Showing posts with label Giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giveaways. Show all posts

Friday, February 5, 2016

Review & Giveaway: Bite the Bullet by CC Wood

Bite the Bullet by CC Wood
(Bitten #5)
January 31, 2016
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, 18+
Contains: Strong language, explicit sex
Source: eARC for Honest review

I don't know what happened to my life.

Just a few months ago, I was independent and had an exciting job I loved. Now, along with my friends, I'm in hiding.

Why? Because I'm one of the Five, a group of human women bestowed with powers and abilities to fight and control supernatural beings. A prophesy was written about us centuries ago. We are supposed to save the world, though none of us knows how.

Now, Cornelius, the leader of a malevolent group known as the Faction believes that by killing us and absorbing our power, he will become unstoppable in his bid to control not only the supernatural domain, but the entire world.

After evading capture and an attempt on my life forced me into months of hiding, I finally have a chance to take action against the Faction — as bait.

Asher Leroux, the vampire tasked with helping me, makes me feel things I don't understand. It's as if he fills the empty places in my soul, spaces that I didn't know existed.

As the final battle draws closer, I know that defeating the Faction won't give me back the life I once had, but maybe that's not such a bad deal after all.

I've loved the 'Bitten' series, and 'Bite the Bullet' is its finale. I do not recommend this as a standalone, because there is a lot of building up to this point. But I do highly recommend this series if you like a great paranormal series with fun characters, sexy romances, and a captivating world.

As for 'Bite the Bullet,' I definitely enjoyed it. I felt like I flew through the pages, looking forward to the conclusion we've been speculating since the start of this crazy ride. Not only do we get Shannon and Asher's love story, but we also get cameos from all the characters we've come to love. Seeing the quintet of couples, coordinating with the women of the Prophecy of Five, was great, and greedily, I always want more of them.

The overall storyline and action of the book was exciting. There was much to look forward to. But since Shannon is gifted with seeing the future, even if it's just bits and pieces, I felt like even these insights made the story a bit anti-climactic at times for me. I like the element of surprise, so the foreshadowing and prediction lessened some of the excitement. Now, I still loved following the storyline and my favorite characters, but it wasn't at the same anticipatory level as the previous books.

I also liked Shannon and Asher. Their transition from acquaintances to lovers was fairly smooth. They have great chemistry, a clearly destined attraction, some really great moments, and I really enjoyed their relationship. I loved the way Asher spoke of them. But once again, I was left a little wanting with this area of the story as well. I needed more depth to their interactions. While we get a lot of insight into Shannon, and her near obsession with independence (which started to get annoying, until she finally caught herself), but I didn't feel like I got to know Asher nearly enought. He was such an easy-going, "sweet talker" of a guy, and I liked that he was different from the other heroes of this series, but I wanted more from him, probably because I very much liked his character.

So overall, I still really enjoyed this finale. I loved where everyone ended up in the end. I'm sad to see them go, but fortunately, the author has informed us that her 'Blood and Bone' series will continue the stories of several characters from these books. I have a list of characters I'm really hoping this will include, one of which was introduced in this book. Can't wait!




The 'Bitten' Series:
Bite Me #1
Once Bitten, Twice Shy #2
One Little Bite #2.5
Bewitched, Bothered, & Bitten #3
My Review ~ Amazon
Love Bites #4
Bite the Bullet #5

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Twelve Days of New Adult Giveaway Hop

I am giving away a 
SIGNED copy of 
BETTER WHEN HE'S BAD 
by JAY CROWNOVER!!

It's no secret that I am a big Jay Crownover fan. (Here I am finally meeting her.) So giving away one of her books to a lucky reader was a no-brainer. Good luck!!


BETTER WHEN HE'S BAD is the first in her 'Welcome to the Point' series. You can find my review for it here.


Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win this beauty signed!
(Sorry, US Only.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Friday, October 10, 2014

Spotlight & Giveaway! Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott

It's no secret that I love the Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott. These books have the perfect combination of sexy and sweet, comedy and drama, friendship and love, with great writing, unforgettable characters, and let's not forget the hot rock stars. I love them! 
 
