Audiobook Review: DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE

Title: DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor (author's site)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Purchased from Audible.com
Fav Quote(s): Pretty much any advice Brimstone gives Karou. But seriously, there are sooooo many good lines from this book!
Goodreads info here

I loved this selection. The story, the characters, and narration; combined makes DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE one of my favorite reads/listens of year so far! Laini Taylor's storytelling was flawless and Khristine Hvam's narration really genius. 

There is really so much good to say about DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, I'm having a hard time beginning my review. As much as I adore audiobooks, they are harder for me to review because I can't flip back in the page easily to look up what I want to reference. So just hang in there with me while I try to explain my immense infatuation with this book. 

1. There is a heart-breakingly beautiful forbidden love affair. Before I picked up this book I had mentioned to the hubs I was interested in reading a good love story. I like a love story that makes me want to (and most likely) cry and ache in anguish with the characters. Check and check. Laini Taylor made me deliciously miserable in the best possible way.
   
   
2. Even though DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE succeed in ripping my heart out, I did laugh out loud more than once. A book that can take me from emotional high to emotional low, L.O.V.E.
   
   
3. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE made me want to travel the world. Well, I already want to do that but the book is set in Prague. I've never been to Prague but I've kind of been secretly obsessed with Prague for ages now. All the photos I've seen of Prague just make me fall in love the city. It's old and beautiful and a perfect backdrop for this magical story. Also, there is mention of many other fabulous places across the world (and beyond) in this book. I want to see it all!
   
   
4. Akiva. Really that's all I feel I need to say. (Boys in books make for the best crushes. And Akiva isn't just a boy, he's an angel! Literally.)
   
   
5. Karou has blue hair. My day job prohibits any "un-natural hair color" so naturally I want to dye my hair any and all un-natural colors. I lived vicariously through Karou on this one (as well as the globe trotting).
   

In my world, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE earns 5 out of 5 stars. Y'all. Please, if you are remotely a fan of YA Fantasy (audio) books, get this book now! Once you've read or listened to it or if you already have, please let me know what you thought. I know I can't be the only one in love with DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE.

(*Also, funny side note: I can be such a goofball sometimes. I actually accidentally downloaded the second book in this series (DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT) first. And listened to like 2 plus hours before I realized something was amiss. I told the hubs I was having a hard time getting into and blah, blah, blah. Well yeah, duh. You will have a hard time if you start in the middle! Anyhoo, that's when I went back and downloaded DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE and listened to the first book first. I'm telling you this as a cautionary tale. Don't start in the middle of the story. This is a tale you'll want to hear from the beginning! :)

Lastly, since I can't dye my hair and I can't just jet half way around the world right now, this was my inspiration from reading DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE.

 

Karou and her bff, Zuzana, love going to this place called Poison Kitchen in the book. They go there there to hang out and eat bowls of goulash. Now there is no where as cool as Poison Kitchen anywhere near me and I don't think I've ever actually had goulash before. So I Googled around, looked at several recipes and came up with what you see above. I used this recipe as my base line and added a little more veggies to it. It was actually pretty good! And I guess it'll have to do in place of a trip to Poison Kitchen!

Character Guest Post: WILDFLOWERS Tour

I used to (attempt) keep a diary. I always admired those who did and were able to keep up with writing in them. Now I guess I sort of use the blog as a diary sometimes. I post about events I want to remember, thoughts on books, or the occasional movie or tv show. Nothing super personal but still deeper thoughts than I usually share in everyday conversation with random people. 

The point is I'm excited to welcome a guest post from Susan, Schledia Benefield's female protagonist in Benefield's novel WILDFLOWERS. If you are anything like me, you'll be wanting to read WILDFLOWERS right away after learning more about Susan. 

Dear Diary,

Well, we made it to the town of Bayville, Mississippi yesterday. The scenery was beautiful on the way down. I can’t wait to have the opportunity to visit a beach and watch the waves. There are no beaches in Birmingham. I was hoping Dad would stop in Gulfport and let me walk through the sand in my bare feet, but he was ready to get to the house. He wanted to visit the hospital and set up his office.

