Giveaway and Review: "Entice"

 As part of the "Entice" blog tour, I have my review of "Entice" as well as a contest for a copy of both "Entice" and the first book in the series, "Embrace".

"Entice"

by Jessica Shirvington

 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Sep 4, 2012
Source: ARC sent by publisher

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads.com:  

Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels.
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever.
The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

Enticed is the second compelling book in The Violet Eden Chapters.

 

My Review:

I didn't read the first book in the series, Embrace, and I think it would have helped my enjoyment of this book if I had read the first one. I wasn't lost at all, but I did feel like I was missing out on a lot of the deeper meaning, especially when it came to the relationships in the book.

I'm not sure angel books are really for me. It's a very specific sub-genre, and it seems like you have to know a lot about the genre before reading. This type of religious fiction is strange to me for some reason. It's strange to see such a fantasy story with religious references and quotes from the Bible.

This book reminded me of the adult paranormal style that was made a little bit less intense for a teen audience. I really don't like the adult paranormal genre, so I think that's part of why this book didn't totally work for me. I felt this book was totally appropriate for a teen audience, but it seemed like a 'training book' to train teens into reading the adult paranormals.

Violet wasn't especially interesting to me as the lead female. She wasn't especially strong-willed, or especially meek, she was just a middle of the road narrator of the story. I can't say I had any problems with her, she just didn't stand out. The same can be said for her love interest, Lincoln. My favorite character in the book was Spence. He had a little spice! He was funny and a great friend. Another great friend to Vi was Steph, who often brought Vi back to 'reality'.

Main Characters: 3/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5 (Spence and Steph)
Setting: 3/5

Romance: 3/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 4/5


Bottom Line: A detailed look at angel mythology, but I'm not sure it was for me.

GIVEAWAY RULES:

The publicist has generously provided a copy of "Entice" and a copy of "Embrace" for a lucky follower of my blog!

All you have to do is follow my blog publicly and fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow publicly or I can't tell that you are following :)

• US and Canada only
• Must be a follower to enter
• Books will be mailed out by the publisher
• Must be 18 or over 

• Ends Fri Oct 5

Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday (223)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it is a way to show off the books you can't wait to be released!!

This week I chose:

"Renegade"
by J.A. Souders
Tor Teen
Release Date: Nov 13, 2012

The following description is from goodreads.com:

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

I'm intrigued by the underwater society! Yet, she doesn't look like a mermaid on the cover. Hmmmm, Atlantis-ish, maybe?

What are you waiting for this week???

Giveaway and Guest Post with Jessica Scott!

Today, I'd like to welcome comtemporary romance writer Jessica Scott to In the Hammock for a guest post! 

Jessica Scott is the is the author of the new book, Until There was You, which will be released October 8th. Jessica will be giving away an e-copy of the book to a lucky reader of my blog!

Now, here's Jessica! 

Guest Post
By Jessica Scott

Thanks so much for having me here today at In the Hammock! When Carrie and I were talking about what I should write about, she asked me to consider what in my own military experience has shaped the way or the reason I write.

UNTIL THERE WAS YOU is the story of two soldiers coming home from war and starting to unpack their ruck sacks of all the baggage they’ve carried around with them. Combat changes a person and one of the things I love dealing with in my writing is how combat changes you. Not everything is PTSD, you know?

The biggest reason that I write the military stories the way that I do is because I know first hand what coming home from war is like. Going to war changes you and when people have gone back to back to back, they don’t have time to reset their normal. The media is so full of the ex GI strung out with PTSD, it’s tainting the real challenges that soldiers who are coming home from war face. So I write the books I write in the hopes of challenging some of the stereotypes, in painting a slightly more realistic picture of the challenges soldiers face, if that makes sense?

In UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, we have Claire and Evan, both captains who have deployed multiple times. My husband has deployed 4 times so I’m intimately familiar with the changes that deploying causes in people. One of the things you won’t see in Evan & Claire’s story is a single event that scarred either of them. It was a process, a gradual change that occurred over the course of time and they have to start unpacking the things that are weighing them down.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your experiences, Jessica!

Here's the official blurb!

