Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout (GIVEAWAY! + Blog Tour)

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication Date:

Source: Publisher

Rating: I liked it

Dying sucks-- and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows. Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out.  However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't? But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

 

The Skinny: While her sister creates life, a girl causes death.

After reading every book that JLA has published, I was excited to discover that she wrote a new book about a girl who has a deadly touch.  Ember must battle her instinct to protect her younger sister while accepting the help of strangers and navigating a new life that seems to be littered with secrets.

Ember is a really interesting character, and I connected to her and understood her emotions. Her fear and frustrations are understandable and her strength is admirable. She not only took care of her sister and mother but also successfully ran a household. Her dedication to her family is incredible. While I liked Ember’s character, I did not connect with Hayden. Perhaps it has something to do with JLA’s other male characters being so otherworldly and enchanting. I mean, who can compete with Daemon?

Overall, I liked Cursed and hope that the story continues. I want to know more about this world and what is really going on. JLA is so good at creating memorable characters and interesting stories. I am in awe of her talent and how she is able to juggle so many stories.

I have an extra ARC of CURSED that I would like to give to a commenter from the US.   

Just leave a way for me to contact you (Twitter, blog, etc.), and I will randomly select a winner in one week. 

Good luck! I really hope you win.

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin (Blog Tour)

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: August 21^st

Source: Publisher

Rating: I liked it

At the turn of the twentieth century, in a rural stretch of the Pacific Northwest, a reclusive orchardist, William Talmadge, tends to apples and apricots as if they were loved ones. A gentle man, he’s found solace in the sweetness of the fruit he grows and the quiet, beating heart of the land he cultivates. One day, two teenage girls appear and steal his fruit from the market; they later return to the outskirts of his orchard to see the man who gave them no chase. Feral, scared, and very pregnant, the girls take up on Talmadge’s land and indulge in his deep reservoir of compassion. Just as the girls begin to trust him, men arrive in the orchard with guns, and the shattering tragedy that follows will set Talmadge on an irrevocable course not only to save and protect but also to reconcile the ghosts of his own troubled past.

 

The Skinny: A really good story that illustrates how one’s past directs future actions

When I first started reading The Orchardist, I thought it was going to be a bit dry and boring. Stories about farming and crops do not usually appeal to me, but I was pleasantly surprised that the story uses the orchard as a backdrop to highlight powerful themes, such as love, family, desperation, and loss. The various plot developments always accompany a new feeling or emotion, and the characters are constantly evolving. Coplin’s writing style is lovely and kept me captivated from beginning to end. She made me desperate to find out what happens. My favorite aspect of the book is that we get a sense of past events and we watch as the characters grow and mature.

Because the characters are all well-developed, I felt pulled by them and their actions. I understood why Talmadge, Jane, and Della behaved in certain ways. Their past experiences are described in detail, so it is easy to follow them on their respective journeys. When Talmadge was young, his sister mysteriously disappeared and this deeply rooted sense of loss pushes him to care for Della and Jane. The girls endured a life of abuse, so their aloof manners are understandable. I loved that each character battled an internal and an external conflict. I connected the most with Talmadge. He is supportive, loving, and protective. He cares so deeply for others that towards the end of the novel, I was nervous to see how his tale ended.

The story is believable, heart wrenching, and classic. The pacing is appropriate, and the view we get of the characters at different points in time is one of the reasons why I liked The Orchardist so much. This certainly isn’t a happy story and the ending didn’t leave me with the warm and fuzzies, but the outcome felt real and authentic to the events. I enjoyed this book, and I liked the overarching theme that people are driven and motivated by their past.  

Check out the other tour stops!

Tuesday, August 21st: Cold Read

Wednesday, August 22nd: Paperspines

Thursday, August 23rd: nomadreader

Monday, August 27th: Man of La Book

Tuesday, August 28th: West Metro Mommy

Thursday, August 30th: girlichef

Monday, September 3rd: A Room of One’s Own

Wednesday, September 5th: The Lost Entwife

Wednesday, September 12th: The Feminist Texican [Reads]

Thursday, September 13th: Oh! Paper Pages

Friday, September 14th: Write Meg

Thursday, September 20th: Shall Write

Friday, September 21st: The Written World

Amanda Coplin was born in Wenatchee, Washington. She received her BA from the University of Oregon and MFA from the University of Minnesota. A recipient of residencies from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and the Omi International Arts Center at Ledig House in Ghent, New York, she lives in Portland, Oregon. Check out The Orcharist on Goodreads.

So L.A. by Bridget Hoida (Blog Tour)

So L.A. by Bridget Hoida

Publisher: Lettered Press

Publication Date: June20th

Source: Publisher

Rating: It was ok

Magdalena de la Cruz breezed through Berkeley and built an empire selling designer water.  She’d never felt awkward or unattractive… until she moved to Los Angeles. In L.A., where “everything smells like acetone and Errol Flynn,” Magdalena attempts to reinvent herself as a geographically appropriate bombshell—with rhinestones, silicone and gin—as she seeks an escape from her unraveling marriage and the traumatic death of her younger brother, Junah. Magdalena’s Los Angeles is glitzy and glamorous but also a landscape of the absurd. Her languidly lyrical voice provides a travel guide for a city of make-believe, where even Hollywood insiders feel left out.

The Skinny: Talented writer but flat main character

In So L.A., Magdalena deals with the recent death of her younger brother while trying to keep her business and marriage thriving. Grief drives Magdalena to make irrational decisions and her relationship is jeopardized by her actions. In an effort to ease the pain caused by her brother’s death, Magdalena’s husband suggests a move to Los Angeles, where life quickly falls apart.

