That time Veronica Roth signed my books! (Blogmas Day #10)

   Welcome to Blogmas day 10!
   Today I'm bringing you a little story, the story of how I went to a Veronica Roth signing, where I not only got two of her books signed but also scored a slightly awkward looking picture with her. This is kind of a big deal, not only because it was an author signing and those are amazing, I mean who wouldn't want to get their books signed by the person who wrote them, but also because book signings by authors whom I like and read never happen where I live since this isn't an English speaking country.
   Anyhow, this is how it all went down:

   It was a grey Tuesday, the date December 8th 2015, when I woke up with the thought: "Hey, you'll meet Veronica Roth today, literally the author of Divergent!" I first heard about this being a thing that will happen about three weeks earlier but, since I have the memory of a dead goldfish, I forgot about it until like three days prior to the actual thing, thank god for twitter reminding you of things.
   The singing was supposed to happen at 5:00 p.m. so I decided that it would be a good idea to be there early, since I was sure quite the number of people would show up, so I decided to leave my house around 3:35 p.m., which was actually later then I had planned on leaving but per usual something had taken more time then I had planned for it.
   Fast forward to 4:20 p.m. and me standing in the underground about to enter my final station and get out. There was a ton of people around me, and by a ton I mean if one more person would have tried to enter the carriage I was sure it would simply explode. Finally we rolled into the station and the masses, including me, poured out of the train, flooding the station and out onto the street.
   The singing was happening inside the most expensive mall of the city, so I was looking forward to peaking into all those expensive shops that no one could afford buying anything from on my way out after the signing. According to the info page it said that the book store is on the fifth floor so I jumped into the elevator, despite having a love/hate relationship with those, and made my way toward said book store.
   Coming early was definitely a wise decision on my side, even though it meant waiting in line even longer. Upon my arrival I noticed quite a line already forming toward the table for the signing. A friendly looking lady handed me a piece of paper with a number on it, 59, and I positioned myself at the end of the line. With my phone in hand I braced myself for the wait in form of 30 long minutes.
   The closer we got to the signing the longer the line grew behind me, stretching across the entire level, counting surely around 100 or more people. Honestly, I couldn't see the end of it from where I was standing.

   With a delay of about 4 minutes the signing finally began as Veronica Roth entered the room and sat down behind a shiny black desk, pens ready for signing while camera's flashed documenting the entire thing. Word quickly traveled through the lines: we would get two books signed and a lady would take our phone/camera to take a couple of pictures. The two books part was kind of weird, seeing as Veronica wrote 4 books, and the Divergent trilogy counts 3 books, logically, but I suppose they feared that the entire thing would otherwise take way too long.
   It took a while until it was finally my turn. I admit, I was pretty nervous, then again, who wouldn't be? I was about to meet a bestselling author, someone I aspire to be one day, too. The entire thing went by pretty quickly, we exchanged a couple of sentences (Veronica is incredibly friendly!) while she signed my books, Divergent and Insurgent (I still hold a grudge against Allegiant but that's a story for another time), and then the lady took a picture of Veronica and I, which you can see below along with the signed books.

   Then the entire thing was over and I was on my way back home. I'm really happy that I went there, that I got my books signed and a picture taken, especially since, as I mentioned before, signings by authors I like don't happen around here, like, ever. So, the next time you see an author holding a signing near you, go, it's worth it.

   And this concludes this way too long story with way too many unimportant details. I hope you enjoyed this post, all the other previous blogmas posts, and I will see you tomorrow with the next christmas themed Cover Lust Friday post!

Waiting on Wednesday: Love Blind by Christa Desir & Jolene Perry (Blogmas Day #9)

   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:

Love Blind by Christa Desir & Jolene Perry
Expected Publication: May 10th 2016 by Simon Pulse
Number of Pages:  320 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   It starts with a list of fears. Stupid things really. Things that Hailey shouldn't worry about, wouldn’t worry about if she didn’t wake up every morning with the world a little more blurry. Unable to see her two moms clearly. Unable to read the music for her guitar. One step closer to losing the things she cares about the most.
   For a while, the only thing that keeps Hailey moving forward is the feeling she gets when she crosses something off the list.
   Then she meets Kyle. He mumbles—when he talks at all—and listens to music to drown out his thoughts. He’s loaded down with fears, too. So Hailey talks him into making his own list.
   Together, they stumble into an odd friendship, helping each other tackle one after another of their biggest fears. But fate and timing can change everything. And sometimes facing your worst fear makes you realize you had nothing to lose after all. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   I want this book and I want it now, come on May, hurry up!
   I don't know about you but I've never read a book about a character slowly going blind before so that already sounds truly intriguing to me. Also, a list of fears that Hailey wants to tackle before everything goes dark? That sounds brave, probably braver then I would be so I really can't wait to see how that plays out in the story. I also really like the simplicity of the cover which makes it stand out for entirely different reasons then those book covers filled with colors and faces, you know which ones I mean.
   All in all I'm really excited for this one and cannot wait to read it!

