Book Tour: Invision by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Features & Giveaway)

So thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Invision, the seventh installment of Chronicles of Nick by best selling author, Sherrilyn Kenyon. As part of the tour, I get to share with all of you a short excerpt from the book and the video trailer.

Also, there’s a fabulous giveaway hosted by the publisher where you got a chance to win signed copies of all the books from The Chronicles of Nick. Yes! that’s correct, 7 signed books of Sherrilyn Kenyon and the best part, there are seven sets that are up for grabs, which means more chance of winning!

But before all that here’s a little more info about INVISION

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: Invision
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: May 02, 2016
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover, eBooks

Think you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders? Nick Gautier was born to bring about the end of the world . . . it’s not easy being the heir of a demon overlord.

But Nick is determined to thwart his destiny and get into a good college. To be more than his genetics and prophecy foretell. No one is ever going to tell this stubborn Cajun who and what he really is. Or how to live his life.

Not even the Fates of the Universe. But now that he and his team of ancient gods and demons have claimed the Eye of Ananke and he sees the missteps of the future, he has to battle the demons within that are far deadlier and more treacherous than any he’s battled before. All the while his arch nemesis is back and determined to reclaim his place as the harbinger for Armageddon. Even if it means killing Nick and barbecuing everyone he loves to do so.

Book Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads | Publisher

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, INVISION

Hanging his head, he pushed his chair back to face her. “What do you want me to say, Kode? You saw what I did. It’s hopeless. I’m going to end this world. Whether it’s tomorrow or a thousand years from now. I’m going to lose it all. Break bad and tear humanity apart. . . . Don’t matter what we do. Whatever we try. We just delay the inevitable outcome. So I’m going to sit here with my eats. And just . . .” he let his voice trail off as the full horror of his future played through his mind for the five millionth time.

He was the end of everything.
Everyone.
All he loved.
The entire world would one day fall to Nick’s army of demons.

Yeah, there was something to put on his college applications. That ought to have schools lining up to accept him. Who wouldn’t want that as their alumnus? We have graduated senators, presidents, movers-and-shakers, and the Malachai demon who ate the world whole…

It was the one reality Nick wanted to deny and couldn’t. Everything eventually came back to that one inescapable fact he wanted to runaway from and couldn’t.
I’m only sixteen. Too young to deal with this crap.

He was supposed to be worried about his grades. About keeping his girl happy. Staying out of trouble. His mom finding his friend’s porn magazines stashed in his room. Getting to work on time. Making curfew.

Not hellgates and demons coming for the throats of his family and friends.
Definitely not about the fact that his birthright was to bring on the destruction of all humanity.

BOOK TRAILER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular in the #1 spot. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre in which she writes. With more than 40 million copies of her books in print in more than one hundred countries, her current series include The Dark-Hunters, The League, and Chronicles of Nick. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures.

Find Sherrilyn

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• Signed copies of THE CHRONICLES OF NICK!

To enter

Click the photo below to be redirected to the giveaway hosted by the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin

 

Good Luck!!!

Angelfall by Susan Ee

“If I was good at marketing, I’d spin you an empty story that sounds profound. But the truth is that we’re all just stumbling around in the dark. Sometimes we hit something terrible.”

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.

Personal Thoughts:

It’s been awhile since I last read angel stories not because I don’t like these celestial being but because most of fiction stories I have read about them are a let down. I haven’t found something that really stand out or at least leave a long lasting impression. That’s why it took me long while to finally dig in to this series even with so much positive raves from the book blogging community.

With that said, I go into Angelfall with less expectations.

Angelfall as the first installment is pretty entertaining and engaging read. Susan Ee waste no time introducing this dystopian world full of fallen angels battling each others and the human race. Right from the start you will feel the panic, the danger and urgency which basically makes the story engaging and moving.

Penryn Young and her family are on their way to find a safer place when they witness a fight among angels. While the fight is happening a group of fallen angels took her sister Paige. Without much idea how to get Paige back, she help saving one of the dying angel Raffe with the hope that he can lead her to where the other angels took her sister.

