Hello, hello!

Yes, it's me. I've been gone for months and I'm sorry about that. Life has just gotten in the way. I've been meaning to post here for awhile now and things have kept me busy and occupied. So, I figured it's better late than never.

What's been going on?

Last December my husband and I moved from Southern California to Liverpool, England. He's originally from there and we've been talking about giving it a go living there. He's been wanting to go back home for some time and I love it there so we took a chance and started the process of moving across the pond.

What most don't know is it's not as easy as simply (or not so simply) packing up your life and moving. It takes a lot of paperwork, money and time to complete the move. 

How DO you do it?

Well, since he's from England... born and raised he has kind of dual citizenship by default. He became a citizen of the US about two years ago now. Going home for him is easy. Taking me with him is what's difficult. We always knew that when we left in December. We knew that I'd only be there for a few weeks to a few months, depending on what my passport was stamped when we went through Immigration upon arrival. We knew that when that time was up I'd have to come back to the states, with him remaining behind in the UK to work while I came back to So Cal to file paperwork. 

You see, I had to do the paperwork from here in the US. I had to send over 3 pounds in weight of paperwork to prove our 15 year marriage. We had to prove that we weren't in it for a green card. Needless to say it was more paperwork than I could even tell you here, so I'll just leave it at that.

It also costs a CRAP TON of money as well.... and the catch? Or two catches actually....

1. This lasts 2.5 years. Then we have to do it allllllllllll over again. The good thing, I can do it from the UK then and it'll save us some money in airfare and shipping (It was... just in shipping the paperwork $277.00!! Why? Because you have to pay for the originals to be sent back to you as well. And shipping stuff two day, so they get the paperwork in the time they give you from when you complete your bio-metrics appt. it is in fact that much to send 3 pounds in weight of paperwork from Southern California to Sheffield, England)

2. They can deny you. And if they DO deny you and you choose to apply again you start over from scratch. And you PAY all over again as well. There's no guarantee in any of this. Our fate is in someones hands right now. AND IT IS TERRIFYING.

Wait?? You guys are APART to do this?

Yes. We sure are. I came back to the states in mid April and I've been here since. I had to renew my passport and we had to finish gathering things for our paperwork so we could e-file and then mail the forms needed. They received the paperwork on June 20th and it was just last week that I received an email letting me know that it was in fact received and someone would be assigned to work on it soon. 

They ask you what your date of travel is and we picked Sept 15th, (this is due to the fact that it tends to take, on the norm 2-3 months. There is a quicker way to rush things, but that costs another $1000.00. Yeah, no.) so that means if it's completed and they've approved me that'll be the earliest date I can leave the US. However... yes, another however.... lol If everything is done and set and I can head back "home" I have ONE MONTH to enter the UK or we're not sure what happens exactly. SOOOO, our goal is for me to be back in the UK before our 16 years together/15 years married anniversaries on Oct. 11th.

We HOPE *crosses EVERYTHING* that I'll be traveling the first week in Oct. We hope. 

We're really missing each other. Texts and FaceTime has helped and we do "dates" where we watch a movie or TV show together, but even that's starting to become hard to take. We have moments where were depressed and angry, and were really trying to deal. We know there are other people out there who are apart for so much longer than what we're dealing with so I feel for everyone that's for sure.

What else have you been up to?

I've been spending TONS of time with family. When I first came over, no one knew what the date was. They thought I was coming home later than I really was. We planned this to surprise everyone and we did that by leaps and bounds. And have the videos to prove it lol. Lots of time with my nieces. Mainly the older one since the younger niece doesn't like to come stay with us more than a night. She gets homesick. 

I've been trying to slowly sort the last of the stuff that we didn't pack before December last year. It's mainly some misc. things and my books. We're going to ship everything over at some point, so I'm trying to purge as many books as possible to save us some money. I HATE doing it, but I have to sacrifice something and it happens to be weight in the form of books. :(

I've also taken a few small trips with family while I've been here and seen a few friends. I've attended a book signing too!

One extremely exciting thing that happened right at the beginning of the year. Great friend and author Heidi Joy Tretheway was in the UK for work and I had a chance to take a day out to see her. It was one of the best days and we all had a great time! While we were chatting we talked about her hiring me to be her PA... so soon after that, exactly that happened. 