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

Bookish Christmas Present Recommendations (Blogmas Day #8)

   Welcome to Blogmas day 8!
   Today I have put together a list of books that I think would make amazing christmas presents. I tried to have two options for each of the seven categories, resulting in 15 different books, and I hope I could help out at least one of you seeking for good recommendations. These are all YA books, since that's what I primarily read.

   #1 - A book for that friend who loves contemporary books and music

   For the Record by Charlotte Huang - This book is amazing. This book not only has a really amazing plot line and character, but it literally takes you on tour with a rock band through the eyes of the protagonist, who happens to be the new lead singer of said band. I've read, loved and reviewed this book a couple of months ago so I think it is a perfect mix of music and a
contemporary read. (review)

   This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales - This one is another amazing read that includes the love for DJing, which is something I've not read about in YA before I had picked up this one. It has sad moments, and the protagonist has a sad past, but it is never written about in that classical sobfest type of way. I really enjoyed this one so, if you have DJ friend who likes books, try this one.

   #2 - A book for that friend of yours that loves unreliable narrators

   The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - How could I do a recommendations list and not include Mara Dyer? This is my favorite trilogy of all because it is the perfect blend of unreliable narrator, a sizzling romance, and an intriguing story. Mara is an amazing narrator, even though you will doubt everything she tells you, making this read lots of fun. It also holds a dash 
of paranormal in form of teens with powers, but not in some silly cliche way, trust me, this is a good one!

   Made You Up by Francesca Zappia - This is one of my favorite books of 2015 and features the ultimate unreliable narrator, Alex. She is a great protagonist, despite how unreliable she is, and her mental illness in portrayed perfectly and believably. The characters in this one are quirky and intriguing, so despite dealing with a hard topic this book still offered a lot of fun and humorous moments. (review)

   #3 - That friend who loves books that tackle important topics

   None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio - This book is about a girl who discovers that she is intersex, the first book I've ever read that talked about this topic, eve though it is so incredibly important. The book perfectly mixes informations regarding what intersex is and how you can live with it, how to accept it and so on, and a contemporary read offering a wonderful story with amazing characters. This book is extremely important so I think, if you have a friend who likes books with hard topics, definitely choose this one asap. If you're interested here is my review and interview with the author, it might help you figure out if this is the book for you.

   Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara - This book takes on the complicated topic of grief and takes us along a journey during which the protagonist tries to deal with her grief, find her way back into life, even though it's definitely not the easiest of things to do. This book is incredibly realistic, emotional and important, in my opinion. In addition it looks lovely on a bookshelf thanks to that gorgeous cover. (review)

   Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Klinger - Teenage suicide, it's all around us but people seem to speak about it was too rarely, especially in connection to school and pressure coming from your family. I think books dealing with these topics are incredibly important since they show how damaging growing up with constant pressure coming from your family, pushing you to your limits when it comes to school and extracurricular activities, taking away your childhood and free time, can be. Besides that, Paint My Body Red offers an amazing story and brilliant characters, a wonderful blend between hard topics and a summer that changes lives. (review)

   #4 - That friend that wants to get into fantasy

   Throne of Glass by Sara J. Maas - This was the first fantasy book I read after years of thinking that fantasy isn't for me. I enjoyed it a lot and was drawn into the world and characters, their stories and all the different things that were happening in this book. Sure, it didn't necessarily make me want to read more fantasy novels, 
but that's simply because fantasy truly isn't my thing, but there are thousands of people that swear that this series is amazing so I'm sure it's definitely worth giving a try.

   Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch - This one is another truly intriguing one that features a fantasy world split up in kingdom separated by seasons. Our protagonist and her friends belong to the fallen kingdom of Winter and try to win back their kingdom and its magic. It sounds awesome and the cover is gorgeous so why not try this one?