Susan Ee’s wordings are simple and a bit repetitive. Coming from a fantasy read wherein the author used lots of metaphors and offers deep philosophies, I can’t help but noticed that Susan Ee’s style is so pale in comparison. But with the simplicity of writing comes an easy flow of reading and well paced plotting. The imagery is quite vivid even with little world building. The world that Susan Ee created is dark and gritty which balance well to her characters and their snarky dialogues.

Penryn and Raffe are both pragmatic individual. They are practical and straight to the point which basically create fun dialogues between them. I enjoy their banter, verbal fights and their overall dynamic. The fact that their relationship is not concentrated in romance but more on survival makes the story more engaging for me. In a bleak world where the earth is almost at its end, it is more realistic to have characters that are busy trying to survive or fights against the enemy than to waste their time finding romance or love interest. I’m really glad that Susan Ee didn’t make this so much of a love story than story of survival.

I also like how gritty and dark this post apocalyptic world that Susan Ee created. Human eating cat food or even human flesh to survive, no shower for days or water to drink – it feels more appropriate and real for a world set in its near end. If only there’s more exposition about how the the world came to its end and more explanation how the angels become ‘harbingers of doom’ who are willing to destroy the entire world I think the world building will be more solid. But since this is only the first installment of a three books series Susan Ee has more room for development. The rebellions, war from different ends, angel politics, and human turned to demons are more than enough to keep this whole series engaging and entertaining.

Overall, Angelfall is a thrilling start to this angel post apocalyptic series. Though nothing really new in terms of the angel mythology and post apocalyptic world, the danger and characters are enough to keep readers on the edge of their seat.

* This review is based on an eBook I received courtesy of the publisher, Amazon Children’s Publishing via NetGalley.

Book Sale: Reaping Me Softly

The second installment of Filipino author Kate Evagelista’s The Reapers series, Unreap My Heart will be out this coming September 17, 2013 and now the first book, Reaping Me Softly is currently on sale from Amazon & Barnes & Noble. You can get the eBook for only $0.99.  To know more about the series check the books details below.

Title: Reaping Me Softly
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623429-11-0
E-ISBN: 978-1-623429-11-9
Length: Novel
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Cover art by: Liliana Sanches
Published by: Omnific Publishing

Book Description:

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

Read Excerpt

Watch the Book Trailer

Buy Now

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Omnific Publishing

Praise for Reaping Me Softly:

“This book was an addicting and exciting adventure that I didn’t want to end.” — Steph from A Dream Within a Dream

“Kate Evangelista has written an engrossing paranormal story which had me laughing, oohing, swooning and totally believing main character Arianne’s escapades.” — Laurie from Reader Girls Blog

“Reaping Me Softly grabbed me right from the first page and kept me intrigued all the way through.” — Tee from A Diary of a Book Addict

“Reaping Me Softly was an extremely engaging read. Once I picked up the book, I couldn’t put it down.” — Krista from Breathe In Books

Title: UnReap My Heart
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623420-49-9
E-ISBN: 978-1-623420-50-5
Length: Novel
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Cover art by: Liliana Sanches
Published by: Omnific Publishing

Book Description:

Only a villain can save the day.

During his thousand year banishment in the Nethers, Balthazar thought of nothing but taking over the Crossroads from Death.

On the day he puts his plans into action, Balthazar finds the Crossroads on lockdown. Death has been stabbed by Brianne’s Bitterness, a blade that slowly leaches him of his powers. In order to challenge Death for his seat and prevent utter chaos, Balthazar is forced into a mission to find the Redeemer, the only being capable of pulling out the blade from Death’s chest. The only person who can identify the Redeemer is a human girl in the Crossroads whose soul is still attached to her body.

Meeting Arianne Wilson pushes Balthazar’s patience to the limit. In a deal he makes with Death, he must protect Arianne during their journey through the Underverse using all the resources available to him. He soon realizes the one he needs to protect is himself. For as much harm as it inflicts on Balthazar’s body, trekking through the Underverse with Arianne is proving more dangerous for his heart and soul.

