Book Review: Towering by Alex Flinn

Towering by Alex Flinn

My Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars

Publication Date: May 14th 2013 by HarperTeen

Blurb:  At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now. 

My Review:

**I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.**

Alex Flinn is the author of two of my all time favourite fairy tale re-tellings,A Kiss In Time and Bewitching.While I didn't like Beastly much even though it was the book which made her popular among YA lovers,the two aforementioned titles managed to impress me, enough for me to put her in my "top modern re-telling authors of all time" list.(Yes,I actually have a list like that conjured up somewhere in my mind)   

So after Bewitching, it was quite natural that I'd have high hopes for Towering right?Even though I saw a few negative feedbacks from some of my most trusted bloggers,I didn't let that waver my enthusiasm.After all,I know quite a few people who didn't like A Kiss In Time at all but that didn't stop me from loving every minute of it!But sadly,that was not the case with this one.For me,it was one of those books which I was trying too hard to like but then,after remembering the real reason why I actually read books,stopped trying and just let myself go with the flow.The idea of the story itself was great,but I just felt that it wasn't utilized enough to make the story enjoyable as a whole.

The characters,on the other hand,were a bit better portrayed in comparison to the storytelling.But again,just like I mentioned before,they were still not utilized enough.It's a bit like when you make a dish with your own recipe but forget to put in the secret key ingredient which gives the dish its spark.So it just turns out to be plain and a bit bland as well. THAT,is exactly how I felt when reading Towering,like I was biting onto a steak which had all its juice leaked out.You get what I mean right?

There isn't much more to say about Towering seeing that I didn't like the book and since I try to avoid snark in most of my reviews,I prefer to keep them short and simple when they're negative.However,if you would really like to get your hands on a good Rapunzel re-telling,I'd suggest that you try Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett.Even though it was a relatively shorter read and comes from a smaller publisher,it is an absolutely adorable and a wonderfully refreshing story.

However,if you're still willing to give Towering a shot,I'll be having a giveaway soon.It will probably be a giveaway with one of my upcoming reviews of another Harper title where you will have to order that title to enter as your main entry but I'm not sure yet.But check back on the blog from time to time if you're interested.

Other Reviews for this Book: 

Mel@TheDailyProphecy
Benji@TheNonReluctantReader
Kate@TheBookaholicBlurbs


                                                       

Blog Tour: Chantress Guest Post by Amy Butler Greenfield + Giveaway!!

 

 **P.S this post was supposed to go up on Saturday but blogger failed me yet again with its poor abilities in putting up scheduled posts on time so here it is, a day later. :( **

Hi guys!I am so excited to be a part of the Chantress blog tour,hosted by Shane@ItchingForBooks.

For my stop I've got an awesome guest post from the author on worldbuilding and of course,a giveaway as well.You can check out the rest of the tour stops here.

 

About Chantress :

Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful — and most hunted — girl in England.

“Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing — and she is swept into darkness.

When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses — women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England.

Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion…

Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.

Release date: May 7th 2013

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Purchase: Amazon

 

About the author :

 

Amy Butler Greenfield was a grad student in history when she gave into temptation and became a writer. Since then, she has become an award-winning author. 
Born in Philadelphia, Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief.

Official links: www.amybutlergreenfield.com | twitter.com/ab_greenfield

Book Trailer :

 

Amy's world building guest post :

 

Chantress is the story of a girl who sings magic in a world that forbids it—and finds herself in the middle of a life-and-death struggle for the future of her country.  Its setting is an unusual one, based on a time and place that stole my heart long ago: London in the 1600s.

 

The London part is easily understood.  After all, I’m far from the first to fall for that ancient and endlessly fascinating city.  But why the 1600s?  Compared with the popular Tudor and Victorian periods, the seventeenth century languishes, almost a forgotten era in fiction.

 

And yet it’s one of the most gloriously intriguing centuries ever.

 

Mind you, I didn’t always see it that way.  For a long time, the 1600s just meant Pilgrims and Puritans to me—worthy but not hugely engaging.  But the century came alive for me when I read The Witch of Blackbird Pond, set in Connecticut in the 1680s  How could I not be interested in a time and place that had witch hunts and seafaring and spirited, rule-breaking girls? 

