Christmas Giveaway Winners!

My Christmas Giveaway is over, so I know everyone wants to find out who won! Here are the lucky five winners: a Rafflecopter giveaway Congratulations to the winners! I hope you enjoy the books! I sent an e-mail to the winners so you could tell me in which format you want to receive the book. If you don't receive my e-mail, please contact me. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas! :D

Christmas Giveaway!

Hey guys, Christmas time is coming, so I figured I should give away some books! :D I think I managed to set up the Rafflecopter widget right, but please tell me if something doesn't work. It's my first time using the app. Now let's talk about the prizes! Five lucky winners will get an e-copy of one of my books! Since you're probably visiting my blog because you've read one of my books, I decided to let the winners choose which book they want. So, you can win a copy of Human or Runaway (the second book in Element Preservers series). The first book in Element Preservers, Dangerous, is free on most of the sites, so I don't see the point of including it in this giveaway. As I said, you can choose which book you want. If you read Human, maybe you'd like to try Element Preservers series or if you haven't had a chance to read Runaway after reading Dangerous, now you can get the second book! For those who have read all of my books already (wow, thank you! You guys are the best!) I will have another giveaway in January when I publish Divided. :) The giveaway will end on December 26th. You can get extra entries if you follow me on various sites or post about the giveaway. :D Good luck and thanks for participating!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
If anyone is wondering about the results of the Element Preservers novella poll, I can tell you that the majority of votes were for Adrian, so yeah, I'll be writing the novella which will probably follow Adrian's life before Ria met him. If you have any ideas or suggestions for the novella, like what would you like to see/know about Adrian, leave me a comment here or on Facebook. I'm still not sure whether I'll be writing it in the first person or third, but I'll know more when I actually start writing and see how it goes. :D

Divided (Element Preservers, #3) Release Date!

Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you the release date for the third book in Element Preservers series so you know when to expect the book on e-shelves. Since the book will probably be ready for publishing somewhere at the end of December, I figured that most of the sites that distribute my books would be on holidays, so I wouldn't be able to upload the book or it wouldn't go live until after the holidays. That is why I decided to publish in January, to be exact, the publication date is January 3rd. If there are any changes, I'll inform you, but January 3rd seems like the best date, although I suspect it will take a bit longer for the book to appear in all the stores since there will be many books uploaded and processed. Anyway, I hope everything will go fine.
Divided should be available immediately on Smashwords, Amazon and Kobo. If you are buying your books on B&N, iTunes, Sony or others, you will have to wait a week or two until the book ships to those sites and they make it available. I don't have any control over the process, so I can't tell you how long it will take until the book appears. I remember that Runaway appeared within a week or so on iTunes, but it took a few weeks for it to become available on B&N. This time it might be different, so please be patient. Big thanks to everyone who is reading my books! I'm looking forward to 2013 and publishing more books! (Sorry Mayans, ain't nobody got time for the end of the world) :D

Divided (Element Preservers, #3) Cover Reveal!

As I promised, today you get to see the cover for the third book in Element Preservers series. Now, what can I say about the cover? Well, it reflects the story as usual. I especially love the ice and how it went over the letters in the series title because it seems like it's going out of the picture, right? :D You can probably guess this from the title, but Ria will be conflicted a lot about what to do. Here is the first version of the blurb (and I say the first version because it can still change, but probably won't change much):

After spending some time on her own, Ria thinks she is ready to meet Oliver's group of magic disease carriers and find out what her brother really wants. But when her father reveals the secret that affects the whole world, she will have to make a series of decisions that could change her life forever.

Finally, here is the cover! I would love to hear what you think.

Divided Cover Reveal This Saturday!

Hi, everyone! I have the cover for Divided (Element Preservers, #3) and I can't wait to share it with you! So, I'm going to reveal the cover this Saturday, November 17th. I hope you'll stop by my blog and website to check it out. Also, thanks to everyone who voted in the poll about Element Preservers novella. If you haven't voted yet, you can still do it here: http://www.addpoll.com/alylin/poll/214986
As for the release date for Divided, I don't think it will be this month because I'm rewriting parts of it. I like the idea of writing the novella (and I can see that you guys like it too), so I figured some scenes from Divided could be removed and adapted for the novella. My betas agree with my ideas, so we'll see how that goes. I totally see myself doing something crazy as choosing December 21st to publish Divided. Of course, Christmas time is coming, so the retailers will be slow to make the book available in their stores. So even if I publish in December, it's very likely B&N, Apple or others won't have it in their store until January. But then again, if I publish in January, some of you will still have to wait, so maybe it's better I publish sooner. It's complicated. :D Anyway, I'll see how edits go and give you a release date as soon as I can.

Would Love to Know Your Opinion!

Hi, everyone! I'm editing Divided, the third book in Element Preservers series, and I've been thinking about something. Element Preservers is written from Ria's point of view, so I thought it would be fun if I wrote a novella from some other character's POV. Many of my favorite authors do this and write a novella which sort of fits in the series, but usually concentrates on another character. You probably noticed that sometimes there are books 0.5, 1.5 and so on, depending after which book in the series the novella follows. Of course, it's a bit shorter than a full novel, but you get an awesome insight into another character's mind. I haven't decided anything yet, but maybe I could do the same. So, I need your help. I created a poll so you could choose a character you'd like to read about in the novella. Please, pick *one* character. I'm only trying to figure it out if people would be interested in reading the novella if I wrote one, so please vote. :D If you can't see the poll, here's the link to it: http://www.addpoll.com/alylin/poll/214986

Title of the Third Book in Element Preservers Series!

I'm working very hard on the third book in Element Preservers series, so I thought it was the perfect time to give you the title! I still don't know when exactly the book will be ready for publishing, but I believe it should be somewhere between mid-November and January. It all depends on how much time my betas will have and how many edits I'll still have to make. The good news is that you won't have to wait a year like you had to with Runaway. The blurb will have to wait a bit because I might be making major changes, so there would be no point in posting it early only to change it later. But back to the title. :D The title of the third book in Element Preservers series will be:

Divided! (I hope the glittery letters above work. XD) Yes, the title has a lot to do with the plot, as usual. If you have any speculations about what will happen in Divided, you're welcome to post them in comments. :D I hope you like the title!

Runaway Now on Kobo!

