.Review + 2 Giveaways: Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

Incarnation

by: Emma Cornwall

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Gallery Books
ISBN:1439190356 (ISBN13: 9781439190357) .

*ARC copy provided by Publisher

In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula–to set the record straight . . . If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart—and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her—from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.

Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—what it means to be human.

Engrossing, paranormal read that had me whisked away into our heroine's adventure, within the historical streets of London, and the creatures of the night. 


My first thoughts when I received this book? Gorgeous cover with sassy cover model, great Victorian setting, with steampunk elements. What we find between the pages is more of  a paranormal, historical with a smart heroine set in the Victorian era of the streets of London. Rich with details of this time period, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The Prologue, will have you right from the start, as we find our heroine, Lucy, trapped underground in a coffin, with a stake through her chest, digging, and clawing her way out of her trap, as she is re-awakened. Confused about what has happened to her she makes her way out with an unknown hunger, and determination to find out what has become of her and her family, with only bits of pieces of her memory haunting her. She makes her way to her home, but it's not the home she remembers from her past, although memories still remain, it is deserted and a lonely place that unveils secrets about what has now become of her.
Once again, our heroine sets off to find the link to what and why she is now a deadly, immortal. The streets of London open her mind to a different world as she learns about her "new" life, and what will become of her and all of society and what piece of the puzzle she plays within this mystery.

With a hauntingly calling within her dreams, we learn of her maker and what has become of him, and his unfortunate event has Lucy needing to rescue him. With the help of the mysterious, Marco di Orsini. A talented human known as a Protector who defends humans and humanity against vampires and other paranormal beings that stalk the night. Marco is a great hero as well, and without spoiling the whole setting let's just say he is a great match for Lucy.

                                                                   
                                                 

Miss Cornwall not only incorporates a wonderful tale, with a intriguing plot, she manages to fill your mind with wonderment of walking the streets of London reliving society during these times, she also places your mind into our heroine's and you really have a sense of learning everything through the eyes of Lucy bit by bit. Sprinkle in a list of paranormal elements which include wolves, unicorns, trolls, and of course vampires, an impending war, and mystery with a light romance we have a winner with Incarnation.


4/5 Stars

The publisher has graciously offered two paperback copies of Incarnation to two lucky readers!

• US only
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Book Tour Review/Giveaway: Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan

Fractured Light (Fractured Light #1)

by Rachel McClellan

Published February 8th 2012 by Sweetwater Books

ISBN

1599559420 (ISBN13: 9781599559421)

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. But she never felt ready to face them---until now. Defying the Auran Council and everything she's been taught, Llona must learn to use her power over light as a weapon if she wants to survive.



Rachel McClellan

Social Media links:

Facebook

Twitter: @RachelMcClellan

Links to find/buy book:

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble



 

See full Tour Schedule HERE

Fractured Light was a surprisingly fast paced, well written, mysterious read, with a Paranormal twist that will have your heart racing.


Llona Reese, an Aura has the ability to control light, and use it as a weapon, good thing too, because she will need these powers to defeat the evil Vykens, whom have basically destroyed her life by killing her parents, and are out to get her next!
Vyken's hunt down Aura's to drink from them, so they may have the ability to walk in the day.
 With a likable heroine, who learns to kick-butt, throw in a first love relationship that had its setbacks, the story all in all works.


 McClellan had me walking on eggshells at points of this book, as I am basically a wimp when it comes to the dark, the whole someone is out there looking thru my windows or pacing around outside my home always has my heart race a little harder and sweat a little more, looking behind me, wondering who is following me, *shudders*! I also felt the mystery was well built up within the pages of this book and had me guessing at times of who the "bad guy" was, although I did figure the plot out of who it was, it did have me going back/forth at times as McCleelan has a way of keeping you on your toes!

4/5 stars

As part of this book tour, Rachel McClellan has lowered the price of Fractured Light to .99! Pick up your copy now, before the sale is over ...

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• 3 Necklaces,
• 5 SIGNED Copies,
•  10 eBooks
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Waiting On Wednesday #8

Hosted By
Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Hi guys! So, this week I actually went a little CrAzY on my WOW post! I  have two titles to share with you because I just cannot wait for these exciting books!

Expected publication: April 16th 2013 by Henry Holt and Co. BYR

Three high school girls become the avenging Furies of Greek legend.

