[Cover Reveal] Darker Days by Jus Accardo

Darker Days (Darker Agency, #1)  by Jus Accardo

Synopsis

 Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They’re your girls—but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They’ll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course...

When gorgeous new client, Lukas Scott, saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case—until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin.

Seven deadly ones, in fact.

They’ve got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy—except for one thing...

There’s a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family—or lose everything.

Excerpt

“So not your biggest fan at the moment,” I said, closing the office door behind me. The runofffrom my jeans had soaked my sneakers pretty good. With each step, I gave a slight squishing noise accompanied by an annoying squeak against the old tile floor. 

From across the room, Mom stared. “What happened to you?”

“It attacked me.” Tossing my bag on the couch, I sank into her chair and made sure to grind my butt into the cushion. Got it nice and wet. I was all about sharing the love—and right now, the love was soggy.

She laughed, waving a folder in my direction. “Surely you’re overreacting. It was one little zombie. They don’t attack people.”           

"I’m serious, Ma. It tried to drown me. And the client assaulted me with ugly footwear. As far as punishments go, I’d say we’re probably square. I’ve learned my lesson.”

“You’re serious?” Amused expression now replaced by concern, she crossed the room and leaned over her desk to get a better look at me.

“As a coronary.” Once I was sure the chair had sponged up all it could, I stood and huffed past her. Pulling at my favorite T-shirt—the word Fate inside a blood red heart, is a four letter word on the back—I said, “Child welfare would not be happy to hear you tried to feed your only child to a walking corpse…”

“But why would it attack? Did you provoke it?” Folding her arms, she frowned. “Insult it, perhaps?”

I winked at her. “Provoke it? Sure. I went and wiggled my ass in front of it yelling lunch just to see what’d happen.” I’d called it Stinky, but that didn’t count as an insult. Something couldn’t be considered an insult if it was true, right?

Right eyebrow twitching, she fought against a smile. “But you’re okay, right? No bites, broken bones, head injuries, possessions…?” 

I smiled and did a little twirl. “All in one piece and still me.”

Mom had a checklist she went through at the end of each job. I was known for taking almost as much damage as I inflicted.

“Oh, and you’re probably going to get a call from the client. I sorta smashed her fence in the process.”

Mom groaned. “I told you to be more careful.”

“It’s not like I tried to break anything.”

“Something tells me you didn’t try hard enough not to break anything, either.”

“In my defense, it wasn’t a simple trap and slap…”

“We can’t afford this.” She reached down and pulled a white envelope out from under a stack of papers. “This is the bill for that Mercedes you smashed.”

“Oh! So not my fault. How was I supposed to know that Spring Heel was gonna land on the car? If it makes you feel any better, I think he was aiming for my head…”

“If you keep this up, we won’t even be able to afford the rent.”

She was right, of course, and it made me feel horrible. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a wrecking ball wrapped in blue jeans. Take my cut of this job and put it toward the repairs. Keep my paycheck for the next month, too.” A good start, but it didn’t feel like enough. Sure, it would cover the damages—I hoped—but I felt guilty about upsetting her. The bills that were piling up kept her awake at night. This was only going to make things worse. We got a fair amount of business, but the overhead in our line of work was sky high.

As much as I hated the idea, I knew what would cheer her up. “I’ll even throw in pet possessions for the next month.”

Find Darker Days

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17370021-darker-days?ac=1

About Jus Accardo

JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the bestselling author the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing and is currently working on the first book in a new adult series due out summer 2013. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.

Find Jus Accardo

Website: http://www.jusaccardo.com
Blog: http://www.jusaccardo.com/category/blog/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JusAccardo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJusAccardo

[Review] Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Series

Author: Stieg Larsson

Publish Date: Sept. 16, 2009 by Knopf, 1531 pages

Rating: 3/5 as a whole series

Series: Millenium Trilogy 1-3

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 

3/5 Stars

This was an interesting read, but unfortunately it was drier than the Sahara Desert. If one can sweat it past the first half of the book, which is a whopping 300 to 400 some odd pages, though, the action really picks up.

