Review: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
Publisher: Coleman & Stott (November 29th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 315 pages
Series: The Nature of Grace, book #1

16 year old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

Review:  There were a lot of things that first made me interested in reading Untraceable. First, the main character, Grace, seemed to be super strong. Second, the wilderness seemed to be such an interesting setting for a book. And third, it takes place very close to where I live. We are on the other side of the Smoky Mountains so it was easy for me to picture the beauty that goes along with a wilderness atmosphere.

I gotta say, Grace does kick butt! She was so determined to find out what happened to her father, even after others had given up hope. I loved that about her. Through everything she remained focused on her task and put herself in a lot of danger in order to find clues. Then we have Wyn, who I really enjoyed! Sometimes Grace felt a little harsh to me so Wyn was the one who seemed to break through her walls and get her to show more emotion. I felt like I could see who she used to be before her dad disappeared, by seeing how she interacted with Wyn.

Mo was a surprise because he is not really who you'd expect to find in the woods. Don't we wish though? haha :) Grace seemed to soften a little around him, which was good for her. When Grace was alone to her thoughts, or out in the woods alone, I felt the most disconnected from the real her. But her interactions with Wyn and Mo brought out completely different sides of her personality.

As I've already mentioned, the setting was wonderful and I felt that it was brilliantly captured. I could easily picture the tall trees, the rocky trails, and the breathtaking animals. The plot of Untraceable is the biggest mystery in this book because no one really knows what happened to Grace's father, or if his disappearance could be connected to something larger. I was pretty surprised to find out what was going on and that turn was something I wouldn't have imagined before picking up the book.

A story set in a small town may be common, but the way it was portrayed in this story was spot-on, in my opinion. It was easy to see how the community bands together - sometimes for good reasons and sometimes for bad ones. Also, I loved the way Shelli brought in some real-world issues (like small towns slowly shutting down) into the book.

Untraceable takes readers on a thrill-ride through a beautiful forest full of dangerous creatures. Grace deals with more than her fair share of tensions and surprises as she works to uncover the mystery behind her father's disappearance.

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Winners

Winners from a few giveaways!

Hooked

Heather Chamblin

The Deepest Cut

(US Winner) Jennelle S* (sablelexi)

(International Winner) sweety

Swoon and Swear

Emily K.

Please email me back within 48 hours! Congrats!

Tour Interview & Giveaway: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

Today I am participating in the tour for Untraceable. I'm super excited to be the release day tour stop! Untraceable is a fabulous book so be sure to check out the links below for how to get a copy and sign up for the author newsletter. You may just get a special treat if you sign up today :) 

Click here to follow the tour!

Questions for Grace from Untraceable. 

1. Can you tell us a little about your relationship with your father? 

Not to sound corny but he is my hero. He is funny and sincere but most of all he makes a difference every day in this job. 

2. What do you think is the most important thing he taught you?
 

How to take care of myself and how to respect nature. 

3. The wilderness can be a frightening place. How do you deal with the dangers, and is there anything you really fear out there? 

Besides creeps and bears? It’s funny – in nature I mostly afraid of weird people. Nature doesn’t scare me.

Okay, so maybe I don’t like spiders all that much - especially those nasty wolf spiders you see sunning on a rock. But I would never tell Wyn that. He would freak out if he saw one of those so I keep it to myself.

I’m not scared of Nature is the only place where I feel comfortable. It grounds me and I respect it so I think I get respect back. 

4. What was the first thing that popped into your mind when you saw Mo?
 

Who’s this dude? And what is he doing in my woods? 

5. Tell us a little about Wyn and the relationship you shared? 

Hm well that’s kinda personal, don’t you think? Lets just say I’ve known Wyn my whole life and I think he’s awesome. He’s my best friend and always there for me – but mostly he makes me laugh when I don’t feel like laughing. Whether it’s with him or at him :)



6. What are the most important qualities you look for in a guy?
 

Well, to be honest, I don’t really go around looking for guys. They just add drama that I don’t need. But if I was choosing someone, I would say a guy who’s honest, can take care of himself, and isn’t afraid to just be a real guy - no drama included.

Someone who is not afraid of a strong girl. I’m not into playing games so most guys don’t like me. 

7. When your father disappeared, was there any part of you that imagined where the journey to find him would take you? 

No never. I’d heard stories but never in a million years. 

8. If you could have given him a message during that time, what would you have said? 

Where are you and what happened? 

9. Can you tell us how you are able to stay so strong and determined?
 

Sometimes, I have no clue. I guess I just follow my gut, which is not always a good thing.

