Devon Ashley's Blog, page 32
October 9, 2011
Ashfall by Mike Mullin (ARC)
Ashfall
Mike Mullin
Exp. Publication: October 11, 2011
Synopsis: Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.
Top Ten Things to Start Stockpiling in Case of Cataclysmic Event :
HOW TO SURVIVE A CATACLYSMIC EVENT FOR DUMMIES . Has anyone written this book yet cause I'm thinking you'd automatically become a best seller once Ashfall hits the shelves. Perhaps Mr. Mullin would like to be a contributing writer. LOL. MATCHES. The world will very likely be a frozen wasteland for many years. Let me simplify: Heat = Good = Life. No Heat = Bad = Death. If you've never been cold enough for your extremities to freeze or hypothermia to really set in, trust me, it's not the way to go.GUNS and an infinite supply of BULLETS. Cause if you're naive enough to think you'll be immune from violence and looters, you'll be one less person in the world I'll be fighting over supplies for. SEEDS. Particularly seeds that can grow well enough in a greenhouse with freezing temperatures outside.CONDOMS. That's right, condoms. When doctors are forced to bactrack to times similiar to the 1800's, no one is going to want to get pregnant. I've had a kid myself and if that emergency c-section hadn't been possible, I wouldn't be here today. Not to mention, not everyone's body takes to breastfeeding, and if there's a shortage of water, you're not going to be able to drink enough to keep you hydrated, let alone make enough milk to feed the baby. (I wonder how much time would pass before people thought to raid Planned Parenthood?)VITAMINS and MEDICINE. Your diet is going to suck for years and without a way to get all those missing nutrients that are oh-so important to your body, you're far more likely to weaken and become susceptible to illness.WINTER WEAR. You know those lovely long johns that flatter your figure so well? Yeah, stock up on those cause you're going to want as many layers as possible. In fact, the more layers you can add and the thicker coats you can find, the fatter you're going to look, and you're less likely to attract the attention of those willing to commit unforgivable sexual assaults (in this instance, see #3 and pop their @sses before they even gets close).SKIS, SNOWBOARDS, BOOTS, ETC. Did you catch the part where the world will be a frozen wasteland for who knows how long? You really want to lose your legs cause you chose to walk and couldn't get your body out of the sinkhole made of snow?EARPLUGS. In case of a supervolcano, you'd probably need this cause a volcanic explosion is currently the loudest sound in recorded history and it wasn't even a supervolcano, which would be more than 100 times as loud and would be heard even thousands of miles away...and it'll go on for who knows how long. Do yourself a favor and top off the earplugs with a set of those noise cancelling headphones from Bose (you don't want to start wasting your pain meds here cause you've got a headache). FOOD. Seriously, if I have to explain this one, there's no hope for you... And by food, I do not mean stockpiling cases of Hershey bars (perhaps Skittles? at least they'll last longer presevative-wise) :DSUPERVOLCANOS SUCK ASH!
From the Author's Note: There is a colossal volcano under Yellowstone National Park. The volcano's crater...measures roughly 34 by 45 miles. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, events so powerful they are usually classified as supervolcanoes. The largest of the these eruptions released about 2,500 times as much magma as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.
Soooo.....I totally loved this book. Don't get me wrong, it's dismal and depressing and the events following the eruption of the supervolcano are total speculation, but I just got sucked into the possiblity of this post-cataclysmic dystopian society. Alex was all alone when it happened, and like a complete-stupid-effing-teenager he set out into the ash-filled world to journey more than a 100 miles on skis to get to his family. Why do I call Alex a complete-stupid-effing-teenager? When you read Ashfall, count up the number of times someone else had to save him from what would have been yet another tragic death. I completely understand family being important, but in times like this, survival tops the list. Hunker down and survive until you figure out what it is you're dealing with, how to overcome it and then go on your journey.
Darla, I think I love you and I would be just as annoyed with Alex as you were. This is a woman who knows how to survive in post-cataclysmic world. All I can say peeps, is find your Darla and stick to her like glue for the rest of your life!!!
You're going to want to read Ashfall . But just a warning: there are moments in the novel when I think it really pushes the YA label, but they were also actions you would expect to happen when the world is falling to crap around you.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.
Mike Mullin
Exp. Publication: October 11, 2011
Synopsis: Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet. Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.