I realized it would take ages for Runaway to become available on Kobo through Smashwords, so I went to publish it there directly. It took only a few hours, so I'm impressed. Anyway, here is the link: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Runaway-Element-Preservers-Series-Book/book-KgcvcIcguUis8kuGQrVc3w/page1.html?s=vFMSlXSaxUqaqIi7atvgTA&r=3 It's new, so if something doesn't work yet, give it some time. :D However, the new version of Dangerous still has to appear on the site and I'll give you the link for it as soon as I have it. The old Smashwords version will probably take some time to get removed, so I suggest you download the copy with the new cover since that is the latest version.

Update: Link for new version of Dangerous: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Dangerous-Element-Preservers-Book-01/book-I0NKppr3lkujz0lvdK6mwQ/page1.html?s=szz8u9wepEytkNmTMJwrvQ&r=4

New Cover for Human!!!

Hello everyone, I just came to tell you that Human has a new cover!! I know it looks almost the same, but now it's much bigger to fit with the rest of the covers. You know, every time I tried to make a signature or a banner with my books, Human would never fit with Dangerous and Runaway because of the size. Besides, some people thought the old cover was sort of creepy because it reminded them of a doll. Oh well, I hope you like this one better. :D

 

As for the possible sequel, I still don't have any awesome news. I haven't decided that there won't be a sequel, but I'll leave that decision for 2013. Right now I'm totally busy with the third book in Element Preservers and my new series/trilogy/not sure. But don't worry. If I decide something, you'll be the first to know. :D 

For anyone waiting for Runaway to appear on Kobo/Diesel/Sony, I hope it won't take much longer, but I honestly have no clue what's taking them so long to put it up. Sorry about that. Oh, and hugs to Australians for getting Runaway on the best-selling list on iTunes! You guys are the best! :D And of course, hugs to everyone reading my books!

Runaway (Element Preservers, #2) Now for Nook!

B&N has finally made Runaway available, so now you can read it on your Nook too! Here is the link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/runaway-alycia-linwood/1112818893?ean=2940044796959 Sorry about this delay, and I hope you'll enjoy the book! :D

Element Preservers Series Update

So, even though it says on Smashwords that they ship books to B&N "every Thursday or Friday", Runaway still hasn't shipped. I've gotten a lot of questions about this and all I can say is that I'm sorry, but I can't do anything to speed things up. Hopefully, Runaway will be shipped next Thursday or Friday and be available "within a few days of shipment". The situation is the same with Kobo and Sony, so you'll have to wait a bit longer. I know how frustrating it is to wait because right now I'm staring at the shipment info and willing it to change, but nothing happens. Anyway, I assure you Runaway will be available for Nook soon. I can't tell you exactly how soon, but I hope there won't be any more delays.

UPDATE: Runaway has been shipped to B&N (09/03), so I guess that means it will be available in a few days. :D Finally Runaway is now available on B&N! http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/runaway-alycia-linwood/1112818893?ean=2940044796959

If anyone is looking for Runaway on iTunes/Apple, here is the link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/alycia-linwood/id456604322?mt=11 I just noticed that Runaway has made it to the best-seller list in Children & Teen category in Canada! Thank you so much! You guys are awesome! I know Dangerous is on some lists too, but it's free, so yeah, that's not so unusual. :D Big thanks to everyone for reading my books!
Now we can talk about more interesting things. I'm working on the third book in Element Preservers series! I'd planned to start another series, but I changed my mind because the third book just wants to be written. And when something feels right, you just have to do it, right? I don't want to mention any dates yet or anything, but I can say that you won't have to wait as long as you had to for Runaway. I have the title already, but I'm not completely sure about it, so I'll wait before sharing it with you. I hope you're enjoying Runaway even more than Dangerous and I hope you'll be interested in reading the third book too! :D

Win a Copy of Runaway (Element Preservers, #2)!

Now you can enter the giveaway on Librarything (http://www.librarything.com/er_list.php?program=giveaway&sort=startdate) to win a copy of Runaway! :D Good luck!

Runaway (Element Preservers, #2) is Now Available!

So, the long expected day has finally come! You can now read the second book in Element Preservers series! I have just uploaded the book to Smashwords and Amazon, so here is the link for Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/215757 I will give you the link for Amazon as soon as I get it. If you plan to buy the book on B&N, Apple, Sony or others, I'm afraid you will have to wait until Smashwords approves and ships the book. I'm not sure when that will be because I don't have control over that, but please be patient. Thanks to everyone who read Dangerous and will be reading Runaway. :D If you haven't read Dangerous yet, now's your chance. It's currently free on Smashwords.
Anyway, I hope you will enjoy reading Runaway!

Update: Get Runaway on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YVEM4C 

New Covers for Element Preservers Series!

I mentioned some time ago that I would be getting new covers for Dangerous and Runaway, so they are finally ready and I can show them to you. I uploaded the new cover edition of Dangerous on Smashwords and on Amazon, and to celebrate this, Dangerous is currently free to download on Smashwords! So now I'm waiting for it to be approved, so the new cover can appear on the retailers' pages too. If you like the new cover and you already have a copy of Dangerous, visit Smashwords' page for the new version. You can download any of the formats there. Now let's talk about the covers! Can I say that I love them? :D Of course, I loved my old cover for Runaway too much not to include some really important parts in the new one. Yes, can't escape symbolism in these two pics. If you read Dangerous, don't you think the pic perfectly shows Ria? Anyway, I hope you like the new covers and now I should go before I fall asleep and crash my laptop. Oh, and remember, if everything goes like expected, you will be able to read the second book in Element Preservers, Runaway, on August 17th!

Runaway (Element Preservers, #2) Publication Date

Hi, I just came to tell you that now I have the exact date when Runaway, the second book in Element Preservers series, will be published. So, you can mark your calendars! It's August 17! I hope everything will go fine with formatting and that the book will be available very soon at various retailers. :D You can't even imagine how excited I am about this!

Some Book Recommendations

I'm very busy preparing Runaway for publishing, but I still manage to find some time to read. Since I didn't have time to write and post reviews for books I've read recently, I'm going to do a short post now. I'm sure not all books will fit, but hey, these are some of the books I liked:

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Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress #4) by Jeaniene Frost 

Hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when half-vampire Cat Crawfield begins having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Cat's undead lover, Bones, and has ties to her past that even Cat herself doesn't know about. Original.

I really liked this book, but not as much as I liked the first three. The relationship between Cat and Bones was a bit weird and they both drove me crazy at times. However, I really, really, REALLY, love Vlad! And yeah, I want to run off and read Once Burned, but I promised myself I'd finish most of the books on my currently reading list before starting another one. *pouts* 

Born of Ice (The League #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

In the Ichidian Universe, the League and its ruthless assassins continue to keep rule. But at what cost? Welcome back to the future...and a whole new world.

