Heir of Fire Book Tour

Sarah J Maas, me, Alexandra Bracken, & Daw Metcalf

Saturday night, I was fortunate enough to attend Sarah J Maas's Heir of Fire tour. My sister and I drove approximately two hours to get there, we left early in case there was traffic and scored front row seats! This was my first book signing event and I LOVED every minute of it. The librarian introduced each author with a quick bio with some fun facts, and then he asked some awesome questions that really made the authors think.

Sarah was the "headliner" of the event, but after hearing Alexandra and Dawn's answers, I quickly became a fan of them as well. And of course I had to have their books and meet them too.

Here are some fun facts I learned at the event about Sarah and her Throne of Glass series:

• Sarah considers herself a "method writer" and she often acts out scenes while writing
• Throne of Glass was inspired by Cinderella 
• If she were to cast any actors (from any time) in a movie adaptation of Throne of Glass, she would choose Sam Worthington (from Avatar) as Chaol, Vivien Leigh for Celaena, and Sam Heughan (from Outlander) for Rowan
• Sarah has a new series coming out (hopefully May 2015) called A Court of Throne and Roses which is inspired by Beauty and the Beast 
• When asked about world building, Sarah coined the term "worlding"

All three authors agreed that if they were casting a movie adaptation of their books, it was most important for actors to have the right essence for their characters.

Here is a clip of one of my favorite questions from the event:

What would happen if your characters were transported to our world?

After the Q&A session, the authors signed books.

This was truly my favorite part because all three took the time to chat with every person in line while signing their books. Sarah even had her own copy of Throne of Glass that she asked us to sign.

All in all it was a great time and I am looking forward to reading all the books I got at the event. More importantly, I hope I get to see these ladies again in the future because they were all so cool and so down to earth.

Giveaway

The Prize: One SIGNED copy of Heir of Fire

The Rules:

US only

Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is picked

All entries must be made via Rafflecopter and are subject to verification

Follow the Yellow Book Road is not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged in the mail

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Stacking the Shelves #17 (9/7/2014)

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Last night my sister and I went to the Heir of Fire Tour and got to meet Sarah J Maas, Alexandra Bracken, and Dawn Metcalf. It was awesome and a post will be coming soon about the experience! Here is my haul from the event:

*Not pictured: Invisible by Dawn Metcalf (it will be shipped to me on September 30th)

Purchased  

All purchased books were signed by the authors!

2 copies of Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas (one is for a giveway coming soon!)

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Indelible by Dawn Metcalf

Invisible by Dawn Metcalf

ARC

ARCs courtesy of Odyssey Bookshop 

(one for me and one for my sister)

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Queen of Tearling by Erika Johansen

Captivate : Blog Tour, Giveaway + Excerpt

Captivate Me by SJ Pierce
Publication date: April 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Tour Schedule

Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis:“My mom had always told me – when you meet “the one”, you’ll know; they’ll captivate your heart the moment you lay eyes on them. I had always wondered, though, if my mom’s words of wisdom were finite – if they applied to everyone. Maybe those who had found their one great love were the lucky few, and maybe the rest of us would have to settle for less than earth-shattering.”
Seventeen-year-old Kat Walsh is a Gifted – a human with paranormal abilities. With her mom a former Angel and her dad a dream prophet, it’s always been in her genetic make-up to be extraordinary. But, unfortunately for her, the world can’t handle the strange or unusual. So when she slips up and uses her powers at her high school in Ireland, the entire student body treats her like a freak – even the ones she thought were her closest friends.
Broken, but hopeful for a fresh start, she allows her parents to enroll her in a boarding school buried deep within the forests of a small Colorado town. At Midland Pines, School for the Gifted, she feels as though she can finally be herself; she makes new friends and even has the attention of the most popular guy in school – Levi. Everything feels normal again… or does it?
Not long after her arrival, weird dreams of an alluring boy whom she’s never met surface during the night, and the eerie, shadowy trees encircling their school seem to call to her. As these disturbing, yet enticing developments intensify, other bizarre occurrences happen – students and staff turn up missing, and mystery visitors leave gifts while she sleeps. With all of these other things fighting for her attention, a desperate Levi has to fight even harder to keep her interest. But with the dreams of the attractive boy slowly captivating her heart, Kat has to make a choice – will she settle for ‘great’ Levi, or will she search for her elusive dream visitor, possibly stumbling across ‘amazing’?
From the author of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles, comes a refreshingly different Young Adult series with plenty of love, suspense, and a new take on the Paranormal.
Recommended for readers 16 and up due to mature content.

