My Life as a Lumberjack Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on the My Life as a Lumberjack blog tour! I have the pleasure of reviewing My Life as a Lumberjack and the amazing author, Sara V. Olds also has a giveaway to share with you!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: My Life as a Lumberjack (or How I Fell for the Wrong Guys)
Author: Sara V. Olds
Publisher: Astraea Press
Publication Date: May 30, 2013
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Good-looking rangers, fresh mountain air and an avalanche of crazy adventures await unsuspecting Mercedes “Benz” Bennion in her summer job with the US Forest Service.

ABOUT AUTHOR:

Sara V. Olds has been telling stories for as long
as she can remember. One of her favorite memories is of unfolding a tale for friends while they were all bundled in sleeping bags watching a comet shower in the Uintah Mountains.
Mother of three: Large, Medium and Small, she welcomes her newest role, that of mother-in-law.
Life has taken her from thither to yon and back again—she's moved 22 times during her marriage. She breathes to travel. Longs to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a horse. Is an addictive reader. Enjoys swimming, skiing, violin and movies. Wonders if she'll ever get to SCUBA dive again. And has found a calling that fulfills her in ways she never could have imagined—teaching history to—wait for it—8th Graders.
Her stories consume her. There's nothing she'd rather do than spend all day, all night and the next day conversing with her latest set of characters. History, adventure, action, romance, humor. Adults, YA and kids. Yep, she does it all. Looking for something to enjoy on a quiet rainy afternoon? Or wanting a pulse-pounding, stay up all night turning pages adventure? Or a you've-GOT-to-be-kidding romp? You'll find them in her pages.

Follow Sara

Website | Twitter | Facebook

MY REVIEW

My Life as a Lumberjack is one of the most entertaining books I have read this year. Mercedes “Benz” is just a hilarious, sarcastic narrator. I love watching all her adventures as part of the YCC through her eyes. I also loved watching her get a little boy crazy over some of the Forest Service leaders. It was just really enjoyable to read how Benz handle all the trouble she always seem to be in and or causing. 

Benz is very confident and quite the flirt when she wants to be, and sometimes it comes back to bite her. Her best friend, Conor and her join the Forest Service Youth Conservation Corps for something to do with their summer. Their friendship goes through many changes as they grow and change throughout the course of the summer, as they get ready to enter their final year of high school. 

My Life as a Lumberjack is really a book about a soon to be senior experiencing a summer in the woods working with friends, and developing a crush or two or three. It is just a fun and fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the perfect book to read to get into that summer feeling. Especially for those who enjoy spending their summer outside in the woods or camping. I even picked up a few new tricks I want to try next time we take a family camping trip. 

My Life as a Lumberjack does not disappoint, and I could not be more ready to pack up and take off into the mountains for a few days. Benz is the fun and loveable character that I loved to watch stumble and fall before she picks herself up and realizes what she should have known all along. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf recieved this book in exchange for an honest review**

5- eBooks of My Life as a Lumberjack

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The 3rd Annual YA Crush Tourney and Team Dimitri

What is the YA Crush Tourney?

The Ya Crush Tourney is a wonderful and fun filled event where readers come together and nominate then vote for their favorite young adult crushes. 

This year things were a little different, where crushes were nominated based specific catagories. These catagories, Speculative, Realistic, Indie and Debut, each has 6 top seeds choosen and then from all catagories 4 Wild Cards were chosen by votes. 

Now that the 28 crushes have been chosen the real battle begins as crushes go up against each other and fans vote for their favorite knowing that there can only be one Champion. 

To help promote each canadite, an advocate is chosen. 

Why is this part important, because they help promote the voting and recruit Street Teams, and put their blood, sweat, and tears into doing their best for their crush. 

Now here comes the very relevant part:

I AM NONE OTHER THAN DIMITRI BELIKOV'S ADVOCATE!

Say what?

I know I am still reeling from the news, because Dimitri is so mind-blowingly awesome, and I am honored to have been chosen to represent him. 

