Mini Freak Out: Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

Mini FREAK OUT!

Goodreads Blurb

Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

There is, by the way, cussing.
For those of you who don't know, Mini Freak Outs are where while reading, I scribble down my reactions and post them along with a 2-3 paragraph review.

1: Chills. I have chills.
5: Oh my God what is this.
17: Liam is sort of adorable. I LOVE HIM ALREADY
39: I want to be all IN YOUR FACE to Miss Ronan right now
40: I sort of don't know WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED but kudos to Anna for not freaking out
44: I LOVE ANNA SO MUCH RIGHT NOW OMG. SHE ISTHE BEST
59: Oh my GAWD. FINALLY
65:OMG IF THIS THING HAS SELKIES IN IT I'M GOING TO PEE MY PANTS WITH EXCITEMENT
67: YES.
77: I love their relationship!!!
90: I think my heart hurts.
98: Giggles. I have giggles. OH LIAM. *giggles*.
100: CREEPINESS
107: OMG SOMETHING'S HAPPENING I JUST KNOW IT
110: Oh my freaking GAWD what the hell just happened?! READING THIS AT 1 AM WAS A BAD BAD IDEA
119: Would I have Anna's reaction or would I be freaked out by a dozen paintings of me?
121: WOAH WOAH WTH. OH GOD
127: THANK YOU, PA. I AM UNBELIEVABLY RELIEVED
133: LIAM YOU STUPID STUPID BOY. DON'T BE SO SUPERSTITIOUS AND DO YOU REALLY THINK ANNA OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU.
139: EFF OFF NICK. NO. I AM DUBBING YOU DICK. FUCK OFF DICK. OR I SWEAR TO THE GODS IN THIS BOOK I WILL MURDER YOU MYSELF.
149: Anna you are simply the best.
153: Anna rocks.i
156: This book is killing me. In a good way.
167: I am getting increasingly worried. Oh God.
172: LIES. SHUT UP YOU NA FIR GHORM
173: Oh CRAPTASTIC SHIZZLER TWIZZLERS
177: I DENY THAT STATEMENT YOU BLUE SKINNED FISHBALL
182: Oh my God
193: THEY ARE ADORABLE
198: BECAUSE THEY ARE YOU NINCOMPOOP
209: I LIKE YOU BEAN SIDHES
216: I AM CREEPED OUT
220: CRAP. I FEEL SUSPICIOUS.
225: CRAP. OMG. SHIT. OH CRAP. OMG. YGYSEDYUHOKPL WHAT IS SHE COUNTING...
227: She knows...everything.
229-231: Oh effing crap.  THIS BOOK JUST. OH GOD
241: SCREW THIS TOWN AND 98% OF ITS PEOPLE
245: Oh screw you effing blue fishball. DON'T YOU DARE HURT MY BABIES. *cuddles Anna and Liam*
253: Crap. Sticks.
262: I love you Francine, but I feel bad for Muireann
268: LIES ALL OF IT. I CALL BS
292: I love them. Have I mentioned that?
297: Poor Anna, so confuzzled!
300:  I HATE YOU
316: Blue fish balls? DIE YOU EFFING BASTARDS
325: I. Am. Dying.
344: Oh my fucking God
350-351: What the fucking hell just HAPPENED OH MY GOD. CHILLS.
360: J,GRSRSYVIL,L,LK,PKHYSEAWARDYVPMPKBJUGCRYTREATYVIH UNNIPNPNOVUGXGFX
363: THAT BITCH
373: WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH. IS SHE....OR IS SHE...WHAT?! I die. I'm dead. Just. Don't talk to me. 

To sum this book up in two words, Ashes on the Waves was most definitely hauntingly unique. The Gothic atmosphere just leaves you utterly speechless and the love story leaves you simply breathless. I absolutely fell in love with the couple and with the world Lindsey has created with selkies (some of my favorite mythical creatures!), Na Fir Ghorm, Bean Sidhes, and more! I loved the Celtic lore mixed in with the Gothic feel, creating a truly original world with all the dark and twisted that an Edgar Allen Poe retelling needs.

