[Book Tour] Review: In The Forests of The Night

 

Tyger Tyger DISCOUNT Finds

NOOK & KINDLE STEALS!

I'm only yelling because I found this amazing deal online and I went a little giddy! Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton, a book I VERY much liked, is marked WAY down for Nook and Kindle.

A little about the book:

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton | November 15, 2010 | Clarion Books

Goodreads: Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.
For the deals:

NOOK: $2.99
KINDLE: $2.69

Make sure you gobble up these deals! I really do like this book.

Monday's Mistletoe Mister

Tis' The Season for Holiday Kisses.... Tis' The Season for Holiday Hotties!

Between now and Christmas, I'll be sharing my favorite boys. Every Monday will be deemed Monday's Mistletoe Mister. You know, there's quite a few book boys I'd love to be caught under the mistletoe with. How about for you? I bet there's at least one or two. Wink wink wink.

Each post will contain five words that describe each boy; and why I like them... and why you should, as well.

 This week I'm picking Kale from Touch by Jus Accardo.

Touch by Jus Accardo | Published: November 1, 2011 | Entangled

Goodreads When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Why I love Kale: Oh looky there. No UP there. Mistletoe. Smooches!

1. Mysterious
2. Icy blues eyes
3. Gentle
4. Protective
5. Likes to kiss

In all honesty, Touch is one of my favorite books this year. If you haven't read it yet, you should. It's really good. Very action packed. Most importantly, Kale is a kisser.... a pretty good one.
< insert another wink >

In My Mailbox [34]

 This meme is hosted by The Story Siren. For all the deets click HERE.

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature that allows blogs to share what great book related things they got in the mail. DISCLAIMER: All ARCs are provided to me in exchange for a review, or as a giveaway prize. All tour books & borrowed books are provided out of love and blogging friendship. Finally, I in no way use this feature to brag or to make fellow bloggers feel bad. I acquire books & loot the honest way. This feature is only to share my love of books & to get the word out about them.

Review: Touch

Touch by Jus Accardo | Published: November 1, 2011 | Entangled

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

:-:-:-:

Touch, by Jus Accardo, is a little bit Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi meets Divergent by Veronica Rossi. It’s both action/adventure and romance/coming-of-age. It’s beautiful and heart wrenching, yet wonderful and laugh inducing. To be utterly cliché and cheesy, I must admit that Touch really did touch me. It quickly made its way into my heart; and quickly claimed the title as one of my favorite books. Like ever! It’s everything I could ask for, plus a little bit more after that.

Both Deznee and Kale are a pair to be reckoned with. I smiled so much throughout their interactions. I love these two separately as much as I love them together. Deznee, the 17 year-old adrenaline junkie, will do anything to make her father angry. Ever since her mom died, Deznee’s relationship with her father has been lacking. She blames herself for her mother, and deep down knows that her father does, too. Their relationship, if you can call it that, is more hostile than loving. Any reaction Dezenee can get from him, mostly anger, she feeds off of. The biggest upset of all is when Deznee brings home a mysterious, yet totally hot, boy named Kale. Daddy wasn’t only angry, he pulled a gun out.

Really! Her dad is wack-o to the extreme. As the story unfolds, the truth behind Deznee’s crazy dad and her odd name are unveiled. Jaw dropping at its best. Accardo brilliantly wrote plot twist after plot twist without losing steam; and, most importantly, without losing my attention. I could write pages on all of the action, but what I really want to talk about is Kale.

Kale, oh Kale. How do I love thee? Just thinking about this guy makes me smile. When he literally stumbles down an embankment and lands at Deznee’s feet, both she and I were hooked. One look in those icy blues eyes and Deznee was a goner… and so was I. Within minutes of meeting Kale, Deznee knows something is off with him. He’s not normal. Kale may be a babe, but let’s get real: hot guys can be creepers! Instead of ditching him by the river, Deznee drags him home to meet her dad. I wish I could say what happens next, but I won’t spoil it. I laughed and I gasped and I laughed some more. So, so good!

Accardo throws curve ball after curve ball in Touch. From one sequence to the next, I kept turning the pages and loving everything new that jumped out at me. This book is superheroes meets teen drama, meets slow loving. Any reader looking for the cutest (and steamiest) moments between a boy learning what a kiss is; and a girl leaning what love is, Touch is a must read.

TGIF [19]

Happy Friday Bloggers! I'm ending another full book week by joining with other bloggers to share bookish pictures, lists, and excitements. This weekly feature is hosted by Ginger over at GReads! It's a fun way to spend a bookish Friday. For all of the details, and to get involved/participate click [HERE] and join in. 

Writing Reviews 101:

What's your process for writing book reviews? 
Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

Setting: I always write my reviews on my laptop. Most times, my laptop is on the dining room table. I always work in the dining room. I've tried the couch and my bed, but I hurt my neck back in 2004, so I have to have a solid hardback chair to sit in for long periods.

Dining room + laptop = best review writing spot.

Music: Mood music is the best inspiration. I always listen to music that fits the mood of the book. It helps me stay inside the plot, and it helps keep the characters fresh in my mind.

Word Document: I'm the model English student. ALL blog works' get written in Word. I go over every little detail numerous times before I feel confident to copy and paste into Blogger. Once I do that, I re-edit all my writing and correct things I think need to be fixed. I try my best to carry what I've learned from my English classes into writing for this blog.

Brainstorming: Sometimes I don't know how to approach a review, so I've gotten in the habit of brainstorming and making rough drafts in my head. I start talking about everything I liked, what stood out, favorite characters, etc. Usually after a while of pulling out the best parts, I start thinking of the negatives. Let's face it, not all books are perfect. Then, once I've gotten my mind working, I start writing the review in my head. THEN, I feel confident enough to sit down and start typing. I usually end up with something else, but it really makes me stop and think about the book as a whole and what I feel should be mentioned in the review.

Tips/Suggestions:

1. Always write reviews from your heart and gut. Never be mean or harsh, but always be honest. If you didn't like a book, then you don't have to write a glowing review. Whenever I write reviews for books I didn't care much for, I tend to find smaller things I liked. It's a nice way to balance it out and not come off as being cruel.
2. Be yourself! All of my reviews show a different side of my personality. I can be glowing, gushing, blushing, angry,  sad, depressed, happy, silly, witty, etc., in my writing. Always let yourself speak through your reviews. People want to know us [bloggers] when they read our reviews.
3. Quality not quantity. If you only write one review a month, who cares? As long as it was written well and from your heart, it will be enough to keep your readers coming back for more.
4. Be creative! Add quotes. Make graphics. Be fun! If a book really spoke to you, go the extra mile by creating a really special review. I've made quote graphics to go along with my favorite books. 
5. Have fun!!

There you have it. My writing process and my crazy tips. So, tell me how you guys write your reviews. Please? Just leave me a comment or post a link to your TGIF post.