Blog Tour: The Devil's Tattoo by Nicole R. Taylor

Hey guys! Today I have an excerpt for The Devil's Tattoo by Nicole R. Taylor. I'll also be sharing the book summary, showing you where you can buy it, and posting a rafflecopter to the grand prize giveaway. Well, let's get this started. :)

(Summary provided by Xpresso Book Tours)

Zoe Granger picked up her first guitar the day her heart was smashed into a billion pieces. It was a way to keep her mind off her inevitable downward spiral, but music soon became her escape. She's been burned too many times to tell and is just happy to coast through life, never putting herself out there. That's until her best friend Dee suggests they start a band and suddenly she finds herself not just a part of it, but fronting the whole outfit.

They call themselves The Devil's Tattoo and when they release their debut EP, it rockets to the top of the charts and it's like an overnight fairytale. Contracts, photo shoots, royalties and interviews are heaped onto the shy Zoe and it's like she's finally found her place. Then comes the phone call that changes everything. They've been asked to co-headline a tour with one of the hottest bands of the moment, The Stabs and Zoe will never be the same again.

Will Strickland is one fourth of the hottest indie rock band to ever grace the airwaves. He's the bass player in The Stabs, hot as hell and could have his pick of any girl that flings herself at him. But he's only got eyes for Zoe and she has no idea why he'd bother. She's got one hell of a trust issue and an attitude to boot and Will seems to be the one who wants to tame her, but is he game enough?

The Devil's Tattoo and The Stabs go on the road and it's either going to be a highway to hell or a stairway to heaven. Only time will tell who will come out on top and Zoe's determined to do it without getting her heart broken… again.

Intrigued? Add it on GoodReads!

"Nice threads, Hot Legs," Dee said dripping water all over the place. He grabbed a towel and sat next to me. "I heard something went down with you last night."

"What are you on about?" I wondered who had talked, but if Simone had noticed, then Dee definitely would have.

"What's his face is more worked up than usual. And phwor, did you see his face when you walked out?"

My head sunk to my knees and I groaned.

"Hey," he said loudly. "Wanna give me a haircut?"

"What? No. I don't have any scissors." Until three years ago, I'd been employed as a hairdresser. For some reason that was now lost on me, I wanted to cut hair for a living. As a career. I now saw that I was ill suited for it. The reason being, that you have to like people and after the break up, people and I didn't get along. I'd cut ties with almost every aspect of that old life. I'd thrown away my scissors and equipment and every other reminder of that time that now seemed fake and empty.

"When you threw them out, I bin scabbed 'em when you weren't looking," Dee shrugged.

"You're so annoying." I wondered what his game was. He had to have one, because this was coming out of nowhere. Besides, he didn't need a haircut.

"I thought they might come in handy one day."

"Yeah, when you want a free haircut."

"Yeah," he said like I was stupid, which only made me more annoyed and he knew it.

"I don't want to go back to that shitty job."

"I wasn't thinking about that," he laughed. "I don't trust anyone outside of you and that bloke at the barber shop."

"That bloke has been cutting you hair for three years and you still don't know his name?"

"Nope."

"You two fight like an old married couple," Louie said, and I realised that everyone had fallen silent and were listening to us. I felt my face redden.

"You're cute when you blush, Zo," Frank declared loudly and I almost got up to drown him in the pool, but Dee made a bold statement on my behalf.

"Who needs a haircut? She's an artist, our Zoe. Slices and dices like Rembrandt."

"Dee," I hissed.

"What? Some of us might want to take advantage of your skills."

So, that’s how I found myself in the bathroom of my hotel room, Will sitting on a chair in front of me, a fluffy white towel around his shoulders, hair dripping wet. Dee's game was revealed and right now I wanted to give him a black eye.

Brandishing my scissors, I said, “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

It’s do or die, so I chose to do.

I tried not to be awkward about it, but I found myself thinking almost instantaneously about how I was touching Will's hair. Hell, I’d been a hairdresser for five years straight out of school for some unknown reason, and I’d touched plenty of hot guy’s heads. I’d shampooed and conditioned a ton of them. Scalp massages and all. And in all that time, I’d never felt so uncomfortably turned on as I did right now.

I pushed his head forward so I could cut in at the nape of his neck and was able to study one of his tattoos without him noticing. It was a small hourglass with grey wings. I had something similar and felt myself blush was suddenly grateful that he couldn’t see me in the mirror. I was red as a beetroot.

“Thanks,” he said as I began to cut. "It was gettin' a bit outta control."

