Waiting on Wednesday: True Born by L.E.Sterling

   Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.

   The book:

True Born by L.E.Sterling
Expected Publication: May 3rd 2016 by Entangled: Teen
Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Paperback)
Series: Yes, #1 in the True Born Trilogy

   Welcome to Dominion City.
   After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated...and their genetics damaged beyond repair.
   The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…
   And then there's Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.
   When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic Nolan Storm and the beautiful but deadly Jared Price. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?
   As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   This book sounds amazing!
   I love this type of books where some kind of plague diminished the populations or some kind of virus, and the story set in the world trying to survive the aftermath of it all. Awesome, sign me up asap. The idea of identical twins and one of them having to find the other twin that disappeared sounds intriguing. Besides that I'm curious who there True Borns are and how everything will play together and the story go.
   And let's face it, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, even though it's relatively simple, but I think that's the beauty of it. It definitely caught my eye when I saw its reveal on twitter some time ago.
   Can May 2016 please hurry up?

   Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!

Ask the Author: Jennifer Brown (Shade Me)

For todays Ask the Author I've contacted the very lovely Jennifer Brown, author of Shade Me (and Hate List and a couple of other awesome books that you should check out). Personally I am more then just looking forward to January 2016 when Shade Me will come out so I was thrilled when she agreed to answer a couple of my Qs.
   Here's her book and her As:

Shade Me by Jennifer Brown
Expected Publication: January 19th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
Number of Pages: 448 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Nikki Kills Series (?)

   Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.
   Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.
   The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?
   As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Jennifer Brown

   1 – Describe Shade Me with a haiku.
   Okay, but fair warning…I am the world’s worst poet!
   Nikki’s colors show
   crime and passion and a task:
   Solve Peyton’s attack

   2 – What sparked the idea for Shade Me, and especially the part where Nikki sees emotions as colors?
   I find synesthesia to be fascinating. And I love the idea of having this character, who has never been able to fully appreciate this special part of herself, begin to see it as an amazing tool—in this case, one that can solve a crime. There are lots of ways senses can link with synesthesia, and I chose emotion after I read a case study about a synesthete whose connection was just that. I thought it would give Nikki a sort of ever-changing world of color to deal with. Also, I think it would be cool to understand an emotion as a color. Wouldn’t it be handy to know that the “awkward” you’re feeling around someone is actually the green of mistrust or the purple of shyness or the gray of fear?

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing Shade Me and which scene was the most fun to write?
   Integrating the colors in a way that didn’t just laundry list them was quite a challenge. I wanted to be sure my readers “saw” the colors with Nikki and didn’t just know that she was seeing them.
I had such fun writing intense, flirty, sexy scenes, because I never get to write that kind of thing. All of my other YA’s have either had zero sex and romance or doomed sex and romance, so this was a fun change. I also loved writing the fight scenes, because I got the opportunity to act them all out with a couple of black belts before writing them down. Nikki is a badass and I love it!

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Nikki?
   She is bold and fearless, or at least she presents herself that way. She isn’t afraid to follow leads, even if they’re sketchy and taking her to frightening places. She’s all-in with everything she does, and I love that about her.
I wish she was just a teeny bit less closed off, emotionally. But there are still more books to come, so…

   5 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
   I’m very happy with the way it turned out, and especially since I’ve been working on Book 2 and can see where the story is heading. Will I forever find flaws in it and things I wish I could change? Sure, but I find that in all of my novels. It’s a perfectionism thing. If you gave me 100 years to work on a novel, I would still want “one more day to fix that one little thing...”

   6 - How long does it usually take you to finish a story? Do you have a writing routine or do you write whenever creativity hits you?
   Depends on the story. SHADE ME took me a little longer, because it’s a longer story than I usually write, and a little more complex. And my middle grade novels don’t take anywhere near as long as my YA’s or my women’s fiction, because they’re much shorter. I would say I can comfortably put out a rough (ROOOOUGH) draft in 2-3 months. But I have been known to binge-write and crank out a book in a couple weeks.
   I’m a pretty routine-driven kind of girl. I used to have to write whenever I could get a few seconds of quiet time (rare when you’re a stay-at-home mom of three), but now that everyone’s in school, I write all day long.