He is an outlaw who offers no quarter.
Devyn Kell spent his life in service to the League until he learned of the double dealing and backstabbing that was costing innocent people their lives. Refusing to play those polit...moreIn the Ichidian Universe, the League and its ruthless assassins continue to keep rule. But at what cost? Welcome back to the future...and a whole new world. He is an outlaw who offers no quarter. Devyn Kell spent his life in service to the League until he learned of the double dealing and backstabbing that was costing innocent people their lives. Refusing to play those politics, he became a Runner - someone who makes sure planets get the weapons, medicine and supplies they need to survive. May the gods have mercy on any who get in his way, because he definitely won't. She is on the run from her past that could end her life.
Alix Garran is a woman on the run from a past she can't escape. Signing on to work for Devyn as a Systems Engineer, she finds a cause she can fight for - and a man she can respect. But as Alix's past catches up to her, and Devyn's old enemies turn lethal, they have to fight together...or fall alone.

The only reason I hadn't devoured this book sooner is that I wanted to have something awesome to read after reading books that I didn't enjoy as much. I'm not sure how Sherrilyn Kenyon does it, but I absolutely adore every book she writes. If she wrote hundreds of books, I'd read them all. I'm not sure I can explain it coherently, but her style and her characters are the best thing ever. :D

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in t...moreWhen foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove. Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother. The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member. Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

This book was weird, but positively weird. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, but I enjoyed the book. I think it is very unique and creative, and I really liked the ending. I read it in a few hours, so yeah, really awesome book, even though I'm not always sure what to think of it. XD

Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #21) by Laurell K. Hamilton

When a fifteen-year-old girl is abducted by vampires, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Anita Blake to find her. And when she does, she’s faced with something she’s never seen before: a terrifyingly ordinary group of people—kids, grandparents, soccer moms—all recently turned and willing to die to avoid serving a master. And where there’s one martyr, there will be more…

But even vamp...moreWhen a fifteen-year-old girl is abducted by vampires, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Anita Blake to find her. And when she does, she’s faced with something she’s never seen before: a terrifyingly ordinary group of people—kids, grandparents, soccer moms—all recently turned and willing to die to avoid serving a master. And where there’s one martyr, there will be more…

But even vampires have monsters that they’re afraid of. And Anita is one of them…

I love Anita Blake series, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten to the 21st book, I suppose. This one wasn't as good as the last one, but it was an enjoyable read. I know a lot of people think there's too much sex and that Anita is too perfect, but I don't mind her having tons of hot men around her who don't mind sharing. Come on, isn't that every woman's fantasy? XD Besides, her life is not easy at all, so let her enjoy. I might like it more when there are crime investigations and Edward included, but there are so many books in this series, so I suppose there's something for everyone. 

The Taming by Teresa Toten, Eric Walters

Katie likes to believe she's invisible. It seems much safer than being exposed as she is--shy, poor, awkward. So getting up on stage in the school production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: "My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I lov...moreKatie likes to believe she's invisible. It seems much safer than being exposed as she is--shy, poor, awkward. So getting up on stage in the school production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: "My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I loved, loved, loved it! . . . Invisible Katie became visible Katharina." Evan Cooper is, as they say, another story. He knows just what it takes to get noticed, and he uses every one of the skills he's honed after years of being the new kid. Like tossing the keys to his father's high-end Audi to a kid he's never met, first day of school. "I have insurance for car theft," he explains to a shocked Danny. "And there's a full tank." An abuse of the power that comes with privilege and money? Sure. But more dangerously, is his romance with Katie another version of the same thing? Or is it the real thing?

I really liked this book, although I wasn't sure about it until the end. This is basically how I wanted Fifty Shades series to end. The characters are absolutely infuriating sometimes, but I usually don't mind that when the story is good and I know there's a reason for it. I wish there were more insights in some things, but the book was good nevertheless. I finished it in a few hours because I just couldn't stop reading.Loved that there were two point of views.

La ciudad y los perros by Mario Vargas Llosa

Translated to over 30 languages, this is perhaps Vargas Llosa s most violent book. Set in a military school in Lima, where an unwritten code of survival of the fittest is imposed. Here, he focuses on the brutality of military life and the strong pyramidal hierarchy that mirrors Peruvian society, where violence, exploitation and human degradation guarantee that each layer o...moreTranslated to over 30 languages, this is perhaps Vargas Llosa s most violent book. Set in a military school in Lima, where an unwritten code of survival of the fittest is imposed. Here, he focuses on the brutality of military life and the strong pyramidal hierarchy that mirrors Peruvian society, where violence, exploitation and human degradation guarantee that each layer of the social pyramid maintains its place. All the conflicts of Peruvian society arise with rage and impotence in this testimonial novel in which Vargas Llosa paints a social and political picture.

I must say I was surprised how much I liked this book. It's definitely not something I usually read, but I like changes from time to time. My first thought about this book was that everyone is crazy, but I got to like some characters so much that I wanted more when I finished reading. I love books that so nicely paint the whole social picture. Changing points of view can get really confusing, but you have to be patient because in the end it's easy to figure it out who said what. I'm thinking about rereading this now that I know some things, but I'm not sure I'll find the time. And I usually don't reread books, so yeah, you can see this one is special. :D

I've read more books, but I don't have time to mention them all. If you want to see what else I have read, check my Goodreads page. :D And now I should go back to editing. See you soon! I'm doing my best to make Runaway available as soon as possible, so maybe you won't have to wait the second half of August to read it!

Human 50% off on Smashwords and a Small Update

Why is it that I always post on the first of the month? Maybe because of this:

Anyway, the first thing I want to say is that I enrolled Human in Smashword's Summer/Winter site-wide promotion, so if you enter the code SSW50 at checkout, you'll get 50% off! Here is the link to the book: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120164 The promotion lasts until July 31 and it's only for Smashwords, so if you haven't gotten your copy yet, this is your chance!

Now let's get to more interesting things. It is very likely that the books in Element Preservers series will get new covers. Yes, I know, that's very exciting. I love my cover for Runaway a lot, but I think the new one will be a lot more awesome. At least I hope it will be. :D What else I wanted to say? Ah, yes. I'm trying to decide when exactly I will publish Runaway, the second book in Element Preservers series, and right now I think it will be somewhere between August 23 and August 29. I'm really sorry that you have to wait a bit longer. I was hoping I'd be able to publish it at the beginning of August, but I've been really busy and I'm still editing. I really hope I'll manage to get everything ready, the new book and new covers, by August 23. If I finish earlier, you'll be notified, don't worry.

