Now, 2013 wasn't all bad, amidst all the
misses there have been some really great hits.
Such as the books listed below:
Double Vision: Code Name 711 by F.T. Bradley
The Rithmatist by BrandonSanderson
Ink by Amanda Sun
Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
Midnight Frost & Spartan Frost by Jennifer
Estep
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban
This is what Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman
A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris
Blurred by Tara Fuller
The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
Pivot Point by Kasie West
Hiding out at the Pancake Palace by Nan Marino
The Collector by Victoria Scott
Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
The Seven Swords by Nils Johnson-Shelton
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
I'm sure I missed a few, but you get the point. So, what were your favorite books of 2013?
Monday, December 30, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
Title: Curtsies & Conspiracies (Click title for Synopsis)Source/Format: Won, Hardback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Novermber 5, 2013 Little Brown Books for Young Readers
My Thoughts:
Curtsies & Conspiracies (C&C) by Gail Carriger was an interesting read—one that I happened to enjoy considering the lack of enthusiasm I’ve had for reading lately. I found the overall writing style and plot refreshing. It was nice to see an alternative-history based book targeted at a YA audience. I wasn't familiar with the characaters because I didn't read the first book prior to diving into C&C. But, I didn’t have any trouble following along with Sophronia’s adventures. As a main character, Sophronia was alright, and I liked seeing the relationships she developed with the people around her. She had a habit of being a bit nosey, but she did it with good intentions. There were a whole host of characters, but to avoid spoiling anything, I won’t go into them. Now as for the school, well, it’s one I’d like to attend after all it is in a dirigible. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing School was a creative take on the boarding school concept sometimes found in YA. My only problem with C&C is that all the action, albeit brief as it was, happened at the very end of the book. And at times, the pacing seemed to slow down. But that didn’t hamper my overall enjoyment of the C&C. To sum it up, I liked Curtsies & Conspiracies, and I’m even more curious now than ever to see how the whole series started.
Check out the Trailer for the book below!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
MOVIE, BOOK, OR BOTH? The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Directed by Peter Jackson Review
So there's an occasional thing we like to do on Our Thoughts Precisely. We'll go see a movie and then read the book after to see if there are any differences, if it's more detailed and whatnot. All to see if we like the Movie, the Book, or Both. So it's only fitting that we call it: Movie, Book, or Both? Now before I get to my thoughts on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, take a look at the awesome trailer!
Title:The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenwriter(s): Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens & Guillermo del Toro
Rating: PG-13
Official Site: Click Here
Release Date: December 13, 2013
My Thoughts:
Thanks to 760 AM KFMB, I attended an Advanced Screening of The
Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I usually like to indicate if I liked the movie,
book, or both. I haven’t read the book, so for now let me just say that The
Desolation of Smaug is one of my favorite movies of 2013.
Although, I enjoyed The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey. It was fairly slow paced and some of the scenes were drawn-out, so I
was unsure of what to expect from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Was it
slow paced? Absolutely not. The Desolation of Smaug was action packed early on.
The battle scenes were epic and somewhat
graphic with disturbing images as indicated in the movies ratings; yet,
skillfully depicted. I don’t usually
like to watch movies in 3D, but this was the perfect effect for this movie. I
can’t speak for anyone else, but I found myself jumping off the seat during a
couple of the unpredictable action sequences. The movie kept me glued to the
screen. I was so captivated by the movie that I lost track of time. And just
right smack at the height of the action, there’s a turning point—and then the
end that left me saying, “Noooooo, you just can’t end the movie like this. A
big cliffhanger??? Really???” Oh well, other than leaving me on the edge wanting
answers, The Desolation of Smaug is an awesome must see movie.
*On a side note: Although I give all of the crew kudos, I should have known Guillermo del Toro had a hand in the creation of this movie because I loved it just as much as Pacific Rim, in which he was a director/producer/screenwriter.
*On a side note: Although I give all of the crew kudos, I should have known Guillermo del Toro had a hand in the creation of this movie because I loved it just as much as Pacific Rim, in which he was a director/producer/screenwriter.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Release Day Launch & Excerpt: Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout
EXCERPT:
Moving lightning fast, Dez shifted and I was suddenly
underneath him. His arms were on either side of my head, caging me in. Our
bodies didn’t touch, but I felt him to the tips of my toes anyway.
The teasing grin disappeared when I dragged in a deep breath and my chest
brushed his. Everything changed in an instant. The playful mood faded, replaced
by primal heaviness. Our gazes collided and locked. Neither of us moved. His
closeness sent a series of shivers skittering across my skin and made it hard
to take slow, even breaths. My body tensed when his gaze dropped to my mouth.
He tilted his head to the side. “I… I honestly have no idea what we were
talking about.”
“Good. Neither do I.”
He shifted his weight onto one arm, bring him closer. “Have you enjoyed your
trip so far?”
“Yes.” I felt as if I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.