I credit my dad for teaching me I can do anything I want on my own. That I am strong and need to fight for what I believe in. That if you don’t care enough to fight for something, then why believe in it at all? 

10. Tell us something you'd like people to know about who Grace really is. 

I ask myself that question every day.

I’m just a regular girl who doesn’t mind getting dirty, loves nature, and craves MoonPies. 

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
Publisher: Coleman & Stott (November 29th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 315 pages
Series: The Nature of Grace, book #1

16 year old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Untraceable and swag!

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends December 13th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Author Bio:

Shelli Johannes-Wells started out writing for her local school paper, winning a state Nutrition essay contest for “Be a Smart Cookie”, and singing in a local Jazz band. Somewhere along the way, she earned an MBA in Marketing and embarked on an 18-year marketing career in Corporate America working as a marketing and communications consultant.

In 2000, Shelli traded in her expensive suits, way-too high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own marketing & communications business, www.bilaninc.com, and continues creating materials for a variety of large profit and nonprofit clients, including Spanx, Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, Delta, CARE, and the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Shelli’s dream is to publish children’s books and magically imprint the imaginations of kids. In addition to juggling nap schedules while attending client meetings, Shelli focuses on her writing. She is a frequent marketing speaker at SCBWI conferences across the U.S and runs a popular marketing blog, Market My Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com) where she provides marketing advice for authors in the hopes of helping them better market their words.

In her spare time (yeah right!) and if the kids allow (yeah right!), Shelli obsesses over movies, reads children’s books (over and over), wishes she could squeeze in Bikram Yoga sessions, and dreams of sleeping in on the weekends.

She currently lives in Atlanta with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess that someday will change the world.

Click to view the book trailer for Untraceable

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Going into the Wild: Exploring New YA (November 1st- 30th)

 

 

 Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie (Dutton Juvenile 11/1/2011)

Last Breath (The Morganville Vampires #11) by Rachel Caine (NAL Hardcover 11/1/2011)

Reckoning (Strange Angels #5) by Lili St. Crow (Razorbill 11/1/2011)

 Touch (Denazen #1) by Jus Accardo (Entangled Publishing 11/1/2011)

Dark Eden (Dark Eden #1) by Patrick Carman (HarperCollins 11/1/2011)

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 11/1/2011)

 The Ripper (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #4) by L.J. Smith (HarperTeen 11/8/2011)

Inheritance (Inheritance #4) by Christopher Paolini (Random House 11/8/2011)

Past Continuous (Future Imperfect #2) by K. Ryer Breese (St. Martin's Press 11/8/2011)

 Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #2) by Leanna Renee Hieber (Sourcebooks Fire 11/8/2011)

Faking Faith by Josie Bloss (Flux 11/8/2011)

Prized (Birthmarked #2) by Caragh M. O'Brien (Roaring Brook Press 11/8/2011)

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis (Harcourt Children's Books 11/14/2011)

The Pledge (The Pledge #1) by Kimberly Derting (Margaret K. McElderry 11/15/2011)

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff (Razorbill 11/15/2011)

dancergirl (WiHi series #1) by Carol M. Tanzman (Harlequin 11/15/2011)

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (Razorbill 11/21/2011)

Soul Screamers, vol 1 (Soul Screamers .5-2) by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin 11/15/2011)

 Unleashed (Wolf Springs Chronicles #1) by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 11/22/2011)

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep (Kensington 11/29/2011)

 

 

 

 

 The Sharp Time by Mary O'Connell (Delacorte Press 11/8/2011)

Unison Spark by Andy Marino (Henry Holt 11/8/2011)

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi (HarperCollins 11/15/2011)

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Mae Day Publishing 11/17/2011)

Untraceable (The Nature of Grace #1) by S.R. Johannes (Coleman & Stott 11/29/2011)

Saving June by Hannah Harrington (Harlequin 11/22/2011)

 

 

 

If you know of any other new releases for November 1st-30th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

Review: Touch by Jus Accardo

Touch by Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (November 1st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 251 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Denazen, book #1
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her.

It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy, and her father's "law firm," than she realized. Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation -- an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons -- his entire life.

And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills.

The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Review: If there is one thing I can say about Touch, it would be that it is FULL of action! Jus Accardo introduces us to a world where paranormals exist and they are all unique in their own ways. Each character in this book brought so much to the story line and you can't help but connect with each one on some level; even the bad ones because they were each so well developed and interesting. 

