Blog Tour Review + Scavenger Hunt Giveaway: Endure by M. R. Merrick

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Valerie @ Stuck in Books. Please, help me welcome the incredible M. R. Merrick and his final book in The Protector series: Endure.
And to make things even more interesting there is a fun scavenger hunt giveaway for you all to enjoy so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

Endure

by M.R. Merrick
Series: The Protector #4
Release date: 5th June, 2013
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 274 (ebook received for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Wrapped in darkness and woven with defeat, every action Chase has taken since being exiled from the Circle has been met with a devastating response. Now he's been burdened with a quest that seems impossible, and he needs to evolve into something more, something greater than he ever thought he could be.

Armed with magic, friendship, and an unbreakable will, Chase must build an army and find a weapon capable of defeating the ultimate evil. But he knows that nothing great comes without sacrifice. Blessed by the very gods who have abandoned him and carrying the fate of all the worlds on his shoulders, Chase Williams is about find out just how much one man can endure.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Awakened by Kriston Johnson

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Xpresso Book Tours. Please, help me welcome Kriston Johnson and her book Awakened.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

Awakened

by Kriston Johnson
Series: The Legends Of Elyndia #1
Release date: 25th April, 2013
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 274 (ebook received for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Can fighting for the right side be the wrong thing to do?

Draven, the tyrant ruler of Elyndia for the last one thousand years, searches for the one who can fulfill his prophecy.

The Paladins, an elite band of warriors sworn to protect their way of life at all cost, search for the one with the ability to bring their world crumbling down.

An innocent girl, tormented by demons only she can see, lives on the brink of insanity and longs for a life of peace.

When seventeen-year-old Jade Rosenberg reads from an antique book, she has no idea she just read an incantation awaking her inherited power. But when opposing—and equally terrifying—groups invade her home, she learns she is descended from an enchanted realm and a member of a powerful race thought to have been hunted to extinction.

Ripped from her world, Jade is forced to seek refuge from those who want her dead. She is given one of two options and the time has come for her to make a choice: assassinate their sworn enemy...

Or sacrifice her soul.

Blog Tour Spotlight + This and That + Giveaway: Precipice, The Beginning by Kevin J. Howard

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Book Nerd Tours run by the well known Jean and Amber. Please, help me welcome Kevin J. Howard and his book Precipice.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Spotlight

Precipice, The Beginning

by Kevin J. Howard
Series: Precipice #1
Release date: 23rd November, 2012
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Pages: 482 (paperback edition)

Summary from Goodreads:

The End is only the Beginning....
It wasn't the first time Lieutenant Travis Daniels had been far from his wife and son. Leading an elite team on countless missions, dodging death at every turn-it was what he was trained to do. And returning to his family was always his driving force... but this time might be different. Imprisoned for an unsanctioned intrusion into a hot zone, Travis and his elite team took a deal to assist in the colonization of Mars to evade the death penalty. While stationed there, Travis' only source of sanity were the brief video conversations he was allowed with his family. When the last transmission received showed choppy images of the city in darkness and blurs of humanoid creatures running through the streets, Travis and his team must decide to either stay on Mars or find a way back to his family-unknowing of the hell that Earth has become.

You can buy it here:

You can find Kevin J. Howard here:

Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

This and That

“This or That”

by with Kevin J. Howard

- Paris or Venice: Very difficult, but as my wife hates pigeons, I will say Paris. Both cities are so beautiful and unique.
- Deodorant or Perfume: Deodorant, but with a pleasant smell.
- Winter or Summer: Winter. I love to write as snow falls on the trees in the backyard.
- Vampire Diaries or Twilight: I guess Twilight. To be honest I haven't seen either.
- Angels or Demons: Angels. An upcoming novel of mine, Closed Cell, is based on Michael the Archangel.
- Fall or Spring: Spring.
- Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter: This just isn't right, can't I pick both? :). Harry Potter I guess. Any novel that inspires so many children, teens, and adults to read is a winner.
- Ice Cream or Sorbet: Ice Cream, and my favorite is Gold Medal Ribbon.
- Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi
- Cabin in the woods or Condo on the Beach: I love the beach, but I am going to say a cabin in the woods. I love the woods.
- Kisses or Hugs: Hugs.
- Cash or Card: Cash. Cards are easier, but cash is more fun.
- Print or Ebook: Print, I need pages to turn.
- Voice or Text: I'm a text person. Technology has made it so easy to speak with so many, so quickly.
- Batman or Superman: Batman
- Wheat or White: Wheat bread. I'm just so used to eating it.
- Romance or Passion: Romance, of course. True romance leads to passion. In fact, my wife and I are working together to co-author a nonfiction book about romance.
- Night or Day: Night. I do my best writing at night.