   #5 - That friend that's into sci-fi reads

   Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn - Imagine a future in which your future self sends you back a single memory that shows you the life you are facing, be it a career in acting, sport or cooking. Now imagine the memory you receive doesn't show you a career but you committing a crime, a murder. If this doesn't sound intriguing, I don't know what does. The world in which the story plays is great and the characters are intriguing and three dimensional, and the romance is incredibly well executed. This is a great sci-fi read on a somewhat milder end of the sci-fi spectrum, perfect for those who want to get into sci-fi and those who already love the genre. (review)

   Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman - This book is amazing and incredibly unique in so many ways. Not only does the story feature an interesting plot, the most unique formatting and story telling way I've ever seen, but also a crazy AI and amazing characters. I could not put this book down while I read the ARC on my iPad and I cannot wait to hold the hardcover version in my hands. I could go on and on about how brilliant this book is and why you should definitely get it, but I will leave it at saying that this is definitely the perfect pick for sci-fi fans. (review)

   #6 - That friend that likes mysterious reads

   Bone Deep by Kim O'Brien - This book takes you along a journey onto archeological digging grounds where the protagonist, Paige, tries to figure out what happened to her friend Emily and why she disappeared. This book also contained a beautiful touch of Native American stories woven into it which only makes it more intriguing. The twist at the end is amazing and I definitely didn't see it coming, the romance is nice but doesn't take up too much space in the story. 
So, if your friend likes murder-mystery books with a spin to them, this might be the right one for them. (review)

   Never, Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher - This book, or rather the two current available novels that will form a complete book once the third one will be out, was written by two amazing authors who managed to create one hell of a mysterious and intriguing story that will leave you craving for more, along with powerful cliffhangers. Each time I picked one of the two up I couldn't out them away until I was done reading. So, if you're looking for a book that blends mystery with a dash of romance this one is exactly what you are looking for. (review)

   #7 - That friend that likes summer contemporaries

   Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - I really, really enjoyed this book when I read it back in 2014. It has an amazing story and takes the reader along a road trip across the US where we get to see many interesting places through the eyes
 of the protagonist, Amy. This is a perfect summer read that I hope to re-read next summer, simply because it was just that good. Besides, Morgan Matson is a great author with an addictive quality to her writing style.

   Petty Little Lives by Alice Reeds - Yap, that's my book. It's a summer read so I took myself the freedom to include it on this list, in case your friends have not checked it out yet, or you didn't know about it. This one is all about summer, the value of family, overcoming differences and finding love in unexpected places. So for most of the reviewers quite liked it so maybe your friend will like it too.

   And this is it, those are all the books I prepared for you. As you can see I've read most of them, so be reassured that they are good ones, in my opinion. I hope I could help some of you out and if you think you have any other valuable recommendation you'd like to add, leave them in the comments below or tweet them at me, @Alice_Reeds.

Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee (Blogmas Day #7)

Angelfall by Susan Ee
Published: May 23rd 2013 by Hodder and Stoughton (first published May 21st 2011)
Number of Pages: 326 Pages (Paperback)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Penryn & the end of Days Trilogy

   It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.
   Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
   Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.
   Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again. (goodreads.com)

   "I cannot stand angel books" is what I usually say when anyone even as much as mentions them to me, yet for some reason I bought Angelfall a while back, probably at some point last year. Ever since I joined the book community I kept on hearing about this book, about how good it is despite having angels, yet it took me years to finally give it a try. I did not regret it.
   Angelfall is action packed and extremely addictive! I had no idea what to expect when I picked this one up, all I knew was that it contained evil angels and that's it, and I think that was definitely a good thing, going in more or less blind.
   In Angelfall the angels have come down to earth to eradicate humanity in what can only be described as the apocalypse. But, what they didn't expect was that humanity isn't quite willing to give up their planet and lives just that easily.

“I never kid about my warrior demigod status."

"Oh. My. God." I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. "You are nothing but a 

bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you 

know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.”

   Throughout this trilogy we follow Penryn, a kick ass protagonist who is trying to save her sister while surviving the apocalypse. I really like Penryn because she has a personality, really feels like a three dimensional character with realistic thoughts and feelings, not a Mary Sue at all. I love how much she is willing to do, how far she is willing to go to save her sister, the fact that this was her highest priority through the entire book and not just flashing through from time to time. Furthermore I really liked her feelings toward Raffe, the fact that she didn't miraculously change her mind two pages after meeting him and didn't suddenly forget the fact that she hates angels.
   Raffe is an amazing character. He's an angel but his wings have been cut off so his highest priority was to get them sewn back on, even if that means making a deal with Penryn and traveling with her. Their relationship was incredibly funny and their arguments brilliant to follow. On one side I really wanted them to be together, yet at the same time I really liked the fact that there was barely any romance in this book, which was truly refreshing.

