Blog Tour -- Release by M.R. Merrick (Review & Giveaway!!!)

Release (The Protector #3) by M.R. Merrick

Synopsis:
After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he's willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki's virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent's past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he's made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn't know anything. The light doesn't always quell the darkness, the monsters don't always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn't always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.

*A copy was provided for an honest review*

My Review:
♫♫♫♫♫-Presto!
This was freaking amazing! Every time I read a book in this series, I wonder, how will M.R. Merrick live up to something this amazing in the next book? And every single time I read the next book, it's just as, if not more, amazing! Once again, M.R. Merrick has created a fantastic, amazing, and captivating story.

I love the character development in this book. With Chase, Rayna, Vincent, Tiki and all the other characters. Each book in this series shows more and more of their development and it's great to see.

The world that M.R. Merrick builds just keeps getting better and better. Each time one situation is taken care of, they are thrust into another. This non-stop action draws me into the book and I can't put it down.

The romance in the book between Chase and Rayna is one of the most believable relationships I've ever seen. The pace that they take is great and I love how they don't jump right into it all. Chase and Rayna take it one step at a time, not wanting to over do it.

Overall, this series is great with all its twists, surprises, and action. For anyone who loves urban fantasy, you need to read this! This is one of the best series I've ever read!

Giveaway!!!

***This giveaway is International***

Grand Prize Pack (3 Winners)

3x Signed paperbacks (Exiled, Shift, Release)

3x Signed 8x10 posters (Exiled, Shift, Release)

5x Bookmarks

1x Notebook (Winner's choice of cover)

1x Magnet

Runner-up Prize Pack (5 Winners)

1x Signed paperback (Winner's choice of Exiled, Shift, or Release) with signed poster

1x bookmark (Winner's choice)

1x Magnet

Secondary Prizes A (10 Winners)

Release eBooks

Secondary Prize B (10 Winners)

1x bookmark (winner's choice)

1x The Protector magnet

Winners will be chosen as follows: First 3 names drawn from Rafflecopter will get the grand prize. The following 5 names get the runner-up prize. The following 10 names win ebook copies of Release, and the final 10 names win the swag pack. 

There will also be multiple opportunities to win signed paperbacks, signed posters, notebooks, swag packs, and bookmarks throughout the tour on both Twitter (@MRMerrick) and his Facebook Fan Page. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Yeah, see that AWESOME giveaway?! I'm pretty sure you should enter it right now!

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Synopsis:
On the evening of Sofia Claremont's 17th birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.

A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.

And island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains.

Sofia's life take a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over is she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed?...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of Novaks?

*A copy was provided for an honest review*

My Review:
♫♫♫♫-Allegro!
This book was surprisingly great, and I say surprisingly because I'm not the greatest fan of vampires. Vampires never really drew me in, but his book wasn't huge on the whole "we're vampires, come to us so we can suck you dry of blood and kill you." No, this story didn't focus just vampires, but more of Derek ruling the Blood Shade and Sofia's time at the Blood Shade.

Let's start with Derek Novak, prince to the throne to rule the Blood Shade. Derek had a spell put on him, causing him to sleep for centuries. He wakes and finds that the shadowhunters, ones who hunt and kill vampires, are growing in number and taking out more of the other vampire covens. Derek Novak is your typical blond hair, blue eyed guy, but he's a vampire. Sofia Claremont, one of the girls brought as slaves to Derek, catches Derek's attention and he's instantly drawn in. For Derek, it was very insta-love, but it was great that he didn't push it.

Now let's go over to Sofia Claremont. It's her 17th birthday, and she's alone walking on the beach. She gets kidnapped and taken to the Blood Shade, where it's intended for her to be fed on by vampires. Derek Novak shows great interest in her, and they become close throughout the story. The only problem with Sofia that I had was how calm she was throughout most of this. She was just kidnapped and taken to a place where the sun doesn't rise and there are vampires all around who want to feed on you. Throughout all of this happening, she stays calm, and never once does she panic.

What I loved about this book was how it was in dual POV so that I could she both what Derek and Sofia were thinking about. I also liked Sofia's personality in general. She wasn't a character that was annoying to read and I loved it. Although, I did wish some of the minor characters, like Ben, were more developed. This was a very quick read, and it's really good. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series and I'd recommend reading it!

Stacking The Shelves [13]

Go over to Tynga's Reviews and join in on the fun!

Hey, hey! Did you guys all have a wonderful Christmas? Mine was great, spending time with my family, and just having fun! I got a couple of books as gifts and I also received a few books, which will be up for review. 

What I Got For Christmas!

• Opal by Jennifer Armentrout — I cannot tell you how excited I am to read this! I've been waiting and anticipating this book for forever! I'm about half way through and it's amazing, as always! 
• Across The Universe by Beth Revis —Yes, I've already read this, but I don't own it. And I love this book so much that I needed it. So my parents thought it'd be a good idea to give it to me for Christmas :)

For Review

• A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest — Alright, yes, I'm not a huge fan of vampire stuff, but this book sounded interesting and I thought I'd give it a try. I'm really close to finishing this–about 50 pages left–and the review will most likely go up later today, if not, on Sunday. 
• Advantage Erin by Kris Kreisman  — From the summary, I gathered that this is about a girl, Erin, who is a tennis player. She goes back from the present to 1970, and plays a match of tennis with her mother, Catherine, who is in high school at the time. Since I play tennis, I thought this book would be an enjoying read for me. 