Giveaway

- 4 winners will receive a signed copy of Precipice: The Beginning by Kevin J. Howard.

- 1 winner will receive a Poster and Bookmark of a surprise art by James Vallesteros.

- 7 winners will receive one bookmark of a surprise art by James Vallesteros.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's going on in Librarian Mouse?

First of all, my most sincere apologies to you all. Not only my posts are non-existent but also my blog disappeared for a few days...

So, what the heck is going on, right?! Well, I have a new job. And it's quite amazing -environmental stuff!- but it requires a lot of traveling and I've spent the last 23 days going all around Europe. Sounds awesome, I know, and it is but it can be really tiring too... Which is why, every time I finished work I couldn't, for the life of me, sit and write something. Which sucks.

And then suddenly I totally forgot to renew my domain which cause the blog to disappear! Thank goodness my husband wanted to show my blog to a friend and he noticed the problem which means he called me, completely freaking out, and asked me the id and password to renew it himself ^^U -BTW, thanks a lot, baby-.

In short, I'm really sorry. I don't know how am I going to balance work and blogging plus my family problems but I will try my best. And hopefully you will stuck with me and my crazy life :)

Two blog tours are coming around and a few new reviews so don't forget me because I always remember you all.

Lots of love,

Blog Tour Spotlight + Music Playlist + Giveaway: ReVamped by Ada Adams

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Book Nerd Tours run by the well known Jean and Amber. Please, help me welcome Ada Adams and her book ReVamped.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Spotlight

ReVamped

by Ada Adams
Series: Angel Creek #1
Release date: 20th February, 2012
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 291 (paperback edition)

Summary from Goodreads:

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

You can buy it here:

You can find Ada Adams here:

Twitter // Facebook // Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

Playlist

Music Playlist for ReVamped

by Ada Adams

I’m so bad when it comes to creating playlists! I always hear songs that remind me of characters, scenes, and themes of my books, but never manage to put them into a coherent list! So, for now, I enlisted some “ReVamped” readers and Team Misfits members to create a mini playlist. They also included the scenes that the songs remind them of. My readers are so much better at this than I’ll ever be!

Jaz @ Fiction in Fiction in Fiction

“Only Teardrops” by Emmelie de Forest - The story in general.
“I'll Back Off So You Can Live Better” by G.NA - Sebastian.
“Day by Day” by Lunafly – Dawn’s struggle with Aurora.
“U Remind Me” by Usher - Pretty self explanatory once you read the book.
“The Heart of Everything” by Within Temptation - Aurora!
“Eternity” ~Memory of Lightwaves~ Final Fantasy X-2 OST - No lyrics, but matches the calm moments of the book/memories.

Keely @ My Spin on Books

“Timeless” by Reece Mastin - Dance Scene
.
“Everything Has Changed” by Taylor Swift
.
“I Need Your Love” by Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Glouding - Aurora + Sebastian
.
“Stronger” (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson - When the team is cheering up Dawn
.
“Uprising” by Muse - Fight scenes
.
“What You've Done to Me” by Samantha Jade - Sebastian and Dawns relationship.

Andrew @ Dyadic Echoes

“Invincible” by Adelita's Way.

Anonymous

“Shake It Out” by Florence and the Machine - Dawn’s struggle with Aurora.

Don't forget to check...

ReAwakened

by Ada Adams
Series: Angel Creek #2
Release date: 27th November, 2012
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 540 (paperback edition)

Summary from Goodreads:

Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

Giveaway

- 2 winners will receive a signed copy of ReVamped and some swag.

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Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Runes by Ednah Walters

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Xpresso Book Tours. Please, help me welcome Ednah Walters and her book Runes.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

Runes

by Ednah Walters
Release date: 20th May, 2013
Publisher: Firetrail Publishing
Pages: 245 (ebook in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

Blog Tour Review: Gargoyle by Lorraine Beaumont

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by BB Book Tours run by the amazing Ashley. Please, help me welcome Lorraine Beaumont and her book Gargoyle.

Review

Gargoyle

by Lorraine Beaumont Series: The Gathering #1
Release date: 28th March, 2013
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 353 (kindle edition)

Summary from Goodreads:

Briar Cliff Township - New England's best kept secret...turns out is has a few secrets of its own.

