Review, Interview, and Giveaway: Find Me

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Find Me by Romily Bernard

Publication Date: September 24th 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Source: ARC for an honest review
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

“Find Me.”

These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.

Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.

But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.

Because it just got personal.

----Review----

Find Me was a thrilling, unputdownable read! I loved, loved, loved it! I guarantee this novel will leave you mind blown with all it's suspense, action, and romance. Romily Bernard is top on my lists of authors to watch.

The beginning of the book is spectacular. We meet Wick, and already start to feel attached and invested in her story, and see the beginnings of an awesome plot unfold. There are many aspects: the suicide, Tessa, Wick's dad, Wick's new family, the "Find Me" note, and more! There is no slack in the beginning, just how I like it. Never a dull moment!

Wick Tate was a great character. Normally, I have little irritations with my main characters. Sorry, I'm just like that. However, Find Me was a totally different story. Wick felt real, and very likable in her unlikable and flawed way! Her voice is perfect and I love how she could make me want to smile or bang my fists against the wall. Her love for her sister is also very admirable. Overall, she is an A+ heroine. 

Griff was another amazing character, who I can't wait to get to know better in the next book (yay!) He is intense, loyal, and has a few secrets of his own tucked up his sleeve. I wish I could have grasped at his personality a lot more in this book. The next big character, Lily, is a very sweet, vivid, optimistic, and lively character. I really felt bad for her during a lot of the book. The poor kid just wants to live safely and happily for a while! Lily Tate was a great addition to Find Me.

The plot and twists were too die for. I seriously applaud Romily Bernard. I. could. not. put. this. book. down. I fear I ignored my family for an hour finishing this book. Not only is the writing addicting, but the twists are masterful and there is the exact right amount of suspense and mystery.

Overall, you all need to read Find Me. It is calling to you "Find Me! Read Me!". Why not listen to the book's cries? Please? In all seriousness, this is an amazing book that will appeal to fans of thrillers, amazingly written heroines, and great twists. 

4/5 Stars

----Interview with Romily Bernard----

1. Can you describe your book, Find Me, in three words? 

Hackers. Stalkers. Suicide.

2. How did you get your first little piece of inspiration for Find Me? 

I had this image of a girl on her computer, hacking some account, while a cop circles her house. I had no idea why either of them were doing that so I sat down to figure out why.

3. Where is your favorite location to write?

Staff meetings. There's something about forecasting projections that makes me think about burying bodies. I try not to dwell on what that says about me as a person.

4. Do you have plans for any more books after Find Me?

 Yes! FIND ME is the first in a trilogy. REMEMBER ME will be out September 2014.

5. What is your favorite color? 

Blue! No, green! Wait...YES!

6. Are you a cat or dog person? (or neither?) 

Dog, but cats are fun too. Oh and horses! Definitely horses and not just because, if I don't mention Wonder Pony in every post, she gets mad.

7. In a game of Truth or Dare, which option do you normally pick? 

Totally dare.

8. What is something about yourself you always like to tell people?

 It's pronounced like Emily,  but with an R-O...yeah, I have no idea why my mom named me that either.

----Giveaway----

This giveaway is US only, and remember, the more entries you have the more likely you will win!

The Question: What would you do with computer hacking skills?
a Rafflecopter giveaway

----About Romily Bernard----

I graduated from Georgia State University with a Literature degree. Since then, I’ve worked as a riding instructor, cell phone salesgirl, personal assistant, groom, exercise rider, accounting assistant, and, during a very dark time, customer service rep.

So don’t let anyone tell you a BA degree will keep you unemployed.

Thanks for reading! And good luck on the giveaway!

-Emily



OH! and don't miss this:

Musings of a Blogder, a team member of The Fantastic Flying Book Club, will host a Twitter Party for FIND ME on launch day, 9/24/2013. Romily is giving away signed hardbacks of FIND ME every ten minutes. 

The Twitter Party is 7pm EST and is hosted by Nova Lee Zaiden (@novablogder). 

I hope you enjoyed reading about Find Me. This really is the end of the post, pinky promise.

