Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: The Wolf's Cry (The Semei Trilogy, #1)

Thanks for stopping by my tour stop for The Wolf's Cry by Natalie Crown. This is a YA Fantasy book that released in January 2014. This is the first book in the The Semei Trilogy.

This tour will run March 10th-21st and consist of reviews, author interviews, guest posts, top tens and a giveaway.  Stop by the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

About the Book

Title: The Wolf's Cry

Author: Natalie Crown

Series: The Semei Trilogy, #1

Publisher: Natalie Crown (self published work)

Release: Dec 15th 2013

Source: Blog Tour Copy

Pages: 359 (ebook)

( Amazon| Goodreads )

She is his weakness.

And she will ruin everything.

Kammy Helseth's idea of adventure never amounted to more than getting a boat across to the mainland and finally escaping to London. That was until she stumbled through the mouth of the forest into a world beneath our own, the world of the Semei.

Her only wish is to find her way home but when Jamie, her best friend, is taken into this new world of shapeshifters and Crystals she has no choice but to stand up to her fear and to remain beneath the surface. Hunted by Bagor, King of Alashdial, and those that are loyal to him, Kammy finds herself in the company of a group of outlaws led by Jad, a Prince with a bitter past and a similarly bitter demeanour.

They overcome age-old prejudice to find a way to work together. But Bagor knows a secret about the Crystals that threatens to change everything. Kammy and Jad must find a way to thwart the king and to save Jamie, but that is just the beginning. For Kammy is in possession of a Key and the fate of countless lives, both human and Semei, may rest in her hands.

The Wolf's Cry is the debut novel by indie author Natalie Crown. It is a truly unique adventure that draws us all into the wonders of the underworld. To be honest, I was initially expecting a paranormal fantasy about the good ol' werewolves due to the title and cover, but in reality, The Wolf's Cry offers something much more exotic and compelling than the somewhat overused setup. Don't get me wrong, werewolves are great, but shapeshifters? Well, those are creatures of real fascinations. 

Review: World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)

Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days, #2
Publisher: Skyscape (self published work)
Release: Nov 19th 2013
Source: Purchased
Pages: 320 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

It wasn't too long ago when I was left completely awestruck by Susan Ee's stunning debut Angelfall - an apocalyptic fantasy so flawlessly mixed with paranormal elements. It is a work of utter excellence and superiority when compared with many others. Hence, as soon as I got my hands on its sequel World After, I devoured it as fast as I could with eager anticipations. And believe me when I say it, Susan Ee does not disappoint. World After is yet another YA masterpiece you all ought to appreciate.

Review: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)

Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days, #1
Publisher: Skyscape (self published work)
Release: Aug 28th 2012
Source: Purchased
Pages: 288 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

I can’t believe how long it took me to uncover Angelfall from my pile of TBR reads, 250 days to be exact. If not for Aneta’s recent review, it would still be buried among my kindle books with a slim chance of being rediscovered on its own. It is hard to imagine now what it would be like to miss this book for real, though I doubt it would be anything other than regretful.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. (Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc., #1)

Welcome to my stop on the tour for Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc by PK Hrezo. This is a NA Time Travel Adventure Romance.

This tour runs Feb. 10-21st with reviews, author interviews, and a few guest posts and top tens. It also includes a great giveaway. Be sure to check out our tour page with additional info and list of tour stops.

About the Book

Title: Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc

Author: PK Hrezo

Series: Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc, #1

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (self published work) 

Release: Nov 5th 2013

Source: Blog Tour Copy

Pages: 310 (ebook)

( Amazon | Goodreads | B&N )

It’s the year 2069 and even though eighteen-year-old Bianca Butterman is heir to the family biz, she may never see the day her time-craft license becomes official. When a government agent starts nosing around the operation, Butterman Travel, Inc. gets stuck with a full audit—part of a government take-over scheme to shut down all private time travel agencies. Enter former boy band superstar, Tristan Helms, desperate to retrieve a lost item from his past and willing to pay triple fare for a time-trip to get there, and Bianca has to find a way to complete the job and return home before the government gets wind and shuts down the family biz for good.

Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated, a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. We’re a family owned and operated business with one hundred years of experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.

Anxious to attend some special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?

You've come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply

Use our Web conferencing to contact our front line reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, who will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.

We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.

Have you ever considered the things you would do if one day you could travel in time? Past, future, wherever and whenever your heart desires, with a simple gesture of hand and BOOM!! you are there, mingling between what was already done and what has yet to come. If you are as fascinated and intrigued as I am, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc will surely be a treat for you.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: The Warrior & The Flower (3 Kingdoms, #1)

Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Warrior & The Flower by Camille Picott. This is an adult high fantasy.

To celebrate Chinese New Year the tour is running Jan. 27th-31st with mostly reviews and only a few interviews and spotlight posts. Be sure to check out our tour page with additional info and list of tour stops.

About the Book

Title: The Warrior & The Flower
Author: Camille Picott
Series: 3 Kingdoms, #1
Publisher: Pixiu Press (self published work)
Release: Mar 20th 2013
Source: Blog Tour Copy
Pages: 307 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads | B&N | Smashwords )

Yi, a retired soldier, has lost everything he loves — his wife, his daughter, and his home. He seeks refuge from his heartache by plunging into a secret mission for the World Emperor. The assignment takes him to the doorstep of a brothel, where he witnesses the madam beating a young girl. Drawn by the child’s striking resemblance to his lost daughter, Yi rushes to her defense and negotiates for her purchase — after all, how hard can it be to care for one little girl? But between the child’s inquisitive nature and the dangerous secret she carries, he gets more than he bargained for.