STAGE DIVE Series Links: 
Lick (Stage Dive, #1)
#1: LICK
 
Play (Stage Dive, #2)
#2 PLAY
 
Lead (Stage Dive, #3)
#3 LEAD
 
Deep (Stage Dive, #4)
#4 DEEP
(release date: March 31, 2015)
 
If you haven't had a chance to read them, or love them like I do and need a copy for your shelf, now's your chance to win a SIGNED copy of LICK (book 1) and a SWAG pack from Kylie Scott!
 
Enter to win all this!
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Friday, August 29, 2014

Giveaway & Review: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid

Beauty and the Mustache (Knitting in the City, #4)
Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid
Knitting in the City #4
August 28, 2014
387 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+
(Contains: sexual references and sex)
Source: eARC for Honest review
 
Synopsis:
This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the 'Knitting in the City' series.

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.
My Review: 

  Penny Reid has done it again! Beauty and the Mustache has it all, and here's just a hint:

1. BEAUTY: Yes, it's in the title. But I'm not talking about beautiful people, though you might say they are. I'm talking about beautiful words, beautiful writing, beautiful moments that steal your breath and grab your heart. There are so many layers to this story: family heartbreak and rebuilding, coping with tragedy, trust and hope, forgiveness, vulnerability, new love and hope, and more. Each layer and each person is important and they are beautifully interwoven into the fabric and seams of this story. The story itself, the heartache and the joy, all of it, was a treat. Though, just because it's a beautiful story, doesn't mean Penny's trademark awkward situations and humor hasn't also been infused. Let's just say with six bearded brothers, and Sandra, something's bound to happen.

2. MUSTACHES: And beards. Hairy brothers and philosophers alike. There is incredible character development. From the oh so swoony Drew, to the half dozen Winston siblings, who each has a standout personality of his own, I was in love with the bearded goodness. (Nietzsche's 'stache was good for banter, not so much for looks.) These men are funny, strong, sensitive, firm, intelligent, determined, and hot. I vote for a Winston brother spin-off series! Beyond the menfolk, our heroine Ashley is all kinds of fire and sass, but also sweetness, heart, and a mix of humility as she faces so much in this story. I loved getting to know her. And let's not forget about the old friends who offer their support, their banter, their opinions, their humor, their private jets, their private jokes, and their love.

3. ROMANCE: Yes, I'm saving the best for last. This is full of romance! Drew's romance. Because Drew is all kinds of subtle gestures, sensitive insights, and soft considerations. But he's also all man. Manly man. Sexy man. But he also writes poetry. Sexy, romantic, bearded, woodsy, sensitive, strong, deep, and poetic. Penny managed to make all these qualities in one man completely work. And while Ashley had so very much to deal with, Drew was ever the strong presence, yet not overtaking the enormity of what Ashley and her brood were facing. (Though Drew's poetry was epically swoontastic and scene-stealing.) Watching the romantic gestures and natural progression of their love story was so beautiful and genuine and touching. I absolutely loved Drew and Ashley's story.

Bottomline, I absolutely loved Beauty and the Mustache! Penny continues to outdo herself, and I have once again found a favorite to add to my shelf and my to-read-again-and-again pile. If this is your first Penny Reid book, you are in for a real treat. Penny is a favorite of mine, and I've yet to be disappointed by her amazing writing. If you've been following this series, then prepare yourself for a new level of awesomeness. If you have not been following this series, Beauty and the Mustache can be read as a standalone. It is a complete story by itself. And then you'll have to go back and read the rest of the series because you won't be able to stop yourself.

 
5+ STARS
 
Swoony Drew!
 
Ashley's Bearded Brothers!
 
 Book Links:
 
Also in the Series: 
Neanderthal Seeks Human (Knitting in the City, #1) Tour: Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny Reid
Friends Without Benefits (Knitting in the City, #2) Love Hacked (Knitting in the City, #3)
 
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 Sale Alert!
 