“A sense of humor is one more thing I don't think angels should have. 

The fact that his sense of humor is corny makes it even more wrong.”

   This book has lots and lots of action, something I appreciated a lot. Ms. Ee's writing is extremely addictive and her characters and descriptions are fantastic. I liked how different all of them were, how interesting all of them seemed, not just extras thrown in to help the protagonist solve some problem.
  What I usually didn't like about angel books, besides the sole fact that they have angels, was their story and their reasons for coming down to earth. This wasn't the case with Angelfall. I loved learning more about the angels, about their ways and reasons to come down and cause an apocalypse. It really seemed well thoughtout and didn't feel like something made up in five minutes. I enjoyed the fact that we slowly learned all of it, and not all at once, making it more interesting and suspenseful.
   The ending was on point and made me order the sequel in a matter or seconds because I simply had to know what would happen next!

   All in all I was very pleasantly surprised by Angelfall. It showed me that there are authors out there who are able to write really amazing angel books filled with action and fun. If you're like me, not a fan of angels, this is definitely the book to go if you want to give them another chance.

I give Angelfall by Susan Ee 5 out of 5 stars.

What NaNoWriMo Has Taught Me So Far (Blogmas Day #6)

   Welcome to Blogmas day six!
   Today I want to share some of the things with you that I've so far learned in the three years that I've been participating in NaNoWriMo (and Camp NaNo). For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is an annual event happening throughout November where writers attempt to write 50.000 words in 30 days, the equivalent of a book toward the shorter end. It sounds hard and challenging, well, it truly is both but it is also very much doable.
   As I mentioned before I've been doing NaNoWriMo for three years now and each time I've learned many new things, ways to help you make it and alike. I've read many posts from other people with their NaNo stories so I thought I might try, write down a couple of things that helped me, and maybe it'll be able to help some of you guys in the future.

   This year, I admit, I had quite the hard time getting into the flow of things, which resulted in my word count being quite behind. I was more then sure I wouldn't be able to catch up all those words, but miraculously I did. Don't believe me? Here's a picture of my statistics for this years NaNo:

   It took me many nights filled with way too little sleep but lots of writing to catch up, surely between 2.000 and 4.000 words a day. Here are some things that helped me:

   #1 - Music
   This one is kind of obvious, I know, but the right kind of music can help immensely to get into the writing mood and mindset. About to write an action type scene? Choose up beat music. A sad scene? Sad or classical music is your friend. A romantic one? Don't be afraid to pull out that rock type music perfect for cuddling. I find myself setting up different playlists for each story I write, every character or particular scene.

   #2 - Outline
   Before this years NaNo I've rarely outlines, or if I did I only went about two chapters ahead. This time I decided to actually sit down and plan ahead, write down a couple of lines for each chapter. Now, each time I was about to start writing again I didn't have to think about what to write first but could just look into my outline and unleash all the words. It helped me a lot to know exactly where my story is heading, what details I can include when and where exactly all my characters are. If you've never tried outlining before, give it a shot, it might help you like it helped me.

   #3 - Like the story you are writing
   This one seems like a no-brainer I know, but it's true. If you like the story you are writing, like your characters and the things happening in it you'll be a lot more motivated to sit down and write. That long break you can see in the picture above, that was because I was trying to write something I wasn't quite feeling. I wasn't happy with it, didn't feel like writing at all, but then on day 9 (I think) I switched to a different story, a fully outlined one, and suddenly the words kept on coming. Fair enough, there was another break but was because my hand was hurting and I couldn't write. No fun.

   #4 - Switch it up
   What I mean by that is switch up your writing routine. If you usually write in the morning but the words are not coming, try writing in the evening. If you usually write at your desk, try to find yourself another place. Maybe another, another point of view, can help you find new inspiration. I usually write at my desk but this time I tried to write in the night before going to sleep. It worked amazingly. If neither of those things help, how about going for a walk before writing, watch a movie or read a book with a similar theme as your story, inspiration is waiting everywhere.

   #5 - Writing sprints
   This one is golden. Every year I heard everybody talking about them but I never participated, never thought it would be something I would enjoy since the idea of writing against time seemed way too stressful. This year in my desperate attempt of catching up I tried it, mostly using the sprints hosted on twitter by @NaNoWordSprints or together with fellow authors. Turns out it was immensely helpful. My daily word count shot up in the air and thanks to those sprints I actually managed to catch up and win, on the last day but I made it, my third year in a row. Don't be afraid to try new things, you can't imagine how many words you can get onto the page in 30 minutes, or even as much as 10 or 15.