Top Ten Things to Start Stockpiling in Case of Cataclysmic Event :
HOW TO SURVIVE A CATACLYSMIC EVENT FOR DUMMIES . Has anyone written this book yet cause I'm thinking you'd automatically become a best seller once Ashfall hits the shelves. Perhaps Mr. Mullin would like to be a contributing writer. LOL. MATCHES. The world will very likely be a frozen wasteland for many years. Let me simplify: Heat = Good = Life. No Heat = Bad = Death. If you've never been cold enough for your extremities to freeze or hypothermia to really set in, trust me, it's not the way to go.GUNS and an infinite supply of BULLETS. Cause if you're naive enough to think you'll be immune from violence and looters, you'll be one less person in the world I'll be fighting over supplies for. SEEDS. Particularly seeds that can grow well enough in a greenhouse with freezing temperatures outside.CONDOMS. That's right, condoms. When doctors are forced to bactrack to times similiar to the 1800's, no one is going to want to get pregnant. I've had a kid myself and if that emergency c-section hadn't been possible, I wouldn't be here today. Not to mention, not everyone's body takes to breastfeeding, and if there's a shortage of water, you're not going to be able to drink enough to keep you hydrated, let alone make enough milk to feed the baby. (I wonder how much time would pass before people thought to raid Planned Parenthood?)VITAMINS and MEDICINE. Your diet is going to suck for years and without a way to get all those missing nutrients that are oh-so important to your body, you're far more likely to weaken and become susceptible to illness.WINTER WEAR. You know those lovely long johns that flatter your figure so well? Yeah, stock up on those cause you're going to want as many layers as possible. In fact, the more layers you can add and the thicker coats you can find, the fatter you're going to look, and you're less likely to attract the attention of those willing to commit unforgivable sexual assaults (in this instance, see #3 and pop their @sses before they even gets close).SKIS, SNOWBOARDS, BOOTS, ETC. Did you catch the part where the world will be a frozen wasteland for who knows how long? You really want to lose your legs cause you chose to walk and couldn't get your body out of the sinkhole made of snow?EARPLUGS. In case of a supervolcano, you'd probably need this cause a volcanic explosion is currently the loudest sound in recorded history and it wasn't even a supervolcano, which would be more than 100 times as loud and would be heard even thousands of miles away...and it'll go on for who knows how long. Do yourself a favor and top off the earplugs with a set of those noise cancelling headphones from Bose (you don't want to start wasting your pain meds here cause you've got a headache). FOOD. Seriously, if I have to explain this one, there's no hope for you... And by food, I do not mean stockpiling cases of Hershey bars (perhaps Skittles? at least they'll last longer presevative-wise) :DSUPERVOLCANOS SUCK ASH!
From the Author's Note: There is a colossal volcano under Yellowstone National Park. The volcano's crater...measures roughly 34 by 45 miles. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, events so powerful they are usually classified as supervolcanoes. The largest of the these eruptions released about 2,500 times as much magma as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.
Soooo.....I totally loved this book. Don't get me wrong, it's dismal and depressing and the events following the eruption of the supervolcano are total speculation, but I just got sucked into the possiblity of this post-cataclysmic dystopian society. Alex was all alone when it happened, and like a complete-stupid-effing-teenager he set out into the ash-filled world to journey more than a 100 miles on skis to get to his family. Why do I call Alex a complete-stupid-effing-teenager? When you read Ashfall, count up the number of times someone else had to save him from what would have been yet another tragic death. I completely understand family being important, but in times like this, survival tops the list. Hunker down and survive until you figure out what it is you're dealing with, how to overcome it and then go on your journey.
Darla, I think I love you and I would be just as annoyed with Alex as you were. This is a woman who knows how to survive in post-cataclysmic world. All I can say peeps, is find your Darla and stick to her like glue for the rest of your life!!!
You're going to want to read Ashfall . But just a warning: there are moments in the novel when I think it really pushes the YA label, but they were also actions you would expect to happen when the world is falling to crap around you.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.
September 29, 2011
Cover Reveal and Blog Tour Sign Ups
So this is the cover for my new YA Contemporary Romance Falling In Between. Just what I wanted - dreamy and romantic!
Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me…(yeah, that's sarcasm)
Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker's life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert.
Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong?
Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination.
Falling In Between by Devon AshleyExp. Publication: Valentine's Day 2012Blog Tour Sign Ups HERE
Click on Add To GoodReads and enter to win a copy starting October 1st!Wanna read a snippet?
September 21, 2011
Wanna win a signed copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick?
THOUGHT SO!!!Just head over to A Book Lover's Review to enter.Ends October 4th!
and just for fun...
I want this freakin' book already!!!
and just for fun...
I want this freakin' book already!!!
September 18, 2011
The Poisoned House by Michael Ford (ARC)
The Poisoned House
Michael Ford
Publication: September 1, 2011
Synopsis: Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs.Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there's something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself—-a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows.
The Poisoned House turned out to be a more enjoyable read than I originally expected it to be. I began this book while in the middle of a reading slump, not expecting to get more than a few pages in that first night. Lo and behold, I read large chunks at a time and finished it in just a few days. The writing style made it really easy to read: it was clear, clean and to the point.
As for the story, anyone that can do math in their head and has a lick of sense will figure out the answer to the mystery pretty early on in the story. As soon as Abi believed her mother had no longer died of Cholera, but was poisoned, it was completely obvious to me who did it. However, I still really enjoyed experiencing Abi's servant world in Victorian London so I didn't mind waiting for Abi to catch up and figure it out for herself.
The Poisoned House is definitely more suited for mature readers, as today's YA crowd typically likes romantic interludes and more action-driven plots, which this novel lacks. But don't let that steer you away from picking this up. You'll be surprised at how enjoyable it is to read about this servant Victorian world in 1800's London.
ARC provided by Albert Whitman & Company via NetGalley
Michael Ford
Publication: September 1, 2011
Synopsis: Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs.Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there's something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself—-a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows. The Poisoned House turned out to be a more enjoyable read than I originally expected it to be. I began this book while in the middle of a reading slump, not expecting to get more than a few pages in that first night. Lo and behold, I read large chunks at a time and finished it in just a few days. The writing style made it really easy to read: it was clear, clean and to the point.
As for the story, anyone that can do math in their head and has a lick of sense will figure out the answer to the mystery pretty early on in the story. As soon as Abi believed her mother had no longer died of Cholera, but was poisoned, it was completely obvious to me who did it. However, I still really enjoyed experiencing Abi's servant world in Victorian London so I didn't mind waiting for Abi to catch up and figure it out for herself.
The Poisoned House is definitely more suited for mature readers, as today's YA crowd typically likes romantic interludes and more action-driven plots, which this novel lacks. But don't let that steer you away from picking this up. You'll be surprised at how enjoyable it is to read about this servant Victorian world in 1800's London.