We got all of our clothes and personal items in the house. The movers brought the furniture two days earlier, that’s why Mom came down a few days ahead of us. She wanted to make sure everything went exactly where she envisioned. I was kind of glad to be able to make the trip down to the coast with Dad. It gave us time to talk. He understands me a little better than she does.

I miss my friends so bad. I spent the entire night before we left crying. Change is so hard, but I have to believe that God has a plan. He’s always able to bring good things out of bad things, and moving away from my friends is definitely bad.

Today was my first day at Bayville High. Their school mascot is the Bayville Bears, so I’m going from a Tiger to a Bear, not that any of that stuff really matters to me. I’m not a cheerleader, and I can’t envision myself ever dating a jock. Most of those guys are only after one thing, and I’m not willing to give that up. Call me silly, but I want to be worthy of wearing white when I get married.

Today had its good points and its bad points. I got stuck in a regular English class, despite the fact that my transcript showed clearly that I belong in advanced English, but I think there may be a reason. God has a way of guiding us even when we don’t initially understand. There was this guy in my English class. His name is Aster. He refused to read aloud in class. He seems like he’s a pretty rough guy. He really got into it with the teacher over her insisting he read. Something in my heart told me he can’t read.

They finally called me to the counselor’s office to fix my schedule right around the time he was arguing with Ms. Howard. She sent him to the principal’s office at the same time. She was furious with him! I dropped my books, so she made him pick them up. He obviously resented that. It was the strangest feeling being close to him. His eyes reminded me of my special place. He’s very attractive, but he was very mean to me. Despite that, I feel bad for him.

The principal called the counselor about getting him in a tutoring class while I was in her office, but they didn’t have a place for him, so I offered to do it. I’m a little nervous about it, but there has to be a reason for it all.

                                                                  Yours truly,

                                                                  Susan

Summary:

Have you ever feared what may be hiding deep within you?

Darkness often skulks in the blood of unsuspecting victims, but Aster McGrath is acutely aware of the violence coursing through his veins. After all, he is the son of a murderer, and everyone in the town of Bayville, Mississippi says he will end up just like his father.

When Susan Blackman moves into town, Aster has already embraced his brutal nature, but her gentle spirit draws him in and slowly melts the icy exterior of his heart. Taming his savagery, she professes her love, but will the good within him be able to overcome the evil lurking deep inside? Or will the fiend break free of its fetters and seek blood?

 

About the Author:

Schledia Benefield is the author of Plain Jane, Pretty Boy, and her soon to be released novel, Wildflowers. She attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College but chose to be a stay-at-home mom for many years. She devoted eight years of her life to working with youth as a youth minister and has been invited to speak in a rehab to hurting and wounded women, giving them hope for a better future. She was the Keynote Speaker for Division 14 of the Key Club International’s divisional rally.

Born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Schledia holds a sense of pride in her southern heritage. She presently lives in Big Point, Mississippi with her husband and four of her five children. On top of writing novels, she writes youth and children’s church curriculum, and she works as a substitute teacher at East Central Middle School. In her spare time, she reads, sews, and spends time with her family.

 

Social Media Links:

http://schlediabenefield.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/Schledia
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17312737-wildflowers?ac=1

Buy Link:

Amazon (ebook & paperback) http://amzn.to/WPszMD
ebook 99 cents March 25 - 31 *regularly $4.99

Tour Schedule:

March 25
[YA] Between the Lines http://yabetweenthelines.blogspot.com/ Author Guest Post
Ohana Day Academy http://ohana-school.blogspot.com.au/ Review
The avid Reader www.tarmyblospot.blogspot.com  Book Promo
Brooke Blogs http://www.brookeblogs.com Character Guest Post

March 26
Rayborn Rambles http://Raybornrambles.blogspot.com Review & Book Promo

March 27
Now is Gone http://katysozaeva.blogspot.com/ Author Guest Post
Lubs Book Chatter lubsbookchatter.blogspot.com Author Guest Post

March 28
Library Girl Reads & Reviews http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com
Sab The Book Eater http://sabthebookeater.blogspot.com/ Top Ten Favorite Books EVER

March 29
Pieces of Whimsy http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/ Author Interviw
Curling Up With A Good Book http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/ Top Ten list
Alli's World http://mrscaptkirk51.blogspot.com/ Character Guest Post

Movie Review: The Host

Last week MrCaptKirk and I were lucky enough to score advanced screening passes for The Host! I was extremely excited about this! I as you know, I am a HUGE Twilight and Stephenie Meyer fan so I was thrilled to get an early peek at The Host, which is based on the book of the same name by Stephenie Meyer.

