To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week’s Question:

Q: Activity: Spine Poetry. Create a line of poetry with your book spines (take a picture). Not feeling creative? Tell us about your favorite poem.

My first impression of the Lightening Rider I didn’t know what to think. Evy is racing home to catch Nick her loser now ex-boyfriend in the act of robbing her blind. But is side tracked by a lightning storm and curious cop. Needless to say she doesn’t get there in time to stop jerk Nick now thief ex-boyfriend, too late, and the story begins.

Time travel via lightning? Writer Greyson’s concept intrigued, me. Lightening Riders those who can travel back in time and orchestrate ”alterations” that changed the destiny of people. Individuals who ultimately change our history, sometimes for the better like draining a malaria infested lake in Africa. That saves a family near by that turn out to be the descendants of Nelson Mandela and others not so much. Writing about certain subject like time travel isn’t easy to pull off, go too far and its ridiculous, so I wanted to see how it would translate in this story. Time travel via lightning? Interesting. Writer Grayson manages it well keeping the world plausible.

What I didn’t expect was to like Evy as much as I did. She was not the kind of girl one puts in the corner. And I liked that, she didn’t sit and wait to be rescued she figured it out herself. Evy is Latina, by nature she is assertive, confident she questions status quo of what a woman is allowed and that makes her an awesome heroine but Evy is still human and her she doesn’t always follow through, she skirts commitment and secretly I think it’s the reason she picks loser boyfriends because they live up to Evy’s expectations.

I like the fact that she made mistakes they made her flawed, human and real but she didn’t fall prey to making her mistakes own her. E.g Nick the thieving ex-boyfriend she felt stupid, embarrassed and when she had to crawl home to crash. Because he taken the bed too. She felt like a disappointment to her father, lesson learned. Evy moved on unlike some characters. The progression of her character from a babe in the woods so to speak to a kick ass heroine was a nice change. Evy learns to control her gifts and learns the notions she had of right and wrong don’t or won’t always apply, because the world now opened to her eyes wasn’t always going to be black and white but sometimes varied shades of grey in between.

The romance is steamy but sad because she’s from the present and Constantine is from the past. Constantine is the opposite of the jerks Evy usually dates. He respects Evy, allows her to be herself his equal. That’s what makes it so sad the question mark on their future, nice little drama there. I loved the father daughter relationship and push and pull of it. Illif I didn’t care much for and his chauvinistic notions, turned me off. As for Penya she is his polar opposite, but I like the way her character is written as a question mark can you trust her intentions, does she have her own agenda?

These are reason I gave The Lightening Rider a four out of five. Writer Grayson weaves a compelling story that has the reader flipping, even tempted to skip pages to get to the ending and find out what happens. I enjoyed the Lightening Rider and though it didn’t end with a pretty bow on top. Some questions were answered, while new questions came to light. These however are questions for the next book to answer.

4/5 

• Title: The Lightening Rider by Jen Grayson
• Series: Lightning Rider Series
• Publisher:The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House
• Published: May 30, 2013
• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Rating: 4/5
• Source: Netgalley
• Age Group: 18+ (16 maybe)
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 474 KB
• Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For Evy Rivera, thunderstorms have always caused her physical pain, but she’s never known why. When a record-setting storm arrives on the same night her father finds ancient ancestral documents, Evy is set aglow with mysterious tiny lightnings she can command. Even worse, she alerts some people in the universe who’ve been looking for her family for a very long time.

Thrown back into ancient Spain and tasked with killing a Spanish legend, she must train alongside Constantine, a sexy yet obstinate Roman warrior. He teaches her how to wield her lightning as a weapon, through more errors than trials. With a relationship as explosive as their late-night training sessions, Evy and Constantine battle their push-pull relationship while trying to ignore the two-thousand-year difference in their birth-dates.

Ilif Rotiart, her quasi-mentor, is appalled at Evy’s skill. He would prefer to train her father and keep Evy on the sidelines—where women belong. Evy has a feeling Ilif is keeping something from them, but she must play nice until she uncovers the truth. And if he’s lying, it will be the worst day of his four-hundred-year life.

Penya Sepadas claims she’s Evy’s rightful trainer, and she has the prophecy to prove it. Penya doesn’t share Ilif’s misogynistic attitude, but she does have her own agenda…and her own secrets.

Evy must sort through the lies and find the truth behind her family’s time-traveling past before the wrong history obliterates the future. She’s spent her whole life fighting for her place. Now, as the first female lightning rider, she’ll dedicate her existence to fighting to save the world. But will Evy learn to manage her lightning and find the truth before it’s too late?

