Glimmer by Pheobe Kitanidis

Goodreads Blurb

What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?

And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?

When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.

Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

I received Glimmer from another blogger and I am so happy that I got it! Honestly, when I first heard about it, I wasn’t interested. My eyes basically zeroed in on the word “zombies” and decided not to read it. But then, with all the excitement, I decided to read the entire summary. And guess what? I ended up vying for this book! I’ve always, always, always, loved those amnesia-filled stories. When the characters don’t know anything, it makes it more anticipating for the reader since, after all, the main character doesn’t know anything either, so that we learn everything as the MC does.

The story starts with Elyse and Marshall literally waking up tangled in each other’s arms, like it says in the description. They have no idea who they are, and are suspicious of everything and everyone. And guess what? Elyse can see the ghosts that haunt the town, the ones that erase the memories of traumatic events, and Marshall can somehow repel ghosts. They have a future of action, a present full of questions, and a past filled with holes. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I loved Glimmer! It exceeded my expectations completely, and I was whisked away by the plot! Questions were raised, but when everything was slowly explained, I realized that there were scattered hints about their past and the secret that haunts Summer Falls. They were just so cleverly hidden, and I absolutely loved re-reading it just so I could point and yell "Hey! He did that because ________!" By the end of the day, several people had looked at me like I was crazy.

The writing was beautiful, switching between the POV's of both Marshall and Elyse. The writing also portrayed the town perfectly, creepy. As in, very, very creepy. Honestly, I kept imagining ghosts popping out and my memories being erased. So I definitely can't complain about Glimmer being boring.

The scenes were rushed just a bit at the end, confusing me as to what happened when, but I remember reading somewhere that in the final copy, the scenes are less rushed, which is great. However, there was one thing I disliked. It was mainly the factor that though Elyse wrote to herself, she believed so easily. I uderstand the "habit" of it, but it was still a slightly far stretch.

Glimmer was an amazing read, showing you just how strong, and important, memories are, bad or good. I just ate it up!

Pages: 352

Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Paranormal/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

"How could I stay away from Elyse? How could we abandon each other to this place? Protecting her has been my purpose, almost from the moment I woke up to this new life."

Showcase Sunday (Catch-up)

This week is actually the same as last week's. This way, I can catch up on reviewing the books I wanted to, and it also gives me a chance to read the other books I've been dying to read!







Some books that I'm mainly going to try to review this week are:
                   


These are pretty much it. After all, there are only seven days in a week! But trust me, there may be more. ;)

Author Interview: Jessica Shirvington

So excited to announce my interview with Jessica Shirvington, the author of Embrace, called the “Hottest YA Debut of 2012”.

Fiction Freak: What inspired Embrace? What were you thinking when you decided to write it?

Jessica Shirvington: At the time I started writing Embrace I'd been reading a lot and had reached the point where I wanted to try and craft my own story. There were things I was looking for in my reading experience that I wanted to be able to put into a story. It's strange how some things happen. I just sat down at the kitchen table, opened my laptop and started to write a story. I didn't know what it would all be about, I didn't know if I would get past the first paragraph let along a full novel. The idea that it is now a published series is mind-boggling!

I knew when I started the story process I wanted my heroine to deal with 'the big issues' and a perfect way to manifest these into a story is to incorporate the paranormal. This led to the use of angels. I realize there is now a number of YA angel themed books in the marketplace but when I started writing Embrace, there were none. I loved the idea of exploring the theme of angels and of choice and consequence. From there the research began and the story started to take shape.

FF: What is one of the funniest moments you've witnessed?

JS: Actually it was one I was involved in. My best friend and I were in Portugal, in a little seaside town. We decided to hire a moped for the day and explore. Anyway, we were only about 18 at the time and made a huge deal of which bike we wanted to hire, which helmets we thought looked the best. All in all we took about an hour of laughing and deliberating in the hire shop before we were ready to go. The guy hiring us the moped asked if we'd ever driven one before and we were like "ah...no. But we'll be fine!" He ran through a few quick tips and then my best friend jumped on the back and I was driving. We made it to the end of the little road (about 10 meters) before we needed to turn ... To this day I swear there was something wrong with the bike. It just wouldn't turn. And, ok, I forgot to use the brake. Long story short - we cruised right into a brick wall. I stood up, picking the bike up from under us. My best friend stood up, the broken-off side mirror dangling from her hand. The second I saw her standing there with a piece of the bike in-hand - in her perfectly selected helmet - I lost it. Needless to say, our moped experience ended there, but it's now fifteen years later and we still crack up whenever we relive the story.

FF: How does it feel to have YOUR book called "The Hottest YA Debut of 2012"?

JS: Incredibly flattering. I'm so passionate about this story and the characters. I love them so much and so naturally, I want readers to care for them too. That's what it's all about. :)

FF: When your book became international, we readers were excited, but how did you feel?

JS: Excited is a good word for it. Overjoyed, delirious, ecstatic, nervous, and humbled are also words that would apply!

FF: Lets approach the subject of your characters; Phoenix or Team Lincoln? (I'm a Phoenix all the way.)

JS: I love them both. Unlike Violet I don't have to choose and unlike Violet, I know all of their secrets and motivations so I feel differently about them. That's not to say that at times I don't feel like one would be the better choice for her or that one is behaving very badly. They all, Violet included, make their fair share of mistakes!

FF: Your take on angels is different than most fallen angel stories. What gave you the idea of exiles and light and dark as equals/balances?

