Empire of Dust: Spotlight + Exclusive Giveaway!

Hey everyone! I'm totally psyched to help spread the word about the upcoming novel, EMPIRE OF DUST, by hosting this exclusive spotlight and giveaway! Read on for more info on the book  - and don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway at the bottom of the post!

Empire of Dust (Blood of Gods and Royals #2)

Author: Eleanor Herman

Genre: YA Historical/Fantasy

Release Date: June 28, 2016

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Description:

In Macedon, war rises like smoke, forbidden romance blooms and ancient magic tempered with rage threatens to turn an empire to dust

After winning his first battle, Prince Alexander fights to become the ruler his kingdom demands—but the line between leader and tyrant blurs with each new threat.

Meanwhile, Hephaestion, cast aside by Alexander for killing the wrong man, must conceal the devastating secret of a divine prophecy from Katerina even as the two of them are thrust together on a dangerous mission to Egypt.

The warrior, Jacob, determined to forget his first love, vows to eradicate the ancient Blood Magics and believes that royal prisoner Cynane holds the key to Macedon's undoing.

And in chains, the Persian princess Zofia still longs to find the Spirit Eaters, but first must grapple with the secrets of her handsome—and deadly—captor.

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy to reimagine the world's most brilliant ruler, Alexander the Great, in the second book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series. 

Check out the first book in the series:

New York Times best-seller Eleanor Herman offers a rare combination of skills for a historian – her research is intensely scholarly, yet she writes the story in a colorful, witty manner.

“History is so fascinating that it never has to be presented in a boring way,” she explains. “These were flesh and blood people, just like you and me, facing war and plague, falling in love, living among splendid art and gut-wrenching poverty. Sometimes people ask me if I plan to write novels. And I say, with all the things that really happened, who needs to make stuff up?”

Reviewers agree. The New York Times Book Review wrote that Eleanor writes “enlightening social history that is great fun to read.”

The Boston Globe wrote, “Herman’s writing sparkles off the pages.”

The Washington Post called Eleanor Herman “A lot more fun than Danielle Steel or Dan Brown.”

Eleanor calls herself a “Sherlock Holmes of history.” To research Mistress of the Vatican, she traveled to Italy hot on the trail of documents related to Olimpia Maidalchini and Pope Innocent X, and found a cache of their letters. She visited Olimpia’s palace in the Piazza Navona in Rome (now the Embassy of Brazil), her villa outside the city (now used by the prime minister of Italy for entertainment), and the papal palace of the Quirinale, (now the ceremonial palace of the President of Italy.) She visited Olimpia’s birthplace in Viterbo, 50 miles north of Rome, her tomb in San Martino, the town she built for dowerless girls, and her country hunting lodge, gracefully falling to ruin.

Eleanor read countless diplomatic dispatches, letters, and contemporary records on life in seventeenth century Rome. Her fluency in French, German, and Italian has been invaluable in researching sources that have never been translated into English.
Mistress of the Vatican is Eleanor’s third book. Sex with Kings – a history of royal mistresses – appeared in 2004, and Sex with the Queen – a history of queens who took lovers – was published in 2006. Eleanor is a frequent commentator in the media about royal scandals, and has hosted episodes for The History Channel’s show, Lost Worlds, to air in the 2007-8 season. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Eleanor graduated with a degree in journalism from Towson University, studied languages in Europe, and for thirteen years worked for NATO’S Nations & Partners for Peace magazine. She is married and lives in McLean, VA. (Author biography & photo taken from Goodreads.)

Author Links: 

http://www.eleanorherman.com/ 

https://twitter.com/eleanorherman 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eleanor-Herman/338274143050517 

https://www.pinterest.com/eleanordyment/ 

(1) Winner will receive an ARC of Empire of Dust + a set of gold snake temporary tattoos inspired by Olympias - Open to US only! Ends 6/7!