When I first started writing, I wrote romance books. A decade ago, that was my go-to reading escape, and it was a great place to start writing because romance books have very strict rules.

Partly because I’m a terrible rule follower, and partly because I’m a panster, I didn’t stick with straight romance for very long. I had to get all complicated and add a bunch of fantasy time-travel elements, a hot Roman warrior, and some lightning bullwhips for my main character to figure out.

When I set out to write Lightning Rider I didn’t intend for my characters to fall in love. In fact, I don’t even introduce them until page 100 (my panster brain is hysterically laughing that I’m trying to take credit for that). When they first met, they were oil and water, fire and ice, white shoes and a post-Labor Day picnic. But, as my characters oft do, they had other plans. (and really, can you blame Evy?)

As I continued to write the book and noticed their attraction growing, I couldn’t let it take priority over the huge plot arc of the book, which is the assassination of one of Spain’s most legendary heroes. During everything, the mission had to come first (Oh, Constantine would be so proud!). In a traditional romance, the romance is always the main arc, and even in romantic suspense, the suspense is always secondary and gets in the way of the romance. In my new adult fantasy (less rules) I could let the romance get in the way of the fantastical element and main plot line.

One of the problems with categorizing Lightning Rider as a Paranormal Romance (neither bookstores nor Amazon have a new adult fantasy category) is that readers expect a Happily Ever After for these characters, and *spoiler alert* they don’t get one in this book. Romance readers have had a tough time with that, and I don’t blame them one bit. But letting the romance be the main part of this story would have created a completely different set of goals and obstacles for Constantine and Evy.

For this book, the romance was always on the fringe, something they needed to deny themselves for the sake of the mission. Constantine has done it his whole life, but it was new for Evy, and added more challenges. She’s always gone after what she wanted, consequences be damned. I think that was half the fun of writing the story was that the romance was nearly forbidden.

I think as the series progresses, some of the later books might be able to be categorized better as romance because it will be the focus—well, no, I’m lying—the mission will always come first. It’s why Constantine loves Evy. Because she gets that. A huge thank you to Andrea here at Book Broads for letting me come hang out.

More about Jen

From the moment she decided on a degree in Equestrian Studies, Jen Greyson’s life has been one unscripted adventure after another. Leaving the cowboy state of Wyoming to train show horses in France, Switzerland, and Germany, she’s lived life without much of a plan, but always a book in her suitcase. Now a wife and mom to two young boys, she relies on her adventurous, passionate characters to be the risk- takers.

Jen also writes university courses and corporate training material when she’s not enjoying the wilds of the west via wakeboard or snowmobile. Her new adult fantasy, Lightning Rider, comes out May 31 and features a Latina heroine with some serious superpowers.

You can find Jen here

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenGreyson

Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheSurvivalMama

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/Jen_Greyson

Blog: http://jengreyson.com

About Lightning Rider

Heiress to a time-traveling dynasty, Evy Rivera is finally claiming her birthright as a lightning rider. Problem is, she’s forced to learn it alongside Constantine, a prickly, obstinate Roman warrior who constantly challenges her to be the woman he sees in her.

Thrown back into ancient Spain, Evy must rely on guts and instinct to wield her lightning as a weapon and outsmart Ilif, her quasi-mentor who believes time traveling should be left to the Rivera men.

During her training, Evy and Constantine battle the push-pull of their explosive relationship, aware the 2,000-year span between their lives is an unavoidable hurdle.

Caught between a centuries-old battle rife with secrets, Evy must learn whom to trust before she risks everything and the wrong history repeats itself. When the heritage her parents have suppressed mingles with the past, Evy must find answers . . .

Which history is the right one? And who is she becoming.

•  Available everywhere on May 31, 2013
• Kobo (all devices)
• Amazon
• iTunes
• Barnes & Noble

Lightning Rider reviews:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412638-lightning-rider

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/87

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted Jill over at Bending the Spine featuring books we are eagerly anticipating but haven’t hit our local bookstores.

Title: The Pirate’s Wish by Cassandra Rose Clark

Series: Assassin’s Curse #2

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Publish date: June 18, 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Format:Paperback

Pages: 336

After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.

Reason: This series is really and I love the story. 

Title: Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Publish date: August 13, 2013

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 288

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn’t be more than I was—that I couldn’t stick around—and that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Reason: I discovered Matthew Quick after Silver Linings Playbook his characters are so complex, flawed and beautifully written. The title is awesome.