Does anyone know for how long I've been saying I'm going to improve my webpage and blog? XD Well, maybe I'll finally do it this summer. Maybe. Ok, I think I said everything I wanted to. Now I must go back to editing.

A Little Bit of Everything

I've been planning to make this post for ages, but I was always too tired or too busy to do it. Well, I'm still tired and still busy, but I figured I could survive making a small post. :)

First of all, I want to thank everyone who is downloading and reading Human! I didn't expect there would be so much interest, so yeah, I'm extremely happy. A huge thanks to everyone who has contacted me, asked for Kindlegraph and left a rating/review. It really means a lot to me. For everyone wondering whether there will be a sequel after Human, I have to say that I'm not sure yet. I might write a short story or a novella. Or maybe another novel set in the same world, but it probably wouldn't focus on Ariel, but on her sister, Christina. Ariel and Devin would probably be in it too, but they would be more in the background. I told everything I wanted to with Ariel and Devin, so I don't see myself writing another full novel exclusively about them. Of course, I can't tell anything for sure right now because I'm in the middle of editing Runaway (Element Preservers, #2) and I'm planning/plotting two different novels. It all depends on what happens in the next few months. I hope I'll manage to publish Runaway in August.

Ok, enough about my books. I was so happy when I heard Brodi Ashton will publish a novella set in the Everneath universe. And do you know why? Because it will be told from Cole's point of view!!! If you don't know already, Cole is my favorite character from Everneath, so you see why this makes me incredibly happy. :D Oh, and I think I like this new trend that we get a novella told from the point of view of the most interesting male character in the series. XD Tahereh Mafi is also going to publish a novella in Shatter Me series, titled Destroy Me, which will be told from Warner's point of view!! I can't wait to read it because I love Warner! Oh, and before you start screaming at me and saying he's a psycho, well yes, I know! That's why he intrigues me so much! :D

I also bought tons of books and I have no idea when I'm going to read them all. Besides, I have to finish those nine books I started reading and can't find time to finish. :/ Of course, I'm still looking for new books to read, so if anyone knows some book I might like.... :D

I hope it won't take me another month for a new post. XD Have fun, everyone, and read ALL the books! :P

Get Human for FREE! Limited time only!

I just want to inform you guys that my book, Human, is currently free to download on Smashwords in various formats! So if you are interested in reading it, please check it out. Here is the link to the page: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120164 And remember, this offer is a limited time only, so you might only have a week or so to get your copy. :D If you do download a copy, thank you and I hope you'll enjoy it! 

Book Review: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

I think I saw this book for the first time on Goodreads when Kelly Creagh recommended it, and since I loved Creagh's Nevermore, I decided to check this one out. And I'm really glad I did! When I read the blurb, I knew I needed to get this one as soon as it was published. Now check out the blurb from Goodreads:

Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.



So this book was based on Edgar Allan Poe's story of the same title, which I didn't read. *hides* (I will, because now I'm curious.) And I really didn't expect it would be this good. No, I really, really loved the book and once I started reading, I just couldn't stop for anything in the world. I'm still thinking about it because I want to read more and the next book will be out in 2013. *cries* I don't think I can wait that long. So, what did I like so much about this book? Well, almost everything. It's a bit hard to explain, but this is exactly the type of book for me. There are two really hot guys... yeah, two. I know there are always two hot guys in a love triangle, but I usually pick one and that's it. XD Here it's really hard to choose, because both boys have exactly what I like, even though I think I'm closer to choose one over the other. I also like that we're not sure in which city this is going on (unless I missed it somewhere) because that sounds like something I would write. You know, that evil might be in your city. *big grin* I also like that it wasn't too long. I mean, I want to read more of it, but I don't like it when authors add unnecessary descriptions and things to have more pages. This one has a perfect pace and you can't get bored for a second. Araby is an interesting, flawed character and that's why I enjoyed her story. She might not have anything in common with me, has a suicidal tendencies and is a bit naive, but that's not surprising since the world she grew up in is the way it is. Actually, this book reminded me a bit of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, but without the....err...cheesy romance part. Anyway, if you haven't read this, what the hell are you waiting for? :D Oh, and I would really like to see this as a movie.

Now some of my thoughts that contain spoilers, so don't click this cut if you haven't read the book!!!

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

I finally found some time to read, so I immediately picked up The Immortal Rules, mostly because I absolutely loved Iron Fey series also written by Julie. Besides, I love vampires and I love dystopian setting (no, still didn't get tired of it all ahaha). Anyway, despite minor flaws, I really loved this book and can't wait for the next. Now take a look at this gorgeous cover and the blurb from Goodreads:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun and easy read. I love it that vampires still burn in the sun and need to drink human blood. Allie is a really strong character and does anything she needs to in order to survive, even if it means she has to become what she hates; a vampire. And while I liked the whole premise, I must admit there was a part at the beginning when I thought I wasn't going to like the book. It was the part when Allie becomes a vampire and her sire teaches her what to do. I thought the rest of the book was going to be the same, Allie learning things and fighting off enemies or sth, but I was pleasantly surprised. When Zeke was introduced first, I was a bit unsure would I like him or not, but I got to really like him. There were times when I wanted to scream at him for blindly following orders, but later on I understood why he did what he did. The only thing that bothered me a bit is that Allie sometimes seems almost too perfect, like she can fight off tons of rabids, and those who dislike her usually don't end up well, and things like that. I felt that was a bit too much like the usual. But despite that, Julie Kagawa does a great job and draws you into the world she created and you just can't stop reading. I don't want to reveal too much, but I highly recommend this book! :D

Giveaway: Win a Copy of Human and Dangerous!

Just wanted to inform you that there are two giveaways going on where you can win a copy of my books, Human and Dangerous (Element Preservers, #1).

  If you would like to win an e-copy of Dangerous, visit the Facebook page of Paranormal Book Club here: http://www.facebook.com/ParanormalBookClub?sk=app_204684816209053 and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway where you can also win books from other authors.

 For an e-copy of Human, go to the blog Black Words-White Pages http://blackwords-whitepages.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/rafflecopter-giveaway.html

Good luck to everyone who entered! And thanks for your interest!

Runaway (Element Preservers, Book 2) - Cover and Blurb!!!

