VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR: Familiar Ties by Naya Nikki

Debut author Naya Nikki is touring for her contemporary romance FAMILIAR TIES with Tourz de Codex and we are proud to present ourselves as the fourth day stop in this delightful ordeal.

About the Author

Born and raised in London, England, Naya Nikki is a student who’s spent most of herlife taming her creative streak through writing short stories. She’s signed her first contractwith InkSpell Publishing to publish her first book “Familiar Ties.” The story follows thejourney of two single parents whose daughters want nothing more than for them to become ahappy family. 

She is currently earning a degree in English with a minor in Creative Writing thatwill allow her to build her writing career. When she isn’t at the university, Naya lovesnothing more than spending time with her parents and grandparents as well as meeting herfriends for gossip sessions over some hot coco.

• Official Website
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About the book

Max West is a widower raising Phoebe, his four-year-old daughter. Phoebe has to live with the fact that the day she was born is also the day of her mother’s death. As her fifth year without her mother approaches, Phoebe finds solace in her godmother, Amy Riley, and her daughter, Grace Crawford, another single parent family.

Amy Riley is a successful fashion designer who spends most of her days raising her four-year-old daughter, Grace, while her wayward boyfriend is travelling the world making the next best film. As the fifth year without her best friend looms she finds comfort in her ex-boyfriend, Max, and his daughter, Phoebe.These two “broken” families have a tough week to face as the dreaded day approaches.

However through their past, present and debatable futurewill their choices affect the outcome both parents clearly want and are simply denying? Or will Phoebe and Grace lose the only “whole” family they have ever known?

A Special Treat: A Book Excerpt

              “Wait a second.” Ryan picked up the soccer ball from beside the goal. He knew Max

well enough to know that when he started missing goals, something was up. He turned the

ball in his hands however that didn't stop the amusement in his voice. “You almost kissed

Amy?”

              Max's eyes grew larger as he looked over to his daughter and Grace. They weren’t

paying attention as they chattered happily to each other. He stepped towards Ryan, “Keep it

down. I don't want them to know.”

              His younger brother kicked the ball once and then looked up. He chuckled, “So has it

been too long and you need some pointers?”

              He walked toward the ball and kicked it straight into the goal. It bounced off the

backboard and flew back toward them. Max chuckled, “Trust me when I tell you, I’ll never

come to you for pointers about kissing Amy.”

             “Why? Because you’ve spent enough time doing it?” Ryan retaliated as he jogged for

the ball. Once it was in his footing, he passed it to Max, who passed it back.

              “Yes.” He answered easily. As he realized what he’d said, he cleared his throat. “I

mean, no. That's not-” He exhaled deeply. “What am I supposed to do, Ry?” He felt

completely helpless. He checked on the girls and then turned back around. “I shouldn't be

trying to kiss her. We're not like that.”

              Ryan rolled his eyes, “Oh come on. That's crap and both you and I know it.”

              “What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked. Despite the question, he felt his stomach

tighten. All he'd been thinking of was how pretty she looked and how her eyes sparkled with

laughter as she wiped the melting ice cream from his chin. He remembered how the sun

framed her face. Before he knew it, he wanted nothing more than to cup his hands on her

cheeks and crash his lips against hers.

              “You know exactly what it means.” Ryan said simply. He watched the way his

brother's face changed, eyeing the smile that rested upon it. Ryan surely knew that smile.

“You and Amy have been attached at the hip since Phoebe was born.” He stated. “To be

honest, I'm surprised you haven't kissed her already.”

              “She’s with Jack,” he said quickly. Max looked away and closed his eyes. He had to

swallow before he stumbled over his words.

“That jerk's never even around.” Ry answered just as quickly. “And you know Amy

deserves better.”

"Did you enjoy this snippet, well don't forget forget to come back and follow what the next tour spots have to say about this book"

Tour Schedule

28th May - Pragya @Reviewing Shelf  

29th May - Nicole @Purple Penguin Reviews  

30th May - Aliaa @Mademoiselle Le Sphinx

31st May - Aparajita @Le' Grande Codex  

1th June - Emily @On Emily's Bookshelf

2nd June - Kathleen @Jersey Girl Book Reviews

3rd June - Laura @What's Hot?