Can the villain remain a villain when love gets in the way?

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers, #6) by Rachel Vincent

“Forever used to feel like a curse. Now it feels like a promise.”

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn’t get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….

Personal Thoughts:

As any regular reader of this blog know, Soul Screamers series is one of the few paranormal novels that I continue reading past of first three books. Normally, for paranormal series I can only handle a trilogy, more than that will need a lot of push and convincing already. But in Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series I don’t need any convincing, I can devour every single page of every book of this series anytime.

So we are now on the sixth book, after this, only one book is left before Kaylee’s story will end. After the previous book, If I Die, I honestly don’t know how Rachel Vincent can top her plot anymore. I mean, seriously she kill Kaylee, her main protagonist of this series in that book. But as I said from my review before, If I Die is the game changer part of Soul Screamers series, it remade the whole series by giving the ultimate twist which in return leaves a lot of room for more twist and turns to the next book. Just like Kaylee’s new found life anything can happen in here and Before I Wake surely used that advantage to continue Kaylee’s adventure to the living world and Netherworld.

After Kaylee’s death from If I Die, she is back again with us, and this time as one of the undead. Kaylee is now working as an extractor, reclaiming stolen souls. She is trying to live a normal life in-spite of the fact that she doesn’t actually living anymore. As hard as she tried, connecting to the real world is not easy. Most of the times she is drifting away, that even as simple task as breathing is not normal anymore.

Before I Wake focus on how Kaylee tried to adapt with her new life. It’s a big adjustment for her, pretending to be alive in front of everyone and to care in mundane things even she knows for a fact that those things are not for her anymore. The way Rachel Vincent explores Kaylee’s conflicting emotions in staying to the living world is smoothly done. She made Kaylee vulnerable without stripping her hero complex character. The Kaylee who is struggling to exist for everyone she cares and love is the typical Kaylee we all know. Which just shows that even she thinks she is loosing her humanity after death, she is still the same Kaylee who will do anything for the sake of the people she loves.

And with Kaylee being newly dead, not only her is doing an adjustment but also the people around her, the people who knows what really happened to her after the incident with her Math professor from If I Die. Kaylee’s father is one of those people and he is just as lost as Kaylee. But he is trying his best to help Kaylee, trying to live life as normal as he could. I think no one suffers as much as he did when Kaylee died, not even Tod nor Nash. As a father who is just catching up with his daughter after leaving her to his brother, he is still in the process of making up with Kaylee, but after her death, how can he catch up anymore? Even if Kaylee linger around, pretending to be alive things isn’t the same anymore. He lost his daughter and nothing can change that, not even Kaylee’s ability to be visible and linger around.

Other than Kaylee’s Dad, Tod is the most supportive to Kaylee. I think no one understand Kaylee better than Tod. Being also undead, he’s the one who really knows and understand what Kaylee’s going through. He’s been there before, fighting the boredom and monotonous of afterlife. And he is really a great help to Kaylee as he is always there to support her and reminds her that everything will be alright. When Kaylee thought that she is losing her humanity, Tod is there to remind and show her the reality of the situation. He keeps Kaylee’s hope and make her afterlife more meaningful.

“You’re not lost, Kaylee. You can’t ever be lost, because I’ll always know where you are. And if I’m not there with you, I’m on my way, and nothing standing between us will be standing for very long.”

Nash is still as oblivious as he is. He doesn’t have even have a slightest clue how much Tod love him. Poor boy, if he only knew what his brother did for him. Well, eventually he will knows for sure, there’s only one book left and I think Rachel Vincent will use that revelation to give Nash and Tod their long-waited reconciliation. I still believe that Nash deserve happiness and peace even he acted as a jerk sometimes. That’s why it is nice to see in here that he is at least trying to build-up some sort of friendship with Kaylee. He is just lost and I know he’ll find the way back soon. He will be the same Nash that we met during the start of this series or maybe better.

