Thursday, July 31, 2014

One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington (ARC Review, Guest Post, Giveaway)













Welcome to my stop on the One Past Midnight blog tour!
I have a review and five random facts for your reading pleasure, but be sure to click the banner above to view the tour schedule and all the other goodies in store.
Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!

Series:
Standalone
Genre:
Young Adult, Paranormal, Science Fiction
Publication.Date:July 22, 2014
Pages:352 (ARC Kindle)
Published By:  Bloomsbury USA Children's
Website:Jessica Shirvington 

One Past Midnight on Goodreads
My review copy:
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:



Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives.

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is...

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?(Goodreads)



Quotes from an uncorrected ARC copy and are subject to change
Above all else - though I try not to think about it - I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next, a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed - the only thing I can be certain of is that my body clock is different than everyone else's.
"So you have a type then? I asked, teasing despite my racing heart.

He tilted his head toward me, amusement playing in his eyes. "No, I've always been more interested in finding a one of a kind."
If you love a person, you love them fully, or there's not point.
"You said you wanted someone to know you. Maybe I just want to have someone know me too. Without you in this world, the memories of every moment we've shared together will be gone. We only exist because others see us. Part of my existence . . ." he said with swallow, ". . . an important part, only exists because you are here to see it."
"Some things are so real you can feel them to your core. It doesn't matter where you go, they go with you. Anywhere."
You were right. I was lost. But you found me, between the lives. (This line is kind of spoilery, but I love it so freaking much, I had to include it.)



Jessica is beyond a doubt one of my favorite authors. I absolutely love The Violet Eden Chapters and it kills me that I have to wait for her books to be published in the US. Although, as one of my Australian blogger friends pointed out, we pretty much get everybody else so it's only fair to give them someone. I suppose turnabout it fair play.

One Past Midnight is an incredibly beautiful story. Sabine lives two lives and switches back and forth at midnight each night. I found it interesting that her other live is put "on hold" when she is not living it. It's almost as if her lives are in parallel dimensions. She mentions at one point traveling to her other house and it being marginally different, that things from life in Roxbury are slightly off while she is living her life in Wellesley. After breaking her arm in one life and finding it not broken in her other life, she decides that maybe it's time to choose one life over the other. But which one is the "right" one?

Sabine soon begins to realize that neither life is perfect as things begin to slowly spiral out of control in Roxbury, while she fights to control the seemingly perfect life in Wellesley. Around this time we encounter Ethan in Roxbury, whom she becomes determined to make him believe in her two lives.

The romance between Ethan and Sabine is unconventional, beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful. It shifts from a mere friendship to something so much more. A relationship that shows you that comfort can come from the most unexpected places, things don't always go as planned, it's not always as bad as it seems, and just maybe there's always hope.

Jessica's writing is simply amazing. She writes a heartbreaking tale a girl who is completely alone, despite her two lives, and finds comfort and solace in the oddest of places. I found One Past Midnight impossible to put down. The characters, even the secondary ones, are well developed and can stand on their own. As a reader you get attached to each of her lives and cannot imagine how she could pick between them.

I did The Dance of Feels many times while reading this book and even got caught doing it once in the kitchen at work - totally worth it. There are moments of hope, heartbreak, violence, and love - Jessica goes all in with her novels and this one is no different. While I did predict the ending, we're talking the beginning of the last chapter so not entirely predictable, I found it to be the perfect ending. (This is where the being busted from The Dance of Feels comes into play.)

I cannot stress enough how much I love One Past Midnight. If Jessica hadn't already been granted a spot of my short list of "Auto Buy Authors," this novel would have done the trick.





5 Random Things About Me (Jessica):
  1. I love skiing
  2. When I was a kid I stole $10 from my fathers wallet so I could buy 200 5c gobstoppers (I got in BIG trouble!)
  3. I love to travel and hate to be away from home at the same time
  4. I once drove down the Champs Elysees in Paris --- on the wrong side!
  5. I lived in London for 6 years




Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES, stand alone novel, BETWEEN THE LIVES and has an exciting new duology called DISRUPTION on the way in 2014.

An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 & 2012 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for Foxtel and Fox Sports. Married for twleve 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.






Us Only
Must be 13 or older




Goodreads Twitter Instagram Google Plus Image Map

Bookish Digest: July 2014

Hello lovelies! Welcome to Bookish Digest - something we'll be putting together at the end of every month to highlight our recent favorite reads and recap any posts you may have missed. We also include an About My Life and Things I'm Looking Forward To section in an effort for you to get to know us better. Don't forget to tell us in the comments some things that happened to you over the past month so we can get to know you guys better too!



Genre:
Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family 
Website:Jojo Moyes 

Goodreads
Review:
One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

American audiences have fallen in love with Jojo Moyes. Ever since she debuted stateside, she has captivated readers and reviewers alike, and hit the New York Times bestseller list with the word-of-mouth sensation, Me Before You. Now, with One Plus One, she’s written another contemporary opposites-attract love story that reads like a modern-day Two for the Road.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again.