4th June - Danita @Danita's Blog

5th June - Krishna @Journey with Books

6th June - Beverley @A Reading Daydreamer

7th June - Latoya @Little Library Muse

8th June - Beth Art From the Heart

9th June - Nilsa @Nilsa's Book Blog

10th June - (read, watch, listen) - Disincentive Reviews

11th June - Theresa @Just One More Paragraph

Still On Mind #4

"Still on Mind" is a weekly event, hosted at Ya-Aholic, every thursday to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

Touch of Power (Healer #1)

by Maria V. Snyder

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Why this is still on my mind?

"This was the first book I read in 2012 and this was the first book of Maria V Snyder that I read...oh I plan to read all of her books soon... but whats more striking with this book is the level of details put forth in this world.

Check my review here - http://le-grande-codex.blogspot.in/2012/01/healer-1-touch-of-power.html"

Oh and be sure to enter my 1st blogoversary giveaway here

Nightwatchers #2 Dark Kiss

Its a dark and its a sinister kiss, it definitely can't get more sinister than with this perfect cover.... presenting Nightwatchers #1 Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen.

Here is the summary of the book:

I don't do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... NIGHTWATCHERS When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

There is a demon abound in present day Trinity, new York and reeking havoc and hindering the peaceful flow of both heaven and hell. To tackle this problem both heaven & hell sends a team of their chosen ones to work together and put a stop to this demon. this is where Samantha Day comes in. She is an everyday teenager who spends most of her time being invisible or with her best friend Carly. but it all changes with a kiss - just one kiss from her long time crush - now she feels hungry all the time but first she has work to do. 

With the fall from above the team of angels and demons need to be found and made remember their task and the hunky dirty blonde with the most striking blue eyed angel Bishop, the leader of the group needs her help to find his team members. Without meaning to Samantha becomes a part of the group - a Snow White with her own motley group of dwarfs. But what of her apparent attraction towards Bishop and how long can she control her hunger for souls that remains to be seen.... Maybe this problem is just the beginning.

First of the Nightwatchers series, Dark Kiss lays the ground work here, a solid one too. There is a perfect coherency with all the parts of the story. The setting, the mood and the theme are all inclination of the coming of something wicked. Most of all the balance is maintained and balance is all that matters. To accentuate such Ms. Rowen throws in some intense characters, Samantha, Bishop, Kraven and a horde of others to play their role. They share a yin-yang chemistry. All good things need something dark to keep the balance. 

Samantha is a simple teenage girl who spends her day invisible but it all changes with one kiss now everyone wants a bite of her(literally) but she is strong willed and knows right from wrong to know that she needs to get her soul back in order to prevent disaster. Bishop is the angle who is the leader of the group but the fall did something to him, it messed him up his head and he craves Samantha's touch because with only her touch does he feel alright. Kraven is the demon in the group, there are two more in the group but i'm not going into that right now. Kraven is sarcastic, rash and is perfectly capable to speak his mind and most of all cares for the mission and his brother.

With Michelle Rowen's intense and creative wordplay, Dark Kiss turns out to be a very compelling read. And it is enough to keep the reader at it until they get to the end - the biggest compliment to any author. Dark Kiss is a passionate, compelling and intense read that you can't miss out on. I'm definitely waiting on WICKED KISS now.

"Its intense, its sensual and its dark - this is just the beginning for Samantha, Bishop, Kraven and the crew"

Genre :      Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy


Publisher: Harlequin TEEN


My Copy: Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was amazing)

Smitten over Books: Comeback giveaway!

I'm Participating -

Link - Smitten over Books: Comeback giveaway!:

As promise, here's the giveaway! These are some of the April/May titles I'm most anticipating.  You can choose from any of them as long as ...

      

Shatter Me #1 Shatter Me

Its different and its marvelous..presenting Shatter Me #1 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi ....... don't know why I hadn't read it when i got the book in February, 2012 because its soooooo goooooddddd.

Here is the summary of the book:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.


Shatter Me proved to be better than I originally thought. This is how the story goes like. Juliette can't touch anybody. Her touch is dangerous, her touch is power... Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world Juliette has been long since isolated from civilization because of this curse she bears. Long since isolated and kept in solidarity in an asylum of sorts, all Juliette wants is to feel the touch of another.... all Juliette wants is to touch somebody - anybody and not kill them with her touch. All this starts to change when she gets a new cellmate, Adam. Its a blast from the past. Juliette knows the guy, this was the Adam from her school. This was the boy who always stood up for her at school whenever they were mean to her. But there is more to Adam that meets the eye, is he really working with the enemy... the leader of the Reestablishment, Warren or is he there for a whole lot of a different reason and most important for Juliette - she is not alone, there are others like her out there but with different abilities. It is just the matter of choosing the right side and whether it is where you need to be or not.