Waiting On Wednesday [5]

This is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine! It features a upcoming releases.

Here's what I'm "waiting on" this week!

The Essence (The Pledge #2) by Kimberly Derting

Release Date: January 1st, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen's Essence is fused to Charlie's psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she's being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she's busy being queen–and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she's Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two. 

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms–an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset–she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within. 

Ever since I finished the first book, The Pledge, I've wanted to get my hands on this. I wanted to know what happens next. But I found out I had months to wait. I'm so excited that January 1st is so soon, and I will be able to read this! The first book was so great, and I love Kimberly Derting's writing. 

Waiting On Wednesday [4]

This is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine! It features a upcoming releases.

This is a book I've wanted to read since I finished the first book in the trilogy. I can't wait for this to come out. 

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: February 5th, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick

it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her–people with gifts–and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance. 

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. 

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. 

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she things is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart–and Adam's life. 

Based on the first book, I think the second one will be just as great. And plus, I'm excited to hear more about Warner. Sure, I love Adam, he's the nice guy. But Warner seems like he has reason for the things he does, and has some kind of mysterious past. I really need this book right now!!!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Synopsis:
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. 

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision–no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success–or failure–will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

My Review:
♫♫♫♫♫-Presto!

I know I said Across the Universe was amazing, but THIS! This blew my mind. It was extremely good. I LOVED it. Beth Revis does well again!

There are so many decisions that the characters have to make. So many life changing situations in the book. It keeps you on the edge of your seat until it's resolved. There're constant, one after another, dilemmas that make you shocked, angry, sad, or happy.

The romance between Amy and Elder builds, with true love. Not insta-love, and I really love that about this story. You can see the definite connection between the two. Amy and Elder talk things through, speak about how they feel, and have real conversations, unlike some books where all the couple is doing is kissing.

Much like Across the Universe, there are so many twists and shocking scenes that occur. There was one in specific that had me reading the page over multiple times.

I read this book within a day, non-stop. I just couldn't put it down, it was so good. Every time I told myself to stop and take a break, something interesting happened in the book, and I needed more.

Overall, this book was really great, and one of the best books I've read!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Synopsis:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-on of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Review:
♫♫♫♫♫-Presto!

Wow, I really liked this book!

I loved the characters in the book. Amy was very independent and not whiny, especially considering her situation. Elder was cute with his confusion of what to do with Amy and how to comfort her. It was amazing to see how much they both developed from the beginning to the end of the book. Amy's influences had change Elder in drastic ways.

I also loved the mystery aspect of the story, finding out who unfroze Amy, and who is unfreezing the others. It was interesting to see what Amy and Elder find out next.

The switching of POV's every chapter was fun to read too. I loved getting inside both Amy and Elder's head. It was great to see what they both thought about certain things throughout the story.

The plot of this story is filled with so many twists, turns, and secrets that it's hard to keep up! It kept me interested throughout the entire book. I really love Beth Revis's writing, and I know I'll love her second book, A Million Suns.

Stacking the Shelves [12]

Go over to Tynga's Reviews and join in on the fun!

Hey all! I got some great stuff this week! I went to the library and came home with 3 books that I have no idea what it's about, but looked good when I checked it out. So, here we go!

What I Got From the Library:

• The Catastrophic History of You and Me  by Jess Rothenberg—I know I've seen this book a couple of times on Goodreads, but never thought about checking out what it's about. Then I saw it at the library and I read the summary and it seemed like it would be really interesting!
• Diverse Energies—This is an anthology of stories about the future, and what it'll give us. The authors in this are Ellen Oh, Daniel H. Wilson, K. Tempest Bradford, Ken Liu, Greg van Eekhout, Rahul Kanakia, Malinda Lo, Paolo Bacigalupi, Cindy Pon, Rajan Khanna, and Ursula K. Le Guin. The book is edited by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti. I saw this at the library and discovered I haven't ever read an anthology  before, so I thought I'd give it a try. Plus, it's about dystopian worlds, and that's one of my favorite genres. 
• Not Exactly A Love Story by Audrey Couloumbis—I had no idea what this book was until I spotted it on my library's "New Teen Books" shelf. I was reading the summary, and parts of it caught my attention. It also seems like it'd be partly comical, and I love laughing while reading books. 

Look! I Won Something!!!

• I got a swag pack from Entangled Teen! And almost all of it is signed! LOOK! I was totally excited when this came in the mail. 

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

Synopsis:
Darcy Jones doesn't remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere–but she couldn't have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn't happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn't thought possible. But Conn's interest in her is confusing. It doesn't line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can't rely on anything–not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades' latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever...

In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won't soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.

My Review:
♫♫♫♫-Allegro!
This book was very good! Throughout the whole book I was anticipating the next thing that was going to happen. 

I loved the creation of the alternate world that Marie Rutkoski had created. It was very realistic and you can see the parallelism between the actual Chicago and the other dimension. Marie Rutkoski also explains the origin of how the two world were split and why it happened extremely well. No information was left out in the explanation of background info. 

The main character, Darcy, seemed like a simple, plain girl. But that's far from the truth. She doesn't remember anything before she was abandoned by her parents. Darcy even knew that deep down, she was different than everyone else in some way, but she couldn't tell what. I really loved Darcy's character because she gave value to the meaning of friendship and second chances. Throughout the entire book, Darcy just goes through a lot of betrayal, lies, pain, and loneliness  But through it all, she stay's strong and pushes through to get what she wants. 

The love interest, Conn, and the romance are a major part in the story. Darcy and Conn's connection to each other is so true and real that it's not painstakingly hard to read. Their feeling for each other develop throughout the book, even if they're not always with each other. Even though they go through some major rough patches, they eventually get through it because they know that they can't deny what they feel. 

The few minor problems that I had had with this book was that some parts were a bit slow. A lot of the foreshadowing was also very prominent and that didn't leave much for the twists in the story that came later on. Many of them were predictable, making them not very shocking to me. 

Overall, Marie Rutkoski created a beautifully written story about friendship, love, and finding you're true meaning. The Shadow Society had a very unique plot and it was an amazing read!

Waiting On Wednesday [3]

This is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine! It features a upcoming releases.

I love WOWs because it reminds of how excited I am to read these upcoming books! I seriously cannot wait until this comes out! I want it so badly! 

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. 

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven–pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the revels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friends, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena's and Hana's points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

First off, I'm excited for this to release because it's the final book in the trilogy and I'm highly anticipating the end and the wrap up of the story. How in the world will Lauren Oliver conclude this amazing story, with all that has happened within the previous two books? I need to know!

I'm also really excited because it's in a dual POV! Lena and Hana! I loved reading Hana (Delirium 1.5) the novella in the trilogy, which was in Hana's POV. I really liked the voice of Hana and I can't wait to read more of her story too! 

I can't wait until this releases, based on how good Delirium and Pandemonium were. 

Stacking the Shelves [11]

Go over to Tynga's Reviews and join in on the fun!

HEY HEY HEY! This week wasn't too bad. Although, I'm not really getting many books. The past week, I've gotten only 3-5 books a week. I was looking at release dates, and it seems as though a lot of books are releasing the week of the 17th.

So, anyways, what I got this week...

From the Library!

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Tempest by Julie Cross

Ebook!

• Florence by Ciye Cho

You see! I didn't get much. I couldn't find much that I wanted from the library. Plus, I currently have this huge stack of books in my room that I need to read! 

Now watch the video! And you can hear me talk about the books I got this week!

Waiting On Wednesday [2]

This is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine! It features a upcoming releases.

What am I "Waiting On" this week? Well, read below to find out what book I'm waiting on!

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3) by Beth Revis

Release date: January 15th, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh–to build a home–on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who–or what–else is out there is they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed–friends, family, life on Earth–will have been for nothing. 

FUELED BY LIES.

RULED BY CHAOS.

ALMOST HOME.

I have been highly anticipating this ending in the trilogy since January, when book 2 of the series released. I cannot wait to find out how is all wraps up, how it'll end...and of course, who has Beth Revis killed off now? 

The summary says "Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight." OHH! A battle will most likely take place, I like that! I already have that feeling that this book will be amazing. And hey, it's released just a few days before my birthday! 

Stacking the Shelves [10]

Go over to Tynga's Reviews and join in on the fun!

Hey guys! How's it going? My week was pretty good. Hope to hear about yours!

I got a couple of e-books this week and one book from the library. But I've been reading a lot, so don't worry, i'll have a whole bunch of reviews filling up the month of December.

What I Got From The Library...

• The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin—This is the second book in the Mara Dyer trilogy. The first book was amazing, and I requested this one right away. I couldn't wait to to read it! 

I Got Ebooks!!!

• Unlikely Allies by Tiffany King—I got these ebooks at the beginning of the week, and I've already read this one. It was pretty good, I can say I really enjoyed reading it. 
• Exiled by Rashelle Workman—I saw this on Goodreads about 3 months ago and added it to my to-read shelf. I've been waiting to read it, but never got it. And now I have! 

So, I got three books this week. I've already read one of them. And I finished up Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter, leaving that to be reviewed soon. Sorry, Unlikely Allies isn't up for review. The reviews that will definitely be posted this month are Exiled and Shift by M.R. Merrick. Also I'm reviewing the third book in the Protector Series by M.R. Merrick, Release, for a blog tour. Be sure to check back on December 30th, my date!

The review of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Shadow Society will also definitely be reviewed in December. Some other unplanned ones may be Of Poseidon, For Darkness Shows the Stars, and Defiance!

Be on the look out for those! And I'll talk to you guys next time. Bye!