In Too Deep Blog Hop (Review & Excerpt)

Blurb:

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?

My Review

4.5

((All the emotional aspects make up for Gracie's tendency to make me want to slap her. I know girls like her. Once I may have been similar to her))

Gracie is drowning.

I wondered what it felt like to hold on to someone you knew wouldn't let you go-Gracie

Come on, we've all been there. That moment when you think you have everything under control, that you really can handle everything that's going on regardless of the flashing warning signs going off around you. Still, you try to deny it, to hold on to what you wish was really happening versus what's really going on. It's no different for Gracie in In Too Deep. The title and blurb caught my attention and I knew I had to read it. I loved the cover and everything the photo represents. In Too Deep tore me to pieces and had me struggling to contain my emotions. All three of the characters we're so distinct and broke my heart in different ways. Even though sometimes I wanted to deck Gracie or shake her, I could honestly relate and for me, that took the story to a completely different level. Now, I understand how my best friend felt back then when I was kind of like Gracie.

I love the way Michelle developed all the characters and was able to create such vivid and dynamic relationships with her debut novel. Things didn't just effect Gracie but rather the entire cast was dealing with their own fears, doubt and insecurities weighing them down. Turning the page became almost like an addiction because I had to know what happened next or if anyone was going to feel better. There's so much hope inside the pages that I almost couldn't stand it when I thought maybe there wasn't going to be the ending I had hoped for. Michelle did a great job depicting Gracie and I appreciated that she was a struggling student in her early twenties which helped me connect with Gracie, making her more realistic. The story isn't all hearts and butterflies, it has a raw intensity that takes the reader from hopeless to hopeful. If you're looking for an amazing read that will tug on your heartstrings and make you face or think of things you haven't before, then I'd definitely recommend In Too Deep to you. This isn't for someone looking for a fairy tale or anything equally as sweet. This is a gritty, raw, emotional read that in the end, you'll need a few moments of silence to let everything begin to set in.

Excerpt

My phone buzzed.

Jake: Gracie?

I turned off my phone. The doorbell rang before I even had a chance to feel guilty for not answering. I threw the covers over my head and lay there, eyes wide open. It rang again.Can someone please get the door? I’m too busy feeling sorry for myself to get up.

Ding dong.

I groaned as I pulled myself from under the covers and flung my legs off the edge of my bed. The UPS man was going to get an eyeful because I didn’t even have the energy to pull my sleep pants on. The super huge t-shirt I wore to bed was longer than some skirts I had. I would just have to reach around the opened door, sign something on his little clipboard and throw the package on the hall table before jumping right back into bed. No one was home. I could have slept all day. Stupid delivery guy.

But when I rounded the corner into the foyer, I could see Noah through the side window to the right of the door. My heart slammed its next beat so hard I was sure someone standing in front of me would have seen my ribcage lunge forward.

“What do you want?” I said the words on my side of the window. He didn’t need to hear me, he had to be expecting something like that. He knew I wouldn’t be happy to see him. I was pissed that he was at my door. Flashes of my birthday night coursed through my mind one by one. I winced and squeezed my eyes closed hoping to wring the images from my head.

“Gracie, I know you don’t want to open the door, but I need you to listen to what I have to say.” He was talking louder than he needed to for me to hear him. I was instantly annoyed. I shuddered.

“So talk.” If I kept a locked door between us, I could walk away whenever I’d had enough.

“Can I please come in?”

“No.”

“Okay, I’ll talk through a window if that’s the only way you’ll listen.” He waited a couple seconds like he thought I’d have a change of heart and open the door. When he saw that was not in his cards, he started talking. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass and watched his lips form words that proved introspection, self-awareness and a level of thought so deep I could do nothing but hold my breath and wish he wasn’t doing this to me.

“Gracie. I haven’t had a solid example of how to show love or how to accept it. At least not the depth of love you are willing to give. I don’t know how to reciprocate that without feeling terrified. I never expected to fall so hard for you. I never thought I could love someone so hard it hurt. But I can. I do.

“Gracie. When you look at me and I know you can see all the way into my soul, my first instinct is self-preservation. I instinctively push you away so you won’t climb deeper into me. Your heart is so big, Gracie, it could swallow me whole, and that scares the shit out of me because I shouldn’t be worthy of that kind of love. I don’t deserve you. I guess in a twisted sort of way, I push you away to save you.”

The window steamed from the warm breath escaping between my lips. I remembered the conversation I had with my mom. She said only if it was of their own volition could someone truly make a change. I couldn’t believe what was happening in front of me. A huge part of me didn’t want it to be happening because Noah and I proved to be a disaster. I knew I couldn’t handle one more blow from him. My sanity was already climbing the walls. But, as if they had minds of their own, one hand turned the deadbolt and the other opened the door. Cool air across my thighs reminded me I was still only in a t-shirt. I motioned for Noah to follow me back to my room. I needed to put more clothes on so he didn’t ruin his heart-felt apology by making a move on me. He sat on my bed and I pulled sweats off the hook on the back of my door and slid myself inside them. I sat down next to him. He took my hands in his.