Friday, June 6, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Carved in Cherry by Elizabeth Kirke


Carved in Cherry (A Curse Collectors Novel)
Carved in Cherry by Elizabeth Kirke
(Curse Collectors #1)
May 31, 2014
Anchor Group Publishing
205 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
(Contains: minor language, some sexual content)
Source: Personal purchase
Book Synopsis:
One thing set Lydia Shaw and her store apart from the other antique shops in town…  
Lydia’s collection was plagued by curses, and it was her duty to break them.
Rachel, Angie, and Jo knew nothing about their aunt’s secret life. In fact, they didn’t even know she owned an antique shop, until they inherited it. Unfortunately for them, Lydia passed down more than just her store. The sisters are the proud new owners of countless deadly curses, buried under centuries of dust. 
 
Lydia also left behind her apprentice, Peter. He does everything he can to protect the girls, as they explore their new store, unaware of the dangers it hides. In spite of his efforts, Rachel finds herself obsessed with opening a strange trunk, Angie has vivid dreams, haunted by a man who claims he needs her help, and Jo’s imagination starts to run wild.  
When one of them falls victim to a curse, it’s up to Peter and her sisters to save her. But, if Peter can’t teach them to wield a magic, that he barely understands himself, she’ll be the first one to die.
My Review:

Simply put, I loved Carved in Cherry! I already loved Kirke's More Than Magic series, and had high hopes that I would love this series as well. I'm thrilled she did not disappoint. But this is not just some copycat of her other series. The Curse Collectors series is completely unique, yet the writing is consistent with what I've come to expect with Kirke.

Here we follow along with sisters Rachel, Angie, and Jo as they embark upon dealing with the antique shop they've inherited from their aunt. But this is no ordinary antique shop. It's more than they bargained for and nothing there is simple. And it comes with its own resident cutie and a very perceptive cat. It's told in third person, and that worked perfectly with the story.

I must say that this was such a wonderfully suspenseful book. I didn't want to put it down. Every chapter felt like it had its own mystery. I'm not going to spoil things, so I won't give away specifics. But I was completely pulled into this story, and felt on pins and needles wondering about all the connections, fearing for unexpected consequences, hoping for new relationships, and worrying over how it would all come together. All of this was excellently written and I never felt a dull moment.

The characters themselves were fantastic. They each brought a unique perspective and perception to the story. It was great to see how these three sisters worked together, yet themselves were very different. Then there's Peter, who is really caught between a rock and a hard place, and I loved how strong yet vulnerable Kirke made him. There's also a bit of romance going on, but the way Kirke developed it... Wow! What a fascinating twist on progressing a relationship!

What more can I say? I loved Carved in Cherry. It is suspenseful, magical, and a little creepy. It also has the tenderness of family, the sweetness of new romance, and the excitement of mind-blowing discovery. Kirke not only writes well, but creates such amazing paranormal worlds with great attention to detail. This is a new favorite of mine, and I'm super excited about the rest of this series.
 
5 STARS

Book Links:

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Thursday, April 3, 2014

GIVEAWAY! Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry & Review of Red at Night


Check out this amazing FREE novella Red at Night by Katie McGarry, then enter the GIVEAWAY at the bottom to win a paperback copy of Pushing the Limits!


Red at Night
Red at Night by Katie McGarry
April 1, 2014
Harlequin More Than Words
84 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Source: FREE on Amazon (at time of post)
Book Blurb:
In Red at Night, Stella and Jonah are total opposites. She's the girl with purple hair from the wrong part of town. He's a high school senior who hangs with the cool crowd. Until a car accident leaves him haunted by guilt, and Jonah starts spending time at Stella's favorite refuge…the local cemetery.

Stella knows she should keep her distance—after all, she spent her girlhood being bullied by Jonah's friends. Once he's sorted out his tangled emotions, Jonah won't have time for her anymore. Too bad she's already fallen for him….
My Review:

In Red at Night, Katie McGarry once again does what she does best - creates a beautiful story about two seemingly opposites, who, once found in a unique circumstance, find each other and become the better for it. I won't give away the plot, as it is a short story and I don't want to spoil anything, but I can truly say that I loved it. I loved how the story seemed to touch on so many things - hope, trust, indifference, silence, conviction, purpose, charity, love. I was so impressed that McGarry could fit so much in so few pages and make the story feel complete. It was beautifully done. 