The book itself begins with the hero, Mikael Blomkvist, being sued by a big shot businessman, Wennerstrom, for libel. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is basically slander on paper. He is then approached by a mysterious Mr. Vanger. The job that Mr. Henrik Vanger asks him to do is solve the cold case of his niece, who has been dead for over 40 years. And what exactly is he willing to pay? Vanger will do just about anything to find out what happened to Harriet, including serve up Blomkvist’s nemesis Wennerstrom on a silver plate.

The other plotline in this particular book is that of the heroine, Lisbeth Salander, a spunky goth girl who is amazing with computers and has a photographic memory. Haunted by her own dark past, she decides to help Mikael with his quest to find the answers to Harriet’s death.

The whole first half is, as I said, pretty dry. Mainly it’s about Blomkvist getting the job, and getting settled in on Headestad, the island where the murder took place. It also shows Lisbeth as she deals with her impaired mother, the waning health of her former guardian and the chauvinistic, sadistic, Burjman who turns out to be more of a sick bastard than even Lisbeth could have guessed.

The second half is where it really begins to pick up however, as Blomkvist begins to tick off suspects one by one getting closer and closer to solving the mystery of who murdered Harriet Vanger. This is where Salander truly enters the story and her genius is brought to light as she helps Blomkvist with the case. As he gets closer and closer to solving the mystery; however, someone gets more and more desperate at hiding the past.

Overall, I would give the first half of this book a 2 and the second half of this book a 4 for an average total score of 3. If the beginning were a lot more fast-paced, or let’s face it, a lot shorter, this book would be a lot more interesting. The sequels - The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest - may be longer, but move more quickly and wrap the entire series up in a nice neat bow.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larson

4/5 Stars

Picking up a couple of years after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo left off, we start with our heroine Lisbeth Salander living large after her “rewards” from helping to solve the Harriet Vanger case. Now the owner of a multimillion kronor corporation that technically does not exist, Salander is free to go pretty much anywhere she wants. 

That is, until she is charged for triple homicide. One of the victims was the low-down, dirty, good-for-nothing pervert Nils Burjman, Lisbeth’s sorry excuse for a replacement guardian from the first book. (Note: Salander was previously considered an adult ward of the state after she was deemed mentally incompetent for earlier behavior. Burjman had total control of her money and made the decisions. Kind of like Brittany Spears after she had her meltdown.) The other two victims were Dag Svensson and Mia Johansson close friends of none other than the one and only, Mikael Blomkvist.

Another mystery, this book deals with who killed Blomkvist’s friends and Burjman, along with who is the mysterious Zalachenko, and his faithful sidekick Ronald Neidermann and why Lisbeth Salander mixed into the middle of all of this.

Salander finds herself on the run from the law for the three murders she didn't commit, and a couple of other powerful Swedish mobsters in charge of a fairly large sex trade ring. Blomkvist, being the ever loyal friend he is, decides to launch his own investigations into what happened in order to clear Salander’s name. Finally, the book itself concludes with the unveiling of what exactly happened to Salander when she was younger.

This book is much more fast-paced than its predecessor, and even though it is almost 900 pages long, it is hard to put down. Not only is there a lot more action, coupled with much more devious characters than Burjman, or the raving madman who is unveiled at the end of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo could ever be, finish the first book and you’ll find this hard to believe.

I would give this book a solid 4, due to its gripping storyline and the passion that one begins to feel for both Blomkvist and for Salander. Not only that, but after you finish this book, you have to go straight to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. The cliffhanger demands it.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larson

4/5 Stars

**SPOILERS BELOW**

This book has it all – giants who can’t feel pain, crazy stalkers who are almost as perverted as Burjman (see above), murder, sex rings, gang shootouts and one whopping government cover up.

Picking up moments where The Girl Who Played with Fire left off, Salander is in critical condition. A bullet in her head, it is hard to say whether or not she will pull through. Not only is she in the hospital, but she also is a prisoner, with guards outside her room at all times.

