Title: Firefight (Reckoners #2)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 416 Pages (January 6th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Brandon Sanderson is back with a vengeance in FIREFIGHT, the follow up to the #1 New York Times bestselling Steelheart. In the book that Kirkus Reviews is calling a “rare middle volume that keeps the throttle open,” Sanderson takes readers on another a thrill ride and “presents a Marvel Comics-style mix of violently destructive battles, fabulous feats and ongoing inner wrestling over morality and identity.”

David Charleston still can’t believe it. Steelheart is dead, and he died by David’s own hand. Even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic, but the invincible has fallen and now Newcago is free. Despite attaining revenge for the murder of his father and living his dream as a team member of the most elite Reckoners cell, David finds he has more questions than ever before, and he won’t find the answers in his home city.

Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as Manhattan, could hold the key. Ruled by the mysterious and ambivalent High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is a place flooded with water and painted in neon, where the inhabitants spend most of their days lounging and nights partying. David can’t seem to understand the complacency of the city and its residents, but what he does understand is that being positioned here, risky as it may be, could lead him to the answers he so desperately seeks. Because there is an emptiness in him, one left behind after killing Steelheart, that was filled unexpectedly by Firefight, who is just plain Megan to him. And David will stop at nothing to find a way to understand Epics and bring her back to him. Hopefully for good this time.

The second book in the Reckoners series and follow up to the highly acclaimed Steelheart, which Publishers Weekly called “an absolute page-turner,” FIREFIGHT is filled with spine-tingling adventure and heart-racing action that promises to satisfy fans both new and old.

Click here to read an Excerpt of Firefight!

PRAISE & ACCOLADES FOR STEELHEART

·         #1 New York Times Bestseller

·         IRA Young Adults

·         ALA-YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults

·         ALA-YALSA Teens Top Ten

·         Amazon Best Book of the Year


« “Sanderson has written a riveting dystopian adventure novel . . . Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance; it’s a formula that sucks readers into the prologue, slings them through on tension-filled encounter after the other, and then . . . leaves them panting for the sequel.” —Booklist, starred

"Sanderson's whiz-bang imaginings, and a fully realized sense of danger (the brutal opening scene alone will hook many) make this an absolute page-turner." —Publishers Weekly

"Perfect for genre fans who love exciting adventure stories with surprising plot twists. Readers will be rooting for David." —School Library Journal

“Unfortunately for my ego, Steelheart is another win for Sanderson, proving that he’s not a brilliant writer of epic fantasy, he’s simply a brilliant writer. Period.”  —Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times bestseller The Name of the Wind

“Fantastic! The suspense is relentless and the climax explosive, with a resolution that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.” —James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

"A tense, fast-paced adventure. Brandon Sanderson is one of the best fantasy sci-fi writers working today.” —Christopher Paolini, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller Eragon

photo credit: Isaac Stewart

About the Author:

BRANDON SANDERSON is the author of the internationally bestselling Mistborn trilogy. In 2007, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series following the author’s death. The concluding book in that series, A Memory of Light, was released on January 8, 2013, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction List., just as his two previous Wheel of Time books had done.  His work has been published in over 25 languages and his books have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives and writes in Utah. Visit him at BrandonSanderson.com or connect with him on Twitter @BrandSanderson.

Find Brandon Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win finished copies of Steelheart (Reckoners #1) & Firefight (Reckoners #2) By: Brandon Sanderson

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
Easy Entry for all! (Clicking this provides name and email which is the only requirement when entering. This is for the sole purpose of contacting the winner.)
You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
This giveaway is open to US residents only.
Giveaway ends: March 3rd, 2015 (12:00AM EST)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prizing & samples courtesy of Random House. Thanks goes to Random House for providing copies of these books for the winner of this giveaway! 

Good Luck Everyone!

Title: Before He Was A Secret (Starstruck #3)
Author: Becky Wicks
Publisher: Becky Wicks Books, (March 9th 2015)
From: eBook from author
Format: ARC e-book 
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: “What if we can’t chooseEvery battle we win and loseWhat if we decided years before, to live this life, to fight these warsAnd all the dreams we ever thought were oursWere written in the stars”

Waiting tables isn't exactly what singer/songwriter Stephanie has in mind for her move to Nashville, but memories of the past and a case of writer’s block mean inspiration isn’t coming easy. When brooding pianist Conor Judge opens his mouth in a smoky bar he proves music can heal, and even help you re-write your story, but a history of his own means the one thing he starts to want most is always just out of reach. Stephanie. 

Enter Travis Flynn - an upcoming star who won’t take no for an answer, and a record label intent on helping Stephanie shine, without Conor. As fame comes knocking as hard as the ghosts of their pasts, it soon becomes clear that no matter how hard you might fall in love, having the perfect songs doesn’t always mean perfect harmony.

Review: 4.5 stars - New Adult book- not suitable for younger readers. 

After we met Stephanie Jackson in Before He Was Gone (Starstruck #2); she moved to Nashville to see if she can make it in the music industry and hopefully be able to make some money to send home to her Aunt and brothers.

Conor Judge has lived in Nashville all of his life. He works at his family’s music shop, writes songs and plays at local open mike nights. 

When the two meet they become instant friends through their mutual love of music. What follows could make them chart toppers or a complete flop depending on the input of other people who may or may not upset their happy balance.