McGarry's strength is not only in amazing storytelling, but in the golden touch she has with character development. You wouldn't expect to get so attached to Stella and Jonah in these few pages, but I did! They were fully rounded out characters. You get just enough backstory, just enough current situation, and just enough hope, that you'll love them. Even the few secondary characters felt like they weren't just cardboard cut-outs. And, though this isn't officially part of McGarry's Pushing the Limits series, one of my favorite characters makes an appearance, and I got a big smile on my face. It was the perfect addition to this already remarkable novella.

Overall, I loved Red at Night! I loved the beautiful, touching story and the remarkable, heartfelt characters. If you are a fan of McGarry's than you will love this treat. If you are unfamiliar with McGarry's writing, then this is the perfect way to get a peek at her writing, and discover for yourself how great she is.
 
5 STARS
 
BOOK LINKS:
(FREE AT TIME OF POST)
 
Enter to win a paperback copy of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.
Find my 5 Star review here .
 

Saturday, November 30, 2013

12 Days of New Adult GIVEAWAY

Sign-up to be part of this hop!
 
To celebrate the holidays, I'm giving one winner their ebook choice of one the following NEW ADULT reads. (These titles were chosen because they are among my favorite New Adult reads this year.) 
 
Making Faces  Rule (Marked Men, #1)  Jet (Marked Men, #2)
Lick  Find You in the Dark (Find You in the Dark, #1)  Light in the Shadows (Find You in the Dark, #2)
Vain (The Seven Deadly, #1)  Greed (The Seven Deadly, #2)  One Week Girlfriend (Drew + Fable, #1)

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

NOVEMBER NEW RELEASE GIVEAWAY!!

November Hop

I love a good sequel, don't you?!
Enter to win one of the following new November releases!
Kindle option - International
Paperback/Hardcover option - US only
 
Sentinel (Covenant, #5)  Crash into You (Pushing the Limits, #3)
Champion (Legend, #3)  The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, #4)
World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)  Afterglow (Wildefire, #3)


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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Book Review Tour & Giveaways: Don't Hate the Player... Hate the Game

Follow the Tour: Literati Literature Lovers

Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game
Don't Hate the Player... Hate the Game
by Katie Ashley
April 30, 2013
Genre: Mature Young Adult
Source: eARC for honest review
Content: Language, drinking, mention of/or sexual situations
Book Blurb:
For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather's tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake's past.

While cleaning out Jake's room, Noah and Jake's dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake's mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down.

Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head. There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate--the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah's eye and meddled with his heart.

Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake--one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.
My Review:

I found this to be a refreshing, touching book, told from a 17-year-old boy's POV. Though it is not necessarily always fun to be inside the mind of some teenage boys (hello... hormones), I found it very easy and even enlightening to be inside of Noah's head. Noah just lost his best friend, Jake, in a freak accident. But that is just the start of this book, following Noah not only in the process of discovering who the mysterious girl was that Jake bought the ring for, but more importantly, following Noah's journey to self-discovery and discovery of who his best friend really was. I found this to be a surprisingly emotional story, and I felt like I was right there with Noah.

I really appreciate all the thought the author put into Noah's mind and where he took the story. He was not a superficial, shallow character. And this book was not just about his and Jake's relationship, or even his relationship with a girl. This book ventured into the many facets of Noah's life and past, and I enjoyed the depth of level and direction the author took this story. There were beautiful moments when Noah would reflect on the past with Jake, his granddaddy, and others that really touched me. Not only was Noah a deep character, but Jake was as well. It was really interesting getting to know Jake through so many other people, and the author pulled it together very well. And just when I was thinking the author was going to leave us thinking we should just accept that Jake was two-faced and that's okay that people are that way, she redeemed the story to show how important honesty is in relationships. I loved Noah's epiphanies and his varying emotions toward Jake.