“I am head over heels in love with you, Gracie. I have been since the night you kissed me after the fireworks. I’ve always thought that shock between our lips was a sign that you were the one. I’m terrified of that. If I let myself truly feel the level of love I know we are capable of, then what happens if you leave me? I don’t know how to handle that kind of pain. I am sure I’ve never felt something that severe.”

“Noah, you just described what you have done to me, over and over and over. You have split my heart wide open so many times because, unlike you, I don’t know how to guard my heart. I opened it to you almost two years ago, and I’ve been giving you all I have ever since. I can’t turn it off, I don’t know how. So, when you pierce me with your hateful words, the pain is palpable. It takes me to my knees.” There was no holding back the tears. I didn’t even try to. I was done walking on eggshells. Again.

That’s when he did something I never thought I’d see. He fell into my lap and cried like a baby. I had taken all the pain he had inflicted on me and threw it straight to his heart before he had the chance to get that wall back up.

About the Author

Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.
Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.
The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.
Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.
“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow.

Extras

IN TOO DEEP hit three genre-specific best seller lists on Amazon the day before its release.

IN TOO DEEP’s sequel, ON SOLID GROUND, will be released sometime in December 2013.

Easy tag line: The day he said, “I love you” should have been the day she said, “Goodbye.”

Sapphire Star Publishing: http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/michellekemperbrownlow

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My blog: http://michellekemperbrownlow.blogspot.com

Twitter: MK_Brownlow

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Entanglement by Dan Rix- Review time

 

*He actually changed the cover right before I posted my original review over on Supagurls and it was a great decision. This one relates to the story so much more and it's more intriguing in my opinion.

Blurb

"...the scientific explanation is quantum entanglement, whereby the boy and girl—even when separated by great distances—react instantaneously to changes in each other's states..." —Dr. Casler Selavio, on the entanglement of halves.

In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.

Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.

Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.

Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.

Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.

My Review

4.5 Stars

I was attracted to the story from the beginning; Dan Rix wasted no time diving head first into a plot that kept my head spinning. It was well thought out and the world Rix created in Entanglement and the concept was intricate and suspenseful. I was engulfed by the first few chapters and drawn into Aaron Harper’s world where halves are determined when you’re born. There’s no choice, you have no say and on your eighteenth birthday you meet the other half of your soul. Except Aaron doesn’t buy the “halves” concept and neither does the new girl he meets Amber Lilian. 

Entanglement is full of complex characters and a web weaved with secrets, destinies, tangled life lines and two teenagers fighting for their rights and each other. Both Aaron and Amber are trapped in their own downward spiral of self-destruction when they meet, each of them giving up for their own reasons. I loved everything from the fast pace, intricate characters, and  the detailed concept Rix created. Oh, how the story began unfolding at an alarming rate after they meet as they continue stirring up more trouble than they could imagine trying to save each other before it’s too late. Aaron Harper or number eleven is a strong willed, teenage heart throb that any girl will fall for and there’s something about his character that sucked me in and I wanted to know more, to see what made fueled his temper. Amber is feisty and just as engaging, she fights everybody the entire time, she never gave up and was just as smart as Aaron and they complimented each other. The snappy dialogue and complicated relationships and circumstances kept me guessing. The supporting characters were a delight because I was never sure who was good or evil and if anybody (or who I expected) was going to step in. Dan Rix’s use of their roles and ambiguity about their true loyalties made the story even more thrilling and detailed.

*Seriously this is how I felt with almost every turn of the page. I probably even made the same face.*

I really enjoy stories like this where at the end everything comes together smoothly and blends until you’re convinced you just witnessed the whole thing literally. Entanglement was full of those wonderful awkwardly amazing moments that steal your breath and demand you keep reading until the wee hours of the morning and I even found myself holding my breath scared to keep reading.

*and then of course there was this face and my begging that what I was reading wasn't really true and that it was a trick.

At one point I thought the entire book changed and as I kept reading I realized Dan Rix did introduce something that changed everything and the need to finish the book was undeniable. I tuned everything out from my step-mom to the radio in the background and all I heard was the words as I kept reading. Completely lost in the story and fidgeting with excitement. My heart is still throbbing from the explosive ending to Entanglement.

My favorite line and I highlighted a bunch was “the task is not to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought about that which everybody sees.”

Rewrite Redemption Review

So the cover drew me into this book immediately and then the title peaked my intrest and got me thinking of the possibilities. After reading the blurb, I knew without a doubt that I HAD to read Rewrite Redemption. *pats self on shoulder* Sometimes, I'm convinced I have a superpower for picking good reads, fierce reads! Oi vey I have read less than a handful of books that were like painful for me to finish. Seriously it hurt to read them but Rewrite Redemption was an amazing story and I was thankful for not having kids because they may have been neglected towards the end. I did not see that coming at all.

**I also may have been a little excited when I got the email saying I'd be on the tour**

**yeah, pretty intense freaking cover. If you ask me**

Here's the blurb for my curious pretties out there:

Rewrite Redemption is a YA romance with paranormal/sci-fi elements.