 

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Frosh Blog Tour: Review

Frosh: First Blush (Frosh #1)
Author: Monica B. Wagner

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Publisher: The Studio (Paper Lantern Lit)

Description:

During welcome week at Hillson University, the FROSH will hit the fan.

Type-A aspiring journalist Ellie plans to take freshman year by storm. But hell-bent on breaking a huge on-campus scandal, she risks becoming one herself—and getting the mysterious, heart-melting QB in serious trouble.

Grant, star quarterback and charismatic chick-magnet, is hiding a life-altering secret. The last thing he needs is an overeager (absolutely adorable) journalist asking questions. He’s got a reputation to protect.

High-society legacy student Devon is ready to catch the football hottie of her dreams. If the tabloids feature her with the “it” boy on her arm, her tainted past will be buried—or so she thinks.

Charlie, pre-med, is done being the sweet and funny geek that girls like Devon ignore. But if he tries to impress her with a new edgy, spontaneous attitude, will his heart end up in the emergency room?

FROSH intertwines the stories of Ellie, Grant, Devon, and Charlie in Mónica B. Wagner’s sexy NA debut series, about falling in love and falling apart. 

FROSH is the first book in a sexy New Adult romance series. It follows four main characters - Ellie, Grant, Devon, and Charlie. Each of the characters is unique with distinct personalities and quirks, which makes it easy to identify with them early on. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters - their life stories, dreams, fears, hopes, and so many other aspects. The story is broken down into separate chapters for each character - which I thought was a great style to help the reader get to know them each better along with focusing on everyone's stories and how they intertwine. Being a New Adult contemporary romance, I loved watching the four characters meet one another and seeing their relationships grow. One issue I came across was the author's choice of point of view for the book. It's written in the third person POV for every character. This style does reduce the risk for confusing the reader, but we lose the deeper connection that first person POV offers. I personally love the first person POV because of the intimate knowledge we gain of the characters - in my opinion, it makes the characters more realistic and easier to identify with when a book is written in the first person POV. Again, those are just my personal thoughts.

There were lots of sweet moments - and definitely some steamy ones - throughout the book. I loved both types and I feel like the author did a great job balancing the two during the story. The writing was well done and flowed effortlessly with a quick pace. I was drawn inside the book from the first page and could easily see myself alongside each of the characters during the novel. I could barely believe it when I read that the book is the author's debut - it certainly doesn't feel or read like one. The author's talent shines through the pages and all aspects of the book. I can't wait to see where the next book will take us! I definitely recommend this novel to fans of the genre along with readers who enjoy contemporary romance, college fiction, and New Adult books.

Mónica was born in a Peruvian city by a snow-capped volcano. Growing up, books were her constant companions as she traveled with her family to places like India (where she became a vegetarian), Thailand (where she *almost* met Leonardo di Caprio), France (where she pretended to learn French), and countless other places that inspired her to write. Now, Mónica lives in Chile with her husband, three boys, eleven hens, and stray dog. Keep up with Monica and follow her on Twitter @Monica_BW or visit her website: http://monibw.blogspot.com. 

Buy Links:
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iBooks 

Sale Spotlight: Girl Unseen by Kate Ellison

Hey everyone! I'm back as promised to spotlight GIRL UNSEEN by Kate Ellison! A quick recap: EgmontUSA shut down last year and a lot of their titles were bought by other publishing companies. Paper Lantern Lit (PLL) was able to grab two fantastic titles from them - The Butterfly Clues and Notes from Ghost Town - both by Kate Ellison. In the meantime, they were given brand new titles, gorgeous new covers, and then were re-released under The Studio - an imprint of PLL.

 I'm so excited to help spread the word about these books! On top of their recent release from The Studio, there's a huge sale going on for the next couple of weeks - so be sure you grab your copies while they're cheap! Today I'm spotlighting GIRL UNSEEN - which was previously Notes from Ghost Town. Read on for more info on the book and the author - and don't forget to grab your copy now, while the sale is on!