Here was my initial reaction upon seeing the movie, as seen on my Facebook page:

"The Host movie soooooooo awesomely awesome! I want to see it again asap. So different from Twilight but a great movie in my opinion. (So if you loved or hated Twilight give The Host a try!)"

The Host is about a parasitic alien race that invades Earth and takes over human bodies, turning humans into...Hosts. Get it?? Yeah... :) But as one might imagine, sometimes getting rid of all the human-ness out of a body might be more difficult in some cases and therefore leading to engaging story.

There is a love triangle but oh man it's got a twist to it! And The Host is not just a "love story," there is so much more going on. It's about survival and what it means to be human. It's about relationships, both romantic and familial, and what that means when your loved ones aren't your loved ones anymore. 

I read the book probably about four years ago now. (Wow, has it been that long!? I want to reread it soon. See more about the book, The Host, on Goodreads.) I remember liking The Host, thinking it was way different from Twilight, and it taking me a while to get into it but once I did, I really dug it. But I don't remember enough to really compare the book and the movie at all. I would say that I thought the movie pacing was very good and I didn't feel any long, disconnected period in the beginning like I remember feeling with the book. 

Saoirse Ronan, the actress that played Wanda/Melanie, did a fantabulous job! I was really blown away. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to play two characters. At once. Ah-mazing.

While I was watching the movie, I did notice (and how I missed this knowing how much I worshiped Stephenie Meyer's work at one point) that Stephenie has a thing for eyes. Stay with me here, in Twilight the eyes were one way you could identify the vampires and you could also tell if they were hungry and if they were "vegetarian" vamps or dined the more traditional vampire way, based on their eye color. Well in The Host you know when the alien soul had taken over a body...by the eyes!! Ahhh, mind blown. And sure like everyone else who has ever been remotely interested in Meyer's work already knew this. But I guess SEEING it on the big screen really made it clear to me. Like the old saying, "The eyes are the windows to the soul." (Clearly there wasn't a real point that rant, but isn't that cool?!)

My only real "complaint" with The Host was it was a little bit cheesy. But it actually kind of worked with the story. Imagine how lame you might be if you were new on the planet. You'd might be a bit lame too. So just go with the cheesiness as it provides some comic relief.

The movie ended at a good point but left it open for a sequel that I'm REALLY hoping for! And hey, it could happen! Stephenie confirmed she was working on a Host 2. See more on that on Hypable.

I asked the Mister what he thought about The Host. (He has also read the book.) Here's what he said, "My thoughts on The Host is that I REALLY liked it, and think that if there are more books coming in the series that it could be the next big series. I loved the character development and the acting.

In summary...WE LOVED IT. We totes recommend going to see it! I wish I could be there tonight for the 9 pm show! (I hate work gets in the way of my non-work interests!) Oh well, to help pass the time til I can see it again, I'll post the movie trailer. Although, watching it again REALLY makes want to watch the movie again. Like now. 

Let me know if you are planning to see The Host! Have you seen it? Leave me some comments, this is one item I'd love to discuss more!

Cover Reveal: Frigid by J. Lynn

No secret here: Alli's World L.O.V.E.S. author Jennifer L. Armentrout's work. So I am thrilled to be part of her cover reveal for one of her upcoming books: FRIGID. She's writing this one under her pen name J. Lynn, which she uses for her more "mature" novels. 

Check out this cover and the hottie on the front! Jennifer writes hot boys like none other so this ought to be good!

Cover design: Okay Creations

Photographer: Jennifer Rush

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love. 

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have. 

