Happy New Year...2015 in Review!

In 2015 I.....

Read 220 books

First book of the year I read was Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
Last book of the year I read was Ruined by Amy Tintera

Posted a total of 409 blog posts
with
135 of those being reviews

First review of the year was Asylum by Shana Festa
Last review of the year was Altered by Marnee Blake

Was there anything about UFI in 2015 that sticks out as your favorite? How many books did you read in 2015?

Here's to another fantastic year in 2016!

Review: Altered by Marnee Blake

Altered

Author: Marnee Blake

Release Date: December 28, 2015

Publisher: Entangled: Embrace

ISBN:   168281047X

ISBN13: 9781682810477

Genre: New Adult Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

When "normal" ends, survival begins...

The sickness came on suddenly and violently. When it was done, waitress Blue Michaels was different in a really strange way. And the entire town of Glory was dead...except for her.

Only that's not exactly true. A handful of people made it, including U.S. Army Specialist Seth Campbell, who was caught in the wrong town at the worst time. He's fierce and protective, and way too good-looking. As much as they need a leader—as much as Blue wants to trust him—there are too many questions and not enough time for answers. Now they are hunted. But what their pursuers don't know is each of them has strange new powers. And they'll use their "gifts" to survive...no matter who stands in their way.

Blue becomes violently ill and wakes up to find that her whole town was sick too and only a handful of people made it out of the sickness alive. She quickly finds out that everyone that made it has a new special ability and that there is someone hunting them down.

ALTERED was very fast paced and hand plenty of action from the first chapter to the end. Blake throws you right into the thick of things so be ready to hit the pages running. The characters all had distinct personalities and brought a little something—whether good or bad—to the story. The romance between Blue and Seth was sweet, but I really wanted more. They have a quick attraction and their relationship does develop nicely, but I felt like it was more in the background with the conflict of the book taking the forefront of the story.

There was a small thing that bothered me about ALTERED. I constantly forgot how old the characters were. You can look at the cover or feel their age after an informed grown up decision is made, but then there were times that they felt like a bunch of kids running from their enemies.

After the abrupt ending and the loose ends that it left I am convinced that there has to be another book coming. ALTERED was definitely interesting enough to me that I would be interested in reading more.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Early Review + Giveaway: The City of Light by Keri Arthur

City of Light

Author: Keri Arthur

Release Date: January 5, 2015

Publisher: Signet

Outcast Book #1

ISBN:  0451473507

ISBN13: 9780451473509

Genre: Publisher

Review Copy Source: Urban Fantasy

The first in an all-new futuristic fantasy series from Keri Arthur—the New York Times bestselling author of the Souls of Fire novels.

When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between this world and the next, they allowed entry to the Others—demons, wraiths, and death spirits who turned the shadows into their hunting grounds. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the darkness at bay....

As a déchet—a breed of humanoid super-soldiers almost eradicated by the war—Tiger has spent her life in hiding. But when she risks her life to save a little girl on the outskirts of Central City, she discovers that the child is one of many abducted in broad daylight by a wraith-like being—an impossibility with dangerous implications for everyone on earth.

Because if the light is no longer enough to protect them, nowhere is safe...

What a unique new series by Keri Arthur. No urban fantasy fan should pass it up!

We find out immediately upon reading THE CITY OF LIGHT that the main character, Tiger aka Tig, is a déchet and that she is in hiding. Right after that she saves a little girl —and the hurt shifter with her that she would rather leave for dead—right before the vampires can get their hands on her. That decision changes the quite life she has built for herself and sends her into danger to investigate why children are going missing. Tig as a character really intrigued me. She was bred and programmed to be killer, but she is extremely compassionate and loyal. Every time I thought I knew her, another part of her was revealed.

I usually get overwhelmed when there are a ton of different creatures and characters introduced in one book, but I found that Arthur did a great job with THE CITY OF LIGHT. The world building was easy to follow and the introduction to new things were spread out instead of dumped on the reader at once. Arthur described the world really well in every circumstance and made it easy for me to fall right into it.

THE CITY OF LIGHT is an urban fantasy, but there is some romance involved. On one side there is Jonas. He hates the déchet with a passion, but he's drawn to Tig and totally resents it. There is a ton of sexual chemistry and tension between the two and you can't help wanting Jonas to get over himself and his prejudice so they can start something. I have high hopes for book two. Then there is an old friend who Tig thought was dead that I don't want to go into too much detail about. Neither has an issue acting on their attraction for each other–which is very strong–, but they are both very different from who they were.

THE CITY OF LIGHTS unfortunately ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, which is never fun, but I will definitely be reading more and look forward to WINTER HALO in December 2016.

I gave it 5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

PRAISE FOR KERI ARTHUR
 
“Keri Arthur has blown me away again. Her worlds are so complex and ‘real.’….I highly recommend Arthur’s books.”
—USA Today


"Keri Arthur knows how to thrill."
—Shana Abé, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Deepest Night
 
“Keri Arthur skillfully mixes her suspenseful plot with heady romance…Sexy vampires, randy werewolves, and unabashed, unapologetic, joyful sex—you’ve gotta love it. Smart, sexy, and well-conceived.”
—Kim Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author
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Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than thirty-three novels. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and has won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.