There are numerous amusing scenes and quips in this book, and I loved the voice. It is so personable and raw. The scenes and descriptions that are used in the novel are unique, and I appreciated the newness of how people who are falling apart are characterized. Though I enjoyed these quirky scenes, I was unable to connect to Magdalena, and this lack of a bond led me to feel ambivalent about the story. In addition to the disconnection with Magdalena, I also grew frustrated with the flashbacks about Magdalena’s brother and the events after his death. These chapters, while informative, disrupted the pace of the story.

I will say, though, that Bridget is a good writer. When she describes Magdalena’s grieving process, I was emotionally moved. The thought of her calling a telephone number repeatedly just to hear her brother’s voice is wonderfully powerful and effective in showing the depths of her despair.

I live in Orange County and spend a great deal of time in Los Angeles. My cousin currently works in Hollywood, so I am aware of the backstage happenings in LA. Because the title of the story is So L.A., I was expecting a bit more insight on the culture in Los Angeles. Detailed driving directions are provided and comments are made about the paparazzi, but I did not glean anything unique about Los Angeles. I would have liked an insider’s view of LA and its strange and addictive environment.   

Be sure to check out the other tour stops!   

 

Thursday, July 5th:  CBS Los Angeles – LA’s Summer Reading Guide

Monday, August 13th:  The 3R’s Blog

Wednesday, August 15th:  Peppermint Ph.D.

Thursday, August 16th:  Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Monday, August 20th:  Kritter’s Ramblings

Wednesday, August 22nd:  Sweet Southern Home

Thursday, August 23rd:  Book Chatter

Monday, August 27th:  Reviews by Molly

Tuesday, August 28th:  Travel Spot 

Wednesday, August 29th:  Book Club Classics!

Thursday, August 30th:  A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, September 4th:  A Bookish Affair

Thursday, September 6th: Bookish Whimsy

Friday, September 7th:  In the Next Room

Monday, September 10th:  Colloquium

Tuesday, September 11th:  Oh! Paper Pages

Wednesday, September 12th:  Conceptual Reception

Thursday, September 13th: Seaside Book Nook

 

 

Bridget Hoida lives and writes in Southern California. In past lives she was a librarian, a DJ, a high school teacher and a barista. In this life she experiments with poetry and fiction and has taught writing at UC Irvine, the University of Southern California, and Saddleback College. Bridget is the recipient of an Anna Bing Arnold Fellowship and the Edward Moses prize for fiction. She was a finalist in the Joseph Henry Jackson/San Francisco Intersection for the Arts Award for a first novel and the William Faulkner Pirate’s Alley first novel contest.  Her short stories have appeared in the Berkeley Fiction Review, Mary, and Faultline Journal, among others, and she was a finalist for the Iowa Review Fiction Prize and in the Glimmer Train New Writer’s Short Story Contest. Her poetry has earned her recognition as an Academy of American Poets Prize finalist and she was a Future Professoriate Scholar at USC. She has a BA from UC Berkeley, MA in fiction from San Francisco State University, and a Ph.D. in Literature & Creative Writing from the University of Southern California.  

Visit Bridget’s website for more info at Bridgethoida.com.

 

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill (Blog Tour)

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

Publisher: New American Library

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Source: Publisher

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Indiebound

Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.
Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.

The Skinny: A great addition to an amazing series!

The Chicagoland Vampire series is one of my favorite stories. The writing is so smart that fans of all genres will enjoy it. From the complex characters to the fun dialogue, the Chicagoland Vampires series is wonderful. One of the best parts about this series is that Chloe Neill is fearless when it comes to developing risky storylines. She looks at controversial plots and firmly commits to them in an effort to craft unique and enjoyable stories.

In Biting Cold, we meet up with Merit and friends at the moment when Drink Deep concludes. I don’t like to post spoilers, so I will only say that so much happens that readers will be stunned with each passing chapter.

This book is like the grand finale of a fireworks show. There are several storylines that Chloe seamlessly weaves together to create the best book in the series. We are reunited with a favorite character, and it really feels like we are coming home for dinner. The interactions with this character are simultaneously familiar and new. While reading Biting Cold, I realized how much each of the characters has matured and developed. Merit is no longer the new vampire on the block and her assertiveness is admirable. Several of the other characters also exhibit traits that were not seen prior to this addition and the character development is incredible. Everyone has experienced a situation or trauma that forces change, and the ways in which Chloe describes how everyone copes are realistic.

If you are new to the Chicagoland Vampire series, I highly recommend that you start reading. If you are already a fan, I can assure you that Biting Cold will not disappoint. It will satiate your desire to see some characters and give you so much more than you ever imagined. The ending is perfect, and I eagerly await House Rules, which I am certain will be just as wonderful as Biting Cold. 

Chloe sent me some great CV and Dark Elite prizes, so fill out the form for your chance to win! I will be splitting up the items so that many people have a chance to win something. 
This giveaway is only open to readers in the US.

Good luck! I really hope you win.   

The fun doesn’t stop here. Want more chances to win? 

Below, you’ll find a key word. Each participant in the Biting Cold Blog Tour has one, and when you put them all together in order, you’ll find a quote from a Chicagoland Vampires novel.  That quote is the passcode you’ll need to enter the Biting Cold Scavenger Hunt Giveaway, which will begin on August 11, 2012 on Chloe’s web site. The giveaway will end at midnight on August 17, 2012.

What are the Scavenger Hunt Giveaway prizes?

• A complete set of Chicagoland Vampires audiobook CDs (generously provided by Tantor Audio)
• A $25 CafePress gift card you can use in the Chicagoland Vampires store
• Autographed copies of DRINK DEEP and CHARMFALL
• A Chicagoland Vampires tote bag with other Chicagoland Vampires swag, including a mouse pad, bookmarks, and stickers!

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