He plays by the rules, she’s not afraid to break them. Now these two strong-willed army captains will prove that opposites attract . . .
A by-the-book captain with a West Point background, Captain Evan Loehr refuses to mix business with pleasure—except for an unguarded instance years ago when he succumbed to the deep sensuality of redheaded beauty Claire Montoya. From that moment on, though, Evan has been at odds with her, through two deployments to Iraq and back again. But when he is asked to train a team prepping for combat alongside Claire, battle-worn Evan is in for the fight of his life.
Strong, gutsy, and loyal, Captain Claire Montoya has worked hard to earn the rank on her chest. In Evan, Claire sees a rigid officer who puts the rules before everything else—including his people. When the mission forces them together, Claire soon discovers that there is more to Evan than meets the eye.
He’s more than the rank on his chest; he’s a man with dark secrets and deep longings. For all their differences, Evan and Claire share two crucial passions: their country and each other.

 Here’s the official excerpt! UNTIL THERE WAS YOU by Jessica Scott, Excerpt

You can order UNTIL THERE WAS YOU at these ebookstores or wherever ebooks are sold! B & N | Amazon | Powell's| iBookstore  

BIO:
Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats, three dogs and two escape-artists hamsters, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She has commanded two companies, served in Germany, Korea, Fort Hood and Iraq, and been lucky not to get fired. She is a terrible cook and an even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

You can find her online at
Website: http://www.jessicascott.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jessicascottauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessicascott09
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5131118.Jessica_Scott

 
GIVEAWAY RULES:

Jessica has generously provided an e-copy of "Until There was You" for a lucky reader of my blog!

All you have to do is follow my blog publicly and fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Please follow publicly or I can't tell that you are following :)

• International
• Must be a follower to enter
• Books/codes will be mailed out by the author
• Must be 18 or over 

• Ends Mon Oct 8

Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Alexandre Reza" Review

"Alexandre Reza"
by Vivienne Becker

Publisher: Assouline
Release Date: Sep 11, 2012
Source: layout sent by publisher

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Summary from assouline.com:

For the past five decades, gemologist Alexandre Reza has been one of Paris's—and indeed, the world's—most exclusive jewelers, a master artisan and exporter based in Place Vendôme, the heart of fashion and luxury.

To experience his ornaments is to discover history reborn: The diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies of his collections have seen the most extravagant centuries and epochs, from French monarchies to Persian dynasties to the Italian Renaissance. And yet Reza's precious stones are never meant to be an antiquated homage to a prestigious past; a creator by instinct, Reza takes history as inspiration rather than for reproduction. His handcrafted pieces mix ages and eras to create something special—a "harmonization of contradictory forces," according to historian Arlette Seta.

This monumental edition, part of Assouline's Ultimate Collection, presents more than one hundred rare pieces of Reza's creations, and includes a history of the famed gem house in archival documents and vintage photography.

My Review:

I reviewed a layout of this book, not the finished product, but it looks like the finished product is a work of art in itself. Hand-bound, in a suede clamshell case, I'm sure the finished book is exquisite. With a $1,000 price tag, this book could be displayed along with the jewels pictured on it's pages.

The book has so many vivid photos of various jewels from the Reza collection. The colors really jump off of the pages. The pieces are all shown in lush detail. The vast variety in styles is really surprising, there is something here for everyone.

There is a brief history of Alexandre Reza and his design house, but it wasn't really readable in the format that I received for review, however I trust that it was a basic history of the designer. The real bulk of the book is the detailed photos of the extravagant jewelry pieces.

Bottom Line:  The photos of the jewelry are exquisite, and I'm sure the packaging is swoon-worthy. The price tag reflects the extravagance of both the book and the jewels on it's pages.

Here are a few more photos from the book, all from Assouline.com

"Deception" Review

"Deception"
by Kris Kennedy

Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

A beautiful silk merchant and a dashing con man join forces in the second scorching medieval romance from Kris Kennedy.

Breaking and entering to reclaim her corrupt late father's ledger comes surprisingly easily to Sophia Darnly. But is it mere coincidence that her misdeed unexpectedly reunites her with Kier, the outlaw lover who abandoned her years ago? Time has not erased Sophia from Kier's heart, nor tamed her fiery spirit. She boldly insinuates herself into Kier's plan for revenge, believing the ledger will ensure her survival. But Kier knows that with or without the ledger, she's as good as dead.

Kier is a dangerous, intoxicating potion for Sophia, but he's on a mission of revenge, and can't allow even the woman he once loved to stop him. The danger mounts as they take on the leader of a powerful consortium who needs the fabled Darnly ledger—and all its damning details about the wealthiest merchants of England—to execute his nefarious plan. He also needs Sophia—the last witness to his scheme—dead.

