Review: Stolen

"Stolen" takes up where "Stained" left off. Julia and Cayne have been taken to the "Chosen" compound where they are forced to separate. Julia is now living as a candidate in the compound while Cayne is a prisoner and hidden somewhere within the compound where Julia now resides . Julia learns the truth of Cayne's past and she has to decide whether their feelings were real or something a Nephilim used to trick her into following him.
This sequel to "Stained" was awesome! I loved the battle sequences and the character development within the compound. The way that Ms. James came up with for them to get around the compound was awesome! Also,  the dialogue was laugh out loud funny at times. I found the characters to be very likable even though there were a few people that I strongly disliked!! I like how Ms. James left clues throughout the entire book right down to the last twist that she threw in. The end of the book left me thinking, " wait, what?!" I cannot wait for the third book and I strongly encourage all young adult lovers to give this series a read! You won't regret it!
-"Stolen" by Ella James
Published April 24, 2012 by Barkley's Books
Buy it on Amazon!
Follow Ella James on Twitter and Goodreads

Think this series sounds interesting? Check out my review of the first book in the "Stained" Series : "Stained"


The third book in the series, "Chosen", should be released sometime within the next month!

"Florence" Teaser

 Florence is a fun new take on the underwater world of the Mer-people. I had the chance to read an advanced copy of this book and I loved it! It will be released electronically and in a hard copy format on July 1. Keep looking for my review to be posted on the release date!

 Teaser: Author, Ciye Cho, thought that a teaser might be a nice way to introduce new readers to Florence's world:

"You can't see it, can you?" he asked. He lifted his hand right up to my face and I saw a sea polyp in his palm. It had five flower-shaped petals. "Pretty, is it not?" he drawled before he started laughing. "You don't understand a word of what I'm saying, do you?" He leaned in closer. "No matter," he added as he reached behind me. "Probably better this way, considering what you'll see next... in the darkness..."

I felt a sharp pain at the back of my neck. The polyp, I realized, had latched itself onto my flesh. My jaw was locked shut, but in my mind I let out a scream. In my imagination, I cried out as loudly as I could: take it off! Please! Take it off me!

"Hold still, broken tail," was all he said.

The stranger wrapped an arm around my waist. His grip was vise-like and his skin was ice cold. He began to swim with incredibly long strokes. Water rushed past us. Wait! I cried out in my head. Wait! But frozen in his grip, all I could do was stare below me as he swam beyond the reef and headed for an abyss.

The ocean grew colder as darkness embraced me...

If you think that is interesting, then check out my chat with the author about "Florence"

Make sure to mark your calendar for Florence's birthday on July 1.

Author Interview- "Florence"

 Florence is a fun new take on the underwater world of the Mer-people. I had the chance to read an advanced copy of this book and I loved it! The best part was that I was able to talk to the author and ask him some of my burning questions! I will be posting my "Florence" review on July 1, which is the same day the book will be released. Make sure to check back here for more information and a teaser within the next week! I hope you enjoy the interview with author Ciye Cho and that you read his awesome book! 

 First, a little about the author:

 And now for the interview, 


1. What made you decide to set your story in the underwater kingdom of Niemela?
I thought it would be cool to create a world inside a coral dome... surrounded by deep-sea volcanoes... at the bottom of an ocean. If you study nature, you'll find that life can thrive in even the coldest, deepest, darkest places.

2. What made you decide to have your main character be a human stuck in a world full of merpeople?

I thought it would be interesting to take a shy outsider... and place her in a wonderland where she has nowhere to hide and no choice but to take a stand.

3. How many books are you planning on having in this series?

I'd like to write two more. There's so much I want Florence to experience in Niemela.

4. I'm sure you will have millions of fan girls fighting over them, but which merprince do you prefer? Rolan or Kiran?

I do favor one prince a little more, but I won't say which one (in case my answer reads like a spoiler :-)!)

5. Which of your creatures of darkness is your favorite?

The Borgamont. Ordinary starfish are practically inanimate, so I wanted to create a version that was fast, humongous... and grisly.

6. If you had a choice, would you rather be a merman or a creature of darkness?
Merman. But I'm not sure if I would fit in among the Niemelans. (I'd probably be an outsider like Florence.)

7. What is the hardest part of coming up with the story? How did you come up with this story?

The hardest part was bringing each character to life.

I've always been fascinated by merfolk, and I wanted to put a new spin on mer mythology. I had all these images in my head of multicolored mer weaving castles out of kelp and fighting creatures of a dark ocean.

Most mer myths feature themes of order and belonging... so I wanted to take those ideas and push them further. Niemela is a place where every thing, animal, and person has a role to play, but none of the main characters truly fit in among their kind. (And I hope that readers can relate to this--for who hasn't felt like an outsider at some point?)

8. I'm not sure if this is a spoiler or not so you don't have to answer, but I loved how the merpeople turned into bubbles and basically became part of the sea when they died. What was the inspiration behind that?

Many people believe that merfolk dissolve into foam when they die. This was my take on classic mermaid mythology.