For much of the year Briar Cliff is exactly the same as any other small town snugly nestled into the forests of the New England coast. But once a year when the winds change... old stirrings arise from long kept secrets, forgotten misdeeds and a thirst for vengeance.

And so the Gathering begins...Something Wicked this way comes...

Cover reveal: Addicted To You by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie

Addicted to You
by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie
Series: Addicted #1
Release Date: 1st July, 2013

Official synopsis:

Two addictions. One lie.

No one would suspect shy, Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again.

Now the only person who can truly help her, can barely help himself.

**This is a New Adult book recommended for readers 18 and up**

For those of you who are addicted to the blogosphere you may well know who Krista and Becca are, right? No? Well, they are the bloggers behind Nawanda Files and recently shared the news that they are publishing a book which is completely awesome!!! And honestly, I loved that cover :D

I can't wait to read their book because, let's face it, that blurb sounds intriguing to say the least.

And just because they are amazing like that there's a giveaway for you all. Enjoy, ladies!

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Blog Tour Spotlight + Playlist + Giveaway: Before You Go by Clare James

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Book Nerd Tours run by the well known Jean. Please, help me welcome Clare James and her book Before You Go.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Spotlight

Before You Go

by Clare James
Release date: 31st March, 2013
Publisher: Selfpub
Pages: 202 (paperback dition)

Summary from Goodreads:

Paralyzed by the past and terrified of the future, Tabitha Kelly is broken.

After a public sex scandal at her college, Tabby moves to a new city with a new school, convinced she can start over. But she soon realizes the changes are not enough. Tabby must take action to help her heal and move on from the past.
And though it sounds crazy, she believes a one-night stand is the best way to take back what’s hers. If she can choose where, when, and most importantly, who … maybe she can regain control.
First, she needs a willing participant.

She finds more than that when she meets Noah Adler.

Unfortunately, she can’t go through with it. And when she tries to forget about the plan—and the guy—it becomes impossible.

Noah quickly weaves his way into her new life and her heart. But as he comes dangerously close to discovering her secret, Tabby’s at risk of losing it all.

You can buy it here:

You can find Clare James here:

Twitter // Facebook // Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

Playlist

Click on the names to go to Youtube

Music Playlist for Before You Go

by Clare James

“All These Things That I've Done” – The Killers
“Lost in My Mind” – The Head and the Heart
“A Thousand Years” – Christina Perri
“Falling Slowly” – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
“O’ Children” – Nick Cave
“Maybe” – Ingrid Michaelson
“Be Okay” – Ingrid Michaelson
“Settle Down” – No Doubt
“Countdown” – Beyoncé

Giveaway

- 5 winners will receive a e-copy of Before You Go.
- 2 winners will receive a signed copy of Before You Go.
- 2 winners will receive a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card.
- 1 winner will receive a poster and bookmark of a surprise art by James Vallesteros.
- 10 winners will receive one bookmark of a surprise art by James Vallesteros.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Sacred Bloodlines by Wendy Owens

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Parajunkee Blog Tours. Please, help me welcome Wendy Owens and her book Sacred Bloodlines.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

Sacred Bloodlines

by Wendy Owens
Series: The Guardians #1
Release date: 21st November, 2011
Publisher: Four Bean Soup Publishing
Pages: 286 (kindle book in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Tragedy has defined Gabe's short existence in this world. An ominous darkness lurked on the edge of his existence until one day in a subway, strange things start happening. A series of events lead Gabe into a new and fascinating life filled with angels and demons, but he isn't sure if he wants to be a part of it.

Gabe is thrust into the middle of this exciting world that is full of things he has longed for in his life but it comes with a price. This new life also promises constant terrifying dangers that Gabe fears he may not be able to survive.

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:
If you are a fan of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and the Olympians then this is certainly a book for you. As the story goes we find a lost piece than needs to fin it's place in this world, and that piece is our main character.
He is a young orphan who only knows that he is alone and that he is different from everybody else... which can only mean one thing: somebody must hate him because those powers of his are a curse.

Or so he thinks.

Gladly for him he is found and brought closer to people who, just like him, have different abilities and accept him just the way he is. Now he only needs to learn to control his abilities and be ready to fight his nemesis: demons. Yup, Gabe is an angel. Sort of. And there are going to be a lot of fights in this new path.

As for the rest of the characters I can't say too much, specially if you are well versed in angelology since a lot of well known angels make an appearance.
Suffice to say the author takes some artistic license to mold the plot and make it her own.