Touch involves a young girl named Deznee (cool name, huh?).  She is fierce, independent, tough, stubborn and everything else that makes her a kick-butt character. Sometimes female characters can be one-note. They are nice, or innocent, or accepting of everything, but Dez was none of those. I found myself cracking up at some of the things she would come up with. Sometimes I didn't really understand her actions, but she always amazed me with her ability to fight for what she wanted. She would just do things occasionally that had me yelling "WHAT?!" at the book. 

Then, of course, we have Kale. He is the one in this case who comes off as innocent, protective but gentle, and totally intriguing. There are so many things about the world that he doesn't understand and he depends on Dez to show him the way. Together they made the perfect pair. Their chemistry continued to build all throughout the story and it made for some fantastic twists in the plot. 

And speaking of the plot, it was much more than I expected. Dez isn't just dealing with typical teenage drama. She learns a secret that turns her world upside down and later finds out she is closer to the situation than she originally thought. This throws her into a situation where she must befriend and unlikely enemy in order to save what she loves.


Jus Accardo did a fantastic job weaving this story together in a way that is captivating and intense. There is no lack of action in this story! I can't wait to read more about Dez, Kale, and the world they now both belong to.

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Interview & Giveaway: Touch by Jus Accardo

1. Can you tell us how you would describe Touch in your own words (In tweet length! Only 140 characters)? 

A teenage adrenalin junkie teams up with her father's most deadly assassin to take down the cooperation that's been using his as a weapon Hah! With 3 characters to spare, even! :D 

2. Tell us 3 words you would use to describe both characters, Deznee and Kale? 

Hmm. Well, for Dez, I'd have to go with attitude. Let's face it, Dez has attitude in spades. She's opinionated, doesn't put up with crap from anyone, and makes no apologies. She is who she is and you're either going to love her--or hate her. She's okay with either. Another is word loyal. She'll do anything for the people she cares about. If you've got Dez in your corner, you've got someone that will stop at nothing to help you out of a tight spot. And the last one is independent. Dez isn't the kind of girl that's going to wait around. If something needs to get done, she's going to step up and do it. She's not the one being rescued--she's the one doing the rescuing. 

Kale is easy. Innocent. He's pure. Untarnished by all the things weighing down society. He doesn't understand things like greed or discrimination. He's also deadly. At one point Dez refers to Kale as being able to kill you with a spatula. He's got the upper hand in most situations. Anyone trying to take a piece of him is hampered by the effect his skin has. Add that to his insane, lifelong combat training and you've got someone even the biggest, baddest guy would thin twice about approaching. He's also good. It's such a simple word, but it fits him perfectly. After all the things he went thorough--an entire life of pain and suffering--he's a good guy. He doesn't see it, of course. At one point he tells Dez that he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong, but he proves over and over again that he does. His true nature--his good nature--was something Denazen couldn't destroy. 

3. If you had to pick people to star in the movie version of Touch, who would you choose? 

For Dez, it's always been Avril Lavigne. She's got the look and the attitude. For Kale..I see him as a younger Ben Barnes. As for Alex, well, I'm at a loss. When I started the book, I found an image of Alex Pettyfer. But as I went, the more I learned about Alex, the less right that felt. I do think Betty White would make an awesome Ginger, though! I'm really interested to hear people's thoughts on this once the book releases. 

4. Can you tell us a little background of the Denazen Corporation and what we can expect from this series? 

This is a hard one to do without spoilers, but I'll try. One of the characters, Ginger, has this whole set of life rules that she follows--no matter what. These rules are the result of something her ancestor did. Something that ultimately caused the creation of Denazen. As the series progresses, we're going to find out that not everything Ginger knows about the past is what she thinks. The modern day version of Denazen is nothing at all like the original... There's a tiny hint at the end of book one if you pay close enough attention. 

As for the series itself... Dez and Kale are going to have a rough time. The universe is going to keep throwing things between them. One thing after another. In TOUCH, they kinda have it easy considering what's in store. They're going to go through some major changes--all the Sixes are, really. There will be loss, and new love will bloom. Secrets will be uncovered... It's gonna be a fun ride! 

5. Could you share some of your favorite lines or an excerpt from Touch? 

One of my fave lines comes from the beginning of the book. Dez brings Kale back to her house and he's checking things out. He picks up a DVD box and asks her if it's a picture of her family. This is what she says : “You’re asking me if”—I stood on my tiptoes and looked at the box in his hands. Uma Thurman glared at me from the cover, wearing her iconic yellow motorcycle suit—“Uma Thurman is a relative?” Maybe he wasn’t loony. Maybe he had been at the party. I’d missed the Jell-O shots, but obviously he hadn’t. I don't know what it is about that scene. I giggle every time I think about it. 