-Emily

Waiting on Wednesday #25

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer 

Publication Date: February 4th, 2013
Series: The Lunar Chronicles book 3
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

I am dying for this book! The Lunar Chronicles are becoming a favorite of mine. I have this weakness for twisted fairytales. Plus, Meyer's writing, sci-fi world, and characters are amazing!

What are you waiting on?

-Emily

Top Ten Tuesday #21

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

This Week's Top Ten Nine: Top Books on your Fall TBR list

Allegiant was an obvious choice... it is the last Divergent book! I am so excited to see how everything concludes. Also, I can't wait for Here After after that ending they dropped on us in Shadowlands. And Premeditated sounds like an awesome revenge book! Plus we have that gorgeous cover.

I actually have All Our Yesterdays on my shelf, and I am so excited for this time travel book! I couldn't not mention Altered, since Crewel was so amazing. And, then we have The Burning Sky, which is my favorite genre, high fantasy.

The Dream Thieves is the sequel to The Raven Boys! Also, This Song Will Save Your Life has been getting brilliant reviews, so I am anxious to read it.  Finally, we have The Coldest Girl in Coldtown which I am dying to read, thankfully it is sitting on my shelf right now!

I can't wait to get my hands on these Fall 2013 releases! What releases are you excited for?

-Emily

Review and Giveaway(s): Atone

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Atone by Jessica Grey

Publication Date: June 30th, 2013
Genre: Fairytales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Becca Ward knows that magic is real...

Two years ago not only had she and her best friend Alex found a real-life Sleeping Beauty in the middle of Los Angeles, they also discovered that they were powerful in their own right. They’ve managed to keep both their fae powers and their friend Lilia’s identity as a medieval princess a secret and live a normal life. Now their normalcy is threatened by the return of their former advisor at the Gem and Mineral Museum—and Becca’s least favorite person, Nicholas Hunt.

...and she’s about to find out that more than one fairy tale is true.

Nicholas has been obsessed with proving Lilia’s identity and the existence of magic. While working on an archeology dig he discovered an ancient fae artifact—a mirror that is imbued with a powerful protection spell that twists his obsession, and his body, until he is more beast than man. In order to protect her friends, Becca is forced to help him, and she is surprised to find that in spite of his outward appearance, Nicholas is no longer the beast she remembers. Will she let herself be the beauty that breaks the curse, or will she let her prejudice against him stop her from discovering true love? 

I really enjoyed Atone! The novel is an amazing fairytale and I will most definitely check out more books from Jessica Grey. Here is an author to look out for! Her fairytale books are absolute gems.

This book is the perfect length. I read Atone in two quick sittings and was satisfied with all the great development, and how there were no drawn out scenes. I'll be picking this book up agin for a second reading when I am in the mood for an action-y, humorous, romantic, fast paced book. However, this is in no way a thick book, so make sure you remember it is a quick read!

One of my favorite thing about Atone was the magic aspect. I loved, loved, loved all the fae, magic creatures, spells, mirrors, portals and the rest of the imaginative traits. Also, the author is clear and precise with these details so I was never left confused or just not believing the logistics of the magical world, as I often to do with ill thought out fantasies. Who doesn't love a well done, fun fantasy?

My absolute favorite parts about Atone, however, were the characters. I  loved the trio of Becca, Alex, and Lilia. They have memorable, fun banter and their friendship is highly believable, sweet, and humorous. Becca, a part of the trio and our main character, was a very likable heroine. Never did I think of her as whiny, cliche, or unoriginal. She also has some pretty good lines. I guarantee you will smile at the dialuge. Also, when mentioning great characters I have to mention Nicholas. He was such a great character with definite development. I loved seeing him grow kind and thoughtful!

Overall, Atone is a more than worth your time. Fairy tale lovers should pick up this novel. Also, prepare for a few laughs, a great plot, awesome magic, a fun trio, and a killer romance! And that ending was pretty much perfect. I am always hard on endings, yet Atone's was sweet but not boring, cliff-hanger-y or with a lot of loose threads.

4/5 Stars

Giveaways!
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Good Luck! I hope you love Atone!