“Good.” He lowered his head. His breath was minty as it moved across my cheek
and then my lips. “I’m glad.”
I wasn’t really following the conversation and I wasn’t sure that he was fully
aware of what was coming out of his mouth. I searched my hazy brain for
something to say and wet my lips. I-
The sound that came out of Dez’s chest rumbled through me. A stuttered heartbeat
passed and then his lips were on mine. There was nothing slow about this kiss.
It scorched my skin and caused my body to stretch tight like a bowstring. The
kiss deepened, spinning my senses. I shuddered when his hand curved over my
shoulder and drifted down to my waist, his long fingers spreading out under the
hem of my shirt, grazing the bare skin of my stomach.
I gasped, floored by the raw sensations pounding through my blood. My skin felt
as if I was about to phase. Maybe I was.
“Jasmine,” he whispered, the word falling against my lips, and then his body
was pressing mine into the mattress, heavy, sweet and hard.
ABOUT BITTER SWEET LOVE (The Dark Elements #.5):
In a
sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York
Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the
extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.
Dez wasn't
just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms
with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good
and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a
trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez
would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.
And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again…
Don't miss White Hot Kiss, book one in Jennifer L. Armentrout's The Dark Elements series from Harlequin TEEN!
# 1
NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at
work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad
zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her
Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class,
where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her
dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction,
fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press,
Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book
Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series
has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the
name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Links:
WHITE HOT KISS Buy Links:
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Double Cover Reveal, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Legend of Me & The Winter People by Rebekah Purdy
Today Rebekah
Purdy and Entangled Teen are revealing the covers for LEGEND OF ME,
releasing in early 2014. And THE WINTER PEOPLE, releasing July 1, 2014! Check
out the gorgeous covers, exclusive excerpts, and enter to win an eARC of each!
About the Book
My foot nudged against something and I looked down in horror to find the head of Liam Gatekeeper staring up at me.
What had the shrink told me to do?
His mouth turned up at the corners as if enjoying my scrutiny. A cocky grin that made my cheeks warm.
“You’re trespassing.” I tried to keep the tremble from my voice. “This is private property, or can’t you read the signs?” Bravo, that’s right, scare him off with your bitchiness.
About
Rebekah:
Rebekah was born and raised in Michigan (just look for the mitten-shaped state on the map). She’s lived there most of her life other than the few years she spent in the U.S. Army. At which time she got a chance to experience MO, KS, SC, and CA.
On to the
reveals!
About the Book
LEGEND OF ME
Author: Rebekah Purdy
Release Date: Early 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Sixteen-year-old Brielle has grown up hearing tales
of a beast that kills humans, leaving behind only a scattering of bones and
limbs. Or so the village elders say. She thinks it’s just their way of keeping
children in line, though it doesn’t explain her grisly premonitions of blood,
claws, and severed heads.
When Lord Kenrick, Knight of the Crowhurst Order,
shows up asking questions about the legendary monster and Brielle finds a
mangled body in the woods, she begins to wonder if the grim stories are true.
Her attraction to the handsome knight grows as she spends time with him
searching for clues to the creature’s existence, and she becomes even more
determined to help him discover the beast’s location.
But as her seventeenth birthday approaches, her
nightmares worsen. If Brielle doesn’t figure out the connection between
Kenrick, the monster, and visions of a ghostly woman in the woods soon, more
people could die. Including those closest to her…
Exclusive Excerpt!
Brambles scratched my legs,
snagging my skirt. Gnarled trees bent in gruesome forms, while thick shadows
splayed out beneath them. A heavy gloom settled over the woodland as wisps of
fog slithered like snakes against the ground. I shivered.
Don’t think. I picked an animal
trail to follow, stepping over dead branches and forest debris. Blood pounded
in my ears and the hair on the back of my neck prickled. I twisted around to
glance behind me.
Nothing there. Only the trees.
Urgency gripped hold of me and I picked up my pace once more. As I scrambled
through the thicket, an overwhelming scent of rotten meat made me gag. I
covered my mouth with my hand and stopped running when a bright red piece of
fabric caught my eye. With hesitant steps, I moved toward it.
“Oh God.” I stumbled. There,
sticking out from beneath a barberry bush was a severed arm, its finger pointed
at me in accusation. My breath came in gasps as I scanned the rest of the
clearing.
My foot nudged against something and I looked down in horror to find the head of Liam Gatekeeper staring up at me.
I screamed, backing away as fast
as I could. All around me were pieces of his body scattered like breadcrumbs. I
shielded my eyes with my hands, until I bumped into something else.
With another scream, I whipped
around only to find myself faced with an oak tree covered in dried blood and
deep claw marks. My vision darkened and I prayed I wouldn’t faint, that I
wouldn’t be stuck in the woods. Because somewhere out here, a monster lurked.
If I didn’t believe it before, I did now. The beast was real.