We were only three angry girls, to begin with. Alix, the hot-tempered surfer chick; Stephanie, the tree-hugging activist; and me, Meg, the quiet foster kid, the one who never quite fit in. We hardly knew each other, but each of us nurtured a burning anger: at the jerks in our class, at our disappointing parents, at the whole flawed, unjust world.

We were only three angry girls, simmering uselessly in our ocean-side California town, until one day a mysterious, beautiful classmate named Ambrosia taught us what else we could be: Powerful. Deadly. Furious.






Last week, I was waiting on  Death and  by Darynda Jones and since starting it I must say I'm really enjoying it, so it's only fitting that I add the next installment of her Darklight series #2, Death, Doom, and Detention.

Expected publication: March 5th 2013 by St. Martin's Press

The normal part of Lorelei MacAlister’s life didn’t just slip away quietly the day Jared Kovach came to town. Nope. The normal part of her life shattered. It exploded. It burst into a gazillion shards of fleeting light.

It went out with a bang.

Goodbye normal.

Hello dark and eerie.

While her best friend, Brooklyn, is focusing all of her energy on helping Lorelei hone her abilities, Lorelei is dealing with the reality that Satan’s second in command has taken up residence inside her body. Oh, and the fact that she has a crush on the Angel of Death. But what a beautiful death it is. If those weren’t bad enough, something sinister has come to town and it wants nothing more than to hear Lorelei’s dying breath as it strangles it out of her. Thank goodness the gang has a supernatural champion. But what happens when the only being who can save them switches sides midstream? How can a group of misfits capture one of the most powerful beings ever created? And will they find out how to bring Jared back to them before it’s too late...

So, whatcha waiting on?

                                                                                                       

Review: Shadows by Jennifer Armentrout

Shadows

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ebook, 179 pages

Published February 21st 2012 by Entangled Publishing  

ISBN:139781620610084
Series: Lux  #0.5

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.





Review:





I read Obsidian before I read Shadows and it's not a big deal if you do read it that way. Shadows is basically the back story of Daemon's brother Dawson, and how he fell in love with a human and what the consequences and outcome of doing so did to him and his "family".
Dawson and Beth have nothing on Daemon and Katy from Obsidian, as far as intensity, heat, and passion, but I did enjoy reading about what happened to Dawson and how his actions and outcome directly affected his brother Daemon and sister Dee. We get a better understanding of why  Daemon is so hard on Katy and why he treats her unkind in Obsidian.



This book does show what happens to the Luxen when they fall in love with a human, and let me say the outcome is not good. Dawson meets Beth and has an insta love connection.
The Arum(the enemies of the Luxen) go after Dawson and Beth and their outcome is doomed right from the start.

This book is really a quick read and although Jennifer is a very good writer I felt this book didn't have the appeal that Obsidian did, maybe because I read Obsidian first? I don't know? All I do know is, if you read this book first, don't be deterred into not reading Obsidian, because that is where Jennifer shines and her talent truly comes out.

3.5-4/5

                                                                                                                                                                         

Review + Arc Giveaway: The Temptation by Alisa Valdes

The Temptation
Alisa Valdes
Paperback 320pgs.

Published April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062024205 (ISBN13: 9780062024206)

Series: Kindred #1
Paranormal,
Young adult
ARC win from GR

His touch was electric.
His eyes were magnetic.
His lips were a temptation....
But was he real?

After crashing her car on an empty highway, Shane is miraculously saved by Travis, a mysterious cowboy who walks out of nowhere. She is instantly attracted to him, and for the first time, she believes in “soul mates.” But Shane soon discovers that Travis is dead and that strict rules from the Underworld govern kindred spirits of different dimensions. Breaking these rules could destroy both their souls. And while Travis is almost impossible to resist, temptation proves to be the kindest enemy they encounter.

Can true love surpass the power of pure evil? Part love story, part supernatural thriller, this first book in the Kindred trilogy will leave readers lusting for more.