Find Keri and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Us Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Releases: 12/27-1/2

Mon. Dec. 28th

 Altered by Marnee Blake

Tue. Dec. 29th

 The Exorcist Who Loved Me by Jennifer Savalli

 Smoldering Hunger (Dark Kings #8) by Donna Grant 

 Vendetta (Deadly Curiosities #2) by Gail Z. Martin

Happy Reading!

Promo + Giveaway: The Good, the Bad, and the Vampire by Sara Humphreys

The Good, the Bad, and the Vampire 
Dead in the City #4

Beloved author Sara Humphreys' acclaimed paranormal romance series continues with sweltering attraction between two vampires who have all the time in the world to satisfy their desires...

He wants eternity?
Dakota Shelton is a vampire cowboy with a penchant for cinnamon lollipops and Johnny Cash. Though highly skilled and deadly dangerous to his enemies, he's still a Texas good ol' boy at heart. And he has that heart set on wooing Trixie LaRoux-the most badass punk rock chick in town-the old-fashioned way.

Over her undead body...
Trixie is tough as nails and sharp as a silver stake-the last thing she wants is a man to sit on a porch and not grow old with. So it'll take going to hell and back fighting a new threat to vampires before she admits Dakota's courtship makes her blood hum. Turns out chivalry's not dead after all.

Excerpt:

Hidden within the lush branches of the towering tree, Trixie crouched low to avoid hitting her head on a dangling clump of pinecones. This had been her usual spot ever since Chelsea moved in a year ago, but those freaking pinecones always got tangled in her hair. Uncomfortable as it was, this location gave her a clear view into the kitchen and family room of the tiny house. The thick scent of the pine needles filled Trixie’s nose as she sat motionless amid the branches, unnoticed by the human woman inside the little white clapboard cottage.

Trixie’s throat tightened with emotion. With her enhanced hearing, she picked up Chelsea’s tuneless hum as she washed dishes in the small sink. She seemed content and peaceful. A combination of pride and sadness swirled inside Trixie—but not regret. That was one emotion she never allowed herself to entertain. Everyone made hard choices; living with the consequences of some choices was harder than making them.

She shouldn’t be here. But she couldn’t manage to stay away, either. Not for long, anyway. Trixie could go maybe two or three months without checking on the girl, but then the nagging pull of worry would drag her back.

Was Chelsea safe? Was she happy?

Those were the only two questions that Trixie ever wanted answered. Based on the satisfied, wistful smile on Chelsea’s sweet face, the answer to both right now was a resounding ‘yes’.

Trixie adjusted her position on the thick branch, the treads of her combat boots digging into the rough bark. It hadn’t always been that way; there had been difficult times. Times when Trixie hadn’t been able to stop herself from intervening. She had only wanted to give Chelsea a gift—an anonymous gift—but when Olivia found out about it she was freaking furious. The vampire community did not look upon meddling in human lives fondly. That didn’t matter.

All that mattered was making sure that Chelsea was okay.

The alarm on Trixie’s cellphone vibrated in the pocket of her jeans. She swore under her breath and pulled it out before quickly shutting it off. The club would be opening soon and she had to go back to get the bar stocked and ready. She glanced at Chelsea one last time before shooting into the night sky. Maybe tomorrow, after the party, she would come back for another quick visit.

As long no one found out, what could it hurt?

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Sara Humphreys is the award-winning author of the Amoveo Legend series. The third book in the series, Untamed, won two PRISM awards: Dark Paranormal and Best of the Best. The first two novels from her Dead in the City series have been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award. Sara was also a professional actress. Some of her television credits include A&E Biography, Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns and Rescue Me. She loves writing hot heroes and heroines with moxie, but above all, Sara adores a satisfying happily-ever-after. She lives in New York with Mr. H., their four amazing sons, and two adorable pups. When she's not writing or hanging out with the men in her life, she can be found working out with Shaun T in her living room or chatting with readers on Facebook.  For a full list of Sara's books and reading order, please visit www.sarahumphreys.com

Find Sara and her books

Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Tour Wide

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Week in Review: 12/20-12/26

Books Received for Review

The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson- Publisher

Books I've Read

Ash by Jaymin Eve and Leia Stone
Gambit by C.L. Denault
 Mercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti

Reviews Posted

I was out of town (without my computer) for the holidays, so there were no reviews this week.

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

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway for Dying Light by Kory M. Shrum

* Wednesday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for The V Girl by Mya Robarts

* Thursday- Promo for 4 FREE eBooks from Felicity Heaton and Caris Roane

* Friday- Happy Holidays!

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

BlogLovin

Networked Blogs

Facebook
Pinterest Board
Tsu

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.

Twitter

Goodreads

Librarything

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

Happy Holidays!

I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. I hope no matter what holiday you celebrate that it was filled with lots of love and joy.