 Girl Unseen
Author: Kate Ellison
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: The Studio, an imprint of Paper Lantern Lit

Description:

Formerly published as NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN, Kate Ellison’s novel is a heartbreaking psychological thriller, sure to appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn’s GONE GIRL, E. Lockhart’s WE WERE LIARS, and Lauren Oliver’s VANISHING GIRLS.

It was an open and shut case: Olivia Tithe’s best friend, Lucas Stern, was murdered by her mother. She went to jail, and everyone expects Olivia to move on. Especially Austin, a guy she’s drawn to even though she doesn’t trust him.

But Olivia is stuck in the past, convinced that the wrong person has been convicted, that there are clues no one else sees. When she uncovers a surprising link to a missing girl, she must risk trusting the unseen in order to stop the true killer.  

Kate Ellison spent a lot of time as a child, in Baltimore, pretending to be things she wasn't: a twin, a telekinetic, a benevolent witch with a box full of magical stones, a spy, a soccer player. She trained as an actor in Chicago and has walked across the entire country of Spain. She is a painter and jewelry-maker, and has at least one artist friend who really does keep his true name a secret from the world. He told her, but don't ask her to tell you—she's not gonna do it. Kate lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Author Links:
http://kateellison.com/ 
http://kateellison.wordpress.com/ 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Ellison/189521857752277

SALE ALERT!

Starting on June 20th and ending on June 26th - GIRL UNSEEN will be only $1.99! Grab your copy while you can!

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo 

Don't Forget to Grab the Prequel Novella, LOST NIGHT, which will be FREE!

   Lost Night (Lost Girls #0.5)

Author: Kate Ellison

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Description:

Sapphire knows she has to avoid trouble if she's going to survive in Neverland, the seedy neighborhood of Cleveland she now calls home. Other girls here have gone missing when they didn't play by the rules: the "lost girls," she calls them. Like her, they're all runaways - no one to notice if they vanish for good.

And Sapphire knows, too, that falling for Bird is only going to cause trouble. She just doesn't know how soon, or how bad... And whether that trouble will come from the dangers of Neverland or from Bird himself.

All she knows is that this will be their last night together - or the night she's lost forever.  

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

  

Rules of Seduction Tour: Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Rules of Seduction blog tour! Today I'll be sharing my review of the book with you - and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Rules of Seduction

Author: Jenna Mullins

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 21, 2015

Publisher: The Studio (a Paper Lantern Lit imprint)

Description:

The first rule of seduction is: don’t fall in love.

Fresh out of college, Dani Young heads for the LA sun to chase her dream of becoming a screenwriter-director. So when her former BFF turned actress Elise offers Dani the opportunity to work on the hit teen show Vamp Camp, Dani can’t refuse, even if it comes at a price: Elise wants Dani to seduce her boyfriend, Vamp Camp superstar Tate Lawrence. Turns out Elise has some major trust issues, and needs Dani to test Tate’s faith. The only rule: don’t fall in love with him.

Sure, Dani doesn’t mind occasionally glimpsing Tate’s megawatt smile…or accidentally-on-purpose brushing up against his perfect torso…but she’s no fool. There’s no way she’d ever fall for a shallow celebrity and no way one would fall for her, a lanky movie nerd.

But amidst vampire-crazed fans, a conniving fellow intern, and a devilishly handsome showrunner, Dani feels like all the rules she used to know have disappeared, except for one: Love doesn’t play by the rules.

Part The Devil Wears Prada, part How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days, this story of friendship and romance is sure to appeal to fans of Stephanie Perkins, Jennifer E. Smith, and Anna Todd.  