I also enjoyed how the author would throw us a curveball here and there, where I felt emotions were heightened, and the storyline would intensify even more, but it didn't feel gimmicky or overly-dramatized. There was never a dull moment, and I felt completely engrossed in the story. My hang-up is the end of the epilogue. After all the build-up of Maddie and her character and beliefs, I felt like the end left me feeling like things became a bit cliché in the end, when they didn't need to be. I loved the uniqueness of this book and the characters, and would have personally liked it if the author would have maintained Maddie's convictions and kept the uniqueness of everything until the end. Just my opinion.

Bottomline: This is a well-done, unique and touching tale of looking beyond the surface and discovering the depths of those around us, the importance of being honest and being your true self, seeking and giving forgiveness, and finding and showing love and acceptance.
 
4 STARS

International Giveaway:


Grand Prize Giveaway:
 

 
Book Links:
Goodreads
 
About the Author:

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo. She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012. She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.
 
Author Links:
Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/KatieAshleyLuv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katieashleybooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6546441.Katie_Ashley
Website: http://katieashleybooks.blogspot.com/
 

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Book Review & Tour: Arouse by Nina Lane

image.jpeg
 


Arouse (Spiral of Bliss, #1)
Arouse (Spiral of Bliss #1) by Nina Lane
January 2, 2013
406 pages
Snow Queen Publishing
Source: e-ARC for honest review
Genre: Contemporary Romance with a very sexy married couple

Book Blurb:
"One day I'm going to touch you in a thousand different ways and show you how to touch me," he said.

And he did.

Struggling with a tormented past, undergraduate Olivia Winter once led a practical but isolated life. Then she met Professor Dean West, a brilliant scholar of medieval history who melted Liv's inhibitions and taught her the meaning of both love and erotic pleasure. But after three years of a blissful, lusty marriage, Liv and Dean now face a crisis that threatens everything they believe about each other...and sex might not be enough to save them.
Review (Revised on 1/15/14):

What appealed to me initially about this book was that it involved a married couple. I didn't know the direction the author would take this book, but a storyline with an already established couple really intrigued me. Fortunately, we not only get to look at the current state and progressing state of their relationship, but additionally follow along into their backstory and how their couplehood came about.  Maybe I'm dense, but it took me a few chapters to get that when the chapters are headed with a date, this time period is both for the present and the past. Once I figured that out, I really liked this style and the cohesion of the time periods. And yes, both in present and past, they are a very sexy couple.

I admit that I struggled with the first 40% of the book and almost gave up. I just wasn't sure how I was feeling about everything, especially the wife, Liv. The author does a good job, maybe too good of a job, making some of the couple's actions mysterious and questionable. I found some things Liv did odd and, honestly, there were a couple scenes with her that I didn't appreciate (ex, porn), though it was a small instance. But that's a personal thing that perhaps other readers do not have an issue with.

The second half of the book, however, was my favorite. I felt that's where more clarity came to me and I could understand Liv and Dean's actions, and empathize with their struggles. I've been married for 16 years, and though my circumstances are not theirs, I can still empathize with the myriad of emotions and struggles that go along with marriage. Even in ideal circumstances, there are still challenges and times of testing. For Liv and Dean, their challenges really hit during their marriage, not their courtship, and I appreciated all the thought and honesty that the author put into making their marriage feel real. I came to really appreciate Liv and Dean. They truly love each other. But now they have to take it to the next level, and this is the same for everyone. There are stages to every marriage and relationship, and those stages bring out new depths and heights for those willing to take each of those steps together. I look forward to continuing on the journey with Liv and Dean.

A couple of issues: I will say that the time period and even scene transitions were not always clear to me or smooth. I've also never read about people taking so many showers. The word "shower" is used 44 times according to my kindle. Yes, I get that these people like to be clean, but I just found it odd that they had to take a shower practically every time they walked in the front door.

Updated to 4 STARS

Giveaway:



About the Author:
image.jpeg

Nina Lane is a multi-published author of elegant, romantic and often raunchy erotica.
Her recent release AROUSE is the first book in the Spiral of Bliss series, and her novel
THE EROTIC DARK is a #1 Amazon erotica bestseller.