 

It was only when I came to study history in England, however, that I really fell in love with the 1600s.  What an extraordinary—and dangerous—time to be alive!  Terrorists almost blew up Parliament and the King.  Civil War raged.  The first coffeehouses were springing up, and chocolate and tea were brand new.  Alchemists abounded.  Scientists were working out the mysteries of the universe.  And the women—oh, the women!  They were spies and playwrights and actresses and artists and travelers.  They had nerves of steel.  They were women of wit and laughter and fire.

 

Chantress’s London is based on this world. It’s a London of twisty streets and half-timbered houses and secret passageways beneath great mansions.  Just like the real 1660s London, it has clockmakers, apothecaries, engravers, street criers, alley brats, and dapper aristocrats. 

 

Some of the great landmarks of London are there, too, including the River Thames and the Tower of London and its ravens.

But there is one truly vital distinction between this London and the real one:  In Chantress, there is magic. 

 

In Chantress’s world, the King and his Court really are blown up—and a cruel Protector uses magic to seize control of England.  Using terrifying creatures called the Shadowgrims, he holds the kingdom hostage.  He destroys all magic-workers who might have a chance of defeating him, except one—a girl who’s been hidden out of his reach.  A girl who doesn’t even know she’s a Chantress… until she sings.

 

If you read Chantress, it’s my wish that you’ll slip as easily into this world as I did.  I’d love to have you experience the danger and romance and mystery of its streets—to shiver when the fog rolls in, to feel a surge of fear when a Shadowgrim draws close.  And when the book ends, I’m hoping a small piece of seventeenth-century London might just have a hold on your heart, too.

  

GiVeaWaY!!

Every tour stop on the Chantress blog tour comes with a giveaway!!!And mine's no different.Use the rafflecopter below to enter.

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An Insight Of The Characters' World: Guest Post + Giveaway by Liesl Shurtliff

This is a feature where I ask authors to do a guest post discussing about the world building of their books and share their experiences in creating the world for their characters.For more information on this feature,click HERE.

Today,Liesl Shurtliff stops by at Daydreaming Bookworm to discuss about the world building of her MG debut,Rump,which is a retelling of  Rumpelstiltskin.Thanks so much for stopping by,Liesl! :)

ABOUT RUMP:

In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.






ABOUT LIESL:

Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!
Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and three young children, where she still dreams of the mountains. Rump is her first novel.

  



LINKS:

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

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Liesl's Guest Post:

An Insight of the Characters' World:

RUMP: THE TRUE STORY OF RUMPELSTILTSKIN by Liesl Shurtliff

When I started to write a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, I decided I wanted to stick pretty closely to all the major events of the original tale, the unique shift being in the point-of-view character. My Rumpelstiltskin was going to be a loveable hero, so how could I explain all the strange and horrible things he does in the original tale? The world of Rump plays and intricate and vital role in accomplishing this seemingly impossible task.   

Names

From what I recall, my very first idea for this story was that names would be at the center of Rump’s world. That made total sense to me. In the original Grimm’s tale of Rumpelstiltskin, it is his name that is the key in the end, though we don’t know exactly why or how. Some folklorists believe that Rumpelstiltskin was a demon that wanted the baby to feed upon, and discovering a demon’s true name gives you power over him. This answer seems logical enough, but I wanted to defy logic. My Rumpelstiltskin had to be loveable.

So the first thing I realized about this world was that names were intricately tied to a person’s destiny. Your name affects your future, how people judge you and treat you. A name might reveal social status or a particular power or virtue. It might also reveal weakness or the sorrowing of a parent. Though it’s magnified in the world of Rump, this is not wholly unfamiliar territory in the real world. Names have always held great meaning and power in many cultures; I just took it to another level. With Rump in particular, his name reveals a gap in his identity. His mother died before she could reveal his entire name, leaving him with a rather embarrassing portion. This is the starting point for the entire story.