Dimitri's First Battle is Friday, June 14th! 
(The full schedule, list of crushes, and all the details are available here)

Show your support of our favorite Guardian, and grab a button (or save the photo and upload it as your twitter avatar)
or even better sign up to be part of #TeamDimitri by filling out 
This Form

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Make sure to check back here on June 14th as Dimitri yet again enters the battlefield, this time to fight cute boys instead of the deadly Strigoi.
Also make sure to follow the hash tag #YACrushTourney to keep up to date on all things YA Crush Tourney!
Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Blast With Excerpt and Giveaway: Endure by M.R. Merrick

Available June 5th 

Endure (The Protector, #4)

Book Description:

Wrapped in darkness and woven with defeat, every action Chase has taken since being exiled from the Circle has been met with a devastating response. Now he's been burdened with a quest that seems impossible, and he needs to evolve into something more, something greater than he ever thought he could be.Armed with magic, friendship, and an unbreakable will, Chase must build an army and find a weapon capable of defeating the ultimate evil. But he knows that nothing great comes without sacrifice. Blessed by the very gods who have abandoned him and carrying the fate of all the worlds on his shoulders, Chase Williams is about find out just how much one man can endure. 

Excerpt:

I jerked up from the couch, but the repercussion that came with the motion made me curse. My chest heaved and sweat dripped down my face.

“Chase?” I heard a voice say, but it was groggy. I wasn’t quite in reality yet.

I cleared my throat and threw my legs over the edge of the couch. More pain came, but I didn’t care. I needed to touch the floor. I needed to ground myself.

“Chase, are you okay?” It was Rayna’s voice and she ran down the stairs.

I screamed as the scabbed over skin on my back tore open when I attempted to stand. I fell to the couch and beat my fists against the cushions as though that could alleviate the pain.

“Chase, hey…calm down.”

Rayna’s voice soothed me. She crouched in front of me and carefully touched my shoulder. Calming energy emanated off her body and soaked into mine. The adrenaline and pain faded, leaving an empty pit stirring inside me. I went completely still. The green cat eyes staring back at me had stolen my words and my breath. Swelling had formed under Rayna’s right eye and she looked tired, but she was as striking as ever.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

About the Author:

M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer, and author of Exiled, the first installment in The Protector Series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer, between a pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.

M.R. Merrick | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook 

 

Book #1, Exiled is currently FREE

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped. 

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret. 

In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it. 

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

5 winners will have their choice of eBook from the series.

1 Grand prize will win SIGNED copies of ALL FOUR BOOKS.

International

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Fiery Heart

 

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: The Fiery Heart

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #4

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: November 19, 2013

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

Why am I waiting?
I have to still catch up on this series, which means I have 6 no wait make that 5 months to get caught up. I loved Adrian in the Vampire Academy series, and I am glad he got his own series. I also love that other characters from the Vampire Academy series make reappearances.

**SIDE NOTE**Speaking of Vampire Academy the young adult blogosphere is gearing up for the favorite summer event, the YA Crush Tourney hosted by The YA Sisterhood. I wanted to take a moment and announce that I am the advocate for our favorite Dhampir Guardian, Dimitri Belikov!!! I am so beyond ecstatic that I got chosen at all, yet alone to be an advocate for one of my favorite character!
If you want to sign up to be part of the Team Dimitri Street Team, just fill out this form and I will be contacting members sometime this upcoming weekend!

Don't forget to leave me a link to check out what you are waiting on!

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Teaser Tuesday: Gameboard of the Gods

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!

Make sure to share the title and the author so other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their to be read piles.

My teaser this week comes from:

Title: Gameboard of the Gods

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: June 4, 2013

Length: 464 Pages

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

TEASER:

     Justin thought about it for several seconds. "No, actually. I don't know why I think that. Just a gut instinct."

     "Does your gut have any insight about the rest of what he said? Does he know something about the murders?"

Page 213

**Teaser taken from an ARC, and may not be in final publication**

Do you have a teaser for me?
Leave me a link or let me know in the comments!

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Charm & Strange Blog Tour: Review, Playlist and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Charm and Strange Blog Tour! I have the pleasure of reviewing this book for you today, along with my picks for a playlist for this book and a tourwide giveaway. Make sure to check out everything happening on the tour by clicking the banner above.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Charm & Strange

Author: Stephanie Kuehn

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: June 11, 2013

Length: 224 Pages

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

When you’ve been kept caged in the dark, it’s impossible to see the forest for the trees. It’s impossible to see anything, really. Not without bars . . .
Andrew Winston Winters is at war with himself.
He’s part Win, the lonely teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates out, no matter the cost.
He’s part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a fateful, long-ago summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a secret so monstrous it led three children to do the unthinkable.
Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles both the pain of his past and the isolation of his present.
Before the sun rises, he’ll either surrender his sanity to the wild darkness inside his mind or make peace with the most elemental of truths—that choosing to live can mean so much more than not dying.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Stephanie Kuehn is a YA writer who grew up in Berkeley, California, which is a quirky sort of a place with a ton of wonderful bookstores. Her very first job was working in one of those bookstores, and she's been a freakishly avid reader for as long as she can remember. 

