the sons and daughters of the Preservation Society—a group of prominent farmers his dad accused of devil worship—won't leave him alone. Including Ali, his longtime crush, who suddenly wants to reignite their romance after a year of silence, and hated rival Tyler Neely, who’s behaving like they’re old friends.

Even as Clay tries to reassure himself, creepy glances turn to sinister stares and strange coincidences build to gruesome rituals—but when he can never prove that any of it happened, Clay worries he might be following his dad down the path to insanity...or that something far more terrifying lies in wait around the corner.

I think the real horror story with this book is that it didn't come out during halloween-time! However, I must say that it does look like a really creepy book! And Tor Teen has been churning out some great books lately so I really want to try this one because I haven't read many horror YA novels! 

Cassie's Waiting On: 

Freeks by Amanda Hocking 
Publication Date: January 10, 2017

Synopsis:

Welcome to Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, where necromancy, magical visions, and pyrokinesis are more than just part of the act…

Mara has always longed for a normal life in a normal town where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. Instead, she roams from place to place, cleaning the tiger cage while her friends perform supernatural feats every night.

When the struggling sideshow is miraculously offered the money they need if they set up camp in Caudry, Louisiana, Mara meets local-boy Gabe…and a normal life has never been more appealing.

But before long, performers begin disappearing and bodes are found mauled by an invisible beast. Mara realizes that there’s a sinister presence lurking in the town with its sights set on getting rid of the sideshow freeks. In order to unravel the truth before the attacker kills everyone Mara holds dear, she has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she was capable of—one that could change her future forever.

I'm a huge fan of Amanda Hocking, which makes me super excited for her new book! She's such a great writer...one who I wish received more attention because her stories are truly like no other. Plus, this book is set in Louisiana, which is always fun!  January 2017 is already looking like a good month for books!

Blog Tour: Iniquity

 

About the Book:
Title: Iniquity (Ascent, #1)
Author: Melody Winter
Publication date: October 25th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis: 

Athena Harrow is about to turn twenty-one, but there will be no celebration. What is there to celebrate when the world is ruled by demons?
She hates the darkness the demons brought with them and longs for the light to return to the world—a world she only vaguely remembers. The people in her forest village blindly accept the life the demons forced upon them, even tolerating the yearly ascension ceremony where all the girls who have turned twenty-one are either sent away to serve the Master Demon or left in the village and forced to procreate.
But Paymon, the assigned village demon, selects a different role for Athena, a role that pits her against the village. While she adapts to her new life, Erebus, a younger, more powerful demon, arrives, and Athena must play a dangerous game with his emotions in return for information about the demon’s reign of darkness.
As Athena’s dreams of restoring the light begin to fade, her life with Erebus takes an unexpected turn, and this time it’s her life being put to the test.
Set in the forest around Buttercrambe in North Yorkshire, England, INIQUITY explores the frightening, darker side of romance and the uncontrolled emotions it can unleash.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:

Growing up, Melody showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but ended up working in finance. Melody is convinced the methodical times she spends working with numbers fuel her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.
Melody Winter lives in York, North Yorkshire, England with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the nearby beaches at Scarborough and Whitby. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review:

I am so blown away by this new book by Melody Winter! This book has it all, and is a must-read for any fantasy lover. With impressive world-building, suspense, and a unique twist on fantasy romance...I devoured this book in one sitting and I can't wait for the sequel! You definitely need to check this book out as soon as you can.

Every aspect of this book was perfect, and I was incredibly impressed for a start to a series. This novel sets up everything so well, and I never wanted to stop reading. The characters, the world, and the fantasy elements were all so well done, I can't even begin to do the book justice. The world-building is phenomenal and is so fascinating that I am looking forward to learning more in the subsequent novels. I feel as if we have only scratched the surface in this book, and I can't wait to see what Ms. Winter comes up with next. However, for this novel, every element of the world is laid out very well, and you are never confused. The one thing I appreciated was the fact that there was never just an info-dump (which is always something I hate). Sure we don't know everything at the start, but we do know the basic facts to get us by until we (and the main character, Athena, can learn more). I loved the way the world was revealed to the us, and Ms. Winter did it expertly. 

