Book Reviews - Ignite and Encite by Erica Crouch

Title: Ignite (Ignite Series #1)

Author: Erica Crouch
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Format:e-book
Rating: 3/5

Penemuel (Pen) fell from grace over a millennium ago, yet there are still times she questions her decision to follow her twin brother, Azael, to Hell. Now that the archangel Michael has returned, threatening Lucifer’s vie for the throne, she begins questioning everything she has always believed.

As Hell prepares for war - spreading a demonic virus and pilfering innocent souls to build an army - the lines separating the worlds blur. Fates erase and the future is left unwritten. Azael is determined that he and his sister will continue to serve as demons together, but for the first time in her life, Pen is not ruled by destiny. She has the freedom of choice.

With choice comes sacrifice, and Pen must decide which side she’s willing to risk everything fighting for: the light, or the dark.

*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review* Thanks Patchwork Press and NetGalley!

Now I love stories that involve angels and demons, Heaven and Hell and archangel Michael. The Blue Blood Series by Melissa De La Cruz is one of my favorites; as an example of this. That being said; Erica Crouch did a wonderful job at creating another story with these elements. 

I loved following Pen's story and seeing her being cast out of Heaven and becoming a demon and working with her twin brother now. There was so many feels brought upon Pen and her having to choose between her past, present and future. Now this may seem a bit confusing but her past has always meant doing things with her brother, Azael. The present means the impending war and the future of choosing the light or the dark. I was never sure what Pen was going to choose and I'm still not sure it's what I was hoping for. So many mixed emotions from this book. Azael is a character that I loved to hate while reading this. Arrogant asshat (sorry for this; but its what he is to me)

This was a great first book in the series and Erica left me wanting more from each of the following books, which is why I requested all of them from NetGalley.  So I granted this novel 3 stars as a good beginning to a great series. 

Infinite Cover Reveal

Infinite by Erica Crouch Series: Ignite #3 Published by Patchwork Press on June 16, 2015 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Goodreads Synopsis:

There are infinite ways to die, and the fates are calling for blood. After evading Azael since her betrayal, it’s finally time for Pen to stop running and face her desperate brother. But she won’t have to challenge him alone: the rebel army of New Genesis is ready to stand strong and fight to secure the future they believe in. As Azael spirals deeper and deeper into darkness, and Pen grapples with her new leadership role, a familiar name rises to power whose decisions have the potential to rewrite everyone’s future. Dangerous secrets, silent traitors, and unraveling fates means that time is running out. There’s no telling who will survive the final battle. In this thrilling conclusion to the Ignite series, Pen and Azael return to finish what they started over a millennia ago.

We’re in the final stretch of celebrating the Ignite series! The final installment, Infinite, comes out in just over a month, and we are so excited to be sharing the cover with you today. Erica's been waiting to reveal this one since January (when she first made it, after she decided to split Incite in half). What do you think? Here’s the series all lined up: Add Infinite on Goodreads, and pre-order it on Amazon, B&N, or Kobo. Let us know what you think of the cover — and what you’re most excited to see in Infinite — in the comments!

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Sign up for the Release Day Blitz (6/16)

About Erica Crouch

Erica Crouch is a young adult and new adult author from Baltimore, Maryland. She has a strange blended aesthetic of cute and spooky, and her books reflect her ever changing mood. (You may find romance, you may find gore—sometimes both in the same book, but probably not at the same time. Probably.) Erica is the cofounder of Patchwork Press — an indie publishing collective that produces middle grade, young adult, and new adult titles in all genres — and Weapenry — a resource for writers. She is the head of editorial services and design, with over fifty projects to her name.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Parting Chances Blitz by Caylie Marcoe

Book & Author Details:

Parting Chances by Caylie Marcoe 
(Fighting Chance #1) 
Publication date: November 13th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