So, as I have promised, it's the time for me to share the cover and the blurb for the next book in Element Preservers series, Runaway, which will be out in August this year. :D I must say I'm really excited about this. Even more than I thought I would be. Oh, well. I had so much fun writing this book and the editing process right now is also very... interesting. It actually involved carrying some papers under a shirt to see whether they were visible or would they drop. XD Don't even ask. You'll get it once you read the book. I had to see if what I had written was possible. But let's go back to the topic. So yes, the cover. The cover is again a simple one because that's how I like it for this series. Just like the cover for Dangerous, this one is symbolic too. :D I know, I know, symbols aren't always easy to understand, but to me each part of the cover represents something in the story. I would tell you what, but that would be a loooot of spoilers for Runaway, and I'm not willing to share those. But let's get to that cover! Finally!

So, what do you think? Definitely the ugliest thing you've ever seen, right? :P Now let's get to the blurb. This one was impossibly hard to write. Why? Well, because I was trying not to tell you anything... spoilery. And yeah, I was playing with words a bit, so I could cover what happens but still keep everything a secret. I wonder if I actually succeeded. Here it is:

Surprised by Adrian's sudden disappearance, Ria is determined to find him, even if that means she has to trust her brother and go to her father's party. However, soon she realizes that her father, as the president of the newly founded Element Preservation Organization, plays a big role in the future of not only magic disease carriers, but also everyone with an element. As the secrets surrounding the magic disease and elements are revealed, Ria doesn't know who she can trust. But when an ex-lover turns into an enemy and a tragic accident changes everything, you can't just run away.

Any thoughts? :D I can tell you that this book will explore Ria's relationship with her parents a bit more. A lot of secrets will be revealed. Some characters will realize they were wrong about something. A bit more of magic will be used.... yeah, ok, more magic, romance, criticism of society (like I haven't done that enough already in Dangerous, but I can't help it)... You'll see what happens. I can't tell you more. :D

Oh, and if anyone is a Librarian on Goodreads, could you please add Runaway to Element Preservers series since I can't add the name of the series so it shows in my profile that Element Preservers has 2 books and not one. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it right. I just know that when you are on a page of a book, you can click the title of the series and see other books, and right now when you click on mine, it shows only Dangerous. Thanks! I can add the cover and the blurb later. Now I have to go. See you soon!

Another Update: Runaway (Element Preservers, #2)

It's time for another short update about the next book in Element Preservers series! Right now I'm editing Runaway and waiting for my betas to read it and tell me what they think. Then I'll do some changes if necessary and try my best to prepare the book for publishing. I'm still not sure when it will be ready since I don't know how long the editing process will take, but so far it looks like I will manage to finish everything by August. So yeah, you can expect Runaway in August! That's only a few months more! :D
But the real reason for writing this update is that I'm planning to reveal the cover and the blurb for Runaway on April 17!!! So, stop by my blog in two weeks and check it out! :D I'm really excited about it and I hope you will like it.

Book Rec: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I finally found time to write this review, so here it goes. XD Do I even have to say how much I love everything Sherrilyn writes? She's like my favorite author ever and her books have everything I adore so much. Anyway, I liked the first two books in Chronicles of Nick, but they weren't as awesome as this one. It might have to do something with the fact that I've never really been a fan of Nick in Dark Hunter series, but I think I'm starting to like him a bit. Now before I write the rest of my thoughts, here is the overview from Goodreads:

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

If you've seen my page on Goodreads, then you probably noticed I was reading 10 books at once. XD I really tried to just read a chapter of this and then go to another book, but I just couldn't. This was such an interesting and easy read, and I fell in love with the characters, especially Caleb. Not to mention some of my other favorite characters from Dark-Hunter world also appear, like Acheron and Thorn, so I was really in heaven. Another thing I found awesome were all the good messages in this book. Just check out this quote: “People aren't just ants rushing around over a crust of bread. Every life, no matter how isolated, touches hundreds of others. It's up to us to decide if those micro connections are positive or negative. But whichever we decide, it does impact the ones we deal with. One word can give someone the strength they needed at that moment or it can shred them down to nothing. A single smile can turn a bad moment good. And one wrong outburst or word could be the tiny push that causes someone to slip over the edge into destruction.” I really don't think I can explain enough how awesome this book is and how awesome the characters and their world are. If you love Dark-Hunter series, you're going to love Chronicles of Nick, even if you, like me, never really liked Nick as much. When I finished reading this one, I was basically like this:

And that's saying something, since I rarely find a book that leaves me speechless and wanting for more immediately. So... I really, really recommend this series. :D

Book Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

I'm sure no one expected me to post so soon, but yeah, my friend was right! I did find my book! Something short that I could read in a few hours and not get annoyed along the way. And that awesome book is Abandon by Meg Cabot. I really, really liked this one. It kept my attention all the time! So let's see the summary from Goodreads:

Pierce knows what it's like to die, because she's done it before.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

The myth of Persephone...darkly reimagined.

Warning: might contain slight spoilers.
So, I decided to read this book since my friend said it dealt with Hades and Persephone myth, which I just find totally interesting since I love mythology, especially Greek. Not so long ago I read Everneath by Brodi Ashton which also deals with the same myth, and yeah, I expected something similar, but it was actually a completely different twist on the story. The protagonist's name is actually Pierce, which is quite unusual for a girl, but I like it. Yeah, she's rich and she's pretty! And she knows it. Thank God! I loved when she said: "Is it money to repair the stupid gate? Fine. I'll get my dad to pay for it. Just don't tell anyone about it." I was like, you go girl! I just love that she said what any girl with a rich dad would say. It made me laugh. I know some of the things she did might seem stupid, but hey, in a situation like hers when you die and weird things happen, and you're not sure if you're crazy or if all of it is real, I don't think it would be easy to be much wiser.
I did have a bit of an issue with the love interest, John, because he's one of those super old creatures who falls in love with a teen, but this time I have a theory about it and that is that since no one really cared about him or showed any interest in him as much as Pierce did, he kind of thinks he's in love with her even though they didn't have that much of an interaction. He might be a stalker too (eeep!), but I'm still not completely sure about it. She's attracted to him, but she does realize that he's dangerous and I didn't feel like she was crazy/obsessed with him. Her problem is that she wants to help everyone, but doesn't always find the best way to do it, which I find believable actually.
Also, I'm really curious about some things, ok, maybe a whole lot of things, that didn't get to be explained in this book, but I'm sure will find about it in the next book. I know this is an issue for some people since they like to get everything explained in the first book despite the fact that characters don't even know it XD. Some people are just impatient, I guess, but I really don't mind this. I also didn't have an issue with switching back from present to past and back again. I didn't find that confusing in Everneath and I didn't find it confusing here either. It just takes you a few seconds to understand whether you're in present or in past, but really, you only have to think about it a little bit. :P
I loved that Meg wrote a note at the end of the book saying how she was researching things for this book and I thought that was pretty awesome! I haven't read any other books by Meg Cabot so I'm not sure if this is different from what she usually writes. Maybe that's why there are some not really positive reviews on this one. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to see what happens next!

