Elves On The Shelves ~ My Xmas Picks

It's December, bookworms! 

And whether you're having a white Christmas, or a sunny one, there's no better way to spend the holiday season than with a good book...or two...or more! 

To get you all prepped for the holiday season, I'm here with my Elves On The Shelves post - a brief list of Christmas-y themed books that I've read and loved. For the sake of this post, the term 'books' will also be extended to compilation novels and bonus scenes. 

So, without further ado, let's begin! 

#1: A Cliché Christmas

Author(s): Nicole Deese

'I know I sound like a Scrooge to admit such a travesty, but believe me, when you build a career on Christmas cheer and holiday hype, the warm fuzzies of nostalgia fade faster than Hollywood's latest scandal.'

Refreshingly honest and beautifully written, A Cliché Christmas is anything but cliché! 

Emphasising the importance of family, love and making memories, it's a book you're going to want to have on your bookshelf these December holidays.

Plus it has a really cute guy in it. I mean...what more could you ask for?! 

To see my review of A Cliche Christmas go here

#2: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Author(s): Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

“You think fairy tales are only for girls? Here's a hint - ask yourself who wrote them. 

I assure you, it wasn't just the women. It's the great male fantasy - all it takes is one dance to know that she's the one. All it takes is the sound of her song from the tower, or a look at her sleeping face. 

And right away you know - this is the girl in your head, sleeping or dancing or singing in front of you. 

Yes, girls want their princes, but boys want their princesses just as much. And they don't want a very long courtships. 

They want to know immediately.”

What's that noise, you ask? Oh, you know...just me fangirling over Dash & Lily's Book of Dares!

It's a book that brings to life the truth every bookworm knows in their hearts: love can be found in a bookstore. Take that non-believers! 

When Dash finds Lily's notebook and takes up the challenges she's left in it, it's the start of a love story that will stay with you long after the final page. 

Comical - and downright adorable - it's a must-read :)

Book Blitz ~ Insanity 2 by Cameron Jace

I'm super excited to be a part of the Insanity 2 by Cameron Jace Book Blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!

Book Details

Title: Figment: Insanity 2 (Mad in Wonderland Series #2) 

Author: Cameron Jace 
Publication date: December 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Retelling, Young Adult

Synopsis

'After her encounter with the Cheshire Cat, Alice Wonder can hardly tell reality from imagination. 

But when kids have their head chopped off and stuffed in watermelons all over the city, it’s clear that another Wonderland Monster has arrived, possibly scarier than the Cheshire. Alice, along with Professor Pillar, have to solve the killer’s puzzles before a catalytic event threatens the death of millions. 

Then Jack Diamonds appears again. 

This time, Alice must know who he really is.' 

Purchase from Amazon or B&N today!

 

Also, check out the book's Pinterest page! 

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout ~ Review

Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1)
By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Recommend for: 18+

My rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars


'"Who is it?"
(...) "How would I know? But she kind of looks like that chick from the movie Brave. You know, the one with the really curly red hair."

What. In. The. Hell.

"She's got really pretty blue eyes, though."

Though. Though? As if that somehow made up for the fact that I had frizzy red hair like a Disney character.

"S**t," said Harris. His footsteps thudded down the stairs. "That'll be Ivy Morgan."

Seriously? That's how people know me? They could say I looked like the chick from Brave and they were like oh, that's Ivy?

I needed to dye my hair stat.

Wait, why was this dude watching Disney movies?''


My thoughts on the book:

Before I begin, I want to let it be known that Wicked made me fall head over heels for a guy who watches Disney movies.

And by now you're probably thinking, "Oh, Booknut, who is this fantastic hunk who sounds too good to be true?" Well guys, he's a stunning specimen of manhood that goes by the name of Ren Owens.

And if you want to know more about him, you're in luck - 'cause I'm here with the 'Top 4 Things Fangirls Need to Know About Ren Owens!'

#1: He loves the movie Brave (correction: he's in love with Merida)

'I reached under my pillow, grabbing the iron stake I always kept there. Before he moved, I placed the very pointy end against his throat, right over a very important artery. "Role reversal, b**ch." 