JS: It comes from considering how any one event can at the same time produce a good result for one person and a bad result for another. It happens in all aspects of life - like getting a job. When one person gets a job, it's great for them and you never know just how important it is to them or how desperately they needed the income for themselves and their family, BUT, what about the other person who didn't get the job - what if they were down to their last $50 and this was a make or break moment. For the person that got the job they might think they had someone looking over them at that point, but what about the person that didn't get the job? And what does this mean for each of these people's futures and the people in their lives? This led to the idea that if angels played an active role in our universe and in the function of influence over our wills, then there had to be both good and bad that came from them, otherwise it simply couldn't work. (if that makes sense...!)

FF: How did it feel to know that Embrace was receiving such positive responses in another country?

JS: Awesome. Positive response makes it all worthwhile!

FF: What do you do in your regular day?

JS: The interesting thing about writing is that every day is different. Sometimes I am in draft and writing constantly. Sometimes my time is dictated by research, sometimes by editing, and at other times with publicity. Basically, there is always a lot going on so the main constant in my regular day is that once I get the kids off to school, it is very busy.

FF: Did anyone ever recognize you in public? If so, what did they do?

JS: Every now and then. Mostly if I'm with my husband (he's a TV personality / ex-Olympian). They tend to recognize him and then put two and two together if they have read my books. Usually they just want to say hi, or have a chat about the books or writing, which are two of my favorite subjects so it's all good.

FF: Describe your book in 9 words.

JS: Exiled angels are vengeful. Violet must choose her path.

FF: Last one, why don't you live in the US?! ;)

JS: Actually, I've been asking myself that question as well lately! I love the US and will be there in September for the release of ENTICE and am hoping to visit as many cities as possible. I'll also be back there in December to holiday with my family. So, whilst we don't live in the States, we do plan on visiting as much as possible!

Embrace Blurb:

It starts with a whisper

“It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Strange dreams leave her with very real injuries and there’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms. The guy she thought she could fall in love with just told her he’s only half-human—oh, and the same goes for her. And she keeps hearing a distant fluttering of wings.

Violet Eden is having a very bad 17^th birthday.

But if angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Short Author Bio:

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual fun, Fearless, Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the lover of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. Previously, she founded a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. Jessica is not a full-time novelist and living her dream.

Contact Info:

Embrace Website

Violet Eden Chapters Website

Violet Eden Chapters Facebook

Jessica's Shirvington's Website

Jessica Shirvington's Goodreads

Winner!

The winner of the giveaway for the audiobook of The Hunt is Patrick Castro! The winner has been contacted, but if he does ot reply to the email within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Random Musings On: Blogging

I've heard stories of bloggers who only review books to get free books from authors and publishers or get the privileges that we do. And that's just...no. Just no. Bloggers should be reviewing books o introduce readers to new books, to share our opinions, and to help our favorite authors ge the word out! Not to gain more books from publishers, NetGalley, authors, and blog trades! I'm telling you, if you just blog o get that stuff, you might as well just end your blogging days. People can tell when you actually care about reading and when you don't. You do not want to mess with angry readers. Why? Because readers have the best social networking around. And trust me, they will kill your blog. So when you actually take reviewing seriously and stop cheating readers, then go ahead and blog. I have no protests against that. Anyways, if you've read this entire things, thanks fo not getting bored and throwing our computer out the window! I do rant.

Everneath by Brodi Ashotn

Goodreads Blurb

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Everneath captivated me from start to finish, leaving me with tears in my eyes and heart in my stomach. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what happened and nothing could have left me more shell-shocked. A bittersweet ending, a heartbreaking realization, and a dark tale mixed into this retelling of Persephone.

Nikki has been with Cole for one hundred years in the Everneath, really on six months in the mortal world. We start off with Nikki waking up in Cole’s arms after the Feed, an event where Cole fed on Nikki’s energy for a century. But once she wakes up, one face haunts her mind: Jack, the boyfriend she left six months ago. She gets six months on the surface with her old friends and six months to make everything right before she has to go back in Cole’s arms or get sucked in by the Everneath, the hell in this story. She goes back and everything’s changed. Her friends stay away and Jack keeps his distance. No one can pretend that she hadn’t disappeared for six months, especially not our protagonist.

I admit, it was a bit weird reading about a girl with the same name as me, but I got over that uncertainty once I passed the first five chapters. I have to say, I couldn’t have been prouder if some other character shared my name. Nikki Becket has definitely risen up in my top heroines list. She was strong enough to resist the temptation of Cole’s promises, immortality, and the promise of being a queen all for the boy she loved and loves. It was a beautiful, tragic romance that I absolutely could not get enough of. This is definitely the best take on Persephone I’ve read in a while and trust me, I’ve read a lot.

Let’s talk love interest. Cole is alluring in that typical bad boy way, but Jack is the sacrificing, broken one whose situation just tugs at your heart, urging you to pay attention. I’m sure it’s obvious who I’m leaning towards to. Cole may be the supernatural one in this love triangle, but he never shows that he actually loves her. Jack almost gave her up just so she could be safe. Like I said, sacrificing.

Everneath didn’t have any bad points in my perspective, and speaking about perspective, another thing I loved about Everneath was that it switched from the past to present, giving you a hint on just how deep jack and Nikki’s relationship was, making you feel all the more heartbroken. Heartbreaking really is the perfect word for this. In other words, it was a perfect book (for me at least) in all ways.

Pages: 370

Series: Everneath #1

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

'Have you figured out a topic? A moral conundrum?'
'Yes.'
'What is it?'
I heard Jack's chair creak.
'It's about how there's no such thing as redemption,' I whispered. 'How you deserve what you get, and no higher power can save you.'