Asylum by K.A. Tucker

Purchase from B&N, Amazon, Book Depository


Publication Date: 12/12/2011
Publisher: K.A. Tucker
Pages: 252


Welcome to my stop on the Asylum Blog Tour!! Along with my review, you also get an amazing character interview with one of my favorite couples, Fiona and Bishop. Enjoy your stay and if you haven't already, make sure you check out Asylum (and the Causal Enchantment series) - seriously incredible books! If you have already entered the giveaway to win eBooks/print books, check to see if I've announced your name as winner (located after the character interview); today's winner gets an eBook copy of Asylum. Is it you? Also, the fabulous author gave me 5 signed bookmarks; call me selfish but I'm keeping one for myself! The other four will be up for grabs soon, so stay tuned to my blog in the near future for that giveaway.

Tucked away in Sofie's wintery asylum with no hope of release for years, Evangeline must come to terms with her situation: the curse still plagues her, she's now hunted by a two thousand-year-old vampire, and the guy she's in love with tried to kill her. Plus, she's locked up with a cranky Max and the Forero kids—two people everyone seems to prefer dead over alive. Things aren't looking good.

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, Sofie struggles to keep forty trapped and bloodthirsty Ratheus vampires at bay and a desperate Viggo from killing Evangeline's friends, all while hints stir outside the walls of the NYC vampire asylum of a war brewing between the Sentinel and the witches.

**I received a review eBook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**

When the author asked me to be part of the Asylum Blog Tour, I immediately jumped at the chance. I absolutely fell in love with Anathema, the first book in the Causal Enchantment series, and I just knew that the sequel would completely live up to my expectations. I wasn't disappointed.

This book takes up immediately after Anathema ended, so it's like we never left the action. Evangeline is tucked safely away in the mountains and Sophie is left to deal with a bunch of extremely bloodthirsty vampires. Sophie is also still trying desperately to find a way to remove the necklace from Evangeline's neck without killing her in the process, yet still allow her to free her sister, Veronique, from her stony prison. With a virtual war looming and a realization of the bleak future the world has to look forward to, the race is on to find a way to stop it.

I feel like Sophie was really the main character of this book. Evangeline was, of course, a huge part of it as well, but it was Sophie who really stole the show. I loved her before, but I really respected and learned more about her in Asylum. It was so clear how much she cared for Evangeline; she loved her as if she were her own daughter, and her resolve to find a way to save her life never wavered. Sophie definitely had her work cut out for her; not only did she have to keep all of the crazed vampires in check, prevent them from running amok in the city, provide blood for them (at the high risk of being discovered by the Sentinel, who seek to reveal the existence of vampires to the world), but she also had to make sure that the love of Evangeline's life, Caden, and the rest of her friends survived. She definitely showed her strength and conviction, and her personality made her impossible not to love.

Evangeline, meanwhile, was stuck in an isolated cabin, not knowing when or if she would ever see her friends or Caden again. I definitely felt for her, being stuck in a sort of limbo, not knowing what would happen next. She stayed strong though and even managed to befriend the icy, yet incredibly sexy, Julian Forero. I think they learned a lot from each other, especially Julian since he absolutely hated vampires because of what they did to his parents, while Evangeline was in love with a vampire. They were coming from two different worlds but somehow managed to form a sort of bond which I thought was sweet (as long as she didn't get any crazy ideas about leaving Caden).

Another character that I adored in this book is Mage, who we met briefly in Anathema. There is certainly more to her than meets the eye and it was interesting to learn more about her. Of course I still loved Caden, Amalie, Bishop, and Fiona too; although they did have some important parts in the story, they weren't featured as prominently in this one for obvious reasons (mainly they were trying to learn to control their bloodlust).

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of sweet, romantic moments, with all of the chaos and of course the separation. It's still plain to see that Evangeline is completely enamored with Caden, despite her last memory being of him looking at her as if she was to be his next meal. Caden's feelings are a bit more of a mystery, with Sophie being suspicious about his true intentions; she thought perhaps they had used Evangeline simply to be able to travel to Earth to get all of the human blood they could want. All is revealed in due time, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens!