She’s sixteen. He’s seventeen. They don’t know each other…at least not yet.
She has a secret and her whole life revolves around keeping it. Every few months and with little warning, she simply disappears, pulled into the past for hours or even days. She’s terrified it will happen in front of someone, changing her life forever. So far, the only witnesses have been her parents, and that didn’t end well. She has no control over it and no idea why it happens to her.
She wants answers.
He has answers—at least he understands what’s going on. He has a secret, too. He’s part of an organization that goes back in time to rewrite reality. But he also has a problem. He broke the organization’s number-one rule by altering his own timeline. As punishment, he’s been blocked from time travel, which is most unfortunate. Because the changes he made to his timeline, accidentally resulted in disaster for his family. A disaster he’s now prevented from repairing. No one can travel beneath the organization’s radar except a Shadow. But they’re rare, so rare he’s never even met one.
Then he moves to her town.

My Review

4.5 Stars

My latest fetish with reading has been the multiple points of view storytelling concept. I love seeing the storyline from different perspectives, especially when they're such different characters. Another thing that helps to earn brownie points in my court is when the main characters grown up throughout the story, which makes them stronger and the story just a bit more epic. Walker did an outstanding job creating her cast of characters and their interactions and relationships that were so heart felt and real. Some moments I did feel like I was witnessing them myself, not reading the pages of a book. Constantine was the cause of quite a few eye rolls in the beginning of Rewrite Redemption but boy...he earned redemption from me throughout the book. Ipod and Lex are A.J's best (and only) friends and do a great job of supporting her throughout her harrowing journey. It was nice to see backup friendships have that much care and consideration put into them and everyone blended into the story perfectly.

A.J. or Autumn has dealt with some issues with disappearing since she was a baby. Now she's left almost an adult with two friends, major issues, some secrets and this new kid that may or may not be able to help her. And you may or may not want to slap him in the beginning for his sometimes immaturish ways (but then you remember he's a boy and you remember I said this book earns him redemption<--not a spoiler)! A.J. was a fierce leading character and did girls proud all over the world! I loved her story and was sucked in from the beginning until the very end. The emotions that Walker dragged out of A.J throughout her journey and try at romance, were wrenched from my heart as well. I'm telling you, the chemistry in this book is stunning. The actions (from small gestures to big ones) bring each and every character to life.

 

**Me when I kept realizing nothing I thought would happen did and that Walker had written even better twists and turns**

**There was definitely some of this going on too**

The plot line will keep you intrigued until the last page. I swear I read the last half of the book with my heart stuck in my throat, breathing carefully to ensure I didn't miss one word. There's not enough science thrown in that it feels like your reading a lesson or that you need a reference guide in the back of the book so you can understand. Walker does an excellent job of blending her concepts into the story, and also tying in some old school stories of lore (A FAVORITE for me<--wrote a paper in college *woot woot*), which lead me to hope and pray there will be more books to this series. Pick it up, give it a shot, read Rewrite Redemption! It's amazing.

**Wonderful job J.H. Walker, thank you so much for sharing your story with the world. Now read it my pretties**

Add Rewrite Redemption to your TBR

Amazon Link

About the Author

My life has been rather unconventional. Born insanely curious into an authoritarian, religious family, I know what it’s like to not fit in. My teen years were a struggle, and I remember them in all their intensity. That’s why I like writing for young adults.
I grew up in Central America, surrounded by jungle, and was never too far from the ocean. I observed other cultures, including an indigenous tribe that, at the time, had seen little of the modern world. While there, I slept in a hammock in a bamboo hut, dressed in tribal clothing, and helped bring three babies into the world in at the tender age of fourteen. I survived a hurricane aboard an ocean liner, canoeing through alligator infested waters, P.E., my brother’s pet tarantulas, sky diving, parasailing over the Pacific shoreline, rock climbing, a ropes course blindfolded, and walking barefoot across hot coals. I’m not done having experiences.
I attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, but was so obsessed in my quest to understand human behavior; I left midstream to travel the country and study with people doing groundbreaking work in the field. I’m certified in Ericksonian Hypnosis, am a Master of Neuro-linguistic Programming and have worked with world-class athletes, including members of the U.S. Ski Team. I’ve completed advanced studies with some of the most brilliant minds of my time in the field of NLP and am a perpetual student of sociology and human behavior.
I live with my photographer husband in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. I’m surrounded by trees. And I will always remain insanely curious.

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Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/jhwalkerbooks?fref=ts 

Website - http://www.jhwalkerbooks.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/@jhwalkerbooks

Good Reads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6907642.J_H_Walker

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/J.H.-Walker/e/B00B7686VG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1369807765&sr=8-1

Inseparable by Missy Johnson

Ahhh, I've been waiting for DAYS to share my love of this book. Days. Having to wait to gush is unbelievably hard. So please my pretties keep reading and remember that Inseparable is .99cent for another two days (and the rest of Missy Johnson's books are on sale as well<---I plan on snatching up some copies myself for sure).

Inseparable

By Missy Johnson

**BTW the cover whore book lover in me LOVES that Lily looks like the girl on the cover. I was relieved when the main character wasn't a brunette--it happens**

Synopsis

Can you imagine losing your twin?

Nineteen year old Lily is still struggling with the death of her identical twin, Abby, a year later when she moves away from home for college. Even in death though, their bond is still strong, with Abby visiting Lily in her dreams.