You can call it insta-love, but this is, in the end, a tragic love story--more so than Romeo and Juliet for sure! It's beautiful and mournful and absolutely heartbreaking. The ending was as tragic as one would expect. Not the glowing HEA I was desperately hoping for, but perfect for the story and perfect for a Poe poem. My only complaint was that it was a bit predictable to me, but the romance was absolutely brilliant.

Pages: 387

Genre: Gothic/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: June 27, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Goodreads Blurb

Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?
In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members of the flock. They moved here following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:
Pioneer is her leader.
Will is her Intended.
The end of the world is near.
Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.
Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands.

Gated was an absolutely fascinating read with an original concept and an absolutely brilliant villain!

Cults are always a fascinating thing, but I doubt we ever understand why they're so...crazy sometimes. Gated definitely gives us a first class look in on cults! Pioneer was an amazing villain and he was so suave with his manipulation and, honestly, I'm not quite sure if he was a psycho and really believed what he was saying...or if he was just a really good actor. But he was by far the most interesting part of Gated!

My only complaints was the romance and the plot. While there were a ton of twists, they were really just clumped in the end. The first half of the story was pretty slow, though it gave us an amazing look into Lyla's life and Pioneer's...methods. And, while sometimes I wanted to bang my head on a wall, I could definitely understand why these characters did what they did.

The romance was insta-love, definitely (and sadly.) My only relief about it is that, while it was completely insta-love, it didn't play a major major roll in the plot. We never really focused on it and Cole (our boy outside) was only mentioned a few times, really.

I really did adore this book though. It was a new idea and was definitely written well, I think, for someone who never got involved with a cult (err...I hope.) It was definitely a new perspective seeing this from the inside out! I sort of expected this to be apocalyptic and it definitely had a dystopian feel to it. I have to give it to Parker--she definitely knows how to make something like this creepy! (Those lasting words in the end...oh God. The shudders.)

Different with just the right touch of chilling, Gated is a must read for people who love dystopians and those who love those wonderfully written and different contemporaries!

Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary/Cult
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Random House Children's
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Rating: 3.5 stars

Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

Goodreads Blurb

I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.
Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.
Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK. 

But instead of ranting to you, I would like to link several tweets of mine.

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313861405109538816

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313860439668817920

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313861696131301376

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313850454176038912

The idea of Some Quiet Place is original and too amazing for words! I absolutely loved meeting all the Emotions and Elements and seeing how their “jobs” affected their personality and I think that Kelsey Sutton wrote these characters perfectly.Then again, I’m sort of biased since I’m part of the Fear fan club!

Speaking of Fear, the romance(s). There was a love triangle, but it was far from annoying. Okay, I lie. It was absolutelyfrustrating whenever Elizabeth would choose Joshua over Fear. Sure, Joshua was sweet and adorable and all, but he was so…boring, compared to Fear. (It’s obvious, whose team I’m on, isn’t it?) Fear was definitely my kind of YA boyfriend—cocky, arrogant, sweet at times, and always there for her when she needs it. Also, paranormal abilities. Fear was such an amazing character who I loved.
What surprised me was that I honestly wasn’t sure, at first, who she would end up with. And, when I finally thought I knew who she’d end up with, it turned out to be the other guy. Which surprised me, but…well, no hints. But when you read it, I bet you’ll be able to tell my reaction immediately. It induced a lot of…strong feelings.

Elizabeth was a…well, I can’t really describe her. While she couldn’t feel the touch of Emotions, she still seemed to care about people. She was a strong character, though I’m not quite sure if that has to do with her or the fact that she didn’t feel hatred or humiliation or guilt or any of those. There really are no words to describe Elizabeth!
Joshua was, like I said, a sweet character who seemed to love our heroine and he was…understanding, in a way. But he also struck me as a bit naïve and I sort of wanted to kill him for taking Elizabeth away from Fear.
And I already pretty much described Fear, but let me say it again—he was absolutely one of my favorite YA guys ever. EVER.

I did not expect any of this. At all. I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen and while a bunch of crazy theories were running through my head, none of them were even close! Here’s what happened—my eyes went wide and mouth my dropped open. My heart broke, then fixed itself, and then it went swimming in my stomach. It then started running to who-knows-what and promptly died. At least, that’s how I felt while reading Some Quiet Place. You guys, you guys, you guys. There are no words for the twists or the plot. And I also almost cried, which if you guys didn’t know, is pretty weird for me since this wasn’t a contemporary in any way.

