Happy New Year Greetings! (It's a Vlog)

Hello lovelies,
Happy New Year's Eve! Can you believe it? Where does the time go? Anyway, here's a little encouragement for a new year for y'all. 

 

You guys are the best and I heart you all! 

Hugs, 

Valia 

Winners! Winners all around!

Hello lovelies, 

Sorry it took me a bit to get these together, but to be honest I completely forgot. If you saw my previous post about the NEWS, you understand why. Anyway, without any farther adieu, I present to you the winners of my two recent giveaways. 

Keepers of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger: Ashley (from Nose in a Book)

The Twisted Tragedy of Natalie Stewart: DeeDee BG

Copy of an ebook: Stacey VM

Thanks so much to everyone who participated. If you didn't win, don't despair! Remember how I said I had that post about some news? Well, I decided there will be some awesome giveaway involved in the teasers and other things, so come back often! 

You guys really are the best! 

Much love, 

Valia 

Book Spotlight: The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

What if there was a 13th zodiac sign? 

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign. 

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s. 

What about the rest of the world? 

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change—and infuriating the other 12 signs?  

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend on it.

From Goodreads.com

       The 13th Sign is a story about Jalen, a girl who doesn’t believe in astrology, until one day when she makes a choice that changes the world around her. She discovers the 13th sign, altering the other twelve signs and the personalities that go with them. Soon she is in a race to save the world and stop the other twelve signs from taking over.  With the help of some unlikely characters, Jalen set off on a journey like now other. 

There were two things that surprised me about this book. First of all, for some reason I did not know this was a middle grade story. For some reason, from all I heard, I thought it was a YA. Second of all, this book, being a middle grade magical adventure was way shorter than I anticipated. Everything I’ve seen about this book points to it being a stand alone and that’s why I thought I would be longer. These two things really affected the way I read the book.

The characters were nice enough but I didn’t feel connected to any of them. I think part of this was the fact that the book was just one thing after the other, without much room for development. Seriously, the way Jalen and the gang were going it was hard to keep up. They were going battle to battle, leaving no room for a breather. I personally thing this book could’ve been better if maybe divided in two, or just a lot longer. I’m a big sucker for those character developments and when those are missing, the adventure part isn’t as fun. 

It was a super quick read for me, but I really liked the story in general. Jalen and the other characters were likable and the idea behind the 13th signs was very interesting. I liked the different aspects of the astrology that were brought in. The elements of the story fit well together. 

13th Sign comes out January 8, 2013. Let me know what you think!

Happy reading, 

Valia 

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! I HAVE SOME NEWS!!!!!

Hello lovelies!

        I know you’re all wondering where I’ve been for the two weeks or so. There is quite a lot of stuff going on in my life right now that I’m super excited about and wanted to share with you and I finally can!

You all know that I’ve finished my NaNoWriMo project and I really can’t wait to share that particular story with you. However, at the moment my focus is on something else. Remember Simplicity? Yes, that one book that was published and it has my name on it. Well, there is something you should know. Are you ready? 

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Simplicity is getting a brother! Or a sister, however you want to look at it. That’s right, I have BOOK TWO coming out into the world! 

BOOK TWO is a companion novel and centers around one of the characters we met briefly in Simplicity (and now you don't have to read Simplicity to enjoy this story, but it'd be greatly appreciated). Would you like to know which one? Maybe I shouldn’t reveal that just yet. Have to keep you guessing somehow don’t I? The story is quite different from Simplicity and it was lots of fun to write. 

But guess what? I have even more great news for you!  The book is scheduled to be coming out sometime between February and March of 2013!!!!! 

That’s right! Just TWO months (and some change) away. So basically if you don’t see me around, know I am hard at work in making this book the best it can be. I pretty much can't even contain my excitement!

        I’ll have sign ups for a COVER REVEAL going up in a little bit so if you’d like to participate, be on a look out for that. Also, I’ll be posting WEEKLY TEASERS from the book, so make sure you come check that out. 

So, who’s EXCITED with me? 

Much love, 

Valia 

And one more for the road... 

Book Spotlight: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.
From goodreads.com

      Dualed is a story about fifteen-year-old West Grayer, a girl who lives in a world where two of the same child are born every time, creating a world of Alts. Alt is a genetic Alternate, a twin that is born to another family in another part of the city. When the time comes, sometime before the twentieth birthday, the kids are activated and are put thru a mission. Kill or be killed. When West’s time comes, after a tragic accident, her whole world is turned upside down and then the adventure begins. 

I didn’t know what to think about this book when I first heard about the premise. I mean this is a story where everyone is a murderer. Think about it, every young adult and adult had to kill someone in order to live. But when I started reading, I was swept into West’s world and her struggle to survive. 

West is definitely not your typical fifteen-year-old. She’s been preparing to take on her Alt for years, with her brother and his best friend by her side. However, her world gets crushed and then instead of facing her Alt, West goes on the run. There were times during the story where I wished I could see a little bit more of West, of how she is feeling, but overall I could understand her struggles. 

While I loved West, I think I loved Chord a little bit more. I just enjoyed him as a character. He was sweet and tough, the perfect combination. The whole book I was just waiting for those part where he stepped back into the pages. The relationship between West and Chord was something sweet and real as well and I loved that. 

