Blog Tour - Awakenings by JE Shannon

Top Five Series

by JE Shannon

Title: Awakenings

Author: J. E. Shannon 

Publisher: Entranced Publishing

Genre: YA paranormal romance

Release Date: July 29th 2013

I will be the first to admit that I adore a great series. The best series are the ones that make you feel connected to the main characters in such away that you are willing to follow them through several books. You want to see them grow and learn from their mistakes, while they keep the core personality that you’ve come to love. It’s a delicate balance that is difficult to maintain, which makes a great series all that more impressive.
With that in mind here are my personal favorite series.


The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlene Harris
I love Sookie! She is such a strong character with a great heart. People are always trying to tear her down, and it makes you root for her even harder. She walks boldly into dangerous situations to save the people she loves without a second thought to her own safety. You never stop wanting the best for Sookie. Definitely a great read.

The Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz
Odd’s life has been a series of tragedy, trauma, and ghosts. What I love about Odd is his sense of duty. He could run from the gifts he was given, but he chooses instead to follow where they take him. His sense of humor and love of life makes this series a must read.

The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead.
Sydney’s inexperience in social situations is both endearing and hilarious. This is a perfect example of watching a character grow, while maintaining her core self. Her job requires her to keep a core group of vampires safe, yet she, as an Alchemist, thinks they are unholy creatures. Watching Sydney become her own person has been a real pleasure. She is smart, brave and devoted. I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
This series is a page turner from beginning to end. I think I read all three books a weeks time. Katniss is strong, independent, and you can’t help but love her. The world building in this series is incredible. Collins pulls you in and drags you through the entire series. This is a must read.

The Harry Potter series by J.K. RowlingI will openly admit that I had zero interest in reading this series. One day my mother-in-law handed me all seven books and said, “You have to read these.” She wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and I am so glad that she didn’t. Rowling is nothing short of genius. Harry is the ultimate hero. Selfless, caring, and tragic. We get to watch him grow from a boy to an adult in a world that is both beautiful and terrifying. Rowling’s attention to detail never ceased to amaze me as she wove a net around Harry that he just couldn’t escape. This is one of the rare series where you wanted to see the bad guy get his comeuppance almost as much as you wanted to see the hero succeed. I was nothing less than blown away by this series and therefor it is at the top of my list of must reads. 

I know I’m missing some fantastic reads out there, so tell me, what is your favorite series?

Thanks for an awesome guest post J.E. I have to admit I haven't read any of these! I don't really like Harry Potter but I have always wanted to read The Bloodlines Series. Sadly I watched The Hunger Games before reading it! 

Enter Giveaway run by J.E.

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Waiting on Wednesday #97

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

3.59 - Gretchen McNeil
Published : 17th September 2013
Oh wow! I love things like this which involve two characters, especially in a way of parallel universes. I haven't read a book like this for ages, i think the last one I did involved time travel so was different from this. 
Will be really interesting to get to know more about both the characters and see how Josie deals with it all.  I do hope that the author has developed both the characters the same amount and that they are likable characters, I really think that can make or break a book!

-

The Blurb :

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

Over The Rainbow by Brian Rowe Excerpt + Giveaway

Over The Rainbow Excerpt 

The sun wanted to swallow me whole.
I lifted my arm, tried to block away the harsh light. I was sprawled on rocky dirt, not the cargo hold of the airplane. People typically don’t survive airplane crashes so I figured I was dead.
Except when my eyes adjusted to the light, I didn’t see Heaven or Hell. I didn’t see God—a woman named Rochelle, I always liked to imagine—in front of me. I saw the airplane, the back spitting out waves of smoke, the front protruding through a two-story home. I glanced all around. Not a single person. I listened for the screams. Nothing.
“Where am I?” I said.
I turned to my right to see the cargo area, the door to it teetering against the side of the plane. I wasn’t dead, at least not yet; I had been ejected on impact.
I stood up, shaken but in one piece. I glanced to my left, past the destroyed house, to see a medley of mountains. I had no idea where I was, but nothing surrounding me looked like Topeka.
“I have a feeling I’m not in Kansas anymore,” I said, as I brushed dirt off my Converse.
I moved toward the aircraft. The left wing had split away on impact, and the nose of the plane had destroyed almost the entire second story of the house.
“Hello?” I shouted. “Is anyone there?”
Nothing. 
I couldn’t believe what was happening, and I had too many questions to count, so I just shuffled forward, past a small line of bushes and a faded welcome matt, and knocked on the front door of the dilapidated home. 
As I waited for an answer, I cracked my neck and looked for a road. There was none. This was the only house around, surrounded in every direction by green-brown mountains, and a reservoir to the south of me. A dirt trail lined with daffodils ran in front of the house, but it looked to go back up into the mountains, not the nearest town.
I knocked again. This time the door opened a crack. “Is anyone here?” I said, and stepped inside.