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

Frigid will be available in digital formats on July 30th 2013

Print release of Frigid will be November 5th 2013

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16122034-frigid?ac=1

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is a # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Twitter  https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

Author Interview: Michael Northrop

Alli's World had the pleasure of interviewing author Michael Northrop as part of the blog tour for his new book ROTTEN. If you are a dog person you will surely enjoy this interview. And if you like what you read be sure to pickup a copy of ROTTEN!

Alli's World: So we here in Alli's World are dog lovers and have a rescue pup of our own. We'd love to know if you are a dog lover too and have you ever had a rescue dog of your own?

Michael Northrop: Hello! Yes, I am a dog-lover too, and have been since the very beginning. I grew up in a small town with a big back yard and a mom who loved animals. We generally had between eight and nine animals at a time, about half dogs and half cats. About half of those would be rescues, and the other half would be adopted from someone’s litter. (When you have that many animals, word gets around. Every time a neighbor's pet had puppies/kittens, they’d knock on our door.)

One dog, in particular, was a major inspiration for this book. His name was Max, and he was either an unusually large Brittany, a Brittany mix, or just a big dog that looked a lot like a Brittany. He was rescued from a very bad situation, much like Johnny’s in the book, and I was just a little older than JD when we got him. He was scared and skittish at first, but once he was in a safe, loving environment, he let his guard down and became one of the greatest dogs I’ve ever

known.

Alli's World: Do you have any funny or interesting pet stories?

Michael Northrop: My funniest pet stories involve a dog named Little Bit. He was a black lab mix and one of the great escape artists in history. Over the years, he escaped from the backyard by flipping the latch on the gate, the screen door by figuring out the handle, and one of those metal anchors you screw into the ground by, you guessed it, running around in the opposite direction and unscrewing it. He had a Rise of the Planet of the Apes level of animal intelligence.

So what did this canine Einstein do once he escaped? The stupidest things imaginable! He was sprayed by skunks three times and had his snout filled with porcupine quills twice! How can a dog be so smart and so dumb at the same time? I still don’t understand that.

But he was an awesome dog. We lived in Hartford for one fairly bad year when I was a kid. One day, my mom, brother, and I took Little Bit out for a walk. When we got back, he froze just inside the front door. He sniffed around a bit and then bolted straight up the stairs and into my bedroom. By the time we got up there to see what he was doing, he had already found and killed the biggest frickin’ rat any of us had ever seen. If he hadn’t, I would’ve been sleeping with that thing
scurrying around me—and we’d just moved and my mattress was still on the floor!

ROTTEN is dedicated to both dogs, Little Bit and Max.

Alli's World: What books or authors have influenced your writing?

Michael Northrop: There are so many. If I had to name a Top 3, I’d probably say: 

1) Ted Hughes. He was the Poet Laureate of England when I was in high school. He wrote very rough, visceral poems, generally focused on nature. His poem “Hawk Roosting” is written from the perspective of a bird of prey, and it really changed my idea of what good writing was and could be. 

2) William Faulkner, another writer who did interesting things with narration and point of view. I am a very slow reader (I’m dyslexic) and am often hesitant to read more than one or two books by the same author, just because there are so many other authors and books out there I want to check out. But I’ve read pretty much everything Faulkner has ever written. 

3) S.E. Hinton. She’s really the author most responsible for me writing YA (blame her!). Actually, she’s one of the authors most responsible for YA even existing. The Outsiders is basically a perfect YA novel.

Alli's World: Do you have any interesting (or weird) writing habits?

Michael Northrop: I don’t think so. I mean, I’m weird in a lot of ways, but I think my writing habits are pretty common: I write in the morning (I generally get started around 11 am, after a little too much time online), drink lots of coffee, and shoot for a thousand words a day. (I know a lot of authors who aim for 1,000 words/day, and most of us got it from Stephen King’s amazing book On Writing.)

Alli's World:  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Michael Northrop: I wanted to be a mounted police officer (the kind that rides a horse). I thought it would be like being a modern-day knight.

Alli's World: We would really like to thank Michael for stopping by today and talking books and puppies with us! 