The fantasy/supernatural element to the story is also incredibly unique and something I didn't expect. I thought this was going to be your run-of-the-mill demons, but boy was I wrong! I loved the twist she put on the demon mythology, and it made the entire story so refreshing to read. In some ways I felt like this was reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast but with demons...and doesn't that just sound amazing?! Who can resist that?? The entire story is extremely creative, and I loved every single second of it!

Athena, our main character, is very relatable and intriguing. When we first meet her, I could already tell that she was going to be a strong female lead that had courage and heart. Plus, she was going to be tough as nails, which got her into some trouble, but made her even more lovable. I also loved the two demons in her life, Paymon and Erebus. Ms. Winter definitely threw in a major twist with these two...one I didn't see coming (I was expecting a love triangle, but slight spoiler...that is definitely not what we got). Even though I didn't like Erebus at first, by about the halfway point I was in love with him and suffice to say, he's definitely a new book boyfriend. I like Ms. Winter didn't drag things out since this would have taken the book in an entirely different direction and probably wouldn't have gotten such a high rating. I loved that she explored the different sides of the characters, especially Erebus, and throughout the course of the story, we witness some major twists in regards to their background that set up the next story perfectly and will send our characters on new, exciting adventures.

I highly recommend checking out this book as soon as it comes out!! I can't even tell you how great this book is, and it starts the series off perfectly. I am eagerly anticipating the next in the series, and I know for a fact that I will be reading more from Melody Winters in the future! Don't miss out on this new fantasy that's sure to be a hit!

Happy reading :) 

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~Cassie

Book Blitz: Cursed Trilogy

Title: Cursed Trilogy
Author: Amy Braun
Publication date: November 6th 2016
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

An urban fantasy series for fans of the “Supernatural” TV show, CURSED tells the story of Constance Ramirez, a hardened young woman determined to protect her adopted sister, Dro, from the bloodthirsty demons hunting her– and from Dro’s own deadly powers. As the sisters cross paths with demon slayers, psychics, and angels, they become tangled in a dangerous web that brings Constance’s past back to haunt her. Protecting her sister and her new allies will test Constance in ways she never imagined– though she may be too human to survive it.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords

—

Q&A: Amy Braun and Demon’s Daughter

Q: How did you come up with the idea?
A: Like most of my inspirations, it just came to me one day. “What would I do if I had an adopted sister who wasn’t human?” While I am an older sister of a very human brother, I admit that it was fun to put myself in another mindset. Given that I’m a fan of strong family-dynamic fiction, whether it’s from the Supernatural television series or the Cal Leandros and The Chimera series’ by Rob Thurman, I wanted to write a story about the powerful bonds of family– two people who would literally die for each other. I also wanted to delve deeper into the mysteries of angel and demonology. The more I learned about them, their types and hierarchies, I knew they were the perfect creatures for my story. I think they presented some intense challenges for Constance and Dro, and writing about them was as informative as it was exciting.

Q: What was the biggest challenge writing Demon’s Daughter?
A: The research. While I love demons and angels, I’m not religious. I know that fiction writing, especially urban fantasy, allows you to bend the rules, but I wanted there to be some truth to what I was writing. Nothing is more embarrassing than writing about a topic you’re not an expert in. So I spent countless hours online, checking and re-checking my facts until whatever concept I was reading about made sense and wasn’t going to offend anyone. I think I succeeded. Other challenges involved finding information on Mexican drug cartels (so it’s a good thing I have a strong stomach) and locations/supernatural history in Texas. It’s tricky to write about a place you’ve never been to, so I spent a lot of my time looking at GoogleMaps and Google Images to make sure I wasn’t making random buildings out of thin air.

Q: Why did you choose to make the main character a criminal?
A: At first, it was because I wanted someone strong. No matter what you may say about them, you don’t get to be a high ranking member of a drug cartel without being ruthless and tough. But as I built Constance and learned more about her, I realized that I didn’t just want her to be tough and skilled at fighting. I wanted her to be damaged. I wanted a character that would develop PTSD from the things she saw and endured. I wanted her to showcase strength, when in reality she’s terrified at every turn. Constance has had a rough life, but she made her choices to protect the person she loves above everything else. She was at the end of her rope, desperate, and did the only thing she knew would work. How she deals with the guilt weighing on her conscience as her past catches up with her will be a key element in the future books, but I wanted readers to get a taste of her internal struggle before things really start hitting the fan.