Review:

This book had a great start and I was sucked into the plot right from the beginning, it had a suspenseful start until... about 140pgs. in...
Shane crashes her car in the desert, and that's when her life changes forever. As she's basically on the brink of death, a boy comes out of nowhere and saves her. A mystery, in itself we learn this boy is not alive, no, he's dead. Having died at almost the same exact spot as where Shane crashes, we slowly learn what he is and the mystery that surrounds him, and what his goal is. Yes, he has a goal to get out of the realm he's forced to exsist in. Travis is basically a solid entity by day, but at night he becomes a ghostly, non-exsitant figure. Shane falls for Travis but doesn't realize what he is exactly, but slowly the mystery is unveiled and we learn all about Travis past. In that past, there was an evil villian who seeked revenge on Travis and his brother and now in this other life, he's once again seeking revenge. The best way to seek revenge is to of course hurt the ones you love, hence Shane will become the way this villian gets to Travis.

Now, there is so more to this story then what I'm going to elaborate,
 I believe my interest started to wain, because it seemed
the story, had depth, and so much more potential, but I felt like the mark was missed within the second 1/2 of the story and for some reason it felt like the author had a hard time grasping the flow of the storyline. It seemed like her characters became less, and less interesting as the book went on, and the action and flow just seemed to slow down and actually became quite boring, until the end when things started to heat up, again. The characters love story seemed to be forced and lacking the spark to really enjoy them as a couple.  
The ending seemed to peak my interest and I'm still on the fence over weather or not I'll be reading the next one. I actually felt like this book was written by two different people, and the middle was thrown together in haste.
 The ending is a to-be-continued and abruptly ended...

3/5 Stars


Don't let my feelings sway you from trying it out for yourself, heck maybe it was just me. Being that I'm not a teen, maybe that could be the reason why I just felt like it missed the mark.
So, here's your chance to read it for yourself. I'm giving away my arc copy plus some surprise swag as a giveaway.
Fill out the rafflecopter below.
Must be 13 yrs. older
Open to US/Canada
Giveaway open  5/31-6/7
Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48hrs. to respond

Thanks and Good Luck
Don't care to enter the giveaway? That's fine you can still comment below about what book didn't meet your expectations and you had to give a less than 3 star rating.

                        CONGRATULATIONS!
April A your the winner of The Temptation arc and surprise swag giveaway! E-mail sent 6/7/12

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Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Switched
Amanda Hocking
The Trylle Series Book #1

Paperback, 318 pages

Published January 3rd 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin (first published July 12th 2010)

ISBN 1250006317 (ISBN13: 9781250006318)

Borrowed From Library

YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…
This edition includes the bonus story "The Vittra Attacks".





Review:    A page-turning, engrossing storyline, with a different paranormal twist. Fantastic bookcover!

This book was written really well, it had me sucked into the pages. Amanda Hocking's writing style is a breath of fresh air in the young adult genre. She weaves a story that will have you from the first pages, not letting you go, and leaving you hungry for the next book.


Wendy, the female lead protagonists, is a young girl who's life is anything but normal.
She has the power to influence your thoughts, but she 's kind of lost as to why she has this power. At, only six, her mom tries to kill her, her mom is then institutionalized after that incident, so Wendy must be cared for by her Aunt and older brother. Being that her mom thinks she is a monster, they never had a close relationship and Wendy always felt different. Maybe, because she is different.

Wendy meets Finn a student at her school, and he turns out to be mysterious and intriguing. He tells her things about her past life events that rocks her world, she is then thrusted into a new world were everything she believed from her past is now totally different. Finn explains to Wendy that she is a changeling, switched at birth and her real mother is waiting for her in Forening.

 She finds out she's a Troll?? (I know, strange, right?). These Trolls are not your average ugly, grotesque, folklore Trolls, nope their not your crazy colored wild haired Trolls either. They are regular looking people, except they posses powers. Wendy finds out she is pivotal to the "Troll" community, she is very important. Going from a regular school girl to finding out she has an important roll to play in Forening, is a huge adjustment to her, but Flinn is right there helping her and what they have together in this book is a growing affection for one another. Without spoiling the rest, I'll stop now.

This book had alot of great elements to it: action, secrets, mystery, and a hint of romance. With it's easy flow and likable characters, its a must read with YA fans as well as Adults. I'm already looking forward to  the rest of the  series.

5/5 Stars because this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go!

43 Kindle Free E-Books -Amazon

It's been awhile since my last freebie post and as you can see this list is huge!
Click on book cover for direct link to Amazon. Hurry, prices may change. Please make sure price is listed at $0.00 before clicking buy now button.  ~Enjoy!