Nina used to write novels under the name Natasha Rostova and has published stories
in anthologies such as “Best Women’s Erotica” and “Erotic Travel Tales.” Her work has
been translated into both German and Japanese. In addition to writing, she's an avid
reader who loves popcorn and has recently joined a workout boot-camp that is kicking
her rear end.


Connect with Nina Lane:

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE| GOODREADS| TWITTER

Book Links:

Purchase on Amazon
Purchase on Barnes & Noble
Add To-Read on Goodreads
 


Monday, February 4, 2013

Book Review & Giveaway: Snow Bound



Snow Bound (More than Magic, #2)
Snow Bound (More Than Magic #2) by Elizabeth Kirke
January 19, 2013
Anchor Publishing Group
313 pages
Source: Won ebook
(honest review)


Goodreads Summary:
After learning how to use magic and fighting vampires, anyone would be bored going back to normal college life. As if that wasn’t enough, Jen didn’t realize how hard it would be to tiptoe around her non-magic family and friends. She can’t even talk to her familiar, Rak, without making sure no one else is around! Worst of all, Jen misses the friends she made over the summer. Aside from Rak, they’re the only other magics she knows and she hasn’t seen them in almost five months!

Jen is all too happy to accept an invitation to go skiing with the gang. She gears up for two weeks of snow, magic, and fun. Just when everything seems to be going great, an uninvited guest turns up. Soon the skiers aren’t the only things going downhill. Jen thought that vampires were just about the most dangerous thing the magical world could throw at her. Unfortunately, she’s about to learn that people with no magic at all can be just as deadly ...
My Review:

I really liked Semester Aboard, but I can honestly say that I liked Snow Bound even better. I love the characters that Kirke has created, and what we loved about them in the first book, we love even more about them here. I want to vacation with these guys (although maybe without being in mortal danger). What starts as a "normal" vacation quickly turns into the craziness we grew to love in Semester Aboard. But while I predicted a thing or two, most of the detours Kirke takes us on are surprise after surprise. I love that she kept me wondering what would happen next. Her pacing was great, alternating action scenes, romantic scenes, and informative scenes.

The best part of this series is the characters. The book is once again narrated by Jen. While I felt like Jen was doing too much observing at times and not getting in the action and dialogue when she could have, I also loved how we get to know so much more because of the curiosity and intuition of her character. I also loved her boldness with one character in particular, helping him get over his insecurities (yay). Thomas remains my favorite character, with his low-key, sweet side, his vulnerability and sensitivity, but also his strength. I love that he was so much more powerful in this book. Danio is my second favorite. He has so much depth that still remains a mystery, but he can be super funny and patient, yet fiercely protective. Okay, I really like everyone.

I don't want to give the story away, because even talking about the first few chapters could give away spoilers. But I will say that that Kirke does a great job combining a plot-driven novel with a character-driven novel. Snow Bound combines both of these brilliantly, and I can't wait to see what happens next to these characters.
 
5 STARS

 

Enter to Win an E-Book of Snow Bound!


About the Author:

Elizabeth Kirke wanted to be an author before she even knew what an author was. She used to say that she wanted to be an artist, but that was only because she was too young to write and had to tell stories with pictures instead. She hasn't stopped writing since she learned how. It wasn't long before she dreamed of becoming an author and couldn't be happier now that that dream is a reality.

If she isn't writing...well, let's be honest; if she isn't writing she's probably on Facebook thinking that she should start writing. But, if she isn't writing or on Facebook, she's probably doing something involving books, baking, gardening, or yarn. In an ideal world, she'd be reading and knitting while something from the garden is in the oven. Then again, in an ideal world, she'd have a flock of ducks and a couple of goats.

Like most slightly-nosy, avid readers, Elizabeth can't resist trying to catch a peek at books she sees people reading when out in public to see if she can figure out what it is. While doing just that one day, she realized that it would probably be the coolest-thing-ever if she caught a complete stranger reading one of her books. That's her new dream.