This book is jaw-dropping awesome - I'm in love with the way Tahereh Mafi produced this wonderful read. This is the first book of the series and suffice to say, it lays a good background to the book. This is a post apocalyptic world we are seeing here, there are no birds left, humans in their wants/desires have destroyed everything only a few habitable areas are all that is left in this world. Juliette is our main protagonist. We see and feel everything through her eyes. She is strong willed, has her priorities right....but all she wants after being isolated for so long is the touch of another and most of all she just wants to be accepted and loved.

Adam on the other hand is the perfect male protagonist. It wasn't really clear at first if he was the good guy or the bad one but he turns out to be a great person and all he wants was to keep Juliette safe from the reestablishment. Adam is passionate and righteous and will go to great lengths to keep Juliette safe and sound and away from the enemy's reach. The love between Juliette and Adam is just so intense and swoon-worthy. Its like a strong current of the river that takes you over the edge and you just can't help but be one with the flow.

To counteract the goodness that is Juliette and Adam, there is Warren, he is a psycho and he is the leader of the reestablishment and lusts after power. He wants Juliette for what she can do and wants her by his side to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies and the resistance and will pull all the stops necessary to do so. Shatter Me is definitely a breadth of fresh air. There is enough action throughout to satisfy an action junkie and enough room to keep a romantic happy. It was intense, passionate, dystopic, action-packed and gritty. I'm all for what the next book in the series has to offer.

"Its post-apocalyptic-dystopia meets the x-men and the fantastic four"

(You will need to read the book to know why I compared it as such)

Genre :      Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia, Post-apocalyptic


Publisher: Harper 


My Copy: Courtesy of the 2011 christmas giveaway at saz101


Rate:              5/5 (It was amazing)

Happy 1st Blogoversary!!!

Today is one auspicious day....today is the day my blog turns 1 (it was supposed to go up yesterday but still bear with me)...oh *snif-snif* i'm so happy today.....

I have to thank so many of you to make this day possible..all the books I have read, all of you who commented...

So to celebrate this day, I want to do something for you...two giveaways for you guys...because its so important to give back (I know i'm quoting Jesse St. James here!)

So the order of the day there will be 2 giveaways, both will have cool prizes and both prizes are offered by 2 cool author. You all can enter both since they all INT.

A look at the prizes:-

From Giveaway I:

 

From Giveaway II:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stracrossed #2 Dreamless

I'm such a sucker for a good mythology and this one definitely tips the balance. Meet my new book love Stracrossed #2 Dreamless by Josephine Angelini.

Here is the summary of the book:

Can true love be forgotten? As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on. Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder. As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos. Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.


Still reeling from the awesome that Starcrossed, I eagerly skimmed through the next one, Dreamless...and have to say though Ms. Angelini doesn't disappoint. Dreamless is if i do say so myslef even better than Starcrossed. This is how this begins. So Helen and Lucas now know that they are family and they can't be together, an excruciatingly painful realization (please say it ain't so!) and Helen's mother Daphne suggests an impossible task upon Helen, she being the only scion who can descend into Hades at will. So it is now up to her to find a way to end this vicious circle of endless hate that had been the curse of all the family for eons. But there is a problem, due to the uncontrolled visits to the underworld when she goes off to sleep regularly, she is not able to overcome the fatigue that follows as she mind is not able to rest in this ordeal.

Lucas, the Delos family and her friends are at a loss of what to do and it is in these trying times that a light shows through the darkness...in the form of the funny and brave scion, Orion.This mysterious scion is the only thing that protects her in Hades but there is a ruthless plot is up and about them ... something of a higher order is coming and the furies are getting more vicious than ever. Soon enough her peaceful life in Nantucket is in Chaos ... maybe forgetting is the key but can she forget the love of Lucas Delos .... True love as it is is very hard to come by.

My word what to do....what to do...while Starcrossed proved to be the base of the case...Dreamless is the icing people. Josephine Angelini's work is really commendable. Helen was the main focus this time with the others playing big supporting roles. She is the only one who can descend into Hades and she is the only one who can do...so this responsibility proves to be a great burden for Helen. Which she takes in strides. We feel a big connection to her this time around. We feel everything that she feel and its not always happy. Lucas the hunky scion takes a back seat in here and he is more than vulnerable. He is forced to be bad to the one girl that he loves and he can see what that is doing to her everyday.

