Review & Giveaway for The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club

Welcome to the big leagues. To secrets and scandals. It's all about the game. Who's playing. Who's not. Who has no idea about the game. And...wait, what game are we playing?

I'll leave that for you to decide.

Where to start is the big question for Chloe Baker. How was she supposed to explain to Zack Warren that she started a fan club for him when she was a kid? It was just a game. A way to make friends and have fun. She never thought it would spiral out of control. And never. In a million, gazillion years, did she think it would follow her to college. How could she tell him her best friend Lana kept the club alive? That she had nothing to do with the craziness? 

Chloe didn’t understand why she cared so much about Zack's opinion of her. She hated him. He hated her. They had very mutual feelings of dislike for each other. So he'd just hate her even more when or if he found out. 

And that's totally fine...she thinks.

Zack Warren had a soft spot for Chloe Baker. He likes the way she walks. He likes the way she talks. If he was poetically inclined, he’d write a sonnet about her ass.

It's Zack’s junior year of college. He’s got things to worry about. Scouts from the major leagues. Baseball games. Contracts. Grades.... His father ran away to Vegas with Chloe's mother. He didn’t have time to worry about a girl. But he did. He worried about Chloe a lot, especially with that jerk Max sniffing around her. It's weird though, to like your stepsister, right?

But Zack could argue that he saw Chloe first. Way before his dad met her mom. He was too young to stake a claim. But he just doesn't care anymore. 

He’s done playing games.

Here is an excerpt from this great book!  Just after the excerpt you'll find my review plus a giveaway.  Thanks for stopping by stop on the tour.

Chloe's POV

Nostalgia is for idiots and Zack Warren is trouble.

I knew it the first time I saw him in second grade. The boy had heartbreaker written all over him. He was two years older, wiser. He did a back flip off the jungle gym, landing right at my feet with a cocky grin, getting dirt all over my new pink Keds.

He didn’t apologize.

Instead he dropped a lizard on my head and called me prissy.

Despite the fact that we didn’t hit it off on day one, I harbored a huge crush on Zack, my first ever. In the third grade I started a club. Girls only. We dubbed it an unofficial club because we thought some powerful person, like Oprah, had to deem it official.

We have since discovered that is not true, but the name had a nice ring to it.

During our unofficial meets we talked about Zack, spied on him, and risked being found out on a regular basis. What a rush, seriously. It was going great. The group accepted new members, and we even drew up plans for a clubhouse. I invented a fun game and made new friends.

Then, when I was in the fifth grade, Zack stole the streamers off my bike.

I cried, and made the very rational decision to hate him until the end of time.

This effectively ended my reign as leader of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book!  It was just right light-hearted romance I needed after several paranormal books I have been bingeing on.   While Zack Warren isn't a fairy tale prince, he IS every girl's dream come true.  This book reminded me of so many grade school crushes I had, not that long ago.  I was never as ambitious enough to create a fan club for any of them.

Chloe, however, was.  She went from crushing on Zack Warren to hating him; not understanding that when a boy torments you in the 5th grade they probably like you.  Chloe is the kind of girl I would have hung with in college.  She's fun but not a big party girl.  I like that she stood up for herself and didn't take crap from any guy.  It was pretty funny as Zack tried to make sense of her.  
Oh, my Zack... he sounds DELICIOUS!  I love baseball players so you can imagine how I drooled over him.  Despite the chances he had to become a Class A jerk he was far from it.  Like so many girls, here was a GUY who had gotten a reputation simply because he was attractive and good at sports.  
The whole evolution of their relationship was fantastically frustrating!  Take all the weirdness that goes with blending two families then add having a huge "thing" for you step-sibling and you have the definition of awkward.  
This was a pretty quick read.  It does have mild to medium language and sexual content.  I'd recommend it for ages 16 and up.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*



About the author:

J.C. Isabella is the author of Chasing McCree and The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club. Ever since she discovered romance novels in high school, she has been a self proclaimed fan. This led to penning her first YA . When she isn't thinking up new recipes for the cookbook she hopes to one day write, she is brainstorming a new novel and listening to country music. She lives in the tropics of Florida with her big fat Italian family and ornery feline companion.