If you haven't read her books, you are SO MISSING OUT! Here's her Amazon link. Don't walk, RUN and grab up her books - Tattoo Thief is FREE! And the fourth book - Say It Louder comes out really soon. 

I've also been BETA reading for her, JC Emery, Toni Aleo, Bethany Lopez and others. I LOVE doing it!

And lastly, I've been working on plotting my OWN writing. Working for Heidi has helped me to learn SO MUCH and I know I have some great friends that I can go to for questions.

So, in a nut shell, the blog has taken a back seat. At least for now. Sadly, something had to give and it fell here.

Does this mean the blog is finished?

No. Not necessarily. I'll never say never. Having been blogging for SIX years here at A Life Bound By Books is hard to just give up. It's hard enough just putting it on hiatus. It's hard enough not having posted anything in as long as I have. It was just such a huge part of who I was for so long, that giving it up took so much out of me I don't even know how to start explaining it.

I'm still here. I'm still great friends with my co-blogger, Jenny who used to post reviews and various events in the book world she had attended. As a matter of fact, she's from the UK and lives not too far from where I do over there. We've seen each other a bunch of times. She picked us up at the airport when we landed with another friend Rachel AND when I came back the states her and her mum came with me lol. 

I'm still VERY active on Facebook. You can find me -

A Life Bound By Books

Lisa (My Personal page but I talk mainly bookish things)

Please feel free to find me on both.

So what now?

Well, that's a great question. Mainly I'll just keep plugging along here until we hear back on my immigration status. I'll also continue to reading as much as I can and try to get ready for that long, long, boring flight back to the UK. I can't wait to see my husband and friends there. I can't wait to do all the things there we have planned. I can't wait to start attending author signings there again. I can't wait for the weather. I just can't wait! Being in this holding pattern for this long isn't fun. I mean by the time I get back over there it'll be just two weeks shy of SIX LONG MONTHS! (That is if it all goes to our plan.)

If you guys could all send some good thoughts our way and maybe cross your fingers would be wonderful.

And with that... I'm officially putting A Life Bound By Books on HIATUS.

I'll try not to stay away this long again. And I promise that when time permits we'll be back.

Much love, 

PS - If anyone ever has any questions about Immigration from the US to the UK please feel free to email me. You can find my email on the right had sidebar. I still use that email and check it daily. We'd be more than happy to help anyone. It's a daunting task and we've come a long, long way and have untangled a lot to find the answers we have. So please feel free to ask away.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for  is.....  !  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Don't Look Back

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: US - Disney-Hyperion, 384 Pages (April 15th, 2014) UK - Hodder Paperbacks, 368 Pages (April 10th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Find Jennifer Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa Who doesn't love Jennifer L. Armentrout? I know I do! Or can you tell from some of the choices I've made for Book Wars! recently? And while I was looking over her books I noticed that Don't Look Back had two different covers for US and the UK and couldn't resist.

I've seen the US cover in person and it's stunning, without a doubt. However there's something about the UK cover and the play on the title with the model, looking back that I love.

And I like the splash of color with her red dress and the red in the title.

The UK cover is a winner for me this week. Do you have a favorite? Tell us below.

Michelle I own a copy of the UK book, but I've also seen the US one around. Looking at these covers next to each other it's clear to me which is my favourite.

The US cover is dramatic and I like how the poses in the mirror are different, but I don't really feel anything towards it.
The UK cover however is also dramatic in it's own way, and I like how they have posed the cover model.

It's a UK win for me this week, which cover do you like the best?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Don't Look Back NOW!

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce.The Book Wars winner for Pure (Covenant #2) By: Jennifer L. Armentrout is...!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: The Dark Days Club
Series: Lady Helen #1
Author: Allison Goodman
Publisher: US - Viking Books for Young Readers, 496 Pages, (January 26th, 2016), UK - Walker Books, 496 Pages, (January 21st, 2016)
Add to Goodreads: USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository, Foyles

Synopsis: London, April 1812. Eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall is on the eve of her debut presentation to the Queen. Her life should be about gowns and dancing, and securing a suitable marriage. Instead, when one of her family's housemaids goes missing, Lady Helen is drawn to the shadows of Regency London.

