Merry Christmas!

Hey all, it's Christmas! I may not actually be Christian, but Christmas is my favorite holiday.

And for everyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Saint Stephen's Day, Happy Boxing Day, and any other holidays that are right around now.

My monthly giveaway is ending in a few days, so don't forget to enter here for a chance at some really great indie books.

I'll have a brand new giveaway for you on the first, and since my blogaversary (how do you spell this??) is in January, there will be an extra giveaway later on.

But for now, have a great holiday, break from school, vacation, whatever. And get some rest before going back to whatever it is you do.

Review: Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch

Title: Frost Like Night
Author: Sara Raasch
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Release Date: September 20, 2016

Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads|Kobo|TBD|Waterstones

Monthly Giveaway Reminder

Happy almost end of year!

With the end of the year is the end of another month. Meaning my monthly giveaway is almost over. I haven't decided what to give away for January, and my blogaversary happens to be next month too. So expect some epicness (once I figure out what the epicness is lmao).

But for now, here's a quick reminder about the giveaway that is still currently going on.

In celebration of the #ReadIndie challenge that I last-minute cohosted, I'm giving away two indie books to the winner of this month's giveaway.

#ReadIndie Wrap-Up

It's time to wrap up our #ReadIndie challenge. I don't know about you, but I had a blast.
For those of you who don't know, #ReadIndie was a challenge to review as many indie books as possible during the first two weeks of December.
First, we still have a couple giveaways running, so get your entries in for The Bound Series by Stormy Smith and Never Never by Brianna Shrum.

#ReadIndie Review: Bound By Duty

Title: Bound By Duty

Author: Stormy Smith

Publisher: Perfect Storm Publishing

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and she doesn't even know his name.

Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky Southern girl and to fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is and not what she'll be.
As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head or her heart win the battle?

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads|Kobo|TBD

Announcement

Greetings all! I have an announcement.

There will be a few changes in the way I do reviews. Up until now (just about two years), I've not rated any books I've read. But as I post my reviews on goodreads and amazon, this seems silly as I'm required to rate books.

So, I will start giving all books ratings,

Okay it's not really all that exciting. But to make sure I keep my ratings organized, I'm slowly going to be adding ratings for plot, characters, love interests, etc. I know, you were hoping for something cooler than that.

Well, I hope to have some awesome-tastic news soon. I guess we shall see, right? Plus, my new blog header should hopefully be done soon.

Changes to the blog should start taking place next week. :)

#ReadIndie Promo: Never Never by Brianna Shrum

Title: Never Never

Author: Brianna Shrum

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: September 22, 2015

James Hook is a child who only wants to grow up. When he meets Peter Pan, a boy who loves to pretend and is intent on never becoming a man, James decides he could try being a child - at least briefly. James joins Peter Pan on a holiday to Neverland, a place of adventure created by children's dreams, but Neverland is not for the faint of heart. Soon James finds himself longing for home, determined that he is destined to be a man. But Peter refuses to take him back, leaving James trapped in a world just beyond the one he loves. A world where children are to never grow up. But grow up he does. And thus begins the epic adventure of a Lost Boy and a Pirate. This story isn't about Peter Pan; it's about the boy whose life he stole. It's about a man in a world that hates men. It's about the feared Captain James Hook and his passionate quest to kill the Pan, an impossible feat in a magical land where everyone loves Peter Pan. Except one.

#ReadIndie Review: The Chasm

Title: The Chasm

Author: S. Usher Evans

Publisher: Suns Golden Ray Publishing

Release Date: July 12, 2016

They survived The Island, but can they cross The Chasm?

Four months after Prince Galian was discovered alive on a remote island, he's adjusting slowly to life at the hospital under the Kylaen media's glare. His promises to Theo remain unfulfilled as fear of his father keeps him from taking concrete action. And the more he learns about the machinations in Kylae, the less sure he is that it's possible to make a difference.

Across the great Madion Sea, Major Theo Kallistrate struggles to navigate the tricky political waters of Rave's presidential staff. To make positive change for her people, she must remain relevant and interesting to the Raven media and to the president. When he asks her to deliver a speech on her supposed two-month imprisonment at Mael, she's not sure she can stomach the lies.