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Guest Post - Top 5 Must-Haves for Your Post-Apocalyptic Adventure

Haven’t read the first book in the series? Check out my review here. Just $0.99 at Amazon!

Top 5 Must-Haves for Your Post-Apocalyptic Adventure, from the Characters of the Stitch Trilogy

By Samantha Durante

Alessa’s Pick: Photos/Mementos of Loved Ones.
Why? Take it from me – when the going gets tough, you’re going to need a reminder of why you set out on this crazy, suicidal quest to begin with. Remembering your loved ones will keep you going even when the odds look bleak.

Isaac’s Pick: Knife.
Why? This all-purpose tool has come in handy for Alessa and I more times than I can count. We’ve used a knife to whittle a toy (okay, not super essential…), fight off guards, spark an explosion, ward off stalking predators, cut up foraged food, trim away bandages, pry open a rusty hinge, you name it. Less even used one to give herself an impromptu haircut!

Janie’s Pick: Backpack.
Why? Since Isaac already stole my number one pick, I’ll go with practical survival item no. 2: a good, sturdy backpack. Picking your way through a ravaged wasteland and the ransacked remains of society, you never know when you’ll come across much-needed supplies. Whether its food, fire starters, weapons, or medicine, you’re definitely not going to want to leave anything that might be useful behind.

Nikhil’s Pick: Notebook & Pen.
Why? You never know when you’ll need to jot something down – a map, a secret note, lost memories that came back to you after recovering from a stitch. I never seem to have a proper pen or paper when I need it, so if I had the chance, I’d pack myself some reliable writing utensils and a notebook or two.

Lizzie’s Pick: Change of Clothes.Why? It might seem frivolous, but if you look good, you feel good, right? No one feels up to facing down impossible odds and seemingly unstoppable enemies in the same filthy, ill-fitting outfit you’ve been wearing for the past 7 days straight. Invest some time finding a few well-tailored garments that will make you look and feel like the hero you’re supposed to be. Never underestimate the power of good style!

Giveaway

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US Giveaway - Infinityglass by Myra McEntire

Win a copy of Infinityglass + Infinityglass poster! 

Infinityglass by Myra McEntire

(#3 Hourglass)

Blurb :

SPOILER ALERT - If you haven't read the first two in the series.

The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series.

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time trav­elers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order. 

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does. 

But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?

Rules
USA Only
Ends 2nd August
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Waiting on Wednesday #96

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

If You Leave - Courtney Cole
Published : 6th August 2013
If You Leave is the second in the Beautifully Broken series, If You Stay being the first. 
I really enjoyed If You Stay and definitely look forward to reading If You Leave. They aren't the same characters but another book by Courtney, I can't resist. I love that the character is older than most characters in the books I read too. 
If You Stay got 4 stars from me, I would love If You Leave to be an even better read and to get 5 stars. We will see! Let me know if you plan to read this one too =)

The Blurb :

26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

*Review* + Blog Tour Giveaway - Camp Kiss by J.K. Rock

Camp Kiss by J.K. Rock

Series : Yes (#0.5 Camp Boyfriend)

Released : 26th March 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Format : Free Online PDF

Source : Publisher Website

Read for free : Website

Overall rating

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................

The Camp Kiss That Started It All…

Lauren Carlson, a fourteen-year-old expert on the cosmos, superheroes, and science fiction trivia has a crush on her longtime camp friend, Seth. Last summer she’d dreamed about upgrading their relationship to BF/GF status and this year she has a plan… if only her well-meaning cabin mates wouldn’t interfere before she’s ready. She hasn’t even adjusted to her new braces yet, let alone imagined kissing Seth with them. When a dare pushes her out of her comfort zone, will she and Seth rocket out of the friendzone at last? There’s only one way to find out….

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................