This is honestly one of my favorite vampire series of all time, and that's saying a lot since I've read quite a few! I'm sure I said it before, after reading Anathema, but I love the world that the author has created and it manages to feel much different than all of the other YA vampire novels out there. As soon as I read the first page I knew I wouldn't be putting the book down until I finished; K.A. Tucker has such a way with words and is extremely talented at bringing the characters to life.

I was sad when I came to the last page, simply because I wanted more! I don't think I can rave enough about this series; it is one that I am so thankful I was introduced to, because it has become one of my favorites. The characters practically jump of the page, the story line is extremely entertaining, and the ending has me waiting on pins and needles to read the next installment in the series.

If you'd like to learn more about the author, K.A. Tucker, please check out her webpage and Twitter!

Now on to the interview with one of my favorite couples, Fiona and Bishop!

Interview

A huge welcome and round of applause to Fiona and Bishop for joining us today. We're so glad to have you and I have a few questions I'm dying to learn the answers to, so let's get started!

 Fantasy casting! Alex Pettyfer and Olivia Wilde are the two actors that the author envisions for Bishop and Fiona. I have to say, EXCELLENT choices, this would make for one hot couple!

Ok, let's start with an easy question. You guys are like the epitome of a cute couple. Tell us, how long have you been together?

Bishop: Too long! *throws arm around Fiona’s shoulder and laughs*

Fiona: *gives Bishop sharp elbow to the stomach. Turns to Bookerella Jamie and smiles slyly* I saved his sorry butt seven hundred years ago and I haven’t been able to get rid of him since. *giggles*

Bishop: Oh, please! It was me who saved you! *devilish grin*


Wow, that's a long time! I'm sure everyone else is wondering the same thing: how do you keep the romance alive after that many years?


Fiona: It's just different with us, you know? *looks at Bishop and smiles* I don’t know how to explain it. Since I met Bishop, it’s like... no one else exists. I mean, until recently, that was pretty much the case! But even if I were surrounded by a million guys, none of them would have anything that this goof couldn’t top. It’s strange - It’s like I’m addicted to him... *rolls eyes* AND here we go...

Bishop: *big grin and stretches back in chair, arms behind head* Did you get that? Ya, that’s right. You heard her. She’s addicted to me. She can’t get enough of this!

Fiona: *lips pursed together tightly for moment but then bursts out with laughter and leans in to nestle against his chest* It’s my own fault he’s like this. I keep swelling his ego...


On to more serious topics. What were your initial feelings/thoughts/reactions to suddenly being transported to Earth and exposed to human blood again?

Bishop: *face grows serious and arms fall to lap* Terrified, to be honest and nothing terrifies me. What if I couldn'tcontrol myself, like when I was first turned? I’d end up going on a mad rampage again. And Evangeline... *runs hands through wild hair* I mean, she’s so sweet! What if one of us got to her? I’d go mental with that guilt! Nothing could be worst! Well *shudders* except losing Fiona... *flips a strand of her hair through his fingers*

 Fiona: *nods* Ya, we were both pretty scared. Bishop has more control than me. I don’t know if it’s a male thing or a will power thing but I knew I’d have a harder time controlling myself. I kept picturing some blood-crazed feral version of me running through the streets, murdering small children and the elderly *grimaces* Amelie was so sure we’d be okay, I wanted to believe her! She’s always been the positive one...


Besides each other, who is the one other person you trust to have your back in a tough situation?

Bishop: That’s a no-brainer. Caden. My man’s got my back. He’s never let me down. I’d die for that guy.

Fiona: And, of course, I’m the same with his sister. They joke that we share a brain *chuckles* They may be right.


Although things are more than a little stressed at present, what do you think the future holds for the two of you?

Both: *Beams with excitement*

Bishop: What’s that cheesy saying? “The world is our oyster”? Everything lost to us is here again! Anything and everything we want to do.

Fiona: Ya, but what if we lose it again, Bishop? What if...