There, she finds William, the Earl of Carlston. He has noticed the disappearance, too, and is one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of powerful demons that has infiltrated every level of society. But Lady Helen’s curiosity is the last thing Carlston wants—especially when he sees the searching intelligence behind her fluttering fan. Should Helen trust a man whose reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her headstrong sense of justice lead them both into a death trap?

In The Dark Days Club, internationally best-selling author Alison Goodman introduces readers to a heroine who is just as remarkable as Eona—and yet again reinvents an establlished literary genre, making it her own.

About the Author:

Alison is the author of EON and EONA, a New York Times Bestselling fantasy duology.

Her latest novel --The Dark Days Club-- is Book 1 in a new trilogy, and will be published in the USA and UK in January 2016, and December 2015 in Australia. It has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly as "a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy". Alison calls it "Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy in English high society".

EON was short-listed for Victorian, NSW, and WA Premier’s Literary awards, and won the 2008 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also listed as an American Library Association Best Young Adult Book (2010), a James Tiptree Jr. Honour book, and a CBCA Notable Book.

Alison’s first novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, won the 1998 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was also listed as an American Library Association Best Book (2004) and CBCA Notable Book. Her second novel, a crime thriller titled Killing the Rabbit, was published in the USA and shortlisted for the 2007 Davitt Award.

Alison was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and holds a Master of Arts. She lives in Australia with her husband and their Machiavellian Jack Russell Terrier, and is currently working on Book 2 and 3 or The Lady Helen series.

Find Allison Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter| Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa Oh gosh, what a choice this week?! Michelle picked a great one to compare side by side... I LOVE them both! I honestly LOVE the both. UGH!

The US cover is dark and haunting, yet beautiful. Look at the intricate background.

The UK cover is also beautiful yet mysterious with a side of classic touch of Victorian feel to it.

I mean,... WOW! I have NO idea which one to choose. Hmmm....

I think I'm going to totally go against the grain and pick the US cover. I can't stop looking at it. I just love everything about how dark it is, how haunting it is and the whole feel of the thing from every angle I look at it.

So, this week the US cover gets my vote! Which one do you like the best? Give us a click and tell us below.

Michelle I first heard about this book at a blogger event, and I will admit that this genre isn't usually my thing, but as soon as Allison got up and read a snippet for us I was hooked.

Looking at these covers next to each other, it's clear to me which one I prefer the most. The US cover is dark, and gloomy, with only the silhouette among the shadows, and I think if I hadn't seen the UK cover or it was against the Australian cover, then this would have been my first pick, but standing next to the UK cover, the US one pales in comparison.

I love everything about the UK cover, from the background imagery, to the characters on the cover. I love the font and the little fan images on the corners.

Its a UK win for me this week, which cover gets your vote?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman NOW!

Title: Title: Night Study (Soulfinders #2)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Harlequin UK/ Mira Ink
From: e-ARC from Netgalley
Format: eBook, 400 pages, 26th February 2016
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister that they could have ever imagined.

Review: 5 stars - Contains spoilers for the earlier books in Snyder’s Chronicles of Ixia series.

“HOLY SNOW CATS!” could there be any more action in this book? I need Dawn Study NOW!!

Night Study continues from the cliff hanger where Shadow Study finished. At the same moment of utter happiness for two of my favourite characters, I was also filled with dread at what may happen.

With loyalties on the line and the existing tension between Ixia and Sitia even more stretched, it’s down to our trusted band of beloved characters to save the day again.

Yelena and Valek set off for Ixia after hearing some news of enemy assassination, needing to update the Commander. They leave behind Leif and Devlin to investigate Owen Moon’s curare growing operation.

Upon their arrival at the Commander’s castle, Valek has a meeting with the Commander himself. Learning that he now has restricted power over the lower ranking troops and all missions must be authorised by the Commander. Something seems out of place and where there was once trust between them; the relationship between Valek and the Commander is strained.