The Warrior & The Flower is an Asian inspired adult high fantasy novel written by Camille Picott. Being a Chinese native myself, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. It is not often that I encounter books mixed with Asian elements. The few times when I do, the references are either incorrect or inaccurate. Thus, I was both thrilled and anxious (just a little) when I picked up this book. Fortunately to my surprise, The Warrior & The Flower proved to be quite a delightful read with realistic traces of Asian traditions and I owe many thanks to both Camille and Candace :)  

Review: Mistress of the Wind

Author: Michelle Diener
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Season Publishing (self published work)
Release: Dec 23rd 2013
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 350 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

This novel is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. I love the fresh voice and delightfulness that come with each new add-ons and spin-offs. So when I finally got my hands on Mistress of the Wind, I was nothing less than thrilled. Unfortunately, after a fairly promising start, Mistress of the Wind fell terribly short to all my expectations.

Review: Chrysalis (The World of Bid'ABan, #1)

Author: Michelle Cornwell-Jordan
Series: The World of Bid'ABan, #1
Publisher: 3CM Media (self published work)
Release: Sep 30th 2013
Source: Author for review
Pages: 212 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

Ayda Blackhawk is the beautiful, mysterious new girl at Kindale High School, in the Earthen Elemental Division of Bid'ABan. She is not there to make friends but to bring destruction. Her assignment? To kill the Thunderkin heir Adrian Dusong.

But when Ayda meets the handsome Adrian, a twist of fate changes the rules. Ayda and Adrian find themselves, along with their world, at the cross roads to either destruction or redemption.

So it seems that my misfortune continues. If reading Rouge was a mistake led on because I misjudged its contents by the fancy cover, then picking up Chrysalis was a mistake caused by the exact opposite reason. I wish I had judged the cover more, that way I probably would have saved myself from this unsatisfactory read. I always try my best to support self published books and authors, but Chrysalis is perhaps one of those which made self published books to have such a bad reputation.

Review: Rouge (Rouge, #1)

Author: Isabella Modra
Series: Rouge, #1
Publisher: Smashwords (self published work)
Release: August 20th 2013
Source: Author for review
Pages: 297 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

“You have a fire inside of you.”

Hunter Harrison is no superhero. She doesn't wear a cape, or a lycra suit, or prance around dark alleyways looking for punk-ass kids to torment. But Hunter has a power; the power to control fire. And it is one nasty flame brewing in her soul.

In the midst of her senior year, uncovering the truth about her parent's death and how she came to inherit such abilities, and falling in love with a nerdy activist from her school, Hunter finds herself in a battle with a supernatural flame that reacts to her every emotion. Anger, fear, even passion arouse the flame within and Hunter fights to keep her identity secret whilst also protecting those she loves.

But being a hero is easier said than done, especially when tragedy strikes and Hunter is forced to make a choice; let the fire take control and seek revenge for her loss, or walk away. But mercy is a bitch, especially when there’s a fire boiling inside her hotter than the darkest pits of hell.

When I first saw Rouge on Goodreads, I was immediately drawn to it by the cover. The floating fire along with the darkness surrounding it fired up my interest almost instantly. Needless to say, I was excited to pick it up. Unfortunately, Rouge is one of those books which have exquisite exteriors but fail to deliver anything memorable as far as stories and characters go. I guess it is true that you can never judge a book by its cover.

Review: Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising, #1)

Author: Jessica O'Gorek
Series: Gemini Rising, #1
Publisher: Cogent Publishing (self published work)
Release: April 13th 2013
Source: Purchased
Pages: 278 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

Angry at the human race and its methodical destruction of her resources, Mother Earth recruits souls who have just left their bodies to serve Her, and turns them against humanity. Gemini, a clan of paranormal beings, picked from these possessed humans, emerges. A powerful, rising force proceeds to carry out Mother Nature’s plan to systematically destroy towns, cities, states… and eventually, the world. Amidst the chaos, a forbidden relationship between a human girl, Violette, and Onyx, a lead Gemini, begins. They will both find themselves in the middle of a revolutionary war that will either save, or destroy our world.

I had high hopes for Ethereal Fury. It was both refreshing and exciting to find a paranormal novel that is not about vampires, werewolves, or angels. The concept of Mother Earth and how she plans to destroy human race due to our long-going destruction to the environment screamed originality and I couldn't wait to start it. Unfortunately, after a long reading struggle (I almost give up on this book 5 times), I have to conclude that Ethereal Fury was not what I have hoped at all and this left me very sour at heart. So, be prepared and let the rant begin.

Novella Review: Poison Dance (Midnight Thief, #0.5)

Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: A Midnight Thief Novella 
Publisher: Lion's Quill Press (self published work)
Release: Sep 12th 2013
Source: Author
Pages: 84 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out—if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.

Poison Dance is the first self published work by Livia Blackburne. This novella serves as a prequel to Blackburne's upcoming novel Midnight Thief, which has been scheduled to release in July 8th 2014 (publisher: Disney-Hyperion). I must thank Livia for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to read her work. It has been an absolute joy and I was thoroughly intrigued. I know many of you are skeptical towards self published novels, but Poison Dance is certainly something worth checking out.