In Short
- Camp Kiss is a great introduction to the Camp Boyfriend series. 

- Lauren is a great character who I feel a lot of teenagers will be able to relate to.
- After finishing Camp Kiss I can't wait to read Camp Boyfriend

In Long

Camp Kiss is part of the Camp Boyfriend series and is an introduction to the characters and series who are in Camp Boyfriend (Not all characters though!), which I think is awesome!

Camp Kiss is a pretty sweet and innocent read which I really enjoyed. Lauren is a very likeable character who I felt in some ways I could relate to, especially with the Truth or Dare game her and her friends are playing at the beginning. I am sure teenage girls as well as people more my age will read this and either be able to relate to their current feelings as a teenage or think back to memories and be able to relate. Being a teenage girl isn’t easy and Camp Kiss is the perfect example of this.

Seth is the main male character who I found very easy to fall in love with, at some points I questioned his motivates but I found it interesting to see how it all turns out and see how he reacted to certain situations.

The storyline isn’t anything particularly amazing but then it doesn’t need to be. Like I said, it’s more of an introduction to the series so didn’t need to have lots going on, hopefully that’s all saved for Camp Boyfriend!

Final Thoughts

Camp Kiss was an enjoyable read and I am now desperate to read Camp Boyfriend, J.K Rock (Joanne and Karen) are both promising authors and have really laid the foundations down for Camp Boyfriend to be an awesome read.

Giveaway

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J. K. Rock is the pseudonym for YA writing partners - and sisters-in-law - Joanne & Karen Rock.

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*Guest Review* Playing Tyler by T.L. Costa

Guest Review by Bernadette Robinson

Playing Tyler by T.L. Costa
Series : No

Released : 2nd July 2013

Publisher: Strange Chemistry 

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher (Thank you) 

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)/Book Depository

Overall rating

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................

When is a game not a game?

Tyler MacCandless can’t focus, even when he takes his medication. He can’t focus on school, on his future, on a book, on much of anything other than taking care of his older brother, Brandon, who’s in rehab for heroin abuse… again.

Tyler’s dad is dead and his mom has mentally checked out. The only person he can really count on is his Civilian Air Patrol Mentor, Rick. The one thing in life it seems he doesn’t suck at is playing video games and, well, thats probably not going to get him into college.

Just when it seems like his future is on a collision course with a life sentence at McDonald’s, Rick asks him to test a video game. If his score’s high enough, it could earn him a place in flight school and win him the future he was certain that he could never have. And when he falls in love with the game’s designer, the legendary gamer Ani, Tyler thinks his life might finally be turning around.

That is, until Brandon goes MIA from rehab and Tyler and Ani discover that the game is more than it seems. Now Tyler will have to figure out what’s really going on in time to save his brother… and prevent his own future from going down in flames

 .................................... Bernie's Thoughts   ....................................

In Long

Firstly, I’d like to say I was drawn to this book by its cover. I love Poppies especially red ones at that. Sadly, the link with the Poppies isn’t an innocent one as it’s the link to drugs that entitles them to be on the cover.

Tyler has problems, he’s got a lack of concentration for his school work and is hyperactive at times due to suffering with ADHD but he finds he can channel the negative side of his problem to play his games. He’s on Meds for his ADHD but doesn’t like to take them as he’s seen what drugs can do to his brother Brandon who’s an addict. The writing style in some ways mirrored Tyler’s ADHD at times which might or might not be intentional. I found it jumped around at times but in a good way.

Tyler has a love of Computer Games as do a lot of teenage young men and women. It’s his interest in Gaming and flying that introduce him to Rick who becomes his mentor in the Civilian Air Patrol. Tyler has a passion for flying and Rick asks Tyler to test out a new game for him with the promise of a place at flight school if he does really well. It’s not long before the game becomes an all consuming pastime and he finds himself playing it more and more. Is the game as innocent as Tyler thinks and with shades reminiscent to me of a 1983 film called War Games, this becomes a heck of a ride in more ways than one for Tyler.

Ani, the games designer is a legendary gamer and when Tyler finds this out he soon becomes besotted with her and it’s not long before he’s falling for her. However, Rick isn’t keen for Tyler and Ani to develop a friendship/relationship and does all he can to encourage them to be apart, saying that any friendship/relationship could jeopardise the game and also the chances of Tyler joining flying school.

