Review & Giveaway: Inspire by Cora Carmack

About INSPIRE:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Author Goodreads

INSPIRE Goodreads

Review:
It's not secret that I adore Cora Carmack and all she writes, but even I wasn't too sure about her dipping a toe in the very underdeveloped New Adult Paranormal genre. I mean, give the girl a football, some hot guys (maybe one with a British accent), colleges, and strong female leads and Cora can do no wrong. 

But paranormal...? Well, it's Cora, so of course I would try it. And of course, since it's Cora, I wasn't disappointed.

I've seen a few people saying this book wasn't paranormal enough for the,. Admittedly this read like light paranormal and heavy contemporary for majority of the book. But it works because Cora truly took time to develop the characters. I think the paranormal side had to be a little easy going because otherwise it took away from getting to know Kalli and Wilder and letting their romance blossom and thrive. 

But the end of the book? Holy crap, all bets are off with book 2 and I'm fully prepared to be immersed in a retelling of Greek mythology of epic proportions. This book is romantic and original and so delicious to sink into. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cora Carmack’s INSPIRE Blog Tour Schedule:

December 15^th

Smart & Savvy with Stephanie – Review & Character Interview

Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review

Book Angel Booktopia – Review

Tales of the ravenous reader - Review

In Between The Pages – Review

The Book Cellar – Guest Post

December 16^th

Between Order and Randomness – Excerpt

Lost in Lit – Review & Character Interview-Kallie and Wilder

The BookWhisperer - Review

NC 2 DC – Review

The Cover Contessa – Review

Movies, Shows & Books – Review

December 17^th

Typical Distractions – Review

K-Books – Review

Book Boyfriend Reviews – Review

Britt's Book and Life Blog – Review

The Boyfriend Bookmark – Review

Romance Addict Book Blog – Dreamcast

December 18^th

Author Groupies – Review

Booklovers For Life – Review

Bloggers[Heart]Books – Excerpt

Snuggling on the Sofa – Review

Mary Had a Little Book Blog - Review

Ficwishes – Review

December 19^th

Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review

Worn Down Glories – Excerpt

Jen in Bookland – Review

Vi3tbabe – Review

Ticket to Anywhere – Guest Post

December 20^th

Four Chicks Flipping Pages Review & Playlist

A Life Bound By Books – Review

Watcha Reading – Character Interview-Lennox

Keep it Fictional - Review

December 21^st

Literati Literature Lovers – Review

The Shadow Realm – Review

Nose Stuck in a Book – Author Interview

StuckInBooks – Review

December 22^nd

Anna's Book Blog – Excerpt

Lovin' Los Libros – Review

Spare Time Book blog – Review

shelf life – Review

Novel Grounds da - Review

Mean Girls Luv Books – Review

December 23^rd

Stuck In YA Books – Review & Guest Post

LuLo Fangirl – Review

Give Me Books – Review

The Irish Banana Review – Review

Step Into Fiction – Review

Krista's Dust Jacket – Review

December 24^th

Grown Up Book Reviews / Mundie Moms – Review & Author Interview

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Review

Up All Night Book Addict – Review

Wendi Galbreath – Review

Behind Closed Covers – Review

Cocktails and Books – Review

Review: Clariel by Garth Nix

Title: Clariel

Author: Garth Nix

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 10.14.2014

Pages: 382

Genre: Young Adult, High Fantasy

Series: Abhorsen #4

Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not adjusting well to her new life in the city of Belisaere, the capital of the Old Kingdom. She misses roaming freely within the forests of Estwael, and she feels trapped within the stone city walls. And in Belisaere she is forced to follow the plans, plots and demands of everyone, from her parents to her maid, to the sinister Guildmaster Kilp. Clariel can see her freedom slipping away. It seems too that the city itself is descending into chaos, as the ancient rules binding Abhorsen, King and Clayr appear to be disintegrating.

With the discovery of a dangerous Free Magic creature loose in the city, Clariel is given the chance both to prove her worth and make her escape. But events spin rapidly out of control. Clariel finds herself more trapped than ever, until help comes from an unlikely source. But the help comes at a terrible cost. Clariel must question the motivations and secret hearts of everyone around her - and it is herself she must question most of all.

Review:

I was totally excited to read this. It sounded like such a great story with a beautiful world and Clariel herself sounded like someone I would love in this book.

There was so much to absorb in this book. The Abhorsens, free magic, charter magic, and their respective mages. And all of the mechanics that went along with them.

Bel was probably my favorite character. He just seems so full of energy and ready to go and help when needed. And he most certainly wasn't afraid to step up when the time came. Clariel was certainly determined. She wanted so much to get back and out of the city that she succeeded, just not in the way she ever thought.

I haven't the Old Kingdom series so I wasn't sure what exactly I would expect. It certainly made me want to read them!  Although this was the prequel, I definitely felt like I was missing something. With all of that going on, I was left with the question of what is the significance of  the magics and what exactly do the Abhorsens do?