The Chasm is S. Usher Evans' breathtaking, fast-paced follow-up to The Island, which readers say is "not to be missed."

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads|Kobo|TBD

#ReadIndie Excerpt: Recoil by Joanne Macgregor

Title: Recoil

Author: Joanne MacGregor

Release Date: May 14, 2016

When a skilled gamer gets recruited as a sniper in the war against a terrorist-produced pandemic, she discovers there’s more than one enemy and more than one war. The Game is real.

Three years after a series of terrorist attacks flooded the US with a lethal plague, society has changed radically.

Sixteen year-old Jinxy James spends her days trapped at home – immersed in virtual reality, worrying about the plague and longing for freedom. Then she wins a war simulation game and is recruited into a top-secret organisation where talented teenagers are trained to become agents in the war on terror. Eager to escape her mother’s over-protectiveness and to serve her country, Jinxy enlists and becomes an expert sniper of infected mutant rats.

She’s immediately drawn to Quinn O’Riley, a charming and subversive intelligence analyst who knows more about the new order of government and society than he is telling. Then a shocking revelation forces Jinxy to make an impossible decision, and she risks losing everything.

Recoil is the first book in a Young Adult dystopian romance trilogy, and makes great reading for lovers of Rick Yancey (The Fifth Wave), Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games), and Veronica Roth (Divergent).

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads|TBD

#ReadIndie Interview: Stormy Smith

Well, Blogger is giving me so much shit right now and deleted my original post. It took me a while, and I only have a few minutes right now, so this one won't be formatted as nicely. I'm slowly fixing it lol.

Title: Bound by Duty

Author: Stormy Smith

Publisher: Perfect Storm

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and she doesn't even know his name.
Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky Southern girl and to fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is and not what she'll be.

As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head or her heart win the battle?

#ReadIndie Review: This Is What Goodbye Looks Like

Title: This Is What Goodbye Looks Like

Author: Olivia Rivers

Publisher: Red Sparrow Press

Release Date: June 17, 2016

Lea Holder watched a boy die in the same DUI accident that ruined Lea’s legs and threw her little sister into a coma. As the only eye-witness to the accident, if she tells the truth in court, the drunk driver will go to prison and the dead boy’s family will have justice.

But Lea lies.

If she had told the truth, Lea would have put her own mom in prison for causing the accident. With the trial over and her mom set free, Lea attempts to rebuild her shattered life as she waits for her little sister to wake from her coma.

When Lea transfers schools, she finds herself in the same senior class as Seth Ashbury, the brother of the boy her mom killed. As Lea gets to know the person buried underneath Seth's grief, she quickly falls for his quick wit and passionate soul. But Seth remains completely oblivious that Lea is the same girl who robbed his family of justice.

As their relationship deepens, Lea finally gets a taste of the love that’s been missing from her life since the accident. But soon she’s faced with a choice: she can continue her lies and accept the comfort it gives them both. Or she can tell Seth the truth about everything, and risk destroying both her family and her newfound love.

Amazon|Goodreads

#ReadIndie Interview: S Usher Evans

Title: The Island

Author: S Usher Evans

Publisher: Suns Golden Ray

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Prince Galian is third in line to the throne, but prefers his place as a resident at the Royal Kylaen Hospital. When his father urges him to join the military to help reclaim their colony, Galian is forced to put aside his oath to Do No Harm and fight a war he does not believe in.

Across the great Madion Sea, Captain Theo Kallistrate dreams of a day when she is no longer bound by conscription to fight for her country's independence. But when the Kylaens threaten, honor and duty call her to the front lines to fight off the oppressors.

When an air skirmish goes wrong, both Theo and Galian crash on a remote island hundreds of miles from either nation. Grievously injured, Theo must rely on Galian's medical expertise, and Galian must rely on Theo's survival skills, to live another day in a harsh and unforgiving terrain.

Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive? Or will the war that brought them to the island tear them apart?

The Island is the first in a new romance trilogy by S. Usher Evans, author of the Razia series and Empath.

