Book Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: June 19, 2012

PRE-ORDER THIS IS NOT A TEST

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

MY REVIEW

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is a beautifully written tale of grief and survival. This is not your typical blood and gore zombie tale. The zombies act more as a catalyst to propel the story into one that explores what people will do to survive, and the emotions that result from those decisions. Sloane has reached her breaking point, and decided she cannot live this life anymore. Too bad for her, the day that she decides she is ready to give up, the zombie apocalypse happens. Now she is trapped in the school with five of her classmates.

Barricaded within the school, Sloane has to see all the other survivors fighting to survive, and explore her reasons for giving up on life. With six different personalities trapped alone in a school, relationships, and loyalties are tested. The real question is, when the world is gone, does humanity go with it? Courtney Summer has taken the question and spun a stunning story exploring for the answer.

I am always up for a great zombie book, so I had to read this one! To my amazement and happy surprise, this book is so much more than zombies. This Is Not a Test is such an emotional and thought-provoking read. While Sloane may sound like a weak character, I truly find that she has a powerful inner strength. This story is not just about Sloane, it is also about the events that happened before the outbreak, the throughout the rest of the story.

Even if you are not a fan of zombies, this book is a must read. It is just so much more, and so amazing. I had to take time and think about this book after reading it. This review maybe a bit on the gushy side, but any book that makes me think this hard deserves my admiration for both the story and the author who tells it.

Update: It has been about a month or so since I read This Is Not a Test and wrote this review. Sometimes feelings change over time, but not with This Is Not a Test. It is a beautiful book, and it really is one of my favorite reads on 2012.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**

QUESTIONS I THOUGHT WHILE READING?

Would you change if all the pretenses and the whole idea of image disappeared in the blink of an eye? Would you still be the loser, the nerd, the jock, or just a human being who is fighting to survive? 

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dearly Beloved

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Dearly Beloved

Author: Lia Habel

Series: Gone with Respiration #2

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Expected Publication: September 25, 2012

NO DETAILS YET

Why am I waiting?

FOUR WORDS

Victorian, Steampunk, Zombies, Bram

Seriously, the first one was amazing! I want to know what happens, especially the way Dearly Departed left off. If you have not read Dearly Departed yet, you really should. It may have zombies, but there is so much more to the story. 

Have you read Dearly Departed? How excited are you for Dearly Beloved?

What are you waiting on?

Leave me a link so I can check it out!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!!

Stacking the Shelves #3

Stacking The Shelves was created and is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is where I will be sharing the books and goodies I have received for the week. This will include both physical and eBooks that are purchased, borrowed, gifted, or for review

I only received one book this week, but it an awesome book so I wanted to share!!
FOR REVIEW


The Week at Unabridged Bookshelf
Review: My Soul To Steal(Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent
Waiting on Wednesday: Undead
Review: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman
Cover Battle: Starters by Lissa Price


What did you get this week?
Leave me a link so I can check it out!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Cover Battle: Starters by Lissa Price

It that time again, when we pit covers for the same book against themselves to see who comes out the reigning victor. 

This week we have two versions of the cover of Starters by Lissa Price!
**The inspiration for this particular battle was due to the Author, Lissa Price asking opinions on Facebook, so feel free to visit the post and leave your choice**

For fun, there is a survey at the bottom to pick your choices, and next week I will reveal the winner of the Cover Battle(and I will also let Lissa Price know the results)!!

FIRST UP THE WINNERS OF THE LAST COVER BATTLE
The NEW cover for Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick won out over the OLD cover
and
The OLD cover for Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama won over the NEW redesigned cover!


Now for the NEW BATTLE....
THE US COVER VERSUS THE GERMAN COVER

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Title: The Book of Blood and Shadow
Author: Robin Wasserman
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 10, 2012

THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

MY REVIEW

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman is an amazingly intricate tale of mystery and lost span over 400 years. After losing her brother, Nora was not sure she would even feel happy again, until she gains admission to Chapman Prep. At Chapman, she meets Chris, the only one who knows the truth about her brother, and his soon to be girlfriend, Adriane. Nora feels comfort in her new life, that her home life and absent parents cannot provide. After Chris goes to college, just down the block, their group grows to four, with Chris roommate, Max.