Q: Who is your favorite character and why?
A: Constance, of course. I love books with strong female leads who know how to help themselves, and one of the highlights of writing Demon’s Daughter was putting Constance in situations where she had no one to help her. Constance is human, but she fights like a machine. She refuses to back down to anyone, is stubborn and angry, and viciously loyal to those who earn it. At the same time, she’s a compressed bottle of pain and fear. It takes a lot of hard work to earn her trust, though she makes it worth the effort. As much as I love Constance, Dro, and the rest of the characters, my second favorite is Sephiel. His backstory is heartbreaking, and like Constance, his loyalty is unwavering. As soon as I started writing him, I kind of fell in love with him. I think readers will really enjoy reading about the mysterious angel, and I hope there’s a lot of feedback about him as a character.

Q: What can we expect from the sequel?
A: Insanity, if I’m being honest. The sequel, titled Dark Divinity and scheduled for a December 2015 release, runs at the same full throttle speed as its predecessor. I delved a little more into the angels, and Constance’s past plays a vital role. It’s definitely darker than Demon’s Daughter, and my beta reader has told me that there are some heartbreaking moments in the sequel. There will be new demons and old enemies, and choices that will have devastating consequences. If readers enjoy Demon’s Daughter, they will love Dark Divinity.

Author Bio:

Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action. She is the recipient of April Moon Books Editor Award for "author voice, world-building and general bad-assery," and the One Book Two Standout Award in 2015 for her Cursed trilogy. She has been featured on various author blogs and publishing websites, and is an active member of the Writing GIAM and Weekend Writing Warrior communities. When she isn't writing, she's reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, and struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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~Cassie

Book Blitz: Beginner's Luck

Novels & Necklaces is pleased to bring you the release of
BEGINNER'S LUCK
by
Corinne Scott

Romantic suspense at its very best!
Beginner's Luck will surely keep you glued to your seats till the very last page.

Title: Beginner's Luck (O'Brien's Series, Book 1)

Author: Corinne Scott

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense Romance

As eldest son, Eoin O’Brien is expected to take over the management of his family pub, the Lion O’Brien in the Bronx. Despite his da’s disapproval, he has achieved his dream of becoming a police detective. He also longs to have a family, but his wife Vivian left him three years ago to pursue her own dreams of working in an art gallery.

Now Vivian is back from California. When the gallery where she works is robbed and vandalized, their paths cross again. It turns out the attack on the gallery was personal. After Vivian is almost run down by a car, it is clear that she herself is the target, though she can’t think of anyone who would wish her harm.

Eoin and Vivian circle each other warily, each feeling the pull of the past and their still powerful attraction. But there will be no easy reconciliation. First she finds a way back into the O’Brien family’s good graces. Eoin, in turn, sees that he is partly to blame for her flight. Like his father, he is too quick to anger, too domineering. He must learn to give the independent Vivian her space. But above all, he has sworn to protect her. And if he gives her too much space, she may end up dead.

Get your copy of Beginner's Luck now
Available at:

Giveaway

Everyone is invited to join the
Beginner's Luck Book Release Party

Lots of giveaways, prizes and books at the release party, including:
Beginner's Luck ebook
Lover's Oak ebook and paperback (first novel by Corinne Scott)
Lion O'Brien's Irish pub sign
Amazon Gift Cards

This event is happening today
November 4, 2016, 4 - 7pm CST!

Click here to join now!

About Corinne Scott

Corinne Scott was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents were teachers, so of course she grew up to be a teacher as well, proving that the apple does not fall too far from the tree. Corinne has a bachelor’s degree from Texas State University and a master’s from the University of North Texas. She is passionate about books, which led her to her current occupation as a librarian and now author. Beginner's Luck is her second novel, and the first in a series about the O'Briens of New York. Her first novel was Lover's Oak. For more information, go to www.authorcorinnescott.com.

