TOUR STOP: Henge

Henge by Realm Lovejoy

ASIN: B00PBV1HKK
Pages: 333
Source: Xpresso Book Tours

Appearance:

Summary:

Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.
Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.
Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur’s Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.
But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic? Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another tour stop! I apologize for being really inactive this week, I actually planned a bunch of reviews, but never got around to writing them... But next week is February Break so I have no excuse then. Anyway, back to the present, today is my tour stop for Henge by Realm Lovejoy and as always, click the tour banner up above to check out some other amazing stops!

Morgan le Fay is a fire user, a person who can call out fire from within her and bend it to her will. Her dream, ever since she saw her first vision at the Henge, was to become Prince Arthur's Maven - the right hand magician of the king of Camelot. When she enrolls into the Royal Competition and actually wins second place to participate in Arthur's Round, she's ecstatic and determined to become Maven. When she arrives at Camelot, she discovers that while she's talented, there are many others who possess great skill and she has to fight for the position of Maven, especially when the man who killed her mother will stop at nothing to see her fail.

This book was everything I could possible ask for! I consider myself a huge Arthurian Legend buff, I've been obsessed with the legends since I was super little and when I got older the obsession only grew stronger. As many of you guys know, BBC Merlin ended a couple years ago, and to say that my life has been pretty bleak is quite the understatement. Henge was like a breath of fresh air, a fun re-telling of the legends with a new twist that allowed me to experience the amazingness one more time. Since this is Book 1, you don't get to know a lot about the development of the story as the plot for book one focuses on Morgan's trials in Arthur's Round. However, it sets everything up perfectly! So perfectly to the point that I'm just dying right now because there's no sequel out yet!

When I first read the synopsis of the story and found that Morgan was a fire user, it all made sense. She's stubborn, strong willed, and incredibly determined. While the other contestants are competing for a chance in life, she's competing because she has to win for her mother. Morgan's mother is Morgause, a once extremely talented fire user who was sentenced to death by Maven Mordred for the murder of Sir Lot. Since her mother's death, Morgan's been honing her skills and preparing for the day when she takes Mordred's place and rights his wrongs. She wants magic to be something embraced, not locked under strict rules and guidelines. As a character, she's complex and wonderfully crafted. It is so easy to understand her distrust of others and feel a surge of pride when she overcomes a challenge. 

Merlin on the otherhand, I actually didn't like that much. I think it's because I was so strongly entwined with Morgan's character, I viewed him through her eyes. He's a great guy, with all the right qualities for a good friend, yet Morgan's distrust translates onto how I view him overall. There's no doubt that he's incredibly talented, but you desperately want him to fail because you want Morgan to win. There are a bunch of other memorable characters such as Vivian, who I still don't quite understand, and Guinevere who is possibly one of the sweetest characters ever. I honestly feel like Guinevere is always portrayed as an angel, but you can't help but love her, even if she's all goody-goody. Then you have Arthur. He's actually younger than everyone else in the book, but you are constantly reminded of his potential. What I found really interesting was how reluctant he is to become king. You're reminded that he's a kid who is essentially thrust into the spotlight and you just want to give him a big hug.

Then you have Mordred. He's a very complex character and half the time you don't even know what to do with him. Yes, he's cruel and evil for what he did to Morgan and her mother, but there's that hint of mystery that just makes you want to know so much more. Why did he do what he did and why is he trying so hard to eliminate Morgan from the competition? All these unanswered questions keep swirling throughout the book and it's driving me insane! 

Okay, I've talked enough about characters, let's talk a little about plot/story building. Like a said before, I loved every single moment of this book, but it did leave a lot of things answered (also mentioned above). I want to know more about the pagan cult, I want to know more about the history of the Pendragons, I want to know more about Mordred. There are just so many loose ends that really build up the suspense throughout the book. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. All I know is that I'm dying, literally dying for the second book!

My final thoughts are pretty self explanatory if you've made it this far down my review: GO READ THIS BOOK! It's fantastic and fun and reading a re-telling about Morgan and Merlin just makes me so deliriously happy! 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR BIO

Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her book at realmlovejoy.com

Author links:

http://www.realmlovejoy.com/index2.php#/home/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7339930.Realm_Lovejoy

https://www.facebook.com/authorrealmlovejoy

https://twitter.com/realmlovejoy

 4.5 out of 5 stars

Foreverly Obsessed,

TOUR STOP: Sing For Me

Sing for Me by Gracie Madison

ASIN: B00SIH53YU
Pages: 371

Published: January 23, 2015

Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Appearance:

Click the cover to purchase on Amazon!