Bishop: No! No what- ifs. Sofie will figure it out with her magic. She’ll fix it all. Then * grabs her hand* we’ll go island-hopping, snowboarding, surfing, anything we want. Heck *smiles* maybe even have a wedding.

Fiona: *smiles shyly* What... are you proposing? Right here, in front of all these people?

Bishop: *grins* Maybe I am!

Fiona: *giggles and leans in to his chest again; turns back to Bookerella* I guess the answer to that question is ‘everything’. The future holds everything for us.

I hope everyone enjoyed my stop on the blog tour, I am really thankful to the author for letting me read her wonderful books and be a part of all of this! There are a few more things to wrap things up. First of all, the winner of the eBook on today's stop is:

Mary Ann Brady!


Congratulations! You are the proud new owner of an eBook copy of Asylum! Lucky duck, you are absolutely going to LOVE this book! The author should be contacting you soon about your prize (if she hasn't done so already). If you haven't entered to win a prize yet, what are you waiting for? There are still a few days left to enter to win eBooks/print books of Asylum, so check it out now!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

 

Where Did My Free Time Go?

So, you may or may not have noticed that I haven't posted ANYTHING this week. Well, that's because I'm just started back at school and I must be completely insane, taking 17 credit hours (3 online and 2 classroom courses). I literally have no free time anymore; every waking second is spent doing something for school. This first week has been so incredibly stressful, I'm scared how the rest of it is going to go. I'm going to try my hardest to get that 4.0 again, but that means less time for reading. Boooo! Anyway, I just wanted to say: don't give up on me! I'm not quitting my blog, I just won't be blogging very frequently, at least not for the next 5 months or so. That being said, I will still try to get SOME reading done (hopefully on spring break!) and post reviews when I can. I am a stop on the Asylum blog tour (January 25), so make sure to come back and check out my review, as well as character interview with Fiona and Bishop. So please, hang in there with me. I'd much rather be reading, but school is important and I have to make my best effort, even if it means not being happy for awhile!

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Purchase from B&N, Amazon (Hardcover/Kindle), Book Depository


Publication Date: 12/27/2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 448

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it?

This is only the second book I've read that is written in verse, and I have to tell you, I think I'm falling in love. Love & Leftovers flowed so well, was written beautifully, and had me hooked right away.

Marcie has to deal with a lot throughout this book. First, she has to come to terms with her parents getting divorced. On top of that, her mom decides she needs to get as far away as possible, so she moves them both across the country, away from Marcie's friends and boyfriend, Linus. This move, and subsequent meeting of a new hottie, J.D., makes her completely confused, because the relationship she has with him is so different than the one she has with her emo rocker boy back home.

I could completely relate with Marcie. I can't really imagine what it would be like to go through all of that drama at the same time, but I understand the reason for some of her actions. Linus was the only guy she had truly cared about, but then J.D. walked into the picture and showered her with the affection and physical contact she was craving. It's easy to see how she would be so conflicted about her feelings; true, it wasn't the best way to figure out what she wanted, and she does end up paying the price for it, but she was only trying to find true happiness and love.


I was pretty conflicted myself on which guy I wanted Marcie to end up with. I thought Linus was a great guy and obviously cared about her. Yet, even though J.D. had a reputation for dating a lot of girls, he seemed to really have serious feelings for her. Maybe that was just him doing what he does best, being charming and attentive, then dumping them when he grows tired of their company. I didn't get that vibe at all though. Marcie certainly makes a tough road for herself in the relationship department, but I think she handles the aftermath very well and goes after what she wants. I don't want you to think this is yet another love triangle though, because it's really not. The two guys are from different parts of Marcie's life. Linus was there for her before her world came crashing down, and J.D. was there afterwards, helping her pick up the pieces and heal. The first half of the book I suppose you could call a love triangle, but after that point it's obvious who she has true feelings for.


Is this book especially unique? No, not really. However, I thought the characters and writing were both exceptional, and those are both keys to an amazing book.


I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were easy to relate to, the writing was superb, and the ending was extremely satisfying. Love & Leftovers has increased my love for books written in verse, and I can't wait to read more from this author!