Reviews

Miscellaneous



Genre:
Young Adult, Paranormal, Steam Punk, Zombies, Historical Fiction, Romance
Website:Susan Dennard 

Goodreads
Review:
To be posted in October
In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.
Side note: I also read Ruin and Rising this month and it was almost impossible to choose between it and Strange and Ever After. It was tempting to just flip a coin and let the fates decide!



Features
Blogging Confessions {Top Ten Tuesday}
Other Favorite Stories {Top Ten Tuesday}
Time Travel {Feature & Follow}
YouTube Love {Feature & Follow}

Author/Book Spotlights
Wild by Alex Mallory {Excerpt, Dream Cast}
Vortex by S.J. Kincaid {Blast}

Miscellaneous

SS: Weirdest Fictional Crushes
Signed, Sealed, Delivered

About My Life In July
Dress fitting #1! The dress is more magical than I remember! I also picked out all the jewelry (family pieces) and my veil and headpiece. Thus far, I've been under budget for everything, which is beyond awesome!

Joe and I had our 5-year anniversary. Five years already! We didn't do anything crazy, just went out to dinner and got cake balls from my favorite cake shop. We also decided this would be the last time we celebrate our dating anniversary and just focus on the wedding anniversary. Though I did tell him we should at least commentate it with a high five each year.

Cleaned/Organized my bookshelves. I have three bookshelves and they were overflowing - books on the floor, books on the bed, etc. I realized that the shelves were like a foot deep and I could have two rows of books. So I went to Home Depot, had them cut up a 2x6 to fit the shelves and now I have two pretty rows of books, with the back row raised up so I can see the books. This freed up a bookshelf and a half so you know what that means . . .  ;)

Things I'm Looking Forward to in August
My girlfriend's wedding. One of my best friends is getting married on August 2. She's the first of us to get married, so it's weird. When did we grow up?

It's my birth(month)day! I don't really have anything special planned and I'm thinking it'll be low key this year. Family dinners, dinner/movie with the fiance, and that'll be that. On the plus side, birthdays usually mean books, books, and more books! Good thing I just cleaned/organized my bookshelves!


Genre:
Young Adult, Contemporary 
Website:Miranda Kenneally 

Goodreads
Review:
Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.
Author/Book Spotlight
Virtual Arcana (0: The Fool) by Karen Amanda Hooper {Cover Reveal}

About My Life In July
School is trying to KILL me! As some of you may or may not know I am in college currently. I have been since September and opted to continue on through the summer... I thought how hard could it possibly be? Turns out it is ass kicking and draining not taking a break.

We are renovating...  This is not exciting and exciting at the same time. I have had to pack up all of my books and my room. However, one the renovation is done my house will basically be brand new, and I will have a room that serves as a mini library with two walls having built in shelves... Oh, also I got a window seat that will have book shelves down each side!!! So, I have the inconvenience but I will enjoy the end result! 

Things I'm Looking Forward to in August
Finishing 3rd Semester & a break: I have one exam, the first week of August and then I AM DONE!! I basically want to party and cry and then hide and read for a week. Not that I have been slow this month but I don't want reading weighed down by assignments that I 'should' be doing.

Mermaids & Myths Month!! I can't even explain how excited I am that the girls agreed to have this event on the blog!! Obviously with my love of everything Mermaid and Mythology, this event is like my mini heaven!  

Taking a trip.  The last week of August I will be heading to Georgia... I hope! 



Genre:
Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Website:Rainbow Rowell 

Goodreads
Review:
Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

Reviews
I joined StuckInBooks! I am so excited about this. Like, I CAN'T EVEN.

The Lux Readathon began! I've been in much need for some Daemon Black for a while now. It's so much fun revisiting this favorite series of mine, and to get ready for the release of the final book next month!

I got Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout. And then another super awesome mail day the day after. Books = happy dancing! Especially when they're of the JLA variety. (Because I heart her big time!)

Things I'm Looking Forward to in August
Jennifer L. Armentrout. In Austin. On August 5th. HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE JLA? I am so freaking pumped that she's going to be in Austin. And on the release date of Opposition, no less. Which brings me to my next thing...

Opposition releases! I'm sad it's the final book in the Lux series, but I'm also SO excited to have more Daemon & Katy (even though the excerpts have been scaring me). It's been a long wait for this book, and I'm glad soon I'll have to wait no more!

Mermaids & Myths month! I've been having a bunch of fun preparing for our Bookish event next month (I even get to have a character interview that I LOVED). I'm seriously looking forward to sharing all we've cooked up with you guys!