"Dreaming Anastasia" Series

I am so excited to be a part of the exclusive ANASTASIA FOREVER BLOG TOUR!  Only a lucky few have the chance to debut this trailer, and I’m beyond thrilled to see where Anne’s dreams lead her in the third and final installment of the DREAMING ANASTASIA Series.  Will she unlock the secrets of the past before they destroy her future?

Be one of the first people to see the "Anastasia Forever" trailer! Click here Let us know what you think! :-) 

Here’s the scoop on the DREAMING ANASTASIA Series!

There is so much to love about this series as Joy brilliantly blends Russian history, romance, magic and mythology into an enticing adventure.

In DREAMING ANASTASIA, Anne Michaelson begins to have unusual dreams and discovers that she is the only one who can save the daughter of the last tsar of Russia, Anastasia Romanov.  Believed to be dead by the world, Anastasia has been kept captive all these years by the Russian witch Baba Yaga, and only Ethan, a handsome and mysterious 18-year-old, can help Anne free Anastasia. 

Anne once again leaves behind her ordinary life in HAUNTED to join forces with the mysterious and gorgeous Ethan as the journey with the Romanov continues.  This time she is haunted by classic figures from Russian mythology, a rusalka, , a Russian folklore mermaid with a malevolent streak –  and a particular interest in Anne,  who tells her that Anastasia is still alive.  As she and Ethan team up, Anne’s search for the rusalka’s identity reveals deep and startling secrets - including the true source of Anne’s powers.

Now in ANASTASIA FOREVER, having survived Baba Yaga and the Rusalka, Anne finds herself bound by the witch to undertake a journey into past, present, and future that will determine her destiny - and that of everyone she loves.

Catch a preview of the danger, romance, and magic await Anne in this exciting glimpse ahead of ANASTASIA FOREVER by taking a look at a special sneak peak with the first three chapters here!

ANASTASIA FOREVER comes out this August, be sure to look out for all things Anastasia at Joy’s website joysnovelidea.blogspot.com.

June New Release Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the June New Release Giveaway hop! This hop is hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light.

There will be a different book given away at each of the stops. At the bottom of this post are all the sites participating in the book hop. Make sure to visit (and follow) everyone and enter their giveaways! :-)

So, On to my part in the hop!


Up for grabs this month are two awesome books! "The Lost Code" by Kevin Emerson and "Darkness Before Dawn" by J.A. London. Both copies are ARCs.


Two books means two winners!! Good luck and yes, this is open internationally!! Wahoo:) Don't forget to stop by the other hop participant blogs!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Joe

To those of you that haven't heard about author H.D. Gordon yet, you are really missing out! H.D. is the author of the Alexa Montgomery Series (The Blood Warrior and Half Black Soul) and has written a book that is a total 180 from her previous books! I haven't read it yet, but it looks intriguing! You can bet I will be buying it as soon as it is released on June 30!


So, what is "Joe" about you might ask? Here is the synopsis: 

From the author of the Alexa Montgmery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a geniune pyschopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe. Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the pyschopath is her. Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the pyscho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.

Finally, here is what everyone has been waiting for...the cover!

This cover is striking!! I absolutely love it. I love the colors, the eyes and the hair as it is whipped across her face. Looking into her eyes, it makes me wonder what she sees and if she is seeing the future at this very moment!


"Joe" is being released on June 30, 2012 and you can find out more about H.D. Gordon at the following websites:
H.D. Gordon's Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads


Check out my review of "The Blood Warrior"

Review: Stained

Stained is an exciting story about an orphaned girl, Julia, whose foster parents are killed by an ugly, winged creature. She knows it is somehow her fault and she flees town and runs into and extremely hot, broody man who she follows looking for answers. As she tries to get to know this man, Cayne, she slowly begins to realize who she is and why her foster parents were killed. She and Cayne go across the country searching for the half demon upon whom they both want to exact their revenge. I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to get started on the second book in the series. This book is a quick read in which you fall in love with the main characters and you feel their pain as different details of their lives are uncovered. I loved the action and suspense that was woven throughout the whole story as they stumbled upon crime scenes and ran into enemies that tried to kill them. I can't wait to see what happens and how the ending of this first book is played out in the second. 

Stained by Ella James
Published September 14, 2011 by Barkley's Books

If that isn't enough to get you reading this series, check out this excerpt from chapter one of Stained.

"She might have slept forever, but a loud thud woke her sometime late that third night. Julia jerked up, heart pounding, senses alight. There it was again: a series of thuds on the warehouse roof. She pulled the tarp to her chin as clouds of dust rained over her. The banging continued for probably half a minute before it stopped. Half a minute in which she hoped her death would be a fast one. Julia counted to ten before she opened her eyes, and several more seconds passed before she dared to breathe. "What the--" HOLY CRAP. Julia covered her head as wood beams and chunks of concrete crashed down around her. She crouched with her back against the wall, paralyzed with fear until suddenly everything was quiet. When the dust cleared, she peeked over a pile of rubble and gasped. Dozens of glossy charcoal feathers settles around a hold in the floor at least half a foot deep. A guy was inside. She swiftly registered broad shoulders, hard muscle, and dark hair. A hot guy. Very hot. He had, too literally, fallen at her feet."

 The first book in the "Stained" series is available on Kindle for only $.99!!! Buy it now!