If you would like to learn more about the author, Sarah Tregay, check out her webpage.

Waiting On Wednesday (1/11/12)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It is a place for us to show which upcoming releases we're just dying to read!

It's been a long time since I did a WOW post, but this week was easy for me because I just learned about an AMAZING new book from one of my favorite authors. I can't wait for Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer.

Photo courtesy of EW.com. Click here to see the original picture and story.

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

I absolutely can't wait for this one! It's Jodi Picoult's first YA novel and it's cowritten with her daughter. I know it's going to be amazing! Also, I think the cover is really cool; what do you think?

So what book are you most looking forward to? Leave a link to your WOW post or simply tell me your pick in the comments.

Teaser Tuesday (1/10/12)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) "teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
*Be careful not to include spoilers! (be sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others)
*Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

 

This week I'm reading Venture Untamed by R.H. Russell. Here's a little bit about the book:

Venture Delving is a bonded servant, a member of the lowest class in the world. Already fatherless, when he loses his mother, he veers from energetic to out of control. But when Venture's rage saves the life of Jade, his best friend and his master's daughter, Venture finds himself in the last place he ever expected—a center renowned for training young boys to be professional fighters.

When Venture realizes he's fallen in love with Jade, he knows that the only way he'll ever have her, the only way he'll ever be free to live the life he's meant to live, is to defy convention, common sense, the trust of those he cares about most—and sometimes the law—and become the best fighter in the world, the Champion of All Richland. Venture must battle not only rival fighters, but the ghosts of his past and the members of a privileged warrior class who stand between him and his dream.

And now for the teaser!

Part of Venture wanted to smile, part of him wanted to thrash Border right now, and the rest of him was queasy at the thought that Lance could be wrong, that he could fail to live up to everyone's expectations, his own most of all. So he just straightened his shoulders and turned his back on the seething Border and followed Lance. (pg. 41)

Hope you enjoyed my teaser this week! Make sure you leave a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments so I can check out yours!

What Stays In Vegas by Beth Labonte

Purchase from B&N, Amazon, Smashwords


Publication Date: 5/30/2011
Publisher: Beth Labonte

 

Bored administrative assistant, Tessa Golden, is trapped in a life of lousy weather, irritating bosses, and mind-numbing secretarial work. Her dreams of being an artist have rapidly deteriorated into building things out of paperclips while on hold with tech support. To make matters even worse, the love of her life has gone off and married another woman.

So when Tessa is suddenly transferred to the Las Vegas branch of her company - playing wingwoman to her freshly divorced boss, juggling a client from hell, and catching the eye of one very eligible coworker - will her life finally be shaken up enough to straighten itself out?

**I received a copy of this eBook from the author in return for an honest review**

I was in the mood for a light, fun read and this book definitely delivered; very few books have made me literally laugh out loud, but this is one of them.

I enjoyed the main character, Tessa, immensely. She was so spunky and hilarious, yet completely relatable. I think most of us have experienced feelings for another person that were not returned and so I felt for what she was going through, being in love with her best friend, Nick. Tessa is also stuck in a job that she doesn't enjoy and has aspirations of doing other things, like pursuing her passion for art. What I really love is how witty she was; there were several times I found myself laughing throughout the book. I bookmarked a couple of my favorite quotes, so here they are for your reading pleasure:

 

I could do this job with my hands tied behind my back and my head in a paper bag. Some Mondays I've been tempted to do this job with my head in a plastic bag. But let's not get morbid. (Tessa, pg. 8)

I know that he's probably deliriously happy, goes home each night to his lingerie clad wife, and they make love on a bed of rose petals and puppies. (Tessa, on Nick's marriage - pg. 10)

There were plenty of other parts that cracked me up, but I chose to share my two favorite ones.