   Ultimately the most important thing you'll need to make it, write those 50.000 words in 30 days, is the ambition to not give up, even if you find yourself thousands of words behind. If you are determined enough to win you'll find a way to do it. 
   I know work, school, and life can sometimes make finding the time hard, making you think you won't be able to do it, make you not even try, but I think that's just an excuse. Even if you won't make it, won't write 50.000 words, you can at least try, every word is more then none, right? I won my first two NaNo's while I was still in school, drowning between studying and preparing presentations, figuring out how to survive exams, but I still found those two hours every evening to sit down and write down the minimum of 1.667 words a day.

   Anyway, I hope any of these tips will be able to help you, on a daily basis or next year during NaNoWriMo. If you have any tips you think could help others, take a moment and leave them in the comments below or tweet them at me, @Alice_Reeds.
   I hope you enjoyed this post, a slightly different one then my usual ones, and have a great day or evening!

Ask the Author: A.L. Davroe (Nexis) (Blogmas Day #5)

   For todays Ask the Author I'm bringing you the amazing A.L. Davroe, author or Nexis, a fascinating new YA sci-fi read. I'm very happy that she agreed to do this interview with me, and her answers are really great and detailed, so have fun reading them!
   Here is Nexis and her interview:

Nexis by A.L. Davroe
Published: December 1st 2015 by Entangled: Teen
Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Paperback)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Tricksters Trilogy/Series (?)

   In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.
   Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.
   But Nexis isn’t quite the game everyone thinks it is.
   And it’s been waiting for Ella. (godreads.com)

Interview with A.L. Davroe

   1 – Describe Nexis with a twitter pitch.
   My favorite one-line way to describe Nexis is: “Matrix meets Tron meets Ender’s Game.” That’s usually epic enough to answer all the questions.

   2 – What sparked the idea for Nexis? The sole idea of writing a futuristic tale involving a virtual reality game or something completely different?
   There is a fun story behind this. The initial idea for Nexis came about when my agent, Louise Fury, was still part of the L. Perkins Agency. She and Lori Perkins and I were eating dinner at a convention and they were talking about wanting a Steampunk Cinderella story. I also write Steampunk, so the idea was intriguing to me. On the spot, I came up with a Cinderella who loses her whole leg instead of just a shoe and ends up with some crazy Steampunk gadget for a leg instead. I didn’t want to do another Steampunk story though, so I decided I’d try and do a futuristic Cinderella instead. I’ve always been a huge fan of anime and, if you’re also a fan like me, you’ll probably be able to pick out some of my influences. Anyway, I wrote this sort-of futuristic Cinderella story. The initial set up in the original version was very Cinderella, but then, I flew off course with the whole virtual game idea and the ending. The work and the character became so much bigger and better than its initial starting point. After numerous edits and Cinder coming out in print (yes, I wrote Nexis that long ago), I decided to nix the Cinderella aspect all-together and really make Nexis its own story. I really love what this story has become and the journey that the characters and I have taken.

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing Nexis and which scene was the most fun to write?
   Oh, gosh. You know, the challenging bit came after writing the story. Editing is always harder and making this book stand out against some of its contemporaries really challenged me. Also, adding “levity.” My editor wanted that. I don’t consider myself a humor writer nor do I have the type of humor that most people appreciate, so I still cringe a little when I think about how my readers will respond to flying monkeys with glitter bombs…Though, I’d laugh my butt off if I saw one…*shrug* Oh well, at least I giggled a lot while writing it? As for the most fun to write? Hm…I donno, I’m kinda fond of the scene where Gus first takes Ella to the cottage and then chases her around like an idiot trying to lick her. It’s so corny, and I’ll never forgive myself for having a male lead “wag his eyebrows” and yet, I couldn’t seem to erase it either!

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Ella?
   This is a tough one! Okay…I guess I love how Ella grows up and becomes such a strong character throughout this series. She’s also very real in that she doesn’t just have that exponential progress upward arc like many heroines do. Life looks like an EKG in my humble opinion, so Ella regresses, has bad days, and moments of weakness just like everyone else who has gone through trauma or emotional hurdles. In this way, her strength is also her weakness. Sometimes I dislike writing her because I created her to be this way. It’s hard writing someone who is damaged and realistic. But, it’s the truth of the situation and, in the end, I wouldn’t change that about her.