I can't wait to read the next book :D

Alaiel's Rating:

You can order it here:

You can find Wendy Owens here:

Twitter // Facebook // Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

Giveaway

2 sets of Books 1-3


Angel Necklace


Demon Necklace

$25 gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Guest post + Giveaway: Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by ATOMR Blog Tours. Please, help me welcome Justina Ireland and her book Sacred.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Spotlight

Vengeance Bound

by Justina Ireland
Release date: 2nd April, 2013Vengeance Bound
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Pages: 320 (hardcover edition)

Summary from Goodreads:

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

You can order it here:

You can find Justina Ireland here:

Twitter // Facebook // Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

Guest Post

The Goddess Test meets Dexter

by Justina Ireland

When I first read my tagline I was like: “What? Does that even make sense?” If you didn’t know, publishers tend to write taglines on their own sometimes, since authors are known to be terrible at marketing. So when I first read it I was kind of thrown for a loop. But that was mostly because I hadn’t read The Goddess Test. Once I looked it up I had a total “A-ha!” moment.
Because it describes my book perfectly.
Vengeance Bound is very much like Dexter, only my main character is motivated by the Furies living in her head and not an innate need to kill. Like Dexter, Amelie lives in two different worlds: the life of a normal teenager by day and a killing machine by night. But unlike Dexter, Amelie isn’t happy with her life. She longs to have her own thoughts and dreams, and not just to continue on as an agent of the Furies.
The Goddess Test reference comes in due to the Greek mythology, although I don’t think my book has as much romance in it. Still, it does have a smidge.
Meh. I think you’ll like it.

Giveaway

- 2 Hardback copies of VENGEANCE BOUND plus a Swag Pack - US/Canada Only
- 5 Vengeance Bound Swag Packs - US/Canada Only
Swag pack includes:
Stickers
Deluxe Bookmarks
Rubber Bracelets
Nail polish
Lip gloss

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Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone

by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #1
Release date: 6th June, 2013
Publisher: Indigo (an Imprint of Orion Children's)
Pages: 320 (ARC in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

Blog Tour Spotlight + Guest Post + Giveaway: Sacred by Elana K. Arnold

Today I'm participating in a blog tour organized by Jean BookNerd Blog Tours run by the well known Jean. Please, help me welcome Elana K. Arnold and her book Sacred.
And to make things even more interesting there is a giveaway so remember to keep reading ;)

Spotlight

Sacred

by Elana K. Arnold
Release date: 13th November, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 368 (hardcover dition)

Summary from Goodreads:

Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.

You can order it here:

You can find Elana K. Arnold here:

Twitter // Facebook // Official Web

Remember to Follow the Tour

Guest Post

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?

by Elana K. Arnold

This is the thing about me. I have always wanted other people’s hair. One of my earliest hair-lusts was directed toward Anne of Green Gables. She hated her long, thick, red hair… I coveted it. “Covet” is not too strong a word. I choose it particularly, knowing its implications. To covet is to wish for earnestly, to desire that which belongs to another, inordinately or culpably.

I wanted Anne Shirley’s hair so badly that in seventh grade I poured an entire bottle of red food coloring over my head. My hair is blond, so it soaked up the dye readily. But I ended up pink instead of red, with a blotchy scalp and streaks of color down my neck, in my ears. It lasted for days and days.

In high school there was a girl, Julie Blackmore, who had a mane of thick dark brown hair, slightly wavy, that she wore some days in a high bouncy ponytail, other days like a river of chocolate down her back. Her hair smelled so good. I kind of hated her.

Even now, a grown woman, I suffer from hair envy. I know a writer—a famous writer, whose books have put her on the New York Times bestseller list, whose book is being turned into a movie by a big-time Hollywood star, who is on a first-name basis with Oprah. I am not jealous of these things. I cheer her on. I root for her, sure that if there is room in the universe for that kind of rock star success, surely a slice of it will come my way. I do, however, envy her hair.

It’s blond, like mine, but it grows long without splitting or turning into fluff at the ends. It frames her face the way people write about hair doing to faces. It looks good in all her Facebook pictures.

So what is the point of all this, of Anne’s and Julie’s and Cheryl’s beautiful hair? The point is this: their hair is not my hair. It will never be my hair. I can dye my hair, and curl my hair, and curse my hair, but still, alas, their hair will never become my hair. I can covet it, but I cannot possess it. And if I attempt to imitate it, all I will do is screw up the few things my hair does have going for it—it’s not oily; it’s not going gray; it grows all over my head.