Author's Bio:

My name is Michael Northrop, and I am a writer living in New York City. I am the author of three YA novels: Gentlemen (2009), one of the American Library Association/YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults; Trapped (2011), an ALA/YALSA Readers’ Choice List selection, an Indie Next List pick, and a Barnes & Noble Must-Read for Teens; and Rotten, which comes out on April 1, 2013. My first middle grade novel, Plunked, was named to the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.

Website: http://michaelnorthrop.net/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdnorthrop

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15812319-rotten

Buy Links: 

Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780545495875

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rotten-Michael-Northrop/dp/0545495873/

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rotten-michael-northrop/1111813818

bookswithbite.net

Teaser Tuesday: Blood and Bullets

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish 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! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is coming from the hub's current read. Hubs sometimes reads books similar to me and sometimes not so much. Sometimes his reads run a bit on the darker side and a little more blood and guts than I usually like. But that's okay because there is a book out there for everyone! And hubs and I have both read books we wouldn't have normal read had the other not encouraged us to do so. We've found new favorites venturing out of our reading boundaries. So with out further delay....

"Tracking the laser to the center of her chest, I squeezed the trigger twice. The recoil jolted up my arm and her chest exploded, more gore blossoming in inky wet flowers. It took the fight right out of her."

Blood and Bullets  

(Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter #1)

by: James R. Tuck

More info on Blood and Bullets on Goodreads

Blog Tour blast: Blood Awakening

Better late than never posting this, right? Sounds like a good series to me!

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Author:Jamie Manning

Web † Goodreads †Facebook † Twitter † Pinterest

My name is Jamie and I am a writer.

I've always wanted to be a writer (like most writers, I'm sure) but not until the last fewyears have I taken it seriously (after I read a tiny, unknown book called Twilight). I wasalways told growing up that I had to get a job and take care of myself, so I pushed mydream of writing a book to the back of my mind and entered the workforce. Fast-forwardmany, many years and here I am, trying to make a go at it.

I stumbled across Blogger in 2010 and my world of writing exploded. I have met (via theweb) so many amazing writers and industry professionals and book bloggers that havepassed on their wisdom and experience and successes and failures. So many, in fact,that I have no excuse to sit down and write out the stories living in my head. Which iswhat I'm now attempting to do.

I enjoy reading more than most other things (well, except maybe for writing. And TV. Noway am I giving up my TV) . I attempt to write YA (paranormal and dystopian) and I loveit.

Blood Born, book one in The Blood Prophecy trilogy, was released by Pendrell Publishing April 24, 2012. Book two, BloodAwakening, is coming April 2013.

Find Blood Born (Book One of the Blood Prophecy) at: Amazon • Barnes & Noble
Coming soon you can order Blood Awakening (Book Two of the BloodProphecy Series)

Week 1:
4/8 -   Once Upon a Twilight -Conversation Interview
4/9 -   A Book Lovers Review- Review
4/10 - Simply Infatuated - Review
4/11 - Books with Bite - Review
4/12 - Writing, Stuff and Nonsense -Author Interview

Week 2:
4/15 - Winter Haven Books -Review
4/16 - Live to Read - CharacterInterview
4/17 - Me, My Shelf and I - Review
4/18 - Reading Date - Excerpt/Teaser
4/19 - Nikki's Book Blog: Vamp and Stuff -Review

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Blog Tour: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Alli's World is celebrating the release of Bridget Zinn's POISON. If you aren't familiar with Bridget's story please keep reading, it is truly touching, heart-breaking and inspiring.

Since Bridget isn't here to tell us about how it feels to have your first novel published, I'm going to tell you a little about some of my firsts and what I've learned from them. (Not anything inappropriate and nothing as cool as having a novel pubbed but still, first-time experiences nonetheless.) 

I've had lots of firsts that I recall. I remember my first job, my first date, and my first kiss. I still think about the the first time I flew in an airplane, the first major purchases I made on my own (my house and my car) etc. I've done lots of things in my 28 years so that equals lots of firsts. 

There have been many things I've screwed up too. And many firsts I wish I could have a do over on. Then there are the firsts that I wish I had done sooner, like starting this blog!