About
the Book
THE WINTER PEOPLE
Author: Rebekah Purdy
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1622663682
An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for
fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow,
the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted
by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she
hasn’t forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she
has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But
when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of
maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must
be left at the back of the property.
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s
tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful
Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark
secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with
Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she’ll have to
decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or
Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the
darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance,
will kill her.
Exclusive Excerpt!
The sky darkened with ominous
storm clouds. Giant flakes fell onto my face, sticking to my eyelashes and
cheeks. Snow blew unhindered across the yard into what looked like small
tornadoes.
Oh
God. It’s happening again. The frigid air. The creaking of the treetops beneath
the wind. Even the way the snow blew across the yard.
I only had one more feeder. Just
needed to toss the seeds in then I could leave. Be safe.
The pond water rippled, while the
trees bent beneath the strong gusts. Soon, everything became so white I
couldn’t see the house. In the distance a strange tinkling sounded, like dozens
of wind chimes.
What had the shrink told me to do?
Ten,
nine, eight. Breathe. Seven, six, five. Shit!
Panic stole my thoughts. I backed
away from the pond as the flurries swirled toward me. Chasing me.
Then, I bumped into
something—something that felt quite human. A firm chest, arms, hands. Not
something, someone. A shriek
tumbled from my lips and I spun around to face my captor.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” a
soft masculine voice said, pale hands clinging to my arms as he kept me from
falling.
My gaze followed those long
fingers, up black leather sleeves, to the most gorgeous face I’d ever seen. My
breath caught in my throat. I’m
gawking. But I couldn’t help it. His raven hair shot with strands of
blue, his face pale and perfect, like an ice sculptor had chiseled it into
existence. His eyes—oh God, his eyes. They were the palest blue I’d ever seen.
Glacial. He had to be over six feet tall, muscles evident through the tight
shirt he wore beneath an unzipped jacket.
His mouth turned up at the corners as if enjoying my scrutiny. A cocky grin that made my cheeks warm.
“You’re trespassing.” I tried to keep the tremble from my voice. “This is private property, or can’t you read the signs?” Bravo, that’s right, scare him off with your bitchiness.
He chuckled. And it sounded like
the low song of the chimes. “Doris doesn’t mind me coming around. In fact, I’ve
met you before, Salome.”
My name on his lips made my knees
go buttery. I groaned inwardly.
“You know my grandma?” I fidgeted
with the bucket still in hand.
He gave a nod. “Yeah, I’ve known
her for years. But I haven’t seen you since you were a child.”
Warning bells went off in my
mind, but I pushed them aside. If he knew my grandma, then he must be okay.
“Funny, I don’t remember you at all.”
“Don’t you, Salome?” Strands of
my hair blew about my face. He reached a hand out as if to touch them then
stopped, dropping his arms back to his side.
“No. Grandma’s never mentioned
you.”
He gave me another cocky grin.
“Well then, maybe we should be reacquainted.”
“Or maybe not.” I snorted. “I’m
not sure how you got on the property, Grandma keeps all the gates locked.”
He produced an antique-looking
skeleton key. “She gave me this. Like I said, Doris has known me for a long
time.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be
a jerk or anything, it’s just my grandma never mentioned I’d have visitors.” In
fact, I wondered why she didn’t ask this guy to watch her house instead of me.
The arrogance left his face and
he stared at me. “Perhaps, we can try this again.” He held his hand out to me.
“I’m Nevin.”
About
Rebekah: Rebekah was born and raised in Michigan (just look for the mitten-shaped state on the map). She’s lived there most of her life other than the few years she spent in the U.S. Army. At which time she got a chance to experience MO, KS, SC, and CA.
She works
full time for the court system and in her free time she writes YA stories.
Pretty much any genre within the YA realm is game for her, but her favorites
are fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, thrillers, light sci-fi, and some
time travel.
She also
has a big family–she like to considers them the modern day Brady Bunch. When
her hubby and her met and got married, he had 3 children from a previous
marriage, she had 2 and have 1
together. It’s a lot of fun though.
And she
can’t forget her other family members–yep, they’ve got some pets: 4
dogs, 3 cats, and 1 turtle. Everyone in the family has one…she won’t
bore you all with their names (unless you really want to know). Okay, you
talked her into it! Jack, Pearl, Grr…(yes that’s her dog’s name), Callie,
Shadow, Mooshoo, Grouchy, and Sorbert. Other than writing some of her other
hobbies include: reading (mostly YA of course), singing, swimming, football,
soccer, running, camping, sledding, church, hanging with her kids, and traveling.
She belong
to a fabulous writing group called YA Fiction Fantatics (YAFF) and you guessed
it they all write YA! REPPED
by Jennifer Mishler and Frances Black of Literary Counsel. And
that’s her in a big ‘ol nutshell.
Giveaway!
Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter Widget to be entered to win an eARC
of LEGEND OF ME & eARC
of THE WINTER PEOPLE (International)
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