When a chance encounter with Twenty-One year old Dane Hansen changes Lily’s life, Lily’s friends warn her off becoming involved with Dane. He’s bad news, according to the rumors, anyway.

Dane has experienced loss himself, he understands Lily, and the more time he spends with her, the harder he falls. There is something he hasn’t told her though, something almost nobody knows, and it’s something that might stop Lily from feeling the same way.

Abby holds the key to something that will change Lily and Dane's life forever, but how do you get someone else to believe something you don't quite understand yourself?

My Review

4.5 Stars

Diving into Inseparable by Missy Johnson was a leap of faith. I’ve read a lot of Romance novels recently and the “automatic book judger” in me was worried it was going to be just another superficial college love story. You know the ones. Girl meets boy (boy who happens to be ridiculously rich or into BDSM and facing personal demons), Girl falls in love cue drama, boy saves girl or vice versa and then wham bam tie it together with a happy ending. Although Inseparable does have a happy ending (and I’m thankful) it doesn’t follow any of the standards. Missy Johnson threw them out the window and created an amazing story, its foundation stemming from tragedy before blossoming into more. Inseparable captured my attention and drew me in until the wee hours of morning when pre-dawn rears her ugly head. Nothing anyone could say would convince me to put down Lily and Danes story. 

***You want me to what? No. Eat dinner? No. Sleep? No. Study? No. Magic word when reading is “No”

Lily is my favorite blonde ever. Missy Johnson worked magic with Lily as her female lead. I was so glad she wasn’t a perfect girl. She had issues, she was starting college late, she was quirky and awkward. All those qualities and then some made her believable. I loved her personality and how well Missy wrote her in regards to losing her twin. She paid a great respect to those of us that have lost a sibling and my heart ached for her after every dream with Abby as if it was my own twin. Lily had moments of humiliation, grace, confidence and self-doubt. Each adding to her credentials and pulling her off the page a bit more and into my heart, seriously, once I read that she put on Metallica to go to sleep…it was over. I already knew I loved her and just how awesome she was. That sentence just made it official and a fangirl moment. I’m sure I squealed. Overall she was genuine and relatable, becoming a better main character with each turn of the page.

The entire cast was such a joy to read. Kella had my heart when she was introduced with her “matter of fact” attitude and blunt approach. Then Gem who sits next to Lily in class was sweet and had me crossing my fingers in hopes that she turned out to be a good friend and not a later plot twist. Both supporting characters held their own and added their own sparks throughout the book. 

Now I loved Dane and his mysterious nature. For starters, he got some brownie points for not spending the entire book denying his feelings. He was everything Lily needed to flourish and she was his key to finding himself and his way home (along with some answers were a long time coming). Their dialogue exchange was witty and dynamic. Missy set up some really great scenes that held precious moments between the two and their journey down the darkened path together. Between Dane and Lily there was never a dull moment. Their relationship was another nice change for me because Lily didn’t make Dane jump through a million hoops or have him on some extreme pedestal. She liked him, was able to admit it and oh, another plus was that she didn’t constantly think of how she wasn’t good enough. I loved how it was simple but sometimes less is more. Their relationship fit into the plot wonderfully and was realistic. I like my Romance novels to have some realism in there (I mean I’m not reading Fantasy) and Missy Johnson balanced everything beautifully.

**You'll have similar experiences where you wonder what just happened and keep reading as Missy throws another wrench in the story line** 

There were epic plot twists everywhere! Inseparable kept me on my toes the whole way through. Even if I wasn’t already attached to the emotional aspects of the plot by the third chapter, the secrets each character has would definitely keep me reading. That’s why I stayed up all night reading it and as much as I’d love to gush about them I try not to fill my reviews with too many spoilers. You may think you even have it figured out after reading the blurb but I promise you, you don’t. With every puzzle piece Missy Johnson reveals on Lily and Dane’s path, she creates another missing piece. She ties everything together smoothly and with precision.

I liked how some secrets worked themselves out throughout the book and the questions you find yourself asking are also answered before the story ends. The deeper meaning is never lost underneath what’s going on with the characters and they have to work every step of the way to cope with their losses. They cleared their own paths and the moments of truth…the one’s where the characters have to face themselves in order to move forward could have been a bit longer in my opinion. But I wouldn’t necessarily call that a fault because it could have simply been my desire for the story not to end. And I found that when they were on their trip, I lost track of time but it didn’t hinder the story line at all (I could quite possibly be the only one that notices these things).

Goodreads

Amazon Link

Last but not least my pretties, you really must enter Missy Johnson's giveaway. There's a kindle Paper White on there!!!

Missy Johnson's Giveaway

The Siren's Secret by Heather Ostler

My pretties, I have been looking forward to this post for ages! I think Felicia may even have slapped me through her computer screen because I kept talking about it. Just so you my lovelies are aware, I asked Heather Ostler if she'd like to do an interview for my post (last minute-I might add) and she graciously agreed. So after my moment of fangirling and excited dancing I worked on some questions and I hope you like them my pretties. Heather did a phenomenal job letting us in her world for a while (through both of her books and now the interview)!