   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 love most things in Nexis. I love the setting, the game, the social structure, my characters and their relationships. I think if I changed anything it would be small stuff like the timestamps or names or what someone’s Mod or Alt looked like.

   6 - How did you come up with the name Evanescence for the city? Does it have anything to do with the band or is that simply a coincidence?
   Haha, no, nothing about the band. Besides the fact that I just think it sounds cool, the meaning of the word, evanescence, is “to gradually fade away.” I liked the idea of that, especially in the wake of an apocalypse like the Bio-Nuclear War. I wanted the names of the cities to invoke emotions that new citizens might have had the day they entered the domes. Some are positive feelings, like Selestia ( heavenly) and Allegra (joy or living). Other city names have a sad quality -- like they are supposed to remind you of the humanity we used to be – Cadence (end notes -- but perhaps not the end of the song), Evanescence (gradual fading – like walking off into the distance until no one can see you anymore), Adagio (slow beat – like the plodding of feet going into the dome or the constant heart of humanity).

   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?
   Honestly? I don’t think it has sunk in fully. I keep thinking this is a dream or it’s too good to be true -- like it’s going to be taken away. I don’t think I’ll actually believe it’s a ‘thing’ until the book releases and those thousands of people DO buy the book and read it, LOL!

   8 – What do you think about the cover for Nexis? Does it do the story justice?
   OMG. I cannot tell you how much I love this cover. I had a different cover, not too long ago, but the publisher changed it last minute. I liked the other cover – didn’t love it – but it was acceptable. Then I got this email saying they were going to change it. I’ll never forget it, I almost threw my phone across the room when I read the email. I was so mad they were changing it so close to release! BUT, then I opened the folder containing the new mock-ups. It was between this cover and another one with a different model. I saw this one and, well, if you’ve ever had love at first sight, you’ll know how I felt. I was just so happy to see it. So relieved. The background is perfect, the foreground is perfect. The model is perfect. She’s not exactly Ella in my head, but she COULD be in someone else’s and her stance is so emotive and the red dress…*sigh* I LOVE MY COVER. Can you tell? LOL!

   9 – Do you have a writing routine or do you write whenever creativity strikes?
   Very much whenever the mood takes me. My muse is persnickety. But, she gives me good stuff when she does decide to cooperate, so I let her do her thing for the most part and write if and when she deems it time. It was hard to write the sequel to this novel because I was on a deadline and that’s the first time I’ve ever had to do that. But, I managed. It was an entirely different process, trying to coax my muse against her will, she retaliated, leaving me shell-shocked (and frankly I’m still confused by my own book). But hey, I did it! Still, I prefer to work at my own pace…

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
   It’s seriously all about luck and timing. You could put hours and hours into writing and revising, going to workshops, and honing your craft until you have the best piece of literature ever written, but you may STILL not get an acceptance letter. Above everything, this industry is a business. If an editor doesn’t think they can pitch it, doesn’t have room for it, doesn’t have the budget for it, or doesn’t think there is a large enough market for it, they aren’t gonna take it, even if they loved it. That’s just how it is and it doesn’t mean you should give up on your dream.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
   Man, this is a hard one. Hm… I’ve always loved the idea of being able to communicate with animals. Not only can you call on them to help you out in times of need, but you could also have an even better relationship with your best friends! I would love to just put a call out and have a horse just trot up to my house for an afternoon ride, or have a fox deliver a letter for me, or ask the birds what the weather is going to be like today.

About the Author

   A.L. (Amanda) Davroe writes both YA and adult speculative fiction. She prefers revisionist tales in paranormal, romance, Steampunk, and fantasy. She is the author of Salvation Station (adult psych horror), The City Steam Collection (adult psych horror), For Your Heart (YA Paranormal Romance) and her YA Sci-Fi novel, Nexis, is coming out with Entangled Publishing December 1, 2015! By day, Amanda lives in Connecticut with her two feline hench-creatures and makes cheese. 
   She's a terrible blusher, has a weak spot for cuddly animals, loves Laffy Taffy and Cadbury MiniEggs, and she's a huge advocate of alternative healing methods. Amanda also wears purple shoes and corsets...Though not always in the same ensemble. She's a Capricorn, a Hufflepuff, a bit gothic, and a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal.