Where Salander is no longer being sought after for the murders of Svenson, she is still wanted for the assault of a biker gang leader, for questioning in the murder of Burjman and for the attempted murder of Zalachenko. 

Once again, Blomkvist rushes to the rescue in order to clear Salander’s name and blow the top off of one of the largest, oldest government conspiracies in Swedish history. And, once again, Salander seems to be in the middle of all of it.

This is the book where we finally find out what ‘all the evil’ is that Salander constantly refers to in both The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. This is done through the introduction to one of the most evil characters yet to make an appearance, the devious Dr. Peter Teleborian.

I would rank this book a solid 4 as well. This is due to all the action that quickly moves the story line along. The only reason this book did not get a 5 is because there were way too many plots to keep track of. Where all of these plots are extremely interesting and great page turners, it is hard to keep track of who does what, when and how is it relevant to the overall story arc.

As for the whole series of books, I would give it a 3. With the last half of the first book, as well as the other two being so interesting, it is hard to get past how large these books are. This normally does not bother me, as I read such long books as The Stand and IT by Stephen King both of which are over 1000 pages, but these particular books are much drier than they need to be. 

Props for Stieg Larson for being extremely detailed and thinking of every little plot point, but he seems to drag on in plot points that are unnecessary to the overlying story.

If you enjoy mystery mixed with some pretty intense action and a kickass spunky gothic girl, this is the book series for you. But if you like faster-paced books that are quicker reads, probably want to steer clear, if anything, at least take a break in between each one. Trust me, I read all three in a row and it took me almost 3 and a half months, an unheard of amount of time for me to finish a book series.

Note from us here at Book Nerd Paradise: Due to the graphic nature of this series, we recommend these books for mature audiences only. 

Review by M.J.D.

Get it here:

[Cover Reveal] Keeper of the Lost Souls by Kristy Centeno

Keeper of the Lost Souls by Kristy Centeno

Publication Date: June 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Bryn McCaskey is young, naïve, and can talk to ghosts. Like her mother and grandmother, Bryn is part of a breed of witches called The Keepers of the Lost Souls, whose main purpose is to guard those spirits which are permanently or temporarily grounded in the world of the living.
Because Bryn is a witch, she’s fairly comfortable dealing with all sorts of threats, which she does with ease and confidence. Handling supernatural creatures is as easy to her as baking a pie. Dealing with people however, is something she is yet to learn how to handle.

Unfortunately, as her 18th birthday approaches, and the time for her to take on her first assignment finally arrives, Bryn is forced to confront her inability to communicate with others in an effort to save the one soul that can mean the difference between life and death for mankind.
Johnny Shaw is a lost soul with a personal vendetta against witches. A vendetta he has carried on even after death. However, as much as he might hate them, in order to stop a century old threat, he must join forces with one. When fate brings them together, not only will they be forced to learn how to work as a team, but they will have to depend on each other to stop an evil witch carrying a six hundred year grudge.

About the Author

I’ve always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options I realized that writing was what I loved the most so when I found myself with some free time on my hands, I decided to give it a shot. As it turned out, my very active imagination helped me achieve my goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.
As I keep moving along in achieving my dreams of becoming a published author, I divide my time in between my four children and my very understanding husband.​

Author links

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Pintrest

[Review] Hope's Reign by Selina Fenech

Author: Selina Fenech

Publish Date: May 10, 2013 by Fairies and Fantasy, 360 pages

Rating: 4/5

Series: Memory's Wake Trilogy #2

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Hope's Reign by Selina Fenech is the second book I've read by this author. The first, of course, being the predecessor of this book titled Memory's Wake. 

There are some neat things I liked about these two books. One was the fact that the author is also an artis,t so she combined her two talents. Both books have hand drawn illustrations included throughout. 

This is actually the first time I've seen something like this, and I wasn't quite sure if I like it at first but it slowly grew on me. They gave me the ability to gain a better visual on the characters and they are just plain beautiful drawings. It's art I can appreciate. 

Now, let's talk about the actual books. I will try to keep it as vague as possible and not give out too many spoilers but it's harder when talking about the second book in a series. 