Orion is definitely the comic relief in here being all funny and brave and out emerges a love triangle, well it didn't really look like a love triangle to me because Helen still seems to be pro Lucas and the things only get hot and heavy when Orion powers up (thats a spoiler...sorry couldn't resist) so it can be very well said that it is just lust and not love like she feels for Luke. Last but not the least, the mythology. It clearly played a great part in here what with Helen and Luke in the underworld and battling creepy Gods...well suffice to say there is action everywhere, be it in the underworld or be it above ground. Suffice to say i'm definitely hoping that the last book is going to be the cherry at the top of the cake.

"While Starcrossed proved to be the base of the case...Dreamless is the icing of the structure - Ms. Angelini sure did not disappoint"

Genre :      Young Adult, Romance, Mythology, Urban Fantasy


Publisher: Harper TEEN


My Copy: Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was amazing)

Follow Friday #15

"Follow Friday" is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog. Don’t forget to comment and leave your link so I can return your follows.

Q: Activity! Dream cast your current read.


ANS: I'm reading Dark Kiss, Arise and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter right now...but the Abraham Lincoln movie is about to come out and i'm pretty happy with the cast, just read only 2 chapters of Arise but i'm halfway through Dark Kiss and definitely so into it....so i'll be presenting my dream cast for Michelle Rowen's book.

My choices for Samantha and Bishop -

Emma Watson as Samantha Day

Liam Hemsworth as Bishop

Still On Mind #3

"Still on Mind" is a weekly event, hosted at Ya-Aholic, every thursday to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

by Suzanne Collins

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival.

Why this is still on my mind?

"This was my introduction to the dystopia genre....and it was a DAMN GOOD ONE....It is one book you don't forget, the hardships, the child abuse, forcing them to fight to the death against each other just to make a statement of it really made my heart go out to them...all the whole while I had read this book, only one thing was going on inside my head 'somebody please kill president snow'....and OMG the movie..I'm in Love with the movie...it was so impeccably done and very much precise"

Waiting on Wednesday #6

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection :

The Essence (The Pledge #2)

by Kimberly Derting

(No synopsis yet but i'll definitely be getting my hands on this book because I absolutely loved book 1)

Covet (The Clann #2)

by Melissa Darnell

(Again no synopsis but i wanna read this because I totally loved CRAVE...although this cover is less than likable)

Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2)

by Stacey Jay

All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

(Reasons for this? - I just read Juliet Immortal and I'm really curious about this book....and seriously come that cover is enough to leave you all hot and bothered)

SO, WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK, Hit the comment section and don't forget to mention your post links ....would love to know what you all are waiting for.

Juliet Immortal #1 Juliet Immortal

A new twist to the age old classic tragedy, one of Shakespeare's famous plays. Presenting Juliet Immortal #1 Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay.

Here is the summary of the book:

Fans of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush will relish this intense paranormal love story featuring Romeo and Juliet, literary history's most tragic couple, who meet again, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies. The most tragic love story in history . . .Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

A new and twisted turn to the original Romeo & Juliet, so Juliet didn't really kill herself but was murdered by Romeo in his hunger for immortality. But Juliet was turned into an ambassador of love, jumping bodies every century and always thwarting Romeo's plan to preserve innocent lives and true love. After 700 years somehow things are changing...now Juliet meets someone she's forbidden to love....so what will Romeo do...and what are the Ambassadors and Mercenaries really....and why are both Romeo and Juliet's powers waning in this era...

This book had been sitting on tbr pile for such a long time so i thought why not give it a shot because I'm been hearing a lot of mixed reviews about this book and the fact that the next book is about to come out with that very hot cover, so I thought why not give it a try.....and it was so so for me. This is basically a twisted paranormal sequel of Shakespeare's famous romantic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. And I never really liked that play, so it was a little hard for me to into. But got to say though Stacey Jay really did a great job on this.

