Blog Tour and Book Sketch: Haven by Mary Lindsey

HAVEN
By: Mary Lindsey
Published By: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2017
Series: None
Pages: 371
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere, He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.

Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.

First Thought After Finishing: I have missed Mary Lindsey’s writing!

I haven’t read anything by Mary Lindsey in years, but I loved her earlier books. I was excited to have a chance to read this book, because I know what a magical world she can create. Haven certainly did not disappoint, and I found myself turning page after page in a compelling story.

Rain Ryland has never had a home, and he hasn’t had much of his family. He and his mother have migrated from shelter to shelter for most of his life, but he’s always believed there could be more to his life. After an unfortunate accident, the judge orders him to live with his aunt in Hill Country, Texas. At first, Rain feels out of place in this small, obviously close-knit town. But one female, Freddie, catches his attention. Her tough, no-nonsense exterior appeals to him, but he knows there must be more beneath the surface. New Wurzberg is not entirely what it seems, and Rain is about to have more at stake than he ever imagined.

When I started reading this book, I was prepared for an emotional journey between two troubled people. I have to admit that I love these kinds of stories. There is something about overcoming every hardship and obstacle and still being willing to love again. Rain is that perfect mix of “bad boy” and teddy bear, and I wanted to reach through the pages and give him a hug several times. He and Freddie complement each other so well. In a sense, she’s the kind of girl I always admired—a tough and skilled leader by nature with the power to back up her words and actions.

Admittedly, this book almost read like a different paranormal romance, but there was much more to it than that. The history surrounding the magic added a lot to the story and is something I would be interested in reading more about. In addition, the mysteries and conspiracy theories running throughout this book definitely kept me on my toes. In the midst of second-guessing so many characters, Petra stood out as someone trustworthy. I would love to read more about her in a companion novel. But for much of the story, nothing was quite what it seemed, and the uneasy feeling made for the perfect Halloween read. This book was impossible to stop reading, because I needed to know how everything would turn out for Rain, Freddie, and the others.

Most Memorable Aspect: The history and balance between the Watchers and Weavers. I would love to see this explored more!

~ ~ ~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ ~ ~

Mary Lindsey is a multi award-winning, RITA® nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on an island in the middle of a river. Seriously, she does. When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, two Cairn Terriers, and one husband.

Inexplicably, her favorite animal is the giant anteater and at one point, she had over 200 "pet" Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The roaches are a long story involving three science-crazed kids and a soft spot for rescue animals. The good news is, the "pet" roaches found a home... somewhere else.

Find Her Online:
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

~ SEE THE FULL TOUR SCHEDULE ~
Week One:
8/21/2017 - Twinning for Books - Review
8/21/2017 - Flyleaf Chronicles - Review

8/22/2017 - Blushing Bibliophile - Review
8/22/2017 - Ex Libris - Review

8/23/2017 - Omg Books and More Books - Review
8/23/2017 - Novelties - Review

8/24/2017 - Deep Dark Feminist Reviews - Review
8/24/2017 - Mama Reads Blog - Review

8/25/2017 - Kendra Loves Books - Review
8/25/2017 - Why I Read - Review

Week Two:
8/28/2017 - Bibliobakes - Review
8/28/2017 - Betwixt the Pages - Review

8/29/2017 - For the Lover of Books - Review
8/29/2017 - Katie's Bookaholic Rambling Reviews - Review

8/30/2017 - Adventures Through Wonderland - Review
8/30/2017 - Tea With Mermaids - Review

8/31/2017 - Hauntedbybooks13 - Review
8/31/2017 - The Best Books Ever - Review

9/1/2017 - Portrait of a Book - Review
9/1/2017 - Nerdophiles - Review



~ DON'T MISS THIS GIVEAWAY! ~
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Blog Tour & Book Sketch: My Rogue, My Ruin by Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan

MY ROGUE, MY RUIN
By: Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan
Published By: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Release Date: Nov. 21, 2016
Series: Lords of Essex
Pages: ebook
Genre: Historical Romance
Reading Level: Adult (Crossover Appeal)
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: The Marquess of Hawksfield’s lineage is impeccable and his title coveted, but Archer Croft is as far from his indulgent peers as he can get. His loathing for the beau monde has driven him to don a secret identity and risk everything in order to steal their riches and distribute them to the less fortunate.

Lady Briannon Findlay embraces her encounter with the Masked Marauder, a gentleman thief waylaying carriages from London to Essex. The marauder has stirred Brynn’s craving for adventure, and she discovers an attraction deeper than the charming thief’s mask.

Brynn is a revelation, matching Archer in intelligence, wit, and passion. Stubborn and sensuous in equal measure, she astonishes him at every turn, but when someone sinister impersonates Archer’s secret personality, and a murder is committed, Archer begins to think he doesn’t stand a fighting chance without her.



First Thought After Finishing: I wish I could have been courted by royalty in Victorian England!