Summary:

Madeline Noel fled war-torn Heaven to hide within the mortal world, but the blessing that could protect her from evil is the holy realm's forbidden power.
As a talented soprano for the Eden Theatre Company, Madeline hides among prima donnas and tone-deaf flutists. Her perfect voice may entertain audiences, but a careless laugh may shatter glass, and her greatest scream can kill. To control her unrestrained voice, the angels forbid Madeline from embracing the emotions that strengthen her song. Anger. Fear.
Love.
The demon-hunter Damascus vows to defend Madeline from Hell’s relentless evil, but he cannot protect her from her own feelings. Though they deny their dangerous attraction, her guardian becomes her greatest temptation.
Surrendering to desire may awaken the gift suppressed within Madeline’s soul, and neither Heaven nor Hell will allow such absolute power to exist.

Hi everyone! Welcome to my tour stop for the Sing for Me tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours! As always, please check out the other tour stops by clicking on the banner up above! By the way, for your own enjoyment, turn on some Phantom of the Opera while reading this review, just to get you in the right mood. All right, let's get into the review:

Madeline Noel is a talented soprano at the Eden Theatre Company, but she hides a terrible secret. Her beautiful voice endangers her, every note she sings, she must keep her emotions in check. Should she let her emotions take flight in her music, she risks the destruction of everyone around her. Madeline is a  Choir, an angelic being created for the listening pleasure and she's being hunted. The evil Betrayer, Corinth has spent the past decade slaughtering her sisters, ridding the world of the Choir's gift and she is next. Yet she has something that other Choirs didn't, she has love and she will fight for the right and freedom to be with the one she loves, even if it's forbidden by the law.

This book was crazy, absolutely mind-blowing crazy. It's got a different twist on angelic beings and it's actually really brilliant. Everything in this book was so vivid, from the high swooping notes that Madeline sings, to the heart pounding demon attacks throughout the book. This definitely has Phantom of the Opera vibes going, it even mentions it a couple times in the book. The plot is intricate, the heavenly "world" full of political corruption, and the story is super engaging. 

Madeline, known in the Realm as Magdala, is the next targeted Choir. Unlike previous Choirs, who have hid once they find out that they are next on Corinth's hit list, Madeline is determined to meet him face on. She knows her protector Hunterr, Damascus, will let no harm come to her. It's his promise and she trusts him. There's this air of forbidden romance in the story as Choirs are not allowed to be defiled by romance and lust, yet it is her love for Damascus that strengthens Madeline to fight against Corinth. Their relationship is rocky and dangerous, but you get this underlying vibe that their love will save them all. As a character, I really liked her. She's strong willed and willing to go against the rules to fight for what she believes. She's also got some really crazy talent which she hones throughout the book to eventually defeat Corinth, temporarily.

As far as Damascus goes, you definitely know he's in love with Madeline and would sacrifice his life for her in an instant. While he is moody, possessive, and extremely protective throughout the book, he shows that he values Madeline as a person and is willing to fight side by side with her, not taking her for some damsel who needs resucing. I'll admit I was afraid of that, but thankfully that does not show up here. There's also this little drop of tension and possible betrayal between Damascus and Corinth which puts a hint of revenge in Corinth's actions, but it's not elaborated on and he doesn't show up much throughout the book. It definitely creates an air of suspense the drives the book forward.

Of course, we've got to mention some of the other characters!! There's Natalie who I absolutely adore. She's full of life and power (literally), but she's got her own secrets which hopefully will be revealed in the next book. Then there is Tyre who lost his own Choir at the beginning of the book to Corinth's ruthless massacre. He joins Damascus and Madeline and I am not ashamed to admit that I'm hoping there's a little romance between him and Natalie? Am I the only one feeling the sparks there? He can be aggravating with his macho man performance, but he just lost a Choir and was basically such an amazing friend/Hunter that I'll forgive him for being extremely moody. There is also Shiloh who is a little crackling ball of electricty. While he acts like a young carefree kid, he's got some depth that is revealed a bit in the book, but not enough! Last character I need to mention is Danielle. She acts like a snobby b..... throughout the book, but you sense that she's really alone. Her fiance is absent most of the time and she waves around her status like a shield. Again with the hopes, but I hope we get to see more of her in the next book and learn more about her. Plus, Shiloh and Danielle anyone?