With trust proving an issue not only with the Commander but with assassin in training Onora and with unwelcome guests in the castle, Valek finds himself torn. Does he follow his orders or his heart?

With the characters separated on their own missions; will the enemy be able to divide and conquer or can our favourite group of soldiers and magicians once again triumph over evil?

The book is told between Valek, Yelena, Janco and Leif’s points of view, this is easy to follow and it’s good to know what is going on with each character as you read through the book.

Chapter 10 caused me to do a happy dance and squeal, I won’t say why but Snyder’s fans won’t be disappointed.

Night Study is a veritable treasure trove of adventure. You never know where the characters are going to get into trouble next.

A quick mention about the characters. The awesome foursome as I call them, are like friends, not literary characters in my mind.

Words cannot describe how much I love Ari and Janco. If it was possible to bring literary characters to life, these two would be top of my list. Strong, witty and with a caring side, Ari and Janco are like big brothers to Yelena. They will do anything in their power to keep her safe even if it does have a habit of landing them in jail.

I still don’t trust Onora, but it is the skill off Snyder that does this. You want to trust Onora, because she’s lined up to take Valek’s job, but secrets from the past lead us to the conclusion that not all is as it seems.

Another brilliant book from Maria V. Snyder that will immerse you in the world of Sitia and Ixia; so much so, that you don’t want Night study to end.

I need it to be 2017 already!!!

Recommended reading if you enjoyed Sarah J. Maas and Trudi Canavan.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Night Study By: Maria V. Snyder is.....  !  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Pure

Series: (Covenant #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: US - Spencer Hill Press, 329 Pages (April 3rd, 2012) UK - Hodder Paperback, 400 Pages (September 18th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: There is need. And then there is Fate. Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's other half is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon--and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude--or killing her. When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Find Jennifer Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa And since a couple of weeks ago we featured the first book - Half-Blood - from the Covenant series I thought we'd talk about another.

This one is a tiny bit different to the first book. The flower are a bit different and while I still love the US cover, because I own it and love these books... I think I like the UK cover for this one a bit better.

It's cleaner. You can read the fonts - title and authors names - so much easier. And the flower is more stunning to me.

So, it's a UK win for me. Which one do you love? Vote below!

Michelle Like our previous post, I also owned the UK copies of this book, and this is the first time I am seeing the US cover.

For me it's a clear winner. I do like the design of the UK one, but I love how dramatic and ethereal the US cover looks. The flower has a luminosity about it that fits in really well with the darker background.

It's a clear US win for me this week, which cover gets your vote?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Pure (Covenant #2) NOW!

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce.The Book Wars winner for Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout is...!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Night Study
Series: Soulfinders #2 | Study #5 | The Chronicles of Ixia #8
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: US - Mira, 448 Pages, (January 26th, 2016), UK - Mira INK, 416 Pages, (February 25th, 2016)
Add to Goodreads: USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository, Foyles

Synopsis: Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister that they could have ever imagined.

About the author:

Meteorologist turned novelist, Maria's been writing fantasy and science fiction since she was bored at work and needed something creative to do. A dozen novels and numerous  short stories later, Maria's learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a half-dozen awards, and has earned her MA degree in Writing from Seton Hill University where she's been happily sharing her knowledge with the current crop of MFA students. She also enjoys creating new worlds where horses and swords rule, 'cause let's face it, they're cool, although she's been known to trap her poor characters in a giant metal cube and let them figure out how to get out. Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.

Find Maria Online: Website | Blog | Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa These two covers are each beautiful in their own ways. However, the US cover just is captivating to me. It's just so clear and stunning in a way that is a bit lacking in the UK cover.

Don't get me wrong, I love the UK cover as well. It's scenery is stunning too, yet I mean just look at the US cover! Don't you just want to know what she's thinking? What's going on to make her look so forlorn? I know I do!

And so that's what pushes the US cover out over the edge in getting my vote this week. Do you have a favorite? Tell us by voting below.