The world building was magnificent too! How the Emotions and Elements were personified and how they lived on another plane, and how they could duplicate themselves so that they could attend every summons, and how their effects still lingered after. It was all ingenious! But I did have some questions—if the Emotions felt emotions, wouldn’t the others come? And how could they ignore some of their summons when there’s a rule that they can’t? There were a few world building holes, but otherwise I did love it! They didn’t really interfere with my enjoyment of this that much anyways.

Some Quiet Place has managed to climb its way up to one of my favorite debuts of 2013! It’s near perfect and one of those books I can’t stop recommending. I’m hoping everyone’s going to pick it up and squeal over Fear this book with me!

Pages: 350

Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural

Series: Some Quiet Place #1

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: June 8, 2013

Rating: 10/5 ABSOLUTE STARS

OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu

Goodreads Blurb

When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he's her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again. 
But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can't stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic... and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a ton about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she's obsessed. 
Bea tells herself she's got it all under control, but this isn't a choice, it's a compulsion. The truth is, she's breaking down... and she might end up breaking her own heart.

This was, in all honesty, very disappointing to me. I mean, it sounded amazing, but actually reading it...well, it fell flat. 

Even though this is technically a YA book, I honestly don't feel as if many teens will enjoy this novel. It was...I'll be blunt: it was like reading an autobiography and I honestly don't enjoy those. I think my problem with this was the issues that are in this book. I have nothing against people with OCD, but I really don't enjoy reading about it. And...I really didn't think that was what this book would be about. I imagined something emotional and gritty, but this...I don't think it was quite what I was looking for.

Our main character, Bea, is a certified stalker. Of a guy who's 10 years older than her and married. She listens in on his therapy sessions and jots down the entire conversation in a notebook and pretty much drives to his apartment complex he shares with his wife. And stares at his window. She can't drive without driving back to make sure she hasn't run over someone and scared that she might stab someone. What? I absolutely LOATHED this idea. I'm not saying I hate people with this kind of problem...but reading this is really NOT my thing. 

When the synopsis described Beck as "kinda-messed-up" I thought maybe a guy with some family issues. And that's true, in a sense. Beck is addicted to working out. As in, working out for 8 hours straight and OCD in the way that he washes his hands every time he touches someone and does everything in 8's. He washes his hands 8 times, he taps his fingers 8 times, he showers for 8 or 88 minutes, can't send a text without texting 8 times, etc. It was...honestly, ridiculous. But why 8? Well, I guess I won't spoil that right now.

So, yeah, the characters had their issues, but the characters didn't just seem real, they seemed like people who would, quite honestly, freak me out a bit. I feel so bad saying that, but she's a stalker! 

Not only that, but this was so incredibly slow. There really weren't any giant twists or anything, and the only thing interesting that caught my attention was near the end and lasted about 5 pages before fizzling out. I can't really hate this book since this book didn't really evoke any strong feelings from me. I read it...and barely had any emotion, really. 

Other than that, I can't really explain how much I didn't like this, but...you guys. It was bad. And it's possibly one of the worst books I've read, no matter how much I wish I didn't have to say that. I wouldn't recommend it at all, but then again, maybe I was just the wrong person to read it? 

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: July 23, 2013

Rating: .5--->1 star

How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Goodreads Blurb

A meth dealer. A prostitute. A serial killer.
Anywhere else, they’d be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they’re called prodigies. The most exclusive school in New York City has been training young criminals for over a century. Only the most ruthless students are allowed to graduate. The rest disappear.
Flick, a teenage pickpocket, has risen to the top of his class. But then Mandel recruits a fierce new competitor who also happens to be Flick’s old flame. They’ve been told only one of them will make it out of the Mandel Academy. Will they find a way to save each other—or will the school destroy them both?

How to Lead a Life of Crime surprised me. In all honesty, I was anxious to read this, but I definitely didn't expect anything so conniving!
This book was...wow. A bit of romance, a bit of acting, a bit of betrayal, a bit of sacrifice, a bit of lying, a bit of stealing...well, a bit of everything really! Even a little scientific theory that this entire plot is based on.