Yes, I had to put Jim Carey in there because he's showing you my excitement. Now I'm posting my review of the ARC I got for The Siren's Secret first. Then the interview. 

**Just so you know. The first book in the series The Shapeshifter's Secret's cover is JUST as gorgeous. Even though I do love The Siren's Secret's a little bit more since green is one of my colors**

Book Blurb

Julia's life has gone from complicated to nearly impossible! When Julia loses her shapeshifting powers and her appearance changes in alarming ways, she flees to Sirenity, where she learns an incredible secret about her mother. In this thrilling sequel, Julia must take greater risks and make bigger sacrifices as she discovers who she really is and what she can really become.

My Review

4.5 Stars

In the second book The Siren’s Secret, Julia finally discovers who she is at her very core. The Shapeshifter’s Secret took readers on Julia’s journey finding out what she was and some truths about her mother. Heather Ostler made The Siren’s secret follow Julia down the hardest road we’ll ever travel. The road that reveals parts of yourself you never knew existed and it was no different for Julia Levesque. The Siren’s Secret connected beautifully to The Shapeshifter’s Secret and will definitely make reader’s want more. She did a great job building not one, but two completely separate lands and filling each with painstaking details and keeping them unique to Julia's world. 

In the beginning of this book on multiple occasions I really wanted to slap Julia for her choices and way of thinking, but I had to consider the multitude of obstacles Julia was facing and how her fear at that point was really in control. Ostler did an amazing job describing things and aspects of Ossai that played into Julia’s fear and showing her personal growth throughout the story. Her imagery throughout the entire book enabled me to see what was happening even though I was just reading and the further I read the more I felt like I was pulled into Julia’s world.

In The Siren’s Secret, you see Julia use the skills she learned in the first book, the truth ring Caleb gave her, and of course Sierra and Gabe standing by her side. Some of my favorite parts were the aftermath of a plot twist that stole my breath and kept me turning the page. I enjoyed how as Julia’s story progressed things became more intense between the characters, the plot lines and the decisions Julia had to make before Ostler wrapped it up with a bang, which left me wanting to know more.

I will be waiting patiently for the next installment because I’m officially hooked on Julia. The way she grows throughout The Siren’s Secret put me on her cheer team and I can’t wait to read her next journey.

****Yes! Time for our interview with Heather*****

Q & A with Heather Ostler

1.     What are you listening to right now? Do you listen to music while you write?

I actually don’t listen to music while I write (I’m weird like that), but I do love hearing the pitter-patter of rain while I’m working.

Would you mind explaining a little about your writing process? (Things you need or like to have with you. Any fun rituals?)

My dogs are always with me when I write, and they’re usually snoozing. I like to have my heater next to me in the winter months (and winter in Utah seems to last from October through May), and in summer I like to write outside. I love having chocolate around me while I’m typing, whether it’s hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, or chocolate cake bites. Something about writing and chocolate just goes together!

When did you first start writing? Did you always lean toward the paranormal genre?

I started writing in jr. high school, and I always loved creating stories with paranormal creatures. I just thought the hero’s journey was more fascinating when it involved a hidden world or mythical creatures. I think growing up I always wished I was a mermaid, fairy, or something from a magical world. That translated into my writing.

How did you come up with Julia’s story?

Julia’s character was a long time in the making. I started out with the idea of a girl who could shapeshift and would have to learn to control her ability, and from there I started thinking of all the adventures and conflicts she would go through. I realized that she would discover her family’s dark past, she would embrace her paranormal side, and she would fall in love.

Did Julia or her comrades ever take you down a different road then you had planned while writing?

Definitely. So many characters have changed, and one character in particular was going to betray Julia, however I stopped him. Sometimes you have to go with your gut, and your outline goes to the trash. It takes more time, but you have to write the story until you feel good about each scene and each character.

What book are you reading right now?

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

Okay, if I asked you to recommend me three books to read, what would they be?

Oh that’s so hard, I have so many favorites! For Fantasy: Harry Potter, for middle grade: Holes, and for young adult: The Hunger Games.

 I love Ossai and Sirenity. How did you develop those worlds? Did somewhere you visit inspire those worlds?

Thank you so much. Yes, my traveling adventures have definitely inspired the settings for my books. England and Italy helped to shape Ossai, and Sirenity was largely influenced by The Caribbean and The Mexican Rivera.

What was the hardest thing about writing The Siren’s Secret?

Editing. I love free writing and letting an idea run wild, but it’s hard for me to get down to the fine details of grammar and punctuation. I have to take time to write as ideas are coming, and then go back and edit later.

Would you mind sharing about whatever you’re working on right now?

I would love to. I’m working on the third and final book for The Shapeshifter’s Secret series, and I’m also writing a new young adult, paranormal series.

Have you considered ever writing a novella from different character’s perspective to accompany the series?

I’ve thought many times about writing from Alexis’s perspective. I like getting into the villain’s head and seeing what drives them to do the things they do. I like villains that are complex and unpredictable.

Who was your favorite character from the series and why?

I really love Sierra because she’s such a good friend to Julia. She’s kind, sympathetic, and loyal, but she’s also fun and witty. She’s a compilation of a lot of different people in my life, and I love writing her character.