Overall, this book was suspenseful and heart pounding with a constant steady pulse that makes you wish you could flip the page faster because you can't wait to know what happens. I loved the ending of this book, it gave me a little relief knowing that justice will be served and those who have Betrayed the Realm will suffer. There are so many things that I can't wait to know more about, so I'm definitely super excited for the next book!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR BIO

Gracie Madison would spend every day, all day writing…if it were socially acceptable.  Ever since she was a little girl scribbling with a crayon, Gracie’s dedicated herself to her books and all the supernatural and paranormal, creepy and beautiful stories and characters born within the pages. Now Gracie is committed to finally sharing those books with the world.  When the laptop is pried from her hands, Gracie is probably working her day job, rooting on the Steelers, or out with her husband searching for Pittsburgh’s best sushi.

Author links:

https://www.facebook.com/GracieMadisonAuthor

https://twitter.com/authorgracie

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8620804.Gracie_Madison

4 out of 5 stars

Foreverly Obsessed,

TOUR STOP: Dark Siren

Dark Siren by Eden Ashley

ASIN: B00DSPPOX2
Pages: 452
Source: Xpresso Book Tours

Appearance:

Currently 99 Cents!!

Summary:

To survive, their bond must be unbreakable. 
When the mysterious and passionate Rhane rescues Kali from an attacker in the theater parking lot, they form an immediate, smoldering connection. But Kali doesn't remember Rhane or anything from their past. As far as Kali knows, she's just a seventeen-year-old kid coping with an insatiable hunger for the “spark” or energy of others, feeding on classmates to survive.
A unique artifact—one that may hold the key to returning Kali’s memories—is uncovered by the archaeology firm where she works part-time, sending Kali and Rhane on a dangerous journey that leads them to the Forbidden City, into the unforgiving Gobi, and into the ruins of Rhane’s ancient homeland. As they fight for survival, Kali begins to discover who she really is and the true power she possesses. 
But Rhane still harbors a secret that could destroy Kali…unless old enemies kill her first.

Hi everyone! Welcome to my tour stop for the Dark Siren tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours! Be sure to check out the other amazing stops by clicking the tour banner up above! All right, let's get straight into the review!

Kali is fine with keeping everyone away. She's discovered a deep hunger that can only be satisfied when she draws energy from other people - most effectively done by making out with them. When she's rescued from an attacker by Rhane, Kali finds herself inexplicably drawn to him, but she has no recollection of anything from their past together. She has to figure out how to survive, figure out who she was before she lost her memories, and defeat the enemy who chase her down. 

The book starts with a really haunting prologue that is still making my mind spin. There is this man who "picks up" a young girl from school and proceeds to transfer something from the girl into a little child. The girl then dies...my mind is still a bit confused, but it definitely sets up the haunting mood of the overall story which continues through the entire book. The plot is very intricate and backed up so much mythology. You can definitely tell that the author put so much work into creating the story and weaving in the various mythology aspects to create the story.

Character-wise, I have to admit that I didn't love them. Kali definitely has a strong spirit, but she also has a hard time making up her mind. There is no insta-love, but there's something akin to insta-attraction. Since Kali has no idea who Rhane is and why she has an unquenchable desire to "feed" off of him, she wavers between trusting him and fearing him. I just wish she couldn't have made one decision and stuck to it, even if she chose to trust him till the ends of the world. Rhane was...how I do I put it...difficult to sympathize with. At times, I understood why he kept Kali in the dark, for fear of losing her again, but most of the time you just wanted to shake him and ask him if he loved her so much, why couldn't he trust her? While I did like him at the start, he just got really evasive which in turn got a bit on my nerves. Again, I understood why he did what he did, but over time it got a bit much.

All right, time to address my biggest issue with the book. It's really really confusing. I said before how I loved the intricacy of the story, but up until now, I'm still not sure what's going on. So there's this artifact that holds the key of Kali's memories, there's this mass of darkness that's trying to capture Kali because they want to use her powers, and Rhane is the leader of some warrior army, but because of Kali he hasn't been able to achieve his full powers for years. There are just so many things left unexplained that will either leave you  a) Desperately wanting the next book for more information or b) Frustrated. I ended up somewhere in the middle.