   7 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by thousands of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released? Did the feeling change or is it still the same?
   You know, I still don’t think it’s quite sunk in for me. Which sounds silly after six years, I know, but I went for so many years (nine, to be exact) of nobody wanting to read my novels, it still feels strange that anyone is reading them. So it’s always the same feeling of surrealism mixed with excitement mixed with terror and disbelief. I like that mix—I think it keeps me humble.

   8 – What do you think about the cover for Shade Me?
It is so gorgeous! I love the rainbow of colors streaming down her face, and how they pop out against the black and white photo. I don’t know if I’ve ever really seen anything quite like it. I couldn’t have asked for a better cover, and I can’t wait to see the covers of the future Nikki Kill books.

   9 – If Shade Me were to be made into a movie or TV series, who would be your dream cast, if you have one, for Nikki?
   Nina Dobrev would absolutely slay the role of Nikki Kill!

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
   I have three pieces of advice for aspiring authors.
   1) Read. All the time. Never skip a day, if you can help it. Read, read, read. This will help you not only understand what good and bad writing looks like, and what’s trending, but will also help you narrow down what you want to write.
   2) Write. All the time. Keep journals and fill them with story ideas, poetry, snippets of essays or short stories, pieces of dialogue, character sketches, whatever comes to your mind. It’s like building a muscle or perfecting a free throw—the more you practice, the better you will get.
   3) Believe in yourself. This is the hardest, and most important, part of becoming a writer. You will get lots of rejections. You will get bad reviews. You will get emails from readers pointing out your flaws. You have to be able to withstand the really low moments by telling yourself that you can do this. Sometimes, the difference between a published writer and an unpublished one isn’t necessarily that the published writer was better at writing…but has just been better at believing in herself.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
   Invisibility – I’m almost off-the-charts introverted and can be pretty shy. I would wear a cape made out of book pages and hide out in my super secret lair (the library) and call myself Introvertia! My arch nemesis? Super Pushy Party Planning Guy. Ha ha ha.

About the Author

   Two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award (2005 & 2006), Jennifer's weekly humor column appeared in The Kansas City Star for over four years, until she gave it up to be a full-time young adult novelist.
   Jennifer's debut novel, HATE LIST (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009) received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA "Perfect Ten," and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. HATE LIST also won the Michigan Library Association's Thumbs Up! Award, the Louisiana Teen Readers Choice award, the 2012 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award, was an honorable mention for the 2011 Arkansas Teen Book Award, is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback, received spots on the Texas Library Association's Taysha's high school reading list as well as the Missouri Library Association's Missouri Gateway Awards list, and has been chosen to represent the state of Missouri in the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Jennifer's second novel, BITTER END, (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011) received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and is a 2012 Taysha's high school reading list pick as well.
   Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.

Sneak Peak at The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand + his favorite five Zombie movies + Giveaway

   Sourcebooks Fire contacted me recently and asked if I'd want to help them spread the word for The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand and of course I couldn't say no. I mean, that title sounds amazing and I cannot wait to read it. They've provided me with lots of awesome things to share with you guys, thanks again for that, so without further ado, here it is:

The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand
Release Date: March 1, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire
Number of Pages: 272 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No

   After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it’s time they create something noteworthy, something epic. They’re going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. And, after a rash text message, they also have the beautiful Alicia Howtz—Justin’s crush—as the lead.
   With only one month to complete their movie, a script that can’t possibly get worse, and the hopes and dreams of Alicia on the line, Justin is feeling the pressure. Add to that a cast of uncooperative extras and incompetent production assistants, and Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever…

Jeff Strand’s Five Favorite Zombie Movies:

   My five favorite zombie movies are very similar to many other people’s five favorite zombie movies. I could’ve gone the condescending click-bait route and written about “The Five Best Zombie Movies You’ve Never Seen!” but, no, I’m going with my five real favorites….