Rules of Seduction is a fun and light-hearted New Adult contemporary romance that takes place in Los Angeles. The story follows our main character - Dani Young - as she moves to LA after graduating college, in the hopes of pursuing her dream of becoming a screenwriter/director. The opportunity of a lifetime appears out of seemingly nowhere - Dani's ex-BFF Elise, who just happens to be an actress on a hit TV show, offers Dani a job on the show. There's just one catch to this deal - Dani has to seduce Elise's boyfriend, the star of the show Tate Lawrence. Apparently Elise has some trust issues and wants to see if her boyfriend will take the bait. Knowing that another opportunity like this will probably never happen again - Dani agrees. Elise gives her one rule: Don't fall in love with Tate. Dani isn't concerned about this though - she's there to work and gain experience, not fall in love with a TV star. And there's no way that a guy like Tate would ever be interested in a girl like Dani - right?

This was a really fun and fast read for me. I was swept up into Dani's world right from the start of the book. It's told from Dani's point of view - first person - which is my favorite style. We get to know the narrator - usually the main character - on such a deeper level than any other POV. With this book, we get to know all about Dani - her hopes, dreams, fears, memories, and hilarious inner dialogue. By the time the book was finished, I felt as if I knew Dani on a personal level - like she was my best friend and was telling me the story herself. Her witty inner thoughts and sarcasm throughout the book were one of my favorite things about the novel. I snickered or laughed out loud at least once per page (or so it seemed). Granted, the entire story isn't all happy and funny, but the way Dani tells it and the way that it's broken down - past, present, etc. - made me love her character all the more. 

To be honest, the plot was pretty obvious - just from reading the description. You know exactly what's going to happen - how the hot TV star and the nerdy movie intern end up falling for each other, despite the odds and obstacles in their way. It's nothing new - especially when it comes to chick flicks and most romance novels. It's the story in between that we get caught up in - and I love how the author wrote that part of the book. I adored watching Dani take the job at the TV show, meeting Tate and getting to know him - while he obviously gets to know her - and seeing them fall for each other. It's ridiculously romantic and kinda cheesy, but we all need that sometimes - at least I do. Like I said, the plot is completely obvious just from reading the description; but the story itself and the way that the author writes it makes this book stand out for me. Honestly, if the book wasn't written so well, I would have stopped reading it within a few pages. That's how much the writing style means to me - it can seriously make or break a book. In this case, it definitely made it - and then some. I can't say much more without repeating myself. Here's the bottom line: You know exactly what you're getting into when you open the book. The plot could be taken from any number of chick flicks or romances and it's obvious how it's going to end. It's what is between those two points - beginning and ending - that makes it so much fun to read. Like I said - Dani's character is realistic and incredibly easy to connect with. You'll be rooting for her during the whole book - especially when it comes to the romance parts with Tate. Some readers probably won't like this book due to the predictability - but others, like myself, will look past the corny story line and see the novel for what it really is - a love story written with such obvious talent and humor. That's what sold the book for me and I hope that you'll at least give it a shot - even if it's not your usual genre of choice. I very highly recommend it for readers who love contemporary romances - especially New Adult, as well as those looking for a masterfully written story with a witty heroine. This is a perfect summer read!

In fourth grade, Jenna put her classmates into a story about fire safety, and they laughed the entire time she read it aloud. Since then, she's been writing with the sole purpose to entertain other people. Fire safety, however, fell to the wayside when she accidentally set her grandmother's bathroom on fire when she was 12.

In 2010, she moved from Indiana to Los Angeles to intern at E!, and she is now a writer/editor/pop culture gatekeeper at E! Online. A Midwest girl who prefers Southern California weather, Jenna loves the Indianapolis Colts, saving Hyrule and training for her backup dream career: deciding what goes into the baskets on Food Network's Chopped. She currently resides in LA with her nerdy, handsome boyfriend Kyle and their two fluffier-than-normal cats, Glenn and Zelda.

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/jbomb11

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks

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The Secrets Between You and Me Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Secrets Between You and Me by Shana Norris! Today I'll be sharing my review of the book with you - and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

The Secrets Between You and Me (Stolen Kiss #2)

Author: Shana Norris

Genre: YA Contemporary

Release Date: February 10, 2015

Publisher: The Studio (a Paper Lantern Lit imprint)

Description:

4 wheels on a rusty truck. 2 gray eyes. 1 secret that could ruin everything.