Touch by Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (November 1st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 251 pages
Series: Denazen, book #1

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her.

It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy, and her father's "law firm," than she realized. Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation -- an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons -- his entire life.

And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills.

The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a copy of Touch.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends December 9th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter. 

 Website       |       Goodreads      |       Twitter       |       Facebook

Amazon      |        Barnes & Noble      |       The Book Depository

Tour Review: Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (December 13th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 382 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Wolf Springs Chronicles, book #1

Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night—welcome to Wolf Springs.

Review:  I already know this is a series I'm going to love! I'm a huge fan of the book collaborations from Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie but this is my favorite so far! In Unleashed we meet Katelyn. She has just lost her mother and is now forced to move to Arkansas with her grandfather. 

Katelyn isn't the nicest person in the beginning of the book but that was needed for this story. It really allowed her to grow and learn acceptance for her new surroundings. She was a girl from California so it was easy to see how she would feel out of her elements after going to Arkansas. As soon as she arrives she meets my favorite character, Trick. Trick immediately grabbed my attention because he seemed to genuine and kind. I enjoyed seeing his friendship with Katelyn develop over time. 

It may be obvious that this book is about wolves, but I was pretty surprised by how the plot was carried out. There was, and still is, a big mystery and needs to be solved and this book is full of twists and turns. 

One of my favorite aspects of Nancy and Debbie's writings is that they are able to create an entire community of characters for a novel. They don't just focus on 1 or 2 characters. Each character is well developed and brought into the story flawlessly. The setting is perfect and I felt like I was sucked into the woods right along with Katelyn. 

In a town full of mystery and secrets, Unleashed draws the reader into a story that will have them on the edge of their seats and begging for the next installment. Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie have done it again! 

Check out the new site for the series!

WolfSpringsChronicles.com

Nancy Holder

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Debbie Viguié

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Interview & Giveaway: All Wounds by Dina James

Hello, Jessica! Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog today. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

It's so hard making a book into a movie. People have their own idea of how they see the characters, the writer had an image in their mind when they wrote it, and so on. Sometimes the director is limited by an unchangeable script (Breaking Dawn Part 1) and sometimes the movie is a completely revised version of the book (The Devil Wears Prada).

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is about to come out as a film. Many fans are upset because the cast has been significantly altered along racial and even biological lines. The same thing happened with The Last Airbender. Actors can be too old for a role, too young, too tall, too short, too something, not enough something…no one is ever going to be happy with a movie version of a beloved book.

Having said that, I've been asked to "dream cast" a fictitious movie version of my novel All Wounds [Mundania Press, October 2011], and here are the actors I saw in my head while writing. Most of them are significantly older now than they were in the films that made me see them as my characters, so I've given you the films that inspired them.

For our fledgling Healer Rebecca, I envision actress Ellen Page (Juno era) or Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13). A young girl, dark-haired, pretty without even trying.

For the Master vampire Syd I thought of a young Travis Fimmel (Model/Tarzan). Longish blond hair, gorgeous, animal magnetism.

For the bad-boy delinquent Ryan I saw Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows) or Lee Mead (UK Model). Charismatic, charming smile, dark messy hair.

Billy wasn't hard. I always saw Daniel Cudmore (circa 2003 – the X-Men2/Colossus days when he was huge!) as Billy, because Daniel is very tall and a body builder. He's much more of an actor now and not as big as he used to be, but just a few short years ago he would have been perfect for the role of Billy. I'm not familiar with another young, big, body-builder type actor, but I'm sure they'd find someone similar to Daniel Cudmore for the movie-version of Billy!

Robin is pretty and blonde. Perky and cheerful, very popular. For her I saw someone like Clémence Poésy (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) or Evana Lynch (Harry Potter).

Nana was probably the easiest to cast in my dream movie, as she was the first in my mind. I'd love for Dame Judi Dench (Casino Royale) to play Nana, or someone like Betty Buckley (The Happening). Older women RULE!

So there you have it! If I could have a dream cast (or even a movie contract!), those are who I'd pick.

All Wounds by Dina James
Publisher: Mundania Press (October 11th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 228 pages

It's said that when opportunity knocks on your door, you have only one chance to take it.

No one said what you're supposed to do when it kicks it.

All Rebecca MacDonnell wants to do is get through high school with grades good enough to win a prestigious scholarship so that she can finally leave her miserable life behind. One evening, after a particularly bad day, she finds out that people other than her aging grandmother need her help, and desperately so.