It's Time for a New Post!

I just realized I haven't posted anything new here in ages. Yeah, I don't know where the time goes. It seems to me like I posted yesterday, but oh well. Most of the time when I think of something smart to post it's in the middle of something and when I finally reach my laptop, I forget what I wanted to say. XD Besides, most of the people come to my blog looking for an update about the next book in Element Preserves series. Yes, I'm really sorry that I'm so slow and can't give you the exact date of publication of Runaway, but I'll try to figure it all out as soon as possible. Although, I regret to say that it looks more like it will be August than June/July right now because I'm busy and my betas are busy, and it's hard to find some time to write and edit. But I'll see how that goes. Oh, and big thanks to everyone who has read Dangerous! You guys are the best! :D

Reading. I think I need some good book recommendations. Almost all the books I'm reading right now annoy me for some reason. I probably picked them up at the wrong moment. And two of them remind me of Twilight. One used to be a Twilight fanfiction, and while I enjoyed Twilight, I'm not really happy when all other books follow the same path just because that's what sells right now. And no, using another kind of supernatural creatures instead of vampires doesn't make it any more original. Another problem I have is that I want to strangle the characters. I'm really sad about this one book since it's last in a series and I really liked the first two, and now in the last one where everything is supposed to come together nicely, it just takes the worst possible way. And I'm really sick of this characters that almost want to force me to like them because we have similar traits but then they do something which feels awkward for a person like that, so I'm like no, if you're a reader and have books, you're simply not bored out of your mind just because the hot guy is not around! Unless all the books she picks up are boring? I don't know, really. And constant repetition how hot the guy is! Yeah, I got it the first time, don't need to repeat it every single page! *sigh* I'm probably the only who thinks this way since all these books are very much loved among the readers.
But hey, there's still hope. I'm planning to finish these books, so maybe I end up liking them, who knows? It has happened to me before with Unearthly. Read a few chapters and thought it was so not for me that I couldn't even finish it, then I picked it up some time later, and loved it! Anyway, I was hoping to find something interesting and less frustrating. My friend recommended me to read Abandon by Meg Cabbot since it's short and apparently deals with very similar theme like Everneath by Brodi Ashton, which I loved very much. So, if anyone knows a good, preferably YA or paranormal book, that isn't over 300 pages and doesn't follow a girl who moves to another town with one parent, meets a super hot guy who doesn't care about other girls but does for her even though she's totally plain looking, please tell me. I would really love to find more books like Iron Fey series, Everneath, Divergent, The Infernal Devices, Vampire Academy and similar. :D

TV shows. Does anyone watch The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle? I love these two shows, even though I find some things irritating, especially in The Secret Circle. I'm not sure can I discuss the last ep of The Secret Circle here since I might be giving away spoilers and I don't want to ruin the show for those who haven't seen it yet. Is there a page break or something for this kind of thing? I'm still new to blogger, so I'm not sure if it will work. Let's try. :D

Read an Ebook Week! Human 50% off!

So, I'm here to tell you some happy news. Smashwords is having Read an Ebook Week from March 4th to March 10th, and I have decided to include Human in this promotion by offering it for only 1.50$! There will be a coupon when the promotion starts which you will be able to use to get this nice discount. XD I'm sure other authors will include their books as well, so you might find something you like if you visit Smashword's page during Read an Ebook Week. Click HERE to get to the page for Human on Smashwords, see the trailer, read the overview or sample. :D

Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

The third book I read was Everneath by Brodi Ashton. I really, really loved this book! I mean, look at the cover? Isn't the most gorgeous thing ever? Now see the overview from Goodreads:
"Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

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

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

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

I started reading this book just to see what it was like. It sounded so good and I figured I could take a peek inside, and see how it was. But as I started reading, I couldn't just stop. No, really, I was unable to stop myself, and that hasn't happened for a loooong time. I just wanted to know what would happen, and even now I can't stop thinking about it. I just want the next book ahaha I read this one in a day. It's a really nice, interesting and quick read, without unnecessary details and boring parts. And we actually go between present and the past to get all the story, and you know what, that works perfectly! I wasn't even a tiny bit confused and it was much better than just dumping info on us.

Warning: SPOILERS from now on. It's true that I adore mythology, so everything related to it makes me extra happy. I like all the twists and turns here on the old myths. And now let's get to my favorite part: Cole. *swoon* Yes, he's like my perfect everything lol He's a bad boy and a singer, who just might feel something for Nikki, and even though he wants to use her for his most likely evil causes, he's not actually forcing her into anything, except maybe manipulating her emotions one time, but I think that emotion had to be there already and he only made it stronger. I believe her decisions were all her own. (Yeah, I'm going to try to defend my book boyfriends any way that I can XD). Cole does come through Nikki's window a few times (and so does Jack), which is a bit creepy, but at least he wasn't watching her sleep or change clothes or something lol I hope. And he actually honored the deal when she told him to stay away. I still can't help but wonder why he didn't just kidnap her or something, if it was all so important for him to make her a new queen. But all the scenes they shared...awww! And I'm still so intrigued about him and his world.

And to agree with Cole, I just don't see Nikki/Jack thing. Jack is just, I don't know, I have no idea why they love each other and why is he so desperate and depressed without her. He's like Bella. But he doesn't bother me actually like Shay from Nightshade does, so I see he and Nikki have this apparently epic mythological love story going on, and I guess they will end up together someday because, well, it's...epic, I guess. I don't mind that, but I want as more Cole moments as possible ahah and I'll just enjoy in that. I know Nikki/Cole thing doesn't feel real at the moment, but it could be. *cough cough* Because true love is always more epic when it brings something good out of people and not just because something is meant to be or written in the stars (gah, Secret Circle). Maybe I'll get it in the next book why Jack did what he did for Nikki. I know, love, but why? Well, I can't wait for the next book! And yeha, I'm a little bit disappointed we didn't get to see that underworld or whatever it is called. I hoped Nikki would just go with Cole and discover it, then she could epically come back or sth, but hey, I guess that's the twist. XD Oh, and of course I reccomend this! :D

Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

The second book I read is Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. I mostly liked this book, but I had some issues with it, ok, actually one issue, a boy, to be exact. So yeah, this review might actually contain some SPOILERS, so you might not want to read my opinion on this one if you haven't read it. Oh, and this might or might have not turned into a rant about Shay, so if you like him, you might not want to read this. Just saying. Here is the summary from Goodreads:

"Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?"