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?

I love reading, spending time with family, catching up on my favorite shows, and traveling.  

Reese Cups or Reese Pieces?

Reese's cups!

And now, before you go back to the writing cave, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us? Or even a deleted scene?

Yes, definitely! Here’s a snippet from Chapter One:

Julia sat down at the dinner table across from several other soldiers, who were busy conversing about Ossai, Lockham Castle, and the Guild. “This is for you, sir.” She looked up and saw a young soldier with blond hair carrying a messenger bag. He had been coming by once a week to drop off Lancer’s mail and never stayed longer than ten minutes. He reached into his pack, pulled out a stack of envelopes and a brown package, and gave them to Lancer, Julia’s father. 

“Thank you, Radley,” Lancer replied. He flipped through the envelopes absentmindedly and divided them into stacks.

“What’s in the package?” Julia asked. Even though she knew it wasn’t for her, her imagination ran away with fun possibilities. What if it was a care package from Terrence? Or maybe Scarlet had sent a box full of sweet treats? Julia’s father glanced at the address on the parcel.

 “It’s nothing,” he said. “It’s probably files from the Ossain government.” He picked up a letter opener and cut across the top of the box. Before opening it, however, he paused. “Actually, I should wait for Liam. These might be the papers he requested.”

He picked up the box and tossed it to a smaller table against the wall. The box flew five feet in the air, landed on the table, and then exploded with a deafening boom. Julia watched as the table underneath the package blew apart, sending wood, drywall, and dust out from the explosion. 

“Get down!” Lancer yelled, pushing her back. She almost fell out of her chair as she scurried away from the blast.

The room fell silent as the group of soldiers ducked and waited to make sure the explosion was over. After thirty seconds, Lancer glanced around. “Everyone okay?”

As the dust settled, Julia saw that the blast had made a gaping hole in the wall with scorch marks that would forever serve as a reminder of the explosion. Below the hole was a pile of wood, what was once the table. A few soldiers inched near the wood and began looking for any more explosives or dangerous items.

“Radley,” Lancer said, turning to the solider. “Who gave you that package?”

Radley shook his head nervously. “It was just at the Ossain government building waiting for delivery. I promise, sir, I had nothing to do with this.” The color had drained from his face.

Lancer held up a hand. “I know, I know. I’m not blaming you.” 

As Julia stood up, she realized that she was shaking. Her father was just about to open that package; if he hadn’t tossed it aside, then it would have blown up in his face. She felt like a brick had hit the pit of her stomach.

“Who was it from then?” she asked in a dry voice.

Lancer wiped some drywall dust from his sleeve. “It was from the Guild,” he answered.

“So they know where we are?” She looked at the hole in the wall and realized she could see through to the living room now.

“No, but they knew I’d take mail from the government. That package was a message from the Guild. They don’t want us to feel safe. They want to make sure we know they’re still in control.”

***Side-note I'm linking the Shapeshifter's Secret because The Siren's Secret is not available yet and you'll need to read this book first anyway if you haven't!***

The Shapeshifter's Secret

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Chosen by Kristen Day (Excerpt, Reviews and Guest Post)

First of all, Happy Mother's day to all my lovely mother's out there! I'm wrapping up this post so I can go to lunch with my mother down at the port and we're going to see a genuine real old school Spanish ship (yeah, with linen sails and the works)!

But this Daughters of the Sea series is amazing. I couldn't put the books down. Try learning hundreds of anatomical terms with one of these books in your hands and you can't. There's no way. Not with Chosen, Awaken or Forsaken calling your name, begging you to read another page.
Just to warn you, since there's so much I'm including in this post. My reviews are going to be shorter than normal and I may put full ones up later this week if time provides.

As a whole, these books stole my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat. I really loved how Kristen Day took them to a darker side in Awaken and that was the moment, I was truly hooked and officially became a fangirl.
**As a Cover Junkie, the first two books are my favorite covers. I don't know what happened with Chosen's cover (my favorite book by the way) but compared to Forsaken and Awaken's covers, it fell short in my opinion. The dresses this girl is wearing on both Forsaken and Awaken are amazing and I want them. So if you ever find them *pointed stare* you be sure to come tell me where.

** This series made me very happy and dancey! I loved every page of he way (ha ha like my play of "step of the way" cliche) You will most likely do the same thing if you read them. That's my warning**

My Review

4.5 Stars

From the beginning, Kristen Day created a story that sucked me in. Hannah, renamed Anastasia, was orphaned and ended up with parents that weren't the best. At 17, she finally finds her home at the House of Lorelei. There were a ton of revelations revealed throughout the story that kept me on the edge of my seat, encouraging me to turn the page. The whole story and series concept is something new to me and Kristen Day did a phenomenal job capturing Anastasia on paper. I could imagine drinking a cup of coffee with her. I've never read a book about sea Gods and Goddesses, so this was a very interesting read. I loved how she spun the world in and made it all so real. Luckily for me I have Awaken to read or else I'd be left waiting with an empty ache in my system demanding this book.