Ren let his arms fall to the mattress as he stared at me through impossibly thick lashes. "That move was really kind of hot." I narrowed my eyes. "You really are Merida." 

"Who in the hell is Merida?" 

One side of his mouth kicked up again. "The chick from the movie Brave with-" 

"The frizzy red hair. Got it. Thanks. I'm seriously going to stab you." 

"She didn't have frizzy hair," he argued. "And besides, she was hot." 

I stared down at him. "You think a Disney character is hot?" 

"Have you seen some of those Disney characters?" 

"She was not hot." 

(...) His brows lifted. "She could kick ass, therefore she was hot. 

(...) "This conversation has taken a weird turn."'

#2: He has a great sense of humour (which is not often appreciated by those around him)

"I belong to the Elite, an organisation within the Order. No one outside of the Elite know about us. We put the secret in Secret Squirrel."

#3: He's a good kisser (NB: It's kind of a requirement for all of Armentrout's boys!)

'Ren cupped my cheek, his hand gentle as he titled my head back, and before my heart could take another beat, he kissed me. 

It was no slow or seductive kiss. 

He claimed my lips as if he were laying claim to my body, to my soul, and every part of me.'  

(Please excuse me while I fangirl)

#4: He blushes when he's embarrassed. 

Which is so, so cute! 

'She took a sip of her tea as she eyed him over the rim of the glass. "Renald Owens." 

"Renald?" Looking at him, I raised both brows. "Your full name is Renald?" 

Was that two splotches of pink I saw blossoming across his cheeks? Ha! He was blushing. "Why do you think I go by Ren?" he replied drily.'

As for the rest of this amazing book, there are so many things I simply loved about it. 

The main one being Tink, Ivy's roommate (a.k.a a magical, flying brownie).

True, Tink isn't Ren. But Tink brings a whole heap of comedy (most of it inappropriate) to Wicked...as well as the following awesome things:

• Harry Potter references:

'Grabbing a scarf off the chair, I threw it at him. 

He caught it, clutching it to his chest as he flew into the air. "You gave Tink a scarf. Tink is free!" he flew out into the hallway like a little cracked-out fairy, screeching, "Tink is freeeee!" 

Ren looked at me. "What in the actual f**k?" 

I sighed. "He's obsessed with Harry Potter. I'm sorry." 

Tink darted back into the room, holding the scarf to his bare chest. "There is no reason to apologise when it comes to Harry Potter." 

"You do remember what happened to Dobby, right?" I said. 

"S**t." Tink's eyes widened and then he dropped the scarf.'

• Vague LOTR references:

'Tink lifted his chin. "Your guardians basically only guard those gates - their positions are virtually useless except for the fact that they hold knowledge of the location, and that makes them only valuable to the fae. One does not simply walk to a gateway and open it."'

• Supernatural references:

"I've been fooled by a Winchester wannabe." He clasped his hands over his chest and swayed before toppling over onto his side. "There is no way to save face. I shall off myself now."

• Tink's army of troll dolls (don't ask)

Overall, I can safely say that Wicked is a brilliant addition to Armentrout's collection of tales and to any bookshelf. So grab your iron stake and get ready for an adventure!

Have you read Wicked or do you plan to? What was your fave quote? 

Let me know below!

The Sham by Ellen Allen ~ Blog Tour Review

As a part of the The Sham by Ellen Allen Blog Tour run by YA Bound Book Tours I read and reviewed The Sham, a YA contemporary mystery thriller.

To check out the rest of this blog tour go here for the official schedule.

I was provided with a review copy of the book via Ya Bound Book Tours - however, all opinions expressed in this review are purely my own (to find out more, please visit my disclaimer page).

Book Details

Title: The Sham

Author: Ellen Allen 
Publication date: September 7th 2014 

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars

Audience: On the author's own recommendation, this book is not suitable for younger readers. I recommend being 17+, as the book contains adult situations and language, as well as strong violence (murder scenes, etc.). 

Review

'I can list fifteen, twenty ways that Jack isn't normal.

The way he can remember every single thing he learns. The way he seemingly hasn't had a past. There's no evidence that Jack exists. At all. And we've spent days, weeks, months trying to work out who he is, where he came from, how. But he's always holding something back, like I'm not enough of a grown-up to hear.