And hair, of course, is not that different from a writer’s voice. You have one, already. As a speaking member of the English language (or any language, actually), you have a voice. As a reader, you know what you like to read. So I say—own your voice. Find what you love about what you have, and focus there. Keep reading—the way I continue to flip through slick-paged magazines, the way I always check my friend Jessica to see how she’s wearing her glossy brown locks. And then put words on the page. If you don’t like them, write more. And be gentle with yourself—there is time.

Watch Out For

Splendor
by Elana K. Arnold
Release Date: 12th November, 2013

Official synopsis:

The passionate romance that began in Sacred concludes in Splendor.

Scarlett loves the touch of her boyfriend, Will. But when he leaves Catalina Island to start college on the East Coast, she wonders whether their passion can survive a long-distance relationship—and whether she can face the home front on her own. Scarlett's senior year should be a breeze, but her parents have recently separated, and her already-wild best friend, Lily, is becoming involved with a dangerous boy named Gunner . . . a boy Scarlett is also attracted to. A boy she doesn't want to be—and shouldn't be—attracted to.

To take her mind off her troubles, Scarlett focuses on caring for her newly pregnant mare and delving deeper into the Kabbalah. Her religious exploration offers a way to stay connected to Will, who is a Kabbalah mystic, and a key to understanding her disturbing dreams about him. But as she gets wrapped up in her mare, her Kabbalah studies, and her conflicting feelings for Will and Gunner, Scarlett misses the warning signs that lead to a heartbreaking loss.

Burning
by Elana K. Arnold
Release Date: 11th June, 2013

Official synopsis:

Ben: Having just graduated from high school, Ben is set to leave Gypsum, Nevada. It's good timing since the gypsum mine that is the lifeblood of the area is closing, shutting the whole town down with it. Ben is lucky: he's headed to San Diego, where he's got a track scholarship at the University of California. But his best friends, Pete and Hog Boy, don't have college to look forward to, so to make them happy, Ben goes with them to check out the hot chick parked on the side of Highway 447.

Lala: She and her Gypsy family earn money by telling fortunes. Some customers choose Tarot cards; others have their palms read. The thousands of people attending the nearby Burning Man festival spend lots of cash--especially as Lala gives uncanny readings. But lately Lala's been questioning whether there might be more to life than her upcoming arranged marriage. And the day she reads Ben's cards is the day that everything changes for her... and for him.

Giveaway

- 3 winners will receive a signed copy of Sacred
- 1 winner will receive a poster, a bookmark, a button and a surprise art by James Vallesteros.
- 10 winners will receive one bookmark of a surprise by James Vallesteros.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Double Review: Sweetest Taboo and Tainted Love by Eva Márquez

This time I'm participating in a blog tour organized by with AToMR Tours. Help me welcome Eva Márquez and her two books: Sweetest Taboo and Tainted Love!

Review

Sweetest Taboo

by Eva Márquez
Series: Sweetest Taboo #1
Release date: 1st October, 2012
Publisher: Terra-Mía Press
Pages: 295 (eARC received for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart.

This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was: a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense – and sometimes reckless – fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship.

Join Isabel as she makes her way through this dark love story, hiding from teachers, lying to her parents, and defying the authorities to make a life with the man she loves. Watch as she discovers the wonders of love and romance, and the terrible betrayal of jealous friends. And cry with her when she learns the hard truth about life and the people in her world.

Sweetest Taboo is inspired by the true and tragic stories of students who fall in love with their teachers, and live with the hard truths of forbidden romances. In a world full of after-school specials on sexual predators, this touching book seeks a different path, casting both student and teacher in a gentle light, and showing that true love may lie at the base of even the most illicit romance.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

Today I'm participating in another blog tour organized by Xpresso Book Tours -run by the awesome Giselle-, please, help me welcome Heather Topham Wood and her book First Visions.
And to make things even more amazing there are two giveaways so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

Things I Can't Forget

by Miranda Kenneally
Series: Hundred Oaks #3
Release date: 1st March, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 320 (eARC received for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: First Visions by Heather Topham Wood

Today I'm participating in another blog tour organized by Xpresso Book Tours -run by the awesome Giselle-, please, help me welcome Heather Topham Wood and her book First Visions.
And to make things even more amazing there are two giveaways so remember to keep reading ;)

Review

First Visions

by Heather Topham Wood
Series: Second Sight #1
Release date: 27th April, 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 230 (eARC received for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother’s home.

Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can’t control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.