Chris, Max, and, through a special independent study, Nora begin working on trying to translate the Voynich Manuscript, as so many people have before them. Nora is given the less important task of translating the letter of Elizabeth Weston, a seventeen-year-old girl, in 1598. In a turn of events, Nora begins to uncover the secrets of the Voynich Manuscript, which leads down a dangerous road. There are people who want the secrets, and who will do everything to get them. When Nora discovers her best friend, Chris, murdered in his home, and his girlfriend and her other best friend catatonic over his body. Nora does not know what to do, but when Matt, her boyfriend, is blamed for the murd4er, she knows it is up to her to do something.

The quest for answers takes Nora on a trek across the Atlantic to Elizabeth Weston’s home, Prague. There Nora has to find the answers she seeks, while hiding for the secret religious sects who want to either use her knowledge or kill her. Either way Nora is in a world of danger, without her friends by her side. Following in the footsteps of Elizabeth is the only way Nora is going to make it out alive. There is a lot more I want to discuss about this book, but I am trying to avoid spoilers.

The amount of research that the author, Robin Wasserman, did for this novel is outstanding. Elizabeth Weston is a real person and a poet, and so is the Voynich Manuscript, which scholars still attempt to this day to decode. While there are real people in this story, the work is completely fiction. The research and using actual historical people adds a level of realism to the story, and adds a bit of terror to the story. The details and stories in this book is incredible, I have a desire to visit Prague I never thought I would.

It took me longer than I expected to finish The Book of Blood and Shadow, because I savored every second and did not want to miss any details. There are so many subtle clues that are woven into the story causing twists and turns at every single corner. Every time I thought I understood where the story was going, it would change direction. It takes a lot nowadays for a book to hold my complete attention for that long, and I have to commend Robin Wasserman on writing a remarkable book that I never saw coming.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**

Waiting on Wednesday: Undead

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Undead

Author: Kirsty McKay

Series: Undead #1

Publisher: Scholastic

Expected Publication: September 1, 2012

Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.
The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty.
Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.
But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.
Combining the chill of THE SHINING, the thrill ride of SPEED, the humor of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the angst of THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Kirsty McKay's UNDEAD is a bloody mad mash-up, a school-trip splatter-fest, a funny, gory, frighteningly good debut!(From Goodreads)

Why am I waiting?

Zombies of course, and the cover with the cheerleader and the bloody ax. 

I am going through zombie withdrawals right now, especially since I have to wait until October for the Walking Dead to come back. This sounds like this book is right up my alley, and I cannot wait to enjoy. 

What are you waiting on?

Make sure to leave me a link!

And as always

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Steal
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers #4
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Publication Date: January 4, 2011

BUY MY SOUL TO STEAL

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.
See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.
And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.(From Goodreads)

MY REVIEW

**MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS SOUL SCREAMERS BOOKS**

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent starts up about two weeks after the events of My Soul to Keep. So many things I want to talk about in this book, but I cannot without possibly spoiling it for other readers. If you have not read the first three books, this review may contain spoilers, as this is part of a series. After the tragic events that happened, in well every Soul Screamers book, but specifically the end of My Soul to Keep, Kaylee, and Nash’s relationship is cracked. These are not simple little cracks, but large fissures. Kaylee just wants the chance to see if they can repair their relationship and move past the events of My Soul to Keep.

Enter the cherry on top of the pile of problems, Sabine. Sabine has prior stakes to Nash, and she does not want to give them up for anything. This is not just a normal clash of ex-girlfriend versus the sort of current girlfriend, not when Sabine is involved. Sabine is not just your average ex-girlfriend; she is a living nightmare or Mara. To survive she has to feed on the fears of others, but she in not above using her powers to get what she wants either. Kaylee need to decide if Nash is worth fighting for, and if she can ever forgive him.

Let us talk characters, first up Kaylee. Kaylee is not the strong, brave female lead we are used to seeing in this series. This is because her heart is hurting, and she is trying to reevaluate her relationship and her life. She is more vulnerable, and I think that allows me to love her even more. There is also a lot of jealousy between Kaylee and Sabine, and I think it does bring out the worst parts in Kaylee. While this is all going on, Kaylee still wants to be protect the innocent and fight for what is right.

Next up Nash, Nash made me so angry in My Soul to Keep, and you make me so sad in My Soul to Steal. Nash is trying to move on with his life, and all he wants to do is redeem himself in Kaylee’s eyes. I understand Kaylee’s point and I understand Nash’s wishes. It just breaks your heart to watch these two go through this, even if it is Nash’s fault. He finds peace in his friendship with Sabine, even if it does drive Kaylee crazy, and Sabine’s intentions are less than honorable. I hope they can move past all this in If I Die, but I have a feeling based on reactions, it is not to be so.

