New Release: 12/9-12/15

Tue Dec 11

All the Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen
Kiss of the Betrayer (Clockwork Agents, #2) by Boone Brux

 

Happy Reading!!

Review: Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

Luminosity
Author:Stephanie Thomas
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Entanged Teen
The Raven Chronicles Book #1
ISBN:   1620611279
ISBN13: 9781620611272
Genre: Young Adult/Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Publisher

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

Bea is a neat character. She is defiant while still following rules, easy to connect with and not afraid to go after what she wants. She doesn't blindly follow what she is told and had no problem thinking for herself. As a Seer she can see things others can't and she is one of the most powerful Seers so her visions are taken seriously. The whole concept behind LUMINOSITY was intriguing and the author did a good job with her descriptions and world building.There isn't really a romance going on but there is love triangle. Beatrice loves her best friend Gabe but she finds herself pining for the enemy Echo as well. I cant honestly say who's "team" I am as we don't really know enough about Echo yet to say what he would bring into a relationship with Bea. 

 I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the storyline.  A lot of the mystery ended up being pretty obvious and easy to guess before situations or information came out.There was a good bit of action situations and plenty of danger you wouldn't imagine young people being involved in. The ending didn't seem very strong but it ends on a cliffhanger so there is plenty left to see. We really don't know much about the Dreamcatcher's yet so I cant imagine what will happen once Bea arrives in their home so I will most likely grab book 2 when it comes out just because I'm interested in finding out.

I gave it 3/5 stars

Week in Review: 12/2-12/8

Books Ive Bought/received

*Blessed by a Demon's Mark by ES Moore-eARC- Netgalley

* Kitty Rocks the House by Carrie Vaughn-ARC- Publisher

* The Shape Stealer by Lee Carroll-ARC- Publisher


Books I Read

Coveted by Stephanie Nelson
Blessed by A Demons Mark bu E.S. Moore

Reviews Posted

Moonshifted by Cassie Alexander
Guardians of Stone by Anita Clenney
Underneath by Jes Young

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* UFI took part in the Cover Reveal tour for Fiery Edge of Steel by Jill Archer on Wednesday. There is a great giveaway posted as well. 

* Thursday Mary Abshire stopped by with a guest post and giveaway for her book titled The Quest. 

*  Friday brought Jes Young by with a guest post and giveaway for the second book of her series Underneath.

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 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Review: Underneath by Jes Young

Underneath
Author:Jes Young
Release Date: December 1, 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Princess of Twilight and Dawn Book #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

Six months ago, when her long-hidden heritage came to light, Tab Bennett reluctantly let go of her past and embraced her future as an Elvish princess on the cusp of her gifts and the edge of her destiny. She never wanted a fairy tale life, but as the daughter of the Dark King and the Light Queen, that’s exactly what she got.

Raised in exile away from the kingdom of the Inbetween, Tab has never even met the parents who ruined her life. Her mother is dead, but Tab’s father, Daniel, is alive and well, the mad ruler of the kingdom of the Underneath. He’s made it clear he wants to meet her and now that she knows all the sadness and heartache in her life can be traced directly to the Dark king’s door, Tab wants to meet him too. After all, it's because of him that the first twenty-five years of her life were a lie. It’s his fault she gave her heart to Robbin when she should have been saving it for Alex, the prince who is destined to be her Homecoming. But, most importantly, King Daniel is the one responsible for her mother’s suicide and her sisters’ murders.

Now Tab wants justice – but she’ll settle for revenge and Finnegan Blackthorn, an Elvish warrior with secrets of his own, is going to help her get it. Together, they’ll embark on the dangerous journey to her father’s stronghold in the kingdom Underneath. Once she's there, far away from the Light in which she was raised, Tab will be forced to confront the seductive nature of Darkness and her own potential to truly become her father’s daughter

UNDERNEATH ended up being quite a bit darker than TAB BENNET AND THE INBETWEEN, Tab has come along way in her new role and goes through just as much if not more then she did in book 1. The beginning of UNDERNEATH started out so positive. Tab was happy in her relationship, she had all her family behind her and the ending kinda left her allies and her future up in the air. Because Tab was so set on destroying her father King Daniel she ended up losing more than I felt she gained in the end but I can see where the author might be taking her so I'm hoping my broken heart will heal quickly. We meet a wide array of new characters and creatures and we learn more about the other half of Tab. Alright on to the romance aspects. I wasn't really loving the way Tab was acting with Finnegan throughout the book, but that is probably because I really like Alex. Alex grew on me quickly and I really enjoyed seeing him and Tab together. I was pretty over Robbin in book one so I was not surprised with anything regarding him.

