Blog Tour - A Fool's Errand by Maureen Fergus

Title: A Fool's Errand (The Gypsy King #2)

Author: Maureen Fergus

Publisher: Razorbill Canada

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Chapters Indigo

More action. More romance. More intrigue. Get ready to dive into the exciting follow-up to The Gypsy King!

In the final moments of The Gypsy King, a truth was revealed to Persephone and Azriel--one that could change everything forever. For her. For him. For them. For the entire kingdom.

But trapped in a windowless castle chamber with soldiers battering at the door, it seems impossible to believe that they'll even survive. Indeed, they are a heartbeat from death when Azriel boldly bargains with the Regent Mordecai: release them and they will seek out the mythical healing Pool of Genezing. Mordecai agrees but warns that if they do not return with proof that the pool exists, he'll make those dearest to them suffer--and he'll start with King Finnius.

Persephone has never needed Azriel's teasing warmth as much as she needs it now, but she is finding out there is a price to pay for having broken past promise. Together, they set off on a journey that will take them into the fattest corners of the kingdom. Danger will ever lie ahead and behind them; they will battle men and beasts alike. Will Persephone and Azriel survive these perils? And will this quest see their romance grow cold--or will it burn hotter than ever?

*****Contains spoilers for the first book*****

Ever since I started blogging, I've been finding myself reading more and more fantasy, a genre I had previously stayed away from. It was just never something I enjoyed. But it's books like Maureen Fergus' A Fool's Errand that make me want to keep giving fantasy a try because, every once in a while, I find myself getting completely engrossed in the story.

Having lived her life as a slave and servant, Persephone never expected to discover she was King Finnius' long-lost twin sister. This new revelation changes everything. Not just for Persephone, but for everyone around her. In an effort to save her brother, herself and those she has come to care about, Persephone sets off on a quest to find the mythical Pool of Genezing for the Regent Mordecai. Along the way, things changed between Persephone and Azriel, in a way Persephone can't quite explain. The one thing she is sure of is that she needs Azriel by her side, it's the only way she can make it through this.

So fantasy. Never something I was really into before I started blogging. I know I say this pretty much every time I review a fantasy book, but it's the truth. I'm always worried whenever I pick up a book knowing that it's a full blown fantasy story--worried that I'm not going to enjoy it. But with A Fool's Errand I didn't have any of my regular apprehensions, probably because it's the sequel to a book I've already read and enjoyed. A Fool's Errand picks up right where The Gypsy King left off. Right from page one, I was in the thick of the action and there wasn't something happening. Though it admittedly took me a few pages to get my bearings and remember what exactly had happened at the end of the first book, it made it really easy to get into the story. Like with The Gypsy King, there is a lot happening in A Fool's Errand. There are multiple stories to follow, questions that need answers, mysteries that need to be solved. And that all makes the story that much more interesting. The fact that there was always something happening helped to keep me engrossed in the story. That, and I wanted answers to certain questions as much as some of the characters did. Wanting to see Persephone and Azriel's relationship blossom also helped.

I have to admit that I liked Persephone more in A Fool's Errand more than I did in The Gypsy King. After everything that happened in the first book, she felt more genuine and there was less lying on her part. I loved seeing her struggle with how she felt for Azriel. I obviously knew what it would all lead to, but I still really enjoyed seeing it all come together. And I'll admit that, much like Persephone, I, too, might be a little bit in love with Azriel. There's just something about him. He always seems full of mischief while at the same time being fiercely loyal and willing to do anything to protect Persephone. And in all honesty, compared to some of the other men in the book, Azriel seems like he is a stellar human being. Mordecai on the other hand is a despicable human being. There really isn't any other way to describe him. Every time he does anything all I really want to do is cringe…when I'm not completely creeped out by him. I'm really hoping that he finally will get what's coming for him in the next book.

Maureen Fergus' A Fool's Errand was what I hoped it would be: an action-packed, engrossing story with just the right does of romance. It's books like this one that are slowly convincing me that fantasy might be something I want to be reading more of. Now I just can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Title: Golden

Author: Jessi Kirby

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date: May 14, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Love, tragedy, and mystery converge in this compelling novel from "an author to watch" (Booklist).