 -Emily

Blitz and Giveaway: American Girl on Saturn

American Girl On Saturn

by Nikki Godwin

Release Date: 08/24/13

The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

About the Author

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She is slightly obsessed with rock stars and surfers. She no longer hides her love for One Direction.

***Author Links***

   

----GIVEAWAY----

1 signed paperback + swag (US only)

3 e-book copies (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Good Luck! I have seen a lot of good reviews for this book, so it should be a wonderful read.

-Emily

Stacking the Shelves #24

Hosted by Tynga's Reviews

This week I have been very busy, especially considering that it was the first full week of school! I have been working hard to get on top of my classes, keep up my ballet and other extra curricular activities, blog, read, and I have to push myself to get up cruelly early each morning... Anyway, I haven't been very active in the blogging world. Sorry! I will fix that next week!

Without further ado, here are the books I received this week.

For Review:

Bought:

How was your haul this week?

-Emily

Guest post and Giveaway blitz: Heist

Heist by Laura Pauling

Publication Date: August 11th, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Phycological Thriller

Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Can one decision change the past?

Jack Brodie has a sixth sense that someone has been watching him. Following him.

One night he travels back in time to one of the world’s largest art thefts, known as the Gardner Heist. Why that one moment in time? And what does it mean for Jack?

When he returns, his world is different. His best friend is rougher, meaner. His dad hasn’t been around in years. And then there’s Jetta. The girl who took over his heart the moment she stepped into his life. No one is safe.

Each time Jack goes back to the heist to fix his mistakes, he returns to face the fallout. Disaster strikes in the present until Jack must make a choice. His family and his own happiness. Or the girl he loves. Except, he learns that his sixth sense was right.

Someone has been watching him and wants him dead.

From Laura Pauling

Choosing the Gardner Heist

I love heists - any and all kinds: art theft, diamonds, bank robberies, con stories…etc. Some of my favorite movies and books involve a heist of some sort. So a few years back, I decided to write about one. But which one?

I turned to my best friend in times like this - Google. I plugged in the words, famous art heist. And on the very first page I found the Gardner Heist. I still didn’t think much of it, but I clicked on it, and the word, Boston, flashed on the screen. What? There was a famous heist in a museum in a city near me? The decision was made.

Of course, I knew absolutely nothing about the museum or the heist.

So, the research started. I read nonfiction books and learned the ins and outs of the crime. It truly was fascinating. At that point in time, the heist was coming on twenty years - and it had never been solved! That hooked me even more.

This was an amazing opportunity for me. My books have been set in Paris, Greece, Prague, and the ruins of the ancient Maya. I had to learn what I could of those settings from blogs, books, Youtube videos…etc. It was incredible to go to Boston, walk through the museum, stroll through the Public Garden, ride the T - all settings in my story. Of course, soaking in the atmosphere and scribbling down details I’d be sure to forget otherwise. 

You’ll find all those details in Heist. Plus, you’ll walk through details of one of the most famous art heists.

----Giveaway!----

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

-Emily

Waiting on Wednesday #24

Hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This Week I am Waiting On...

Going Rogue by Robin Benway

Publication Date: January 14th, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Espionage
Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Being permanently based in a local New York City high school as an undercover operative has its moments, good and bad, for 16-year-old safecracker Maggie Silver. 

Pros: More quality time with her former mark-turned-boyfriend Jesse Oliver and insanely cool best friend, Roux. Getting to spend quality time with her semi-retired and international spy honorary uncle, Angelo. Cons: High school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. 

But when Maggie's parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins, Maggie uses her safecracking skills to try and clear their names. Too bad it only serves to bring the wrath of the now corrupt Collective down on all of them. Maggie and her "new team" flee to Paris where they must come up with a plan to defeat their former allies. 

You guys should have seen my face when I found out Also Known As had a sequel! I cannot wait to be immersed into teen safecracker Maggie's spy world! Also, I love Jessie and Roux... it will be so awesome to read about them again. And, of course, this is by a fantastic author. Not only did Robin Benway write Also Known As, she also wrote Audrey, Wait!

What are you waiting on this week?

-Emily