I decided to read the book based on the overview and recommendations I got for it. And since all three books in this series are out, I figured I was safe because I could find out immediately what happens next. To be honest, I had expected something different. Actually, I would have enjoyed this book even more if it wasn't for the human boy, Shay. He just annoyed me so much that it soon became a struggle to read, but I continued because I really liked other characters. He is the only thing that didn't make sense to me.

So Calla is an alpha wolf, even though it mostly doesn't seem so. She is destined to be mated to Ren and there's nothing she can do except follow the rules. On top of that, she has to remain "pure" while Ren can sleep with whomever he wants. I know some of the readers had issues with all of that, but I didn't. I mean, I couldn't help but admire how good the position of women in that kind of society was shown. First you have the girl who is apparently given equality, the title of alpha, but the decisions of the male are still more important; men are still the center of everything. And I think this exactly is still the problem in our world. We apparently have the same rights, but why in most countries men are still better paid and hold more important positions? I see male presidents, still more males in the government and so on. True, some women are also there, but it's still annoying when you go to a job interview and they ask you if you plan to have kids, because, you know, you won't get the job if you plan to get pregnant. *face palm*

But let's get back to the book. So Calla is supposed to stay a virgin until the union (no, I'm not going to get into it how annoyed I am that women still get to be insulted because of this and men are like heroes or something) and this whole oppression thing leads to tons of sexual frustration. You see what you get when something is forbidden and shouldn't be lol Her sexual frustration is so great that it can be cut with a knife and she's basically attracted to both Ren and Shay. I just had a feeling the girl wanted to jump somebody's bones, and it wouldn't even matter whose. And I was like, wow, cool, this shows that women shouldn't be oppressed, and I liked that.

Now comes the issue of Shay. *sigh* I developed an instant dislike for him, and as the story progressed, I liked him less and less, especially when he started appearing all the time. The problem I had with him is that I just don't feel he's real and I don't feel the thing between him and Calla. She would basically throw herself at anything male, and I got the feeling she wanted him just because he was forbidden. I was annoyed how he seemed to be brave one moment and the next he's almost pissing his pants. Even though he's supposed to be hot, I kept imagining him like someone small, bony and twisted looking lol. And he's like so super smart, apparently learned how to use a whip by reading and pretending to be Indiana Jones. Great, then I'm a super spy and totally know how to use a gun, you know, because I pretended to be that when I was young and read about it. No, don't you dare shatter my illusion lol I'm a spy!

Not to mention he's a great dancer, but apparently a loner who moved a lot and didn't have much friends. So, with whom did you dance? A doll? lol That reminds me of a movie. XD If he went to dance classes, wouldn't he have met someone? Then he constantly makes Calla break rules, I guess that's his way not to be too perfect or sth? (Where is that 'we have a badass in here' meme when you need it). I mean, he's the chosen one! There's a book about him! Aaaaaah! I don't know. Maybe I'm the only one who had a problem with this, who knows? But I just couldn't stand him from the moment when he got to the class and started insisting that they should study Hobbes or someone, I'm not good at Philosophy lol but when would a teenage boy, especially as a new student, ask so much to study about something? I mean, you can be interested in something, but wouldn't you then study it on your own or ask the professor about it after class and not embarrass yourself in front of your new class? lol Maybe my logic is messed up, but I saw this as a sort of a social suicide :P

As for Ren, he can sometimes be a jerk, but I have a feeling he doesn't know any better. I mean, he was raised to believe his behavior is the right one, so I can't blame him for it. And yes, I like him actually. He cares for Calla and even tries to be nice. I really loved other characters, like Ansel and Bryn, because their stories were very interesting and sweet. I guess I could read just about them and their lives. The whole book would be awesome if there wasn't for Shay. All that doesn't include him is basically perfect. I loved the rest of the Calla's world and it would have been awesome if she and Ren somehow together decided to break free of the rules. I even went to read the short novella from Ansel's point of view and loved it, and too bad it was so short. I'd like to read the next book in this series, but I don't think I'm ready for more of Shay. He's become like my reference for guys I don't like in a love triangle lol Now I'm like, no, the guy's fine, he's better than Shay lol

Anyway, this was a quick read and I found myself coming back to it to read more. The plot was mostly interesting, there weren't any slow, boring parts, and in the end, I did enjoy this book. You may or may not agree with my opinion on this one, but that's perfectly ok. Books can be interpreted in thousands of ways and the beauty of it all is that we all see things differently. So if you like this boy whose name I don't want to say, take him, it's yours lol XD Oh, and yes, despite all of this, I'd recommend people to read this book because it's really fun.

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I finally found some time to read, so I immediately started reading tons of books. Ha ha. Yeah, I usually can't just start reading one book; I need to start like 5 or 6. Check my Goodreads currently reading page if you don't believe me. :P Anyway, I felt compelled to share my opinion on some of the books here, so here it goes. I'll divide this in three posts, each about one book since I realized this would be too long if I put it all in one post. lol There might be a way to put a page break or something, but I haven't figured it out how that works yet, so... it will be just fine like this, I guess. XD

The first book I finished reading was Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. I have read the first three books in the Mortal Instruments series, and I figured Infernal Devices could be interesting too. Here is the summary from Goodreads:
"Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."

I really enjoyed this book! It was awesome from the beginning to the end. I just had to keep reading. It was also great because I'm usually not a fan of books with a historical setting, like the time of Queen Victoria, since I find them boring, and sometimes I'm annoyed by the way people used to behave at that time, but this book wasn't boring for even a second and the characters were awesome. For the first time I found myself unable to decide if I liked Will or Jem more. I usually pick one of the male characters in a triangle really fast, almost as soon as they are introduced, since one is usually more my type, but here I'm just not sure. Will is the bad boy with a secret (I know, instant swoon, right? XD) and Jem is the good, nice boy, yet he is interesting too, and doesn't make me roll my eyes every time he gets a scene. I guess that's because he isn't thrown at the heroine in some epic love story that doesn't make sense lol He actually feels real. I liked Tessa too. The girl likes to read, so how can you not love her, right? :D She cares for people around her and she's brave. She didn't exactly have any moments that wanted me to hit her in the head, so I guess I really liked her. As for the plot, I flowed rather nicely, without any boring parts. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say this is a wonderful book and you should definitely read it. I'm currently reading the second book, so we'll see how it goes.