Brandon is in rehab for his addiction and Tyler regularly visits him, it’s only when Brandon goes MIA that things start to take a more sinister turn. Is his disappearance in any way connected to Rick and the game? Ani and Tyler become more suspicious as time goes on and when Tyler sees a news report he begins to wonder is all as it seems in the world of gaming.

To say any more would spoil the book for other readers, so pick it up have a read and find out what is at the root of it all.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut YA book, it’s an easy read and I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I will look for more books by this Author. I enjoyed the relationship between Ani and Tyler, he was definitely in awe of her at the start.

Find Bernie : 

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Thanks Bernie for a great review! 

Blog Tour : Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Please welcome Abigail to Books for Company.

Abigail is the author of Dangerous Girls, published by Simon and Schuster.

I can not wait to read this!

Dangerous Girls - My Inspiration

by Abigail Haas.

The plot idea for Dangerous Girls began in a suitably dangerous place: at a gun range. 

I was living near Boston, Massachusetts at the time, and to celebrate a friend’s birthday, we embarked on a day of stereotypically American pastimes: eating steak, firing semi-automatic weapons, and watching the delightfully trashy patriotism of Red Dawn (the original 80s cheese-fest, of course!). As someone snapped a photo of me posing with a handgun, I remember joking that I better not ever be arrested, because these were the photos they’d wind up showing on TV.

The Amanda Knox trial was unfolding that year in Italy: an American college student accused of murdering her roommate during a semester abroad. Although I’d only glanced at the coverage, certain things stuck: the nick-name, ‘Foxy Knoxy’, that had been playfully given to her for her skills on the soccer field, now twisted to imply some salacious reputation; the photos of her and her boyfriend that the media were analyzing in forensic detail, and the footage of her in the court-room: vulnerable, powerless, a young woman just like me, but trapped far from home, accused of unspeakable crimes.

I didn't think much more of it at the time, but as other big cases followed over the years—the disappearance of Natalie Holloway in Aruba, the trials of Casey Anthony and Jodi Arias—I became fascinated by how the rise of 24-hour news channels changed the way we think about these cases. Just simply reporting on the trials isn't enough, now we have ‘experts’ picking over their body language, poring through old school papers and building all kinds of theories based on text messages and status updates—all used to pad out the broadcasts and offer round-the-clock updates.

‘Trial by social media’ was a phrase that haunted me, and I couldn’t help but think how I would fare under similar circumstances. I’ve always been the ‘good girl’ – I rarely drink or do wild, dangerous things, but like every other person who came of age in the facebook era, there are plenty of photos of me online out with my friends, having a good time. If you held the pictures up out of context, pieced together essays I’d written in class, or bored tweets, what kind of story could you tell about me?

Stuck in traffic one day last spring, the pieces finally came together in one of those wonderful ‘aha!’ moments. I knew my lead character would be one of these young women in the center of the storm, accused of murdering her best friend on spring break. Through her eyes, we experience the nightmare of police interviews, media speculation, and a trial that will determined the rest of her life—all the while questioning if the accusations are true. I wanted to bring in the element of voyeurism and spectatorship, so I alternated the narrative with snippets from outside her POV: police transcripts, TV news reports, and evidence from the trial, all to (hopefully) make the reader try and solve the crime for themselves before the verdict is read.

Amana Knox was found guilty of murder, then acquitted on appeal. She’s currently facing a retrial. Natalie Holloway’s body has still not been recovered, but the man accused of killing her was arrested after murdering another woman; Jodi Arias was recently found guilty of murdering her boyfriend—she claims after months of psychological and sexual abuse. Writing this book opened my eyes even more to the complex nature of the truth: we all tell different stories of how we experienced something, and it’s almost impossible to get a real glimpse inside someone’s mind. We collect evidence to support our view of the world—and ignore everything we don’t want to admit. Day to day, it doesn’t matter so much. Everyone has their own unique perspective, and that’s part of what makes life, and relationships, so interesting. But what about when the stakes are life or death?

The photos of me at the gun range are still online somewhere: laughing at a joke someone made off-screen, casually holding an AK-47 like it’s nothing. With all the things I googled researching this book, there’s more than enough material out there to make me look guilty of just about any crime.

How about you?

Wow, Thank you Abigail for a VERY awesome guest post. Probably one of my favorite guest posts I have ever had the privilege of hosting. What a powerful post and I most definitely completely agree with you! I now can not wait to read Dangerous Girls even more!!!!