The narrative is absolutely marvelous. Juliet is one spunky heroine, but she has some trust issues. Her romance with Ben was really sweet and Ariel's(whose body Juliet is occupying) best friend Gemma is for a lack of a better word, a train wreck. Gemma is one messed up girl, you never know what she is actually feel at the moment and Romeo is another story altogether...and he plays the role of a jealous guy perfectly. The author does a great job trying to incorporate the story of Romeo & Juliet in here but what I actually felt a little lacking in that aspect. The mythology while very much detailed was definitely not needed in here. The story would actually have been much better if the paranormal quota wasn't involved. But i'm willing to give it a chance and see how Romeo gets to redeem himself after being left as a rotting corpse.

"If you are a fan of Romeo & Juliet, then this is your book - a twisted paranormal sequel of Shakespeare's famous romantic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy


Publisher: Random House Children's Book


Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Hereafter #1 Hereafter

It felt new and it felt unique....see what I have to say about about Hereafter #1 Hereafter by Tara Hudson.

Here is the summary of the book:

Can there truly be love after death? Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life--or her actual death--she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but "will" him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever. Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, "Hereafter" is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Is there something waiting for us on the other side? That is the one question that plagues us all. What happens when we die? Do go to heaven or hell, or the stories about the Underworld in Greek/Roman mythologies or the belief of moksha or the Christen believes actually true...but more importantly can you love after you have died...and this is what the story is based upon.

Amelia is already dead...she is an unclaimed ghost and all she knows of her old life is drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river that seems to be the cause of her death. She has been trapped in there for a long time and the her long and lone wandering and that nightmarish river is all she knows. Her wandering afterlife takes a drastic turn when she saves this local teenager Joshua from drowning in that same river in which she had drowned. Willing him to live, in a moment of connection she saves his life. Now Joshua can see her and somehow this connection between them grows stronger and stronger by the passing minute....they are falling in love but the secrets of the dark and mysterious river and the evil spirit, Eli will do all they can to drag Amelia back to the hereafter...it up to them both to prevent it but do Amelia and Joshua have any future together....they can't stay together sooner or later Josh has to move on....

Hereafter is....a great piece of writing...I know that doesn't say much about the book but don't worry i'm going elaborate. One of the greatest factors about this book is its writing..how Tara Hudson's words make it so much compelling. Then there are the two protagonists, Amelia and Josh. Amelia is a stranded spirit, who had died sometime ago by drowning in the mysterious black river and then there is Josh, he is the human whom Amelia had somehow saved. Josh is the only one who can see her and somehow he is also the only one who can make Amelia feel. There chemistry and their romance is definitely very lovely and like a light in darkness. Being a ghost and a human they somehow make it work. Then there is Eli, the bad guy...he is definitely perfectly suited for this role of a Harbinger of doom and he wants Amelia to join him but she is less that inclined to do it....good for her.

Now lets see the cons of this book. There is only one actually and that the love between Amelia and Josh. I know this is supposed to be a work of fiction but its still a tall order to digest the fact that Josh, a human and Amelia, a ghost are in love with each other and want to stay together. Granted Amelia's story is a sad one, she had no one to guide her in her afterlife and Josh is the only thing she knows but someday or the other she needs to move on. On the whole its a pretty okay read and not too great. Maybe I can give the next book, Arise a try.

"Strangest couple ever seen - a sudden love between a ghost and a living human"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: HarperCollins


Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Starcrossed #1 Starcrossed

A new and modern take on the greatest classic of all times of a face that launched a thousand ships. Presenting my views of Starcrossed #1 Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

Here is the summary of the book:

Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention. Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?

You had never really had a love interest before but then you see the one who is meant to be your soulmate and true love but you have the sudden urges to kill him/her on sight...definitely not a peaceful love life for you. And this is what Starcrossed is based upon. 

It all begins on the island of Nantucket with the beautiful and strong Helen Hamilton who leads a peaceful high school life (somewhat!) with her best friend Claire but it all changes when she sees Lucas Delos for the first time and tries to kill him right there in front of the whole school. And its not just with Lucas but the entire Delos family....i.e., whenever any member of the Delos family is in her vicinity she sees these ghastly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears resulting in both Helen and the Delos family to feel large bouts of irrational hate and the desire to end each others life. 

Fate sure knows the ways of messing with love because Helen and Lucas find out the three ladies or aptly the three fates insist on them playing the front-runner in the biggest Greek tragedy of the face that launched a thousand ships aka Helen of Troy, and as her namesake she is destined to to start a war by falling in love. While Helen and Lucas clearly love each other and there is a powerful attraction in play....but it all comes to them - will they take the easy way out risk everything or sacrifice it all to save everyone. 