Small Update on Runaway (Element Preservers Series, Book 2)

I know some people are wondering when the next book in Element Preservers series will come out, so I decided to post this small update. If you know me, then you know I'm bad with dates and deadlines, so as usually, I can't give you the exact date yet, but I'm planning to publish the book somewhere in August this year, which would be exactly a year from the day Dangerous was published. Now before you start throwing something on me, I'll tell you that I'll try my best to finish everything sooner, but I don't think that will be before June. I'm currently writing Runaway, so after I finish writing, it will take me some time to send it to my betas and to get everything done. So it doesn't only depend on how busy I'll be, but also on how busy the people who are helping me will be. Anyway, I already have the cover for Runaway, but I won't be showing it to you just yet. I can only say that I love it! :D I will be posting more updates, so if you don't want to miss anything, you can follow this blog, my twitter or facebook account. Once again, thanks to everyone who has read Dangerous! It means the world to me. *hugs*

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you're having a nice day! My day hasn't started so well, mainly because the noise from the street woke me up way too early, but then I found out there was a short story Julie Kagawa wrote for Valentine's Day about Meghan and Ash's date. And omg, loved it, loved it so much! I adored Iron Fey series and this short story was so great. Anyway, if you are a fan of Iron Fey series too, go to this page (if you haven't already) and check it out: An Iron Fey Valentine I can't stop grinning like an idiot now. I just love Ash. :P No one would mind spending a day with him ahahah. Well, I hope you have fun today!
For those hoping to hear some news about Runaway, the second book in Element Preservers series, I might have some information for you very soon, so stay tuned. :)

What should I read next? Impossible to choose!

My TBR pile has increased significantly and it's really getting hard to decide what to read next, especially when I don't really have time to read. Of course, I always somehow manage to find a moment to read something because I'm suffering serious withdrawals when I'm away from books too long. It's the same when it comes to writing because I feel like I'm going to go completely insane if I don't let all these characters out of my head. :D But now back to reading and impossible choices. How do you actually choose what to read next when everything sounds so damn good? These are some of the books I've been eyeing lately and I just don't know which one to pick up first:

So, I really don't know how to choose! Somebody help! Or maybe I should just start reading them all at once... but that could get complicated. Nah, I'll have to choose somehow.

Another Book Rec: Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Finally found some time to read, so I was able to finish Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs, and I liked it so much that I just felt like I needed to write a post about it. First let's see what it is all about:

 Overview from Goodreads: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.




Now look at the cover. Isn't it the most beautiful thing ever? Such amazing colors, and yeah, the cover was the reason why I knew I needed to have this book immediately. I usually don't read books about mermaids. I believe there were some sort of mermaid shifters in one book series I read, but that wasn't the same since the main focus wasn't really on mermaids. Now I figured I actually like mermaids too, especially if they are like Tempest. This was a really great read, not too long, no unnecessary details, and an interesting plot which kept my attention all the time. I really like the world Tracy Deebs created and I could imagine it so easily that it almost felt like I was watching a movie. And at some points I found myself almost crying because of some things Tempest had to go through ( don't want to spoil anything.) And I could really feel what Tempest was feeling, which is awesome. Of course, there were some moments that I didn't quite like, mostly related to the fact that Kona (why does it say Kai in overview?? *is confused*) is two hundred and something years older than Tempest, if I remember correctly. I don't know why I started having a problem with romantic relationships between teens and super old creatures, but I guess I just keep wondering why would someone as old as that act like a teen and fall in love with a young, inexperienced girl. It's kind of creepy if you think it this way, but of course, everything is possible in stories! Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, even if you don't find mermaids particularly interesting. :)

New blog!

Since Weebly's blog was a bit hard to use and didn't look like I wanted it to look, I got myself a new one. You can even follow this one, and even though I haven't figured it out completely yet, I hope it will be better and I will post more. My old posts have all been copied here, so there's no worry that anything got lost in the process. I plan to make it even better, add some pictures, change background, add info, but I don't have time to do that at the moment, so I'll take care of it in the next few weeks. I also plan to change the look of my web page since it looks a bit messy. I'm still learning how to use blogger, so if something appears to be weird, I'll try to fix it. XD As long as the blog is not in Chinese or some unknown language, we're good. (Yeah, I actually managed to switch the language into something weird and had to try really hard to get it back to English.)

Oh, and for a limited time, Dangerous is free to download at Smashwords, Sony and Apple, and hopefully others will realize it too and change it before I decide to switch it back. Anyway, since readers have reported some mistakes in Dangerous, I'm going to reedit it and publish the corrected version as soon as possible. I'm really not happy that some of these problems escaped me and I hope I'll manage to see them now. Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed Dangerous!

Human is still not available everywhere like I had hoped it would be by now, but there's nothing I can do about that. Smashwords has shipped it already and now I only have to wait for Apple, Diesel and Sony to make it available in their stores.

Have a nice day everyone :)

HUMAN IS NOW AVAILABLE!!!

So I have finally pressed that publish button, and after a few issues, I managed to publish Human on Smashwords!! It will take some time before it appears on other sites, but I'm so damn happy right now!! You can now also read the first three chapters here on the page if you click the Human tab. And now I'm going to publish on Amazon and see how that works out. :))
Link on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120164

Happy New Year!!! Human Update.

First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a happy new year. I hope that you all had a nice time celebrating, and that this year will be thousand times better than any previous. :)

And since it's January, I have to say that Human is coming out this month!! *jumps up and down in excitement*. I know you're probably expecting a date when exactly I will publish it. Well, I've been thinking and I realized I want to publish it as soon as all edits are done and I'm sure everything's perfect. Which all leads us to conclusion that I don't know when will that be. I know. I'm horrible with dates, deadlines and things like that. But if I say some random date and finish earlier, then I'll just be nervous about it all the time ahaha. Yes, I really can't wait to share this book with you. All I can say for now is that it will definitely be published by January 23rd. Actually, that was the date I originally had in mind, but if I finish everything before, there's really no need to wait, so I'll simply publish it before then. It all depends on how much time I'll lose with making last changes and formatting. I don't want to rush and publish a book with which I won't be happy.

So, I challenged myself to read 100 books this year. Let's see how that will work out. I only hope I'll have more time to write and finish Runaway sooner. Then I'd be able to jump on my next project(s) which can't stay out of my head. XD