The series starts off with one of the main characters, Memory, colliding with the second main character, Eloryn, as she is fleeing for her life. Memory has pretty much appeared out of nowhere with no memories or sense of who she is. 

Right away the book starts off with action as the pair tries to escape those who are after them. We find out a little later that the current king has been looking for Eloryn ever since he killed her parents. 

Soon after they shake the men after them, we meet the other two main characters in the series: Will, a wildling who seems to recognize Memory, and Roen, the seventh son of a duke, turned thief. 

The story progresses through all four POV's which can get tricky. Sometimes it can get distracting jumping from person to person but Fenech did a good job with it. It mostly stays in Memory's POV with the other three popping in every so often. 

The main objective in Memory's Wake is to figure out what happened with Memory's memories, find Eloryn's guardian and take on the evil king in the process. 

In Hope's Reign the story revolves more around the memories that have yet to surface. We find out that Will knows most of Memory's life story because they were in a group home together before the events of the first book took place. 

From him we see that Memory's life wasn't a fairy tale and that some bad things have happened. 

Which begs the question: what if the memories she so desperately searches for are worse than she ever imagined. 

The second book takes a little bit of a darker turn as some of her memories start to surface and she deals with jealousy, anger and feeling abandoned. Her grip on reality starts to slip a little and she feels like she's going crazy. 

What I really like about the two stories is the mix of our modern world with the mystical and magical world Memory find herself in. Memory speaks with slang that familiar to us today while everyone else is usually confused by what she's saying. I thought that was an entertaining piece in the story. 

The stories are well written even though at times I did get annoyed with the two girls. Mostly, they're just a little too much of the angsty teenager for me. Then I remind myself that I was no better at that age. 

Memory's Wake and Hope's Reign are two great fantasy, YA books with a dash of romance and magic weaved into it. 

This will definitely be a re-read for me. 

Get it here:

  

[Cover Reveal] Ignite by Erica Crouch

Ignite by Erica Crouch

Publication date: June 11, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal fantasy

Synopsis:

Penemuel (Pen) fell from grace over a millennium ago, yet there are still times she questions her decision to follow her twin brother, Azael, to Hell. Now that the archangel Michael has returned, threatening Lucifer’s vie for the throne, she begins questioning everything she has always believed. 
As Hell prepares for war - spreading a demonic virus and pilfering innocent souls to build an army - the lines separating the worlds blur.  Fates erase and the future is left unwritten. Azael is determined that he and his sister will continue to serve as demons together, but for the first time in her life, Pen is not ruled by destiny. She has the freedom of choice.
With choice comes sacrifice, and Pen must decide which side she’s willing to risk everything fighting for: the light, or the dark

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17875224-ignite?ac=1

The deets about Erica Crouch

Erica Crouch is a twenty-year-old living on the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. She is pursuing a degree in English and Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction at Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she works for a small press in editorial services. She spends what spare time she has reading an overwhelming stack of books, watching an obscene amount of Netflix and procrastinating. 

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

[Interview] Presenting Mia Hoddell author of Deadly to Love

Today, we have something new on my blog. If hadn't guessed already from the title it's an interview with an author!

Book Nerd Paradise is thrilled to be talking about author Mia Hoddell today. Hoddell just published her third book, "Deadly to Love," and the first in her Elemental Killers Series.

I'm a fan of Mia herself. She was one of the first people to welcome me to Book Blogs, a site we're both members of. 

One great thing is that she's young and a fairly new writer in the professional world, which means she will continue to improve as she gains experience. If you decide to pick up her book and you enjoy it then you can expect even better things from her in the future. 

**A note for all you grammar bitches, ahem, I mean enthusiasts: Hoddell is from the UK, so keep in mind my fellow Americans that they spell things and use words differently than we do.

Now, enough from me. Here's a little bit about the book:

Title: Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers #1)

Author: Mia Hoddell

ASIN: B00BDQ3QGA

ISBN: 978-1-291-41025-9

Genre: YA/NA/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Romance

Description

There is a love that is so dangerous, so powerful, so intoxicating that it embraces your heart and smothers your mind until it leaves you defenceless.