   #5: DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004 version). I was one of the many people bellowing, “You can’t remake DAWN OF THE DEAD! This is blasphemy! Blasphemy!!!” But somehow this remake to a sequel (but not a sequel to the remake) turned out to be awesome. Not quite as good as the original (SPOILER ALERT: That’s #3 on this list) but one of my all-time favorites.

   #4: RE-ANIMATOR. I’ve now seen plenty of movies that are more over-the-top insane than RE-ANIMATOR, but this was the first movie where I simply couldn’t believe what I was watching. It was hard to believe that a movie so dark and gruesome could be so funny.

   #3: DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978 version). Shameful confession: When I first saw this in high school I thought it was stupid and boring. Fortunately, I matured and accepted that it’s one of the high points of zombie cinema. It’s the reason I know to duck before walking toward spinning helicopter blades.

   #2: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Fast zombies long before 28 DAYS LATER! The first time zombies ate brains! It doesn’t often get the credit it deserves, but this is one of the most influential zombie movies ever.

   #1: SHAUN OF THE DEAD. The greatest zombie comedy ever. The greatest zombie movie ever. The greatest MOVIE ever.

About Jeff Strand:

   Jeff Strand has written more than twenty books, and is a four-time nominee (and four-time non-winner) of the Bram Stoker Award. Two of his young adult novels, A Bad Day For Voodoo and I Have A Bad Feeling About This, were Junior Library Guild picks. Publishers Weekly called his work “wickedly funny.” He lives in Tampa, Florida.
   Website
   @JeffStrand

Excerpt from The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever:

   The vampire, whose fangs were too big for his mouth, turned to the camera and hissed.
   "Don't look at the camera," said Justin Hollow, the director.
   "I keep poking my lip on these things," said Harold, spitting the plastic fangs out onto the ground. He hadn't been a very frightening example of the undead before, and he was even less scary with no fangs and a thick line of drool running down his chin.
   "Cut!" shouted Justin, loud enough to be sure that the command was heard by his production crew of two. "C'mon, Harold. Stay in character. We're three hours behind schedule."
   "I don't care. I hate this. You promised that I'd get all the girls I wanted. So where are all of the girls I want?"
   Justin let out his thirty-ninth exasperated sigh of the night. "The movie has to come out first."
   "It's not even a real movie."
Justin bristled. It was a full body bristle, head to toe, which he hadn't even realized was physically possible. Bobby, who handled sound recording, and Gabe, who handled everything else, both stepped back a couple of feet. Neither of them truly believed that they were about to witness a murder, but they wanted to get out of the splash zone, just in case.
   Had this been one of Justin's movies, he would have very slowly lowered his camera, stared directly into Harold's eyes with a steel gaze, and then after an extremely dramatic pause asked "What...did...you...just...say?"
   His actual response, delivered in a squeakier voice than he would have allowed from his actors, was: "Huh?"
   "I said it's not a real movie." Harold started to wipe the fake blood off his mouth. It didn't come off, and probably wouldn't for several days. Justin had planned to feel guilty about this later, but now he wouldn't bother. "Nobody's ever going to see it. You probably won't even finish it."
   "I finished my last three movies!" Justin insisted. "I got hundreds of hits on YouTube!"
   That statement was technically accurate, though it was the lowest possible number of hits you could get and still use "hundred" in its plural form. The only comment anybody posted about his latest film had been "This twelve year-old filmmaker sort of shows promise," which really frustrated Justin since he was fifteen.
   Harold shrugged. "This is a waste of time. I've got better things to do on a Friday night."
   "Nobody ever said this was going to be easy," said Justin, who had indeed said that it was going to be easy when luring Harold into the role. "You can quit now, but what are you going to think about your decision ten years from now?"
   "I'm going to think, wow, it sure is nice to be such a well-paid dentist."
   Harold walked off the set. It wasn't an actual set, but rather a small park near Justin's home, where they were filming without a permit. Justin knew he should shout something after his ex-actor. Something vicious. Something devastating. He thought about shouting "You'll never work in this town again!" but, no, it had to be something that Harold would consider a bad thing.
   "Fine!" Justin shouted. "But when we record the audio commentary track for the Blu-Ray, I'm going to talk about how you abandoned us, and how much happier everybody was with the new actor who took your role, and how we all agreed that he should have been cast in the first place, and how he had so many girlfriends that he couldn't even keep track of them, and how they all found out about each other and had a great big awesome catfight in his front yard! And I'll pronounce your name wrong!"
   Harold continued walking, apparently not heartbroken.