I used to read a fair amount of historical romances as a teenager, but many of the characters seemed far removed from my teen self. This romance, however, has the benefit of young adult authors trying a new genre, with characters who are relatable for their ages. Even though this is a historical romance book, it definitely has crossover appeal for new adult readers who enjoy a little extra steaminess in their books.

Lady Briannon Findlay is soon to be introduced as eligible for marriage in Essex’s aristocracy. However, she would much prefer horseback riding and fencing to more ladylike pursuits such as needlepoint. Although she knows she must marry eventually, she is in no hurry to relinquish her freedom. Archer Croft is a marquess, one who would be an eligible match for Brynn, if only he were interested in finding a wife. Instead, he has family matters to contend with first and his own legacy to establish. However, when the childhood friends are thrown together again, they find that stray thoughts—and hearts—are not so easy to control.

In many ways, this book has it all—romance, history, and mystery. There are layers to the story, just as there are layers to the characters. Archer is the classic “rogue” that you want to hate, but then you get to know him and he becomes irresistible. He has that smoldering, aloof quality that inspires fantasies while also having a hidden good heart that makes you want to melt. Brynn is just the right amount of feisty to be a good match for Archer, and their chemistry is undeniable. Even though it is a romance, they had good reason to go back and forth with “will they or won’t they,” which made for an engrossing read.

On top of the romance, there is mystery. Archer’s secret identity is in danger of being revealed from the beginning, and while the mystery is put on hold for a while as romance begins, it does come back as the book goes on. It gave the story more interest and allowed the slow pace of the novel to work rather than becoming stagnant. Overall, I enjoyed my time spent in this world, and if there are sequels to this book, I would definitely be interested in reading them as well.

Most Memorable Aspect: I loved the moments of witty, wry dialogue between Brynn and Archer. As passionate as some scenes were, the early banter in their relationship jumped off the page.






~ ~ ~ ABOUT THE AUTHORS ~ ~ ~


AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts. She is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national silver IPPY medalist. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.

Find Her Online: Website | Twitter

ANGIE MORGAN is the author of several critically acclaimed young adult and middle grade books written under two other names (Page Morgan and Angie Frazier), and is now thrilled to be taking a much-anticipated leap into the world of adult romance. My Rogue, My Ruin is the first of three books in her new Lords of Essex series, co-written with good friend and fellow author, Amalie Howard. Angie lives in New Hampshire with her husband, their three daughters, and a menagerie of pets.

Find Her Online: Website | Twitter

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Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

OBSIDIAN
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published By: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Series: Lux (#1)
Pages: 266
Genre: Science Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.



I think I am slowly learning my lesson about not procrastinating on sci-fi books. Obsidian may have aliens, but let me assure you, these aliens are nothing like the stereotypical little green men or ET. These aliens are...well...I think you should read and find out for yourself...but never has an alien been so attractive.

When Katy and her mother move from Florida to West Virginia, Katy is not expecting much more than a humdrum year until she can leave for college. Still mourning the loss of her father and living with her mostly-absent mother, Katy throws herself into her book blog and the fantasy world that books offer. And then she meets Daemon, her hot next-door neighbor. As it turns out, Daemon also has a sister (who is much friendlier), and Katy and Dee begin spending time together, which in turn brings Katy around Daemon. Katy has resigned herself to hating and being hated by Daemon until strange things start happening. It soon becomes clear that Daemon has powers...otherwordly powers. But after learning his secret, Katy is in more danger than ever. Katy is forced to rely on Daemon for protection, which might be every other girl in town's dream, but Daemon hates her...doesn't he?

Where to begin? Even though I had put off reading this book, I was completely sold by the time I'd finished the first chapter. Katy may be one of my favorite heroines that I've read in a while. First of all, I love that she's a book blogger. But beyond that, I loved her voice and her snark. Katy is not afraid to speak her mind and she's often highly entertaining while doing it. She is both brave and tough, whether she's standing up for herself or fighting for those she loves. Enter Daemon, the irresistibly hot but oh-so-infuriating alien neighbor. There were times when I loved the dialogue between these two, a few scenes that made me smile...and then there were the moments where their chemistry sizzles right off the page. Two other things I especially liked about this book: There was no insta-love, thank goodness, and Katy had other friends than just Daemon's sister. Even though I liked the alien lore and the excitement in the story, the characters really made the book.

I really did enjoy this book, but I know that I am one of the few people not giving it five stars. Although there were many things I loved - especially the beginning and the end - somewhere in the middle I became very frustrated with Daemon's constant hot and cold game with Katy as well as Ash's posturing. I feel like the book lost a bit of its momentum and that impacted my overall impression. However, that certainly won't stop me from reading more of Arementrout's books.

Inventive and fresh, Obsidian is a great book for fans of sci-fi or the paranormal. I will be looking forward to reading more from Jennifer L. Armentrout in the future, both Half Blood and future books in the Lux series!