So while I was extremely confused by the whole plotline, there's no denying that this book was really wonderfully crafted. It's got so much mythological background and this aura of suspense that pulls you through the entire book. You're literally hooked from start to finish. I definitely want to re-read this book some time in the future, because I really want to figure out the missing pieces!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR BIO

I’m Eden Ashley and I was born and raised in a small, sunny town in South Carolina. However, it’s the thunderstorms that inspire my best ideas. There are few things I love more than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, (except maybe chocolate cake. I love cake.) often reading into the wee hours of morning when something really grabs me. I pretty much love anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal romance and fantasy romance seems to be a natural fit.
My first novel, Dark Siren, is best described as paranormal romance artfully wrapped within a plot chock-full of action, adventure, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, while the series has evolved to become a journey of redemption and second chances as two characters understand that sometimes committing evil is necessary to protect what is loved most. I took the siren from Greek mythology (and borrowed a little from mermaid lore), creating an entirely different creature, with its own mythology, and one that Publisher’s Weekly praised for its passion and complexity. This is not just another werewolf/shapeshifter romance or vampire romance. I think this is a story that both adults and teens can enjoy, full of characters to fall in love with!

Author Links:

http://edenbynite.blogspot.ca/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7150184.Eden_Ashley

https://www.facebook.com/EdenAshleyAuthor

https://twitter.com/Eden_byNite

3.5 out of 5 stars

Foreverly Obsessed,

BOOK BLITZ: End Note

End Note by Sonya Loveday

ASIN: B00QJ2TWV6

Pages: 359

Series: The Six (Book One)

Publication Date: 

Appearance: 

Barnes and Noble

Summary:

Being stranded in L.A. wasn’t the best start to Jared Jackson’s music career. In fact, it should have been the forewarning that things were not what he thought they’d be. Especially when he’s collected from the airport by the band manager’s sharp-tongued niece. 
The draw for Jared is immediate. In his heart, he knows Skylar Murphy is the girl for him. Proving it to her, however, is a whole other story. 
As new friendships are forged with his bandmates, Jared learns that the guys are planning to start their own band, effectively severing their band manager’s control. 
With his future in peril, Jared’s dream spirals in a tailspin as secrets and lies sweep him into a dangerous life. 
One he wasn’t prepared for… and one he can no longer escape from. 
Will Jared rise above the destruction or will his new circumstances be his undoing? 
Find out in the next installment of The Six Series, End Note, a new-adult romance. 
Are you ready to get sixed? 

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive an E-Book copy of End Note, courtesy of the author! All you have to do to enter is comment below answering this question:

What's the last song you listened to? 

And follow the blog anyway you want (Comment that below too!)

Giveaway ends: March 3, 2015

AUTHOR BIO

Sonya Loveday, first and foremost is a reader, an avid one. It is of that love that brought her to the realization that this was the answer to the nagging persistent feeling that 'there's got to be something more'. 
The dream came alive in 2009 when she purchased her laptop and began the tedious step of becoming a published author. 
When she's not reading, she's writing. When she's not writing, she's reading. And when she's not doing either of those things she's sleeping, shuttling her children back and forth to school, letting the dogs and cats in and out of the house for the umpteenth time in the last hour and dreaming of a clean house. 

AUTHOR CONTACT:

http://www.facebook.com/sonyalovedayauthor?ref=hl

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11660396-sonya-loveday

https://twitter.com/SonyaLoveday - @SonyaLoveday 

www.sonyaloveday@wordpress.com

BOOK BLITZ: Into a Million Pieces

Intoa Million Pieces

by Angela V. Cook 

Release Date: 01/2015

300 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Allison McKready is a succubus. So is her twin sister. But while Allison spends her summer break hiding in the library behind her Goth makeup, Jade fools around as often as she can. Allison can’t believe Jade would ignore their mother’s fatal example so recklessly, but concealing a cursed bloodline and its dangerous effects is far from Allison’s only problem. Mean girl Julie’s snob mob is determined to ruin her summer, and Aunt Sarah’s Bible thumping is getting louder. Only her new friend, Ren Fisher, offers safe haven from the chaos of her life.

When one of Jade’s risky dates leads to humiliation and sudden tragedy, Allison reels, and Ren catches her. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her fear that she’ll hurt him—or worse—in an unguarded moment. The choice is coming—love him or save him—but Allison might not live to make it. One way or another, the curse will have its due.

Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│Google Play

About the Author

Angela V. Cook lives a very unexciting, but never boring, life with her husband and two children just outside of Detroit. Like most writers, she’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember and can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve creating worlds.

Angela loves to write novels for teens because it’s the best outlet for her sarcastic personality, immature sense of humor, and love of romantic firsts. Her idea of the perfect day involves a quiet house, a good book, and a piece of cheesecake. Or two.

