Never Say Never Tour! Review!

Welcome fellow bookworms! Today I have for you another fantastic tour and review from Kailin Gow. A 5 star review and worth every word read, this book is just as amazing as everything else Kailin Gow writes. Enjoy!

Title- Never Say Never

Author-Kailin Gow

Source- paperback ARC  

Pages- 227

Publisher- theEdgebooks

Publication Date- August 13th, 2012

Goodreads Summary-

What girl wouldn't want to be surrounded by the sexy guys from the hottest teen rock sensation in the country?  18-year-old Never "Neve" Knight, not only is surrounded by the hottest boys to hit the music charts, but she is the band's lead singer. As the band's lead singer and manager, Never formed and shaped the band to where it is today, a band on the rise and on the brink of being signed by a label. As one of the guys, she knew each of the band members since they were all snot-nose ten-year-olds. While her boys were the cutest guys and they would protect her like knights, she couldn't date any one of them and ruin the chance at being signed with the record label of her dreams. That changes when one of the band members suddenly drops out of the band, and in walks Danny Blue, with his dreamy blue eyes, hot body, and British accent. Suddenly, Never's solid world has turned to mush, and her rule for not dating one of her band members is seriously challenged. Can she keep her head straight and get her band signed with a label without losing her heart?

Age 16 and up for mature subject matter and sexual situations.

~Review~

Cover Thoughts-

I love this punk rock cover! Everything about it screams Never Knight, from her red hot heels to her deadly black nails and of course her sexy guitar. I absolutely adore this cover.

First Thought-

Who doesn't want to read about a teenage rebel trying to become famous but avoid love? Go for him Neve!

What I liked-

Kailin Gow is genius. All her books are amazing and yet so different. Circus Summer is her dystopian. Never Say Never is her contemporary romance. And Frost is her paranormal series. She could write about anything! After finishing the shocking ending of Never Say Never I did some research on Kailin Gow's books. I seriously must read more of her writing. I don't believe she could write a single uninteresting book. Never Say Never is on my favorites list now and that is really hard to believe because usually only paranormal fantasies on my favorites list. First off the beginning, She describes the music The Never Knights are playing. One line that really caught my attention is, "The music is pulsing; I can feel it around me in waves, feel my body twisting and turning as  my voice echoes through the microphone, refracting like shattered glass through the room." Every line of the beginning is attention grabbing that there was no way I could put it down. Then I read on, what got me the most was Neve didn't want to use her dad's celebrity status to further her own. She could become downright famous if she had just used her dads name in everything! Although her dad did not approve of her becoming a punk rock legend like himself she still kept on going. My favorite part of the whole book was when Danny Blue walked in for their band audition and changed their band forever. Of course Neve can't help the churning emotions inside her and she simply can not stop feeling what she does for the newest band member. But could this crush split her band apart forever before she even gets the recording contract she has dreamed of? The ending really surprised me but I can't ruin the whole book for you. I will just say that Danny Blue is the definition of sexy in the punk rock dictionary.

What I disliked-

How could I possibly find something that bothered me in this fantastic book? It might not be one I'm used too. I haven't read a lot of New Adult novels but this book has got me interested in this genre. One thing, only one thing has me disappointed how does Neve make every performance perfect? If she is completely emotionally unstable then maybe a performance should be unstable too? I just felt like one super awful performance should happen to spice up the series a little. Really Never say Never has everything I could want in a book.

Overall Readability-

Punk rock legends, sexy guitar players, wild party nights, big famous dreams, all in one awesome book. This is totally not one I will forget. Every time I turn on my i-pod I think Neve and The Never Knights and how I wish I had their CD. It's inspiring really, I wish I had the talents that they do. I finishing Never Say Never is one night and was sadly disappointed I have to wait awhile for the second book to be released. If you want to change up what you usually read or you like contemporary romance with a kick I dare you to read this book. I promise you won't regret it.

My Final Thought-

NO! He can not come back! Now the band will probably suck. :(

5 out of 5 Haunted Roses

Author Info:

Kailin Gow is the author of over 100 books, with the majority of them for young adults. Her most popular series are:  The Frost Series, PULSE Series, Desire Series, Wicked Woods, Steampunk Scarlett Novels, and more.  A full-time author, she is also a producer, having worked in radio, television, and film.  She grew up in Southern California, lived in Texas and England, and had traveled extensively around the world.