All Hannah wanted was a summer break from being “perfect Hannah Cohen” and a chance to forget about the devastating family secret that could ruin her seemingly perfect life. So when she takes off for her eccentric aunt’s house in the mountains of North Carolina and everyone makes one big (wrong) assumption about her past, Hannah figures that it’s easier to live a lie than have to face the truth.

She never expected to make any real friends, like the hilarious and spontaneous Kate and Ashton, who drag her to late night bonfires and ice cream marathons. And she especially never counted on meeting Jude Westmore, the brooding bad boy next door with gray eyes and permanent oil smudges on his fingers, or that he would ever take an interest in her.

Between moonlit movie nights in the bed of Jude’s truck and nearly romantic Ferris Wheel rides, Hannah’s old life seems further away then ever, but can she keep her secret, or is the truth worth the risk of losing everything, including Jude?

THE SECRETS BETWEEN YOU AND ME is the second book in the Stolen Kiss Series by Shana Norris. However, It can be read as a standalone novel.

The Secrets Between You and Me is the endearing second novel in a young adult contemporary romance series. The story follows our leading lady, Hannah, as her life all but crumbles around her. Her picture perfect life is definitely not what it seems and Hannah can't take it anymore. She decides to spend the summer with her crazy aunt in North Carolina, hoping that it will help. Hannah never expects to find true friends or romance over the summer, but it just kind of happens. She meets Ashton and Kate, who drag her to bonfires and have ice cream marathons - and they prove to be real friends - not the fake ones she pretends to have back home. Enter Jude - the gorgeous, mysterious bad boy next door. She meets him on her way into town and they don't exactly get off on the right foot. But Hannah keeps seeing Jude - with the oil smudges on his hands and his beautiful gray eyes - and develops a huge crush. She didn't come to her aunt's house to find a boyfriend - and there's no way that a guy like Jude would ever be interested in someone like her - or so she thinks. The summer continues on - complete with rides on a Ferris Wheel and movie nights in the bed of Jude's truck, along with her friendship with Kate and Ashton growing stronger and her relationship with Jude become deeper. Hannah feels like her old life is a million miles away - and she wishes it could stay that way. But secrets have a way of getting out and she's finding it harder to lie to these important people in her life. Should she try to keep her secret as long as she can - or does she tell everyone the truth and risk losing everything?

I found this to be a pretty typical YA contemporary romance that had the same basic outline as many others in the genre. A "good girl" main character mysteriously falls for the gorgeous "bad boy" and so on. However, the author did a great job creating the characters as well as putting a sweet spin on the story, which I think makes it stand out from others in the same genre. I liked Hannah as a main character for a lot of different reasons. She was incredibly easy to relate to right from the beginning. Who hasn't had secrets about their life, family, themselves - that they didn't want anyone else knowing about? Hannah certainly does, so she puts on a mask and pretends like everything is great - like most other people do in those situations. Everyone reaches a breaking point though, which takes place when Hannah goes to stay with her aunt for the summer. Hannah was a strong female lead with intelligence, inner strength, perseverance, and kindness. She's easy for almost any reader to relate to, which makes it easier to slip inside her world. I loved watching Hannah's character grow throughout the book. She starts off with all these secrets she's keeping inside - all while wearing a mask that makes it seem like everything is fine. Once she gets to North Carolina and is finally able to go back to being just herself - we see a wholly different person. The reader gets to meet the real Hannah - with her hopes, fears, dreams, thoughts - everything. Hannah keeps shedding her fake self as her stay in North Carolina continues and she ends up making true friends that she can count on and trust - and meets someone she never thought would look twice at her, and even falls in love. Her character becomes so much more open and free throughout the book that she's barely the same person she was in the beginning. The secrets are definitely eating her up inside, but she's so afraid that her new friends and Jude will judge her and want nothing to do with her if they find out the truth. She doesn't want to lie to them about anything and she's sick of keeping the secrets, but she's terrified of losing these people who have come to mean so much to her. By the end of the book, Hannah's character has gone through a major transformation as well as maturation and a sense of self knowledge and peace. It was incredible to watch it happening during the story. I also loved watching Jude and Hannah get to know one another and open up a little bit at a time throughout the book, all while their feelings and relationship is growing and changing.