Well, not “people,” exactly. Vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts, goblins, and other things thought only imaginary all need help sometime, and Rebecca was born with the unique ability to heal ethereal beings. She is about to turn seventeen, the age at which her talent will manifest in its entirety, and become a true Healer…if she lives through the event. A war between various ethereal factions is brewing, and Healers are a valuable commodity to any side. Those who wish to harness Rebecca’s manifesting healing powers for their own purposes must get to her before her seventeenth birthday.

Only two vampires and a rogue werewolf stand between Rebecca and those determined to make her serve them, and the fact that Rebecca has no clue what she's doing doesn't exactly help matters.

Neither does being seriously attracted to more than one of those just trying to protect her.

For a soon-to-be seventeen-year-old Healer-in-training, that's a lot to handle.

Especially on top of her homework.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of All Wounds (or ebook).

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is INTERNATIONAL and ends December 10th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

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Amazon    |     Barnes & Noble    |     The Book Depository

Review: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington (November 29th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Source: Author (Thank You!)
Series: Mythos Academy #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart — the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword — with Logan’s help — I just might die by the sword …

Review: This is the second book in the Mythos Academy series and I am really enjoying these books! In Kiss of Frost, Gwen has the unfortunate/fortunate pleasure of working with Logan Quinn as he tries to kick her butt into shape. Ahh, how I love Logan! This book picks up just a few weeks after Touch of Frost ends so we get right back into the swing of things. 

This book takes us away from the academy for a bit as the students go on a ski trip. But danger seems to follow Gwen because someone is out to kill her on the slopes. Gwen's trip is sidetracked as she tries to figure out who, or what, is causing her harm. She is one of those characters who really likes to tackle something on her own, but we all know how that normally turns out. 

While all of the danger lurks around the corner, this book goes deeper into the life of Logan--which was great! He was such a mystery in Touch of Frost so it was nice to get to know him and some of the other students in Gwen's circle. Logan is still a bit mysterious, and fights his feelings for Gwen, but their connection seemed to grow a great deal! It seemed that even more than Gwen, Logan is the character that changes the most. 

The only real complaint I have with this book is the same one I had with Touch of Frost-- it's a bit repetitive when talking about Gwen's gift. Also, a few of the parts were a little predictable but were still very well written and developed. While I may have figured out the "who" behind certain things, I didn't figure out the "why" till much later. Made it very interesting!

Jennifer Estep's Mythos Academy series is full of intense mystery and drama! Kiss of Frost carries on with the same terrific story developments, and expands greatly on the character I have grown to love. I can't wait to read book 3, Dark Frost!


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Interview & Giveaway: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

1. If you could cast Gwen and Logan's characters for a movie, who would you pick? 

JE: I think Emma Watson would make a good Gwen and that Ian Somerhalder would be cool as Logan. 

2. HOLY CRAP..I love Ian! Yes, I could totally picture him as Logan. 
Who is your favorite character to write about? Who is the most difficult? 

JE: I like writing about Vic because he’s so confident and bloodthirsty. Then again, he is a talking sword. LOL. Anyway, he’s just a really fun character to write. 

I sometimes have trouble writing the adult characters, especially Grandma Frost, if only because they know things that Gwen doesn’t, and I have to decide what she finds out and when and how it affects her. 

3. If you could describe Gwen and Logan's relationship in 3 words, what would they be? 

JE: Fun, flirty, complicated. 

4. What do you feel is Gwen's best personality trait? 

JE: I think one of Gwen’s best traits is her desire to always keep fighting the good fight. Gwen has this big family legacy to live up to, being the Champion of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and she’s in a lot of danger from the Reapers, but she always keeps fighting, no matter how bad a situation gets. And they get pretty bad in Kiss of Frost. 

5. Do you find YA books to be easier or more difficult to write? Can you share your challenges with each age group? 

JE: I think every book is hard to write in its own way. With YA, I think the challenge is to try to capture that YA voice and show your heroine coming into her own – learning about herself and her magic and figuring out who she wants to be. Whereas in an adult book, your heroine might be a little more established in her magic and who is she as a person. 

But writing YA has been a fun challenge, and I’ve really enjoyed working on Kiss of Frost and the rest of the books in the Mythos Academy series. I hope everyone has as much fun reading.

 

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington (November 29th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Series: Mythos Academy #2

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart — the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword — with Logan’s help — I just might die by the sword …

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Kiss of Frost.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends December 6th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

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