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Blog tour - Kelly Hashway Guest Post + Giveaway

Why Necromancers Make Great Characters

Ever since I read Kelley Armstrong’s Darkest Powers series, I’ve loved necromancers. I mean the idea that a character can raise the dead is incredible because there are so many possibilities. You could bring back loved ones, which opens the story up for a lot of emotion. But you could also raise things that shouldn’t be raised, so the potential for horror is great. How can you go wrong with tugging on heartstrings and terrifying readers?

But the best part about writing a necromancer book is that no one is ever really gone for good. I’ve had some readers tell me they were upset about characters who didn’t make it through Touch of Death, but when you have a cast of powerful necromancers, the possibilities are endless. The dead don’t stay dead. Well, maybe they do stay dead, but they don’t stay buried.

Stalked by Death was so much fun to write because there are more zombies in this book. There’s also a new necromancer who sends Jodi’s power out of control. And when a necromancer’s powers go crazy, you know the result: tons of zombies. Jodi even raises the dead in her sleep, and you can imagine all the trouble that causes. So while I love just about every paranormal creature there is, necromancers are my favorite to write about.

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UK Giveaway - Memory By Christoph Marzi

How awesome is this cover?!

Memory by Christoph Marzi

This is a book about a ghost called Story.

She's lost in the city - alone, afraid and without her memory. 

Then she meets Jude, a boy who sees the dead. 

And he is the only one who can help her remember..

Giveaway

UK Only

Paperback Copy

One Winner

Ends 26th July

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Cover Crazy #96

My Life After Now - Jessica Verdi
Simple covers like this never fail to win me over. I think some covers really get over complicated and too crowded, a cover like this is refreshing.

I love this cover because :

- Love the colour of the dress, it's so pretty. I find red really stands out in covers. Quite a few of my favourite covers have a lot of red in. 
- The title fits in really well with the cover, I love how they have put the title going down instead of going across the cover which would have ruined it.
- The cover just has a nice simple feel to it while at the same time giving you some idea about the genre of the book. 
- I like the lighting in front of the girl and it hints to her going somewhere towards it.

Premeditated - Josin L. Mcquein
Just looking at this cover gives me the chills, it really has a strong feeling about it and has definitely drawn my attention enough to read the blurb.

I love this cover because :

-  Like the cover above this is quite a simple cover, I like how it's got simple font used.
- Love how the cover is so creepy and definitely tells you that it has a thriller theme to it.
- I love just the idea of the smashed glass and her looking out. Is she looking in or is she trapped and looking out?
Dislike :
- I feel like the writing would suit being a bit further down the cover instead of across the girls chin.

*Review + Giveaway* Shudder by Samantha Durante

Haven’t read the first book in the series? Check out my review here. Just $0.99 at Amazon!

Shudder by Samantha Durante

Series : Yes (#2 Stitch Trilogy)

Released : 15th June 2013

Publisher: Self Published

Format : Paperback

Source : Author (Thank You)

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................

It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................

In Short
- Shudder carries on from Stitch very successfully.  

- I loved going on another journey with Alessa and Isaac and getting to know them both better.
- The storyline has a lot of twists and turns throughtout.
- Samantha really built on the world which Stitch and Shudder are based in and made it more realistic in Shudder. 

In Long

Shudder carries on straight from Stitch which was a big advantage as I read Stitch quite a while ago and couldn't remember it all. Within a few pages all of Stitch came back to me and I was able to quickly get into Shudder.

I really enjoyed going on another journey with Alessa and Isaac. Both of them had a lot of personal things to deal with throughout the book which really built on their character and made me feel like I got to know them better. At the same time as dealing with their separate problems they also had to tackle being out in the open in a dangerous environment.

The storyline has a lot to it, I can’t imagine the amount of thought Samantha must have put into it with all the twists. Samantha has successfully built on the world she created in Stitch and has made it stronger and became more realistic. The more I learnt about Paragon and the world outside the more gripping Shudder became and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

I think for me some parts where they are out in the wilderness it got a bit slow, I know I said at the same time they were dealing with personal things but the action side of it kind of came to a stand still and I did lose interest. Luckily, although there were a few points like it, things did pick up quickly.