I didn't love the ending, it bummed me out. Cliffhangers will always do that to you though. I'm sad after reading UNDERNEATH but also excited to see what Jes has in store for Tab and the rest of The Princess of Twilight and Dawn cast.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Winner: Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Prize: Hardcover Copy of Cold Days

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Guest Blog & Giveaway: Underneath by Jes Young

UFI welcomes Jes Young Author of The Princess of Twilight and Dawn Series. Thanks for Joining us!!

Unlike your average urban fantasy heroine, I will most likely never be the sole obsession of a powerful Fae prince. If I was going to learn to fly by jumping off a bridge into the arms of my adoring vampire husband, I’d probably be wearing something boring like jeans and a pair of Chuck Taylors, instead of thigh high boots and a leather coat. We don’t have much in common, but it’s the differences between my life and theirs that make these women so fun to read about. When I read, I want the adventure and danger and inappropriate footwear that have no place in my real life.

When I started writing the Princess of Twilight and Dawn series, I discovered that if reading about urban fantasy heroines is fun, writing about them is even better. Every day, when I sit down at my desk, I get to play with magic and danger and power. I get to go on an adventure with a brave Elvish princess and a swoon-worthy prince. And I get to make them kiss whenever I want. (Greetings from my inner control freak.) The best part though has been writing Tab’s transformation from someone who hides from the monsters into someone who stands up to them. Making that chance, in a way that seemed believable, was a challenge in the best possible sense. I tried to make her a mix of the things I love about my favorite kick-ass heroines and the things I love about my friends. She’s brave and funny and loyal and smart and, after a while, she learns to wield a sword, throw a knife, and rock a pair of stilettos. 

My Top 5 Urban Fantasy Heroines:

5. Sookie Stackhouse from the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris: A sentimental favorite. Sookie makes the list because these were the first urban fantasy books I ever read. “Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve dealt out? There’s no profit in it, no point to it, and you need sleep.” 

4. Rachel Morgan from the Hollows series by Kim Harrison: She’s sort of adorably bumbling, isn’t she? I love that about her. “Most of the upper management of I.S. were undead. I always thought it was because the job was easier if you didn't have a soul.” 

3. Cat Crawfield from the Night Huntress series by Jeannine Frost: Cat has a certain snarky charm that I can’t resist, but it’s because of how nicely its balanced by vulnerability that I love her. “Oh, Dracula as well, Annette? I guess if Frankenstein and the Wolf Man were real, they'd already have double-teamed you.” At 

2. Mercy Thompson from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: Aside from the whole turning into a coyote thing, Mercy seems like a regular person to me. She’s tough but not invincible. “His arms closed around me, pressing flesh painfully hard against bone. Love hurts like that sometimes.”

1. MacKayla Lane from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning:  In a lot of ways, Mac was the inspiration for my character Tab. She’s in over her head, she’s soft, and she’s not tough enough to survive—until events change her and suddenly she is. “Some people bring out the worst in you, others bring out the best, and then there are those remarkably rare, addictive ones who just bring out the most. Of everything. They make you feel so alive that you'd follow them straight into hell, just to keep getting your fix.”

So that’s my top five. I’d love it if you’d stop by the comments on your way out to tell me yours, say hello, or ask me a question. Thanks for reading!

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After graduating from Emerson College with a BFA in creative writing, Jes Young was a copywriter at Random House (Ballantine Books and Crown Publishing Group) for nearly ten years. Currently she is the development manager of a small non-profit and the mother of two children under the age of ten. Her writing is done primarily between the hours of 11 p.m and 3 a.m.

Find Jes and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Underneath
Princess of Twilight and Dawn #2

 Six months ago, when her long-hidden heritage came to light, Tab Bennett reluctantly let go of her past and embraced her future as an Elvish princess on the cusp of her gifts and the edge of her destiny. She never wanted a fairy tale life, but as the daughter of the Dark King and the Light Queen, that’s exactly what she got.