ARC provided by Albert Whitman & Company via NetGalley
September 15, 2011
The Calling by Alison Bruce (ARC)
The Calling
Alison Bruce
Publication: August 16, 2011
Synopsis: Kaye Whiting went to buy a birthday present and didn't come back. When DC Goodhew hears the recording of the mysterious call made to the station, informing them that Kaye is still alive and that a man named Peter Walsh is responsbile, he knows it's more than a prank call. Why does Mr. Walsh not seem surprised to see Goodhew at his doorstep, and who is the woman who goes to the same diner every day, just so she can watch Mr. Walsh walk out of his building with his new lover?
So this won't be my typical review, as it took me more than four months to actually finish this novel. It's not that The Calling wasn't a good story, it just didn't draw me in as much as I would've liked. I had no problem putting it aside to read about ten other books that did seem to draw me in more. There were a ton of characters in this novel, all of which had their own point of views (POVs). Normally, I don't mind numerous POVs, but there really wasn't any segregation to tell you it had changed. You would read twenty paragraphs for one person, then suddenly two paragraphs would go to another and then it would revert back to the original character. There were times I had to go back and reread because I didn't quite realize it had switched and I was left wondering, "Wait. How'd he know that?"
As for the story, the plot was interesting enough but I trully never felt connected to any of the characters, and I really didn't care about what happened to them whether they were murdered, trying to commit suicide, a detective investigating the situation, or some other randomly chosen character. Maybe this was because there were so many, but I didn't seem too interested in the character that got the most face time either. But The Calling was by no means a bad novel. The writing style was clean and the mystery about the serial killer was well thought out. Ms. Bruce is a likeable author and I may try my hand at another one of her novels in the future.
Alison Bruce
Publication: August 16, 2011
Synopsis: Kaye Whiting went to buy a birthday present and didn't come back. When DC Goodhew hears the recording of the mysterious call made to the station, informing them that Kaye is still alive and that a man named Peter Walsh is responsbile, he knows it's more than a prank call. Why does Mr. Walsh not seem surprised to see Goodhew at his doorstep, and who is the woman who goes to the same diner every day, just so she can watch Mr. Walsh walk out of his building with his new lover?So this won't be my typical review, as it took me more than four months to actually finish this novel. It's not that The Calling wasn't a good story, it just didn't draw me in as much as I would've liked. I had no problem putting it aside to read about ten other books that did seem to draw me in more. There were a ton of characters in this novel, all of which had their own point of views (POVs). Normally, I don't mind numerous POVs, but there really wasn't any segregation to tell you it had changed. You would read twenty paragraphs for one person, then suddenly two paragraphs would go to another and then it would revert back to the original character. There were times I had to go back and reread because I didn't quite realize it had switched and I was left wondering, "Wait. How'd he know that?"
As for the story, the plot was interesting enough but I trully never felt connected to any of the characters, and I really didn't care about what happened to them whether they were murdered, trying to commit suicide, a detective investigating the situation, or some other randomly chosen character. Maybe this was because there were so many, but I didn't seem too interested in the character that got the most face time either. But The Calling was by no means a bad novel. The writing style was clean and the mystery about the serial killer was well thought out. Ms. Bruce is a likeable author and I may try my hand at another one of her novels in the future.
September 10, 2011
A Sneak Peek at FALLING IN BETWEEN - YA Romance
I'm so excited right now. My edgy YA Romance Falling In Between (aka. Jumpin' Jenna) is complete. Here's hoping the agents like it as much as my beta readers have so far.
Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a lagoon in my undies, and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life.
Yay me… (yeah – that's sarcasm)
Yep, that pretty much summed up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker's life. She jumped off a cliff, drowned, met a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between, and was brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert. Admit it, you're jealous right now.
Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly squeezes his way into her dreams every time she shuts her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong? Okay, now you're just being mean...
Yeah...there's more to the description! But that's all you're getting right now!!! But, just this once, I'll give you a tiny snippet from the novel. Sorry, but it's all I'm willing to release. Hope you like it!
