Showing Gratitude for a Book

Beth Revis asked to post a blog topic of gratitude. So...the book I'm most grateful for is Harry Potter. I can honestly say that the Harry Potter series is the reason I read so much. I struggled with reading in my younger years so I was never a fan of reading until I picked up Harry Potter.

My Book Stash #5

Here is my book stash from this week!...OH! And I'm impatiently waiting no longer! You will see why in my vlog!

The reason for my loooong vlog post is because I picked up a lot of books by attending NCIBA Trade Show. The majority of the books are ARC's of upcoming books for The Fall 2011 through the Spring of 2012.









---->>Hey! You want a copy of A Million Suns? ***TAKEN***<<----
Leave me a comment if you have something would be willing to trade (US shipping only please) for one of my copies of A Million Suns by Beth Revis. I would prefer a copy of one or both of Across the Universe or Delirium. I'll check my comments 24 hours after this post to see if there is a reasonable offer I can't refuse for a trade. BUT...if you have another book that you think I may be even more excited to accept that to trade let me know!

Impatiently Waiting! Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher's Summary: The third and final installment of the international bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. In this remarkable final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, international bestselling author Andrea Cremer crafts a dynamic novel with twists and turns that will keep you breathless until its final pages.


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Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Smokeless Fire Blog Tour Stop

Hey y'll! Today is the blog tour stop for the newly released novel of Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young.

Samantha is here to tell us about her Top Ten YA heroes in a vlog! And I totally agree with her heroes but my problem is I have WAY too many YA heroes that I'd have a REALLY hard time only picking 10.

Don't forget to click the button on the left to see all of Samantha's other fabulous blog tour stops.

Fire Spirits - The Official Blog

Author Summary: For the last two years Ari Johnson's life has been anything but normal, and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.

Ari's real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human.

They are myth.

They are Smokeless Fire.

They are Jinn.

My Book Stash #4

Thanks for stopping by to check out my new book stash! I really wanted to attempt to do another vlog...but I'm not a fan. I really like watching other vlogs because I feel like it's a way to get to know my fellow bloggers but I'm just not very comfortable doing them myself.


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Received from Tiffany
Forgotten Souls by Tiffany King
Summary: Any chance Krista Miller had at a normal teenage life is now gone. Less than a year ago she lived under the radar, avoiding any relationships that would send her emotional sensitivities out of control. Little did she know that her life was destined for something more. Something that will test her very soul. After facing certain death at the hands of the man responsible for their mysterious past, Krista and her friends learn the truth behind their origins and the purpose for their newly discovered abilities. Now, they must band together to fulfill their inherited, sacred duty. As Guides and Protectors, they must save Mankind's Forgotten Souls before they are lost forever.

My two cents: I have already read Forgotten Souls but being as sweet as she always is, Tiffany sent me a personalized copy to match my copy of Meant to Be.


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Purchased
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Summary: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

My two cents: When I received Hollowed in the mail from Harper I sent out a tweet asking what people thought of Unearthly, immediately I received responses from people telling me how much they loved Hallowed so I purchased a copy of Unearthly! So I'm super excited to read this series.


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Received from HarperCollins

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Summary: For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.


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Received from St. Martin's Press

Tempest by Julie Cross
Summary: The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

My two cents: Tempest was a surprise in the mail but a very happy surprise! So I am really excited to read this one.

ShatterDay Event Starts NOW!!!

Hurry!!! CLICK ON THE PIC! This is only a 24 hour event and during the event they are allowing you to read the first 24 chapters!

Check out my 5 Star review of Shatter Me HERE

Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Publisher's Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Take: I truly love the magical, fun and sometimes disturbing world that Julie Kagawa has created for The Iron Fey series.

Iron Daughter begins with Meghan being held prisoner at The Winter Court by Mab, the Unseelie Queen (Ash’s mother). At The Winter Court, I saw a side of Ash that just plain pissed me off. Poor Meghan is all alone at the Court with fae all around who are tempted to harm her, tease her and some are even tempted to eat her! All the while, Ash simply ignores Meghan, and when she does try to speak with him, he’s an outright cruel prick, giving the fae the opportunity to treat her even worse!