“No problem,” I said as evenly as I could. “What’s the use of having a qualified hairdresser around if you can’t take advantage, right?”

“Right.”

I focused on what I was doing. I couldn't give him a shit haircut. After Dee talked me up like I was some kind of DaVinci with scissors, it had to be perfect. But, I couldn't quite get past the fact that I was touching him. It took all my strength not to straddle him then and there.

When it was time to do the top, I came around and stood in front of him, pulling the comb through his wet curls and for the first time I could see his eyes clearly. I did my best to look away, but he was staring up at me like he'd never seen a girl cut his hair before. I'm frozen to the spot, my heart thumping a million miles an hour.

He reached up and took the comb and scissors from my hands and set them on the counter. When he stood, the towel dropped and he grasped both sides of my face, pushing me back up against the mirror, and kissed me. It took me by surprise, so when I hit the glass, I opened my mouth with a gasp and he plunged his tongue right in and I can’t stop myself. I kissed him back, my hands raking up his back as I pulled him harder into me. He claimed me with a hunger that I didn't know he possessed and I wanted him just as much. Suddenly, I was alive.

Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian born paranormal, fantasy and contemporary fiction author. She is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Professional Writing and Editing programme and is a former music memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser.

She currently lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a two year old rescue cat named, Burger. She enjoys reading, writing (of course!), traveling and a little too much chocolate. One day she hopes to sky dive, but has to work up the courage first.

The first in her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in e-edition and print from March 20th 2013.

 Website | GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter 

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As always, thanks very much to Xpresso Book Tours for having me along. :)

Book Tour: If Only We by Jessica Sankiewicz

Today I'm thrilled to have Jessica Sankiewicz here to talk about her debut novel, IF ONLY WE. I have a totally awesome guest post for you guys today about the rewards and challenges of genre blending, thanks to the time travel mechanic that is such an important part of what makes this book unique.

On Genre Blending

When If Only We began, I had no idea it would become what it is: a contemporary featuring time travel. The original idea was just one scene—the one in the first chapter. As I started to work that scene into a story, the time travel aspect just happened. It wasn't my intention to write such a complex novel right out of the gate, but this story just couldn't be told any other way. Although I enjoy reading books and watching movies with those kind of elements, writing one is entirely different.

I started writing it during NaNoWriMo 2011. It was underdeveloped in my outline, but I figured I would be able to fill in the gaps after the month was over during rewrites and revisions. I am positive that a decent amount of what I wrote that month was out of place in the storyline. It didn't matter at the time, since it was NaNoWriMo, but it definitely mattered once I came back to it later.

One of the hardest things about writing this kind of story, is keeping your time-line. I had to have it firmly set in mind as I wrote, being careful not to mix up the days and to keep everything consistent. Since Adrienne is reliving practically three whole months, she knows a lot of what happened the first time around. So I had to make sure that she recognized these things, acknowledging them without giving herself away to the people around her who aren't reliving the summer.

Another challenge is making it believable to your audience. Is it possible for someone to travel back in time like Adrienne does? If it were science fiction, I could get away with it. But since it's contemporary, and phenomenons like this don't happen in real life, most people wouldn't be quick to believe it. What I think helps my story is the focus on second chances. Adrienne's experience is more about fixing things than how it happened, and that's something everyone can relate to. Plus, it's nice to imagine the possibility, isn't it?

Writing If Only We was bumpy here and there, but it was very satisfying how it all came together in the end. So if you ever decide to combine two different genres, be it time travel in a contemporary or otherwise, be sure to map it out well. The results will be well worth it.

They say all it takes is one wrong move and you lose the game. One false step and you’re trapped. One slip-up in your choice of words and you ruin a friendship forever. That is what they say. They say I lost.

I do not believe them.

At the end of the summer after graduation, Adrienne wonders what happened to cause her life to be in ruins. She isn’t getting along with her mom, her stepsister isn’t talking to her, and, to top it off, the boy she’s been in love with doesn’t want anything to do with her. She believes the turning point was a choice she made at graduation. When she wakes up the next day, she has been transported back three months to that moment, the one where everything started to fall apart.

Adrienne realizes she has been given a second chance—and this time she doesn’t want to mess anything up. Reliving the entire summer, though, turns out to be a lot harder than she thought. As the same days and weeks go by, she starts to see how simple decisions can make a huge impact on the world around her. Despite knowing some of what lies ahead, there are some things she didn’t anticipate. She thought she knew what mistake led her to where she ended up the first time. She was wrong.