 

Magic

 

Names were the easy part to work with in this world. It was an obvious choice from the beginning, but what about the magic of this world? As I considered other aspects of the tale, such as spinning straw into gold, I had to consider a magic system. Who could use magic? What were the consequences of its use? I felt the more specific and concrete the answers, the better. For Rump, the magic of spinning straw into gold is deeply rooted in his family history, as are the consequences of that magic, which don’t reveal themselves right away. And without giving away too much, Rump’s magic is also connected to his name.

Magical Creatures

 

Though I did not want to create a high fantasy world full of elves, dwarves, centaurs, mermaids, dragons, etc. I wanted Rump’s world to be magical beyond just the use of magic. That is, I wanted some magical creatures. This part was slower for me, probably because it intimidated me. I like magical worlds, but they also need to have some basis in logic in order for them to be satisfying, and I don’t like to make things up just to add flavor and intrigue to the story. Anything that pops up in my story, in the end, must have a necessity. So the pixies and gnomes and trolls that Rump runs into along the way are all entertaining in their own way, but they also each play roles in moving the story along and even bringing about the resolution. 

Building the world of Rump was challenging, but so rewarding as I found those moments of connection between the fantasy and reality. That’s when a fantasy world really comes to life.

 GIVEAWAY!!!

 

Liesl is giving away a signed copy of RUMP and a bookmark to one lucky INTERNATIONAL winner!Enter using the rafflecopter below and check the Terms And Conditions on the widget for the rules.Good Luck! :)



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Book Review: Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

My Rating : 3.5 0f 5 stars

Publication date: February 7th 2013 by Corgi

Blurb: Vis in magia, in vita vi. In magic there is power, and in power, life.

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley waited for the day when her Resource would be harvested and she would finally be an adult. After the harvest she expected a small role in the regular, orderly operation of the City within the Wall. She expected to do her part to maintain the refuge for the last survivors of the Wars. She expected to be a tiny cog in the larger clockwork of the city.

Lark did not expect to become the City’s power supply.

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley believed in a lie. Now she must escape the only world she’s ever known . . . or face a fate more unimaginable than death.

My Review:   

**ARC received from Random House U.K in exchange for an honest review.**

Despite the fact that dystopias are really "in" right now and that I have read so many of them throughout the year,Skylark still managed to leave a lasting impression.Like lots of dystopias,the background of the story focuses on an oppressive dictator government ruling over a community formed after some great war.But while the building blocks of the story may be a lot like common dystopian novels,the way the author develops her story from those building blocks is what makes Skylark unique.

In Skylark,Meagan Spooner gives a perfect example of hope when all is lost and a protagonist with a strong will to protect what she loves.She also put a lot of emphasis on the story through a paper lark,which I found to be really beautiful.In fact,I bet that the paper lark was probably my most favourite thing throughout the story.I might have liked it even more than the characters!While Skylark may sound a lot like your typical dystopian novel, the author's way of putting the story down into words gives it a lot more radiance.

Skylark is an absolutely must-read for fans of Delirium and Mystic City and perfect for a quick read as well since it is really easy to get into.I think that the content of the book makes it suitable for middle-grade readers as well,giving it an opportunity for a larger audience.So if you're a lover of dystopias then Skylark is one book you do not want to miss out on!

Like what you read so far?Think Skylark may be exactly what you're looking for?Check out my guest post with author Meagan Spooner and enter to win a U.K edition copy of Skylark.Contest is open to everyone outside North America.HERE is the link.Good Luck!!!

Book Review: The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton

The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars


Publication Date: August 30th 2012 by Double Day

Blurb: For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose - she's protective of the magic, and is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. But one morning while Mab is attempting a particularly tricky spell, she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise a few personal demons of his own. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But soon, secrets that were kept from Mab by earlier generations of blood magicians are revealed, and she and Will are drawn back together, united against a dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power.

My Review:

 ** I received a finished copy of this book from Random House U.K in exchange for an honest review.** 

 **Please note that my entire review may be based on a comparison to Tessa Gratton's debut,BLOOD MAGIC,because I just couldn't help it. >.<**

THE BLOOD KEEPER was better than it's first novel, BLOOD MAGIC,in so many ways.It had a lot more vibrant and clear voice in its journal entries and more admirable characters as well.The entire story was not that exceptional but the author managed to spice it up with her way of writing.While we do catch brief glimpses of some of the old characters from BLOOD MAGIC,the entire story focuses on the two new characters,Mab and Will.