The parts of the book that really set it apart from others like it was, in my opinion, Hannah's detailed character growth throughout the story - along with her relationship with others, like Kate, Ashton, and mainly Jude. I felt the book was almost more of a character study of Hannah than anything else, with the secrets, challenges, and various relationships during the story only enhancing our understanding of Hannah and the growth she undertakes. It's a sweet and emotional story that reads easily and quickly. I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. There's a variety of feelings and emotions in the story - from happiness and laughter to desperation, depression, and anxiety - and then even trust, heartbreak, and love. I definitely recommend this book to fans of the YA contemporary genre, as well as readers who are looking for a good contemporary YA novel that focuses more on the main character and her journey with some romance thrown into the mix.

Don't Forget to Check Out Book #1:

Most days, Shana Norris still feels like she’s stuck at sixteen, which is probably why she enjoys writing about teens. She has faced her fear of heights to climb to the top of Chimney Rock near Asheville, NC, but she isn’t yet brave enough to go cliff-jumping into ponds. She lives in a small town in eastern North Carolina with her husband and small zoo of pets, which currently includes two dogs, five cats, and a flock of chickens.
 

Shana Norris has entertained millions of readers as the author of Troy High, the popular Swans Landing series, and The Boyfriend Thief, a companion book to The Secrets Between You and Me and a part of the Stolen Kiss collection.

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

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Chaos Blog Tour: Review

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Chaos by Lanie Bross! Today I have my review of the book to share with you!

Chaos (Fates #2)

Author: Lanie Bross

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Publisher: Delacorte

Description:

Can they change their destiny?

They kissed only once—and it was electric, like the air before a storm. But Corinthe and Luc broke the rules of the universe, and learned too late that their love would have consequences. In the dizzying aftermath, Luc refuses to accept his destiny—not if it means a life without Corinthe. As a fire rages through the Crossroads that connect worlds, Luc must find a way to turn back time and save Corinthe once and for all.

Meanwhile, Luc's 15-year-old sister Jasmine starts to realize things are not as they seem when time begins stuttering, sending her everyday life in San Francisco spinning into chaos. She’s thrown into the path of Ford, a troubled soul with a secret past, who helps her unravel the mysterious threads that connect them all.

Two breathtaking romances interweave across time in this story of what lies on the other side of Fate, as both Jas and Luc discover the incredible lengths they will go for love. 

Chaos is the second book in a young adult fantasy series that continues to explore the concepts of love, fate, destiny, and free will. The second book picks up where the first left off - after Corinthe and Lucas have kissed and broken the rules of the universe. Things are thrown into chaos because of their love, but Lucas refuses to give up and doesn't want any kind of future that doesn't include Corinthe. He must find a way to go back in time to save her - once and for all. The chaos that has been unleashed by Lucas and Corinthe is being felt all over the world, including San Francisco, where Lucas' younger sister - Jasmine - begins noticing strange occurrences that shouldn't be possible. In the middle of her confusion and the chaos that has taken over her life, she meets the handsome and mysterious Ford. He's the only one who can explain to Jasmine what's happening and why - and to understand the various threads that connect everyone despite time, location, or any other obstacle. Will Lucas be able to find a way to save Corinthe once and for all, so they can finally be together without terrible consequences? Will Jasmine - with Ford's help - be able to help her brother and his cause? Or are all of their efforts for nothing?