Since it’s the time of year for the seasons to change from summer to winter, Oberon, the King of Seelie Court (and Meghan’s biological father), delivers the scepter of the seasons to the Unseelie Court. Oberon tries to get his daughter released, but since Meghan made a foolish deal with Ash to rescue her brother, she must stay at the Court until released. Unfortunately, this means Meghan just plain happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time! Because, while the Unseelie Court is in celebration for the changing of the seasons, a knight of the Iron Court comes to steal the scepter and murders one of the Unseelie princes. Mab doesn’t believe there are Iron Fey, so she thinks that Meghan assisted the Seelie Court in killing the prince and stealing back the scepter.

The Unseelie Court declares war on the Seelie Court and, during the chaos, Ash helps Meghan escape.

There’s another fae queen who’s thrown into the mix, and this new queen once again proves how twisted the fae can be. She is someone I wouldn’t want to cross or come in contact with . . . EVER! Well, now that I think about it, I wouldn’t want to come into contact with any of the fae queens I’ve read about in this series! They are all crazy!

The remainder of the book is a wild journey to find the scepter and, during this wild ride, my attachment for Puck grew; he’s always there to assist and protect Meghan as he’s been from the very beginning. And, while Ash is on his own journey to find the scepter, something horrifying happens to him! And, near the very end of the book, we learn of a huge betrayal . . . and this discovery had me in tears...I was literally sobbing.

What I love most about both Iron King and Iron Daughter is at the end of both books Meghan shows how powerful she is and can be. The ending to Iron Daughter is phenomenal, and I immediately dove into the next book of the series, Iron Queen. This is a series that I would highly recommend!

Purchased with my own money.

Impatiently Waiting! Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Release Date is March 6, 2012

Summary: Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.



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Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

LIE OR DIE - The Flash Fiction Reveal...

is Finally Here!

The day has finally come! We held a contest for the best flash fiction idea, we chose a winner, and we sent five authors out to spin the fabulous idea in their own direction. What was the winning idea? An awesome one from Aeicha Matteson:

The characters:
Ryder - female, human, teenager, short in height, long brown hair w/blue streaks, bright green eyes, smart, sassy, tough.
Ax - (short for Aximander), male, demon (but was once human before being sent to hell), as a demon he has no permanent form, thus he possesses humans. He's cunning, vindictive, but incredibly charismatic.
The conflict: Ryder is a supernatural hunter (she hunts demons, monsters, evil baddies), but she has been possessed by the demon Ax, who has essentially bound himself to her...meaning no simple exorcism will release him. Ryder must find a way to break free of Ax while fighting for control of her own mind, body, and actions.
Their abilities:
Ryder - as a hunter she is skilled in weapons, fighting, and supernatural knowledge/lore but does not have "supernatural or magical" abilities of her own.
Ax - can shift/shimmer (teleport anywhere, including hell) and has enhanced/heightened abilities (strength, speed, hearing)...when possessing someone these abilities are transferred into them while Ax resides within them.




Megan Duncan's Flash Fiction Story - Huntress is HERE!!!

Ryder knew desperate times called for desperate measures. Sure, her idea was a little crazy and a lot dangerous, but that was the kind of girl she was. Being a hunter of the supernatural meant you had to be willing to take risks.

She pulled back her hair, the edgy blue streaks peeking through and tapped on the mirror with her fingernail. “I hope you’re ready for this.” The voice inside her head laughed maniacally, making her grit her teeth. She hated the sound of his laugh. As a matter-of-fact she hated everything about him, which is why she had tried to kill him. It wasn’t just her job to rid the world of evil baddies, she enjoyed it. He was just one loose end that needed tying up.

“It’s not going to work,” Ax said in an evil sing-song voice. She had tried dozens of methods to banish him and failed miserably. He was enjoying his new home, possessing her. It was turning out to be a pretty decent gig.

Before, he did everything he could to avoid people like her. No demon wanted to blink on the radar of a hunter. He had never imagined how thrilling it would be to experience, first-hand, the life that they lived. Not to mention, harassing her the entire time was intoxicating.

Ryder reached for her black duffel bag, ready to start the night’s hunt, when her body suddenly shimmered. The air was ripped from her lungs and she teleported to the other side of the room. “Ax!” she shrieked. She hated it when he did that. Her stomach flip-flopped. His shenanigans were getting old. If she hadn’t thought of a way to get rid of him, she might have decided to quick hunting altogether. Maybe living a normal life would be too boring for him, but the thought of giving up the hunt was just something she couldn’t stand.