Stephanie's other passions include mental health advocacy, social justice, and sports of all kinds. She's currently living in Northern California with her family and their wild menagerie of pets.

Website | Twitter

MY REVIEW

**This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy**

Charm and Strange is an intense, emotional story that keeps readers in the dark until the very few chapters bring a resolution that no one will see coming. The magic of the book is not knowing anything about it really, so there will not be many details in this review because I refuse to spoil the perfection that Stephanie Kuehn has created. The reason this book works so well is the way the story is told in glimpses of the present and past. There are multiple flashbacks but they really tie into the current story.

The main character Win, also offers a clouded if not murky viewpoint, which may not work for most stories but it works in Charm and Strange. The problem with this novel is going to be keeping spoilers from leaking out, and ruining the story for other readers. This type of book is so uniquely written that if the plot is spoiled even in the slightest, I really think it would ruin the magic for the reader.

I went into Charm and Strange without knowing anything more than the synopsis, and I think that really is just the perfect way to read this book. Just read and experience it without first getting your feet wet, just diving on into the story and let the flow of the story take you along for the ride. I know that this book is not going to be for everyone one, but it is the type of book that will stay with you.

Charm and Strange is so unique and mind-blowing that I fear that I am ruining it just by trying to express my feelings. If you want something unlike anything you have ever read, Charm and Strange is the one to read.

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

MY PLAYLIST
Here are just a couple songs that remind me of Charm and Strange, but I think the last one fits the best. 

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Book Review: Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

Title: Black Dawn
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: The Morganville Vampires #12
Publisher: NAL
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Length: 367 Pages
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

With its eclectic mix of vampire and human citizens, Morganville, Texas, has always been a risky place to call home. But with the invasion of the vampire’s deadliest enemy, Morganville isn’t just in danger—it’s dying…
 Ever since the draug—mysterious creatures that prey on vampires—took over Morganville, the lives of student Claire Danvers and her friends have been thrown into turmoil. Most of the town’s residents have evacuated, but Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael have chosen to stay and fight.Using the city’s water system to spread, the draug have rapidly multiplied. Things in Morganville look grim, especially since vampire Amelie—the town founder—has been infected by the master draug’s bite.
Now, if Claire and her friends don’t figure out how to cure Amelie and defeat the draug, it looks like Morganville will become little more than a ghost town…

MY REVIEW

Out of all the Morganville Vampire books, Black Dawn seemed like the darkest one yet. Which is saying a lot if you have read any of the Morganville Vampire books, because there are a lot of dire situations, we are talking about vampires. After the events of Last Breath, Morganville is looking like a ghost town, but Claire, Shane, Eve, and Michael are not going down without a fight. This town maybe owned by vampires, but it is their home too. The problem is the enemy they have to fight has the ability to hide everywhere there is water even so small as a few drops. 

I love the Morganville Vampire series, and I have from the beginning. With a series that has multiple installments, there is a worry that the story will become repetitive or stale. The Morganville Vampire series never has me worried, because each installment seems to blow my mind and Black Dawn is no exception. With shocking losses as the draug continue to consume everything, Morganville may never be the same, even if they manage to take it back.

Black Dawn feels like a turning point in the series, leading up to the final three books in the series. I really think that before this series ends, it is going to get much darker for our human characters. I am curious to see how the vampire versus human battle will continue if they can get anyone to return to Morganville. Claire is the character you cannot help but love, and I am very nervous about her and the rest of the Glass House gang’s futures in Morganville.

With the final book in the Morganville series due out this November, I am dying to catch up. I cannot wait to read Bitter Blood and find out what Claire is going to have to face next. Rachel Caine has created a world filled with characters you cannot help but love. The Morganville Vampires series will always be a favorite for years to come. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf borrowed this book from the local library**

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