I swear I'm in love with a hallucination.'


Synopsis: When love leads to death, be careful who you trust…

Eighteen-year-old Emily Heath would love to leave her dead-end town, known locally as "The Sham", with her boyfriend, Jack, but he's very, very sick; his body is failing and his brain is shutting down. He's also in hiding, under suspicion of murder. Six months' ago, strange signs were painted across town in a dialect no one has spoken for decades and one of Emily's classmates washed up in the local floods.

Emily has never trusted her instincts and now they're pulling her towards Jack, who the police think is a sham himself, someone else entirely. As the town wakes to discover new signs plastered across its walls, Emily must decide who and what she trusts, and fast: local vigilantes are hunting Jack; the floods, the police, and her parents are blocking her path; and the town doesn’t need another dead body. (x)

My thoughts on the book:

The Sham is a twisted labyrinth of signs, lies, and buried truths. 

From the very beginning I could tell that it was unlike any book I'd ever read. The Sham sets the reader up from the start to prepare for an ending that isn't all sunshine and rainbows...and to realise that there are no answers to be found in the present - rather we, the reader, must look for the answers in the past. 

Just like The Sham's main protagonist, Emily. 

The first sentence of chapter 2 grabbed my attention:

'I hadn't seen them coming, Dead Body and her friends.'

Referring to a certain character as 'Dead Body' is one of the many quirks of Emily Heath. Emily's voice/consciousness in this book is eerily loud and ever-present. Her eccentric descriptions and often awkward conversations help to flesh her out as a character. 

What stands out about The Sham is its eccentric undertones - seen mainly through the unique descriptions.

'Blood is seeping from his nose, which reminds me of something Mum's new husband Stevie once said, how his family's jam factory was bombed in the war. How the house down the road were smeared in jelly, dead bodies covered in marmalade, everything buried in strawberry jam.'

(Needless to say I won't be looking at jam the same way again!)

The Sham requires you to be open-minded and patient.

I will admit - I did have a bit of trouble getting into this story at first. I think the main contributor to this was Jack, and his riddle-esque way of talking. I wanted straight answers as much as Emily did! 

It's always hard to accustom your mind to such a different style of writing from what you normally read. It's not at all a reflection on the book - which was honestly intriguing, and brilliantly written.

But once you do adjust your way of thinking/reading...it's totally worth it!
I found myself getting more and more drawn into the story's underlying mystery, searching for 'suspects', and trying to piece the clues together. I was cheering Emily on as she got all 'Nancy Drew', searching around the town. 

This book also has a special brand of humour.

What I really liked about this book was how the humour and romance elements didn't overpower or take away from the main plot. And when I did come across them, it was a nice change from all the horror:

'"I might ask a lot of questions, but you don't ask any."  

"What should I be asking?" he said. 

"Whatever you want." 

He nodded, processing. Finally, he asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"That's your first question?" I said. 

He was amused to see me squirm.'

Warning: this book is not for the faint of heart!

There is lots of blood. And horror. And murder. So...basically, if you're the kind of person who can't handle Halloween, American Horror Story, and/or animal cruelty, I don't think this is the book for you.

But, if you're a mystery/thriller genre-lover, I recommend giving The Sham a read.

Have you read The Sham, or do you plan to? Let me know below!

**A big thank you to Ellen Allen & YA Bound Book Tours for giving me the chance to read & review this book**   

Book Blitz ~ My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling

I'm so excited to be a part of the My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling Book Blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!

Book Details

Title: My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1) 

Author: Tellulah Darling
Publication date: April 1st 2013

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult

Synopsis

'Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:

a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)

b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy teen yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a YA romantic comedy, Greek mythology smackdown. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book one of this teen fantasy romance series. Compared to Kai and Sophie, Romeo and Juliet had it easy.'

Purchase from Amazon, ITunes, Kobo, or B&N today!

(only 0.99c on Kobo, iTunes, and Amazon)

Book Blitz ~ Walled by Anne Tibbets

I'm so excited to be a part of the Walled by Anne Tibbets Book Blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!

Book Details

Title: Walled (The Line #2)

Author: Anne Tibbets
Published by: Carina Press (HQN) 

Publication date: December 1st 2014
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult

Synopsis

'Freedom means making brutal choices.