“Off to slay that ghoul who is killing teenagers? Maybe if you were a little quicker, it wouldn’t have gotten away last time.”

“It wouldn’t have gotten away if you hadn’t teleported me just as I was about to vanquish it.” Ryder threw her bag into the Jeep and jumped in. She liked riding in it. The sound of the loud motor was almost enough to drown out Ax’s voice.

“Maybe you shouldn’t expect things to be so easy. That’s the problem with you hunters, you all think you are so untouchable.” Disdain dripped from Ax’s voice.

“It is that easy and it could have been. This world would have been one ghoul less if it weren’t for you. I can kill anything, anytime. Just give me a shotgun and a silver blade.”

“You couldn’t kill me,” Ax mocked. “Some badass Huntress you are.”

“All in good time.” Ryder smiled wickedly, slamming her foot on the gas. She focused her mind on the hunt, allowing Ax to think they were up to her usual night’s work. Little did he know, her target would be his demise. Maybe hers too, but that was the price she was willing to pay. One last demon in the world. Seemed worth it.

As soon as she turned onto the dirt road that led into the heart of a dense forest, he knew something was awry. This wasn’t just any forest. No, it belonged to someone. Or, more accurately, some thing.

“What are you doing?” A hint of panic tweaked his voice.

Ryder felt her guts twist in knots as Ax tried to teleport them away. It was too late. She was going too fast, and they were in too deep. His powers wouldn’t work here.

Ax may have believed he had complete control of her, but no one could control a Gate Keeper. They were beings caught in the rift between reality and the paranormal, judging all who stood before them.

Ryder laughed hysterically as she felt Ax’s fear rippling inside her. He should have known that a Huntress always gets her demon, one way or another.

“Are you insane?” he shrieked inside her mind.

“You should know by now,” Ryder knocked the side of her head like a door. “Let’s just see what the Gate Keeper has to say about your newest hobby.”

“You’re going to get us both killed!” He was probably right. She felt the tingling sensation again as he tried to use his powers.

“It’s your choice, Ax! Either you get outta my head or the Gate Keeper sends us somewhere we can’t come back from.” She knew she had him by the jugular.

A heavy sigh echoed in her head. “I was just having a little fun.” Her body shivered and with a shimmer of light he was gone. Ryder revved the engine with a triumphant smile.

“Silly demon. A Huntress always wins.”




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The authors have plotted and toiled for many hours to create their unique flash fiction version of Ryder and Ax’s tale. Now you’ll all get to read them! Each author is hosted on one of the below blogger sites:







Fiktshun - hosting Tiffany King
Two Chicks on Books - hosting G.P. Ching
A Life Bound By Books - hosting K.A.Tucker
HERE!!! Read her story above! - hosting Megan Duncan
Taking It One Book At A Time - hosting S.M.Reine

So, go visit each site above and VOTE for your favorite! Why vote? Because on October 24th, a Grand Prize winner will be drawn. What could you win? A pile of signed print copies of the authors’ books and some swag. Check out the official page here for a list (grand prize winner contest open to U.S. residents only but anyone can vote; one vote per person and you can vote on any of the blogs.)

Want to earn an extra entry into the grand prize? Tweet the following and paste the link into the form with your vote!:
I voted in the #LieOrDie Flash Fiction Showdown. Why don’t you? http://bit.ly/pwu8b5

So… GO check out the 5 fabulous versions of 1 amazing idea and GO VOTE for your favorite one!

Ended

Savor by Megan Duncan - Character Q&A

After reading Savor by Megan Duncan, I wanted to learn more about some of her characters, so I asked a few of them to stop by so I could ask them a few questions!

First I'd like to welcome Claire to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads Savor blog tour stop! Hi Claire! Claire is a human with a rare, pure blood that brings her to the attention of the royal vampire’s family in her region. I’d also like to welcome Robin; Hi Robin! Robin is a vampire who befriends Claire the moment she arrives to the royal kingdom. Up next is Dmitry. Hellllooooo Dmitry!!! He’s a sexy vamp who likes to tease and flirt with Claire. I'd also like to introduce you all to Liz. What’s up Liz?! Liz is Claire's best friend and they have been best friends since they were very young. And last, but not least, I'd like to introduce Ana and Luka! Ana is a vampire brat who is severely jealous of Claire and the attention that she’s getting from both the vampire King and Queen of their region. And Luka is Ana's boyfriend (and Dmitry's brother) who will do or say anything to make Ana happy. Hi guys!!!