// Email: ALDavroe@gmail.com // Website // Blog //

// Twitter: @ALDavroe // Facebook // Goodreads //

Cover Lust Friday: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle (Blogmas Day #4)

   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:

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle
Published: September 5th 2013 by Penguin UK (first published January 1st 2008)
Number of Pages: 368 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No

   An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.
   A trio of today's bestselling authors - John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle - bring all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away. (goodreads.com)

   The Reason:

   To start of the Christmas reads edition of Cover Lust Friday I'm here to talk about the cover of Let It Snow.
   Quite obviously this isn't the original cover, or a cover that belongs to an english edition of Let It Snow. This is the Polish cover for Let It Snow, the one I have on my shelf, and I absolutely love this cover. It fits perfectly into stories set around christmas and winter. I love how the cover looks like it's been painted with water colors and is held in blues and pinks, simply perfect. You can really see that someone sat down and really thought about the cover and put in a lot of work to make it look like that.
   All in all, bravo Polish publisher, great job, don't you think?

* * *

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!

Blogmas Verlosung #1: Bannwald von Julie Heiland (Blogmas Day #3)

   Willkommen zur ersten Blogmas 2015 Verlosung!
   Über die nächsten drei Wochen verteilt habe ich für euch drei verschiedene Verlosungen vorbereitet in denen ihr neue, noch verschweißte Bücher gewinnen könnt, von denen ich mir sicher bin, dass so mancher sich freuen würde sie zu Weihnachten zu bekommen.
   Wie ihr das heutige Buch gewinnen könnt werde ich euch später erläutern, jetzt sehen wir uns erstmal an, welches Buch ihr an diesem 'schönen' Donnerstag gewinnen könnt:

Bannwald von Julie Heiland
Erschien: 21. Mai 2015 von Fischer FJB
Anzahl an Seiten: 352 Seiten (Gebunden)
Serie: Ja, #1 in der Bannwald Trilogie (?)

   Ich hasse den Wald. Ich hasse ihn aus tiefstem Herzen. Er tut so, als wäre er mein Zuhause. Aber das ist er nicht. Er ist mein Gefängnis.
   Sie können nicht töten – als Anhänger der weißen Magie erschaffen sie nur. Seit Generationen lebt der friedliche Stamm der Leonen gefangen im Wald, gewaltsam unterdrückt vom Stamm der mörderischen Tauren.
   Als die 17-jährige Robin auf den jungen Tauren Emilian trifft, ist sie sich sicher, dass er sie töten wird. Doch Robin gelingt es zu fliehen – scheinbar. Erst später wird ihr bewusst: er hat sie laufen lassen. Warum?
   Als Robin dann ein Reh mit der bloßen Kraft ihrer Gedanken tötet, ist sie zutiefst erschüttert. Was ist mit ihr?
   Robin trägt ein Geheimnis in sich, und es gibt nur einen, der davon weiß – ihr größter Feind.
   Wie es dazu gekommen ist? Wie es immer zu so etwas kommt. Die Starken wittern die Macht und bezwingen die Schwachen. Wir, der Stamm der Leonen, sind Anhänger der weißen Magie. Die Magie der Natur. Wir heilen, wir erschaffen, wir tun Gutes.
Die anderen, der Stamm der Tauren, haben sich der schwarzen Magie verschworen. Sie herrschen kaltblütig, sie vernichten, sie töten. Auch uns. Aber das werde ich nicht länger zulassen. (goodreads.com)

   Wie kannst du teilnehmen? Es ist ganz einfach.
   Loggt euch entweder mit eurem Facebook account oder mit eurer E-Mail Adresse unten bei rafflecopter ein und folgt dann den wirklich einfachen Instruktionen. Mit wenigen Klicks seit ihr dabei. Eure E-Mail Adresse brauche ich nur um euch später kontaktieren zu können, im falle dass ihr gewinnt. Alles geht super fair und per Zufall, keiner wird bevorzugt.
   Viel Glück!






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Waiting on Wednesday: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken (Blogmas Day #2)

   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:

Passenger by Alexandra Backen
Expected Publication:  January 5th 2016 by Disney-Hyperion
Number of Pages:  464 Pages (Hardcover)
Series:  Yes, #1 the Passenger Trilogy/Series (?)

   passage, n.
   i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
   ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
   iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.
   In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.
   Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.
   Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   Let me start off my saying that I've not read Alexandra Bracken's The Darknest Minds trilogy. I tried but I really couldn't get into it at all, which is a shame, but this book sounds really intriguing! I definitely want to give Ms. Backen another chance and I really hope Passenger will be good. Just look at that cover, it's absolutely gorgeous so I think I will get this book even if only to have that beauty on my shelf. Usually time travel isn't really my cup of tea but this time it sounds really interesting. 
   January 2016, you here yet?

