Announcing New Books!

Hi, everyone! Would anyone like to know what I'm working on? Aside from writing the fifth book in the Element Preservers, I've been working on two new books and I'm really excited about them! The first one is a new adult contemporary romance and the second one is young adult/new adult paranormal romance. None of them have a title yet, but the paranormal romance is going to be a series, which will be called Deadly Destiny and it will be about vampires (who don't feed on animals, btw). Yes, I know everyone is tired of vampires, but not me. I'm not sure whether the contemporary romance will be a part of series or not, but I'll figure it out soon. Anyway, these books should be available for purchase by the end of the year. Of course, I'll need some help, so keep an eye on my blog. :)

You can already add the books on Goodreads:
Contemporary Romance:



Paranormal Romance:

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) 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 

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.

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

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

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*

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

Book Trailer for Human!!!

I finally had some time to make a book trailer for my young adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy that is coming out in January 2012. I still don't know the exact date (yeah, I know, kill me), but I'm doing the last edits, so you'll probably know when exactly it's coming out in a week or two. I'm really excited about it! Now please check out the trailer!

Oh, and I almost forgot. I now have an author page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alycia-Linwood/290655180970202 so if you have Facebook, please "like" my page. Thank you! :D

My Thoughts on Divergent by Veronica Roth

Since I read Divergent only a day ago, none of my friends have read it yet and I can't say all I think on Twitter, I decided I could make another blog post. It took me only two days to read it because it was so good and I just didn't want to put it down. I would have probably read it all in one sitting if I could have, but I had to go to sleep and do some things before I could continue - which didn't make me happy, but oh well. I really enjoyed this book, although there were a few things that I didn't like, so that's why I gave it four stars on Goodreads. I know people compare it to The Hunger Games because it's dystopian, but I wouldn't want to compare it at all. It seems silly to me to compare all the books with the most famous in the genre like it's supposed to be the same or something. Now for those who didn't read Divergent or haven't heard of it, here is the summary from Goodreads:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

So if you haven't read it yet and you like dystopian young adult fiction, go ahead and get this book immediately. It has great characters, good and interesting plot and it's nicely written.
If you have read the book, you can continue reading because now I will say things that some might consider spoilerish. So, yeah, possible spoilers ahead! 
First I wanted to say that I really don't know how would I choose a faction. No, seriously, how do you choose something like that? It decides your whole life. And yeah, reminds me a lot of choosing college, except there you can at least give up if you don't like something and switch to another. In the world of Divergent, you're basically doomed if you choose wrong. Besides, I'd probably end up being Divergent because when I did those test which were supposed to help me choose in which field to continue my education, the woman who brought the results told me it was all up to me because I was good in everything. Yeah, that was so helpful I ended up rolling my eyes as soon as I was out of her office. In that way I can relate a bit to Beatrice because she too had to choose by herself what she wanted and had more options. Of course, people could still choose to go study what they wanted despite the tests, but if you're not for something, then you have it harder to succeed. It's sort of like initiation test in Divergent. You can choose whatever you want, but that doesn't mean you're going to choose right and end up doing that kind of job.
Now when I think of factions, I probably couldn't choose one. The last thing I'd choose would probably be Abnegation. You probably think I must be the most selfish creature ever ahaha. No, actually in this I'm like Beatrice too, I can be selfless, but all the time in every situation? Uh huh. Maybe it's just the world we live in, where you have to fight for yourself because no one else will. What I don't like the most about Abnegation is their plain look, gray clothes, no looking in the mirror, children not allowed to ask question at the table.... Just no. :P As for Candor, to tell the truth all the time, I don't think so. I really wouldn't want to tell my friend her new haircut sucks, or that her dress makes her look fat. Sometimes you just can't be honest. Amity doesn't sound bad, but it's somehow too good, too dreamy or something like that. Actually, I don't know why I wouldn't want to belong there. Probably too ideal for me ahahah. Erudite sounds good, but they are too much in the scientist mode and too smart. :P I wouldn't want to go there just because Id' find it too boring. Besides, I hate studying ahaha. It doesn't even matter that I was good at Maths, Physics and things like that; I still mostly hated it. As for Dauntless, eh, I'd never pass the initiation. :D I'm just not in the shape to run and jump or anything. ahaha Too much sitting with books, I guess. Ok, a bit of exercising could fix that, but meh. I wouldn't really want to fight people, get punched in the face or jump from a building. O.o I guess I'm not really brave. Besides, I'd never survive a simulation with spiders, bugs and other icky things crawling all over me (yeah, what a fear :P). I'm not sure how that fear thing works. Does it see only your biggest fears or all fears? Because if it sees all fears, no matter how small, I'd probably never get done. :D  Oh, and if you're still reading this, you must be Dauntless. :P
Anyway, I should probably get to the things that bothered me. I don't know is it just me, but I had trouble picturing characters, especially Four. I just read the description and imagined something like a caricature, something weird and twisted, and most likely not human. So I just had to forget it and imagine how I wanted it. haha Maybe they weren't supposed to be pretty, but I need pretty people, I'm so shallow :D. Oh, and for someone so smart who can manipulate simulations, Beatrice sometimes does really stupid things, but maybe that's because she's just a teenager and isn't supposed to always do and react in the best way. For most of the book I kept thinking of Four as much older, like 25 or something, but that scene where he got drunk was perfect, so I was like yeah, finally, acting like a real teen. :P At first I had trouble seeing Four as a name and not a number, and right when I got used to it, she started to call him Tobias, and I was just noooooo! XD What else I wanted to say? Ah, yes, Beatrice and Four sort of reminded me of Vampire Academy and Rose and Dimitri, because of this whole instructor thing, but I like Rose more than Beatrice as a character, and Beatrice and Four more as a couple. :P I'm talking too much, aren't I? Oh, well, I loved this book, really did, and I can't wait for the sequel.

P.S. I basically wrote this post how ideas came to my mind, so if it doesn't make sense, if there are missing words, typos or something, I'm sorry. Spent too much time writing this already, have to go. See you soon. Oh, and if you actually read all of this, you're the most amazing person in the whole world.

The Cover and Blurb for Human!!!

So, like I promised, here is the cover and blurb for my new book, Human, which is going to be published in January 2012. I'm not sure about the exact date yet, but you will be informed in time. :)

So this is the cover. I hope you like it. And yes, there's a reason for the whole red/blue thing. You'll just have to read the book to find out.
And here is the blurb:

Ariel is a 17-year-old girl whose life takes a completely different turn on the day she comes late to school. There's a new very handsome dark-haired boy, Devin, in her class, but to Ariel's surprise everyone else seems to know him, and her best friend claims he's been going with them to school for years, except Ariel is sure she has never seen him before. Convinced her friends are playing with her, Ariel pretends nothing weird is going on. She even considers the possibility of having a brain disease... until she starts having visions of unknown people with wings and unusual eyes.

What's worse, her visions hint that Devin might be the demon who came to the human world to take an angel to Hell. As she becomes more aware of existence of angels and demons, Ariel finds out her sister is the angel demons want to take. Determined not to let anyone harm her sister, she will do anything, even try to kill the demon on her own. But can she really kill Devin when he appears so human, and what will she do when she reveals the secrets surrounding her true nature? Because, let's face it, a girl who can see both demons and angels in her visions can't really be human.

Human is a young adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance.

Any thoughts? :D