Five Kindle Books For Five Dollars!

Hello everyone! Today I was so excited to find out that I won a $5 Amazon gift card from a giveaway that I entered from Barbara Rayne of Thank you so much Babara! Well I always wanna get the most for my money and some books that I have loved have came from kindle freebies or books that only cost 99 cents. So, I figured why not share the books I got with all my lovely followers.

 Happy Reading!
Kristin

 1. The Vincent Boys By: Abbie Glines 

Goodreads Summary:

 Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. 


Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.

2.  The Mind Readers By: Lori Brighton ( I really liked this cover) 

  Goodreads Summary:
 Cameron Winters is a freak. Fortunately, no one but her family knows the truth... that Cameron can read minds. For years Cameron has hidden behind a facade of normalcy, warned that there are those who would do her harm. When gorgeous and mysterious Lewis Douglas arrives he destroys everything Cameron has ever believed and tempts her with possibilities of freedom. Determined to embrace her hidden talents, Cameron heads to a secret haven with Lewis; a place where she meets others like her, Mind Readers.

But as Cameron soon finds out some things are too good to be true. When the Mind Readers realize the extent of Cameron’s abilities, they want to use her powers for their own needs. Cameron suddenly finds herself involved in a war in which her idea of what is right and wrong is greatly tested. In the end she’ll be forced to make a choice that will not only threaten her relationship with Lewis, but her very life.

3. Wanderlove By: Belle Mallory

 

 Goodreads Summary:


Lola Moori is hiding a secret she doesn't know she's keeping.

She begins to remember someone. Someone important. His name is Gabe…and whatever they shared, she could feel that it was epic.

Yet it seems Gabe wanted her to forget him. Forever.

The curse that repressed Lola’s memories for the span of several lifetimes is coming undone. But unfortunately, she discovers that some secrets are better left buried.

4. Blood  Tide: By Tess Oliver

Goodreads Summary:

 When four strangers move into Blackpool Cove the same week a tragic shipwreck befalls its shores, Trixie Muldoon waves it off as coincidence. Even the arrival of the appealing, young investigator, David Durham, does not convince her otherwise.

But when a girl disappears, it's obvious something sinister has gripped the quiet, coastal town, and it all leads back to the town's newest inhabitants, including the mysterious Beck Ryker.

Everything about Beck Ryker, his scarred face, his hypnotic gaze, his seemingly tortured past, says heartbreak and regret. Yet Trixie finds herself drawn to him.

But when the tangle of secrets surrounding Beck unravels, Trixie finds herself caught between terror and passion.

Blood Tide is a young adult paranormal romance set in the fictional town of Blackpool Cove in the year 1880.

5.  Stained By: Ella James (When I read the summary of this book it reminded me of the show Supernatural kind of but, only a girl LOL)

Goodreads Summary:

 After a fire destroys seventeen-year-old Julia’s home and kills her foster parents, she chases the half-demon responsible across the country and back, determined to avenge her family and discover why a host of celestial baddies want her dead. With Julia is enigmatic hottie - Cayne, who has his own score to settle with the half-demon, and who might be just as dangerous as the creature he and Julia hunt

Check Them Out! 
 

Author Interview with Kathleen Harsch and Giveaway

Hello Everyone! I am so excited to say that today, on the blog I have Kathleen Harsch with us for my first interview and giveaway! She is the author of Dreaming Dangerously, the first book in the Children of Psi series. She has also been kind enough to give one lucky follower, an e-copy of her book, Dreaming Dangerously. 

1. If you could have dinner with any author dead or alive, who would it be?
 First of all, I want to thank you for the opportunity to do this. You are my first interview! So exciting!
To answer your question: I would have a difficult time choosing ONE author because I have so many favorites. It would be interesting to host a dinner party with such distinguished guests as the Bronte sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, Robert Browning and just to throw in some humor, Ellen Degeneres. What a party that would be, a regular Comedy of Horrors! Especially since all, except two, are deceased.

2. How did you come up with the idea for Dreaming Dangerously?
 Dreaming Dangerously came from a dream. Ironic, I know, however, read the chapter, “Mind Drop” to the part where they kiss, and you basically have my exact dream in its entirety. I knew the dream held a wonderful idea for a novel, two teenagers, a boy and a girl, who are interested in each other, find out they can read each other’s minds. So, I woke up and immediately started writing at 4:30 in the morning. I wrote for three straight hours, figuring out the possible plot lines and character arcs for Cassie and Will. I originally titled the book Unwilling, a play on the name of Will, which I took from one of Shakespeare’s later sonnets in which he writes a whole sonnet punning the name and word “will.” However,  I decided that the book title, Dreaming Dangerously, would entice a Young Adult audience more.

3. Have you always wanted to  be a writer?
 Yes! Since I could hold a crayon in my hand! Books have always fascinated me, and I started making my own little books from my preschool years. My grandmother would staple sheets of typing paper together, and I would fill my little books with pictures and scribbled words, “my stories.” None of those original writings have survived, but I’m sure they were pure preschool genius.