And by the time summer is over, she discovers what was really at stake.

Intrigued? Add it on GoodReads!

Jessica is the 28 year old author of IF ONLY WE, a YA contemporary. You can often find her either reading or marathon watching TV on DVD, her favorites being Castle and Veronica Mars. She frequently mismatches her clothes and giggles uncontrollably. She knows almost every Billy Joel song by heart. She collects books and toys, and she has an intense love of cats and lemurs. Currently in the midst of her quarter-life-crisis, she is still takin' names and getting very close to reaching an epiphany.

 Blog | GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter

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So, are you planning to read IF ONLY WE? Feel free to share your thoughts! :) 

Going Digital #1: Print Books vs. E-Books

Going Digital is a blog article series I came up with when I decided that I'm either getting a new eReader or Tablet this holiday season. I thought it might be fun to share what I learn with here, and to see if you guys have opinions or experiences to share about choosing a new reading device, too. If this goes well it should lead to a smart purchase, rather than an impulse buy. It may also help other bloggers in the market for a new eReader or tablet make a more informed decision, too.

About two months after I started blogging back in 2011 I decided to buy myself a Kindle Keyboard when I discovered they were available at The Source. Now, before I start to bad-mouth this poor thing, let me say that my issue is in no way with the quality of this eReader. It's been a great little device and for the most part I love it. But it has a few drawbacks that have kept me from making a proper (or at least more active) switch from print books to digital ones.

The biggest issue I have with my Kindle Keyboard is how it organizes books. They sit on static lists on the front page. Yes, I can create lists and put books into them. But I've just never liked the setup. It's never been able to make the books feel "real" to me, if that makes any sense. I think if I can find a reader that works well and that lets me see my books AS books when I choose them (kinda like how my iPod touch lets me see my music?) that a big part of my issue will disappear. I like the reading experience on my Kindle. But I don't like the book selection or organization experience and that really bugs me.

My other major issue with the Kindle Keyboard is the keyboard itself. The thing is just too little for me and I find using it to search for things, make notes, highlight passages, etc. a pain in the rear end. These types of features, I think, are meant to be some of the advantages of an eReader--some of the things we get in return for the unavoidable sacrifices switching from print books to eBooks entails.

With those gains and losses in mind, I now present to you ten reasons I'm going digital, eight things I'll miss about print books and three exceptions to everything I've written here.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying "Print!" when someone asks me which I prefer. I'll answer that without batting an eyelash and it's true: I love print books. Heck, one of the things I'm most excited for with my own book next year is that I'll finally get to hold it.

But let's get real for a minute here. Print books may look beautiful. They may feel, for lack of a better word to describe them, alive. But no matter how much I love them, print books and I are having a few issues these days and I need to do something about them. All the pretty covers and beautiful formatting in the world is useless if the print books they're in are keeping me from getting reading done.

10 Reasons I'm "Going Digital":

1. Print size is mine to choose.

I'm legally blind, so being able to see what I am reading is a huge deal for me. I can read most print books, but sometimes I'll come across one that is a particular struggle, I won't want to deal with smaller print late at night, or I would just rather be able to choose the font by reading on my kindle. Font size and legibility of a book isn't an artform--it's like the user interface of a computer program or a video game. If I notice it's there and it's not for a cosmetic reason, it generally means something went horribly wrong. I find this happens to me less with eBooks.

2. Less chance of wrist strain.

I am prone to joint pain in my wrists because I've spent so much time with computers and gaming. Now that I am aware of this, I try to choose the things I do, and how long I do them for, with a lot more care. I also try to make sure things I am holding for a long time aren't too hefty--especially books. (C'mon, have you SEEN the Infernal Devices trilogy, or the Tiger Saga, or... You get the idea.) While there are some heavy books I would still want in my physical 'library' regardless, I would probably be better served to be reading them digitally from a health and wellness perspective.

3. Shelf space is limited.

I have two bookshelves in my room. It's currently so cluttered with books next to the other one that I can't open it. This is not how I want the books I choose to have on a shelf displayed. But with the fact that I keep all my stuff in a 10 x 10 room comes the reality that I don't have a lotta space!

Not only is this setup ugly as far as book displays go, it's also impractical. Have you ever experienced near death by book avalanche? Lemme tell you, it's not pretty! Plus when I move all of these to find the one I want, it also means I need to put them all back before I can sit down and read. One word sums that up: meh.