The road of Haley Cavanaugh’s life has been filled with cracks, potholes and detour signs. Her mom’s cancer forced her to grow up too fast and her brother has moved across the country instead of sticking around when she needs him most. Now, her parents are forcing her to move out. They say she needs to follow through with the plans she’s set for herself, but Haley is torn between her dreams and her family’s reality. The only thing she has to look forward to is living with her best friend, Kyler.
What she doesn’t need right now? Eli Park. Haley remembers him as Kyler’s boyfriend’s geeky roommate, but he’s anything but geeky now. Now, he’s downright hot. And Haley cannot get him out of her head.
It would be easier if they didn’t have class together five days a week. Or have weekly study dates. And if she didn’t spend way too much time with Kyler at Eli’s house. But, the closer he gets and the harder she falls, the more Haley pulls away. Her heart is too fragile to end up broken on the side of the road. She thinks she’s got it under control until Eli brings home another girl and Haley realizes what she has to lose.
As Haley’s life is turned further upside down, will she be left to pick up the pieces of her heart alone?

Excerpt: 

“Do you need any more help?” I stepped out of Kyler’s grasp and glanced around the kitchen. It looked like chaos…but organized chaos.

“Nope. Everything is settled in here.” She hooked her arm through mine and led me out of the kitchen. Noah and Eli were sitting on the couch when we entered the living room. She nudged my arm, gave me a wink and turned to the guys. “Eli, would you mind running with Haley to get the pizzas?”

“I can get them myself.” Eli stood and headed for the door. I stared after him, hurt that he didn’t even want to be alone with me. Was he still just trying to give me space? Or did he finally realize that I was more trouble than he wanted?

“Well, I know you could. But I need Haley to stop at the store…I forgot something.” Kyler nudged my arm again, tilting her head slightly in the direction of the door.

I’m fluent in Kyler non-verbal gestures, and clearly, she was telling me to get out that front door. But my feet paused at the look Eli flashed Kyler. His eyes shone uncertainly. His gaze flicked to me quickly, but I caught the softness in them before they darted back to Kyler.

“What is it? I can pick that up too.” He plucked his keys from the table and propped himself up against the doorframe, waiting for Kyler to finish.

“Oh, well…I um forgot… I um…need some tampons.” She blurted out. I swear every single face in the room turned red.

Noah looked Kyler up and down before opening his mouth. “But I thought…” Kyler held up a hand to stop him and gave him a short glare before turning back to Eli.

“So did you want to pick those up? I’d have to write it down. Haley knows what kind I use, so it’d be easy for her to just grab them. But if you want to go at it alone—”

Eli interrupted her. “No, that’s okay. I could use Haley’s help.” He rushed out the door before Kyler could continue on about her feminine needs.

“Didn’t you just have your period?” My question hit Kyler’s smirk. I didn’t even need her to reply since I knew the answer. We were roommates after all.

Kyler winked at me again, before she pushed me toward the door. “You’re welcome!” I heard her say as I exited the house.

 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24586282-parting-chances

Purchase:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODJ2LQK/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_ca-20&linkCode=as2&camp=15121&creative=330641

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/parting-chances-caylie-marcoe/1121083861?ean=9781503056725

AUTHOR BIO:

Born and raised in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, Caylie fell in love with reading at a young age. With her lively imagination, she created numerous stories in her head throughout her childhood and teenage years.

Her first novel, Choose Us, released in April 2014 and became an Amazon Bestseller. 

When she isn't slaving away at the keyboard, Caylie is an avid reader, and lover of coffee... copious amounts of coffee. She also has an unhealthy addiction to coffee mugs, chapstick, water bottles, football, and tv shows--binge watching is her favorite.

She chases her two kids around the house all day, and has a husband whom she adores. 

If you want to stay tuned in to all of the new release news, sign up for Caylie's spam-free newsletter. It only comes out when something exciting is happening...promise! 
http://eepurl.com/T7sp5

Author links:

http://www.authorcayliemarcoe.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CaylieMarcoeAuthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7768872.Caylie_Marcoe

GIVEAWAY:  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 10 Tuesday #6

Top Ten Tuesday is that weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, where bloggers are given a topic and make a list of 10 (or more) items belonging to the topic.

 

 

Top Ten Authors I Really Want To Meet! 

So who do I really want to meet!? I have 10 talented and beautiful queens of writing that I would love to meet! So without further ado lets meet those that I hope to one day have the pleasure of meeting!