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

Review: The Awakened by Sara Elizabeth Santana (Blogmas Day #1)

   Welcome to the first day of Blogmas 2015!
   As kickoff I have a review for you guys for The Awakened by Sara Elizabeth Santana which was released today so once you'll be done reading, head on over to amazon and get it. Why you ask? Read on to find out!

The Awakened by Sara Elizabeth Santana
Expected Publication:  December 1st 2015 by Oftomes Publishing
Series:  Yes, #1 in The Awakened Duology

   Zoey Valentine is concerned with two things: surviving the multitude of self-defense classes her dad makes her take and avoiding Ash Matthews.
   That is, until the Z virus hits, wiping out a third of the population in a matter of weeks. If that weren’t frightening enough, the bodies of the victims disappear and suddenly reappear, awakened from their dead state. They're faster, smarter, and they work together to get the one thing they crave, human flesh.
   The United States is in a panic and then the government decides the unthinkable: to bomb every major city overrun with the awakened.
   Now Zoey is on the run, with her dad and Ash, desperate to find a place of safety amongst the ruined remains of the country. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Oftomes Publishing for proving me with an eARC in 

exchange for an honest review *

   I love stories involving survival, the outbreak of the undead, or just any other type of virus or end of the world scenario so of course, when I saw the cover for The Awakened and read the blurb, I knew I had to read it. Though, as with all the things that there are plenty off, I always worry that stories from said areas will be driven by overused tropes and plotlessness we've seen done a million times already. But, after reading The Awakened I can tell you that I was not disappointed. And, for those like me who wouldn't even touch a love triangle with a ten foot pole, don't worry, there is non, even if the cover makes it look like that at first glance.
   The Awakened is an intriguing tale of survival with a dash of sizzling romance and one hell of a messed up mystery villain. The story is exciting, gripping, and fun to read from beginning to end. Of course, as with all things, it has some flaws but most of them I probably only saw because I tend to be picky sometimes with my survival/zombie/end of the world books and plots.

   So, in The Awakened we follow Zoey and her struggle to survive while the world around her goes basically mental and down the drain. I had a few problems with her, especially when it came to her feelings about Ash, since I though the entire issue between them could have been solved a little quicker since, if the apocalypse is now it might be a good idea to get over things belonging into the past, right? I mean, I understand her struggle, but she definitely had other more important things to worry about. Anyway, Zoey was a very likable and well rounded character with flaws and logical trains of thought, and she definitely wasn't a damsel in distress/your average Mary Sue. Zoey could definitely kick some ass, thanks to her dad who made her take a whole list of different self-defense and martial arts classes growing up.
   I also really liked Ash. He was fun, charming, and just a really good guy. He also seemed like a well thought out, three dimensional character, and not just some hot guy to lust after our protagonist. He was funny and witty, loyal and clever, traits that could definitely be useful in the apocalypse when getting yourself an ally.
   I liked the dynamics the two of them had going on between them and the way their relationship evolved over the course of the story, definitely one of my favorite parts about the book, along with the unusual kind of zombies we encountered in this story. Plus points for that.

   The problems I mentioned earlier on didn't really arise until after the 70% mark when we finally got a look behind the cause of the virus outbreak and all those thing that I will not mention in detail because spoilers. But, personally, I think making up a valid backstory for what caused the virus to infect humans is always a tricky, which is basically why I appreciate shows like The Walking Dead because they, as far as I remember, never explained what had led to the zombie outbreak. The Awakened, on the other hand, gives us an explanation and I must admit I wasn't quite as flashed by it as I'm sure the author planned for her readers to be. That is not to say that the reasoning wasn't good, but it wasn't as original as I hoped it would be. There were also a couple of other things happening that I wasn't the biggest fan of either, but those are spoilers so I cannot tell you about them.
   What I did like, to go back to a more positive note, was the writing style of Ms. Santana. It was descriptive, though maybe a little too much in a few instances, and showed really well how good she is at capturing emotions and showing them through Zoey's eyes. She also did a really good job at making the zombies really scary in an entirely different way then zombies already are.

   All in all I really liked The Awakened and, if you're a fan of YA zombie survival type stories, you should definitely give it a try, even if the blurb might not entirely catch your attention. I did have a couple of issues here and there but in general I had a really good time reading this story. I can't wait to see how the story will continue and how this duology will end.

I give The Awakened by Sara Elizabeth Santana 4 out of 5 stars.