However, in high school and college, I wrote an overabundance of bad poetry and a few good poems as well as journals. I used one of those journals from my junior year of high school to remember what being a teenager was like for me. To remember that constant emotional state of wanting to be accepted and wanting to fall in love. Ay, me! (from Juliet at her window, thinking about Romeo.)

4. I know that you are a teacher. Is it hard to balance writing a  book and teaching? 
 I constantly write with my students. Dream #9  in Dreaming Dangerouslycomes from a writing lesson we did about setting the scene. “My flip-flops sink with each step as beach sand sugard my feet. The moon casts a ghostly light across the dark water, and the tide gently laps against the shore. At first, I can only see the dark outlines of people, until Will holds my hand and smiles at me.”

Over the last six years, my students encouraged me to publish. However, I spent three years searching for an agent. I received many rejection emails and letters stating, “although your work has merit, it is not right for me (or said literary agency) at this time.” After Amanda Hocking went viral with her books, I decided to self-publish. I wanted my students to be able to read my books. So far, almost all fifty of this year’s female students have read the book more than once, and some said it’s the first or only book they completely read this year. They are anxiously awaiting book 2. Also, some of my boys have read it, too. Now, other students throughout the school are reading the book, since I donated seven or eight copies to the library, and my librarian bought more to keep up with the demand. One thing that teaching does make difficult is time for public appearances and marketing. I will be doing public appearances this summer at local libraries and bookstores in the Tampa Bay area.
5. How did you come up with the characters of Cassie and Will?
 Cassie is that tiny insecure part of me that is afraid of everything. She was a very difficult point of view narrator to write from because she was so stubborn about giving up her thoughts and feelings. She sounded so negative to me at first. So, I had to make sure the audience could empathize with her. That took several revisions to get right. Will has the personality of my husband and is partially the confident part of me that wants to experiment and try new things, meet new people, and travel to new places. The second book in this series is from Will’s viewpoint. His p.o.v. has been much easier to write from because he is so forthcoming.  I do hear Cassie and Will’s “voices” in my head now. They like to talk to me at the most inopportune moments, in the shower, driving, washing dishes, etc. I have to memorize what they said until I can get to pen and paper.

6. What is your writing process like?
 The best way I can describe this is that I write in layers. I plan my drafts because I have to know what direction the story is going. I need to know my character’s motivations and goals. However, I will change my plans. I wrote about twelve revisions for Dreaming Dangerously, and I’ve written about that many for Darkness Descends, which I hope to release on June 1st of this year. Each time I revise, I add another layer. Sometimes, it’s description and metaphor, and sometimes it’s dialogue. Other times I rearrange, add or delete scenes. Another time I’ll edit for sentence structure. I plan to write the third book of this series during this summer, when I’m not teaching. Then, I’ll use the school year to revise and edit , adding layers.

7. What are you working on now/next?
 I’m currently editing Darkness Descends, which is book 2 of the Children of the Psi series and I’m working on the marketing for it. I am also constantly marketing Dreaming Dangerously on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. I need to do a better job of marketing on Amazon. It’s all a learning process. I have a third book planned for the series as well as two Middle Grades novels, one about bullying and the other about the loss of a grandparent.

8.  Would you want to be able to read other people's minds?
 It seems like a really cool ability, but I think I’d end up like Cassie, unless my ability was more like Will’s where I actually had to touch the person to know their thoughts. That way I can choose when to mind-drop. However, his empathy skills are way too strong for me to handle, especially being a teacher because I would be crying every day. Some of my students have really tough lives.

9. Anything you would like to add about Dreaming Dangerously and the Children of Psi series?
 Writing the Children of the Psi series has been a liberating experience. Self-publishing, has given me the opportunity to be my own boss, to set my own schedule, to promote my own books, my own way. It’s been hard financially because I don’t have the money to invest in advertising that the big publishing houses do, but I know I’ve earned every dime that I’ve made. I’ve been able to make my creative dream a reality.
Also, Darkness Descends, book two of the Children of the Psi series, will be available June 1st on Amazon.
Thank you so much, to Kathleen Harsch for her giveaway and interview, check out my review of Dreaming Dangerously 

Here's Amazon.com page: Dreaming Dangerously on Amazon

Here's my blog: Kathleen Suzette Harsch, author 

Here's my Twitter:  @rockingteach

Here's the Dreaming Dangerously Facebook page: Dreaming Dangerously on Facebook

Review: Wrecked By: Ann Davies

Title: Wrecked

Author: Ann Davies

Published: May 1st, 2012

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Secrets of the sea have never been sexier than this. Ever since the death of her parents, Miranda has lived on Whym Island, taking comfort in the local folklore, which claims a mysterious sea witch controls the fate of all on the island and in its surrounding waters. Sometimes it’s just easier to believe things are out of your control.     But then a terrible boating accident takes the lives of several of her friends, and Miranda is rescued by a mysterious boy who haunts her dreams. Consumed by guilt from the accident, she finds refuge in late-night swims—and meets Christian, a boy who seems eerily familiar, but who is full of mystery: He won’t tell her where he is from, or why they can only meet at the beach. But Miranda falls for him anyway…and discovers that Christian’s secrets, though meant to protect her, may bring her nothing but harm.     Seductive and compelling, Wrecked brings a contemporary, paranormal twist to a classic enchanting tale.