Visit the Official Corinne Scott Website:
http://www.authorcorinnescott.com

Connect with Corinne Scott on Social Media:
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+ |
Goodreads | YouTube | Amazon

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In partnership with

~Cassie

Book Blitz: Dangerous Kiss

About the Book:
Title: Dangerous Kiss
Author: Crystal Kaswell
Publication date: November 2nd 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

He was supposed to glue my broken heart back together. Instead he threw me away.
Now he’s just another rock star asshole.
He gets everything he wants.
But not me. Not again.
Ethan Strong was the first man I ever loved. He was the one person who understood me, the one person who made me feel whole, the one person who set my body on fire.
We were supposed to be together forever. Then things got hard and Ethan forced me to choose between him and everything I’ve worked for.
Now he’s back in my life. He says we’ll be friends. It’s been a long time. I can forgive, but I can’t seem to forget. The taste of his lips, the sound of his groans in my ears, those calloused fingers between my legs– I’m going out of my mind remembering all the pleasure he brought me.
Worse, I keep thinking how happy he made me.
I can’t fall back in love with Ethan. It doesn’t matter how badly I crave his gorgeous blue eyes, his tattooed arms, and his strong guitarists’ hands. It doesn’t matter that his smile still lights me up inside. It doesn’t matter that I need him like I need oxygen.
I’m not giving Ethan another chance to throw me away.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

His eyes meet mine with this look that begs me to spill my guts.He waits to speak until his drink is melting ice. “I know you think Mal is pulling strings to get us back together.”“Is there a reason why you don’t object to this?”“Mal doesn’t listen to anybody but Mal. Besides, I’ve seen him stressing about numbers. He doesn’t have the expertise. And I’m not saying you do, but he’s right. You’re somebody we trust.” Ethan’s eyes find mine. “If you want the gig, you should take it.”His voice is even, effortless. Usually, Ethan wears his intentions on his face. But not right now.No. That was the old Ethan, the one I knew. This playboy rock star version of Ethan… who knows what he does or why.I take a long sip of my now lukewarm drink. “Won’t that bother you?”“No.” His voice is shaky for a moment. “Just, well… I’m not gonna be celibate just because you’re around.”“Excuse me?”“I get it. You think I’m a manwhore. I won’t argue.” He runs his hand through his wavy hair. “You’re right. I fuck a lot of women. That isn’t going to change if you join us on tour.”“Thanks for the update on your sex life.”“Don’t want you to get upset if you see me with someone else.” His voice is clipped, his expression is frustrated.But why? I stare back at him. “I don’t give a fuck where you stick your dick.”“Good.”“Yeah, great. Is that it?”“Pretty much.”I stare back at Ethan. I’m getting in the last word here. “Goes for you, too. I didn’t swear off sex when we broke up.”Okay, so I’ve only slept with one guy since Ethan and I broke up. Denny and I dated for a few months. He was crazy about me—he wanted to move in together—but I never felt the same. After we broke up, he nearly evaporated from my mind. It still goes back to Ethan every time I pull out my rabbit-style vibrator (he did buy it for me). Or every time I touch myself sans mechanical assistance.I clear my throat and smile my most confident smile. “Don’t get upset if you see me with someone else.”“You’re sleeping around?”“That’s not a crime, is it?” I chew on my lower lip. It’s not the case either, but he doesn’t need to know that.“No. Of course not. I’m glad. Anybody I know?”“No.”“You coming often, at least?”“Excuse me?”“We’re gonna be around each other. We should be friendly.”“Pretty sure you coming often goes past most people’s idea of friendly.”“Of course, Vi. Would never want to make you uncomfortable.” He smiles, the look in his eyes screaming I guess that’s a no.I clear my throat. “Yeah, I’m coming a lot. Every night.” By my hand, but that’s a technicality. “Sometimes multiple times.”His expression flares with frustration. “Great.”“And you? Enjoy screwing strangers at bars?”“Depends on the stranger.”I laugh-scoff. “I guess it would.”He smiles.Even though we’re hate-flirting, I fucking melt.

Author Bio:
Crystal Kaswell writes scorching hot new adult romance. When she isn't writing, she is chain drinking tea, binge watching Law and Order, practicing yoga, or debating which fictional character would be the best in bed. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband.
Sign up for her mailing list to get exclusive bonuses like deleted and alternate POV scenes http://www.crystalkaswell.com/subscribe/

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday #71

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2017 

Synopsis: 

Some bodies won’t stay buried.
Some stories need to be told. 

When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family's property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past... and the present.

Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what's right the night Tulsa burns.

Through intricately interwoven alternating perspectives, Jennifer Latham’s lightning-paced page-turner brings the Tulsa race riot of 1921 to blazing life and raises important question about the complex state of US race relations – both yesterday and today. 

Lately, have become a huge fan of historical fiction books. However, the hard part is that there aren't a ton of historical fiction books to choose from. This looks like it blends historical fiction with some important issues, so I am very excited to read Dreamland Burning!