Website

Twitter @jcisabellabooks

Facebook 

Purchase Links:

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Knowing Ali from A to well...A

I am so excited to have Ali from Ali's Bookshelf telling us all about herself.  

As most of you know I’m Ali from Ali’s Bookshelf and Ali Talks Live.  Hi Everyone *Waves smiling* Thanks so much Jeannette for having me here.  Alright so you asked me to come up with 10 facts about myself.  Do you even know how hard that actually is to come up with 10 facts?  So I think I did pretty good, see what you think. 

I’m a mother of two wonderful kids who I love and adore more than anything.  My oldest is Samantha and she is defiantly my mini me, she even helps with my blog for a post called Mini Me Corner.  Then I have my little man Braxton who is my sweetheart.  He started school this year and I’m totally missing having him around me all the time.  But, he is one of those kids that has to know how everything works.  

I am also a book lover and a blogger, a friend to many, a sister to three brothers (I have no idea how I put up with three of them) and I’m soon to be a PR agent for authors.  So yeah I’m defiantly a lot of things. 

I am totally OCD about a lot of things, it drives my boyfriend nuts sometimes how OCD I can be.  One thing I’m totally OCD about is my books.  They have to be in the right order, an order only I can understand, and they also have to be placed the right way on my shelf.  When I buy a book it has to be in perfect condition or I won’t buy it.   

I’m also OCD about the way I clean and the way I grocery shop. 

Some of you might know this already, but most of you have no clue.  I love to sing! I’m not talking about that Sing in the shower when no one’s listening kind of singing either.  I’m talking about sing in the choir my whole life in school, sing in church and win a couple karaoke kind of singing.  I love getting up in front of a huge crowd and singing for them.  It’s so much fun!

I am so afraid of spiders.  Like, run scream and most of the time let someone else kill, afraid of spiders.  I hate the little things, they creep me out so much.  I’m also afraid of snakes too. 

I’m allergic to onions, but love onion rings from Frisches Big Boy oh and I’m allergic to bee stings! I know it’s a small fact but it’s true!  I am a country girl! I live in the middle of nowhere Kentucky and I love it.  I love being outside in the field walking around barefoot. 

Like I said before I’m getting all set up to start doing PR for authors, I’m currently already doing some PR for a publishing company called Renaissance Romance Publishing.  I love doing PR for them.  My boyfriend and I are starting our own company called Jitterbug and we are going to do PR and Blog Tours.   So if you are interested in us doing some PR work, just contact me.

This next fact I’m totally ecstatic about, we are about to get a puppy.  I’ve wanted a German shepherd for a long time and we found a puppy.  She is 4 weeks old right now, well about 5 now.  And we get to get her in a little over a week now.  We have decided to name her Gretta Adelle.  Isn’t she totally cute?

I love to write and I’m actually working on my first novel now.  Hopefully one day I will get it published. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!

I love to cook!  Anything with pasta in it and I’m in heaven.  Cooking is so relaxing to me and I love to try new recipes and cook new things. 

So yeah that is a bit about me.  Thanks again for having me on your blog Jeannette.  I had a blast coming up with all these little things about me. 

Now here's what I know about Ali...

She has an AMAZING blog!!  If you haven't been by to check it out, you MUST!  She's the creator of some fantastic posts and I hope to be one of the lucky people to read her book when she's done.  So jump on over and see what I'm jabbering about.  Like now!  Go on...I won't feel abandoned.  

Ali's Bookshelf

Still here??  Hmmm, I ate all the cookies so if that's what you're looking for sorry.  I'll go bake another batch while you check out Ali's awesomeness.  