There's no need to go down that long list of mistakes but there's nothing I can do about those now. There is something to be said about all the things you can learn from screwing up the first time (or second or third time) you try. 

I just try to remember some advice I got at a summer camp when I was in fifth or sixth grade: You'll always regret more the things you don't try more than you'll ever regret the things you do try. 

Of course, take that advice with some discretion! No need to go all YOLO! and use that as an excuse do the dumbest stuff ever because "you only live once."

I didn't know Bridget and I haven't read her book (yet) but I would imagine that if there is anything we can take from her life story is go for what you want while you can. We never know what will happen "later." So why not do it now? (I am so preaching to myself!) 

Lead the life you want to live. Take some chances. Make some firsts! Make the most of the time and opportunities you are given. Don't squander your blessings. Do your best future self proud!

For info on  the book and author, keep reading!

Poison:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she's the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom's future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king's army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she's not alone. She's armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can't stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she's certainly no damsel-in-distress—she's the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

About Bridget Zinn:

Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the "summer of love" and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was "Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect."

Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers' copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads. 

Bridget’s website

Purchase your copy:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

iTunes Bookstore

Powell's Books

Add Poison to your Goodreads pile!

Movie Recommendation: The Call

The hubs and I went to see The Call staring Halle Berry last weekend. I thought it was really good and very representative of 911 to a point. (I think the turning point will probably become clear to you as you watch.)  I was going to try to review it for you all but I kept trying to be more technical than anyone would care to hear.

Basically, I thought it was a great suspenseful, law enforcement, thriller with a twist since it focuses mainly on the 911 operator rather the police officer. The Call kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart rate up throughout. The hubs seemed to enjoy the movie as well.  So the Kirk's say "Go see it!" And let me know if you see and what you think! I'm interested to hear what other people think about it.

Cover Reveal: Tiffany King's NO ATTACHMENTS

There are so many books that look amazing coming out in the very near future! I just hope I can work on my time management skills so I can read them all soon!

Today's cover real is for NO ATTACHMENTS by Tiffany King. The description of this book makes it sound really good, maybe because I feel like I have tried to escape, run, hide from my own problems in the past. But sometimes things don't work out the way we think they ought to and therefore I think this book may be relatable to me.

So...without me saying much more, check out this cover! I love the soft lighting and the sweet couple on the front.

Cover design by Sarah Hansen from Okay Creations.

 

NO ATTACHMENTS is scheduled to release on 

April 30, 2013!

ABOUT NO ATTACHMENTS:

Ashton Garrison walked away from a privileged life in order to hide from the one thing she's not willing to face. She knows she left behind a trail of pain, but in the long run, her betrayal will hurt less than the truth. She now has one goal: Live life to the fullest with no regrets and no attachments. She has high hopes that a move to new surroundings will provide the escape she desires, but what Ashton doesn't count on is how fate always seems to find a way to screw up any good plan. Sometimes, when love comes knocking, the pull is too strong not to answer. Suddenly, what she thought she wanted to escape from is what Ashton now wants more than anything.

Nathan Lockton has one mission: find his target and complete the task he was hired to do—no attachments and no emotion necessary. He's done it over and over again. What he thought was a typical lost-and-found job has turned into a life examining moment as Nathan is forced to deal with something he has always ignored--his feelings. Now faced with a decision, Nathan must choose to either follow his heart or complete the job.

Love can come when you least expect it. The question is: If the odds are stacked against you, how far are you willing to go for the one you love?

ABOUT TIFFANY KING:

Tiffany King is the author of The Saving Angels Series, Wishing for Someday Soon, Forever Changed, Unlikely Allies, Miss Me Not and Jordyn: A Daemon Hunter Novel book one. Writer by day and book fanatic the rest of the time, she is now pursuing her life-long dream of weaving tales for others to enjoy.