y I awoke to rhythmic beeping. Something burned when I twitched my nose, and it wasn't the strong stench of disinfectants that I was breathing in. I slowly reached up to learn what it was, but my hand was grasped before it got there. "Jenna?" Sophie. I could sense relief in her voice and wondered how much time had passed since I hit my head. My head! It didn't hurt anymore. And my back and palms weren't burning. Though something was snagging the hairs on the skin of my back. Tape, maybe, if they used it to secure the padding on my back. I could tell my scuffed up palms were wrapped with something too. My head was still a little groggy though. I opened my eyes and saw her sitting beside me, her face just inches from mine. She crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me. I smiled and tried to push her away with the hand she had a death grip on. "Don't." I said. "Don't make me laugh. I think it'll hurt." Her eyes uncrossed and her tongue retreated, and I was left with a saddened face that was even worse. "I'm sorry," Sophie whispered. "I never should've bullied you into doing that." "You didn't push me, Soph. I did the jumping." "Yeah," she murmured, but I knew she didn't believe it, or forgave herself. I think she just didn't want me to argue with her about it right now. After a moment of silence, she added, "Robert's been here to see you. Hell, he's practically lived here. Seriously, I had to pull the best friend card to get him out." Maybe it was the fog that clouded my brain at the moment, but I just didn't get it. "You're in the ICU. They only allow one of us in here at a time." "Oh." Robert had been to see me? And stayed? It was a little weird. I had liked him for awhile, but I honestly wasn't sure if he felt anything in return. I got the occasional smile and we both caught the other looking every so often. But he's never even tried to talk to me on my own. There were always other people around in a group conversation. I remembered I was gonna be brave that night. We were gonna go find Robert and Jhett after our dip in the lagoon. Sophie said the jump would be a good practice run. If I could find the courage to finally jump from the cliff, then finding the courage to talk to Robert would be a breeze. Stupid, I know. But it was allowing me to delay our plan and work up some more courage. We knew they were down by the river, like they were most school nights. And Sophie was gonna lure Jhett away for me. "I know you've got the hots for the guy, but seriously, you went a little overboard trying to get his attention." "Ha ha." I sighed deeply. "Great. I finally get to be alone with the guy and I was unconscious for all of it." Sophie pressed her lips into a straight line, like she always did when she knew something I didn't. Worst poker face ever. "What?" "Well," she answered, hesitating, "Robert was the one that gave you mouth-to-mouth, so technically, you guys had your first kiss and you weren't even alive for it." I chuckled weakly and asked, "Was it at least good?" "I believe he slipped you the tongue." Sophie winked her left eye. "Lovely." I tried to rub the grogginess from my eyes. "So long as my virginity is still intact." "Iron-clad. Sauron and his army of Orcs couldn't break through your defenses." I rolled my eyes and allowed my hand to fall, snagging some type of plastic wire that was the cause of my nose burn. I pulled gently on it and it unplugged from my nose. "Aw, man! Robert saw me in this?" "He saw a lot more than that. You were in your undies when you performed the Jump of Doom. Remember?" A wave of embarrassment rushed through me and I was sure more than my face flushed. Could this get any worse? "Is there anything else you haven't told me yet?" Sophie's lips pursed again. I glared at her. "Soph?" Her eyes watched the ceiling intently while she confessed. "Well, Robert was the only one that knew the whole CPR thing, so he was the one that…" Sophie placed one hand on top of the other, laced her fingers together and moved her arms in a thrusting motion. Robert was the one that did the compressions to my chest. Great. "So, technically…" Sophie continued, "your little jump got your relationship with Robert to go from non-existent to rounding first base in seven seconds flat." I couldn't stop shaking my head. And now both hands were trying desperately to bury my face. "Good thing you wore the lace, huh?" I groaned, moaned and cried all within five seconds. "I did die. I've died and gone to my version of hell. An eternity of sexual humiliation." "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. Jhett and I were there. It's not like the guy tried to fondle you or anything. But he has been rather attentive now that he's seen the goods up close and personal." A nurse came in and saved me from having to continue that humiliating conversation. She was pretty, even with her chestnut colored hair loosely thrown into some updo in the back of her head. The tag pinned to her navy blue scrubs said Michelle. She smiled as she said, "I see you're finally awake. How do you feel?" "A little groggy, but no pain." "That's the morphine. Enjoy it while you can because when you get out of here, those gashes up your back are going to itch and ache for a week or so until they really begin to heal." "And my head?" I couldn't feel anything, but I remembered the pain when it slammed against the boulder and again when Robert revived me. "Concussion, but the doctor ran some scans and everything looks okay. Just a nasty bump. And now that you're awake, you'll be moved out of ICU. But you'll still have to spend a few days in a normal ward, just to make sure there aren't any complications." "Is that it? Nothing else?" "Well," she said, eyeballing me while fidgeting with my saline pouch, "from what I got meeting that Headmistress of yours, she'll probably give you the longest lecture of your life about teenage stupidity, so you might want to prepare yourself for something in that aspect." Another groan escaped my throat. Sophie better be forced to attend that lecture as well. y Sophie stayed with me until they moved me out of ICU, but when I woke up after my nap, it was Robert that was kicked back in the chair, completely zombie-fied as he stared at the television. His dark brown waves were tousled and there were bags under his chocolate eyes, and his hand lay gently on top of mine. He looked like he dragged himself out of bed without bothering to check the mirror on his way here. I suddenly felt grateful and less self-conscience about my own droopy appearance. "So I hear I have you to thank for the pain in my chest." It took him a second to realize that the comment came from me and not the television. He dropped his legs from my bed railing and twisted the rolling chair towards me, refusing to release my hand in the process. "Hi," he said, the ends of his lips slowly curling. "Hi." Finally. A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a lagoon in my undies, and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me… "So did I really hurt you? Because I've never done that to a real person before. I wasn't sure how much pressure to apply to get to your heart going again." "It's okay. I'll take a sore chest over death any day." "Good. Because I would've broken every rib in your chest if that's what it took to bring you back." Aww…I didn't know what to say to that. Did he really like me then? "Look, we've only got a few minutes before Sophie comes back from lunch. When you get back to the dorms and start feeling better, you want to catch a movie with me or something?" Uh, hell yeah! "Yeah, sure." A soft smile grew on his face and he tightened his grip on my hand. "So what would you want to see? That new Meg Ryan movie?" "She doesn't want to see that lovey-dovey crap. What she really wants to see is that new zombie movie, though she'll never admit it." Robert and I hadn't bothered to break our eye contact when Sophie interrupted, but now that she had neared my bed, I could sense something strange about her in the corner of my eye. I shifted my eyes to her and my jaw immediately dropped. Embarrassed, my wide eyes darted back to Robert. His eyes narrowed and turned to see the source of my panic. Sophie stood there all perky with her hands on her hips in a model-like stance, and a smile that showed way too many pearly whites…and a helium balloon that shouted It's A Boy!!! "Nice balloon, Sophie," he said, slightly amused. "What?" she asked, all innocently. "They were out of Get Well." The hell they were. This little stunt was Sophie-esque. I knew exactly what that balloon meant – that I came into this hospital alone but I was gonna leave it with a boy wrapped in my arms. Sophie probably thinks he's ready to suckle my breasts too. Luckily, Robert had no clue to the workings of our inner monologues. I threw her a contemptuous glare before his head returned my way, but he caught part of it anyway. He quickly returned to Sophie and caught her sticking her tongue out at me. "Yeah, I'm going to go now." He squeezed my hand tightly before standing up. "Let me know when you're feeling better and ready for company, okay?" "You don't have to go." God that sounded kind of pathetic, and a little whiney. "It's alright. I've got a swim practice to make up and Sophie," he glanced her way – she stood all innocent-like, "can clearly keep you entertained. I'll see you later." "Thanks for coming." He lifted his hand in a 'good-bye' motion before he walked out the door. Once gone, I threw Sophie another disapproving glare. "I hate zombie movies. They creep me out." "Which means you'll spend the entire movie burying your head into his neck and his arm wrapped around you. Win-win."
Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a lagoon in my undies, and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life.
Yay me… (yeah – that's sarcasm)
Yep, that pretty much summed up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker's life. She jumped off a cliff, drowned, met a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between, and was brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert. Admit it, you're jealous right now.
Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly squeezes his way into her dreams every time she shuts her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong? Okay, now you're just being mean...
Yeah...there's more to the description! But that's all you're getting right now!!! But, just this once, I'll give you a tiny snippet from the novel. Sorry, but it's all I'm willing to release. Hope you like it!
y I awoke to rhythmic beeping. Something burned when I twitched my nose, and it wasn't the strong stench of disinfectants that I was breathing in. I slowly reached up to learn what it was, but my hand was grasped before it got there. "Jenna?" Sophie. I could sense relief in her voice and wondered how much time had passed since I hit my head. My head! It didn't hurt anymore. And my back and palms weren't burning. Though something was snagging the hairs on the skin of my back. Tape, maybe, if they used it to secure the padding on my back. I could tell my scuffed up palms were wrapped with something too. My head was still a little groggy though. I opened my eyes and saw her sitting beside me, her face just inches from mine. She crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me. I smiled and tried to push her away with the hand she had a death grip on. "Don't." I said. "Don't make me laugh. I think it'll hurt." Her eyes uncrossed and her tongue retreated, and I was left with a saddened face that was even worse. "I'm sorry," Sophie whispered. "I never should've bullied you into doing that." "You didn't push me, Soph. I did the jumping." "Yeah," she murmured, but I knew she didn't believe it, or forgave herself. I think she just didn't want me to argue with her about it right now. After a moment of silence, she added, "Robert's been here to see you. Hell, he's practically lived here. Seriously, I had to pull the best friend card to get him out." Maybe it was the fog that clouded my brain at the moment, but I just didn't get it. "You're in the ICU. They only allow one of us in here at a time." "Oh." Robert had been to see me? And stayed? It was a little weird. I had liked him for awhile, but I honestly wasn't sure if he felt anything in return. I got the occasional smile and we both caught the other looking every so often. But he's never even tried to talk to me on my own. There were always other people around in a group conversation. I remembered I was gonna be brave that night. We were gonna go find Robert and Jhett after our dip in the lagoon. Sophie said the jump would be a good practice run. If I could find the courage to finally jump from the cliff, then finding the courage to talk to Robert would be a breeze. Stupid, I know. But it was allowing me to delay our plan and work up some more courage. We knew they were down by the river, like they were most school nights. And Sophie was gonna lure Jhett away for me. "I know you've got the hots for the guy, but seriously, you went a little overboard trying to get his attention." "Ha ha." I sighed deeply. "Great. I finally get to be alone with the guy and I was unconscious for all of it." Sophie pressed her lips into a straight line, like she always did when she knew something I didn't. Worst poker face ever. "What?" "Well," she answered, hesitating, "Robert was the one that gave you mouth-to-mouth, so technically, you guys had your first kiss and you weren't even alive for it." I chuckled weakly and asked, "Was it at least good?" "I believe he slipped you the tongue." Sophie winked her left eye. "Lovely." I tried to rub the grogginess from my eyes. "So long as my virginity is still intact." "Iron-clad. Sauron and his army of Orcs couldn't break through your defenses." I rolled my eyes and allowed my hand to fall, snagging some type of plastic wire that was the cause of my nose burn. I pulled gently on it and it unplugged from my nose. "Aw, man! Robert saw me in this?" "He saw a lot more than that. You were in your undies when you performed the Jump of Doom. Remember?" A wave of embarrassment rushed through me and I was sure more than my face flushed. Could this get any worse? "Is there anything else you haven't told me yet?" Sophie's lips pursed again. I glared at her. "Soph?" Her eyes watched the ceiling intently while she confessed. "Well, Robert was the only one that knew the whole CPR thing, so he was the one that…" Sophie placed one hand on top of the other, laced her fingers together and moved her arms in a thrusting motion. Robert was the one that did the compressions to my chest. Great. "So, technically…" Sophie continued, "your little jump got your relationship with Robert to go from non-existent to rounding first base in seven seconds flat." I couldn't stop shaking my head. And now both hands were trying desperately to bury my face. "Good thing you wore the lace, huh?" I groaned, moaned and cried all within five seconds. "I did die. I've died and gone to my version of hell. An eternity of sexual humiliation." "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. Jhett and I were there. It's not like the guy tried to fondle you or anything. But he has been rather attentive now that he's seen the goods up close and personal." A nurse came in and saved me from having to continue that humiliating conversation. She was pretty, even with her chestnut colored hair loosely thrown into some updo in the back of her head. The tag pinned to her navy blue scrubs said Michelle. She smiled as she said, "I see you're finally awake. How do you feel?" "A little groggy, but no pain." "That's the morphine. Enjoy it while you can because when you get out of here, those gashes up your back are