4. Portability.

Whether it's just wanting to be able to wander down to the dining room table or being in the car while my mother grabs stuff from Metro, there are loads of times when not only having a book on me, but rather the right book on me, would encourage me to get more reading done. I'm a moody reader and I am *not* afraid to DNF something that isn't working for me. But when it's the only thing I brought, I'm kinda nuked. With an eReader, though, I tend to sample before I buy whenever possible and I tend to make smarter purchases since I research my books before clicking Add To Cart.

5. Fast, easy access to the books I want--no car required.

Being able to try samples and download books at the click of a button is awesome. It only takes a few seconds for a book to go from Amazon to my Kindle and then it's there, waiting for me to read it, whenever I'm ready to dive in. That alone is a compelling reason, but when you couple that with the fact that I read a lot of authors, both trade and self published, the need for a good quality reader that will ensure a good reading experience skyrockets.

Oh, there's also the fact that I don't drive and I live half an hour away from the closest physical bookstore to me. Life before Kindle (or at least Amazon orders) really sucked for me as a reader.

6. Read more, pay less.

This one may not apply to everyone, but it definitely applies to a shopaholic like me. I tend to buy a lot of books when I'm out and about locally. Notice I said *bookstores* in my last point, not *books*. :) I can be a major impulse buyer and if I had a dollar for every time I've grabbed something and had buyer's remorse I'd probably be getting my new eReader / tablet for free!

While I'm a sucker for a sale, at least when books for an eReader go on sale they tend to be cheap or free, and if they cost money I have a LOT more time to check them out before downloading then I have to look something over in a store when I'm out with my family.

7. Forget launch day. How about launch minute?

I've done this a few times with books and albums (on iTunes) now and it's great! Getting something right away and not having to wait for it in the mail or for someone to take me to pick it up can be a really good feeling. There are times when I feel like I can't just "go do something" because of not driving and where I live, but being able to decide "I'm getting (Insert Book Here) today." and being able to because of pre-order and digital delivery is fun. Especially when it's something I've been waiting on for months.

8. Useful for editing, revision and beta exchange.

There are certain things that have become part of my writing, outlining, editing, etc. routines that I would not give up. Among those would likely be the outlining method I use, my Scrivener software and reading my work on my kindle when I am editing it. I catch a lot of things that way that I wouldn't on a regular computer screen, or even in print (likely because of my eyes on the latter?). Plus it makes it a lot easier to beta for someone, because I have the Kindle in one hand reading the book and it leaves my PC free (no having to swap programs or files) to make notes as I go in my word processor of choice.

9. Potential to choose a device that integrates the reading experience, making it more social.

I would love to find a reader that will let me highlight a passage and share it on facebook, twitter, or GoodReads. I'd like to be able to see what my friends are reading and have things recommended by them if I pick something that has some kind of homescreen. I'm not totally sure if anything with these features will be available, but the fact that the possibility exists and that I am investing in that possible future is very encouraging.

10. Potential to better support authors I like by pre-ordering their work, getting more read (and reviewed) on this blog, and (in some cases) ensuring they get a better cut of the money I'm spending on the books I buy.

As someone who has spent almost two years studying self publishing, one thing I am very aware of is the fact that authors tend to make a lot more via digital sales than we do from print ones. While it's true that I don't buy every book I read, (many are given for review) when I do choose to buy a book I want the majority of that money to go to the person who wrote it--not to a giant corporation.

7 Things I'll Miss About Print Books:

1. The artistry and design of an actual book.

Who doesn't love pretty covers, thick, texture-edged pages, gorgeous title headers, and interesting internal matter like maps (in fantasy novels) or contemporary books that have lists, poems, etc. through them? (The Sky Is Everywhere comes to mind here.) Beyond that, the simple feel and even smell of a new book can be an almost heady thing. What an eReader will gain me in portability and access, it will cost me in individuality and tangible possession.

2. Going to book stores and buying physical books.

When I do get the chance to go to Chapters and actually choose new books by hand, there's not much I like better. There's something magical about being surrounded by all of the words and worlds and stories just begging me to pick them up and glance inside. Shopping online may give me more time to make decisions, but shopping in actual stores is an experience. Part of me feels that it's sorta like food. Even if someone invented a pill that would meet all your needs would you want to give up eating your favorite things?

3. Receiving packages with books I've bought in the mail.

I love getting mail. It may have something to do with living with my family and only having a cell phone bill? Regardless, little brings me as much joy as seeing something in the mail with my name on it. It's exciting. It shakes up my routine. It's usually something I really want, so I'm excited about it. Kinda the opposite of the "right this minute!" thing above. But we live in a world that wants everything now and sometimes it's good to have to wait for what we want. (Sometimes we even appreciate it more.)