Raised in exile away from the kingdom of the Inbetween, Tab has never even met the parents who ruined her life. Her mother is dead, but Tab’s father, Daniel, is alive and well, the mad ruler of the kingdom of the Underneath. He’s made it clear he wants to meet her and now that she knows all the sadness and heartache in her life can be traced directly to the Dark king’s door, Tab wants to meet him too. After all, it's because of him that the first twenty-five years of her life were a lie. It’s his fault she gave her heart to Robbin when she should have been saving it for Alex, the prince who is destined to be her Homecoming. But, most importantly, King Daniel is the one responsible for her mother’s suicide and her sisters’ murders.

Now Tab wants justice – but she’ll settle for revenge and Finnegan Blackthorn, an Elvish warrior with secrets of his own, is going to help her get it. Together, they’ll embark on the dangerous journey to her father’s stronghold in the kingdom Underneath. Once she's there, far away from the Light in which she was raised, Tab will be forced to confront the seductive nature of Darkness and her own potential to truly become her father’s daughter

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Guest Blog & Giveaway: The Quest by Mary Abshire

UFI welcomes Mary Abshire Author of The Quest. Thanks for Joining us!!

What's in a title?

The majority of the time, I create a title for my books before I sit down to write them. On other occasions, I discover the title while I'm writing. Book titles are not difficult to come up with. But a series name can be.

From day one when I started The Awakening, the title was set. The book was easy to name since the protagonist is discovering who and what she is in a world full of supernatural creatures. That's right, who. She's found a dump and she has no memories. Two investigators, one human and one vampire, find her among a mass of dead bodies. They decide to help her and they want to know who murdered so many people and why. They soon learn she doesn't have memories and she's not like any creature. More questions rise, such as: How did she get to be what she is? Who created her? Who took her memories? Why? And the list goes on.

The Awakening is her finding these answers. It's mystery, action, violence, suspense, and everything you like with urban fantasy with supernatural creatures.

But I don't give all the answers in the book. That's right. I had a second one in my head, so I purposely left some questions unanswered. I also had the title ready to go.

The Quest is her journey to get justice for the people murdered and everything taken from her. She knows her name and what she is, but she still doesn't have her memories. The same cast return along with some new ones. As usual, her goal is not an easy one. Especially when the person she's after has put a bounty out for her. Again, I bring mystery, action, violence, and suspense into my urban fantasy world.

The two titles were easy for me to create. But during the editing process, I was asked for a series name. Uh-oh. For once, I couldn't think of the best name for the series. I spent over day trying to think of one. Then, I was in the shower when the title came to me. It fit perfectly…Project Eve. How did I come up with the series title? If you read The Quest, you will discover the answer.

In a nutshell, I had easy titles, then not easy titles. But they all are perfect. Strange how life works at times.

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Author Bio:
Mary lives in Indiana and is a lifetime lover of the paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy. When she's not slaving away at her government job, she is a Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Author. She creates fantastical worlds with vampires, demons, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures. Dive into her books and find action, a dash of mystery, and seductive men with passionate hearts. The Project Eve series is an urban fantasy

Other books by Mary Abshire:
(The Soul Catcher series, paranormal erotic romance)
Claiming the Evil Dead
Catching an Evil Tail
Fighting Evil
Love Conquers All Evil

Find Mary and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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The Quest
The Project Eve Series
 Amazon  Barnes & Noble  iTunes

 Retribution. At any cost.

Now that she knows her name and what she is, she wants justice for everything she's lost. Though her memories elude her, she takes a job for a half-demon Senator and, aided by werewolves from a local clan, intends to uncover evidence that will convict the Senator of more than thirty murders.

Getting to the Senator and finding the necessary evidence is more difficult than she anticipates, especially when there is a bounty for her death. If that were not enough, the vampire who stole her memories returns and reveals unexpected truths. But she's not going to let anything stop her. Not a sadistic assassin or a servant of Lucifer. Not even her ex-lover, the vampire god of the Underworld. Nothing will stop her from claiming retribution...even if the price is her life.

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International 

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