  

Links:

Website: www.KailinGowBooks.com

Blog: http://KailinGow.Wordpress.com

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/KailinGow

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/KailinGowBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KailinGow

NEVER SAY NEVER Rocking Hot Release Party and 2 Amazing Contests! NEVER SAY NEVER Releases Aug. 13 at 6 pm pst

Just us for a virtual online Twitter Party #NeverSayNeverBookParty this coming Monday, August 13 for the world premiere of

NEVER SAY NEVER

Meet the band as they mingle throughout the party.  They will be joining us on Twitter at #NeverSayNeverBookParty, taking a break from their heavy rehearsal schedule and photo shoot.

Get exclusive behind the scenes gossip and info about each band member.

Find out who they will like to play them if the band’s life story gets made into a movie.

Get a chance to win kindle copies of NEVER SAY NEVER, LOVING SUMMER, CIRCUS SUMMER, and SAVING YOU SAVING ME!

Oh, and more prizes!

Secrets Tour! Guest Post!

Good day bookworms! Welcome to my second post on the Secrets Tour! Today is the awesome music guestpost by Dawn Kirby and yesterday was the review! Don't forget to comment what you think!

Title- Secrets (Serenity series #1)

Author-Dawn Kirby

Source- ebook sent from author 

Pages- 319

Publisher- Dark Dragon Publishing

Publication Date- July 29th, 2012

Goodreads Summary-

It is said that the truth will set you free, but for Leah it kills.
Leah always knew she was different. From her extreme light sensitivity, to her ability to read people by their auric scent, she kept these differences secret.
Not even Mia, Leah's mother, knew the fullness of her daughter's differences, but she held even greater secrets to Leah's past - the truth about her father and Leah's conception.
With the escape of an old foe, Mia is too late to reveal to her daughter
the truth before Judith can exact her revenge in a wash of blood and death.
Thrown into a world unheard of, Leah discovers that she is not alone in keeping her secrets. That there are people from her parent's past who would die to protect her. If she only knew why.
Raine, placed as her protector, hides deadly secrets of his own. Drawn to each other, Leah and Raine must uncover the truth before one of both are killed.

~Guest Post~

Music as a Muse

Author Dawn Kirby describes how music played a big part behind the characters in her debut novels, Secrets.

            Inspiration derives from many sources. Pictures, scenery, weather, a certain someone. For me, none is more powerful than music. It literally feeds my soul when I write.  The right song can drive an entire scene. Sometimes it can even aid in the creation of a new character. And sometimes a song or simple melody can breed a whole new story altogether.

            When I wrote SECRETS I had several songs on my playlist I could count on at any given time to help with one character or another. Anytime I needed a little help wrapping my head around Kale’s “I’m all that” attitude, I could turn on One Republic’s EVERYBODY LOVES ME and dive right into his head without fail. For Donovan; his attitude is always a bit more regal than most of my other characters. That’s where Phantom of the Opera came in handy. I could turn on almost any song on the soundtrack and let it carry me right into him.

            As for driving scenes, the most memorable one from SECRETS was when Raine came back for Leah. Only one song drove me; Nickleback’s I’D COME FOR YOU. It said everything I wanted conveyed between the two and more. Their connection to one another is so strong no force in Heaven or Earth could tear them apart. They refuse to make the same mistakes others have made regardless of what they have to endure to be together.

           

 LIKE YOU by Evanescence was another song I used. I won’t spoil the reasoning behind it, but I will say it fit David and the situation he found himself in to a T. He’d sacrificed so much throughout the years, its no wonder. Apathy, no matter how much or little of it there is can be our biggest enemy. 

            So far I’ve had only one song bring a whole new story to mind. A very dear friend posted UNINVITED by Alanis Morissette on my Facebook wall not too long ago. Almost immediately after hearing the first verse, I had an entire story mapped out in my head. The music is haunting, the lyrics un-giving, almost daring the listener to fall for the one thing they can’t have. What a fascinating paranormal tale that will make.

    I love it when friends and/or fans send me songs they think I’ll like. Most times they have my tastes nailed and I add it immediately to my playlist. Other times, it may take some searching, but I can usually find a use for it within any number of stories I’m developing in one way or another.

            Music is never wasted. 

There will always be room for it in my life as well as the stories I write.  

           

 Purchase on Smashwords(https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/169730), 

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dawn-Kirby/dp/098797260X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342796076&sr=1-1&keywords=Secrets+Dawn+Kirby), 

and by the Publisher (http://darkdragonpublishing.com/secrets.html)

About the Author: By day, Dawn is a typical mom running around after her children, catering to her husband’s needs, acting as a taxi driver, and gourmet chef living in Odessa, Texas, with her husband, and three children. Then by night she falls into a world filled with shirtless werewolves, lethal vampires, and dangerous adventures. Her short stories have been published inSeven Deadly Sins (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517087-seven-deadly-sins) and 13 Tales of Paranormal(http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12852482-13-tales-of-the-paranormal)

Author Blog:http://dawnmkirby.wordpress.com/

Author on Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5268211.Dawn_Kirby

Author on Smashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DawnMKirby

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Secrets/302970983827

Twitter:http://twitter.com/secretswriter

Blog Tour Set Up By Illuminated Tours:

(http://www.bottledupmemory.org/secrets-tour.html)

            

Secrets Tour! Review!