Indelible is one of my most anticipated books to read this summer. After browsing the synopsis. I had to read it. At the heart of the book Indelible it’s a love story. Two individuals meet one human the other not. Understanding and a slow friendship is formed with lots of unintended attraction, quickly becomes mutual. Figuring  out the balance between plausible without being ridiculous wasn’t easy  writer Metcalf did a great job.

The world she built was imaginative but simple. She made me care about these characters and what happened to them. Ink is unlike any character I’ve read in description that is, I’m shallow I usually go for the obviously pretty face, sigh. But the mystery behind those black eyes is what lured both Joy and myself in. Ink is cold but warm, curious, stubborn and its these facets of his character that mad me like him. Joy is a typical bruised person whose family has just imploded on them. She has mommy & abandonment issues and all the trauma that comes with being blindsided by the break up of a home. So she is a very relatable character any teenage girl can identify with some aspect of her life. Honorable mention goes to Monica I love the fact her character is sassy and African American. Who’s willing to do what’s in Joy’s best interest even if includes getting adults involved. And frank enough to say to Joy’s face when she’s being stupid. All the characters are nicely written with room for character development throughout the series.

The danger in plot took a while to settle in, which was fine with me because the love story between Ink and Joy is so beautifully written and corny, sensual, I loved it and wanted more. The danger is real though she is tested by “the folk” and her resolved nearly breaks a few times. The baddies’s plan was ingenious and dishonorable. I hated her immediately (uh.. spoiler) did I ever tell you how much I hate “hollow villains” those that only have one theme on their playlist. So one track minded, fanatical that their personality is just that there are evil, no contrast equals boring. I prefer my villains with substances, that leaves you conflicted. My only major OMG I can’t believe that moment was durning Ink and the villain’s bargaining moment. The words “Nooooo you can’t trust her” were out my mouth.

At the end I was so invested in the story. Joy surprised at how slowly capable she’s becoming. The ending was awesome. So much happening at once. Heart breaking, sweet and sad, though everything is not wrapped in a pretty bow at the end. There are some resolutions and surprises. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings. I would recommend Indelible if you are into paranormal romance, or a good story in general. The content is suitable for 14 +. aside from a little gore and few descriptive make-out sessions withstanding. I gave Indelible a four out five.

 4/5

• Title: Indelible by Dawn Metcalf
• Series: The Twixt
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen
• Published date: July 30, 2013
• Genre: Paranormal Romance
• Rating: 4/5
• Source: ATW Arc Tours
• Age Group:
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 384
• Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
• 

Some things are permanent. Indelible. And they cannot be changed back. Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future…and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies…

THE TWIXT

FICTION MONDAYS IS BACK !!

Fiction Mondays hasn’t been around for awhile, because honestly I was trying to figure out what I wanted FM to become. My goal eventually is to showcase writers work, featuring some  fan-ficton and publish sneak peaks of the latest book .

Helen could see what she guessed was the River Styx just off to her left. It was a roaring torrent, riddled with icebergs. No sane person would dare swim across it. Feeling stranded, she limped around in a tight circle. A quick scan of the horizon showed that there was no one else on the barren plain.

“Damn it”, she swore to herself, her voice breaking. Her vocal cords were not completely healed. Less than an hour ago, Ares had slit her throat, and although it still hurt when she spoke, cussing made her feel better. “So typical.”

She’d just made a promise to her friend Zach. He was dying in her arms, and she swore that she would make sure that he drank from the River of Joy in the afterlife. Zach had sacrificed himself to help her, and in his final moments, he’d given her the clue that allowed her to kill Automedon and save Lucas and Orion.

Helen intended to keep her promise to Zach even if she had to carry him Elysian Fields and right up to the banks of the River of Joy herself–broken ribs, wonky leg and all. But for some reason her usual way of navigating in the Underworld wasn’t working. Normally all she to do was say out loud what she wanted and it just happened.

She was the Descender, which meant that she was one of the exceedingly few Scions who could go down to the Underworld in a living body and not just a spirit. She could even control landscape to a certain extent, but of course just when she needed that talent the most, it found a way to go on the fritz. It was just so Greek. If enjoyed what you read so far read the rest of the excerpt here.

• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Published: May 28, 2013
• 

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week’s Question:

Q: Have you broken up with a series? If so which one and why?