Excerpt

Once I had arrived back at our room, shaking but exhilarated, I stripped down to my shorts and tank top and slid into bed.

I laid there, gnawing my lip, twirling the flower between my fingers and thinking of the invisible boy who had given it to me. I moved to lie on my side. Would he bring me another tonight? I should still be thoroughly horrified at the thought of someone sneaking in while Anna and I had slept, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel the same repulsion. If it was, in fact, the boy from the woods, I knew he wouldn’t harm me. And in all truth, if he came again I hoped I would wake so I could feel his presence – his warm, soul-stirring presence. The kind of presence that kept me there with him when any normal person would have run screaming for the school.

With a longing sigh, I closed my eyes.

Despite my excitement, sleep came swift and sweet, scooping me into its arms and carrying me back into the darkness of the woods. I stood in the same spot as before – the open space with flowery bushes. Another form materialized, and I jumped. Black shirt, fair skin – the silhouette from the woods. My invisible admirer.

Except this time, he didn’t run from tree to tree; he stood exposed, allowing me to soak in his beauty, saturating my spirit. He towered over me, which didn’t happen often at five feet, nine inches tall; I wasn’t a short girl. His eyes twinkled icy blue, the angular attractive lines of his face a divine masterpiece. His chestnut hair had been cropped close on the sides but left longer on top, reminding me of a trendy rock star haircut, but flattering and oh-so-complementary to his porcelain features. And his lips, his supple lips drew into a knowing, heart-stopping smile as he plucked another flower from the bush and placed it into my waiting palm.

Honestly, I could have cared less about the flower this time, I wanted to feel him – his flawless skin. I reached out for his face with my other hand, and he stepped back, his smile wavering. Persistent, I tried again, and he took a bigger step back. Why couldn’t I touch him? I could see him, feel his presence... but I wanted to experience more of him.

I searched his eyes with a scowl, and his own expression melted into a frown. He didn’t like the distance, either. “What’s your name?” I asked. If I couldn’t touch him, perhaps I could hear him as a consolation.

He only stared back at me, sad and apologetic.

My eyes welled with tears. So not fair.

I looked down to my flower and held it to my chest. When I looked back up at him, he’d disappeared, and a foreign ache pierced my heart in agony. I’d only seen him, really seen him for a matter of a short moment, and he’d left me.

About The  Auhor
Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Fantasy, Paranormal and Sci-fi novels.

Giveaway

(Open INTL - Ends Sept 9th)

--25$ Amazon Gift Card

--eBook copy of both Captivate Me & Iris

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hopeless

Author: Colleen Hoover
Publication Date: December 19, 2012
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Rating: êêê

Review

I had seen this book and it's amazing reviews all over the blogs that I follow. To be honest I was a bit let down by this one. Yes it was a page turner, and yes I enjoyed most of it, but something just wasn't right.

My first annoyance was with the conversations between teenage characters. They didn't feel authentic, the characters are too open and honest about awkward subjects that most teens would never even talk about. I also had this bad feeling that something in the characters and in the relationships felt really off. I really don't want to spoil things, but it is clear that some serious therapy is needed and I was angry that when everything clears, there was no mention of certain characters getting the professional help they need. If this is a book for teenagers, then the author needs to recognize that any teen who has been through a similar situation (or has a friend in a similar situation) will look up to her characters, and she has a responsibility to help her readers in that situation. 

Liebster Award #2

I have been nominated for the Liebster Award again, I've been nominated a few times, but haven't participated because of issues with time, but I have the time and a fresh nomination, so here we go!

The award can only be given to Bloggers who have less than 200 followers and the purpose is to build up blog views and followers, while also building a fun and supportive blogging community.

This nomination came from Talina at Sassy and Dangerous. I was also recently nominated by Fat Robot, Mercedes at The YA Craze, and Elle's 411 on YA Books. Thank you!!

The RULES are:

1. Thank the blogger who nominates you.
2. Answer the 11 questions she/he asks of you.
3. List 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
5. Ask these 11 bloggers 11 questions of your own.
6. Let them know you have mentioned them.