Character Q&A

"This first question is for Claire, Robin and Dmitry! Everyone has a guilty pleasure, what is yours?" - Bookluvr Mindy
☆ "I'm in love with dancing and can never turn down the opportunity to let loose." - Claire
☆ "I have a big collage over my dresser of all the swoon-worth vampire nobles. I love teen mags!" - Robin
☆ "I secretly love baseball. I try to hide my sporty side cause I like to think I am super mysterious.." - Dmitry

"My next question is for Claire and Liz. As kids you tested your trouble-making limits to see what you could do without getting caught or in trouble by Claire's mom. What is the craziest thing you ever did?” - Bookluvr Mindy
☆ "Once we ran away and hid out at a neighbor's house we knew was away on vacation. Liz and I pretended the house was ours until the neighbor came home and called the cops thinking we were intruders. We had to do ten hours of community service after that." -Claire & Liz

"My last two questions are for the vamps here! What do you miss most as a human?" - Bookluvr Mindy
☆ "I miss warm summer days, lying in the sun with a thick book." - Robin
☆ "The feeling of being in awe of something, but finally I felt it again when I met Claire." - Dmitry
☆ "What kind of question is that? We don't miss anything about being human. Being a Vampire is so much better!" - Ana answers for both her & Luka


"And for my last question...Vampires seem to be pretty fearless, what are you scared of that most people would be shocked about?” - Bookluvr Mindy
☆ "I think I look too angelic for a vampire and no one takes me seriously." - Robin 
☆ "I'm worried Ana has too much influence over Luka. He just isn't who he used to be anymore." - Dmitry
☆ "I'm scared of what our region would be like if Claire actually ruled over it." - Ana
☆ "I'm scared of Ana." - Luka "Shut up Luka" - Ana


"Thank you so much for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Make sure you stop by again tomorrow to read Megan Duncan's Flash Fiction story! And get links to the other 4 blogs with the other authors’ flash fiction stories!" - Bookluvr Mindy

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publisher's Summary:
"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.



My Take: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is captivating, riveting, brilliant, beautiful and sexy! Shatter Me is up there at the top of the list of my all-time favorites!

This is one of those books that you wish you didn’t wait so long to read! You want to run and scream to tell everyone to read it now! You want to buy it now so you can have the copy in your hand and put all other priorities aside to read from start to finish in one sitting. Yep, I said it! And I’m not exaggerating! I will be harassing everyone I know to read this one. There are not very many books that I could read more than once, but I think this will be one of those very few.

Tahereh’s Shatter Me is beautifully written. I love how she uses strikethrough to capture Juliette’s true thoughts. Right from the very first page, I knew this would be a novel unlike anything else I have read. Tahereh fully captures the thoughts of a teen girl who has never experienced the comforting touch of another human because her touch is lethal to others. Tahereh’s amazing writing style had me hungry for that single touch that Juliette craves; it’s only human for someone to want that affection from another person. She also perfectly captures the thoughts of a girl who has experienced her whole life of being neglected, a castaway and then locked up in a cell and who has had absolutely no human contact for 264 days.

Shatter Me starts out with Juliette locked up in solitary confinement a psych ward. She knows that she should be getting a cellmate roommate shortly and she doesn’t know how to handle it. Adam seems so familiar to her but she is unsure of why; to make matters even worse, he’s a major hunk and he won’t keep his shirt on! He is soooo yummy!!! Juliette’s question is, “Who is he and why is he locked up in here?”

All the while she is locked up, the world around her is crumbling faster than she could ever imagine because The Reestablishment has taken over and has destroyed everything.

I really admire Juliette’s character. She’s stubborn and it takes a lot to crack her. Not only does she show real strength, but even though she’s been mistreated her entire life, she still cares for others and their well-being.

Warner, the twisted leader of their region, wants to use Juliette as a weapon and is using her craving for affection and human touch to seduce her to help him! But can she resist the affection and acceptance of another person? Something she has never experienced before? Even from someone so twisted? And the worst part is Warner seems to fully understand everything that Juliette has gone through and what she most desires!