Review: The Lost Prince by Julia Kagawa

Description & image from Goodreads.com
Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

My Thoughts:

It is no exaggeration that Julia Kagawa is one of my favorite authors.  When people ask me to recommend a book to them, the Iron Fey series is always at the top of my list.  I was bursting at the seams to read The Lost Prince.  It is everything I expected and more!

The Lost Prince is from Ethan Chase's POV.  Ethan is Meghan's brother who was kidnapped in the first book The Iron King.   He's 17 now and very much a troubled teen dealing with problems only those who've dealt with the Fey can understand.  He hasn't seen his sister in years and his parents are overprotective to 10th degree.  Ethan, like all her characters, is written so well I had no problem seeing him in my head.  He is consumed with keeping his family safe and staying away from all things Fey or "Them" as he refers.  I loved his snarky attitude and his willingness to help others even when it goes against his own instincts.  When Kenzie comes into the picture she is just what he needs to help him find balance in the two worlds.  Kenzie is full of gusto.  She wants all the adventure out of life.  She saw right through Ethan's walls to the real hero underneath.  

Prince Kierran was unexpected surprise in this book.  I can't wait to see how he develops and where his part of the story goes.  He and Ethan's relationship reminded of Ash & Puck. 

I was thrilled to see the appearance, though just briefly, of my favorite characters from the previous books.  Ash Ash Ash, oh how I anticipated reading about my favorite prince.  I have also missed Puck and his comments that make me laugh out loud, startling anyone near me.  A new character that I really enjoyed was Razor.  He sounds adorable!

The story is fantastic; once again taking my imagination into a rich world with fascinating characters and amazing scenery.  Leanansidhe's mansion sounds awesome with side of scary.  

You don't have to have read the Iron Fey series to read this book, but you are short changing yourself if you don't.  If I could be written into a fictional world I'd choose this one hands down!

Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh Review & Giveaway

Excerpt:

It’s early morning. It always is. The sound of movement on the floor below forces my fists to unclench, releasing the garish orange comforter wrinkled inside them. Last night I fell asleep at the Hammond’s house, where the bedding is green and spring crept toward an end. I never get used to starting over like this, but as my travels grow more frequent, a kind of numbness settles in. My feet find their way out from under the heavy down and settle into the slippers beside the bed.
As if I never left.

            I shuffle across the thick, brown carpet and kneel on the padded window seat to peer outside. The trees are bright splotches against the vivid blue sky—some crimson, others a sunny yellow—with a few fiery oranges scattered about. Their bold colors verify my suspicions.

It’s autumn now.

About the author:

Raised by a family of ex-farmers and/or almost rock stars from Northeastern Iowa, I’ve always loved to tell stories. After graduating from Texas Christian University with a degree in Film, I began to search for a way to release the voices in my head. I wrote a thriller and a couple of ghost stories, getting my feet wet and learning with each attempt. When I attempted my first YA novel, which would become Whispers in Autumn, I was hooked. I knew then my heart lay with telling stories about and for young adults, and for anyone who loves to read and recapture those fleeting “first” moments.

My spare time is spent reviewing television and movies, spending time with my large, loud, loving family, reading any book that falls into my hands, and being dragged into the fresh air by my dogs Yoda and Jilly.

Website 

Twitter: @trishaleighkc

Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

I didn't read the synopsis of this book before I read it.  I just opened it and started reading.  I'm glad I did.  I'm not really big on alien books so it was nice to find myself out of my comfort zone and into a book I might not have picked up in other circumstances.  I was intrigued from the first page.  I wanted to know who Althea was and why her life was so mixed up.  I was scared for her through the whole book.  Actually the whole book spooked me a little; in a good way.  How freaked out would you be if an alien race took over and everyone around you acted like Stepford wives?!  She has to be on her guard at all times to protect herself.  What a relief it was when she found Lucas and realized they had so much in common.  The story was well paced.  I was a bit skeptical about some parts of the book.  One being, how Althea survived her early years with out going insane or being discovered.
It did have me wondering...is it better to live in ignorance of what is happening around or to you; or is it better to know and try to fight back?