Rebel lovers Naya and Ric have survived one year in hiding, raising Naya’s twins from infants to toddlers in the shadow of the brutal Auberge dictatorship. 

They’re alive, and they’re together, but the city is crumbling around them and the haunting memory of Naya’s dark days on The Line have never fully left them. Living in isolation won’t be an option forever.

When a mysterious revolutionary seeks their help to infiltrate Auberge’s electronic heart and shut it down, it’s an opportunity—it’s risky, yes, but if it works they’ll get out of the city and taste freedom for the first time. Naya needs this. They need this.

Beyond the broken walls of Auberge, Naya and Ric find the paradise they’ve always longed for. But with anarchy reigning and Naya’s children lost amidst the chaos, they’ll need to forfeit their post-apocalyptic Eden…or commit an unspeakable act..'

Purchase from Amazon or B&N today!

Release Day Launch ~ Fragile Reign by Stacey O'Neale

I'm so excited to be taking part in Stacey O'Neale's release day launch for Fragile Reign!

Check out the book below and be sure to enter the amazing giveaway!

Swoon Worthy Saturday ~ Richelle Mead's Adrian

Hosted by: Stay Bookish

It's Swoon Worthy Saturday! Saturday is a day for swooning. Swoon Worthy Saturday is a weekly meme where in we present a fictional boy who has swept us off our feet, given us butterflies, made our heart do acrobatics and driven us absolutely crazy!

This Saturday's pick is the wickedly gorgeous Adrian Ivashkov from author Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. 

Book Blitz ~ Thunderlight by Adrienne Woods

I'm so excited to be a part of the Thunderlight by Adrienne Woods Book Blitz hosted by YaReads BlogTours!

Book Details

Title: Thunderlight (The Dragonian Series #2)

Author: Adrienne Woods 

Publication date: November 21st 2014
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis

'Vibrant, scale swathed wings… Abilities that can be harnessed by a chosen few… Dragons…

All this may seem like old news, but for seventeen year-old Elena Watkins the world of Paegeia is not finished revealing all its secrets. 

During a summer break intended for relaxation, she discovers that her harrowing adventure to retrieve the King of Lion sword wasn’t the destiny foretold by the cryptic Viden, a dragon with the ability to see a person’s true fate. 

The words inked onto the page of the mysterious Book of Shadows remains black and Elena must return to Dragonia Academy to discover their true meaning.

Upon her return to the magnificent castle she has to face a challenge of a different kind, keeping her boyfriend Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of Tith and love of her life, away from the dangerous new student, Paul Sutton. As a Wyvern, Paul has made it his mission to claim Elena as his rider but he is proving to be more perilous than at first glance.

Everyone knew that Wyverns were bad news, and just as evil as the darkness that lurked inside Blake Leaf, the Rubicon forced to fight against his inner nature every day. But Elena can see a small light lurking in the darkness, a destiny still unfulfilled; to prove that Wyverns can be claimed.

Will Lucian’s dark secret about Wyverns and Elena’s need to prove their true nature cause their love to be torn apart? And which of Elena’s friends will be sacrificed this time if she is wrong?'

Want to read Thunderlight?

Waiting On Wednesday ~ Verum by Courtney Cole

Waiting On Wednesday is here! 

Hosted by Breaking the Spine, Waiting on Wednesday is a chance for me to showcase some of the books sitting on my overflowing to-read list...so you can add them to your steadily growing to-read lists! 

This week's pick is Verum by Courtney Cole. 

Verum is the second book in Ms. Cole's NA mystery romance series, The Nocte Trilogy. 

The book is to be released on February 2nd 2015.

Quick Picks ~ Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan

Warprize (Chronicles of the Warlands #1) 
By Elizabeth Vaughan

Rating: 4.5

'"But he has claimed tribute."

(...) "What does he claim?" I took a step toward Xymund. Still, he did not turn. I looked around, but no one would meet my eyes.

At last, general Warren drew a breath. "You," he cleared his throat. "He claims you as tribute."

"Me?" My voice squeaked and sounded like it came from a distance.

Xymund did not turn. "As a slave."'