The love story that is intertwined into this fabulous novel only makes it even better! And, boy does it get hot and steamy!

The ending to Shatter Me couldn’t have been better! I loved it and I am hungry for the sequel to Shatter Me or even to another novel written by Tahereh Mafi! Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long!

Review copy received from HarperCollins for my honest review.

My Book Stash #3

Received from Penguin Group

The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper


In a Britannia of clockwork automatons and airships, Alice Michaels’s prospects are looking grim.

The Honorable Alice B. Michaels is in a life or death struggle for survival—socially speaking, that is. At twenty-one, her age, her unladylike interest in automatons, and the unfortunate deaths of most of her family from the plague have sealed her fate as a less than desirable marriage prospect.

But a series of strange occurrences are about to lead Alice in a direction quite beyond the pale. High above the earth on the American airship USS Juniper, Gavin Ennock lives for the wind and the sky and his fiddle. After privateers attack the Juniper, he is stranded on the dank, dirty, and merciless streets of London. When Alice’s estranged aunt leaves her a peculiar inheritance, she encounters Gavin under most unusual—even shocking—circumstances.

Then Alice’s inheritance attracts the attention of the Third Ward, a clandestine organization that seizes the inventions of mad geniuses the plague leaves behind—all for the good of the Empire. But even the Third Ward has secrets. And when Alice and Gavin discover them, a choice must be made between the world and the Empire, no matter the risk to all they hold dear.

Magic on the Line (Allie Beckstrom #7) by Devon Monk


I took a deep breath, set a Disbursement-a headache this time-and drew a Sight spell. I pulled magic into it. The world broke into shades of old magic among vibrant new spells, bright neon dripping down buildings, pastels drifting along the empty street.

Allison Beckstrom has willingly paid the price of pain to use magic, and has obeyed the rules of the Authority, the clandestine organization that makes-and enforces-all magic policy. But when the Authority's new boss, Bartholomew Wray, refuses to believe that the sudden rash of deaths in Portland might be caused by magic, Allie must choose to follow the Authority's rules, or turn against the very people for whom she's risked her life.

To stop the plague of dark magic spreading through the city, all that she values will be on the line: her magic, her memories, her life. Now, as dead magic users rise to feed upon the innocent and the people closest to her begin to fall, Allie is about to run out of options.

The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams


There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.



Received from Julie @ My 5 Monkeys

The Shattering by Karen Healey


Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

Savor by Megan Duncan

Author summary: When Claire Miller turned eighteen all she wanted to do was celebrate her birthday, but after a night on the town with her best friend she awakes to a visitor she never expected. The rulers of her region, a vampire royal family, have chosen her to be turned as their new heir and vampire princess. In a world fueled by the power of blood, Claire quickly discovers the vampire royal family is not what they seem and that she has secrets in her past, she never knew existed.



My take: When Megan asked me to review Savor, I was thrilled. I had already read Released (Agents of Evil series #1) and I loved it. She is a very good writer and knows how to keep you interested throughout the whole book.

Savor (Warm Delicacy Series #1) is the beginning of what I believe will be an amazing series. What I think I liked most about this book, is the direction it takes in the end, and I’m really excited to see where this series will lead.

I was immediately intrigued by Savor’s dystopia world which is now ruled by vampires. As soon as Claire made her first trip to the blood bank to give her donation to the vampires, I knew that her blood would gain the attention of the vampire leaders; I just didn’t know where that would ultimately lead.

Only a day after her 18th birthday and first donation, Claire is swept up in the luxury of being considered a princess. This is something that I particularly had a hard time with. For the most part, I wasn’t really caring too much for the whole fairytale story part of the book. I also had a difficult time accepting how well Claire quickly adjusted to the huge changes in her life and how accepting she was about the whole process. There were several times when her true emotions would come out and then I would think…”Yay! She is finally showing normal human behavior!”

When Claire is taken to live with the vampire royal family, it was really difficult to decide who I should trust. But I immediately fell in love with Robin and Dmitry. I particularly have a soft spot for Robin . . . she has this sweetness and quirkiness about her and she makes Claire’s “transition” a lot more pleasant. There’s one part in the book where Robin gives Claire a gift, and I was touched so much by her gesture that I had a tear or two in my eyes. And then there’s Dmitry! There’s something really funny that he does to Claire (that she happens to get angry about), and I know this might sound weird, but that one particular incidence made me really start to like him.