A: Yes I think we all have come to a point where we’ve had to have the “its not you its me” speech with a series we once loved for me it was The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, Rachael Morgan her character stagnated. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series lost its steam by book 12 so many of the stories started sounded familiar. Main character had been burned, betrayed by love, or didn’t believe in love anymore. Except that certain female lead crosses his path and becomes the only one that could get under their skin. Make them believe again act of character blah blah. It doesn’t sound so bad as a plot–except when they are over twelve versions of the same plot points just insert name here change the circumstances to keep it from being the exact plot wholah you have a dark hunters book. Acheron being the exception.

The summer heat is upon us, and finding a cool shaded spot to read might just sounds like a good idea. Many bookies suffer BGTBR (big giant to be read lists). Summer is usually the time to catch up on your reading no school etc.. As part of my summer reading series I will be posting my recommendations for Adult Fiction, Young Adult, New Adult, and Middle Grade fiction. Here is my list of books I would recommend for Adult fiction. Published or have been released for publication in 2013 with the exception of one.

FICTION MONDAYS IS BACK !!

Fiction Mondays hasn’t been around for awhile, because honestly I was trying to figure out what I wanted FM to become. My goal eventually is to showcase writers work, featuring some  fan-ficton and publish sneak peaks of the latest book .

BEGINNINGS

First Person

The field did’t  end so much as trail off, beaten back by the rusted-out trailer and circle of junked vehicles surrounding it. As if they had forgotten how to be still, the girl’s bare and bloodied feet tripped and stumbled over each other. Slowly, slowly, the momentum that had brought her through the night into the cold gray dawn leeched away. She tugged at the garbage bag she’d refashioned as a poncho. It was worse than useless at keeping her dry, but its constant crinkle had been a steady companion, and now that she’d reach her destination it seemed wrong to let it be lost to the wind. Standing still, she studied the NO Trespassing sign spray-painted on a weathered chunk of plywood, waiting for something to happen. Certain that something would. She didn’t know where she was, or even her own name but she felt sure of this.

She smelled the smoke only a split second before a girl stepped around the side of the trailer. Perhaps the same age herself, this girl divided her attention between bouncing a baby on her right hip and taking little puffs of the cigarette pinched between her fingers. Mid-exhale their eyes caught and held.

They might have let the moment pass, pretend they’d never seen each other at all, bout then the baby released a wild wail that was instantly answered by the screen door flying open and a heavy woman with uneven gait thumping down the stairs. Her body moved slowly  and awkwardly, but her eyes were quick and took in everything. The hastily dropped cigarette. The baby’s hand curled tight around a chunk of his own hair. And the stranger with bare feet, garbage-bag wrapping, short-cropped hair stuck flat to her head fro the rain and hovering over her left eye, the red starburst scar that resembled a crack in a car windshield…… For the full excerpt click here

Question of the day ☟ 

Jefferson Market Library is a beautiful building, with stain glass window ornate stone moulding and the biggest doors I have ever seen.

Castle is word that comes to mind to describe the venue for The Teen Author’s Carnival.

The panel was awesome boasting some YA’s summer must have reads authors.

1. Diana Peterfreund ⇄ Across a Star Swept Sea
2. Suzanne Young ⇄ The Program & Just Like Fate
3. Cat Patrick ⇄ Just Like Fate
4. Cristin Terrill ⇄ All Our Yesterdays
5. Ann Stampler ⇄ Where It Began
6. Leila Sales ⇄ This Song Will Save Your Life
7. Alexandra Coutts ⇄ Tumble & Fall
8. David Levithan ⇄ Two Boys Kissing
9. Elizabeth Scott ⇄ Heartbeat
10. Jennifer Smith ⇄ This Is What Happy Looks Like
11. Allen Zadoff ⇄ Boy Nobody
12. Kat Zhang ⇄ What’s Left of Me
13. Erin Bowman ⇄ Taken

It was easy to go all fangirl but I maintained my professionalism until I spied Julie Kagawa. And it was too much for my poor heart to take. I fangirl-ed poor Miss Kagawa she was sweet about it and even posed for a picture with me I was in heaven.

I scored Ink which I been dying to read–Heartbeat and Tumble and Fall. The panel was a lively bunch their banter funny and light-hearted. I especially enjoyed David Levithans’ gym teacher jokes. There were four different panels I attend the first. I apologize for the lack of pictures. It was cumbersome trying to both take pictures and record the event. Footage will be available soon.

The slideshow below features books of the authors in attendance.☟

Question of the day