Michelle This is a tough choice for me this week as I am torn between the covers for different reasons. I love the cover for the UK cover for its scenery, from the land, to the tower, to the stormy sky. I love the different hues of purple and green and how it all works to make this a creepy feeling land. I just wish the blue circle sticker/advert wasn't there. The US cover though wins for me as it not only matches Shadow Study, but this whole series has had a redesign and now this complete series matches, which always wins for booklovers. I love that we get to see Yelena, and also have a very nice scenic view in the background. For me this week I am going to go with my heart and not my orderly brain, and my vote goes to the UK cover. I much prefer the scenery of this one over the US cover. Now that I've left my vote, don't forget to vote for your favourite below.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Night Study by Maria V. Snyder NOW!

bookwars2013@gmail.com

Title: Always Room for Cupcakes
Author: Bethany Lopez
Publisher: 143 Pages (February 2nd, 2016)
From: the Author
Format: e-ARC
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: One day I was be-bopping along jamming to the music in my head while wondering if my thighs could handle grabbing a cupcake on the way home. The next thing I knew, my entire world crashed and burned.

I used to wake up at night in a sweat, crying because I’d dreamt that my husband was cheating on me, or that he hated me, and resented my kids. He’d always hold me close and tell me it was all just a dream, that he loved me and our family and that he’d never let me go.

He was a fucking liar.

Now I spend my days taking photos of scum just like him, trying to be a champion for other's being taken advantage of by the losers in our town, and my nights being a single mom to my beautiful twins.

I've got great friends who have my back, and a sexy, mysterious motorcycle man who keeps showing up when I need him. Maybe things are starting to look up, and one thing's for sure... There's always room for cupcakes.

Review: 3.5 Stars - Always Room for Cupcakes by Bethany Lopez is a fast read about a woman looking to create a new life for herself after finding her husband cheating on her. And as the story goes on we see just how much she’s willing to take on to make the best life she can for her and her two kids.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this… I’m going to say novella because it has that feel to it, was that it has things in it that I love in stories I read. It has a touch of mystery, a bit of danger, a strong female lead and a dark mysterious man who pretty much shows up out of thin air to maybe sweep the main character – Lila – off her feet. Another thing that it has that I love is watching a character grow before your eyes. It had that and then some.

The characters are all different and play off each other extremely well. These characters are a bit of an older bunch than what I’ve been reading lately, so that was a breath of fresh air. Seeing the struggle of a single woman with kids, as she navigates her new life after her marriage and cheating husband was inspiring. How different her husband was to this mysterious man – Cade – who enters her life was perfect and helped to give this female lead a bit of a push into the growth she was on the verge of.

The story is written really well; however it felt like it was missing something. And I think this is what’s difficult when it comes to writing a novella. Trying to balance the story without readers feeling like something was missing.

I do commend Bethany for the book she’s written here. While it feels like there were parts that are missing or a tad rushed, there were others that were spot on and flowed extremely well.

I really did like these characters’ and became invested in them quickly to a point where I wish this had been a full book or maybe the start of a series of books since I wasn’t ready for it to end. And the title fits perfectly with the story, which you’ll just have to read to understand and I suggest you do because it really is a great quick story and I mean, Cupcakes, Mysterious men and danger? Yeah, go jump on it! This title is very adult for all those great adult things and oh so steamy sexy times. And if you’d ask me if I’d read more should this become a series, the answer would be HELL YES! Bring it on! I could always spend more time with Lila and Cade. I mean there’s no real question there at all.

Title: The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson #9)
Author: Darynda Jones
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
From: ARC from publisher
Format: ARC paperback, 326 pages, January 12th 2016
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her—even from her new and trusted friends—the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way.

Review: 4.5 Stars - Contains spoilers for the Charley Davidson series.

Words cannot describe my excitement for this book. The newest installment in Darynda Jones urban fantasy series, The Dirt of Ninth Grave has been eagerly anticipated since I finished Eighth Grave After Dark. We were left on a cliff hanger after reading a Reyes P.O.V. chapter, and I needed to know what happened next!

At the end of eighth book, Grim Reaper Charley Davidson had almost catalyzed and over spent her powers in her grief and having to send her baby into hiding. She had a breakdown and as such her powers took her elsewhere.

In the beginning of The Dirt on Ninth Grave, Charley is going by the name Janey Doe. She found herself in the alley behind a diner with no memory of who she is or where she’s from. The only thing she knows is that it feels like she’s missing part of herself; to avid readers of the series we know this is her baby who she recently gave birth to.