At first I was a bit reluctant with this foreign setting as I thought that I might miss the old characters Silla and Nick,but as I proceeded on with the story I found Mab and Will so delightful that by the time I was done,I forgot all about my reluctance.I was more than eager to welcome these new characters to take Silla and Nick's place.

My favourite narrator of the story was Mab.She is one character that I will definitely remember.Her wild personality which later turned tame was much more exciting to read about than Silla's one (Her's WAS a bit morbid.) and she had a lot more interesting tricks up her sleeve.

I'd recommend this to readers who loved Blood Magic and even to those who did not,because trust me when I say that this book is a whole lot different than BLOOD MAGIC.

You can check out my review of BLOOD MAGIC HERE.


 

An Insight Of The Characters' World: Guest Post + Giveaway by A.G. Howard

This is a feature where I ask authors to do a guest post discussing about the background of their books and share their experiences in creating the world in which the characters are portrayed.This feature is mainly meant for authors who write YA/MG novels.For more information
,check out my blog page on this feature.


I would like to thank A.G. Howard for doing such a wonderful guest post for my blog.Today she shares her experiences in creating the characters' world for her debut,SPLINTERED,which will be in stores on January 1st,2013.Before moving on to the guest post,here's a little bit about A.G. Howard and her book.

SPLINTERED by A.G. HOWARD

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child. When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse

 

Contact info:

Goodreads

FaceBook

Twitter

Website

Now moving on to Anita's (A.G.Howard's) awesome guest post:

The idea for my Alice in Wonderland spinoff originated when I went to see the Tim Burton & Disney Alice adaptation. My main research was to re-read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. I’m a very organic writer and often write without a plot in mind, but with Splintered, there were a few things I went in knowing: 

1.    I wanted my main character, Alyssa, to converse with bugs and flowers, because the talking flower scenes in Carroll’s two books, the Disney cartoon, and the Tim Burton/Disney rendition, were some of my favorites. Also, I always remembered the scene from Through the Looking Glass when Alice is riding a train through the countryside and has a conversation with a gnat. Those were such quirky and indelible images that I just had to incorporate them somehow.

2.    I needed my heroine to be tied to the original tales in a very visceral way. Melanie Benjamin’s book, Alice I Have Been, sparked the idea to make Alyssa a descendant of Alice Liddell, the real-life girl who actually inspired Carroll to write his story to begin with. The blood tie to the Liddells became the basis for all of the weird aspects of Alyssa’s life, including the talking bugs and flowers.

3.    I wanted a colorful/vivid world edged with creepiness for my Wonderland setting. To help me visualize, I started gathering pictures into my Splintered synopsis and character folder of anything “Alice-esque” for inspiration. When I Googled for images, I sought out “gothic” Alice themes. If you’d like a peek at some of the images I drew inspiration from, hop over to my Warped and Wonderful Inspirations pinterest board. I found that I was drawn to pictures tinged with an “aura of Alice”, but completely different from the original. This led me to go one step further and not only warp the settings, but warp the original characters in unexpected ways—enough that it would throw my heroine and hero for a loop when they first saw them. But there needed to be an explanation for “why” everything was so different, so I came up with one. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is. ;)

4.    I wasn’t going to rely on the Mad Hatter or Cheshire Cat as my heroine’s enigmatic guide in Wonderland (as other adaptations have). One of my favorite characters doesn’t get nearly enough screen time in the remakes that I’ve seen. So I chose him as the most pivotal player in Wonderland, and gave him a whole new identity and back story. :)

(I totally agree with Anita on this part ;) )

5.    I wanted the heroine, Alyssa, to turn to her mother’s copy of Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece to help her solve riddles and fix her life.  

The most important thing to me was that Splintered be a tribute to the original Lewis Carroll tales. If I can inspire even one person to read the original, I’ve accomplished my goal. ^.^ Thanks for having me over, Bonita!