Sabine, Sabine, Sabine you manage to irritate me, while at the same time making me want to give you a big hug, sort of. Maras are born to human parents, and if they do not control their powers, they literally frighten everyone away. While Sabine is a funny yet exasperating character, she is also very alone. Nash is her only friend, so you cannot but feel sorry for her even just a little bit. I cannot wait to see if Sabine grows in If I Die.

Saving the best for last in this super long review, we have Tod. The reaper, whom I suspect is harboring a bit of a crush on our dear Kaylee Cavanaugh. I love the friendship that has bloomed between Tod and Kaylee and even Tod, Kaylee, and Emma. I think this is the book where I am still holding out hope for Nash, but starting to hope that Tod gets a chance. I am so torn, with everything in this book. This review is so much long than normal, just because I am so full of emotions brought out by this book. This is just another amazing book by the marvelous Rachel Vincent.

**Unabridged Bookshelf purchased this book**


Do you think there is any hope for Nash and Kaylee?
How excited are you for Before I Wake next month?

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Stacking the Shelves #2: The One With DEMON EYES!

Stacking The Shelves was created and is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is where I will be sharing the books and goodies I have received for the week. This will include both physical and eBooks that are purchased, borrowed, gifted, or for review

FOR REVIEW

Thank you to Flux Books and Netgalley!!

How creepy is that cover! I cannot wait until I get the chance to read this one!

BOUGHT

I am excited to read both of these, I got them on my Nook for an excuse to read it on it. 

THIS WEEK ON UNABRIDGED BOOKSHELF

Blog Tour: Afterglow Trilogy w/ Review and Interview

Cover and Title Reveal for Wander Dust #2 by Michelle Warren

Waiting on Wednesday: Ten

Book Review: Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

Follow Friday & TGIF: Vacations and Beginnings

What did you get this week?
Leave me a link so I can check out your haul!

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Follow Friday and TGIF: Vacations and Beginnings

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q: Summer Break is upon us! What would be the perfect vacation spot for you to catch up on your reading & relax?

If I could pick anywhere, including fictional, I would love to take a vacation to the Salvatore Boarding House. They have a huge collection of books, and I would love the chance to see all the historical books they own. But since this was more of a in the real world question, I would have to say, a secluded mountain cabin. I would love to curl up by the fireplace in a big cabin out in the mountains. No cell service, no WiFi. Just me and my books for a nice weeklong retreat,    well and I guess my little family. That sounds so nice right now...

Where would you love to go to relax and read the day away?

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at Greads

The purpose is to answer the question for the week, and re-cap the weeks posts.

It is a great way to get to know other bloggers.

A Book Blogger is Born: What made you decide to start your very own book blog?

This blog was started September 25, 2011. I had been following a few book blogs for awhile, and because of those I want to share my own thoughts on books. I decided to create a blog on a whim, just to see how it would go. It started taking off faster than I even expected, but I have loved every single second. Basically I am a reader who loves to find out about amazing books that I wouldn't have know about otherwise, and share my own love of books with other readers and bloggers.

Do you have a book blog? What made you start?
If not have you considered starting one?

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

Title: Ripper
Author: Amy Carol Reeves
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: April 8, 2012

BUY RIPPER

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

In 1888, following her mother's sudden death, 17-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother's request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there. But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper.(From Goodreads)

MY REVIEW

Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves takes the story of Jack the Ripper, and adds a paranormal twist. Arabella grew up playing with on the streets of Dublin, but when her mother passes away, she is forced to move in with her aristocratic grandmother in London. Her grandmother trying to make up for disowning her daughter wants to make Arabella into a woman worthy of a fortunate marriage. Soon after her arrival in London, she begins to have visions.

At first, she thinks it is just a fluke, until she starts working at the Whitechapel Hospital caring for the women of the Whitechapel district. When her visions start to appear to coincide with the famous Ripper attacks, Arabella discovers that the two maybe connected. Arabella soon discovers she maybe the only one who can put a stop to the horrific attacks, and save the women of East London. This book does not lack romance as two of the young doctors both offer Arabella a chance a romance.

Arabella is strong and independent from growing up in Dublin, which makes her not fit in as well in the aristocratic background of her grandmother’s world. It makes her determined to help others, including trying to protect her patients from Jack the Ripper. It also captures the eyes of both Simon St. John, and William Siddal, two young handsome doctors. Simon comes from the same high society as Arabella’s grandmother, and his parents are even social friends with her grandmother. William Siddal is comes from more of an artist background, which her grandmother disapproves.