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she's about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap--one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery--she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High--perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna's journal tells a different story--one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane's jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna's journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live--and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

Despite being the contemporary lover than I am, I hadn't read any of Jessi Kirby's books until I decided to pick up Golden after it was recommended to me by a friend. And I loved it. Golden was everything I was told it would be an there wasn't a singly page of it I didn't love.

Parker Frost has always done what was expected of her. She goes to school, gets good grades and is about to be the Valedictorian of her graduating class. But when she finds Julianna Farnetti's senior journal, Parker decides to investigate what really happened 10 years ago, and in the process, start to really live her own life. With the help of Kat, her best friend, and her crush, Trevor, Parker starts to uncover who Julianna Farnetti really was. Turns out her small town may have had it all wrong and Parker isn't sure anymore how everyone sees her is who she really is.

Before reading Golden, I had been a bad contemporary lover in that I had never read any of Jessi Kirby's books. But, thankfully, I have now rectified that situation. Golden was everything I was told it would be. The story had a powerful message that, in a way, almost felt understated. It was a story about living life and doing so the way you want, not the way others think you should be. And with Golden this message was in not one, but two stories. That's what I loved about Golden, I got two stories for the price of one. Not only did I get to read Parker's story, I also got to read Julianna's story through her diary. And even though I saw the end of Julianna's story coming, it didn't stop me from appreciating it and the message it carried. And more than that, I loved seeing how Julianna's story impacted Parker's own story.

In many ways, I could relate to Parker. Just like her, I mostly did what everyone expected me to do without really questioning it. Because of that, I really enjoyed seeing Parker come into her own as the story went on and she found out more about Julianna's story. And I loved that it all led to her standing up for herself and taking a chance on Trevor. Because Trevor wasn't exactly who I expected him to be…he was better. Despite the fact that he came across as a player, I quickly realized that there was more to him than that and he really cared about Parker and what happened to her. And if you want my opinion, Parker and Trevor were a perfect match.

I'm happy to have finally read one of Jessi Kirby's books. Golden was not just what I hoped it would be. It was also a powerful and touching story that stayed with me long after I finished reading.

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Title: Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1)

Author: Simone Elkeles

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Source: ARC from BEA

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek's counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs to get involved with someone else's family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek--someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all.

Everything I've read by Simone Elkeles, I've loved. With Wild Cards, I had unbelievably high expectations. Not only was this book by an author I've loved in the past, it was also being compared to Friday Night Lights, one of my favourite TV shows. So yeah, I had high expectations. And though those expectations weren't totally met, Wild Cards was still a book I highly enjoyed.

Derek was perfectly happy going to boarding school in California while his military father was deployed overseas. But when he takes things one step too far and finds himself being expelled, Derek has no choice but to move to Illinois with his young stepmom and his younger step-brother. And his stepmom's father and younger sister. And Ashtyn isn't what Derek expected. The kicker on her high school's football team, Ashtyn doesn't take crap from anyone, Derek included. But unfortunate circumstances throw the two together, and Ashtyn finds herself having to rely on Derek more than she ever thought she would. And Derek isn't sure he's willing to get involved.

Not to start sounding like a broken record, but I had stupidly high expectation for Wild Cards. I have loved Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry trilogy and Paradise books. They are among some of my favourites. Add to that a comparison to Friday Night Lights, and my expectations sky-rocketed. Too the point where I may have been expecting too much from just one book. That doesn't mean I was disappointed by this story, I was actually far from being disappointed. But the whole time I was reading, I just kept wanting the story to go places that it didn't go. I enjoyed the football that was thrown in there, I enjoyed the romance between Derek and Ashtyn, even if at times it drove me a little crazy. But there were moments when I just felt like the story was going around in a circle. But then there would be other moments that would come along and make up for those circles. So I may not have been fully satisfied, but I still loved the story enough to want to read more of it in future books and to read more about some of the characters that I started getting to know in Wild Cards.