Talina's Questions:

1. What do you like most about blogging?

I love reading comments and commenting back. The communication is really fun for me and I feel like I've made some cool blogging friends.

2. Where is your favorite place to read?

In the sun!

3. What is your favorite book/series?

Harry Potter - no contest!

4. Do you have any books that you disliked or hated?

Yes, Romeo and Juliet, The Catcher in the Rye are just a couple that I can think of right away.

5. What is your favorite tvThat show/movie?

My favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz, it's the inspiration for my blog name and design. 

6. How many books do you own in physically and in e-book?

Oh man, that question is tough... Physical books probably 50 because I have a tendency to clear out once or twice a year, I usually donate to my friend's classroom library. E-books, at least 200... I tried to look it up but couldn't find the number.

7. What is/was your favorite subject in school?

Math! I am a high school math teacher :)

8. Who is your favorite author?

I'm not sure I have one, there really isn't a single author who I will read no matter what.

9. If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring with you?

My husband, because I love him and he has more survival skills than me

Chapstick, I can't live without it

A swiss army knife, I'm pretty sure it would be handy

10. Who is your favorite actor/actress?

Johnny Depp

11. If you could date any fictional character in any book, who would it be?

Such a hard question... right now I am crushing on Chaol from Throne of Glass.

11 Facts About Me

1. Right now I am loving the color blue, but my favorite color changes pretty often.
2. I am going to Sarah Maas's book signing in September and it will be my first one!
3. My guilty pleasure is MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
4. I usually think the book is better than the movie (or TV adaptation), but Game of Thrones is my exception to that rule.
5. I love weddings.
6. I love chocolate, especially chocolate cake.
7. I judge books by their covers.
8. I don't like romance and yet I keep reading it...
9. I can't read in the car because I get dizzy.
10. I could read Ender's Game over and over and every time I will enjoy it and find something new that I love about it.
11. I am really clumsy and really forgetful.

My Questions for my Nominees

1. How do you feel about indie-authors and self-published books?
2. What book could you re-read a zillion times without ever getting bored?
3. Have you ever enjoyed a required reading book from school?
4. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
5. Where is your favorite place to read?
6. Do you have a reading goal? How do you set it?
7. Who is your favorite villain or bad guy?
8. What book do you recommend to everyone?
9. What is your favorite genre?
10. How long does it take you to write a book review?
11. What is your favorite candy?

My Nominees

1. Jess @ A Cup of Tea & A Big Book
2. Tanya @ A Book Paradise
3. Kimberly @ Kimberly and Company
4. Abby @ Enthralling Reads
5. Anna @ Enchanted by YA
6. Nicole @ My Book Filled Life
7. Jennie @ A Bookworm Called Jennie
8. Paola @ Don't Fold the Page
9. Angel @ Spare Reads
10. Amber @ The Book Bratz
11. Clarissa @ Books Equal Awesomeness

The Here and Now

Author: Ann Brashares
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.
This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.
But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

Rating: êê

Review

This book started out OK. The world building was excellent, to be honest the dystopian future created by Ann Brashares is scary and believable. However, this is not a dystopian novel, it is a time travel novel that takes place in 201. Prenna started out likable, but quickly became annoying because of her inconsistent nature. The inst-love was just as awful as you expect insta-love to be with the savior-like boyfriend. The plot was dull, yet I held on and hoped it would get better. There was also a lot of things that simply didn't make sense or contradicted something that I had previously read in the book. 

The Bitter Kingdom

Author: Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #2
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: The champion must not waver.
The champion must not fear.
The gate of darkness closes.The champion must not fear.The gate of darkness closes.Elisa is a fugitive.
Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.
Her Royal Majesty, Queen Lucero-Elisa né Riqueza de Vega, bearer of the Godstone, will lead her three loyal companions deep into the enemy's kingdom, a land of ice and snow and brutal magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover on this, her final journey, could change the course of history.
But that is not all. She has a larger destiny. She must become the champion the world has been waiting for.
Even of those who hate her most

Rating: êêêê

Review: Initially I struggled with the change of style and the switch to a different POV, however I found myself craving the switches between the two characters at some point. This book moves at a quick and enjoyable pace. There are a lot of twists and lots of action AND my questions were answered! Now, my one complaint is that I wish there was more Rosario - I really felt that I needed to know more about him and where things are heading. Things are resolved, a bit too neatly, but the book was still well written and was a satisfying ending to a series.