I thought I had everything figured out when it came to Tessa's love life. I completely adored Nick; he seemed to be so caring, funny, and an all around good friend to her. It was impossible not to fall in love with him too, although the fact that he was a married was a major roadblock. When she goes to the Las Vegas office and meets someone else, I was completely against it! How could she possibly find someone she loved as much as Nick? Then, as the story progressed, I began to see this new guy as a better and better fit for her, until I wasn't sure which man I liked better. I won't give away any big spoilers (notice I didn't even give you the name of the guy she becomes smitten with in Vegas), but I will say this: you will be very satisfied with the ending. One more thing I have to share, an extremely sweet quote from the one who sweeps her off her feet in Vegas:

 

"You know" he said. "I've lived here for years now. I hate the club scene, I never desired to go to the Bunny Ranch, and I never once wished to see Wayne Newton in concert. But ever since you came here," he leaned down and kissed me, "it kind of feels like home." (pg. 126)

*SIGH*, just love that. How could you not fall for him after that gem? 

 

This book was amazingly funny and had some great romance in it as well. Any novel that can make me laugh out loud gets a huge thumbs up from me, and I'm very thankful I got the chance to read this one. If you like romance with some extremely comic moments thrown in, I promise you will love What Stays In Vegas.

If you would like to learn more about the author, Beth Labonte, check out her webpage and Twitter.

Eve (Eve Duncan Series) by Iris Johansen

Purchase from B&N, Amazon (Print/Kindle), Book Depository


Date Published: 4/19/2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 384

Eve Duncan’s mission in life is to bring closure to the families who have experienced the agony of a missing child. As a forensic sculptor, she is able to piece together bones, create a face, and bring an identity to a child who would have otherwise gone unidentified. Eve is brilliant, driven, and tormented—because her own daughter, Bonnie, was taken from her years ago. But now, with the help of a CIA agent, Eve has uncovered some startling new evidence: A man with a connection to Bonnie that had been all but buried. His name is John Gallo. He’s from Eve’s own past. His whereabouts are unknown. And he might just be the missing piece to the puzzle that has haunted Eve for years…

I've been a huge fan of Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan novels for quite a few years. I was extremely excited to see this trilogy come out, because it seems as if we will finally find out what happened to Eve's daughter, Bonnie.

I've always liked Eve because she's so strong and determined. I can only imagine the pain of losing a child and can certainly understand her drive to finally find out what happened to her little girl. Sometimes I find myself thinking that she's become to obsessed with the search and it's ruining any sort of happy life she might have with Joe Quinn, who's been with her since the beginning of her nightmare. Yet, at the same time, I can also see why she wouldn't be able to rest until she brings her daughter home; the unknown is just too much to bear.

There are two men in Eve's life in this novel; Joe Quinn, who has been her rock since Bonnie was kidnapped, and John Gallo, the boy she was involved with as a teenager and who also happens to be Bonnie's father. I've always loved Joe, but I enjoyed getting to know John as well. It was impossible not to love him in the flashbacks Eve had about when they met and their time together. Even though he was a very different man when he comes back into her life, that boy who loved her is still there and it's obvious he cares about Eve a lot. On the other hand, Joe has always been there for her and no matter what she does to him, he remains completely devoted to her. I feel at times that Eve and Joe aren't right for each other. She has, on more than one occasion, had feelings for another man, and she's let the obsession of finding her daughter completely run her life. She also constantly runs off and puts herself in danger, under the pretense of "protecting" Joe. That may very well be, but I would say that he's a lot more capable of taking care of himself than she is and he's very eager to find Bonnie (and her killer) as well. They've been through a lot together, so maybe Eve thinks she owes Joe for sticking around, and Joe would never leave Eve because he feels like she needs him. Their history seems to be the glue that keeps them together, but perhaps that isn't enough.

I had pretty much predicted the ending and I don't think that the revelation from a killer's mouth is true in the slightest. The annoying part was that Eve sort of bought into it (although the reaction of a certain person might have contributed to that). There's no proof and I just refuse to believe it. I know this is confusing for everyone, but of course I don't want to give away the ending!

All in all, it was a good book. There was plenty of action and I really liked the flashback to Eve's teenage years. I'm excited to get the next book in the series, Quinn, to find out what happens next and get one step closer to finding out what happened to Bonnie.

If you would like to learn more about the author, Iris Johnasen, please check out her webpage and Twitter.