going to itch and ache for a week or so until they really begin to heal." "And my head?" I couldn't feel anything, but I remembered the pain when it slammed against the boulder and again when Robert revived me. "Concussion, but the doctor ran some scans and everything looks okay. Just a nasty bump. And now that you're awake, you'll be moved out of ICU. But you'll still have to spend a few days in a normal ward, just to make sure there aren't any complications." "Is that it? Nothing else?" "Well," she said, eyeballing me while fidgeting with my saline pouch, "from what I got meeting that Headmistress of yours, she'll probably give you the longest lecture of your life about teenage stupidity, so you might want to prepare yourself for something in that aspect." Another groan escaped my throat. Sophie better be forced to attend that lecture as well. y Sophie stayed with me until they moved me out of ICU, but when I woke up after my nap, it was Robert that was kicked back in the chair, completely zombie-fied as he stared at the television. His dark brown waves were tousled and there were bags under his chocolate eyes, and his hand lay gently on top of mine. He looked like he dragged himself out of bed without bothering to check the mirror on his way here. I suddenly felt grateful and less self-conscience about my own droopy appearance. "So I hear I have you to thank for the pain in my chest." It took him a second to realize that the comment came from me and not the television. He dropped his legs from my bed railing and twisted the rolling chair towards me, refusing to release my hand in the process. "Hi," he said, the ends of his lips slowly curling. "Hi." Finally. A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a lagoon in my undies, and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me… "So did I really hurt you? Because I've never done that to a real person before. I wasn't sure how much pressure to apply to get to your heart going again." "It's okay. I'll take a sore chest over death any day." "Good. Because I would've broken every rib in your chest if that's what it took to bring you back." Aww…I didn't know what to say to that. Did he really like me then? "Look, we've only got a few minutes before Sophie comes back from lunch. When you get back to the dorms and start feeling better, you want to catch a movie with me or something?" Uh, hell yeah! "Yeah, sure." A soft smile grew on his face and he tightened his grip on my hand. "So what would you want to see? That new Meg Ryan movie?" "She doesn't want to see that lovey-dovey crap. What she really wants to see is that new zombie movie, though she'll never admit it." Robert and I hadn't bothered to break our eye contact when Sophie interrupted, but now that she had neared my bed, I could sense something strange about her in the corner of my eye. I shifted my eyes to her and my jaw immediately dropped. Embarrassed, my wide eyes darted back to Robert. His eyes narrowed and turned to see the source of my panic. Sophie stood there all perky with her hands on her hips in a model-like stance, and a smile that showed way too many pearly whites…and a helium balloon that shouted It's A Boy!!! "Nice balloon, Sophie," he said, slightly amused. "What?" she asked, all innocently. "They were out of Get Well." The hell they were. This little stunt was Sophie-esque. I knew exactly what that balloon meant – that I came into this hospital alone but I was gonna leave it with a boy wrapped in my arms. Sophie probably thinks he's ready to suckle my breasts too. Luckily, Robert had no clue to the workings of our inner monologues. I threw her a contemptuous glare before his head returned my way, but he caught part of it anyway. He quickly returned to Sophie and caught her sticking her tongue out at me. "Yeah, I'm going to go now." He squeezed my hand tightly before standing up. "Let me know when you're feeling better and ready for company, okay?" "You don't have to go." God that sounded kind of pathetic, and a little whiney. "It's alright. I've got a swim practice to make up and Sophie," he glanced her way – she stood all innocent-like, "can clearly keep you entertained. I'll see you later." "Thanks for coming." He lifted his hand in a 'good-bye' motion before he walked out the door. Once gone, I threw Sophie another disapproving glare. "I hate zombie movies. They creep me out." "Which means you'll spend the entire movie burying your head into his neck and his arm wrapped around you. Win-win."
September 7, 2011
Out in Blue by Sarah Gilman (ARC)
Out in Blue (Return to Sanctuary #1)
Sarah GilmanExpected Publication: September 5, 2011
Synopsis: In a violent world where fallen archangels are hunted for their valuable plumage, Wren knows one thing for certain: the human woman who saved him from a poacher attack will die if she stays with him. The demon responsible for his parents' gruesome deaths two decades ago pines for the chance to rip apart any woman who stands under Wren's wing.
Wren doesn't expect Ginger to stay by his side once she discovers his ability to drain life with a mere touch, yet she lingers. When an unusual talent of her own reveals the location of Wren's father, Wren's isolated world implodes. With the help of the demon protectors he's sworn never to trust again, Wren risks everything to rescue his father, confront the demon who stalks his and Ginger's every step, and claim his eternity with the most courageous woman he's ever known.
When archangel Wren is warned and saved by Ginger from poachers, he finds himself torn between the Sanctuary world he was once a part of and the isolated world he's created for himself. He seeks solitude, forever outrunning the demon, Lark, that killed his parents and who still searches to kill Wren, and anyone Wren comes to care about. Lark was once the protector of Wren's family in Sanctuary, the one place the archangels thought they were safe, where demons give their lives to protect them. So when Ginger becomes a target for saving Wren, he's forced to return to Sanctuary to make sure Ginger receives the necessary protection.