Reviews

Author/Book Spotlights
Between The Layers by SaraJean Panek (Author Interview)



Genre:
Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Romance
Website:Jayde Scott 

Goodreads
Review:
The moment Amber starts her summer job in Scotland and sets eyes upon Aidan, her fate is sealed. Summoned by an ancient bond, she can never love another. Lost in the woods one night Amber enters Aidan's deadly world when she unknowingly participates in a paranormal race and promptly wins the first prize...a prize worth killing for.

In a world of forbidden love, ancient enemies, legends and rituals, nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. Life will never be the same again, unless she enters the Otherworld. But to do so, Amber must die...

A Job From Hell is the first book of the Ancient Legends series. The second book, Beelzebub Girl, is available now.

Reviews
A Job From Hell by Jayde Scott {4/5}

About My Life In July
I spent entirely way too much money on my friend's baby shower. I just couldn't help myself, all the baby stuff is so cute!


My boyfriend's family had a reunion and I met the rest of his family. And on the way back, his truck broke down on the expressway. So thankfully I drove separately and I picked his mom, dad, and sister up to drive back home.

My girlfriend's and I finally started to do a weekly girl's night where we drink UV Blue and Mountain Dew (It tastes like a slurpee) and talk. This past week we talked about 50 Shades of Grey's Trailer among other things.

Things I'm Looking Forward to in August
My brother turns 21 so I cannot wait to take him out to legally drink!

My friend's baby is coming!!!!

DOCTOR WHO RETURNS!!!!!!!!!  :)

 

What were some of your favorite books this month? Tell us about what went on in your life during the month of July - reading and other wise - and what you're looking forward to in August! :) 

Craving Caine by Erica Lucke Dean with Elise Delacroix [Book Review}



Genre:
Women's Fiction, Erotica
Publication.Date 
March 2nd 2014
Pages:147
Published By:  Cinnabar Silk
WebsiteErica Lucke Dean

Craving Caine Goodreads
My review copy:I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. 

                                     Where to get:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0991500776/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0991500776&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-very-good-life-lynn-steward/1118920887?ean=9780991500772&itm=1&usri=9780991500772&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201


Emily Chambray wants a divorce. Unfortunately, her husband believes in “’til death do us part” with an emphasis on “death.” She won’t get another chance, so her get-away plan must be foolproof. When a ruggedly handsome stranger comes to her aid, she definitely doesn’t expect to fall for him in her hour of deepest need.

Xavier Caine has ulterior motives when he offers Emily refuge in his rustic cabin. Against his better judgment, he is drawn to her innocent allure and natural beauty. Together, they explore a sensual relationship that rocks their world. But once Caine sets the stage for his own agenda, Emily could end up directly in the eye of the very storm she’s been trying to escape.

****GRAPHIC LANGUAGE, SEX, AND ADULT SITUATIONS***


Those monsters were just in her head. The monsters chasing her now were entirely too real. 
She may be young, but she's a total ice queen. Hicks spit out the words as if they tasted bad. See, that's the thing. From what I've seen of her so far, she seems well... Caine scratched his head. She seems nice, if I didn't know who she was I might actually.... The line crackled for a long moment. This isn't going to be a problem for you, is it? Nope. Are you sure? I'm sure. Caine glanced at the building in the distance. She knew the world she was marrying into. I have no sympathy for her.   
She knew if she died tonight, it would be worth it for the few days she'd spent with Xavier Caine. He'd changed her life, and no matter what happened from that moment on, she would always be grateful to him for that. 




Craving Caine is fast paced and on point. It is a story of romance, danger, secrets and lies.
We first meet Emily as she is trying desperately to flee her abusive husband. The only problem is he owns the whole damn town. If she fails this time, he won't let her live long enough to do it again.

Caine finds her on the side of road after her car breaks down and comes to her rescue. He asks her to his cabin in the woods and although Emily isn't sure, she knows it is better than the alternative.

An instant attraction sparks and the two do their best to stay away from each other. Caine doesn't need the complication and Emily doesn't need another man in her life. Despite their best efforts, they both find themselves caught up in the other. When they find out each others hidden secrets, will they still care?

I read this novel in one sitting which seems to be the theme of every novel I have read by Erica Lucke Dean. Her writing is always easy to love and she tells a passionate story like no other author I've known. I get beyond excited when she has new books out and this one was even better than the last.
A Indie Lover at heart, I just love supporting authors that don't have those HUGE marketing campaigns backing them. As a seasoned reader, I read all different types of genres and authors but the ones I usually end up connecting with most, are the ones by new authors, with smaller audiences than the ones that write"fangirl" books.


About the Author


After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.

When she’s not busy writing or tending to her collection of crazy chickens, diabolical ducks, and a quintet of piglets, hell bent on having her for dinner, she’s either reading bad fan fiction or singing karaoke in the local pub. Much like the main character in To Katie With Love, Erica is a magnet for disaster, and has been known to trip on air while walking across flat surfaces.

How she’s managed to survive this long is one of life’s great mysteries
Connect with the author:
 


Blog Twitter Goodreads Facebook
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...