Good day bookworms! Welcome to my first post on the Secrets Tour! Today I have a review and tomorrow will be the guestpost from Dawn Kirby! Enjoy my review!

Title- Secrets (Serenity series #1)

Author-Dawn Kirby

Source- ebook sent from author 

Pages- 319

Publisher- Dark Dragon Publishing

Publication Date- July 29th, 2012

Goodreads Summary-

It is said that the truth will set you free, but for Leah it kills.
Leah always knew she was different. From her extreme light sensitivity, to her ability to read people by their auric scent, she kept these differences secret.
Not even Mia, Leah's mother, knew the fullness of her daughter's differences, but she held even greater secrets to Leah's past - the truth about her father and Leah's conception.
With the escape of an old foe, Mia is too late to reveal to her daughter
the truth before Judith can exact her revenge in a wash of blood and death.
Thrown into a world unheard of, Leah discovers that she is not alone in keeping her secrets. That there are people from her parent's past who would die to protect her. If she only knew why.
Raine, placed as her protector, hides deadly secrets of his own. Drawn to each other, Leah and Raine must uncover the truth before one of both are killed.

~Review~

Cover Thoughts-

It is one I'm not used to. To be honest my blog is focused all around young adult novels and the cover seems a little bit misleading. There is a couple erotic scenes but I do believe the book is appropriate for teens. Also if the boy on the cover is Raine then he looks nothing like I pictured. 

First Thought-

Secrets. :) Every good book holds a secret and this one holds plenty! I can't wait to read about the romance, adventure, and of course the maze of secrets.

What I liked-

I usually don't read alot of adult novels or ya know books for mature audiences *wink wink*. I decided to give this tour a try and I am sincerely glad I did. From the start you are captivated by Leah's special talents. All of her senses are magnified and she has no idea why. It's just her and her mother because her father died years ago. Recently her mother is extremely tense with worry. Every year about this time the accountant David comes to look at financial business but Leah has her suspicions. Now with her heightened senses she figures out the secrets but she is already too late. There was not a single scene or page that bored me. There is plenty of action, plenty of the paranormal, and plenty of action just like I love! I read it all in one day. But it was the ending that really blew me away. It is a very beautifully written novel that adds some of its own ideas to the paranormal world. I seriously can't wait where Leah and Raine take there romance and how Leah will survive constantly being wanted by the vampire world. My favorite scene in the whole book is the one where Kale challenges Mark for leadership of the pack. It is very suspenseful and full aggressive werewolf power. Serenity may be the name of the series but the book was far from peace and serenity. It was a roller coaster full of adventure and of course secrets.

What I disliked-

Really I didn't dislike a single thing. The story went exactly how I could want it. I do wish there was a bit more romance going on and a little less action. It sucks when Leah is constantly being hunted down and almost torn to pieces. Leah just needs a scalding hot shower and a hot cup of coffee to calm her and that almost reminds me of well... me. Except I don't have the ability to find extreme heat comforting. I wonder if there are any secrets left for the series though? So many were exposed its hard to keep em coming.

Overall Readability-

 An absolute must read. If your into paranormal romance I strongly recommend this book. It's like a mash-up of  Twilight and Shiver if you read young adult books. Secrets is a book you will get caught up in and forget about the outside world. I lost track of time easily and enjoyed every second of it.

My Final Thought-

Poor Leah can't catch a break! I hope her and Raine both make it out of this mess okay.

5 out of 5 Haunted Roses

Purchase on Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/169730), 

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dawn-Kirby/dp/098797260X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342796076&sr=1-1&keywords=Secrets+Dawn+Kirby), 

and by the Publisher (http://darkdragonpublishing.com/secrets.html)

About the Author: By day, Dawn is a typical mom running around after her children, catering to her husband’s needs, acting as a taxi driver, and gourmet chef living in Odessa, Texas, with her husband, and three children. Then by night she falls into a world filled with shirtless werewolves, lethal vampires, and dangerous adventures. Her short stories have been published inSeven Deadly Sins (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517087-seven-deadly-sins) and 13 Tales of Paranormal (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12852482-13-tales-of-the-paranormal)

Author Blog:http://dawnmkirby.wordpress.com/

Author on Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5268211.Dawn_Kirby

Author on Smashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DawnMKirby

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Secrets/302970983827

Twitter:http://twitter.com/secretswriter

Blog Tour Set Up By Illuminated Tours:

(http://www.bottledupmemory.org/secrets-tour.html)

Frost Tour! Review and Giveaway!