Overall, it was a good book with some very good imagery and a cat who I haven't quite figured out. I am definitely going to getting the Old Kingdom series.

Buy: Clariel by Garth Nix

Review: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Wicked

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Self-published

Publication Date: 12.9.2014

Pages: 371

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Series: A Wicked Saga #1

Source: Finished copy from author

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans. 

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart. 

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. 

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

Review:

Sometimes an author I love does something that truly tests me. I’ve said for years that I’ll read anything Jennifer L. Armentrout writes, and what does she write? A novel with faeries in it. And what is my biggest book no-no?

Yes, faeries.

I have yet to find a story with fae in it to love … until now. So yes, Jen Armentrout is actually that good that she managed to get ME to read a novel with a genre I typically shy away from. And not just read it, but enjoy it.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I liked about this book. Maybe it was that there is finally a book with new adult age characters that are not set in the every day, contemporary world. Ivy is a lovely main character, written with Armentrout’s signature wit and snark with a healthy dose of heart. But it’s absolutely Ren that stole my heart. Ren with his confidence and green eyes and arms and abs and …

Wait. Where am I again?

The end, though … While the twist felt obvious to me, I’m still excited to see where Armentrout takes the rest of this series. The ending, while not an overt cliffhanger does leave the reader with a sense of impending doom and worry. I can’t wait to crawl back into NOLA and hang out with Ren (and I guess) Ivy again!

Buy: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting On Wednesday: Hold Me Like A Breath

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly waiting to get into our hands.

This week I'm waiting on....

HOLD ME LIKE A BREATH

By: Tiffany Schmidt

Penelope Landlow has grown up with the knowledge that almost anything can be bought or sold—including body parts. She’s the daughter of one of the three crime families that control the black market for organ transplants.

Penelope’s surrounded by all the suffocating privilege and protection her family can provide, but they can't protect her from the autoimmune disorder that causes her to bruise so easily.

And in her family's line of work no one can be safe forever.

All Penelope has ever wanted is freedom and independence. But when she’s caught in the crossfire as rival families scramble for prominence, she learns that her wishes come with casualties, that betrayal hurts worse than bruises, that love is a risk worth taking . . . and maybe she’s not as fragile as everyone thinks.
Why I Want It:
Tiffany Schmidt beyond wowed me with Bright Before Sunrise, and I simply cannot wait to see what she does with this story! The plot sounds wholly unique and original and Schmidt has a fantastic voice for storytelling.

Hold Me Like A Breath will be released May 19, 2015 by Bloomsbury

Chapter Reveal: Inspire by Cora Carmack

Be sure to check out the always adorable Cora's website for chapters 1 & 2 and the rest of the tour stops for more chapters!

December 5-Kimberlyfaye Reads-Chapter 3

December 8-Love Between the Sheets-Chapter 4

December 9-The Irish Banana Review-Chapter 5

December 11-Paranormal Book Club-Chapter 6

Inspire Chapter 5

About INSPIRE:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

Pre-Order It On iBooks Now! 

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Author Goodreads

INSPIRE Goodreads

Review: Zodiac by Romina Russell

Title: Zodiac

Author: Romina Russell

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: 12.9.2014

Pages: 336

Genre: Young Adult, SciFi, Fantasy

Series: Zodiac #1

Source: ARC from BEA
Website: http://zodiacbooks.com/

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Review:

I was hoping to love this book just by the cover and the little bit of info in the back. I haven't read anything about the Zodiac before so I was hoping for equally awesome and different.

The world building here is just stunning. Each sign is its own world complete with moons and ecosystem or lack there of. All are in theZodiac which would be the equivalent of a galaxy. They all have seperate but similar governing rulers and advisors. They all have their own contributing factor to their world and Galaxy. It's all so intertwined that I can't believe it's all spread out and not on one world. Definitely a beautiful imaginative world that I would love to go to, when there isn't a galactic threat.

Rho's story didn't stop since page one. There is an energy in this book that just gets you going. Rho gets no reprieve. Everything gets thrown on her at once and she can do nothing but move forward. I love her self reflection moments. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be her, with all of that responsibility and people looking to me to save them.

I love the mystery of Mathias and Hysan. They are like air; ever present and supportive but could be deadly with what they hold or their absence. There is something about about them that makes you hold your breathe around them. They both have this vibe of quite, distant, secretive, and mysterious. I am still left questioning if there are ulterior motives. But in a good way. It leaves you wondering, needing more.

This was a fast paced book. I loved that. Action and emotions on every page. At one point I didn't think there would be anymore. That this was a single book. I am SO glad there will be more. There is an element of surprise at the end that leaves room for so much more and I can't wait for the next one.

Buy: Zodiac by Romina Russell

The Fosters TV series is going to print!

DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCES COMPANION NOVEL TO ABC FAMILY’S HIT SHOW “THE FOSTERS”

Novel to be the first in a potential series

Glendale, CA—December 8, 2014—Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) announced today the release of THE FOSTERS: Keep Your Frenemies Close, based on characters from ABC Family’s hit TV series “The Fosters,” written by former Wall Street Journal reporter and non-fiction author Stacy Kravetz (Welcome to the Real World: You’ve Got an Education, Now Get a Life!; Girl Boss: Running the Show Like the Big Chicks; and The Dating Race: An Undercover Report from the Frontlines of Modern-Day Romance). The book cover will be revealed today in five pieces via an online scavenger hunt on “The Fosters” social media sites including https://www.facebook.com/TheFostersonABCFamily, http://instagram.com/thefostersabcf,

http://thefosters-onabcfamily.tumblr.com/, http://www.pinterest.com/thefostersabcf/, and

https://twitter.com/thefostersabcf. The first piece of the puzzle is attached.

THE FOSTERS: Keep Your Frenemies Close is a companion to ABC Family’s hit show “The Fosters,” and will be the first book in a potential series. The first book takes place over a weekend community service/school extra credit trip, which Callie is required to take in order to boost her history grade. To complicate things, she’s thrown together with Talya, Brandon’s ex-girlfriend who has always been jealous of Callie, and the forced relationship between Callie and Talya takes a series of turns over the course of the book.  The bright spot is a new guy, Austin, who flirts with them both and stirs up even more trouble between the two.  Callie and Talya reveal secrets to each other, find common ground, find confidantes in each other, and bond over the work they’re doing. Also, the relationships with the other kids on the weekend trip -- a new cast of characters which will be ongoing in the book series -- both create tension as well as draw Callie and Talya together. Ultimately, they see each other as something other than rivals and find they have more in common than they’d thought. On the bus ride back home, they’re forced to consider whether this newfound friendship will outlast the weekend. Especially when the unthinkable happens.

“A great TV show and a great read to go with it.  If you love ‘The Fosters,’ there’s nothing better than more stories about them. It’s wonderful we can offer our fans many connection points,” said Karey Burke, ABC Family’s Executive Vice President, Programming and Development.

Currently in its second season, “The Fosters” will feature a special holiday episode tonight, Monday, December 8 at 8pm ET/PT and return with new episodes on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT on ABC Family.

THE FOSTERS: Keep Your Frenemies Close will be published as a trade paperback original and goes on sale January 27, 2015. Print and eBook formats are available for pre-order wherever books are sold. THE FOSTERS: Keep Your Frenemies Close is the first book in the Kingswell Teen imprint and the first collaboration between Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) and ABC Family.

About Disney Publishing Worldwide

Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and apps, igniting imagination through storytelling in ever-inventive ways. DPW creates and publishes books and magazines both vertically in-house and through an extensive worldwide licensing structure. As a leader in digital products, DPW creates bestselling eBook titles and best-in-class original apps that have garnered more than 50 awards to date. DPW is also committed to the educational development of children around the world through Disney Learning which includes our flagship learning brand, Disney Imagicademy, as well as Disney English and other Disney themed learning products. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit  www.disneypublishing.com.

About “The Fosters”

ABC Family’s “The Fosters” is a compelling, one-hour drama about a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological teenaged kids being raised by two moms. Stef Adams Foster, a dedicated police officer, and her wife Lena Adams Foster, a school Vice Principal, have built a close-knit, loving family with Stef’s biological son from a previous marriage, Brandon, and their adopted twins, Mariana and Jesus. Recently added to the mix are their newly adopted son, Jude, and his sister, Callie, who is striving toward adoption as well despite the roadblocks caused by her tumultuous family history.

Winner of 2014’s Television Academy Honors Award and GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series, “The Fosters” is executive-produced by Jennifer Lopez, (“American Idol,” “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “The Back-Up Plan”) and created by Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige (“Queer As Folk”), who also serve as executive producers and writers, along with Joanna Johnson (“Make It or Break It”).

“The Fosters” stars Teri Polo (“Meet the Parents”) as Stef Adams Foster, Sherri Saum (“In Treatment”) as Lena Adams Foster, Jake T. Austin (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) as Jesus Adams Foster, Hayden Byerly (“Parenthood”) as Jude Adams Foster, David Lambert (“Aaron Stone”) as Brandon Foster, Maia Mitchell (“Teen Beach Movie”) as Callie Jacob, Danny Nucci (“Titanic”) as Mike Foster and Cierra Ramirez (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”) as Mariana Adams Foster. Greg Gugliotta, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas, and Benny Medina also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by Nuyorican Productions, Inc. in association with ABC Family. 

About ABC Family

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today’s families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today’s relationships – told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family’s programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. For 2014, ABC Family has launched the “WATCH ABC Family” authenticated service which allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on demand access to such popular series at home and on the go via a wide array of devices. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with “13 Nights of Halloween” and “25 Days of Christmas.” ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

###

THE FOSTERS: Keep Your Frenemies Close

By Stacy Kravetz

On sale date: January 27, 2015     

Paperback

ISBN: 978-1-4847-1620-5 • Price: $9.99 • Ages 12 and up

eBook ISBN: 978-1-4847-2240-4