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links to Buy

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Review: Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Image and description from goodreads.com

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

My thoughts:


I finished this book yesterday (8-12-2012) and when I think about the ending my pulse starts pounding all over again!
Spark picks up right where Storm left off, except from Gabriel's POV.  The Merrick brothers, along with Becca, are still dealing with the issue of the Guides.  Just like the other Merrick brothers, Gabriel is H~O~T, HOT!  He's got a hot temper to match too.  In Storm he came off as a pretty big jerk.  We get to see the real Gabriel in Spark and he is so much more.  Kemmerer has done a wonderful job creating the tortured teenage boy.  His pain and frustration were palpable.  I could see how hard it was for him struggling to do what people expected of him and what he felt was right.  I loved the way he was with Layne.  Their relationship was tender and sweet.  
Layne is the type of character I immediately felt compassion for.  I can't imagine having to deal with all that she had to and not become bitter.  From the first encounter with Gabriel she tries to look beyond the jock, tough guy to see who is underneath.  Even though Layne's father was a giant JERK, he did have a few redeeming qualities that made me understand some of his actions when it came to his kids.  
Most of my feelings towards Hunter were resolved in this book.  However, I still have a few reservations about his character and can't wait to see how he develops in the next book.  
Brigid Kemmerer is a master at writing a fantastic ending.  I had no idea who the real culprits were until she revealed it.  I can't wait for the next book to see how the story progresses.  If you haven't started this series you need to.  Be warned... you may need a bib and/or a cold shower. 

Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Image and description from goodreads.com

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

My Thoughts:

This book is Original with a capital OH-my-goodness where were boys THIS hot when I was in high school?!!  I love Brigid Kemmerer's concept of controlling the natural elements.  She has done such a fantastic job creating a rich story saturated with emotion and great action.  I could feel Becca's pain as she endured the torment from some of her classmates.  She struggles like so many kids, just to get through the day without calling too much attention from those that would use her to amuse themselves.  It was pretty hard for me to get through some of the stuff she had to deal with.  Not because it wasn't written well; but because it was written SO WELL I could feel her fear.  Don’t let that stuff fool you though.  Becca is one tough girl and holds her own quite well even when the enemy hits close to home.

 Now how could anyone NOT fall for Chris Merrick?  Or any of the Merrick brothers for that matter?  He's just as confusing and frustrating as any guy with all the different sides of his personality.  As the youngest of the four brothers, he doesn’t like having to take sides between his older siblings.  Even though they fought like caged animals at times, in the end, they were there for each other.  I especially enjoyed the banter between all the brothers.  I'm still not sure how I feel about Hunter.  I hope some of that confusion gets cleared up in the next book. 

The book is written from both Becca and Chris's points of view.  Some books can't pull that off because it gets too confusing.  Kemmerer had no problem however.  It added nice insight into what was going on with characters thoughts and feelings.

It's safe to say I am THRILLED I won these books in a giveaway.  They will be added to the list of series I love and keep for when my girls are old enough to read them.

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Description & image from goodreads.com

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 


As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

My Thoughts:


A fantastic continuation from the first book. Goddess Interrupted picks up as Kate returns to take her place as Queen of the Underworld. Oh how that party got crashed! I loved how Kate's insecurities were realistic. There was no sugar coating them and that made it so easy to feel for her. It also made me want to smack Henry upside the head. Aimee Carter did a wonderful job of explaining and fleshing out both Kate and Henry's feelings. When Persephone came back into the picture the story really took me on an emotional roller coaster. My heart just ached for Kate as she had to deal with finding her place out from under her sister's shadow. Carter has a spectacular way of ending her books with bang. I can NOT wait to read the next one. I'll be thinking about this series for weeks to come.