She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iphone and ipad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

LINKS:

Twitter- @AuthorTiffany

Facebook- Tiffany King

Pintrest- Tiffany King

Blog- authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Goodreads- Tiffany King

Book Blast: Pulse by HJ Daly

Today we're are helping get the word out about PULSE by HJ Daly. Here in Alli's World, we are fans of dystopian novels and magical books. This book seems to have both! Keep reading to find out more!

~~~

Seeking adventure and magic with a futuristic edge?

Chat LIVE with young adult author HJ Daly

March 21, 10:30 am EST

Twitter: #Pulse

(easiest way to join the chat is with tweetchat.com)

Esa is a street girl living in a post apocalyptic world. A world that left her with nothing except the physical and mental scars that drive her to the person she is becoming.

Whilst searching for shelter, she encounters a creature known as a spinner who pulls her onto a perilous path. Now with a horde of goblins close on their heels, they must work together and enter the magical realm in search of answers. Why can she sense magic and why is a powerful sorcerer determined to end her life? 

An exciting story of power, friendship and secrets - secrets that threaten to rip Esa’s world apart.

Join the Adventure!

Buy the book at Amazon

HJ has always loved books and read at every opportunity. At first reading with her own children and then at schools in a hope of capturing the hearts and minds of the young. Writing became a natural progression for her when her children attended full time education and she had a little free time.
It wasn’t always about writing though, during her teens, HJ stepped up her Latin American dancing and travelled Europe competing.


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Guest Post: Darby Karchut, author of Finn Finnegan

Y'all! I'm so excited about today's guest in Alli's World! Darby Karchut, the author of Finn Finnegan, is here today to school us in the history and legend in which Finn's story is based. When I enjoy a story, I know I like to find out as much as possible about that world. If you are anything like me you will enjoy today's post! 

(See my review of Finn Finnegan by clicking here.)

~Darby's Post~

The Celts of Colorado

Hi everyone! *waves from Colorado* Thanks so much for letting me visit today and talk about the mythology behind my story. Since my undergraduate degree is in anthropology, this kind of stuff sends my geek meter through the ceiling.

Finn (not Finnegan) MacCullen, and his master, Gideon Lir, are based on the legend of the Tuatha De Danaan (tua day dhanna), a semi-immortal race of beings who were one of the earliest inhabitants of Ireland. In some accounts, they were gifted with warrior-like abilities and considered themselves descendents of the war goddess, Danu. According to the legend, they had invaded Ireland in the late Neolithic era and wrestled it from the Fir Bolg, an even earlier race. Sadly, they were, in turn, displaced by the Bronze Age humans. I took that long ago diaspora and moved my version of the Tuatha De Danaan to modern day Colorado, and gave them a new enemy to battle: the goblins known as the Amandán (AH-mon-dan).

The Amandán were Irish and Scottish figures which were said to reside in fairy mounds. They were feared because it was believed their touch, called the fairy stroke or poc sidhe (poke she) caused paralysis or death.

Besides wielding some wicked cool bronze weapons, Finn and Gideon also have an additional weapon: the Song of the Tuatha De Danaan. This chant gives them heightened abilities, such as being able to run faster, jump higher, and take a blow that would level most humans. The Song is actually based on the famous ‘Song of Amergin’, an early Celtic poem. 

The wildly popular band, Emerald Rose, had written a variation of the ‘Song of Amergin’ for their 2002 album, Celtic Crescent. One of my editors, Trish Wooldridge, introduced me to this band and their version of the Song entitled ‘Fire in the Head.’ Trish worked her magic and before I knew it, Emerald Rose gave Spencer Hill Press permission to use ‘Fire in the Head’ as the pseudo-theme song for Finn Finnegan. If you want to listen to the song, go here. 

Thanks again, everyone, for letting me indulge in this bit of Celtic scholarship. There’s more in my author notes in the back of Finn Finnegan if you are interested. And, please, ask me questions and I’ll try to answer them. I do not pretend to be an expert in Celtic mythology, just a humble neophyte.

Darby Karchut is the award-winning author of GRIFFIN RISING and GRIFFIN'S FIRE (Twilight Times Books), and FINN FINNEGAN (Spencer Hill Press, March 2013) and GIDEON'S SPEAR (Spencer Hill Press, February 2014)

Find out more about Darby!

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