This is a great story of friendship and young love. 
Both characters have history. Stephanie’s back story is one of sadness after a tragic accident which caused the death of her parents. Conor’s is one which I wasn’t expecting. He was raised by very religious parents, and his life has been controlled by this. Religion is one subject that a lot of author’s stay away from for fear of offending people. Wicks, covers the subject of religious communities briefly and well in my opinion. I felt sorry for Conor because he has always tried to please his father and do the right thing, but sometimes this has been at the expense of doing what he really wants to. Even his relationship with Stephanie must be kept a secret.

I love the characters in this book; even the background characters- Tal, Lou, E-beth, Indie Pete. We also see the return of Noah and Chloe from Before He Was Famous and also Denzel the demon manager- this guy makes my blood boil, but serious thanks to Becky Wicks for creating someone I can hate so much! 

Also thrown into the mix in Before He Was a Secret is Travis Flynn; the Winner of the Nashville Songwriter of the Year competition, drunk and general playboy. This guy is bound to cause trouble, although at times his intentions do seem genuine. You’ll have to read the book to see whether he really is a bad guy. 

The book is written in dual P.O.V. and this is really easy to follow. It’s nice to get an insight into what both characters are thinking. 

Although Before He Was a Secret is part of the Starstruck series, it can be read as a standalone. 

Before He Was a Secret is a must read for anyone who has read any of the other books in Wick’s Starstruck series and also for fans of Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series.

Title: Losing It: A Collection of VCards

Publisher: (February 11th, 2015)
Order Online: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon UK

NOTE: Due to mature content, this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: 22 Bestselling YA authors reveal what went on behind the curtain in your favorite YA novels! From paranormal to contemporary, this collection features over 200 pages of ALL NEW CONTENT full of deleted scenes, extended endings, and more from the young adult series’ you love.

In this YA/NA crossover collection all of your favorite heroines are cashing in their VCards! YA just got steamy, sexy, and not afraid to go all the way!

Due to the graphic nature of some content, this collection is recommended strictly for mature readers. 

Stories include excerpts and extended material--ALL NEW CONTENT featuring the following YA novels & authors:

The Grimoire Saga by SM Boyce

The Death Series by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Penny Black Trilogy by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Dirty Blood series by Heather Hildenbrand

The Mythology Series by Helen Boswell

Stories About Melissa Series by Bethany Lopez

Keegan’s Chronicles by Julia Crane

The Tate Chronicles by K.A. Last

Fragile Creatures by Kristina Circelli

The Spellbound Trilogy by Nikki Jefford

Judgement of the Six Series by Melissa Haag

A Dark Faerie Tale Series by Alexia Purdy

The Double Threat Series by Julie Prestsater

The Elsker Saga by S.T. Bende

Ovialell Series by Tish Thawer

The Runes Series by Ednah Walters

The Cornerstone Series by Misty Provencher

The Waiting Series by Ginger Scott

Forged Series by A.O. Peart

The Arotas Series by Amy Miles

Funeral Crashing Mysteries by Milda Harris

The Wolf Trilogy by M.R. Polish

Want to know what it was like for these YA authors to write the dirty details?

Hop on over to their blogs and find out! Hear about their “firsts” writing the sexy scenes and get entered to win paperbacks from each and other awesome prizes! The full schedule and participating sites can be found here (through 2/18/15).

22 Shades of Virginity…
Join all of the authors for a special Twitter chat on Thursday, Feb 11 from 7-9pm. Come hang and get all of your burning questions answered! Ask us anything and don’t forget to use: #VCARD

The Good Girls Have Gone Wild!!

Don’t want to wait? Want a sneak peek NOW behind the curtain with these authors? Request access to the Champagne Room on FB, a private, VIP group where you’ll get excerpts, giveaways, and the dirty details about the VCards we’ve cashed in…in our stories, of course!

Request exclusive access here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332424686965271/

*Must be 18 to enter

"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: The Stars Never Rise (Untitled Series #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 368 Pages (June 9th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

Title: The Cage (The Cage #1)
Author: Megan Shepherd
Publisher: Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins, 400 Pages (May 26th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins, 368 Pages (March 10th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

"Alarming and uplifting, a rare psychological thriller that has a kind heart at its center. Read it with all the lights on." -- E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars.

*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 Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau is... UK!!!!!! 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: Shadow Study
Series: Soulfinders #1 | Study #4 | The Chronicles of Ixia #7
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: US - Mira, 416 Pages, (24th February 2015), UK - Harlequin (UK) Ltd , 416 Pages, (12th March 2015)
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

Synopsis: Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia.

Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.

As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked.And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.

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 http://www.MariaVSnyder.com 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. 

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 WOW, look at these two covers. Both are extremely eye catching and if I saw each of these on a book shelf I'd pick them up to take a closer look.

There's just something a bit MORE when it comes to the UK cover that tips the scales for me. I like that the character we see is a in shadows so we just get a peek and know it's a female. I like the dark of the forrest and the fog that's swirling across the image.

I can just imagine what the UK cover looks like up close... so this week there's no doubt about my vote for the UK cover. I love everything about it.

Michelle I am in two minds about this weeks cover. Part of me wants to vote for the US cover and that is my OCD part because I know that the previous books in the Study series will eventually end up with similar covers. The other part of me wants to vote for the UK cover.

Since we do base the vote on what cover we like I am ignoring my OCD part and going with my more rational part, and my vote this week goes to UK. I love how mysterious it is with the foggy effect on the front and how we don't really get to see who the person is, which fits in perfectly with the story itself. In general I also think this is more likely to attract my attention in a shop, want to know more about this cover and whats inside the pages. I have read and reviewed Shadow Study and I loved it, my 5 star review can be found here.

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

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