When she’s rested from her ordeal, the diner owner offers her a job and finds her a place to live. Getting used to the daily grind, the customers and her surroundings while still trying to piece together who she is.

The amnesia thing Charley can almost understand, but the thing she finds weird is that she can see the departed. She doesn’t know why, she just knows she can. No one else seems to notice these things, so Charley just doesn’t mention them.

Mr Vandenberg a regular patron of the diner, is set in his ways, and treasures his shop. Charley is intrigued as to why there are strange men “working” in his antiques business across the street. Never one to stand on the sidelines, Charley decides to investigate why things are awry and we know from past experience, this is going to mean trouble. Supernatural happenings also provide intrigue and entertainment when reading Ninth Grave.

Whilst the reader is aware of the presence of Darynda Jones favourites in this book, Charley is making “new” friends in her work colleagues and patrons to the diner. But at the same time, there is the thought that some are lying, or not being entirely truthful with her. She can feel people’s emotions and unfortunately for Charley negative feelings and worry seem to cloud a lot of her conversations.

It was brilliant to see how Charley interacts with her “new” friends and how their relationships develop.

Cookie started work at the diner around a similar time to “Janey”, so they instantly connected over that. Cookie’s husband Bob is also welcoming to Janey and she feels like she’s known them forever, and she finds she trusts them easily. Cookie couldn’t try to be anything but herself if she tried, I absolutely adore her character.

Garrett, Osh, Angel, Agent Carson and Artemis also making an appearance brought a smile to my face. They’re all trying to subtly help Charley remember who she is without telling her the exact truth.

Reyes, well what can you say about the son of Satan himself. As hot as ever; but this time, he shows a slightly more intense side dare I say it than in previous books. When Charley is describing him, she thinks he hates her, because he’s always so moody and doesn’t smile when she’s about.  I think Reyes is dealing with the internal turmoil of the fact him and his wife have been separated and their baby hidden away for safe keeping.  But at the same time this needed to happen otherwise Charley would have burnt herself out.

It is great to see them flirt and rekindle their love for each other as they start a fresh. In the first few books in the series, all of the Charley and Reyes moments were as intense as they are in this book and I didn’t realize until I read it that this has actually been missing.

When you get to the end of the book and you realize what Reyes went through to pull this off, it truly shows how much he wanted Charley to come back to him.

Never one for a quiet ending, Jones throws in a few scenes with a creepy character who has been mentioned in the book, but I had forgotten about him, focusing on Charley and Reyes. I thought it was all over and she was going to leave us another cliff hanger.
I’m thankful to say she didn’t.

The Dirt on Ninth Grave is a MUST READ for any fans of the Charley Davidson series. I know Lisa is a couple of books away from reading it and I can’t wait to hear what she thinks about it.

Check out the Charley Davidson series if you’re a fan of Jeaniene Frost, Chloe Niell, Stacia Kane or Jennifer Estep.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 786 Pages (March 8th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Los Angeles. It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on the brink of oblivion and Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After the blood and violence she witnessed as a child, Emma has dedicated her life to to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge.

Raised in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family, Emma is paired as a parabatai with her best friend, Julian Blackthorn. A series of murders in the city catch her attention — they seem to have the same characteristics as the deaths of her parents. Could the murderer be the same person? And her attention isn’t the only one caught: someone has been murdering Downworlders as well. The Fair Folk make a deal with the Institute: if the Blackthorns and Emma will investigate the killings, they’ll return Mark Blackthorn to his home. The catch: they have only two weeks to find the killers. Otherwise it’s open war between faeries and Nephilim.

The Shadowhunters of the Institute must race against time to catch the killers, even as they begin to suspect the involvement of those closest to them. At the same time, Emma is falling in love with the one person in the world she’s absolutely forbidden by Shadowhunter Law to love. Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.

Title: The Great Hunt
Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: HarperTeen, 416 Pages (March 8th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

Title: Walk the Edge (Thunder Road #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN, 384 Pages (March 30th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Razor knows his family is haunted by secrets of the past…

High school senior Thomas "Razor" Turner knows his family has a dark history as part of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, especially when it comes to the secrecy surrounding his mother’s death.