   Pre-Order The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever:
   Amazon
   Apple
   Barnes & Noble

Enter to Win an Advance Copy of The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling

Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling
Published: November 2nd 2015 by Entangled: TEEN
Number of Pages: 350 Pages (Kindle)
Series: No

   The world isn't just black or white. Sometimes it's red...
   They think I'm next. That I'll be the seventh kid to step in front of a train and end my life. With the rash of suicides at my school, Mom's shipped me off to my dad's Wyoming ranch for “my own safety.” They think I’m just another depressed teenager whose blood will end up on the tracks. They don't know my secrets...or what I’ve done.
   I wasn't expecting Dad to be so sick, for the ranch I loved to be falling to bits, or for Jake—the cute boy I knew years ago—to have grown into a full-fledged, hot-as-hell cowboy. Suddenly, I don't want to run anymore, but the secrets from home have found me...even here. And this time, it's up to me to face them—and myself—if I want to live... (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a eARC in exchange for my honest review *

The moment I received a message saying that ARCs of this book were available I knew I had to have it, even if only because of that brilliantly intriguing title. Unlike me I didn't get to actually read it until the day before yesterday, leaving me with hours before my review was supposed to be online. Curse you, reading slump. But once I started to read it I simply couldn't put it down anymore.
   Paint My Body Red is a brilliant novel with the perfect blend of flawed characters, real life problems solved in real life ways, and a beautifully crafted love story. I want to thank the author for tackling the hard truth that is how robbing a child of its childhood in order of pursuing its parents ambitions can ruin said child. I know there are many children in exactly this position and I think it is very important to talk about this issue because a child needs to have a childhood, needs to have time to play and have friends, and not spend every waking moment studying, practicing and working toward a future that might not even be the one they truly want since its what their parents decided for them.

   I loved the incredibly honest tone of this book and its protagonist, Paige. She didn't hide the fact that she was damaged, didn't hide her feelings and fears, and that was refreshing. At the same time she wasn't a damsel in distress waiting for a strong cowboy to come and save her, no, she found her own way of saving and fixing herself, the cowboy was rather a nice extra that helped.
   Speaking of which, Jake the cowboy was an amazing character. He was honest and true to himself at all times. He seemed much smarter then many 19 years olds, but the book beautifully explained how children that grow up the way he did mature sooner, quicker.
   I also really liked Paige's father and Anna. Both of them were well rounded characters that had a life even beyond the scene when they interacted with Paige, and their story was just as moving as the main one centered around Paige. I loved how important the ranch was to all of them and how far they were ready to go to save it.

   Speaking of ranch, as a kid I loved horses. I used to ride them, I was even pretty good, until I stopped due to personal reasons so reading a book that involved horses and a characters love for them was brilliant. I could really feel how much Paige cared about her horse and the ranch.
   Furthermore I really liked the author's writing style. Ms. Kling has a lot of talent and is able to paint a scene beautifully, make you feel like you are there witnessing it and not just reading about it. The fact that Paint My Body Red was written partially in the now, so the summer Paige was spending at her father's ranch, and in the past, telling the reader about what had happened, what impact the suicides had on Paige and her toxic relationship was amazing. It all unfolded piece by piece, slowly, util it formed a complete horrible picture.