My Thoughts:

I received  this  book from goodreads first reads. In my opinion this book was just ok, I didn't love it but, I didn't hate it either.

We first meet Miranda our main character, her and her friends are partying on the beach of the Whym Island where they live. They are the rich and privileged kids of the island, having everything they want including boats. At the end of the night they decide to go on a ride of Miranda's boat, she being the responsible one offers to drive considering she was the only one who wasn't drinking. But as they are riding through the water, their navigation system starts malfunctioning and they run something over with the boat. As everyone begins to freak out, a fire starts in the boat with Miranda's boyfriend throwing everyone overboard in an attempt to save their lives. Miranda is then saved by a mysterious boy who is swimming in the water when the accident happens, most of her friends are not so lucky and they don't survive the boat accident. She lives with her Grandmother, who doesn't know how to talk to her or deal with what's happens, so she pretends like it doesn't and  a brother who is so worried about her he looks at her like she is going to break.

I did connect with the main character Miranda a lot throughout the  book you get to see how she deals with the aftermath of the accident. Everyone on the island and in her school completely blames her for what happened, calling her a murderer and a killer and completely shunning her. I really felt for her because it wasn't her fault and she already has to deal with so much grief from losing her friends.

The legend of the sea witch is one that every person knows, from growing up on the island of Whym. They say she controls the storms and can take the lives of people on the water when she chooses. Most people think it is some legend but, as you come to find out it's not and Miranda becomes the person of her wrath. She wants her soul and she is angry she didn't get it during the accident.

Next, comes Christian who is a merman, more specifically a betwixtman, a mermaid that has human legs instead of a tail. I was really disappointed by his character. I was looking forward to more of the story focusing on him and the world of living "Down Below" with the creatures of the sea, and you don't really get to know much of that except for the basics of his background.  Christian is under the rule of the sea  witch, but, he angers her when he saved her from the accident and she couldn't add her soul to her collection.

After saving Miranda, Christian begins having thoughts and feelings for her, having an instant connection with her when he is saving her. He wants to be able to see her again, in the beginning he just watches her from afar until he decides to go ahead and finally talk to her and meet her by swimming at the same part of the beach Miranda swims at every day. Miranda begins having a connection to him too, of course without knowing him  at all and this was the part I didn't like, they fall into the instant love category and you get to see no real reasons as to why either one should have feelings for each other. 

Overall, like I said this book was just ok. I didn't get bored by it but, I wasn't so excited to turn the page and find out what happened next. So, if you want to read a story about mermen, this story is just not for you, although there is action and romance, not all of it was real and believable to me. 

Happy Reading!

Kristin

Review: Where She Went (If I Stay # 2) By: Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman

Published:  April 5th, 2011

Series: If I Stay # 2

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

My Thoughts:

So, when I first read the summary for this book, I was so sad to find out that Mia and Adam were no longer together in this  book. After seeing everything they both go through in If I Stay, I felt like their relationship was strong and unbreakable and after reading the first book, I understand Mia and Adam more than I ever thought that I could. 

The book is told from Adam's point of view which I really enjoyed, you got to see how much he changed in three years and how his and Mia's relationship was seen through his eyes, whereas in If I Stay you got to see their relationship through Mia's eyes. I liked get to read the book from a male POV considering most of them are from a girls.

Adam's band has become hugely popular and it's all because of the songs he wrote after Mia had left him. He has everything it seems that he wanted but, he is not happy with his life, he doesn't love music the way that he used to, and his own band who used to be his best friends hate him. I really felt for him, most people have these dreams and they think once they come true and have everything they ever wanted it is going to make them happy, but sometimes it doesn't.

Adam is walking through New York when he see's a flyer for Mia Hall performing in a Young Concert Series and he takes a chance he goes in and he listens to her play, just wanting to hear her one more time. Mia finds out he is there and they both see each other again.

This book tore through all of my emotions and I was definitely crying, sad, and happy throughout different parts. At first I was a little mad at Mia, how could she just abandon a person who I know she really loved and not speak to him for three years but, after Adam and Mia see each other again many things become clear from both of them and I realize how much more complicated everything was for both of them then it ever seemed. 

This book has so much emotional depth sometimes I was almost overwhelmed, I was so in tune with both characters and I really felt their emotions as my own. I thought that this book was just as good as the first one, maybe even a little bit better. I highly reccommend this book and if you haven't read If I Stay, get on it right now! Make sure you have your box of tissues ready because this book takes you on another emotional roller coaster.

Happy Reading!

Kristin

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases that everyone is waiting on.

This weeks selection is:

Title: Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Published: June 26th, 2012

Goodreads Summary: 

 I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...  Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life...

My Thoughts:

I don't know about you guys but, after If I Die, which was one of those books that while I was reading I was really surprised with everything that happened and it was exciting and unpredictable I cannot wait for this book to come out. June can't come fast enough!

Happy Reading!

Kristin