As he does, Wren is taunted by Lark and told that his father was never killed, but imprisoned for the past eighteen years. In order to free his father, Wren must once again trust the demons in Sanctuary with his and his father's life – and continue to trust Ginger, who holds the key to their success.
I genuinely enjoyed Out in Blue, but I do have two criticisms. First off, I love that Wren and Ginger develop an attraction for one another, but as the timeline for this novel spans the course of about five days, the relationship was rushed. They went from complete strangers to performing a mating ceremony within three days, even with Wren's anguish of taking a lover knowing Lark would strike her down. I'm sorry, but the only adults that fall rapidly in love and get married that quickly involve alcohol and a Vegas wedding. I really would have preferred this first novel to be learning about Wren, trying to save his father and dealing with Lark and his poachers, and allow his relationship with Ginger to build into something more during the second novel. But, as this novel is already being published, my criticism is moot. Secondly, the subject matter and the characters are mature, yet the romantic dialog between Wren and Ginger was so immature I found myself rolling my eyes on several occasions. Hopefully, Ms. Gilman will address this in future novels because it ruined the romantic moments for me.
Those criticisms aside, I truly loved Out in Blue. The writing was clean and smooth, the story was unique, it kept my attention, and for the first time in a long time, there were twists thrown at me I didn't see coming (and I'm not talking those twists so far out in left field no one could see coming). This was a great novel and I can't wait to see what happens next.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
Synopsis: In a violent world where fallen archangels are hunted for their valuable plumage, Wren knows one thing for certain: the human woman who saved him from a poacher attack will die if she stays with him. The demon responsible for his parents' gruesome deaths two decades ago pines for the chance to rip apart any woman who stands under Wren's wing. Wren doesn't expect Ginger to stay by his side once she discovers his ability to drain life with a mere touch, yet she lingers. When an unusual talent of her own reveals the location of Wren's father, Wren's isolated world implodes. With the help of the demon protectors he's sworn never to trust again, Wren risks everything to rescue his father, confront the demon who stalks his and Ginger's every step, and claim his eternity with the most courageous woman he's ever known.
When archangel Wren is warned and saved by Ginger from poachers, he finds himself torn between the Sanctuary world he was once a part of and the isolated world he's created for himself. He seeks solitude, forever outrunning the demon, Lark, that killed his parents and who still searches to kill Wren, and anyone Wren comes to care about. Lark was once the protector of Wren's family in Sanctuary, the one place the archangels thought they were safe, where demons give their lives to protect them. So when Ginger becomes a target for saving Wren, he's forced to return to Sanctuary to make sure Ginger receives the necessary protection.
As he does, Wren is taunted by Lark and told that his father was never killed, but imprisoned for the past eighteen years. In order to free his father, Wren must once again trust the demons in Sanctuary with his and his father's life – and continue to trust Ginger, who holds the key to their success.
I genuinely enjoyed Out in Blue, but I do have two criticisms. First off, I love that Wren and Ginger develop an attraction for one another, but as the timeline for this novel spans the course of about five days, the relationship was rushed. They went from complete strangers to performing a mating ceremony within three days, even with Wren's anguish of taking a lover knowing Lark would strike her down. I'm sorry, but the only adults that fall rapidly in love and get married that quickly involve alcohol and a Vegas wedding. I really would have preferred this first novel to be learning about Wren, trying to save his father and dealing with Lark and his poachers, and allow his relationship with Ginger to build into something more during the second novel. But, as this novel is already being published, my criticism is moot. Secondly, the subject matter and the characters are mature, yet the romantic dialog between Wren and Ginger was so immature I found myself rolling my eyes on several occasions. Hopefully, Ms. Gilman will address this in future novels because it ruined the romantic moments for me.
Those criticisms aside, I truly loved Out in Blue. The writing was clean and smooth, the story was unique, it kept my attention, and for the first time in a long time, there were twists thrown at me I didn't see coming (and I'm not talking those twists so far out in left field no one could see coming). This was a great novel and I can't wait to see what happens next.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
August 24, 2011
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson (ARC)
Ultraviolet
by R.J. Anderson
Expected Publication September 1, 2011
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her.
Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?
Every word you say, every number you see, and even the lies that come out of your mouth have a color, a taste and even its own personality - at least to Alison.
Alison has suffered all her life from a neurological condition known as synesthesia. Plagued by the horrible reactions her mother always had when Alison was a child, she tried to keep to herself and suffer in silence over the years. And she was successful - until the afternoon she got into a physical fight with her nemesis Tori. Her synesthesia went into hyperdrive and Tori disintegrated before her very eyes.
Deemed a danger to herself and possibly others, she was sent to a mental institute. With the help of Dr. Faraday, Alison learned to let go of her inhibitions and embraced her hyperactive senses. But with this release came knowledge of the true powers within her - and a reason for Tori's sudden disintegration.
I wasn't really sure what to expect once I read the synopsis for Ultraviolet. But I soon found myself both curious and intrigued by Alison's condition. Though the majority of this book takes place in a mental institution watching Alison fight an internal battle with herself, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself continually wanting to read 'just one more page'. But about three-fourths of the way through, the story suddenly shot straight out into left field. Though I was not initially fond of this deviation, R.J. Anderson managed to wrap her fingers around me once more before the end.
Pick this up. It's like nothing you've ever read and definitely worth the read.
ARC provided by Orchard via NetGalley.
Expected Publication September 1, 2011
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her. Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?
Every word you say, every number you see, and even the lies that come out of your mouth have a color, a taste and even its own personality - at least to Alison.