The thing about Derek and Ashtyn is that I wasn't completely satisfied with them, which is probably what led to some of dissatisfaction with the book as a whole. The sexual tension between the two of them was fantastic. It just leapt off the page and was often what kept me reading. But at the same time it felt like there wasn't a lot of character growth with them. Sure, they got from point A to point B by the end of the story, but I expected a little more. In a way, what I wanted to happen did happen, but it all happened in the last 20 pages or so of the book. I wanted more from them, and thankfully I did by the end. On the plus side, as much as I wasn't fully satisfied with Derek and Ashtyn, there were other characters that made up for it. Derek's grandmother had me shaking my head while also trying to stifle a laugh. And Derek's step-brother was completely adorable. 

I enjoyed Wild Cards, I really did. But I also wanted more from it. The end of the book makes up for all those moments where I wasn't satisfied and I hoped to see more of that in future instalments. Despite my concerns with the book, I am sure there are plenty out there who will simply devour this new boo by Simone Elkeles. 

Cover Reveal: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Today I have the pleasure of being able to share with you the cover for Jennifer L. Armentrout's upcoming Don't Look Back. You all know by now how much I love Jennifer and her books and I couldn't be more excited about this one. So just keep scrolling to see the amazing animated cover, find out more about the book and find out more about the author.

About the book:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection o who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has alway spooked out for her--even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happen to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory--someone else knows, someone wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

Sounds like something you'd be interested in reading? The bad news is you have to wait until April 15. But the good news is you can already pre-order your copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  

About the author:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories…which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Connect with Jennifer on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

  

Stir Me Up by Sabrina Elkins

Title: Stir Me Up

Author: Sabrina Elkins

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Source: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Cami Broussard has her future all figured out. She'll finish her senior year of high school, then go to work full-time as an apprentice chef in her father's French restaurant, alongside her boyfriend, Luke. But then twenty-year-old ex-Marine Julian Wyatt comes to live with Cami's family while recovering from serious injuries. And suddenly Cami finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted.

Julian's all attitude, challenges and intense green-brown eyes. But beneath that abrasive exterior is a man who just might be as lost as Cami's starting to feel. And Cami can't stop thinking about him. Talking to him. Wanting to kiss him. He's got her seriously stirred up. Her senior has just gotten a lot more complicated...

With a lot of stories, all I really need to know is that it's contemporary. Once I know that, I'm almost guaranteed to read it. And that's how I found myself reading Sabrina Elkins' Stir Me Up. And like anyone who knows me could have predicted, I really enjoyed it. Maybe even loved it

Cami grew up in a kitchen. For as long as she can remember, Cami has been hanging around the kitchen at her father's restaurant. And when she was old enough, she started working as a line cook. Now, as she prepares to start her last year of high school, Cami knows exactly what she wants and she knows how to get there. But then Julian, a young and wounded ex-Marine war vet, comes to live with her family and Cami's life is turned upside down. Cami finds herself spending more and more time with Julian, letting her relationship with her boyfriend, Luke, fall by the wayside. Before long, Cami doesn't know what she wants anymore. The only thing she knows is that she can't stop thinking about Julian.

All I knew about Sabrina Elkins' Stir Me Up was that it's a contemporary romance. And that's all I really needed to know. Anyone who knows me well enough knows I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories, so it should come as no surprise that I pretty much loved Stir Me Up. It was exactly what I was in the mood for and exactly what I wanted it to be. I got sucked right into the story and the world of cooking. I got wrapped in the romance between Cami and Julian, even when it didn't really looking like romance at first. This as just a great romance story, and the best part was that the romance wasn't perfect, because Cami and Julian themselves weren't perfect. And because of that, the story, and the characters themselves, felt that much more real to me.

For whatever reason, I liked Cami straight off the bat. Maybe it's because Cami reminded me a lot of myself when I was in high school…minus the chef aspect of things. So I related a lot to Cami and that's in part what made me enjoy the story so much. But as much as I loved Cami, I didn't understand what she saw in Luke. He just seemed too needy and too pushy. Julian, though, I pretty much fell for right from the start. Who wouldn't want a hot ex-Marine in their life? But more than that, Julian was far from perfect and didn't pretend that he was perfect. And he was also hurting and lost and their were moments when I just wanted to hug him and hold him and tell him he would be okay. And Julian and Cami just worked together.

I'm always looking for great contemporary romances and that's exactly what Sabrina Elkins' Stir Me Up was. If you are looking for romance and a swoon-worthy love interest, then Stir Me Up is the book for you.