When Razor starts to dig deeper into his mum's case he turns to the unlikeliest source for help: classmate Breanna Miller, the shy, smart girl he's never looked twice at. But the more time they spend together, the more they realise they actually have in common, and how attracted to each other they really are.

When secrets from the past are revealed can their newfound feelings survive?

*covers are always subject to change.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for This Raging Light By: Estelle Laure is.....  !  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Half-Blood

Series: (Covenant #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: US - Spencer Hill Press, 281 Pages (October 18th, 2011) UK - Hodder & Stoughton, 383 Pages (August 14th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is.

If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Find Jennifer Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This week I've picked a book that the covers are pretty similar yet different.

What I'd like to know is which one packs more of a punch to you? Which one makes you want to read it over the other. Tell me below!

So I guess you'd like to know which one gets my vote this week?? Well... I'm kind of a purist and since I own and have owned the US cover for a long while now I'm going to give that version a vote. US wins for me this week!

Michelle I like how similar but different these covers are. The US cover is very bold and dramatic, whereas the UK cover has gone in a subtle direction with the background colour.

Like Lisa owning the US cover, I had the UK book, and I do think the the cover above portrays the cover perfectly, and it's the one that also gets my vote this week.

UK wins for me, which cover do you like the most?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Half-Blood (Covenant #1) NOW!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Exposed (Madame X #2)
Author: Jasinda Wilder
Publisher: Berkley, 304 Pages (March 1st, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Jasinda Wilder presents the second darkly seductive novel starring the mysterious Madame X.

Everything Madame X has ever known is contained within the four walls of the penthouse owned by her lover, her keeper, the man who controls her every move and dominates her desires. While Caleb owns her body, someone else has touched her soul. X’s awakening at the hands of Logan’s raw, honest masculinity has led her down a new path, one that is as exciting as it is terrifying.

But Caleb’s need to own her completely knows no bounds, and he isn’t about to let her go. Not without a fight that could destroy them all…

Title: Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson #9)
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publisher: Ace, 352 Pages (March 8th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: Mercy Thompson has been hailed as “a heroine who continues to grow and yet always remains true to herself.”* Now she’s back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer...

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

*covers are always subject to change.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce.The Book Wars winner for Another Day (Every Day #2) By: David Levithan is...!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: This Raging Light
Author: Estelle Laure
Publisher: US - HMH Books for Young Readers, 288 Pages, (December 22nd, 2015), UK - Orchard Books , 320 Pages, (January 14th, 2016)
Add to Goodreads: USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository, Foyles

Synopsis: How is it that you suddenly notice a person? How is it that one day Digby was my best friend's admittedly cute twin brother, and then the next he stole air, gave jitters, twisted my insides up?

Lucille has bigger problems than falling for her best friend's unavailable brother. Her mom has gone, leaving her to look after her sister, Wren. With bills mounting up and appearances to keep, Lucille is raging against her life but holding it together - just.

A stunning debut to devour in one sitting, Laure captures completely the agony and ecstasy of first love.

About the Author:

Estelle Laure is a Vonnegut worshipper who believes in love and magic and the power of facing hard truths.

She has a BA in Theater Arts from New Mexico State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and thinks everyone should have to wait tables or work in a kitchen at least once in their lives. She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her children.

Find Estelle Online: Website | Blog | Twitter| Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This is an easy week for me. Hands down the US gets my vote. It's just so much more colorful and bright that looking at these two side by side it really makes the UK cover so kind of blah looking.

So, for the colors and hombre affect from dark to light, the US gets my vote. Give us your vote below!

Michelle This is an easy pick for me this week. I have the UK copy for review on my iPad, but seeing these covers next to each other just confirms my choice. The UK cover has a nice, big font on it, and I like how it's all styled. But for my, the US one is just that much better. I really like the rainbow effect on the background, how bright and bold the colours are. I also like how it's framed with a white border. I also prefer the font for the US cover over the UK cover. Now that I've shared my vote, don't forget to leave your vote below.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of This Raging Light by Estelle Laure NOW!