My thoughts on the book

Would you sacrifice your freedom for peace?

That question tends to be the one that lingers after you've read the final page and closed the book. Xylara's choice - to give up her freedom, her control over her own life - in order to save her people and work towards a lasting peace, is admirable to be sure.

This book's plot, filled with difficult choices and trials for its heroine, is centered around the strengths and limitations of females in antiquity, especially those that led lives among the ranks of the nobility.

I loved the gypsy feel of the Plains people. The rich culture, vocabulary, traditions...it came to life on the page! Xylara's relationship with them changes and strengthens as she begins to realise her own potential and what it really means to be free.

Freedom is a choice. It is not something that can be taken from you.

On a funny note, every time they referred to Xylara as the 'tribute' the Warlord was demanding, I kept having visions of Xylara emerging from a crowd of villagers and staring defiantly at the Warlord, saying: 

Although Xylara acts more like Prim/Peter than Katniss. She's a healer and - although badass - doesn't know how to fight, hunt or use a bow. 

So...she's basically Katniss' less moody twin sister who smiles more (no offense, Katniss!)

Have you read any books from the Chronicles of the Warlands series, or do you plan to? Let me know below! 

Book Blitz ~ Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune

I'm so excited to be a part of the Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune Book Blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!

 

Book Details

Title: Coral & Bone

Author: Tiffany Daune

Publication date: July 7th 2014

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis

'Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame.

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can’t help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. 

And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.'

Purchase FREE (November 18-22) from Amazon here

Book Blog Love ~ I Get Interviewed!

Many of you will know how much I love getting the chance to interview authors. It's always a wonderful opportunity for me - and other readers - to get to know them, and their books, better.

Well, recently, I was totally blown away when Tellulah Darling (author of The Blooming Goddess Trilogy) approached me regarding an interview. 

I had to re-read her request at least ten times to make sure it was real! 

It was such an honour to be a part of Tellulah's Book Blog Love November. It also features many other YA bloggers you may know of, and is a great way to get to know the ladies behind the blogs. 

Tellulah made the interview process fun and a bit of a mind-twisting exercise (some of those question were very hard to answer!). Doing this interview has to go down as one of my blogging career highlights! 

I fangirled many times during this process. Especially when Tellulah Tweeted about the interview:

It's Book Blog Love Nov! Come meet @Booknut101 and her fabulous blog 21st Century Once Upon a Times. http://t.co/X6w9AIEEUN
— Tellulah Darling (@tellulahdarling) November 16, 2014

If you'd like to check out the interview (we discuss book boyfriends, 3 things you didn't know about me, and more!) you can see it over on Tellulah's blog here. 

Before I finish, I'd like to give a big thank you to Tellulah for the opportunity. I had so much fun <3 

Swoon Worthy Saturday ~ C.L. Stone's Silas

Hosted by: Stay Bookish

It's Swoon Worthy Saturday! Saturday is a day for swooning. Swoon Worthy Saturday is a weekly meme where in we present a fictional boy who has swept us off our feet, given us butterflies, made our heart do acrobatics and driven us absolutely crazy!

This Saturday's pick is the swooooon-worthy Silas from author C.L. Stone's The Ghost Bird series. There are 10 books planned in the series, with 7 released so far. The latest book, House of Korba, was released last month, on October 27th. 

Thursday Quotables ~ Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Hosted by BookshelfFantasies

It's Thursday Quotables today! Thursday Quotables is all about sharing a favorite quote, line, or passage from your reading each week. You know it's a good read when you come across a bunch of memorable quotes!

Today's quote comes from Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe. Earth & Sky is a YA sci-fi fantasy novel centred on seventeen-year-old Skylar, who has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong.

The quote I'm picking to share is one that describes this sensation Skylar experiences. I loved the sentence construction, the choice of words...everything! 

Waiting On Wednesday ~ Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting On Wednesday is here! 

Hosted by Breaking the Spine, Waiting on Wednesday is a chance for me to showcase some of the books sitting on my overflowing to-read list...so you can add them to your steadily growing to-read lists! 

This week's pick is Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 

Wicked is the first book in Ms. Armentrout's upcoming NA paranormal series,The Wicked Saga. 

The book is to be released on December 8th 2014.