4. Being able to do videos that show actual books to my readers.

Taking video footage of books on a Kindle, phone, etc. generally does not work. It can be done, but it doesn't have the same quality of connection, possession and passion that holding *the* book in my hands does. I've done both and this will likely be one of the things I miss most if I put as much of my focus on digital purchases as I think I will. (Provided I can get the right tool to read them.)

5. Knowing I own my books as opposed to questioning whether I'm just renting them.

This was one of the biggest reasons I held off on an eReader and one of the reasons I still predominantly buy physical books today. Look at countries in the world where some people are allowed to read while others aren't. Consider the idea that in the middle ages only a very small handful of people were literate. Consider that even two generations ago the average citizen probably had a fourth grade education. Then consider the quality of life that could be expected by each of this individuals.

My point is this: those who control books--and more importantly, their distribution--have the power to control the world. Do not make the mistake of undermining the power of fiction! For generations authors have been using the written word as a medium to express ideas, opinions, feelings and more. While I am not directly suggesting that the online booksellers are plotting a Roman style coup to take over the world, I am saying that readers need to be aware of what they are doing when they support large corporations in ways that could come back to bite us all on the butt in the future.

6. Being able to easily allow others to read my books.

eReaders and Tablets, when not being shared among a group of kids, are generally like Chihuahuas. They're a one man (or woman) affair. While I might be totally fine loaning someone a book, there's no way in hell I'd loan out my kindle! Seriously: what am I going to read on then? What if I want to read one of my other books? It's just not efficient. I know there are libraries that are working to get eBook collections available and that some online retailers are trying to set it up so books can be loaned digitally. But it will (likely?) never be as simple as, "Here. Read this and give it back when you're done." like I can do with a physical book.

7. Being able to trade my books with other bloggers, donate them to libraries, etc. if / when I no longer need them.

This weekend I'm going to a blogging meetup in Toronto and one of the things that has been going on in the months leading up to that is a massive online-organized book swap. I'll be bringing over 30(?) books to trade with fellow book bloggers. These are either books I've read and enjoyed but no longer have room for, or they are books that didn't work for me. Either way, though...aren't THEY better served being read by someone else than they are sitting in my closet or on my shelf untouched? I think so. I have a very strong belief that books only live or breathe when a reader opens and reads them. If this is in any way true, it could be said that the digitization of books is suffocating literature. However, that also doesn't take into account the amount of opportunities it has opened up for readers to discover new books and for writers to share their stories with the world. It's a tough call.

3 Other Things To Note:

1. I will still be happy to get signed books from authors when I go to events. I will also still buy print copies of books written by my friends. (I wouldn't want Sealer's Promise to be lonely!)

2. If the book in question is any form of a reference guide, for gaming, writing, web design, etc. print will still be my top priority (most likely).

3. I'm not getting rid of ALL my print books, nor am I saying I'll never buy one again. I will say that my "keeper shelves" will actually be keeping books I love, though.

My Question To You This Week Is...

Print or eBooks? Do you use one? Both? How has the invention of eBooks effected you as a reader? As a blogger? Would you change anything about this if you could?

Articles In This Series:

Why Go Digital? | eReader or Tablet? | Kindle or ePub 

What's Best For Bloggers? | Help Me Choose!  

Kat's New Reader! 

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

After seeing this at WalMart for weeks and not buying it, I finally decided to look it up and find out what it was about. After finding out what it was about, the idea had to grow on me. Once the idea of buying this book happened, it didn't let go. And once I started reading The 5th Wave, I could not put it down.

I was a little wary of reading this, despite my growing interest, since it deals with aliens coming to Earth. (It's done in a very different way than how my Kindred do this, but I couldn't know that going in.) However, as an aspiring author I will add this prior to my actual review: I am very glad I read The 5th Wave when I did. It got me thinking *way* more about what effects another species coming to our planet would have on us as a whole, regardless of their intentions.

Okay, enough detours. Let's get to the review! :D

(Summary from GoodReads)

The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.(

The idea of aliens doing something, anything, to our planet is a far cry from being new. But as with most plots or premises, it's not whether it's new in itself, but rather how it is used, that matters. For the record? The 5th Wave wastes absolutely none of the potential of this idea. In fact, it takes something that I would normally consider a very plot heavy idea and turns it on its head by having the story's characters be the driving force behind both what is going on and just how shocking / devastating / frightening the events going on actually are. 