Author Links:

   

The giveaway (open to Continental U.S. only): 

This is a summary of the giveaway items. Additional information (covers/blurbs/photos/descriptions) of the giveaway items can be found on my website, www.angelavcook.com

Grand Prize:

Signed Copy of SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS by Bethany Crandell, along with two signed bookmarks

Signed Copy of PRESS PLAY by Eric Devine

Signed Copy of ESSENCE by Lisa Ann O’Kane, along with two ESSENCE buttons

Signed Copy of THE HUNDRED: FALL OF THE WENTS by Jennifer Prescott

8x10 ENSNARED art print by Nathalia Suellen, signed by NYT Bestselling Author A.G. Howard

Signed INTO A MILLION PIECES bookmark

Two runner-up prizes:

Each runner-up will receive a $10 Amazon gift card, and a signed INTO A MILLION PIECES bookmark

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

TOUR STOP: Eleven Weeks

Eleven Weeks by Lauren K. McKellar

ASIN: B00SS2BM5E
Pages: 198
Source: YA Bound Book Tours

Appearance:

Buy Links: Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Summary:

Seven shots 
Five siblings 
Two boys 
One heartbeat … 
*** 
Stacey is good at pretending. 
She pretends that the boy she's in love with doesn't exist. 
She pretends that she's happy to live and die in this small town. 
She pretends that her life is carefree while her best friend's world crumbles before her very eyes. 
But Stacey's got a secret ... 
And it's going to ruin everything. 

About the Crazy in Love series

The Crazy in Love series consists of three titles: The Problem With Crazy, Eleven Weeks and The Problem With Heartache.

Links to Book One – The Problem With Crazy:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Hi everyone! Welcome to my tour stop for Eleven Weeks by Lauren K. McKellar! This is book two in the Crazy in Love series with the first book being The Problem With Crazy. You can check out my review of book 1 HERE! Without any further ado, let's get into the review!

Eleven Weeks starts a little bit before The Problem With Crazy and actually runs parallel to the story line in Book 1. It follows Kate's best friend Stacey who is loud, beautiful, and blonde. In her family, she's the odd one out, nobody expects anything from her but she feels the pressure from the rest her successful family. Then the unexpected happens, and she finds herself thrown into a whirlwind of emotions that battle out within her. She doesn't know who to turn to and can only hope that nobody sees behind her carefully crafted mask.

Stacey was the complete opposite from Kate personality wise. She's outgoing and loud while Kate is more quiet and reserved. In the first book, she seems like this person without any care in the world, but in this book, you get to see her true self and it's heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Stacey isn't perfect, but she tries so hard to be. In the family of extremely successful siblings, she's the only one without a purpose. It gets kind of frustrating to see how her family constantly puts her down, always saying how she's a blonde and sort of making fun of her lack of success. When she discovers what one crazy drunken night led to, she's forced with the decision to become the stereotype everyone believed she was, or take charge of her life and make something out of it.

The love interest of this book is Michael, who made brief appearances in Book 1 and what you know of him then is that he's a great person with a beautiful heart. In this book, you see that gentleness and caring multiplied by tenfold. He's an amazing person who just goes out of his way to make sure that Stacey knows the extent of her worth. He also said one of my favorite quotes from the entire book: I'll keep your secrets. I just won't be one."

I will admit when I started reading this book I was hugely disappointed because I desperately wanted to know what happened after the ending of The Problem With Crazy. I was definitely frustrated and thought that this book wasn't going to be any good. Let me just clear everything up by saying that I was completely wrong! While I still like The Problem With Crazy a tad bit better, this book was every bit of any emotional roller coaster and heart-wrenching journey as the first book. It exposed a different side of Stacey that makes her vulnerable and real. By the way, did I mention that Lauren K. McKellar has a habit of creating plot twists that just rip my heart out? Both books had surprise twists that made me burst into tears. Even the mention of the tragedy in Book 1 made me cry...again...

Okay, so that long review is all to say that I absolutely adored this book. I NEED to get my hands on The Problem With Heartache as soon as it comes out because I NEED to know how everything ends. This book is absolutely fantastic and I highly highly recommend it!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Lauren K. McKellar is an author and editor. Her debut novel, Finding Home, was released through Escape Publishing on October 1, 2013, and her second release, NA Contemporary Romance The Problem With Crazy, is self-published, and is available now. She loves books that evoke emotion, and hope hers make you feel.

Lauren lives by the beach in Australia with her husband and their two dogs. Most of the time, all three of them are well behaved.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

4 out of 5 stars

Foreverly Obsessed,