There's really no good place to start this review. But let's start with the originality of How to Lead a Life of Crime, because I love its idea. The way Miller pulled this idea off was stunning and original with an engaging plot that captivates you from the first theft. There's a lack of original plots in the YA market, so the fact that I haven't read anything like this is definitely a shock in itself!

Because of the unique idea, the plot ultimately had me twisted in knots. I couldn't predict anything, and these characters' actions were so unpredictable and cold. My heart was beating furiously and if a fire was burning down my house, I don't think I'd really notice; I'd be too busy trying to figure everything out! There were so many complexities, and no question was left unanswered. There was a cause and affect for everything that happened and nothing happened for no reason: that's what happens when you deal with socio/psychopaths.

The characters...I can't even describe how manipulative, cruel, and calculating they were. Miller created the perfect criminals and they were terrifying. They made you realize just how deceiving and cruel criminals could be, and how some criminals may just be pretending to be as cold. The characters weren't lovable, but they were amazing and seemed real, albeit a bit intimidating. Flick, our narrator who had a great, compelling voice, was smart and sneaky, but not necessarily cruel—just desperate, in the way that a lot of people are capable of. He brought a lot of dry humor into the story and was a strong believer in sarcasm which made me smirk, despite of whatever situation he was currently in. However, Joi was by far my favorite character. Her abilities were shocking, to say the least. She could see what Flick couldn't and knew what was wrong and what was right and, unlike many other characters, acted on those instincts.

What was beyond different with How to Lead a Life of Crime was that enemies were allies, allies were enemies, and you never knew whether a friend was a real one or one who'd stab you straight in the back. It was a game of cat and mouse, but you never knew who was in what role. And, while fictional (for all we know!), there's something about this book that just makes you realize just how evil the world can be and how the people we look up to, how almost everyone, has a secret they're willing to kill for. 


Pages: 358
Genre: Thriller/Action
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Razorbill
Release: Feb. 21, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Vortex by Julie Cross

Goodreads Blurb

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

Vortex...ummm...well, goodbye my brain. You weren't helpful at all with this book, were you?

Vortex was beyond confusing for me. I totally forgot the happenings of Tempest (which I read around 10 months to a year ago...) so just jumping into this series was definitely surprising since we start exactly where Tempest left off. 

The time traveling rules...wow. My brain is too small to absorb this. I was completely confused and in the dark, reading all this professional sounding things that made absolutely no sense. World A, World B, World C, bouncing of World B, no World C, erasing their relationship, killing off past selves--WHAT?! Oh my God, I have a headache already. But I understood almost nothing in this book and I honestly don't feel as if it was described well for readers to easily understand--unless you're secretly a Tempest agent or you're incredibly, incredibly smart. (But I have to admit, once you understand it a bit, it sounds incredibly legit!)

Not to say that finally seeing the extent of what Jackson can do (or at least, I think extent) was boring! I loved it when he experimented, bringing us to past events that were completely different. I think that they were my favorite parts, but we definitely see the toll it takes in that cliffhanger!

A fun part about this book was the agent training which definitely piqued my interest! Come on, don't you love reading about this stuff? Not to mention that we learn about a few new characters who we officially meet in training! One who, honestly, got on my nerves and just loved to be Jackson at everything. But she definitely stirred things up! 

Even so, Vortex was a highly enjoyable read! There were definitely a ton of twists that made me snap the book shut and scream at the wall (Oh my, that sounds mental, doesn't it.). It was just completely shocking how some of these twists that just completely utterly shocked me. It's been a long time since I've been fully shocked like this! Vortex was action packed on every page and I found myself aching to pick it back up every time I put it down!

Unpredictable and wild, (and, comparing this to the thrilling feelings I remember after reading Tempest--about the only thing I DO remember), Vortex lives up to Tempest and it's hype and it's definitely a thrilling action book that I think both kids and adults (and in between) will enjoy and love! Especially the sci-fi fans that search for these kinds of books!

Pages: 352

Genre: Sci-fi

Series: Tempest #2

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: January 15, 2013

Rating: 3.5--->4

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Goodreads Blurb

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .
Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . 
Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Josh, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . .

I had incredibly, incredibly high expectations for this, which may have something to do with the absolutely gorgeous cover, so I wasn't very surprised when it just fell flat of them, but I was a bit disappointed.

What disappointed me was how completely...shallow Vanessa was. And not in that personality sense. We never got to learn much about Vanessa really, and what we did learn irritated me. From what we see, she misses her sister, she thinks she knows it all, she's naive, and she's stubborn, and not a good sense. But apart from that I didn't really get much from Vanessa and her character seemed to be there only to move the plot forward. In other words, her character just seemed...well, fake and the same honestly goes for the other characters as well. Their personalities only pushed on the plot and honestly, were very stereotypical.

The romance was also a bit annoying. Vanessa seemed to fall for Zep right when she saw him and (SPOILER) seemed to fall for Justin (a.k.a. Josh, but in the eARC it was Justin, so I'll call him that for now) only when Zep was gone, even after bitching at Justin for so long. It was annoying and I really just wanted to say "Really?" She was so desperate and pining for Zep and I just wanted to smack her for being so weak.

The only redeeming things were the plot and world-building, in all honesty. 

The plot was a perfect pacing where it didn't go too fast for this type of supernatural, but it wasn't exceedingly slow. There were many twists I was shocked by, though I admit there were also a lot I had predicted beforehand, but it was still intriguing to see how things played out with this demonic dancing. 
I think that the premise of this is completely original. Since when have you heard of a dance that can destroy you? Never. At least, not that I've heard of! I loved the idea of it, I loved the sinister feeling the school gave off, and I loved each abnormal thing mentioned in the book! 

Dance of Shadows, while it does have it's weak points, was dark and stunning and will steal your breath just as ballet would. The sinister atmosphere, mysterious disappearings, and more will keep rapture you and you'll find this book hard to put down! 

Pages: 447
Series: Dance of Shadows #1
Genre: Supernatural/Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Rating: 3.5--->4 stars

OMGGGGGG

Oh My Gosh
Oh My Gosh
Oh My GOSH GOSH GOSH
*hums a tune*
(P.S. CLICK for giveaway stuffs.)

ITS ACTUALLY MY BLOGOVERSARY! LIKE, THE REAL THING. Huh. This is where I seriously should know how to use gifs. I fail. I epically fail. 

MY GUSH:

Oh my God. You guys. I can't even...oh my God. Seriously. Do you know how much I love each of you? Whether you're an author, a blogger I follow, a bloggy friend, a publisher, a follower, or even someone who just came for the giveaways (I know I host some pretty awesome ones. Hey, today is a flattery day!) THANK YOU. If you just stumbled across this blog, OH MY GOSH I STILL LOVE YOU. (Although, if you're a friend who just wanted to see me embaress myself in front of people...sigh. I can't hate anyone today. Fine. I forgive you.) But you guys, I've been through my ups and downs. If you haven't heard, actually, I'll be taking a  short break in about a month! But today isn't for sad days. Once, when I first started blogging, I post seriously awful not-thought-out reviews. And while my reviews aren't something good now, they've definitely improved and I'm proud!

And well, here's the thing: I quit blogging for about two months. I had no idea how important it would be, and I barely had 10 followers.So...I quit. But what can I say? I had time on my hands then, so I picked myself out of the dumps, and started blogging again, more determined than ever.

And look where it's gotten me. Although, I can't say I've done this on my own.

Thank you, first of all, to all my bloggy friends and half bloggy friends (a.k.a. Twitter friends!). You guys have lift me out of the dumps when I was down and always squealed when me when I needed it! Support should be y'all's middle names! I can't BELIEVE the rants we've had, the squeals we've had, the OUTRAGE at something, and the "THAT PUBLISHER HATES ME" phase (*cough* Eileen, they SO do not hate you! They just...are in a coma.) we've shared! If you guys suddenly disappeared (since most of my friends lived on the East Coast, I was sort of...kind of scared during Hurricane Sandy!) I have no idea what I'd do besides cry day and night! If you were here, this is the part where I clutch your leg and yell "DON'T LEAVE ME!"

And authors. Oh my gosh. You guys have your very own post, so I won't waste your time. But know that without you guys, I'd have nothing to do, probably be staring blankly into space, and be half dead. Trust me on this.