Alison has suffered all her life from a neurological condition known as synesthesia. Plagued by the horrible reactions her mother always had when Alison was a child, she tried to keep to herself and suffer in silence over the years. And she was successful - until the afternoon she got into a physical fight with her nemesis Tori. Her synesthesia went into hyperdrive and Tori disintegrated before her very eyes.
Deemed a danger to herself and possibly others, she was sent to a mental institute. With the help of Dr. Faraday, Alison learned to let go of her inhibitions and embraced her hyperactive senses. But with this release came knowledge of the true powers within her - and a reason for Tori's sudden disintegration.
I wasn't really sure what to expect once I read the synopsis for Ultraviolet. But I soon found myself both curious and intrigued by Alison's condition. Though the majority of this book takes place in a mental institution watching Alison fight an internal battle with herself, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself continually wanting to read 'just one more page'. But about three-fourths of the way through, the story suddenly shot straight out into left field. Though I was not initially fond of this deviation, R.J. Anderson managed to wrap her fingers around me once more before the end.
Pick this up. It's like nothing you've ever read and definitely worth the read.
ARC provided by Orchard via NetGalley.
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson Review (ARC)
Ultraviolet
by R.J. Anderson
Expected Publication September 1, 2011
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her.
Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?
Every word you say, every number you see, and even the lies that come out of your mouth have a color, a taste and even its own personality - at least to Alison.
Alison has suffered all her life from a neurological condition known as synesthesia. Plagued by the horrible reactions her mother always had when Alison was a child, she tried to keep to herself and suffer in silence over the years. And she was successful - until the afternoon she got into a physical fight with her nemesis Tori. Her synesthesia went into hyperdrive and Tori disintegrated before her very eyes.
Deemed a danger to herself and possibly others, she was sent to a mental institute. With the help of Dr. Faraday, Alison learned to let go of her inhibitions and embraced her hyperactive senses. But with this release came knowledge of the true powers within her - and a reason for Tori's sudden disintegration.
I wasn't really sure what to expect once I read the synopsis for Ultraviolet. But I soon found myself both curious and intrigued by Alison's condition. Though the majority of this book takes place in a mental institution watching Alison fight an internal battle with herself, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself continually wanting to read 'just one more page'. But about three-fourths of the way through, the story suddenly shot straight out into left field. Though I was not initially fond of this deviation, R.J. Anderson managed to wrap her fingers around me once more before the end.
Pick this up. It's like nothing you've ever read and definitely worth the read.
ARC provided by Orchard via NetGalley.
Expected Publication September 1, 2011
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her. Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?
Every word you say, every number you see, and even the lies that come out of your mouth have a color, a taste and even its own personality - at least to Alison.
Alison has suffered all her life from a neurological condition known as synesthesia. Plagued by the horrible reactions her mother always had when Alison was a child, she tried to keep to herself and suffer in silence over the years. And she was successful - until the afternoon she got into a physical fight with her nemesis Tori. Her synesthesia went into hyperdrive and Tori disintegrated before her very eyes.
Deemed a danger to herself and possibly others, she was sent to a mental institute. With the help of Dr. Faraday, Alison learned to let go of her inhibitions and embraced her hyperactive senses. But with this release came knowledge of the true powers within her - and a reason for Tori's sudden disintegration.
I wasn't really sure what to expect once I read the synopsis for Ultraviolet. But I soon found myself both curious and intrigued by Alison's condition. Though the majority of this book takes place in a mental institution watching Alison fight an internal battle with herself, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself continually wanting to read 'just one more page'. But about three-fourths of the way through, the story suddenly shot straight out into left field. Though I was not initially fond of this deviation, R.J. Anderson managed to wrap her fingers around me once more before the end.
Pick this up. It's like nothing you've ever read and definitely worth the read.
ARC provided by Orchard via NetGalley.
August 21, 2011
Winners! Ordained Doodle-Graph and Metamorphosis ARCs
Thank you to everyone that participated in the Ordained Book Tour via The {Teen} Book Scene. There was a ton of interest in winning the only second edition copy I will sign with a personalized doodle-graph for the winner. So good luck to you all!
And the winner is...
Sarah Sally (sarah_sal90)
(Sarah has one week to respond to my email or I'll choose another winner)
Now on to the next set of giveaway winners I'm announcing today.
Thanks to everyone that entered to win a copy of my ARCs for Metamorphosis. There were enough entries for me to have 8 winners!
If you missed out on winning here, there are two more places you can currently enter to win a copy. Just scan up to my header and click on the links!
Reviews are beginning to trickle in. Catch one here.
And the winners are:
Kara-Karina
Sierra Cullen Trista SiegelTValerosLieder MadchenMemrieTeeLovesKyleJacobsLisa Richards
(all the winners have one week to respond to my email with a shipping address or I'll choose another winner)
And the winner is...
Sarah Sally (sarah_sal90)
(Sarah has one week to respond to my email or I'll choose another winner)
Now on to the next set of giveaway winners I'm announcing today.
Thanks to everyone that entered to win a copy of my ARCs for Metamorphosis. There were enough entries for me to have 8 winners!
If you missed out on winning here, there are two more places you can currently enter to win a copy. Just scan up to my header and click on the links!
Reviews are beginning to trickle in. Catch one here.
And the winners are:
Kara-Karina
Sierra Cullen Trista SiegelTValerosLieder MadchenMemrieTeeLovesKyleJacobsLisa Richards
(all the winners have one week to respond to my email with a shipping address or I'll choose another winner)