Cassie's Waiting On: 

Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard 
Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Synopsis:
On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a "witchery," a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In this follow-up to New York Times bestselling Truthwitch, a shadow man haunts the Nubrevnan streets, leaving corpses in his wake—and then raising those corpses from the dead.Windwitch continues the tale of Merik—cunning privateer, prince, and windwitch.




I can't even tell you how excited I am for this novel mainly because MERIK! I absolutely adored the first book in this series, Truthwitch, and I have no doubts that Susan Dennard is going to deliver yet another thrilling story that will leave me begging for the next right away :)

Book Review: The Inquisition (The Summoner #2)

About the Book:
Title: The Inquisition (The Summoner #2)
Author: Taran Matharu
Pub. Date: May 10, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 368
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

A year has passed since the Tournament.

Fletcher and Ignatius have been locked away in Pelt’s dungeons, but now they must face a trial at the hands of the Inquisition, a powerful institution controlled by those who would delight in Fletcher’s downfall.

The trial is haunted by ghosts from the past with shocking revelations about Fletcher’s origins, but he has little time to dwell on them; the graduating students of Vocans are to be sent deep into the orc jungles to complete a dangerous mission for the king and his council. If they fail, the orcish armies will rise to power beyond anything the Empire has ever seen.

With loyal friends Othello and Sylva by his side, Fletcher must battle his way to the heart of Orcdom and save Hominum from destruction…or die trying. 

Review:

I don't even know where to begin with this review, because this book was just so so amazing! It's no secret that I adored the first novel in this series, but this story truly surpassed my expectations in every way. Taran Matharu has taken the story that he developed in The Novice and expanded on every aspect ten-fold. Every scene is rich in detail, coming alive and jumping off the page. One thing that I loved was how every chapter ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so you neededto keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. I was enthralled with this book from the very first chapter, and I never wanted the story to end! It was fantastic being back in this world that Taran created, and I can't wait to go back in the third book!

Fletcher's character has grown leaps and bounds since the previous novel. His characterization alone is something to marvel at, and should be applauded. We see a much more mature Fletcher who isn't afraid to be the leader, and take charge. But we also see a Fletcher who is willing to put his life before others and sacrifice himself in order to save his friends. Ignatius (while not as present as in the last book) is back and still with Fletcher, but he get a companion (not going to spoil anything too much but for fans of the story, you'll be able to figure out what this means). I love that little guy and there are some new revelations about Ignatius (and demons in general) that aren't fully explained in this story, so I'm looking forward to seeing what these revelations exactly mean. Othello, Sylva, and others are back as well, and it was good to have the group back together. There are some new faces that Tarun introduces, and not all of those characters have Fletcher and company's best interests at heart. 

All of the characters were so well crafted, and I am looking forward to seeing their growth in the next book as well. But the thing that I liked the most is the fact that they all made well-thought-out, logical decisions. Unlike the first book, where some of these characters made very rash, quick decisions that didn't always work out very well and led to even more danger, the characters decided to think about the consequences. This is huge for me because nothing bothers me more than when character's don't learn from their past mistakes. I liked that Tarun took this route because it fit with how the characters were now (as opposed to last year when they were at the school). There is also some hints at romance between two characters (I won't spoil who), but I was jumping for joy since I was shipping them since the beginning! 

Another element of the story that I enjoyed was the overall plot. I found the plot of this novel a lot more exciting and full of adventure. Don't get me wrong, I loved the plot of The Novice, but this one just had a little something extra that made me love it more. Perhaps it was simply due to Taran's amazing writing ability (which also has grown tremendously since the first book...which I didn't think was possible since he was amazing to begin with!), or it was just the constant life-and-death adventure. But it had me on the edge of my seat right away! We were able to explore and learn more about summoning and the demons in general. But also we find out more about the politics of this magic world. I can already tell that this will play a very important part in the next (and any upcoming books) in the series, so it was great to have an introduction to it early on. 

I highly recommend checking out this book if you are a fan of the first novel in the series. The book does end of a cliffhanger, and I don't know how I'm going to make it until next year when the third book comes out! This book has it all, and is still that amazing mix of Harry Potter and LOTR...and come on, who doesn't like that type of mix. Taran Matharu is definitely an author that should be on your TBR, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next! 

Happy reading :)

~Cassie