Serena knew that but still, it didn't stop her. His name was Kai. He was the most beautiful, irresistible man she had ever encountered. Their attraction was too compelling to fight and she knew she would go to the end of the world beside him. That is love.

However behind the allure was hidden a deadly secret – a secret that threatened her fragile life... But secrets best left unsaid never remain hidden forever. When Kai reveals his true identity, she is exposed to a frightening world she had no idea existed. Controlled by powerful Elemental forces her life is placed in mortal danger.
Unbeknown to them, their lives have been entwined from the beginning and it leads her to discover an even greater secret about who she really is. As the pieces begin to unravel and death becomes a reality, Serena is forced to decide what is more important...her love or life.

"Mia Hoddell used the senses well to add depth and engage me as a reader, especially during action sequences or heightened moments. I really struggled to stop reading this book!" ~ L. Morgan 5/5

Get a copy

Amazon: Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers) 

Amazon UK

And without further ado, here's Mia Hoddell ladies and gentlemen...

Author interview with Mia Hoddell

So tell us a little about yourself and what you like to do when you’re not writing?

I love writing and always have weird ideas floating around in my head - which is probably why I have a total of nine books planned already. On the rare moments where I am able to switch off though, I enjoy photography. So I will go walking around the countryside/forests near my house. Also, I am studying Drama, English Language and Modern Domestic History as A-levels (thankfully in my final few weeks) so my life is pretty hectic at the moment. When things calm down though I enjoy relaxing with my cats and a good book, as I also review novels.

Brief description of “Deadly to Love” your third novel:

"Deadly to Love" is a fast-paced, action packed YA/NA romance novel that has elements of paranormal, fantasy and urban fantasy in it. It also has a modern romancewith a few twists to it.

The story centers around Serena and how her world is changed when she meets Kai and finds out things are not what they appear. As secrets about both of their lives are revealed it becomes obvious the world they live in is a lot more deadly than she first thought. The fact that they have to face the Elementals together leaves her fighting for both her love and her life.

If you could cast any actress and actor as Serena and Kai who would it be?

That’s a hard question for me to answer. I have used people I know to base the characters on, I won’t say who they are though as those people aren’t aware of the fact. I’d prefer readers to create their own image of the character. Personally, when I am reading I tend to like the characters I have created myself better, so when I see the actors chosen for the movies it ruins it slightly for me.

What was your inspiration for this book?

"Deadly to Love" was originally going to just be a romance without any paranormal aspects but when I started to plan it, I just wasn’t enjoying it as much as thought I would – it felt like something was missing. I started to research possible paranormal creatures I could use, and trust me when I say I found some very surreal creatures such as a plum-headed dragon or a fishtailed goat. I had a lot of fun reading about them. I settled on the Elementals as they stood out to me as there seemed plenty of routes I could take to develop them. After delving deeper into researching them I wanted to change their history as I didn’t like the religious ties. I wanted to make them the antagonists and so started to turn them into their own species with their own motives and abandoned the heavenly aspect.

Once I had found the Elementals, everything else just kind of fell into place and I started to get really excited about the series as a whole. I used some real life experiences which helped me develop some of the narrative as I wanted to make a modern romance with new twists, but other than that, it was simply a matter of sitting down for a whole day and thinking the plot line through step by step. Like I said, the plans kind of wrote themselves with both the first and second book.

What’s next for you?

I finished the first draft of the sequel to "Deadly to Love" a few weeks ago so I’m in the process of re-drafting that right now. However, my writing is taking a backseat at the moment as I’ve had to start revising for my final A-Level exams in June. Once those are out of the way I will be releasing the sequel as soon as I can and then working on the third installment in the Elemental Killers series and a new stand-alone novel that I’m dying to get down on paper. I have a year and half off so I’m sure I’ll get a lot of writing done.

What’s one of the first things you remember writing?