However, I have to point out the fact that I wanted the story a little more developed. I felt like the story was so focused on West killing her Alt but at the same time without giving us much of the back story or really any sympathy factor. Also, the whole thing with Chord could’ve been handled better as well, I would’ve loved more development in the characters and the story. 

Overall, this was a good story for anyone who likes science fiction and fight scenes. Dualed comes out February 26th, 2013. Let me know what you think.

Happy reading, 

Valia 

Book Spotlight: The Trouble with Flirting by Claire LaZebnik

Franny's supposed to be working this summer, not flirting. But you can't blame her when guys like Alex and Harry are around. . . . Franny Pearson never dreamed she'd be attending the prestigious Mansfield Summer Theater Program. And she's not, exactly. She's working for her aunt, the resident costume designer. But sewing her fingers to the bone does give her an opportunity to spend time with her crush, Alex Braverman. If only he were as taken with the girl hemming his trousers as he is with his new leading lady. When Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt, shows more than a friendly interest in Franny, she figures it can't hurt to have a little fun. But as their breezy romance grows more complicated, can Franny keep pretending that Harry is just a carefree fling? And why is Alex suddenly giving her those deep, meaningful looks? In this charming tale of mixed messages and romantic near-misses, one thing is clear: Flirting might be more trouble than Franny ever expected.

From Goodreads.com

       The Trouble with Flirting is a lose retelling of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. The main character Franny can’t believe she’s actually attending the prestige Mansfield Summer Theater Program. Sure, she’s not actually participating, she’s working for her aunt, sewing the costumes for all the productions. She prepared herself for a summer in the sweat shop, what she didn’t prepare herself for were Alex and Harry. As the two boys take residence in Franny’s life, the real fun begins. 

I really enjoyed The Trouble with Flirting. I loved Franny as a character. She was cynical and sarcastic and sounded just like your typical teenager. I love books where the main character is someone you can totally relate to, someone you can see yourself being on a regular basis. Sometimes characters have a tendency to kill a good story just by the fact that they annoy me to no end, but this book wasn’t like that. 

Now, Alex and Harry. Two guys who are completely different, but oh so swoon worthy. Alex is your boy next door sweet while Harry is your confident center of attention character. I enjoyed Franny’s dynamic with both of the boys, but I have to admit, I had my favorite from the beginning. I won’t be telling you who it is because for once the main character picked the same guy I did! Seriously, that hardly happens. 

Overall, the story was well written and fun. The characters were believable and relatable, and I laughed more than once at certain people’s antics. This was my first book by Claire but I’m thinking I really need to read Epic Fail that’s on my shelf. I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen and I felt like Claire did a great job taking the story and making it her own. 

The Trouble with Flirting comes out February 26th, 2013. Let me know what you think!

Happy reading, 

Valia 

Book Spotlight: Wasteland by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan

Welcome to the Wasteland. Where all the adults are long gone, and now no one lives past the age of nineteen. Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan’s post-apocalyptic debut is the first of a trilogy in which everyone is forced to live under the looming threat of rampant disesase and brutal attacks by the Variants—hermaphroditic outcasts that live on the outskirts of Prin. 
Esther thinks there’s more to life than toiling at harvesting, gleaning, and excavating, day after day under the relentless sun, just hoping to make it to the next day. But then Caleb, a mysterious stranger, arrives in town, and Esther begins to question who she can trust. As shady pasts unravel into the present and new romances develop, Caleb and Esther realize that they must team together to fight for their lives and for the freedom of Prin.

From Goodreads.com

Wasteland is a world no one would want to live in. The constant hunt for food or fuel, the acid rain, and the fear of the attacks from the outsiders is not the most ideal place to grow up in. Esther is a rebellious kind of a soul, forgoing the jobs of the city in order to spend time with her variant best friend. Things start to happen in the town of Prin that sets everyone on edge and Esther is right in the middle of it. Then, Caleb shows up in town. This mysterious boy from another world pulls on all of Esther's heartstrings, and soon the two will face the madness of the world they live in, just to survive. 
     For me, this book is one of those books that is a bit hard to review. I liked the story idea, but I didn't have as much fun reading it as I thought I would. I think my biggest deal with this book was the fact that I couldn't really get a grasp on any of the characters. The book is written in a way that makes you sit up and pay attention to every detail or you'll miss something important. While books like that can be amazing, this time around I just wasn't really feeling it. 
     It was really hard for me to grasp the fact that these kids, fourteen and fifteen, were having children to raise. There is a character that we meet that has a drive to save a kid for most of the book and to me, I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. Because I already wasn't sure what was going on at certain parts, that part of me as a reader just didn't feel sympathetic to the character's struggles. Does that make me sound bad or what? 
     I have to mention though, the writing was good. Both Susan and Laurence write well. I read that this is their first YA endeavor and from where I stand I can see that. I think parts of the book were just written too different from the typical YA voice and maybe that's why it threw me off. 
     Wasteland is set in a world that is terrifying and real. Both authors did a wonderful job showing the horrors of a land where water is scares and the land is plagued by too many things too count. I'm very on the fence with this book, however I'm interested to see where the story goes. I'm just too curious for my own good I guess. 
     Wasteland comes out March 26th, 2013. Let me know what you think! 

     Happy reading, 
     Valia