        The Hogwarts Queen: J.K. Rowling      

 The Friendship Queen: Emery Lord

 

                       The Ardalan Queen: Sarah J. Maas                       

The Witchland Zombie Queen: Susan Dennard 
 

 

                      The Queen of Fate: Chelsea Fine                        
The Queen of Rusk: Cora Carmack
 

 

                        The Queen of Wonderland: A.G. Howard                          
The Raven Queen: Maggie Stiefvater 
 

                    The Queen of Lunar: Marissa Meyer                    

The Queen of Oreos: Becky Albertalli

I'm interested as to who YOU would really like to meet! Let me know below in the comments! Also let me know what you have to think about the titles I bestowed on these wonderful ladies.

ARC Review - Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Title: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1)
Author: Lori Goldstein
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Format: ARC  
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

Now I wasn't sure how well I was going to like Becoming Jinn, because out in the blogging world Becoming Jinn is one of the books, I pretty much discovered was one that was loved or not. So when I got the ARC (after release date BTW), I decided to give it a shot and see what would happen. What did happen was that I was one of those in the blogging community who enjoyed it. So without to much more rambling from me, I'll get into it.

Azra being the main character and the girl who is becoming a full fledged genie, she wasn't what I was expecting her to be like. She didn't want any of this and she still doesn't want anything to do with her heritage. Now normally something like this would be a turn off for me but it worked for her. Now I know what your thinking, a girl who's a genie and doesn't want to grant wishes, what's up with that. As Mr. Gold says in OUAT "All magic comes at a price" and it's the truth within this story. The other characters were all charming in their own ways and even those who got under my skin, I found myself loving because of the role they played. Even stubborn, angsty, does things her own way Yasmin became a favorite of mine.

The romance on the other hand drove me a bit insane, because Nate and Henry and Azra. I just wish that on this end Azra would have made up her mind. It kind of seemed to me that she was starting to make up her mind and then it changed. More than once. Even with the ending, I'm still not sure how I feel because I still have no idea who. Can you say I'm one confused guy with this right here. 

Lori Goldstein really knew what she was doing because she threw me a plot twist that I would have NEVER seen coming no matter how I looked at it. Understanding that male and female Jinn aren't allowed to live with their families and the female Jinn population lives on Earth and don't know who their fathers are, did make for an interesting case. Being ruled under the Afrit made things more complicated and a much more thrilling read. I read the entire book in a day because it was a story that drew me in.

Are there things that I wished had been done differently? Sure but no matter what book it is, I'll always have that wish. Still for a book about genies, it was one that broke the stereotypes about 3 wishes, magic lamps and all that jazz and gave it a little twist, that had me loving most of it. The parts I didn't like were few and far between. Overall I have to say I can't wait for the second installment.

Sunday Recap

Weekly Recap: 5/3-5/9

 So just in case you may have missed what went down this week on The Guy's Side here is my very first weekly recap!

Monday: A Magic Dark and Bright Review

Tuesday: Engage Release Day Blitz and Giveaway

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday #5

Friday: Beauty and a Book #1

Saturday: Stacking the Shelves #5 

So not the most productive week in the way of reviews, it is actually my first productive week I've had since I started blogging. I'm really hoping that I can keep this up and start posting stuff daily, or almost daily like it was this past week.What all did you guys enjoy about the blog this week? 

I did give the blog a bit of a makeover this week as well! I have to say I'm loving it much more than my original all green background.

Stay tuned for the upcoming week when I have even more stuff planned to write about, including a couple of reviews that are a bit overdue. Ah well better late than never am I right?

Have You Seen This (part 2)

Have You Seen This?

As the book nut that I am there are some ARCs that I'm in search of and thanks to Andi at Andi ABCs and Brittany at Book Addicts Guide for creating have you seen this to help collectors find those hard to get books to finish their collections.

So what I'm looking for are ARCs of:

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Ensnared by A.G. Howard

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard

The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

The Boyfriend Project by Rachel Hawthorne

The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson 

If you have any of these or know anybody who does tell them to look me up and I'll see what I can do in return! Thank you!!