Starcrossed in every ways was Starcrossed, truly an emotional ride. To the feeling of first and true love to the realization of the heart break that you can't be together....to the development of things and the fight for what is right - Starcrossed is one hell of an amazing piece by Ms. Angelini. The chemistry between Helen and Lucas is simply very sizzling and throughout the pages you will feel everything they feel, every joy, sorrow, happiness and the simplest of feeling shared between people in love. There is one good thing about Helen - she is not whiny or ditsy and Lucas is definitely not a masochist. Action lovers will also not be disappointed, there is plenty of that throughout. Helen is one hell of a heroine, she is a fighter and she is resilient but she is also downright very shy. Lucas is everything a girl wants for in a boy - tall, dark and handsome! Thus, things are definitely looking bleek but i'd very much like to see what Lucas and Helen's future will hold, if their demigod ancestry is of any question....

"Its a mystery, suspenseful and thrilling page turner - you are a fan of Greek mythology and love a good young adult story with all the elements of fun, love, happiness etc. and this is the one book you can't miss out on or recommend others to"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mythology


Publisher: Harper TEEN


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Still On My Mind #2

"Still on Mind" is a weekly event, hosted at Ya-Aholic, every thursday to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book(s) that is still on my mind is...[sorry i added the "S" this time]

Harry Potter Boxset (Harry Potter #1-7)

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of a wizard, Harry Potter and his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's quest to overcome the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose aims are to become immortal, to conquer the wizarding world, subjugate non-magical people, and destroy all those who stand in his way, especially Harry Potter.

Why this is still on my mind?

"We are talking about the big guns here....Harry Potter constituted the best 10 years of my life....I laughed, cried, ohhed and ahhhed with them because they brought magic as a wonder to us muggles(*winks*) on that i'm thinking a re-read and full movie marathon is definitely on my criteria for the holidays...they were definitely the reason that turned me into the book junkie that I am today...ALWAYS"

Interview with Eileen Cook

Hey all this is me again and i'm after much hassles I finally found the email that had the interview question and answers with one of my favorite author.....give it up for EILEEN COOK....Ain't she a wonder???

Q. Tell us something about yourself.
I always want to make up something really exciting when I'm asked this question, how I love paragliding, used to work as a archaeologist in Egypt, and how I spend my weekends hanging out at swanky Hollywood parties. I'm actually pretty boring. I'm an American who now lives in Canada, I read a lot, and although I've visited Egypt, I never dug anything up. I spend my weekends walking on the beach with my dogs or curled up with a good book.

Q: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?I would disagree with this statement, I think there are writers who are great at story stories, or novels, or poetry, or songs, or screenplays. I think trying all the different formats is great for a writer, it gets you to push your comfort level and learn new things, but I don't think you have to be in short stories in order to write other things. Passion has a lot to do with it, although I like short stories, I read way more novels, that's the form I find more interesting.

Q: How to you research for a book before you begin the writing process?
Research depends on the book. I tend to start with a library search, librarians know the most wonderful things and you can ask them anything. (Trust me, I called our library up once and asked what was the best poison to kill someone if you didn't want to get caught and they answered me!) I head home with a big stack of books on subjects related to the book and read up on anything that might be useful, other's I'll skim and then return right away. I also enjoy talking to people who have experienced whatever I am researching. For example, right now I am writing about a character who is adopted. I've set up some interviews with teens who were adopted so I can talk with them about the experience.

Q: What is the best part of writing for you?
I love the first draft. The story feels new and exciting, I haven't screwed it up yet. Although I have an outline before I start, I find during that first draft I am still surprised at what might happen. Those twists and turns are exciting for me.

Q: Did you always have in mind to be a writer or it just happened?
I've wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I was always a big book junkie. I was one of those kids who always had a book with them. However, I went through a period of time where I thought being a writer was a nice idea, but just a fantasy, like saying you want to be a princess. I focused on getting a "real job," but I couldn't give up writing. Eventually I realized I might not ever make it as a writer, but I wouldn't for sure if I didn't try.