The two things that really stood out to me about this book as a writer, aside from what I said in my opening, were the level of consequences that the events of the story had on the characters, and the way that Ethan's character was used. I had my theories about Ethan as the book progressed, and I was thrilled at what happened with regard to him. As for how plot effected character here, I love the fact that I slowly discovered just what the 5th Wave actually was, and how because of the pacing of that discover and how it coincided with my growing attachment to the characters, the discovery was possibly one of the most mind shattering things I've ever read in a piece of speculative fiction. 

The characters, from major ones like Cassie and Zombie, to more minor ones like Ringer and Dumbo, each had things about them that drew me in and made me care. In a story like this the height of the stakes is only increased more by the attachment formed to the characters, and I was really happy to see the potential for that not to go to waste. The situation these people were put into might not have been something I've encountered in real life, but the characters were real, and that sold me on them, their world, the conflicts they were facing, and ultimately their story as a whole. 

There is a bit of a romance here and while I love one aspect of it (who is Ethan?), the actual romance pacing isn't necessarily the best ever. That's okay, though. That's not really the core of this book and it does something so freaking cool that I'm willing to forgive it. (Plus I'm not really against insta-like / love unless it's totally stupid and this wasn't.) I think Rick Yancey struck a good balance here, and I (again!) love how the romance between these two played into the story overall. I don't think we see enough stuff like this. 

If you like science fiction or post apocalyptic reads I would strongly advise that you check this novel out. There is a lot of interesting stuff here and by the time you finish I assure you The 5th Wave will stick with you long after you turn the last page. It starts out a little odd and there are some flashbacks (not everyone likes those) but trust me: give this time to get going and you won't want to put it down.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository 

What's Next? (1)

What's Next? is a weekly event hosted by Icey Books where you guys get to suggest what book I should read next from a list that I provide.

Some of you might have guessed I've been having trouble reading books lately! Between writing, family stuff and fall weather (which for some reason makes me really, really, sleepy!) the books on my shelves are doing that weird thing where all the words sorta meld together. But I need to take a pause between doing edit notes for Sealer's Promise and actually making the edits, and if I want those edits to come out well I know I need to read stuff. That's non-negotiable.

What's Next? seems like a win-win to me. I hopefully get some motivation to read something and you guys get to hear my thoughts on something, rather than wondering what random book I'll finally come back with. So without further ado, here are...

The Burning Sky
by Sherry Thomas

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Why I Bought It: Magic, a prince, and romance? What's not to love, it's right up my alley. :D

Why I'm hesitant: Things could go very bad for this couple. It's the first book in a trilogy. It's historical, which can be hit or miss for me--and I didn't know that when I bought it.

If You Leave
by Courtney Cole

26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

Why I Bought It: I totally, madly, loved If You Stay. I bought If You Leave the day it released, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to even take a glance at the first page.

Why I'm Hesitant: A string of contemporary NA / Adult reads that didn't click with me is part of what caused me to need to take time away from blogging, so I'm not 100% sure this is the right thing to read as I dive back in.

Elsker
S.T. Bende

You don't win the heart of an immortal assassin without making a few enemies along the way. Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull Myhr. Her new boyfriend isn't exactly what she was expecting. He's an honest to goodness Norse God - an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok, the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth. Kristia's crazy visions are the only thing that can save their realms. Her orderly life just got very messy.

Why I Bought It: I love books based on mythology, and Norse myth is both interesting and less common. This was one of those books where I went "Oh, I have to read that." Yet it's still on my Kindle. Go figure.

Why I'm Hesitant: Mythology based fantasy is, to some extent, the driving force of my own novel. I've been very careful about what I read while doing the latest draft. However, I'm at the editing stages now so I should be okay. Still, it'll be weird to read this after the two months I've had.

Cinder
by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Why I Bought It: Cyborg Cinderella? Again, how could I resist. I honestly can't tell ya why I haven't read it. I've never even opened it. It just hasn't happened.

Why I'm Hesitant: Every time I look at this book all I can think is "It's big.". That's silly--one of my favorite series is The Tiger Saga! If I was patient enough to get into that, Cinder should be cake. But at least I'm honest. :)

The Liberator
by Victoria Scott

Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

Why I Bought It: The Collector was the most recent recipient of my writing award, the Kat's Meow. With how much I loved the first book, it only makes sense I want to read the second.

Why I'm Hesitant: Here's the thing, though. When I love a book that can prove a double edged sword. Will The Liberator be able to match The Collector? That'll be a tough act to follow! 

Now for the fun part. 

Leave a comment and tell me...