   All in all I think Paint My Body Red is a valuable novel that takes very hard topics and actually talks about them. The author didn't gloss over anything but showed the hard truth of it all, which I definitely appreciated a lot. The characters were fleshed out and the story moving, intriguing, and beautiful. I recommend this book to everybody because I think it's one of those important books that show reality and don't just tell a summer fluff story.

   I give Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling 5 out of 5 stars.

Guest Post: Ten Foods (& their significance) in Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

   I am obsessed with food, and so it shows up, in more or less degrees, in every book that I write. In Forget Tomorrow, for instance, Callie dreams of becoming a Manual Chef -- meaning a chef who prepares food by hand, as the majority of food in Eden City comes straight from the Meal Assembler.
Here are ten different foods that show up in Forget Tomorrow:

   1. Roast chicken and green beans with cloves of garlic. A meal fit for the New Year, prepared in honor of Callie's Memory's Eve. Everything has the slight plasticky taste of food that's been prepared in the Meal Assembler.

   2. Chocolate cake. Handmade, misshapen, one side higher than the other. Callie is touched by this cake because her mother makes it in honor of Callie's dream to become a Manual Chef.

   3. Peppermint tea. Callie's family drinks this tea around the eating table when they are talking, simply being together, or remembering the past.

   4. Glop in prison. Disgusting, and it makes Callie want to turn her stomach inside out. But it is one of the few possessions Callie has, and so she offers it to her neighbor Sully as a bargaining chip. Sully, not surprisingly, turns it down.

   5. Pot roast. When Jessa was a baby, Callie made this for her school project because the carrots and potatoes were soft enough for her sister to eat.

   6. Rice in the woods. After running away from civilization, Callie boils rice from a canteen hung over a fire, using broad green leaves as a plate. This simple act of cooking makes her feel more like herself again.

   7. Guacamole. Some people said Callie's guacamole was unbalanced, but Logan loves that extra punch of lime. (He might or might not be a little biased. Lol.)

   8. Venison stew. The first dish Callie prepares for the community of Harmony, after she watches Zed skin a deer. Logan feeds Callie bits of the stew with his fingers, and she feels the tingle all the way to her toes. For a recipe of Callie's venison stew, check out this link: http://www.entangledteen.com/foodie-friday-callies-venison-stew-with-pintip-dunn/

   9. Fish stuffed with diced veggies. Callie and Logan catch and scale the fish themselves, and as she looks at the fish's googly eyes, she feels like she can make a home in the wilderness.

   10. Spaghetti squash. Another Meal Assembly specialty. Logan, being the gentleman that he is, waits for Callie to start, and then they dig in, the crunch of the noodles overtaking any need for conversation.

   And there you have it! Ten foods that appear in Forget Tomorrow! What are your favorite foods? What special memory do they call for you? Please share!

Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn
Expected Publication: November 3rd 2015 by Entangled TEEN
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1

   Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.
   It's Callie's seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision-a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.
   Or in Callie's case, a criminal.
   In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo-a hellish prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn't spoken to in five years, she escapes.
But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all-Callie, herself. (goodreads.com)

About the Author

   Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,”
   Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
   She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at:

Website: www.pintipdunn.com

FB: www.facebook.com/AuthorPintipDunn

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pintipdunn

Instagram: www.instagram.com/pintip_dunn

Cover Lust Friday: Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

   Cover Lust Friday is a new weekly meme that's all about covers. Pick a cover that stands out to you, add your reason why you've chosen that particular one or what you like about it. Let's have fun with it and share the love for our favorite covers.

   The Cover:

New Cover

Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski
Published: June 18th 2013
Number of Pages: 396 Pages (Kindle Edition, 3rd edition)
Series: Yes, #1 in the In the Company of Killers Series
This is a book intended for mature audiences.

   Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.
   Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the

Original Cover

clutches of another.
   While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.
   As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed. (goodreads.com)

   The Reason:

   When I first stumbled upon this book a year or two ago I was immediately intrigued by the cover, the original one. I liked the fact that despite the picture actually being horizontal it had been turned vertical for the cover. It just had something that caught my attention, closely followed by the red hair and blood on the models hand.
   I admit, after adding it to my 'to-read' pile on goodreads I kind of forgot about it until I stumbled upon it once more, but this time with the new cover. That's when I knew that it was definitely time to finally read it (here's my review in case you're interested). I love the new cover, how simple yet expressive it is, plus the blood really contrasts amazingly with the black and white aspect of the overall picture.
   The font is awesome, and the fact that the two words are written in two different colors makes it only stand out more in my opinion. 
   Overall this cover is great. It immediately shows you want to expect from the story. It's intrigued and simple at first glance, though it's so much more.

* * *

Want to join in? No problem! Just follow the 'rules' below:

1. Write a blog post about a cover you love.
2. Add your link in the comment section of the original post (click here) so we can have something like a list going on.
3. And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
4. Check out other posts, and have fun!

Waiting on Wednesday: Shade Me by Jennifer Brown

   Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.

   The book:

Shade me by Jennifer Brown
Expected Publication: January 19th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
Number of Pages: 448 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Nikki Kill Series (?)

   Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.
   Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.
   The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?
   As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   This book sounds amazing and so unique. The idea of seeing emotions as colors was definitely the first thing that caught my attention about this book because I've never seen it in a book before. The fact that it's a suspense one only made me want to have it more, probably like yesterday, since I have an undying love for all things suspense/thriller. 
   The cover is so pretty, even though it's relatively simple, so maybe that's why it stood out to be. The font looks really unique and eye-catching. The tagline beneath the title is on point: White lies never fade to black. Yes! 
   All in all it sounds like a fascinating read that I cannot wait to get my hands on. I wish I could get an ARC for it but the chances are unfortunately rather slim so I'll have to wait until January along with you guys.

   Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!

Ask the Author: Robin Constantine (The Secrets of Attraction)

   A couple of weeks ago I've read and absolutely loved (why have I not written a review yet? Beats me) The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine so of course I had to write her an e-mail asking for an interview. To my surprise she actually said yes! So today I am bringing you her wonderful answers to my questions.

The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine
Published: April 28th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Number of Pages: 384 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   Madison Parker is on fast-forward. Working toward a scholarship for a summer art program, she already has her future figured out. But when a visit from a family friend turns her life upside down, everything she thought she knew becomes blurred. All she wants is to stand still for a moment.
   Jesse McMann is stuck on repeat. Reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band, Jesse divides his time between working as a barista and trying to find the inspiration to write music again. All he wants to do is move forward.
   The night Maddie strolls into Jesse’s coffee shop after yoga class, the last thing on his mind is hooking up, but her smile and witty comebacks are hard to ignore. The spark between them is undeniable, but once-a-week flirting is hardly the stuff of epic romance.
   Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett. When Jesse discovers that Gray’s girlfriend is also Maddie’s best friend, he invites Gray to join his band as their new drummer, hoping this connection will give him more time around Maddie. Slowly but surely, Jesse and Maddie forge a friendship, but do they have what it takes to make their relationship truly sync? (goodreads.com)

Interview with Robin Constantine

   1 – Describe The Secrets of Attraction with a haiku.
   Warm drinks and kisses
   A song played from the heart
   Jesse gets the girl

   2 – What sparked the idea for The Secrets of Attraction? Was it the simple idea of girl meets boy or something else entirely?
   When my publisher acquired my first novel, The Promise of Amazing, my editor asked me if I would be interested in writing a companion novel from Madison’s point of view. I loved the idea! Madison is such a different character from Wren (the female protagonist in PoA) and it was fun fleshing out her story. I also always wanted to write a band book – great potential for tension and playful scenes, so that’s how Jesse and Yellow # 5 came about. My husband plays guitar and was in numerous bands, and I took a lot of inspiration from that as well!