I have to say that I have always been fascinated with the Jack the Ripper murders, probably because they were so brutal and never solved. There is something to say  that even nearly 124 years later, most people still know about. For a killer, if he wanted infamy he surely got it. This book changes and takes some small liberties with the incidences and details of the murders, but that is why it is a work of fiction.  I think it is creative, and enjoyable. I sincerely hope there is another book to follow, because this one left me wanting more! Even for those who do not know about Jack the Ripper, it is still a great paranormal mystery book.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**


Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Waiting on Wednesday: TEN

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Ten

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Expected Publication: September 18, 2012

And their doom comes swiftly.
It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.
But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.
Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Why am I waiting?

That synopsis...I COULD NOT NOT read this!!

House party, creepy DVD for possible even creepier serial killer! This sounds like it would be an awesome horror movie, which means its got to be an even better book!! I am really excited for this one!

What are you waiting for?

Leave me a link, because I always love to find new books to pine over.

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Cover and Title Reveal: Wander Dust #2 by Michelle Warren

It is time to reveal not only the beautiful cover for the second book in the Seraphina Parrish Trilogy, but also the title. For those who have to read the first one, the E-Book is currently on sale at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon for only $0.99. 

Now for the big reveal...

...

....

....

BOOK NUMBER TWO TITLE:  PROTECTING TRUTH

The Seraphina Parrish Trilogy

Check These Out!

The Official Website

The Book Trailer

Michelle Warren on Twitter

Michelle Warren on Facebook

What do you think of the cover and/or title?

I love love love the cover, the beautiful blues and the sparkling around the couple!

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Afterglow Trilogy Blog Tour: Beckoning Light and Perilous Light with Author Interview

Welcome to The Afterglow Trilogy Blog Tour for Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Thank you to AToMR Blog Tours for allowing me to participate!

To see the full tour schedule and visit all the other wonderful blog on the tour, click the banner above for the full schedule. 

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Title: Beckoning Light

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Series: Afterglow Trilogy #1

Publication Date: July 25, 2011

As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.
Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she's going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she's completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.
Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it's up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses.

Title: Perilous Light

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Series: Afterglow Trilogy #2 

Publication Date: March 29, 2012

Would you sacrifice everything for a world you barely knew? 

A year has passed since Charlotte and Kevin first stepped 

through the gate into Energo and neither has been able to settle back into their normal lives. Charlotte tries to distract herself from thoughts of Calvin with the antics of James and her growing friendship with Liam. Kevin can’t seem to shake his feelings for Samantha as he adjusts to his new identity as a college basketball player. 

When they unexpectedly return to Energo, both Charlotte and Kevin must face their fears and become the leaders they were always meant to be.

REVIEWS

My Review of Beckoning Light 

MY REVIEW OF PERILOUS LIGHT

*WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR BECKONING LIGHT*

Perilous Light is the second book in the Afterglow series, and it is even more addicting than the first one. The biggest mistake I made was picking this book up when I had plans within a couple hours. It was hard trying to put it down to get ready. Just like in the first book, Beckoning Light, the viewpoints alternate among Charlotte, Kevin, and sometimes Calvin. With the different events and travels during this book, the multiple viewpoints allow readers to follow them all.  Each chapter is titled with the speaker so it is not confusing to the reader.

In Perilous Light, the story finds us one year later after the events of the first book. Charlotte is trying function in her life, without Calvin, just waiting for the day to go back to Energo. When the Resistance requires their help, Charlotte, Kevin and the others have no choice, but to go back. Once in Energo, Kevin and Charlotte separate to complete individual tasks with the aid of their friends. Both must succeed or they stand no chance to defeat Blake, who has taken control of Energo.

Through the viewpoints of Charlotte, Kevin, and Calvin, the reader gets to see both the journeys of Charlotte and Kevin, and the evil plans of Blake. I like this because it creates a well-rounded story, but it is not confusing. Once I read the first few pages, I was hooked right back into the world that Alyssa Rose Ivy has created. I loved Beckoning Light, but I loved Perilous Light even more. Do not start this book if you have other things to do that day, because this book will consume your attention.

The action is defiantly more prevalent in this book, but that is a very good thing. I still love the sibling relationship between Kevin and Charlotte, even if I did not get to see a lot of it in this book. This is because Kevin and Charlotte spend a lot of the book away from each other. This series is worth your time, and if Perilous Light is any example, the third book in the Afterglow Trilogy is going to blow my mind.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book as part of the book tour, in exchange for an honest review**

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR: ALYSSA ROSE IVY

Q: Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

A: I get my character ideas from a variety of different places.  I first got the idea for Charlotte and Calvin from a dream, and they developed more firmly as I began writing their story. A lot of my characters are loosely based on people I know. There is a lot of my own older brother and my brother-in-law in Kevin.