I found this to be an intriguing book that continues to mix mythology with deep life questions about fate, destiny, and true love. The main characters are both well written - Corinthe is an interesting female lead for the book. She's unique in so many aspects, yet easy to identify with at the same time. I enjoyed watching her relationship with Lucas continue to develop and grow throughout the story. I also really loved the introduction of the two new characters - Lucas' sister Jasmine and the mysterious Ford. Both pairs must learn to overcome obstacles and situations they never thought possible - all in the name of love. They each must answer the question of how far they will go for love. The author uses vivid descriptions and details throughout the story, so it was easy to envision myself beside the characters in their world. I loved learning all about Corinthe's world, along with all the other worlds that are discussed. Their intricate details and histories made the book all the more exciting and fun to explore. Aside from dealing with the mythology concerning the Fates, the book talks a lot about true love, fate, destiny, and free will. These are really deep topics and made me take a long and honest look at the various opinions about these beliefs as well as where I stand with them. It kind of blows our mind when you think about it, so I'm glad that the author wove the deeper topics into a lighter story about love and alternate worlds - it created a more even balance within the book to even it all out. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it's a fantastic second installment in a romantic and thought provoking series. I definitely recommend this book - and series - to fans of mythology and YA fantasy with romance.

Lanie Bross was born in a small town in Maine, where she spent the next 18 years dreaming of bigger places. After exploring city life, she and her husband and two young sons ended up coming right back to the wilds of Maine where they now live just one house down from where she grew up. Fate, perhaps? She loves chasing around her rambunctious kids, playing tug-o-war with her 95 pound Lab, and writing for Young Adults. Chaos is the sequel to Fates. 

Author Links:

http://www.leebross.com/

https://twitter.com/LanieBross

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5361693.Lanie_Bross

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

Indie Bound

 

Eternal Night Blog Tour: Review

Welcome to my stop on the ETERNAL NIGHT blog tour! Today I have my review of the book to share with you! Read on for more info on the book and the author.

Eternal Night

Author: Carina Adly MacKenzie

Genre: YA Fantasy/Mythology

Release Date: August 26, 2014

Publisher: The Studio (a Paper Lantern Lit imprint)

Description:

There are gods among us...

Six young gods are hiding in plain sight among mortals, living secretly in cities across the world. From lavish penthouse soirees to pulsing underground clubs, for them, the party literally never ends. Until now.

On a hot June morning, the body of a beautiful girl is found floating in the rooftop pool of the Jefferson Hotel, her white-ink tattoos revealing the story of a life much longer than seems possible. Only the immortals know the truth: Nadia was the goddess of hope. Now she’s gone, and the world as they know it is ending. The Hudson River has turned blood red. Storms rage overhead. Mania is rapidly spreading across the globe.

It is up to the remaining gods—Lola, Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike and Peitha—to put aside centuries of betrayal and heartbreak, and stop the mysterious source of darkness that is taking over… before the sun sets forever.

Carina Adly MacKenzie, writer for The CW's hit series "The Originals," has penned a steamy, romantic, and ultimately redemptive story of forgotten gods, the persistence of hope, and the power of love to save us. 

Eternal Night is a perfect blend of mythological gods and goddesses within a contemporary setting. The book focuses on the remaining six gods and goddesses who have basically lost their powers and now live on Earth among the mortals as regular people. Things seem to be going like the usually do, until the morning the paper reports an "angel" being found dead in a swimming pool at the top of the Jefferson Hotel. Right after that happens, the East River and the Hudson River turn blood red. The mythological friends gather to attempt to figure out what's happening. The truth is devastating - one of their own, a goddess named Nadia, was the "angel" who died in the pool. It now seems that an ancient prophecy detailing  the end of the world is beginning to come true - and it's up to the the remaining gods to stop the prophecy before the darkness takes over forever.