Welcome farthers, watchers, and frost people to my stop on the icy Frost Tour. Below you will find my review on this chilly post apocalyptic novel. Enjoy!

Title- Frost (Frost chronicles #1)

Author-Kate Avery Ellison

Source- ebook sent from author 

Pages- 194

Publisher- Create Space 

Publication Date- April 18th, 2012

Goodreads Summary-

In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.

She saves his life.

Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.

But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.

Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?

~Review~

Cover Thoughts-

It is one amazing cover! It is probably one of my favorites. The girl is most likely Lia and something about her just captures my attention. The cover looks so ice cold and innocent just like the actual contents of the book. I love it!

First Thought-

Dystopian novels are my favorite! This one even has a new twist that I would absolutely love to read! This is an absolute must read!

What I liked-

First off, the beginning was already attention grabbing. Almost at once I was pulled in by Lia's responsibility at her families leader. She must make sure her family makes quota every week but its so hard when they are all orphans. They barely make it after their parents died...by the watchers. As the story goes the watchers have killed them while helping a local family with their quota. Lia is not sure who to blame. A village boy named Cole has his heart set on her but she is not sure of his intentions. All she knows for sure is that she must take care of her crippled brother and wandering sister. She must make the quota, protect her family, and stay out of trouble. Then she makes a decision that could change her family's life forever. She saves a farther and from there the trouble begins. The ending was heart breaking and crushing. I cried for Lia's loss becuase I could feel her pain. Kate Avery Ellison does a great job of vividly decribing every chilling scene. The fear, the courage, the gains, the losses, every single scene was breath taking. Here are some quotes I enjoyed:
“I’d allowed myself to feel love –yes, love– for another person in a way I’d once sworn to myself I never would. I’d become completely vulnerable, and now I’d been torn apart with hurt and catapulted onto a path I might never have taken otherwise. I’d risked my life for an outsider. For a stranger. Worse, I had a feeling I was going to do it again.” 


“Love is a perilous dance too, you see. And if we stop dancing, we'll die.
Don't ever stop dancing.” 

What I disliked-

I felt like there wasn't enough action from the Farther police people. I just expected a more of a rampage through the town from them. If they couldn't find Gabe you would think they would blame the whole town. I also wish I could have learned more about The Thorn group described in the book. I want to know more of what they are about. I'm sure though that everything will be talked about in the future books which I am totally looking forward too. I also wanted Lia to be a bit more explorative. She seemed boring wanted to stay in the same old place instead of picking up her family and going with Gabe. Maybe in the next books she will leave the Frost.

Overall Readability-

The next dystopian on your to-read list should be Frost. It isn't a copycat of another book like The Hunger Games. It is new and original. It is very easy to get interested in which is why I finished it in one sitting. You will find yourself falling into the world of The Frost and wishing to explore more just like Lia. I strongly recommend Frost for YA readers who enjoy post apocalyptic novels.

My Final Thought-

Why didn't you go! I thought you loved him! :(

4 out of 5 Haunted Roses

Kate Avery Ellison

http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/

Twitter is @katiewriting

Amazon/Barnes and Noble

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Circus Summer Tour! Review!

Ladies and Gentlemen feast your eyes on the next act! My 5 star review on this summer's death defying new series sure to be the next big thing. Like the young adults in Circus Summer this book must compete to the death to get to the top too. Ha just kidding it already won my heart. Anyway read up on all my thoughts of Circus Summer.

Title- Circus Summer (Circus of Curiosities #1)

Author-Kailin Gow

Source- ARC paperback 

Pages- 270

Publisher- theEdgebooks

Publication Date- June 5th, 2012

Goodreads Summary-

In post-apocalypse America, every season, the Circus of Curiosities visits the city, bringing with it the most fantastic circus acts that are beautiful, majestic, curious, and death-defying. Every season performers for these acts are chosen from the young men and women in each town, trained, and sent to perform in a live grand performance, performed literally to the death. Two performers from Sea Cliff, a beach town at the outskirts of The Center find themselves chosen to be in this Summer's Circus Act. Both must win at any cost, but could they ignore their feelings for each other? Leela Sinclair needs to win in order to get to The Center where she can get medical help from the best physicians for her ailing mother, plague with a condition no one have heard of. For Zachary Nile, his reasons for becoming a performer at the Circus is more mysterious.  Only the ringmaster and the Circus of Curiosities owner Dex Hightower (Dr. Dex) knows what the touring Circus is really about amidst the magic and splendor.  Despite the Great War and the poverty surrounding the land except for the towns fortunate enough to be near the Center, Dr. Dex and the Circus performers all know, "The show must go on."

