Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway: Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up by Sara Hantz

Title: Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?
Author: Sara Hantz
Source: YA Bound
Genre: Yound Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.

Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi's completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.

But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?

I fell in love with Abi Saunders.  I fell in love with Tilly Watson as well, it just took a lot longer to get there.  The contrast between their two lives is striking, but at heart they are still both teenagers trying to fit in.  When Abi gets the chance of her lifetime to be Tilly's stunt double, she almost doesn't take it.  She stutters and is not very sure of herself, but her very good friends eventually talk her into going for it.  Her best friends which are totally awesome throughout the whole story.

On set isn't anything like she expected, and Tilly isn't anything like she expected either.  Abi gets a little carried away a few times, and a lot carried away a few times too.  I love how this book put both Abi and Tilly's lives side by side.  Both girls thinking the other had it so much better than they did.

In the end, everything seems to end up right where it should - which is the perfect way to end this type of story.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Author Bio:Sara Hantz comes from the UK and now lives in Australia (via ten years in New Zealand). Sara lectured for many years before deciding to devote more time to her writing and working in the family business. She has two grown-up children and, when not writing or working, she spends more time than most people she knows watching TV--in fact if TV watching were an Olympic sport she'd win gold. She is also the author of In the Blood and The Second Virginity of Suzy Green. You can find Sara on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahantzauthor?ref=hl Twitter: @sarahantz Her website www.sarahantz.com and on Goodreads.

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Review: The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan

Title: The Faerie Guardian (Creepy Hollow #1)
Author: Rachel Morgan
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Release Date: October 27, 2012
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Enter a hidden world of magic, mystery, danger and romance in this YA fantasy from Amazon bestselling author, Rachel Morgan...

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamor follows her into the Fae realm. Now she’s broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.

The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he’s discovered of the Fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot—and it’ll take all her training to get out alive.

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Creepy Hollow - what an awesome name for a creepy fairy tale forest - and yes it does get questioned on why it sounds like Sleepy Hollow.  The first time Nate enters the forest was a bit humorous.  I loved Nate's "I'm not sure what to say so I'll make a joke" attitude - even if many of the failed.  If anything that made me like him even more - which may not have been a good thing (ah ah ah ... can't say why). 

Vi is the purple haired fairy version of Lara Croft meets Wonder Woman.  Between her amazing fighting skills and ability to leap off a moving vine while performing a triple flip and thowing knives (ok slight exaggeration), and her powerful magic, I'm surprised she ever loses.  These two combined are a fantastic pair to read about.

Now Ryn, well he's definitely different than Nate - and even after finishing I'm not sure what I really think about him.  Part of the reason is I'm a little confused.  There are bits to his storyline that don't seem to add up all the way.  Or that I'm putting together too soon perhaps??  They are never resolved or explained that I saw.  It kind of left a whole in the story for me.

There is tons of action and lots of plot twists.  There is so much good stuff in The Faerie Guardian that I hope she had some left for book two.  There is still a lot for Vi to figure out once book one has ended, but it does try to wrap up some of the threads so we're not left with a complete cliffhanger.  This would have been a five star book if not for my confusion about Ryn (see my comments above).

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Review: Studio Saint-Ex by Ania Szado

Title: Studio Saint-Ex
Author: Ania Szado
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: April 2, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A deeply evocative love story of a literary giant set in the glittering world of French expats in WWII Manhattan-for fans of The Paris Wife

Set in Manhattan and Quebec City in 1943, Studio Saint-Ex is a fictionalized account of the love triangle among Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, his mercurial wife, Consuelo, and a young fashion designer. Mignonne Lachapelle leaves Montreal for New York to make her name, but is swept away by the charms of France’s greatest living writer. Nothing about their relationship is simple—not Antoine’s estranged wife who entangles Mig in her schemes to reclaim her husband, not his turmoil, and certainly not their tempestuous trysts or the blurring boundaries of their artistic pursuits. Yet the greatest complication comes in the form of a deceptively simple manuscript: Antoine’s work-in-progress, The Little Prince, a tender tale of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss in the form of a young prince fallen to earth.
 

Studio Saint-Ex is a deeply evocative love story of a literary giant caught between two talented and mesmerizing women, set in the glittering world of French expatriates in Manhattan during World War II. Reminiscent ofThe Paris Wife, Loving Frank, and The Rules of Civility, Studio Saint-Exexplores themes of love, passion, and creativity in sophisticated, literary prose.

The majority of Studio Saint-Ex is told by Mignonne Lachapelle as she thinks back over the beginnings of her career in New York.  The world of fashion has been devastated by WWII and the fall of France.  Now this may seem like a trivial thing to most, but to the artists, it was a horrible thought.  Mignonne is willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure her ideas are seen - and this is what leads us into the strange story of the beginnings of Studio Saint-Ex.

The story of Mignonne, Consuelo, and Antoine is a very complicated one.  There are feelings of love, betrayal, passion, and loss being thrown around in all directions.  But ultimately they all need each other - for a variety of reasons.  Their time together allows each of them to become more than what they already were and create something that brought hope to the French that fled their homeland.

The writing of Ania Szado was amazing.  It was incredibly fluid and full of imagery.  I don't know a whole lot about fashion, but I could see each and every stitch as a garment took on its shape.  I could feel the aching back and the aching hearts from page to page.  This was a fantastic look into WWII America (and even a bit of WWII Canada) as well as an amazing view into the beginnings of the American fashion world.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn

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Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn

Skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue... and, of course, kissing.

The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she'll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince's proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince's proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.

Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance that takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.

From the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, The Dharian Affairs is a new series filled with equal doses of action-adventure and romance, meant to appeal to fans of Mindjack.

NOMINATED for the Illinois Librarian's "Soon to be Famous Author Project" wherein librarians hope to discover local authors whose "work will jump off the page for readers."

"Third Daughter is vividly breathtaking. Quinn delivers royal intrigue, exotic locations, and sweeping romance. Not to be missed!" - Pavarti K. Tyler, author of Shadow on the Wall

"Susan Kaye Quinn writes characters that leap off the page... Incredibly well written, the vivid setting was crisp in my mind... As the plot raced on, I was cursing real life for not letting me just sit glued to my kindle, punching the touch screen to get to the next page." - Tiffany on Goodreads

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Author Susan Kaye Quinn

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. It's possible she's easily distracted. She always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can find out what she's up to by subscribing to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!).

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Third daughter is an amazing dive into the steampunk genre (which I'm coming to love more and more each day).  A delightful mix of gadgets and inventions with a fantastic costume-like storyline.  The characters are larger than life and the book blurb really hits in on the head when it compares it to Bollywood.

Aniri is the perfect pampered pricess who is shocked to find out she may have to marry for political means after planning on marrying for love.  Thank goodness her betrothed seems to understand her lack of enthusiasm.  What he doesn't realize is that she has been asked to spy on his country.

I loved the scenery, the characters, and almost everything about it.  There were some things that were a bit too drawn out for me though - but I can't give them away or I'll ruin it for you.  This is a great unique addition to the steam punk world.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/24/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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