My Review

5 Stars

Everything that I loved about Forsaken was brought back into Awaken and taken to whole different level of amazing. Like I mentioned earlier, Awaken takes Anastasia down a darker road and finding her way back seems nearly impossible! Her situation will draw you in and trap you, so I would recommend you start this AFTER you've completed any to-do lists you may have. Kristen Day has a beautiful writing style that seems to effortlessly keep you intrigued and engaged the whole way through. Finn definitely helps though. Their dynamic relationship makes butterflies appear in my stomach and my voice rise and octave. He earned his stripes, hands down and belongs on my book boyfriend list. Girls, you will swoon over him. Plus he adds a certain flare to the novels that a true male lead should. Kristen Day certainly kept me awake and determined to finish this book in one shot. 

My Review

4.5 Stars

First, I want to mention how much I loved *swoon* reading a couple chapters from Finn's point of view. Can we say heart stopping? I love how Kristen Day didn't over write their love story and beat it to death throughout the entire series. Instead it builds gradually with each new story and she drops in powerful one liners like "Essence becomes useless without love. Love turns the strongest of men into warriors. When a man has someone to fight for, he's capable of moving mountains." See why I'm in love. The news that there will be two more books in this series has me jumping for joy (only you can't see that) and dancing. I wasn't quite ready to give up Anastasia and her story towards the end of Chosen and I'm delighted that I don't have too. Seriously this is one of the best series I've read. Kristen Day could write about sock puppets and I'd probably love it. Luckily for me it's about Gods and Goddesses which I always love. I would recommend this series to my friends (and you) in a heartbeat. So don't miss out on all the  awesomeness and start reading today. Oh and I didn't love the cover, that's why I gave this book 4.5.

I'd like to take a moment and thank Kristen Day for letting me read these books and be apart of the Chosen tour (which Rachel at YANovel Readers organized). You mastered emotional cliff hangers and caused quite a few heart palpitations and near hyperventilating  over here at my house. I thank you, I applaud you. You tore my heart in two and put it back together.

Author Kristen Day has stopped by today with a teaser for the Chosen blog tour!

Title: Chosen (Daughters of the Sea 3) Author: Kristen Day Publisher: Self Published Blurb:

The essence of who we are lies not in what we have, but in what we are willing to give up. Because in the end, Time and Tide wait for no one. After sacrificing all that she had, the evil princess of the Underworld is still successful in her bid to tear Finn from Stasia’s life. In the midst of her search to reclaim him, Stasia is summoned to the island nation of Cyprus to take part in an age-old ritual; unveiling the missing pieces of her ancestry and re-igniting an ancient war. As she struggles to both save Finn’s soul and free Carmen’s mind, Stasia’s bravery and determination will be pushed to its breaking point. A dark storm is forming on the horizon, and the forces who are vying to destroy her may be much closer than she thinks. Destiny weaves a sticky web of evil, betrayal, and revenge that can only be undone by the purity of love and the soul’s unyielding will to survive. In the last installment of the Daughters of the Sea trilogy, the past will collide with the present as Stasia’s future hangs in the balance. The prophecy that paved the way for her new life may indeed be the very thing that strips her of the ones she loves the most.