I’ve always loved writing. The first thing I can remember was a poem about a giraffe named Jack when I was four. I used to have a little notebook filled with scribbled down poems and ideas that I took everywhere with me. I wrote poetry mostly, up until the age of 12. Then I moved onto short stories after getting htree poems published. I started my first novel at 14 and since then that’s what I have stuck with.

What is the best piece of advice you received from someone?

The best piece of advice I’ve received is don’t let other people get in the way of your dreams and something you love doing. I have had many people tell me that I should just go to university instead of taking a year out to write as it’s an unpredictable career that doesn’t guarantee an income. However, I am at my happiest when I am writing. It’s something I want to pursue, and listening to other people's opinions on my life would not lead me to follow a path that would make me happy.

For those who are aspiring writers what advice would you give to them?

I’m still learning as I go along, and I wouldn’t consider myself an expert, but I’d say if you love it enough just go for it. Develop a thick skin and ignore everyone who says it’s not a good idea. For me, writing doesn’t seem like a job or a chore. If it brings you the same happiness, it should feel easy.

What was one mistake you learned from when you first started out?

I’ve learnt it’s best not to rush the release process. I had been working on my first novel for three years and by the end I just wanted it out there which meant not everything was up to the standard I wanted. I now delay publishing for a few hours or a day and think through whether I have done everything. I don’t want to think of something after I hit the button.

What author inspires you?

There are many who inspire me as I read a lot and I’m learning all the time. However the author who has probably inspired me the most is Julia Golding. Her books firstgot me into reading and it wasn’t until I started reading that I considered moving away from poetry and short stories to full length novels.

What one interesting thing that people would be surprised to know about you?

People who don’t know me are generally quite surprised by how loud I can be once you get to know me. Although, this can be quite annoying as a lot of people judge me as ‘quiet’ at a glance. It is a nice feeling when you see the shock on their face. A good example of this is when some family members and friends watched a DVD of a drama performance of mine. One of the reasons I took drama was to develop confidence and shock my family as they didn’t think I could do it because I was too quiet. It’s safe to say I was in fits of laughter as they watched me run around the stage screaming and shouting.

Is there anything you would like to add that I missed?

Um…thanks to everyone who has read "Deadly to Love," I appreciate the support and if you’re even the slightest bit interested in "Deadly to Love go buy it." You will have my eternal gratitude! :)

A little about Mia

Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading and her preferred genre is Young Adult, Paranormal Romance. Before 2009, Mia wouldn't even pick up a book and was more interested in sports. However she finally found some novels that captured her interest and developed a love of both reading and writing. Mia began with poems and after getting two published in separate anthologies she moved on to short stories. Although she enjoyed this, Mia found she had too much to tell with too little space, so later on she created her first series The Wanderer Trilogy and from there other ideas have emerged which she hopes to turn into novels as well. Elemental Killers is her second series and book two will be out soon.

Reviews

"It was a very original idea, not to mention modern. I loved that little twist. This story had such a good plot and the story structure was sound." ~ Kacii - The Kooky Bookworm 5/5 

“I read this book in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down. The story line was original, intriguing and made you feel like you were part of the action.  As well as this there were many twists and turns that kept me hooked and the book was really well written with a solid plot. The book didn't reveal everything straight away which was great as it left in suspense right up until the end.” ~Lucy M 5/5

 “I found that it's surprisingly original concept was quite common in real life but not so much in books. I found it a delightful read that I will look forward to reading in the future. And the new cover! Marvelous.” ~ Kathy H 5/5 

“All I can say is WOW! This book was amazing and different. I love the twist and detail she used I was instantly pulled in and felt like I was there with the characters.”  ~Brianna 5/5 

"This book surpassed all of my expectations and kept me hooked from beginning to end. In Deadly to Love the action is constructed incredibly well, it is fast paced but filled with loads of detail that leaves everything easy to imagine and visualize." ~ Billie 5/5

More about Mia

Blog: http://miahoddell.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mia-Hoddell-Author/421368247889610?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaHoddell

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6154918.Mia_Hoddell

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 6

Day 6 - A book that makes you sad... "Mockingjay" (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Today I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Now, the ending of "Mockingjay" doesn't make me sad exactly. It more so brings out a bittersweet feeling in me.