And this guest post also comes with a giveaway!Anita was generous enough to donate the following stuff to three lucky international winners:

1)ONE signed hardcover of SPLINTERED 

2)A swag pack :(see picture below)

 

From left to right: ONE signed SPLINTERED bookmark,ONE vintage ALICE IN WONDERLAND gift tag,and ONE signed bookplate.

3) A SPLINTERED inspired key "necklace".

 

 To enter, use the rafflecopter below.Check the terms and conditions on the rafflecopter widget for the rules.Good luck on winning! :) 
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Book Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Splintered by A.G. Howard

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publication date: January 1st 2013 by Amulet Books 

Blurb: Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

My Review:

**I received an  ARC (Uncorrected Proof) of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**

SPLINTERED is probably one of my best 2012 reads.And I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say that.A.G. Howard's version of the world on the other side of the looking glass that Lewis Carroll had created for us so long ago is one that you'll keep wanting to relive over and over again until you have every nook and corner memorized in your head.I have read this book from the start to the finish THREE times and every time I read it,I still find new things that I haven't noticed or haven't thought of before.Remember when you look for a book to buy in hardcover that you'll re-read again and again whenever you've got spare time?Well SPLINTERED is definitely that type of book.It has the right amount of action,adventure,fantasy and yes,as I dare say it,romance.Though there is a slight love triangle alert.But then again,what YA novel is complete without a love triangle?Us teenagers devour those things along with hot guys. ;)

I also loved the author's new concepts of wonderland.The rabbit,the caterpillar,Cheshire Cat...all of the characters which we were familiar with from Alice In Wonderland are brought to a new light and given a new voice.It truly was absolutely fascinating getting to know them all over again.

And last,but not least,the best thing about SPLINTERED is probably its main characters which Carroll definitely should have included in his version of Wonderland.Their roles were set wonderfully to fit in with the story and all of their dialogues were really fun to read.Here's a bit more about them:

Alyssa: Descendant of Alice Liddell,the Alice from Alice In Wonderland.But she's totally different from the Alice we are familiar with.I bet Alice wouldn't dare step on a skateboard or get dreadlocks for her hair.*snickers* If Lewis Carroll was alive right now,he'd probably have a heart attack if he saw Alice's descendant.

"I have this character flaw?Called dignity?"

                                   -Alyssa,Splintered

Jeb: Alyssa's long-time crush.Hot guy alert!This guy's absolutely awesome(and the first fictional crush I've ever had who ISN'T a bad boy) but he's got a piercing on his lip so I'm not sure if my mum would approve of him.But he's totally swoonworthy.He's protective of Alyssa and is an artist too. Alyssa's quite lucky to have a guy like that by her side.To be frank,I'm jealous!

“I go where Al goes, dances-with-bugs. And just so you know, if anything happens to her,

I'll pin you by your wings to a corkboard and use you for dart practice.”

                                                                                                        -Jeb,Splintered

Morpheus: A mysterious character in Wonderland who gets Alyssa's heart racing.In other words,he's the bad boy of this story.Anything more than that would be counted as spoilers.

"Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible."

                                                                                   -Morpheus,Splintered

SPLINTERED is one book you definitely do not want to miss out on.It will make you see Alice In Wonderland from a whole new aspect and who knows?Maybe it might make you pick up the unabridged version all over again,and this time not because it is included in your school curriculum.

Already excited to read SPLINTERED and can't wait?Check back at my blog tomorrow for an awesome guest post with A.G. Howard and an opportunity to win a signed hardcover of SPLINTERED along with other prizes.

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Conjure by lea Nolan

Guess what guys?!Today I'm doing an exclusive cover reveal of Conjure on behalf of Lea Nolan and Entangled Publishing.It's sooo gorgeous!Just take a look at it:

 The colours,texture all of it is just so wonderful! XD And here's the blurb of the book to which this super awesome cover belongs to!

Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Likey?Then add Conjure to your TBR pile on goodreads or find Lea Nolan at her website or twitter. 

Now on to the second part.Also,along with this Cover Reveal comes a fabulous giveaway!Yes people,not one,but FIVE digital ARCs of Conjure.Just use the rafflecopter widget below to enter. 
 

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