Excerpt

Finn   “Rise and shine, Love!” Nadia appeared before me and my blood instantly began to boil with overwhelming hatred. “We have much to do!” 
“I’m not playing your bullshit games, Nadia,” I growled.
 “Games?” She snorted, cracking a dry smile and coming to a stop in front of me. Her features hardened and her golden eyes flashed, “This is no game, Love. But believe me - I’ll be enjoying every minute.” She noticed the small puddle of blood collecting below my right knee and smirked. “Why Finn, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you look so dreadful. It’s a shame your essence and abilities have no effect down here. That looks horrific.”
 “You’re playing with fire, Nadia,” I accused her in a low voice. She should know the consequences of her actions.
 “I happen to like fire. It’s powerful and tantalizing. Just like me.” She turned on her heel, kicked off her shoes and made her way to the trunk. She visibly shivered in her thin tank top and jeans. With a snap of her fingers, the room warmed to a comfortable temperature. “I don’t know how you stand it down here! It’s absolutely frigid!” She chuckled to herself when I cursed her through gritted teeth. She whistled happily as she opened the trunk and began rifling through it; searching for something in particular.
 “Now where did I put it…Aha! Found it!” she squealed with delight. Then she snapped her head around and grinned at me like she was two personalities away from a straight jacket and a padded room. “Enjoying the view?”
 “Don’t flatter yourself.”
 “Oh come on Finn,” she purred. “You know you want this.” She spun around in a circle and raised a golden, sly eyebrow at me.
“But unfortunately for you, I don’t screw pieces of shit.”
 “I’m crushed.” She looked me up and down, tapped her chin, and smiled, “Not yet.” With a flick of her finger the white vines pinned me against the wall; slicing new wounds on my arms and legs. “I’ll save that for later. Right now, we have other things to take care of. And I must say, I’m so glad you came to your senses and chose me. I was beginning to lose hope,” she joked. She twitched over to where I was shackled to the wall and let out what sounded like something close to a cackle.
 “Yea, I’ve really been looking forward to having my soul wrenched out of my body and starving to death in this god forsaken hole in the ground,” I spit at her with venom.
 “I might not be as transparent as that little tramp of yours, Stasia, but-“
 “Leave her out of this! You don’t even deserve to speak her name,” I growled. The familiar rush of power and adrenaline that usually accompanied my anger didn’t come, and I began to realize the gravity of the situation I was in. Not that I was going to let Princess Psycho know that.
 “Oh, please…she’s nothing but an Achilles heel.” She collapsed into a fit of giggles, “Get it - cause her brother was Achilles..?” I ignored her failed attempt at irony.
 “She possesses every quality required of a leader in our world and more. Qualities you have never, and will never, possess - purity, strength, grace and most importantly, humility.”
 “Humility, weakness - same thing.” She dismissed my words with a flip of her hand.
 “The prophecy speaks for itself. Even you can’t argue with that,” I retorted. “She is my destiny. And I, hers.”
 “All I hear is blah, blah, blah-I want to have sex with her-blah, blah, blah. Lust turns the strongest of men into invalids and I simply couldn’t let that happen. Your essence is far too important for what is ahead of me.”
 “Essence becomes useless without love. Love turns the strongest of men into warriors. When a man has someone to fight for, he’s capable of moving mountains.” Her grin dropped and she stomped over to me with vapor rolling off of her skin. She stood in front of me, silent for a moment, then grinned wickedly and unrolled the leather case she had been clutching in her hand. She slid something silver out and held it up so I could see it. A syringe.
 “I think I’m in the mood to play nurse.” Her eyes sparkled as she moved towards me. I tried to fight the vines, but the excruciating pain that shot through me sucked what little energy I did have completely dry. “Now don’t tire yourself out, Love. I need to get a good strong sample.” At her words, another pair of vines shot out from the stone wall and slithered around my left arm; securing it tightly. My trace had become dull in the last few days under whatever vacuum she had placed on my prison. She slowly ran a finger down my cheek and smiled sympathetically.
 “Your sacrifices will not be in vain. I can promise you that.” She dropped her hand and her golden eyes hardened, “But the slow, painful deterioration of your soul will be. I’ve decided you owe me that. It’s the least you can do.”
 “So, are you looking forward to spending eternity on Tartarus, or will an exception be made to send you straight to the pits of fire?” I asked in the same tone I’d use to ask about the weather.
 “You really think my own mother would sentence me to an eternity of hell?” she chuckled. “Please tell me you aren’t that simpleminded.”
 “You know as well as I do that a certain level of evil is not tolerated. Your mother’s decision will be overridden by the-“
 “Shut up!” she yelled and slapped me across the face. It stung, but I hid it beneath a purposefully smug smile -- which only made her anger boil over. “Enough of this! You are no more than a means to an end. You will never be Prime. You will never see your tramp or your family again. You are nothing.” With that, she uncapped the syringe and drove it into my forearm; right through the eye of the skull. My thoughts turned to Stasia as my world filled with pain and faded into darkness.

**If you don't want to read it now, I may have to suggest you see a doctor...

Some fun thoughts from Kristen Day which will make you love her even more. Seriously, her answers are ah-ma-zing! Love her train of thought. 

  Paranormal is my normal: I may or may not be completely in love with YA Paranormal Romance Series. Actually, it’s more of an obsession. I devour them like strawberry shortcake cheesecake (best dessert EVER) and have no control over the need to read them over and over. I’ve read The Hush, Hush series four times so far, but who’s counting? I fell in love with writing since succeeded in writing that pesky letter G in cursive (or Z for that matter). Then I fell in love with it all over again when I learned how to diagram sentences. It became more of a work of art to me. It just…made sense. So anyway, after reading every YA paranormal romance novel on the planet, I found myself craving certain aspects to the story that I wasn’t getting in the books I was reading. I wanted a stronger heroine, less drama with more action, and a different kind of ‘darkness’. That’s when I decided to create my own imaginary world and characters; intertwining all of the things I couldn’t seem to find in other books.

  Life’s a Beach: Choosing the beach as my location for the series was a balancing act. I despise mermaids, but love the idea of having a connection with the sea. This is where my favorite classics came into play: The Odyssey and The Iliad. I know what you’re saying - seriously? That awful monstrosity of a story we were forced to read in high school? Yes, that’s the one. I didn’t have the normal gag reflex most of my friends had to reading them though; I fell in love. The challenges, the beasts, the sirens, the twists and turns and the intertwining love story; all sucked me in and had a profound effect on me. Couple that with a love of the beach and it suddenly occurred to me what I wanted to write about. My family lives on Oak Island, with Bald Head Island a mere ferry ride away. Bald Head is truly magical and enchanting (if you have never been, you should go!) and was the perfect setting!

  Reality meet Fiction: I desperately wanted to read about a heroine that had a real reason for being strong. Last I checked being gifted with magical powers doesn’t make you an instant leader/hero/bad*ss. Experience is the only thing that can give you that kind of mental strength. So, that’s what inspired me to incorporate a little bit of tough reality into my fiction. Thank you so much for hosting the Chosen Blog Tour! I hope everyone has enjoyed reading the Daughters of the Sea series as much as I enjoyed writing it!  

About Kristen Day

Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?). She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay. When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.

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