Avari as a nemesis doesn’t feel so frightening to read anymore. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I don’t feel Avari as a real threat in here. As if Avari is not a worthy enemy for Kaylee. We all know that Kaylee can really kick-ass and a heroine with a heart like her, for sure she she can do anything she put her heart into. She already gave her life to save Emma, Sophie and Nash in If I Die, isn’t that enough proof of what she can really do? So why gave her again her old nemesis who’s only motivation is his greediness? If there’s just more reason why Avari isn’t giving up getting Kaylee’s soul, the plot may be more thrilling to read. Sorry but being a hellion of greed isn’t enough reason for me, I really wish there’s a deep-seated motivations behind his plans. I didn’t get it from this book but I’m hoping that the next and final book will give me enough reasons. That there is a much deeper motivations from Avari than his greediness.

Before I Wake is a solid story that continues the ever exciting and engaging Soul Screamers series. With Rachel Vincent’s top notch writing, witty dialogues and fast-paced plot, Soul Screamers continue to be on its game of being one of the best young adult paranormal series out there.

Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick

“I knew there was no magic trapdoor to escape through. I couldn’t run; I couldn’t hide.”

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank’s absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels – destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

Personal Thoughts:

When I started reading this Hush, Hush series of Becca Fitzpatrick, I am still at the height of loving paranormal genre in YA. Which makes it easy to like and enjoy the first two books of this fallen angel story. But just like any readers, my preferences also changes. There came a point that I feel swaying away to angel and vampire books because I’m not getting something new anymore. Those angel books that I got the chance to read in the past months are mostly miss than hit. That’s why it took a lot of convincing for me to get back into Nora and Patch world.

Having own the first three books, my inner hoarder self want to buy this last book just to complete the whole series for my shelf. But I also wonder if after few years my copies will end up on a donation box just like the hardbound box set of Twilight Saga that I own few years ago. In the end, I give in and dive in once again to this fallen angels and Nephilim world hoping that Becca Fitzpatrick will give me a satisfying conclusions for Hush, Hush series.

The story picked up right after where the previous book, Silence left off. After Hank Millar died, Nora was left with a task to lead the Nephilim army to war against the fallen angels. Problem is, her boyfriend, Patch is one of the fallen angels. Which put Patch and Nora in the middle of the war. Also, Nora as the new leader isn’t much accepted by her fellow Nephilims. They doubt her capacity and her alliance. So in order to gain their trust, Nora and Patch decide to staged a break-up to mislead the Nephilim army. At the same time they need to find a way to stop the war before it even happens.

For the first several hundred pages nothing much is happening in the story. The war between the Nephilm and fallen angels that I am anticipating since the previous installment isn’t playing well on the plot. It is just all about Nora, her training, and her issues with the people around her. No intricate plans about the upcoming war other than, act like two people who hate each others in front of Nephilim.

In Silence, I thought Nora is on her way in showing some maturity. So I expected her to finally stand out in this book. Instead she go back to the annoyingly irritating version of herself. She makes some impulsive decisions, show unnecessary jealousy and do some stupid things awarely. There are times that I thought she finally acting more mature but she will always bounced back again to the other side.

As for Patch, I just miss him. I miss his presence and his old self. Yes, he is still present in the story but he is a bit behind the curtain. It feels that there’s not enough of him and he is a bit different too. Though I like his romantic side, in here he sounds more sappy and cheesy to me. No more dark and mysterious fallen angel that I used to like.

The war between Nephilim and fallen angels plot line has a lot of potentials. It can offer so much actions and twist and turns. But it didn’t reached the right peak that I am waiting for. It just fall short for me. I think it has something to do with the narration. Nora’s point of view didn’t give much justice. There’s so much going and happening at the background that Nora couldn’t access. Maybe if this is written in multiple point of view, like maybe some part from Patch or Scot then we can get more interesting side stories other than Nora’s self-absorb version. The story should be not about Nora’s insecurity or jealousy, it shouldn’t be about what she think about Dante or what she think about Marcie. It should be about the war and what she and Patch can do about it.