   3 – What do you like most and least about your protagonists Madison and Jesse?
   Madison: I love Madison’s fashion sense, her daring and what a fierce friend she is to Wren and Jazz. What I think she can work on is thinking before acting (instead of avoiding things altogether). Some of the ways she avoids Zach are a little sneaky.
   Jesse: I love his passion for his music, and how conscientious he is when he’s making Madison’s hot chocolate! I do think his ego can get in the way when it comes to the band and sometimes he takes his friend Tanner for granted.

   4 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
   Wow – this is a great question! First – I stand by the book as it is but I’m sure I could open to any section and get that desire to revise! I think that’s the nature of being a writer – you can always see ways to improve your work. At a certain point in the process you have to trust the choices that you’ve made and stick with them because you can drive yourself crazy since there are literally infinite roads to take in any story. In a much earlier version of The Secrets of Attraction, Madison was interested in Leif, the yoga instructor, and made advances toward him (which I’m glad I switched up!). The book was also slightly more tragic at one point, but then I made the decision to keep it light and fun and focus on the romance between Madison and Jesse, which is my favorite part to write!

   5 - How long does it usually take you to finish a story? How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal?
   This varies and depends if I’m working on deadline or not. If left to my own devices, I’m not sure how quickly I’d write a book. There’s a lot of staring into space during my process. My first novel length work (unpublished) took me three years to write (including multiple revisions). Ideally, a first draft for me can take anywhere from six months to a year, but I’ve written drafts in as little as three months. The Promise of Amazing took just under two years – it went through numerous revisions with my agent – and it sold about two weeks after being on submission. But to answer your second question –I wrote my first novel length story in 1998 – so it took me close to fourteen years to land a publishing deal. Perseverance is key.

   6 – What do you think about the covers for The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction?
   I adore my covers. I really lucked out. I think each cover captures the essence of the book. And I love the typography. Bravo to the design team!

   7 – Where do you like to write the most?
   Very boring answer – at my home office. I have my desk and my creature comforts and an unlimited supply of coffee. I think I’d be too distracted to sit at a coffee house! Also I hate the feeling of someone looking over my shoulder as I write.

   8 – What lead you to writing and wanting to be an author? Is it the way you imagined it would be?
   Reading. I was (and still am) a voracious reader – books, magazines, blog posts, news, etc. but mostly books. The book that really inspired me to become an author was Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume. I’m not sure why it captured my attention the way it did, but I loved that book – I think because it was so relatable and funny and Judy Blume is a Jersey girl too!
   It’s everything I imagined and nothing I imagined. I love writing and creating and I love meeting readers – those are the fun parts. The business side – branding, social media, book sales, writing under deadline – is a little trickier. Yes it’s nice to have a dream come true, but it’s also a lot of hard work. The difference for me between being published and not, is that if I’m on deadline I need to write – even when the words aren’t flowing that easily. That can be tough.

   9 – What is your favorite genre and why?
   I’ll have to say contemporary romance because it’s an escape! Sometimes though when I’m writing, I need to read something completely different from what I’m working on and then I turn to paranormal or thrillers!

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
   Don’t be in such a rush to send your work out – make sure you’ve gone through it, thoroughly, which means it’s imperative to have first readers. People you can depend on, not only to lift you up but to show you where you need improvement. I wouldn’t be where I am now without my writing group. If a group doesn’t work for you at least find a critique partner. Even one outside opinion can help. Find what you love about writing – this way when it gets difficult, you can remind yourself of that. There is always rejection at every stage, so just embrace it and persevere.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
   I think I’d love to fly – the ability to get somewhere fast would be really handy!

About the Author

   Robin Constantine is the author of The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction. A born-and-raised Jersey girl, Robin likes to spend her days dreaming up stories where love conquers all, eventually, but not without a lot of peril, angst, and the occasional kissing scene. She loves swoony books, flip-flops, dark chocolate and the full moon.