~Review~

Cover Thoughts-

I like it. :) It has the circus feel to it with the horse rearing and the girl possibly Leela looking calm, collected, and determined.  

First Thought-

I have never heard of anything like this! A dystopian with killer circuses! This has got to be the next big thing in the book world. Secrets, romance, betrayal, and adventure await in this book.

What I liked-

The Show must go on! I see this whole book through a kaleidoscope of color and music for every action scene. Everything is so vividly detailed that I feel like I am there at every performance feeling Leela's fear and determination. My favorite scene was the one where Leela and Zachary know there true feelings for each other. I felt so entirely sad for Thomas, Leela's longtime friend. Leela has to get to the Center of The United. She believes they may have the cure for her mother. Her mother and brother only have Leele to take care of them so the circus might be exactly what she needs. Of course she heard rumors but she doesn't know what she got into until the first performer dies. It is then that she knows its a competition to the death. And only the top survivor makes it to the finals. Every death defying knife thrower, trapeze, fire eater, and animal tamer scene was awesome. Leela finds herself in the middle of a war between humans and the invaders who take over peoples bodies. Somehow they made into the Center. Now it isn't just about her mother anymore its about saving the entire United now. The end just blew me away. I wanted to know what was on the note the ringmaster gave Zachary the entire time and finally I figure out what was said. This is my next favorite dystopian series!
Here's a Quote:
What ifs. So many what ifs, and most of them are bad. There are so many ways my life can go wrong from here, and not very many it can work out well.

What I disliked-

I think it was too short. I felt like things were happening too fast. I wish I could have read a few more scenes with Leela and her mother. It seemed like she hardly saw her. The story would have been way better if there was more to it. Maybe a scene in Thomas's point of view or something. I also was reminded of The Hunger Games a lot. A love triangle, the girl and guy is part of the "games" one guy wishes he could take her place and the girl chooses the guy with her. The mother is sick and doesn't do much. There is a younger sibling. The girl does most of the work to keep the family going. I bet I could go on and on with similarities but I could also go on and on with differences. Circus Summer does have its own originality even if it is similar to The Hunger Games.

Overall Readability-

Very suspenseful and an all in one sitter. I wanted to stay up all night finishing it and I was very sad to know the second book won't be out for a while. :( I strongly recommend this book to The Hunger Games lovers or to people who just love reading dystopians (books set in the future with societies that fail).

My Final Thought-

If you want to live, protect the champion. *goosebumps*

5 out of 5 Haunted Roses

There is a $100 Amazon Gift Card contest! It is found within the pages of the Kindle edition of Circus Summer! 

~Author Information~

Kailin Gow uses her author platform to bring awareness to issues affecting young adult and women. She has appeared on national radio as a regular guest on topics such as body image, self-esteem, dating and sexual relationships, bullying, and more; often brought up in her fiction books for young adults and women. She has won multiple awards from the International Book Awards and the Green Book Festival. Selling over half a million books, Kailin Gow has been a bestselling author of over 100 distinct books which includes the Desire Series, PULSE, Wicked Woods, and the Frost Series. She has been professionally published since 2001. She was one of the first authors for young readers to write books for girls with supernatural elements. Her first book series about extraordinary girls guided by an angel in 2001, was a success, selling thousands of print copies in days, and inspiring girl book clubs around the U.S. In 2003, she came out with more series, including The Fairy Rose Chronicles, about fairies in Feyland. Her books have been recommended by PBS Kids, US Mental Health Association, the PTA, and homeschooling associations in the United States. 

Her Bitter Frost Series, PULSE Series, and other book series are being developed into MMO Games by SEE GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT, one of the foremost entertainment developers in the world, known for developing world-reknown blockbuster films into games. The Frost Series and PULSE MMO Games are set to release late 2013 or early 2014. 

She is a graduate of the Annenberg School for Communications Masters in Management program in journalism, marketing and publishing at the University of Southern California.

You can find her here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KailinGowBooks

Twitter: @kailingow

Her website: http://kailingowbooks.com/

Her Publisher's Site: http://www.theedgebooks.com

Official website and blog: http://www.kailingow.wordpress.com