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads|Kobo|TBD

#ReadIndie Layla Hagen - Your Inescapable Love Excerpt + Giveaway

Max Bennett was nine years old the first time he met Emilia. The two formed a tight friendship that lasted for years until she moved away. Now, years later, Max enjoys a successful career, and his brilliant business sense helped him take his family’s company to the next level. Max loves his life: carefree and fun. He has everything he wants and does not intend to settle down anytime soon (even though his family might have other ideas).

But when a chance encounter brings him face-to-face with Emilia, he starts questioning everything. The girl he last saw years ago has grown into a beautiful woman with sensual curves and a smile he can’t get out of his mind. Their chemistry is sizzling, and between old memories and new challenges, the two form an undeniable connection.

Emilia Campbell has a lot on her plate, taking care of her sick grandmother. Still, the twenty-eight-year-old physical therapist faces everything with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. The one area in her life where she’s not too optimistic is love. After practically being left at the altar, Emilia has sworn off men. Until the childhood friend she hero-worshiped and hasn’t quite forgotten steps into her clinic. Max is every bit the troublemaker she remembers, only now he has a body to drool over and a smile to melt her panties. Not that she intends to do the former, or let the latter happen.

They are both determined not to cross the boundaries of friendship. But as they spend more time together, their chemistry spirals out of control.

Can Emilia trust her childhood hero with the key to her heart and accept she might have found her one true love?

December Giveaway

It's December! What the hell, right?

So with the new month is a new giveaway. See Giveaway Rules Page for full rules. 

The prize for the giveaway is two books (yay!). To celebrate our #ReadIndie challenge this month, all of the prizes are independently published.

Prize:

Choose one paperback from the following:

Air Awakens - Elise Kova

Elementals - Michelle Madow

Fairmist - Todd Fahnestock

Spells and Sorcery - S. Usher Evans

AND

Choose one ebook from the following:

This Is What Goodbye Looks Like - Olivia Rivers

Consider - Kristy Acevedo

Emerge - Tobie Easton

Edenhart's Rivalry - J.N. Tomczak

This giveaway is international as long as Book Depository ships to you.

#ReadIndie Kickoff

Welcome to day one of #ReadIndie! This event is all about promoting indie authors and their work! If you haven't signed up for the challenge and you want to join in sharing your favorite indies, you can still sign up HERE until midnight!

For the next two weeks this blog is going to be totally taken over by independently published titles. We will be posting reviews, indie lists, and hosting several awesome giveaways! Make sure to check out my co-host Tracy's blog, Cornerfolds, for other fun stuff including exclusive interviews!

Tracy and I have also recruited an amazing team of reviewers to help with this event! You can check out their blogs and indie reviews here over the next two weeks:

Amber @ Du Livre
AJ @ Read All the Things
Alma @ Journey Through Fiction

Bee @ Quite the Novel Idea
Cat @ Cat's Shelf
GJ @ GJ Alvi
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Jessica & Olyvia @ A Midsummer Night's Read

Stephanie @ Bookfever

If you've already signed up for the challenge, thank you!! You will have a chance to gain extra entries in our giveaways for each indie review you post between today and December 16th. Please share your progress on Twitter using #ReadIndie!

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GIVEAWAY 

We're kicking off #ReadIndie with a bang by giving away books by two amazing indie authors: paperback copies of The Outlaw and Infected by Alan Janney, as well as paperbacks and eBooks of Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Free Copy of Book 1 

A masked vigilante stalks the streets of downtown Los Angeles, disrupting crime and creating havoc. After being spotted on security cameras and thrust into the national spotlight, he is pursued by both the media and powerful new enemies. Little does the world know the Outlaw is just High School junior Chase Jackson wearing a mask and hoping the beautiful brunette down the street notices.
 
 The Outlaw series, winner of the 2016 NIE Awards in Science Fiction
"Janney's pacing is excellent, as are the action sequences" - Kirkus Reviews
"The Outlaw shines" - San Fransisco Book Review
 
Book One of the must-read, young adult, super charged, paranormal (ish), adventure romance Outlaw Series.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iTunes

All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

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