Followers. There are. NO WORDS to describe how much I love you people who followed me, and more importantly, you people who have looked at my reviews even once, commented even once, and decided I was awesomely crazy. Or just crazy. I LOVE YOU. and if I knew how to work gifs. I would be using that Hunger Games one. You know the one I'm talking about. 

IT'S BEEN A YEAR YOU GUYS. LOVE YOU.
(Lizzy made this, but I edited it since it said Blog Tour! I'll use the original next year though! :D)

Blog Tour: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

HEY GUYS! I'm so excited to be part of the Crewel Blog Tour! So we were supposed to do something PROMO or a review...but I already did a review since I was lucky enough to get an ARC! You can find that here.

So, me being the Nikki I am, will write a letter to Gennifer Albin herself. Here it goes.

DEAR GENNIFER ALBIN:
So you can see how the greeting is in CAPS right? YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY? Because CAPS are awesome and so was Crewel! It was just...I have no words to describe how amazing it was. (Ok, lie since I wrote a review. But it doesn't give Crewel justice!) So, as one of Crewel's biggest fans...
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT GIANT CLIFFHANGER THAT MADE ME WANT TO STRANGLE MYSELF AND DIE IN A HOLE ALONE.
Please?
If you, however, do not agree to my terms, I will be forced to track you down, climb through your window, and steal the manuscript of book 2. I'm serious (I think).

Also, I'd love to say that as your Twitter stalker, I also enjoyed the Starbucks Date stalker  retelling. Seriously. Who knew a date could be that dramatic? (AND ONLY ONE RING? GASP). I, personally think you should write a short story about what happened and what happened after. After  you're done with BOOK 2.
"I agree"
*cough* WHO SAID THAT? That person is awesome.

And can I just say LOVE your writing?
And your storytelling?
And the way you explain everything?
And your name choice?
And your characters?
And the love interests?
And Crewel's plot?
And my pretend copy of book 2?
Yes, we're back to that.
PLEASE?

Crewel is a word? I never knew that. I thought that was just you twisting the word cruel. Wow. What better title is there? Something to do with weaving AND sounds like CRUEL which fits the book? I hope you didn't use all your title magic! Save some for book 2!

TRAILER. AMAZING! It just fit the book so perfectly! and when she's ripped? BEST. SCENE. EVER.
Just thought I'd throw that in. not like you'll read it! (At least, I hope not. There are like a thousand other people writing something like this, I bet.)

But yeah...I think I'm done.

Except, oh. BOOK 2?!?!?!

Have fun, writing.

-Nikki.

Hunt Time!!!!!!

Directions: There are a list of links below that are your key to finding the answers to the questions in the scavenger hunt. Please answer all the question that are listed for the hunt and the winner that answers all of them correctly will win the awesome prize of a box set full of Fierce Reads titles!

Questions:

1. Whats Gennifer Albins favorite thing to drink?

2. What is the last phrase in the Crewel Trailer?

3.  What's Gennifer Albin's favorite number? Pick a number between 1-100.(Guess!)

4. What do the Spinsters weave? Be specific(it is mentioned on Gennifer's  blog)

5. When was the Crewel trailer released? 

                                         Prize: One LUCKY winner will get.......

    

                                   - A box set of ARC Fierce Read Titles!

  

Entry Form: When you have found all the answers click HERE and fill out the form to qualify!  

Rules: 

- If chosen you must reply to the email within 48 hours or another winner WILL be chosen. Open to the US ONLY(SORRY). 

-Must answer each question correctly to win. Winner will be chosen randomly through random.org

-Must provide a working email address in the form!

-You have until October 18th to enter!

LINKS:  Goodreads Synopsis

               Crewel Trailer 

               Gennifer Albin's blog 

These links shall guide you on your quest to a Crewel World.

  

                    Weave Wisely.

Crewel Blurb

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Short Author Bio

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. During her student years she served as an editor for Pleaides and The Missouri Review, and since then she’s founded the tremendously popular blog theconnectedmom.com.  She lives in Kansas with her ridiculously supportive husband, two small children, and a Tuesday cat.

Contact Info 
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