I was really disappointed that Savor ended where it did. However, it ended in a cliffhanger that appears to take the story in a direction that I think I would really enjoy and that I foresee would get me really attached to this series.

Review copy received by author for my honest review.

Signed copy of Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

Wanna win a signed copy of Lost in Time (a Blue Bloods Novel) by Melissa de la Cruz? I'm giving one away!


Here is a pic of Melissa de la Cruz during the Smart Chicks Kick it tour that was taken by Kristina World of Books! It was so fun to watch Margaret Stohl tease Melissa and answer all her questions for her.

Signed copy of If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Giveaway Time!!!

In the pic...my friend Tiffany, ME, Jaime (Two Chicks on Books), Kristina (My World of Books)

I am running a series of giveaways of signed books that I acquired when I traveled to Seattle for the Smart Chicks Kick It tour! Here is my first!

The Winning Idea - Lie or Die Flash Fiction Showdown

The judges have met, deliberated, and after much debate, decided. It wasn't easy. There were some really amazing ideas. And we would have loved to see all of them written by all five authors. But that wouldn't be very fair. Not really, anyway.

So, after a few punches, kicks, screams and much pulling of hair, we quietly sat down and agreed that the winner should be....

Aeicha Matteson

Congratulations Aeicha! Your idea was absolutely awesome. One that we think will result in some very different story ideas by the authors, one that can pose a bit of a challenge for them, and ultimately one we could all agree upon!

So, here's the idea that is being revealed live, at this very moment, to the authors. They've had no previous knowledge or peek at the winning idea, so they're all getting it at the same time. No unfair advantage here. For the authors who don't stalk our blogs early, well, they get that much less time to toy with this.

THE IDEA

Here are the characters:
Ryder - female, human, teenager, short in height, long brown hair w/blue streaks, bright green eyes, smart, sassy, tough.
Ax - (short for Aximander), male, demon (but was once human before being sent to hell), as a demon he has no permanent form, thus he possesses humans. He's cunning, vindictive, but incredibly charismatic.


Here is the conflict: Ryder is a supernatural hunter (she hunts demons, monsters, evil baddies), but she has been possessed by the demon Ax, who has essentially bound himself to her...meaning no simple exorcism will release him. Ryder must find a way to break free of Ax while fighting for control of her own mind, body, and actions.

These are their abilities:
Ryder - as a hunter she is skilled in weapons, fighting, and supernatural knowledge/lore but does not have "supernatural or magical" abilities of her own.

Ax - can shift/shimmer (teleport anywhere, including hell) and has enhanced/heightened abilities (strength, speed, hearing)...when possessing someone these abilities are transferred into them while Ax resides within them.



Awesome, right? We are all super excited to see what these five incredibly talented authors come up with!

The authors will have until October 18th to write their 800 word flash fiction story. And on October 19th, all five stories will be revealed on all five of the participating blogs.

You will have a chance to vote for your favorite idea and enter to win the grand prize.

For more details in the meantime, be sure to check out the Lie Or Die contest page, HERE.

Megan Duncan will be posting her flash fiction story right here on Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Yay! So make sure you stop back by on the 19th to see what she has come up with and to read the other 4 author's stories as well!

My Book Stash #2

***My vlog has a spoiler*** If you haven't read the Blue Blood series yet then skip over my description of Bloody Valentine.

Won from #YASCRAMBLE
Anathema by K.A. Tucker (eBook is currently free)
Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Received from HarperCollins
Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Jaime @Two Chicks On Books
Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

Received by Pam @Bookalicious
The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Received from Penguin Group
Last Breath (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine
Fox & Phoenix by Beth Bernobich
Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin
In Memories We Fear (Vampire Memories) by Barb Hendee
Bloodstone (Deadtown) by Nancy Holzner
Dead Mann Walking by Stefan Petrucha

Purchased
Enthralled (Anthology)
Lost in Time (Blue Bloods) by Melissa De La Cruz
Bloody Valentine (Blue Bloods) by Melissa De La Cruz
If I Die (Soul Screamers) by Rachel Vincent