Summer Lovin' Book Tag

Today I'm participating in the Summer Lovin' Book Tag since I'm kind of sad that summer is over. It kind of seems like the time flew by way too quickly, but that's besides the point. As always, check out the original tag video HERE over on Richard Denney's Youtube Channel.

Start of summer: Pick a book with an attention grabbing first sentence?

I’m going to pick Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. With this series I actually started with the second book, read the last one, all before I went back to start the trilogy from the beginning. “The Austrian horses glinted in the moonlight, their riders standing tall in the saddle, swords raised.” It was the perfect opening for the novel.

Too hot to go Out: Pick a book for a day in?

I would pick any book from the Double Vision series (Double Vision, Code Name 711, The Alias Men) by F.T. Bradley. 

Summer Road trip: Pick a book you’d take with you on the road?

If I was going to take a book with me I would probably choose Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. It’s been a very long time since I read it so it would be kind of nice to finally reread it. 

Iced Tea Goodness: Pick a book with a cold setting?

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep (There was lots of snow in this book.)

Nasty Sunburn: A book you really disliked (so far) this year?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. You can read my thoughts on the novel HERE, but there were factors that I didn't like and I found it difficult to get into the story.

Sizzling Read: Recommend one of your favorite books?

I really can't decide between Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham and Love Fortunes and Other disasters by Kimberly Karalius. I recommend both of them because they were great books.

And that's it. Don't forget to check out Richard Denney's Youtube Channel, and if you want to do this tag, go for it, because I tag you. Happy reading!

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title:The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Source/Format: Won, Paperback
More Details: Young Adult, Historical, Horror,  
Publisher/Publication Date: Balzer + Bray, January 29, 2013

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository     

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect...

The synopsis says “Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau,” and I definitely got what I was looking for with The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd. The overall feel was pretty creepy given the themes that heavily influenced the story and the setting—there were always those lingering details that hinted at underlying mysteries—not everything was as it seemed.

The beginning started out by introducing Juliet Moreau, showing the situation she was left in after a scandal involving her father ruined her family. And when I say ruined, I really mean that the incident absolutely decimated their reputation. And London was a society based on reputation. It wasn’t a kind place to Juliet—proven by her living situation and current employment. But the interesting portions of the novel definitely happened after she departed from London for the tropical island in search of her father.

Juliet was a pretty good protagonist—minus her indecisiveness about her two main love interests. Juliet’s father was also a main focus of the story, and the broken bonds between the two were well developed. It was easy to see that Juliet was clinging to the vision she had of him as a child—she tried really hard to see the good in him—and for a second there I almost bought it. Throughout the novel things began to happen which slowly picked apart the first appearances shown by most of the characters. Everyone had their secrets. There was bitterness, but it was expected and justified.

The Madman’s Daughter was a long book, but I liked its length and the details put into developing the story and the setting. The horror aspect is another detail worth noting because it was done well, and by the time I got to the end I still had a lot of unanswered questions about the fate of the characters. Needless to say, I am curious to know how the trilogy ends. (Actual rating 4.5)

Release Week Blitz & Giveaway: Sweet Temptation by Wendy Higgins

I am so excited that SWEET TEMPTATION by Wendy Higgins releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this series by Wendy Higgins, be sure to check out all the details below. And don't forget to check out the giveaway for a paperback of the book with a signed bookplate and bookmarks! US only. 

Title: SWEET TEMPTATION

Author: Wendy Higgins

Pub. Date: September 8, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 485

Format: Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.

Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.

Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.

Sensual and swoon worthy, this companion volume to the acclaimed Sweet Evil series from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, told from the perspective of the irresistibly sexy and mysterious Kaidan Rowe, gives readers revealing insights into his struggle, his intense connection to Anna, and most of all, the true emotions that drive him.

A note from the author...

Sweet Temptation will encompass the entire trilogy in a condensed version, beginning with Kai's life before he met Anna, and taking readers through the epilogue of Sweet Reckoning. Sweet Temptation is a companion novel, not meant to be a stand alone story. It will definitely be a richer experience for those who have read the original trilogy...

Go HERE to read an excerpt from Sweet Temptation! Also check out Wendy's PINTEREST board for Kai!

About Wendy Higgins:

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil series from HarperTeen and her independently published Irish fantasy, See Me. She is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and doggie Rue. 

Wendy earned a bachelor's in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

Connect with the author...

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | INSTAGRAM

And now for the giveaway. Up for grabs is one paperback copy of Sweet Temptation, a signed bookplate, and bookmarks. This giveaway is US Only and ends on September 18th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Friday 56 (35) The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

This week my 56 comes from my current read The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd. This is a book that's been sitting on my shelf for a while and I decided to give it a go. So far, it's good. 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood...

"I should have told Lucy she couldn't visit. Where I was going, she couldn't come. It was a bit farther than Bedford."--The Madman's Daughter Megan Shepherd



What's on your page 56 this week?

Review: The Body in the Woods by April Henry

Title:The Body in the Woods
Author: April Henry
Source/Format: Won, ARC 
More Details: Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Henry Holt and Co., June 17, 2014

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods. Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own...

The Body in the Woods was an interesting mystery that had some faults, but offered an entertaining reading experience. The details about the search and rescue teams are what drew me into the story, which quickly set the stage for the conflict of the novel, and as the title suggests, there was a body in the woods. The stories primary focus was on the mystery, which was never lost underneath a pile of extraneous details. It was straight forward from start to finish. The characters were another thing worth noting since they came from varied backgrounds. Ruby with her interests that were often looked upon with disapproval by her parents, Nick with his need to prove that he can do something worthwhile, and Alexis with her struggles—financially and dealing with her mentally ill mother. The Body in the Woods was definitely a whodunit complete with amateur sleuths wrapped up in a complicated mystery. I actually liked it and would consider checking out another novel by April Henry if I’m ever in the mood for a mystery again.