I have to admit that I was immediately drawn to this book after reading the description. Then, after finding out that the author is a writer for "The Originals" show on The CW - which I LOVE - I knew I had to get my hands on it. I didn't really know what to expect but I did have high hopes for the book because of the premise and how much I love the tv show. I'm so happy to report that I was definitely not disappointed in the least. The book is full of so many layers - from varying points of view to mythological histories and relationships between everyone - that it kept me eagerly reading until I finished the book (in one sitting). The book is told in an unique way. It is separated first into days and within the "day" chapters, there are several different characters telling a part of the story from their point of view. For example, we have Day 1 - and within that section of the book we'll hear from Dean, Lola, and Nike. The story really varies between all of the gods, so we get to know each of them very personally by the end of the book. I loved each of the gods. They all had unique personalities with distinct traits and flaws - which actually matched up with the ancient gods they are descended from. I thought this angle was a great touch by the author and it seemed to authenticate the characters as both mythological gods and realistic people at the same time. We learn a lot about each of the characters - their histories, relationships with one another, issues they are having or have been dealing with - basically everything that you could want to know. I honestly came to love (or at least like) all of them before the end of the book and found myself feeling like I knew them and could empathize easily with them all.

The plot of the book is phenomenal and wholly original. The author mixes various "end of the world" prophecies and stories together to create the situations in the book. I loved that she pulled from different cultures and religions to make the prophecy and how things are carried out according to it. The writing was magnificent - I honestly couldn't believe that it's the author's debut novel. I felt immediately transported into the story from the first paragraph and it was like I was right beside all of the characters as the story unfolded. There was a great amount of detail along with vivid imagery and descriptions that made it seem authentic and natural. The pace of the story was fast - some parts had me reading so fast I was afraid I was going to miss something because I just had to know what was going to happen. Overall, this is one heck of a debut novel. It blends so many genres together - action, fantasy, mythology, adventure, dystopia, romance, and more - that I don't think you can really pin it down to one category. And it shouldn't be labeled as just one. The author did a terrific job entwining the genres, the characters with all their histories and their issues, and the impending doom of the planet, into a mesmerizing novel that makes the reader beg for more. I very highly recommend this one to fans of mythology and fantasies, along with those who want something fresh and new - an honestly unique and outstanding novel. I'll definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the author's next release.

Favorite NYC books

When I was asked to put together a list of my favorite books about New York, the first book that came to mind was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. This isn’t just my favorite book about New York, it’s my favorite book, period. It’s a sprawling coming-of-age story about a family in NYC in the early 20^th century. I think I’ve read it a hundred times – I’m not exaggerating. One summer, my family was on a sailing trip, and my sister asked to borrow the book, and though I’d read it a thousand times, I was so jealous that she was reading it at that particular moment, I made her read out loud every time we were in the same room.  That is how much I love this book – I can start it at any point, open it up to any page, and just read. Every time I read it I find something new to love. Not only about the book, and about New York City, but also about coffee and pickles and the smell of paper.

The next book that came to mind is American Psycho. While I disagree with about 99% of everything Bret Easton Ellis has ever said, this book is a weird dark head-trip of a masterpiece. I re-read it recently after watching “Wolf of Wall Street” – because it seems like there’s a very fine line between Leonardo DiCaprio’s character and Patrick Bateman. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed. It’s not exactly the grittiest version of NYC, but oh man, if this isn’t the NYC I’d want to live in. In the YA realm, there’s none better than Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, a fun wintertime romance about an unlikely search for connection in a city that can feel kind of isolating.

Carina Adly MacKenzie grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she boldly defied the no-reading-at-the-dinner-table rule time and time again. After studying English at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Carina moved to Los Angeles to pursue a writing career. Carina was a television critic and entertainment reporter for Zap2it.com, the Los Angeles Times, and Teen Vogue, among other publications. Currently, she spends her days obsessing over vampire sibling rivalry as a writer for The CW's new drama, "The Originals." She loves coffee, Twitter, and her little dog Pacey. Eternal Night is her first novel. 

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