Katniss and her crew prevailed in the end but they suffered many, many loses along that journey to freedom. One of the things I've always loved about the Hunger Games is how much I can relate to the characters. They have their good times and their bad times, their happy times and their sad times - just like every other person in the world. Katniss isn't a character that walks around with rose colored glasses and everything in the world is perfect.

"Mockingjay" is a wonderful book but it just makes me sad that Katniss ends up losing the one thing she was always trying to save. The one thing that started it all.

Coming up tomorrow: A book I find vastly underrated.

[Giveaway] The I have Way Too Many Books Giveaway - 4 winners - Ends May 20 - U.S. Only

So I have this pile of books stacked along my wall because I've run out of all available shelving space. As I was trying to figure out what to do with them I thought 'why not give them away in my first ever giveaway?' Thus, the "I Have Way Too Many Books" giveaway was born. But really, it's similar to the spring cleaning giveaways. These are all books I've read and don't have a place for anymore.

Here's how the "I Have Way Too Many Books" giveaway works. There are three prizes and at least 5 winners Prizes are:
1. The complete Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking
2. The Kane Chronicles (books 1-3) by Rick Riordan
3. A pick from the mystery stack. The stack includes random stand alones and mis-matched series books.

The first winner gets his/her pick from the three prizes then I move on to the runner up who gets to choose from what's left and so on and so forth. Whoever chooses from the mystery stack will be able to chose from a list I reveal only to them. So you won't get stuck with a book you didn't choose.

**It may take up to/or more than a week to contact all winners. Winners must provide an address upon winning for me to send their prize to. Any questions can be posted in the comments or sent to my email: writingchamp34@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone who participates in my first book giveaway! And don't forget to share it will all the other book lovers!

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30 Day Book Challenge - Day 5

Day 5 - A book that makes me happy... "Perfect Chemistry" by Simone Elkeles

I find it pretty sad that this was the hardest category for me to choose a book for so far. I think it's because when I'm reading I really like the books that deal with the grittier emotions and everything doesn't work out to be all hunky dory.

But I did find one book in my stacks that just makes me smiling thinking about it. "Perfect Chemistry" by Simone Elkeles wasn't something I usually would read when I picked it up. And I must admit, it was the cover that drew me in.

I think I just like it because even though neither Alex nor Brittany are perfect characters they are perfect for each other. It's that appeal of forbidden love that brings them together in the first place but soon they come to realize that maybe they aren't as different as they first thought.

No matter what, by the end of the book I usually have a smile on my face and a few warm tinglies (yes, that's a word) in my belly.

The other two books in the series are pretty good too, although not as good as the first. And I like how you get more of Brittany and Alex's story even though they aren't the main characters in those two.

Coming up tomorrow: Meet Perfect Chemistry's counter part and a book that makes me sad :'(

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 - Favorite book of your favorite series... "Clockwork Prince" by Cassandra Clare

Yesterday I revealed that the Infernal Devices series was one of my favorites. Out of the two books that I've had a chance to read so far it was number two, "Clockwork Prince" that came out on top for me.

At the end of book one we're left with a bit of a cliff hanger that had me begging for book two to come out sooner. When it did, it answered all my questions and flawlessly continued the story line from earlier. In the "Clockwork Angel" I connected with all of the three main characters, Tessa, Will and Jem. All the while rooting for Tessa and Will to be together.

Then in "Clockwork Prince," Jem came out of the woodwork and surprised me by getting more involved with Tessa that I would have guessed. But I love both Jem and Will so really if she ends up with either one it's fine with me.

We also find out more about what happened to Tessa brother. And we see more of Magnus Bane who is a character in the Mortal Instruments series and a character that I enjoy so much.

I can't wait to get my hands on the third book and see if it's better than it's predecessors. Until then, "Clockwork Prince" will remain by favorite book of my favorite series.

Coming up tomorrow: A book that makes me happy :)