As for the plot twist and turns, nothing massive happen. Most of them I already predicted way ahead. From the real villain to the possible ending and even the side characters revelations. The only thing that I didn’t see coming is the thing with Detective Basso, which I think doesn’t offer much impact to the story. Or it’s just me who don’t care much about it? It maybe justify why Detective Basso is present in all other books but it didn’t give much difference to the plot. It almost feel totally random without any hints or explanations given.

“But strength doesn’t always mean brute force. You don’t have to kick ass to be a fighter. Violence doesn’t equal strength….

War isn’t going to solve anything, but it will tear our two worlds apart, and there will be casualties, including humans. There’s nothing heroic about this war. It will lead to a destruction unlike anything you or I have ever seen”

Compare to the previous books, I think Finale is a bit inferior in terms of tension building and mysteries. I din’t feel the same excitement from Crescendo nor the same thrill that Hush, Hush offers. In here, the villain isn’t as menacing as I expected and the conflict was resolved too easily. The action packed battle that was promised by the previous books didn’t happen. It feels to me that Becca Fitzpatrick played this final installment too safe.

Overall, Finale is a well written story that concludes the Hush, Hush series neatly. Though nothing explosive and much interesting really happens, it still offers something for the series. With less expectations followers of the series might enjoy this conclusion of Nora and Patch love story.

SWEET EVIL Read Along Week Four: Halloween

This is the fourth and final week of Sweet Evil read along hosted by Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads together with her other co-host bloggers, Rachel of Fiktshun, Jaime of Two Chicks On Books, Tara of Tater’s Tall Tails and Nancy of Ravenous Reader. This week topic discussion is Halloween and we are required to read chapters 26 through 31 (pages 341-447). From these chapters we encounter Kaidan and Anna attending a Halloween Party which is where this week’s theme is based.

As for my Halloween…

Well, truth to be told, my Halloween experiences were as boring as they can be! I never experience attending Halloween party as a kid. Trick or treat doesn’t exists in my location until much recent years when I am too old to participate. My younger memories of Halloween is spending it with my family and relatives visiting the graves of our death relatives, bringing flowers, food and praying for them. On the night of Halloween, my Mom always light candles on our altar and even in our door steps. I don’t understand much what are those candles for, other than each candles represents each of our death relatives. Maybe it’s part of remembering them during this season and sending prayers as well.

Other than those usual ceremony, I also spend Halloween watching scary movies with my cousins, or simply chatting in dark with ghost stories scaring each others. Stories I never discover the authenticity which makes it harder to believe as I get older. I never really get scared by their stories anyway, no matter how interesting and convincing they delivered it. I like watching scary movies especially Japanese horror films, but I haven’t found one that really scared the hell out of me.

I never experienced attending costume parties for Halloween until when I was much older to organized one for others. My parents, especially my Mom doesn’t really approved of partying during Halloween, unless you are a kid. That she can tolerate more. She think Halloween should be spend more for the dead people, than attending party. Kids now a days are way luckier than me. They got the chance to do trick or treat with their friends, get candies or sweets and attend Halloween costumes parties.

Back to the book…

I already finished reading Sweet Evil during the second week of the read along. But I still do a re-read once in awhile as I love re-reading Kaidan’s scenes. Some of the quotes I like from this week required chapters read are:

“I’ve got a joke for you,” Kaidan told him. Jay nodded his head, ready.
“What’s the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?”
“I don’t know. What?” Jay beamed bright yellow.
“A savings bond matures and eventually makes money.”

“What do you want from me, Kai?”
“For starters?” His voice lowered to sexy, dangerous depths. “I want to introduce myself to every freckle on your body.”

For those who haven’t read the book yet, I hope those two quotes above will be intriguing enough to finally push you to start reading. You don’t want to miss Kaidan and Anna’s story. And since this is the final post for the read along, let me thank you once again the organizer/host and co-hosts of this event. Without their effort I wouldn’t discover Kaidan and Anna’s world or simply met Kaidan.