Q: Now since this Q&A is based on your latest book UNRAVELING ISOBEL, so the questions will be based on that book only. How would you describe UNRAVELING ISOBEL in a sentence?UNRAVELING ISOBEL is part ghost story, part love story, a bit creepy, and hopefully a lot funny.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your book?
Unraveling Isobel is about Isobel who when her mom remarries finds herself living in a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere. Her very first night in the house she sees a ghost and she spends the book trying to figure out if she really saw the ghost, if she's going insane (like her father), or if someone is trying to make her appear insane in order to get rid of her.

Q: How did the idea of writing UNRAVELING ISOBEL sprang up in your mind?
I was talking with a friend about ghosts. I was saying that if I actually saw a ghost I wasn't sure what I would think. Would I think it was real? Would I think someone was pulling a trick on me? Would I worry that I was having some kind of hallucination? Then I started thinking about a teen who saw a ghost and how she might respond, especially if there was a history of mental illness in her family. Those thoughts and questions were the start of the book.

Q: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?I used to write completely by the seat of my pants, now I tend to outline before I start. I think it is the same amount of work, you either do it before you start by figuring out the outline, or you do it as you write and get stuck. I don't do a huge outline, but I do have the rough idea of what happens, what the characters want (and what they need- which may not be the same thing as what they want.) I leave some blanks so that there is room to explore things as the book develops.

Q: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?
I love to knit. I'm not very good at it, but I like to buy really nice yarn like silk or cashmere because I just like the way it feels.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?
The best thing writing for a living is having other people read your books. I love writing and would do it even if no one paid me, but having other people respond to your books is amazing. The biggest downside is that there is a lot of the business that is out of your control. You might write a great book, but readers may never find it, or people may be sick of that topic. Why one book becomes popular and another book doesn't can be a mystery.

Q: How similar to its principle protagonist and the main cast are you?
There is always a little bit of me in every character. Isobel and I have the same sense of humor, a tendency to be sarcastic when we're nervous and a very active imagination.

Q: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?
When I have writers block it is usually because I am trying to force a scene to work. I see block as the characters way of telling me that I am trying to make them do something that they don't want to. When it happens I step away from the computer and do something else, take my dogs for a walk or go to a movie. I give my brain a chance to turn ideas over and come up with a better solution.


Now some simple questions and more fun^^

-Your favourite books and author?
Argh, how do you ever pick a favorite? I read everything from paranormal, to historical, to non-fiction, to mystery, to contemporary, and even a bit of science fiction. My favorite depends on my mood.

-Your favourite band/singer?
I love jazz music, Diana Krall is a favorite.

-Twitter or Facebook?

I like both, but I spend more time on Twitter

-Favourite place in the world?

London! I could spend forever in that city and never be bored.

-Last movie you watched at the cinemas?

Tinker, Tailor, Solidier, Spy. It's the kind of movie you need to be paying attention to the whole time.

-The last book you’ve read?
I THINK I LOVE YOU by Allison Pearson. I thought it was a lot of fun.

-Have you ever googled yourself?
I want to say no, that I don't ever wonder what people say about me, but the truth is I do all the time.

-If you wouldn’t be a writer, what you would be?
I worked as a counselor, but if I could do anything I would love to direct movies.

-And last one....print or ebooks?
Both! I love print books, I like to see them all lined up on my bookshelf, but I find ebooks fun too. It's nice to be able to travel with a whole stack of books without having to cart all that weight around. 

Q: The cover of UNRAVELING ISOBEL is really awesome. Did you have any inputs in it?
Thank you! I love the cover too, I like how the vines wrap around her wrists. My publishing team is great. They usually talk with me before they start the design process and ask me what type of feeling I want the book cover to convey and then send me drafts as they come up with different ideas.

Q: If it ever gets turned into a movie then who would you like to see on the cast?I'm terrible at this because I would want to cast Colin Firth, not because there is a particular part for him in the movie, but because I'd love to meet him. Johnny Depp too. I might cast unknown actors, I always find with popular actors you spend the whole movie thinking about how they compare to other parts they've played.

Q: What next after this?
I am putting the finishing touches on a book called THE ALMOST TRUTH. It's about Sadie, a teenage con artist. When she discovers that she looks like the age enhanced photo of a missing child decides to pull the ultimate con, until she begins to suspect she may actually be the missing girl. It will be out in December.

Q: What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?
Read a lot. Books are the best teachers. Take a book you love and explore how the author put the story together, when does the story start? Who's the main character? How would the story be different if it was from someone else's point of view? What made you hooked on the story? Were there places when you couldn't put it down? What was happening in those scenes?

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