The coals of their rekindled passion burn hot as Sophia and Kier set their trap. But when the duo discovers they too are the targets of a deadly deception, the fate of their love, and of England itself, lies in the balance.

My Review:

I was really impressed with this medieval historical romance. It was quite different from the norm, and didn't really follow the regular formula of historical romances. The writing style was very different, almost lyrical in some places which made for a really romantic read.

Kier wasn't totally my type of hero, he was a little too alpha for me, but I still liked him. His alpha personality was balanced well with Sophia's strength, so he never seemed too overbearing or anything. She had too much strength in her own right to let him turn her into a pushover. There were still a lot of really romantic lines that were positively swoon-worthy, and showed that they were both mushy romantics underneath their armor.

The beginning focused a lot on the setting and setting up the mystery, so I thought the book would be slow, but once the romance started, the pages just flew by and it was a really quick and addictive read. I enjoyed this one a lot more than the author's first book, Defiant, in which I felt the romance never really started going at full steam. I think in this book, the language and story were much more relatable instead of going for the over the top medieval language and feel like the first book did. I'm looking forward to her next book after enjoying this one so much.

Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 4/5

Bottom Line:  Fans of medieval romance, alpha heroes, and strong heroines are going to love this book! Can't wait to read her next romance!

If you think this book sounds interesting, you may like my review of her first book:

Defiant Review

Sunday Shout Out (17)

Recently, I introduced a new feature here at In the Hammock on Sundays. It's called "Sunday Shout Out" and it's a place where I can give a special shout out to those publishers and authors who have sent me books over the week, as well as those bloggers who have hosted contests that I've won! I'll also be giving shout outs to any other cool books, blogs or bookish news that I've spotted during the week.

Check out my first Sunday Shout Out post for even more info, here!

Contest Wins

"Temptation" by Karen Ann Hopkins

 
Won from Behind a Million and One Pages

"Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire

Won from Romancing the Book

"Library Mouse: A Museum Adventure" by Daniel Kirk

Won from King's River Life Magazine

For Review

"Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris" by Marissa Moss

Contests

 Win "Blame it on Texas" Ends 9/16

  
 Win "The Sweet Life" 6 E-Novellas! Sweet Valley Ten Years Later! Ends 10/6

 
Win "Pushing the Limits" Ends 9/23

Win "Jane" by Robin Maxwell Ends 9/23



If you would like to do your own Sunday Shout out, please add the button that links back to this post, and leave your link in the comments section this weekend so I can check it out, and so that other readers can stop by too!!


Please remember to add the button so we can get the word out about the event!

(Original image from The Graphics Fairy)

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"Wayne of Gotham" Review

"Wayne of Gotham"
by Tracy Hickman

Publisher: It Books
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

Two men separated by murder: Thomas, the rebellious doctor and heir to the vast Wayne empire, and Bruce, his son, whose life is forever altered by witnessing his parents' murder. The slaying of Thomas and Martha Wayne is the torturous point on which Bruce turns to become Batman.

The Dark Knight's file on the case has long been closed, the foundations of Bruce Wayne's secret life secure in the simple genesis of a mugging gone horribly wrong.

These foundations are shaken, however, when an unexpected guest invades the grounds of Wayne Manor, raising questions about the event that ended the lives of the mother he loved and the father he worshipped, and sparked his unquenchable drive to protect and avenge.

To discover his real family history, Batman must face down old foes, his only confidant, and the evil heart of Arkham Asylum, and shoulder the new burden of a dark legacy.

My Review:

There are certain aspects about Batman that the author really got right, but then the actual plot here isn't really that exciting, which makes the book move a little slowly. As for the overall tone of the book, I think the author was spot on. The book feels very melancholy and sad, which I feel like describes the Batman 'world' very well. Another aspect that was done very well was the description of the cars and gadgets. Batman always has some fantastic gadgets and they were all described in detail here. So if those are the aspects that you enjoy about Batman stories, then you will probably like reading this novel, too.

I think the actual story was a just a little too slow for me. I also wasn't really sure if Bruce Wayne was old, or if he just felt old. His age wouldn't have bothered me at all, but he seemed to be really sad about being old, so it didn't really translate well. It would have been nice if he had been older but defied norms or boundaries about age.

Main Characters: 3/5
Supporting Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Uniqueness: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 4/5

Bottom Line:  Overall, the story was a little slow, but I think Batman fans would like to add this to their collection.