When I finished Stitch I was excited to read Shudder because I felt like it had great potential. There were so many directions which Samantha could have taken Shudder and I felt like she really made the most of this and took Shudder beyond my expectations and in great directions. She definitely made the most of it's potential. 

Final Thoughts

Shudder is a fantastic follow on from Stitch which I really enjoyed. Samantha really expanded on the ideas set out in Stitch, developing both the characters and storyline further. I definitely recommend this series, it’s a very unique read which has many twists and turns throughout the book.

Giveaway

E book Copy of Shudder
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Guest Post : Top Ten by Victoria Danann

Moonlight by Victoria Danann

Top Ten

By Victoria Danann

Readers sometimes ask about what kind of music I like and if I have actually traveled to the places I talk about in my books. Since I play Classic Rock music, those songs are going to feature prominently among favorites. And, yes, I have traveled to the places I talk about in my books.

Ten Favourite Song

Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin

Losing My Religion - Scary Kids Scaring Kids

Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC

You Get What You Give - New Radicals

Still of the Night - Whitesnake

Mystify - INXS

Everlong - Foo Fighters

Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5

Where to Now St. Peter? - Elton John

Paper Sun - Def Leppard

Ten Favorite Movies

Six String Samurai

Alien from L.A.

Willow

The Empire Strikes Back

Field of Dreams

A Walk in the Clouds

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Princess Bride

The Company of Wolves

Tristan and Isolde

Ten Favorite Books

Good Omens (Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon)

Memnoch the Devil (Anne Rice)

The Gate to Womens' Country (Sherry S. Tepper)

Christine (Stephen King)

A Hunger Like No Other (Kresley Cole)

Demon from the Dark (Kresley Cole) 

My Familiar Stranger (Victoria Danann)

The Witch's Dream (Victoria Danann)

A Summoner's Tale (Victoria Danann)

Moonlight (Victoria Danann)

Ten Most Memorable Dinners

The Gore Hotel (Lond0n)

Castle Kronberg (Frankfurt)

Las Brisas terrace (Acapulco)

La Tour du Argent (Houston)

Cafe de Artiste (New York)

Piazza del Duomo (Siena)

Le Comptoir Darna (Marrakech, Morocco)

Joe T. Garcia's (Fort Worth)

O'Donoghue's (Dublin)

Roatan Ricks (Honduras)

Click here to see more Top Ten lists 

Top Ten Tuesday #11

Top Ten is run by The Broke and the Bookish 

Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations

Well this is quite a hard one for me to do because I have to admit I haven't read many books and then watched the movies. It's often turned out that I have watched the movie before reading the book and when I have done that I can't then read the book! 

However I am going to list some movies which I have really enjoyed.

Best

Twilight -Stephanie Meyer

I am sure this one will feature in most people posts. I haven't ever read this series but I do ADORE the movies. I have watched them quite a few times and I am yet to get bored. I do wonder if that would be different if I had read them beforehand!

The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks

I actually have a few books by Nicholas on my shelf but I haven't ever read a book by him. I do however adore The Notebook movie. It's amazing. 

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Yep, as you predicted, I haven't read this book either. However me and my partner went to see the movie and I totally loved it. So gripping. I can see why the book is so popular. 

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

I watched the original of this movie where it's in a foreign language. Such amazing movies! I haven't ever read the books though which is a shame. 

Host - Stephanie Meyer

Another great book turned into a great movie by Stephanie. I admit, again, I haven't read the actual book but I am in no doubt after watching the movie that I would have loved this book!

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold 

I don't actually know if I could have read this book. I am easily freaked out and the movie really got me at a few points. It's very intense and I can imagine the book is even more so.

My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

Oh how I wish I would make time to read this book. The movie had me in uncontrollable tears. I definitely aim to read this and more books by Jodi. What an amazing writer. 

I am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

I actually read this book before the movie and although i found them very different I adored them both!

Worst 

Although I haven't read the books of these I sadly found the movies dull. 

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

I haven't read the book which I am gutted I didn't do before I watched the movie. Sadly I wasn't very impressed with the movie. There just wasn't enough action for a movie. In a way I can see this would probably be a better read than it was a watch. 

The Perks of Being A Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

This is a massive book and very popular so I was excited to watch the movie. Sadly I just didn't get it. It was kinda boring and felt there just wasn't much behind the storyline. Maybe it would be different if I read the book?