 

Q: Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

A: It’s all about finding the right music for me. Once I have the music down, I usually reach for a cup of coffee before beginning. Other than that, I can really write anytime.

Q: How do you decide what you want to write about?
A: I know it sounds funny, but I write whatever story in my head is screaming louder to be heard. I constantly have new ideas floating around, and it’s always fun to decide what to work on next.

Q: What are you reading right now?

A: I just finished The Haunted (MacKinnon Curse, #2) by J.A. Templeton.  I’m loving this YA paranormal series.

 

Q: What books/authors have most influenced your life?

A: I grew up loving both J.R.R. Tolkien and Jane Austen. I always searched for books that combined the genres of fantasy and romance in fun new ways.

Q: What do you think makes a good story?

A: For me, a good story is all about the characters. I can forgive a few weak plot points or a less than stellar setting, but if I can’t connect with the characters I tune out.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

A: I love to spend time with my husband and kids (I have a 3 year old and seven month old) and I love reading, snorkeling, and otherwise enjoying the outdoors.

Make sure to visit the other stops on the tour for all sorts of fun stuff about the Afterglow Trilogy. 

 Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Stacking The Shelves: #1

Stacking The Shelves was created and is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is where I will be sharing the books and goodies I have received for the week. This will include both physical and eBooks that are purchased, borrowed, gifted, or for review.

I have not done anything like this in about a month, so my first version of Stacking the Shelves is going to encompass a whole month verses just a week.

FOR REVIEW:

Wake by Amanda Hocking

(Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin!!)

WON:

*SIGNED* Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer

(Thank you to Mindy at Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!!)

BOUGHT:

Ascend(Trylle Trilogy #3) by Amanda Hocking

I received a Nook Simple Touch for my Birthday last week, from my wonderful parents!

and those are my beautiful daughters as the screensaver. 

EBOOKS I RECEIVED FOR REVIEW:

I am beyond excited to read Wake by Amanda Hocking, and I am also very excited to see what happens in the 4th Demon Underground Series, mostly because I missed Fang!!

Dead Time also sound really good, and its a mystery so I know it is right up my alley. 

What did you get this week?

Leave me a link to your post, so I can check it out!

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!

Cover Battle: New vs Old

It that time again, when we pit covers for the same book against themselves to see who comes out the reigning victor. 

This week we have two books that have had their covers re-designed.

For fun, there is a survey at the bottom to pick your choices, and next week I will reveal the winners of the Cover Battle!

First up we have Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

OLD                     VS                    NEW

Next up is Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

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Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!!

Explanation of What Has Been Going On

I feel like I should explain why for about the last month or so, my post have become more random, and less frequent. I have not been on Twitter really at all. This is temporary, basically because my schedule is overstuffed with obligations at this point. I am sure a lot of other bloggers can relate. I love blogging and connecting with other readers. I am rearranging somethings, and organizing other stuff this weekend. I want to be able to connect more with everyone, especially my blogger friends who I have not been able to chat with for awhile. Hopefully, by Monday my life and my blogging timeline will be better organized on my part, making more time for me to respond to comments, visit other blogs, and of course chat on Twitter.

Thank you to every single one of you  that comes to read this blog! Every visit, or comment mean the world to me. Hopefully my blog will be even better after this weekend.

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadows

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.
I am waiting on:

Title: Shadows

Author: Ilsa J. Bick

Series: The Ashes Trilogy #2

Publisher: Egmont

Publication Date: September 25, 2012

The Apocalypse does not end.The Changed will grow in numbers.The Spared may not survive.
Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she thought Rule was a sanctuary for her and those she'd come to love.
But she was wrong.
Now she's in the fight of her life against the adults who would use her, the survivors who don't trust her, and the Changed who would eat her alive.
Welcome to Shadows, the second book in the haunting apocalyptic Ashes Trilogy: where no one is safe and humans may be the worst of the monsters.

I loved the first one in this series, Ashes. While the first cover turned some people away, the new design for the second cover is gorgeous. The cliffhanger that Ashes left off on has had me want a copy of Shadows since last October. 

Have you read Ashes? Are you dying to read Shadows?

What are you waiting on?

Leave a link below, because I always love finding new books!

Thanks for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf.