Heartlines Cover Reveal!

Today we have the cover reveal for S. G. Holster’s HEARTLINES. I’m so thrilled to be bringing this gorgeous cover to you!!   Title: Heartlines Author: S. G. Holster Genre: Paranormal romance Release Date: December 30^th About Heartlines: Sometimes in battle surrender is the strongest move of all. Brett Owen, the son of a Sentori leader, promised himself he’d never do the work of his brotherhood - killing reborn souls. He’d been naive to make such a vow. He’d been naive about a lot of things – such as the bond of family and love.   Taunted by a Sentori hunter, Brett does whatever he can to survive, even if it means embracing his dark Sentori side and earning the unwanted attention of the Sentori leaders. His life had never looked so frantic. And all the while, his true family is infecting his heart and mind. When his heart is tied to an unexpected soul, he finds himself fighting for a future he desperately wants to live to see. It becomes clear that whatever freedoms Brett is hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Fragile lives that had been carefully woven together will be ripped apart swiftly and easily. Faith is betrayed. Remorse and innocence intertwine. Fate and chance collide to mend the tattered strands of Brett’s heart in the shocking conclusion to the Thirty Seconds To Die Series. Goodreads   Catch up on the series now!! Thirty Seconds To Die Goodread | Amazon | BN Terrible Lies Goodreads | Amazon | BN   About S. G. Holster S.G. HOLSTER lives in California with her husband and their two daughters. She is the author of the THIRTY SECONDS TO DIE series. The third and final book in the series, Heartlines, will be published late in 2014. Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website | Email Enter S.G.'s giveaway! a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Week Of Kindness

November is here and for those of you in the U.S., Thanksgiving is on it's way. This week is Kindness Week so things here at My Title Wave are going to be based around kindness. To kick off this week, it's time for a book review.  The book I chose to review was once again an author I had the chance to meet at the Vegas Valley Book Festival. : )

Sarah Ockler's, The Book of Broken Hearts, was a book that hit close to home. Jude is the youngest in a family of girls, I loved how each of these girls had their roll in the family and when the family is dealing with hard things, these traits came out. Jude has grown up her whole life with one rule ... stay away from the Vargas brothers! They are notorious heartbreakers. Eapecially after one of the Vargas brothers cheats on Jude's sister, breaking off their engagement, Jude and her sisters make a pact in blood and forever sealed in the Book of Broken Hearts. never to be broken.

Years later, Jude is the only one living at home and is spending her summer trying to hold on to the one thing that she believes will keep her Papi with them. Jude's Papi has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and it's progressing rapidly.  The only time Jude sees her Father for who he truly is, is when they are fixing up his vintage Motorcycle. The only problem is that the only person who will fix the bike is non-other than the youngest Vargas brother, Emilio. She swears never to tell her sisters and before she knows it, she is caught in the Vargas trap and is starting to fall in love.  What will her sisters say? Will the restoration of the bike help her dad? Well ... you're going to have to read the book to find out.

Jude is one of the most selfless characters I have ever read about. She has stopped her life to take care of her dad who can't be left alone. Leaving behind the epic summer she was supposed to have with her best friends.

You can't help but fall in love with Emilio with his amazing dimple and cocky personality.  (Sorry.  I just love my bad boys.)

I think my favorite thing about this book is the sense of family. I love how close they are (which made the deterioration of Papi hard to handle at times), Oh ... and I have never wanted to make empanadas more in my life than I did while reading this book.

Needless to say, I loved the book! The language at times was not the best so it's a 17+ book but it's a must read. Just as your heart is breaking, something swoops in to put it back together.  (Mainly a boy named Emilio.)

If you would like to know more about this book, keep reading ...

New Books for November!

Okay It's that time again...A new month which means new books to read!!! Let's have a look at what is coming out this month.

I don't know about you but I am so excited for some of these books! Keep reading to find out more about the November books....

Happy Halloween....And Then There Were None!

We all remember the great Agatha Christie novel And Then There Were None. 

It is Christie's best-selling novel with 100 million sales to date.  This makes it the world's best-selling mystery ever and one of the best-selling books of all time. With the dark poem we are all know ...

Ten little Indian Boys went out to dine;

One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian Boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian Boys travelling in Devon;

One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian Boys chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian Boys playing with a hive;

A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian Boys going in for law;

One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian Boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian Boys walking in the zoo;

A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two little Indian Boys sitting in the sun;

One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian Boy left all alone;

He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

I loved this story that forced the detective in me out, trying to figure out the "who-done-it".  I was trapped in the story and could not put it down until I had the answer.

When my sister told me about a book called Ten that was written by Gretchen McNeil, and that she was going to be at the Vegas Valley Book Festival, I knew that was one I had to get.  After the amazing day at the festival, Ten was the first book I picked up to read.  I was not disappointed!  The book was everything I expected ... a great modern retelling of the original. 

The Story takes place on a secluded Island (already creepy).  A bunch of kids get together for what is supposed to be an epic house party.  Even the swoon worthy T.J. was going to be there.  What more could a girl want?  However, when a storm blows through and there is no way off the island, the party turns into a nightmare.  One by one, people start being killed off and red slashes start to appear on the wall for every body that turns up. 

I read the book in 24 hours!  I couldn't put it down.  The best friend drove me crazy, but trying to figure out the puzzle that was Ten, kept it a "couldn't-put-down" book.  I wish I could say this book is for everyone but unfortunately I can't.  :(  I understand that when faced with death you're not going to use the best language.  For that reason I have to say 17+ is my recommendation.  With all this said, it's a good Halloween read full of murder and suspense and whole lot of sexy.

To find out more about Ten keep reading ...

"Awaken" To A Great Series

We are going to flashback a little bit today. In honor of the third Awaken book that recently came out, I am going to review the first two books. In my family we have a tradition that every year we draw out a name of a cousin who we are going to buy a gift for. Every year I love sitting there and getting to open the present my cousin picked out for me. Two years ago one of my cousins got my name and when I opened it, I found the book Awaken inside the wrapping. I had never heard of the book before but I was so excited to give it a go. Let me just say … I LOVED it!!!!

Growing up in a world that is so involved with technology, made this book really hit home. Every day we are becoming more and more dependent on computers, the internet, smart phones, texting, etc. In Awaken we see the world advanced to the point where human interaction is almost void. It made me realize how important everyday communication and our social lives really are.  This book is set in 2060 where everything is done on the computer. Going to school, hanging out, and even dating is done online. That is the way Maddie lives. I absolutely love Maddie. I love seeing her growth through the first book and having her realize that there might be more than just the digital world. Of course this book has a love interest and let me just say, when he was introduced, I fell in love with him almost instantly. However, the reason I loved Awaken so much is because it made me look at life and how much I was taking for granted. Was I being thankful for having friends to hang out with and have me some "girl talk"? Was I taking the time to just be outside and enjoy the world around me? Was I taking full advantage of school and all that it had to offer me? Or just simply, was I fully enjoying the opportunity to be with my family, talking ... laughing ... and communicating together? So much in life is being forgotten as we shift our focus to the things on a screen. Awaken is one of the books that I went around telling anyone and everyone I knew to go read it.

I always get nervous reading the second book when I loved the first book so much. I always have such high expectations and sometimes it is a huge disappointment. Middle Ground was definitely not a disappointment! I loved it just as much as the first book. As soon as I finished Awaken, I drove down to the bookstore and got this follow-up in my hands!  And what did that mean once I was back home ... Middle Ground and I had an all night reading date!  I couldn't put it down!!! I don’t want to give too much away for all you who haven’t read the first book. I will just say it was amazing! The book had me laughing, crying, and biting my nails at points. You continue to see Maddie fighting against the digital world … I will just stop now or else I will give stuff away.

Should you read this book series??? YES!!!!!!! A hundred times yes!!!! Awaken is the book I recommend whenever someone asks me what they should read. Go buy it so you can read the final book that just came out this month! Great author, great characters, and just an overall great book!

Here is a look at what Awaken and Middle Ground are about:

Another Great Book ... Doon

"Doon"

If you had the chance to travel to a magical, fairy-tale-type kingdom with swoon-worthy princes in kilts … 

would you go?  What if there was a chance you may never be able to return home again … would that change things for you?  That’s the dilemma that two best friends found themselves in, as they set off on an adventure of a lifetime.

Veronica and MacKenna planned to spend the summer in Scotland after MacKenna inherited her late Aunt’s cottage.  Before departing on the trip, Veronica sees glimpses of a handsome guy in a kilt that seems to be calling for her to follow him.  Does this guy really exist or is she going crazy?

Doon was the perfect book for me to read.  I am a big fan of fairy tale retellings – this you may already know.  What you may not know is that I also love musicals!  So you can imagine my excitement when I found a book that was not only a fairy tale retelling but one that was also based loosely around the legend of Brigadoon (yes, the Gene Kelly musical).

Still want other reasons to love Doon … OK … here they are:

#1 – The girls themselves.  MacKenna and Veronica are so well written.  They feel like real girls.  We get glimpses of their insecurities but we also are shown their strengths … and their friendship to each other is a huge strength!  Too many YA novels show teen girls more as frenemies than loyal, best friends who are each other’s biggest fans.  Together, MacKenna and Veronica are strong.

#2 - The setting.  Scotland is the land of fairy tales!  You just look at pictures and the magic just jumps off the photo at you.  There couldn't have been a more perfect environment set, to spin the tale of Doon.

#3 – I love the hidden messages throughout.  Like … true fairy tales take work!  And … there may not always be a happy ending.  Or … don’t be a damsel-in-distress.  Find your own courage – you don’t need a Prince to save you!

And … #4 - Heart pounding romance!  May I remind you about the hot Princes in kilts?  Need I say more?

Doon was a fun read and any fairy tale and musical lover will find it as enticing as I did.  When reading Doon, I felt like I stepped into another world.  If only I could really travel there and spend a day exploring this exciting kingdom!  Instead I will just have to imagine what it’s like as I read the second book, “Destined for Doon” which came out this week!!!  The wait is over!

Here's a closer look at what Doon is all about:

RELEASE DAY PARTY!

Today the Third book in the Throne of Glass series came out. I am so excited for this next book in the series, I already went out and bought my copy! I know some of you haven't read this little gem yet so I'm going to introduce the series to you. Enjoy ...

Throne Of Glass

 We begin the series by meeting one of my favorite heroines, Celaena Sardothien.  Celaena is not your typical female roll. She is hard, ruthless, skilled, arrogant, and witty. The author, Sarah J. Mass's inspiration for Celaena was Arwen from lord of the Rings.

Sarah said this about developing the character, "Arwen's arrogance and fierceness made me want to write about a woman like her—about a woman who never once said sorry for being talented and determined and utterly in love with herself." I think that describes Celaena to a tee. 

Once you meet Celaena and fall in love with her, we then meet the other two points in the triangle. There is Chaol - the hunky captain of the guard. He takes his job very seriously. However, right from the start you know that Celaena is going to cause problems for him and not just the trouble making kind.

Second, there is the handsome Prince Dorian - the heart breaker! I loved his cocky personality right from the start. Prince Dorian saves Celaena from the dreaded salt mines of Endovier. Endovier ia a ruthless prison that no one can ever escape from. Not even the world's best assassins. Dorian saves her so she can compete in a compition to become the king's assassin. The King is a ruthless man who is responsible for the death of her family. Her opponents are all men ... the best there are across the Empire. If she wins, she will serve the King for three years and then ... Freedom!

Here is what Goodreads has to say about the book;

"After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined."

I was going to tell you all about the second book but I can't do that without giving away what happens in the first. I will just finish by showing you the awesome cover of the second book...

and the third book;

and say that you are in for a treat with the second one as well. Now we can all read the third together and fall in love with a world full of Princes, Guards, magic and best of all ... assassins together.

To read what Goodreads says about the second and third book keep reading ...

Surprise Saturday Book Review

"City of Heavenly Fire"

I had to do a post to review this book. I know I'm behind but I just finished this little gem this morning. Let me tell you, I hate to admit when I make a mistake (my husband will agree) but I was WRONG ... but wrong in a good way. There are a few series I have read in the past that at the beginning I LOVED.  Then they keep writing more and more when the series could have ended 5 books back. (cough...House Of Night...cough) I was afraid that this was where this series was heading. After I finished The Infernal Devices series I was a little "shadowhuntered" out. That's why it took me so long to read this book.  However, I was WRONG ... DEAD WRONG! This was the perfect ending to this series. Cassandra Clare took us on a whirlwind adventure as the Shadowhunters fought to save the world from Sebastian aka Jonathan. The book kept me on my toes and although I was sure they would pull through, made me constantly ask, "How are they going to get through this one?"

Now for the best news ... there is another spin off coming in 2015!! The story will begin 5 years after the Dark War and will be based on the Blackthorns and Emma Carstairs, whom we met in Heavenly Fire. I absolutely love Emma Carstairs and am excited to read on about her adventure and quest for revenge. 

One thing I wish is that we could have seen the seelie queen at the end of Heavenly Fire, I don't want to spoil more then I have but I learned to hate her and I would have loved to see her in the end (but I have a feeling she will play a big roll in the next series).

To Read what Heavenly Fire is all about, keep reading...

"Enthusiasm"

(Don't forget our "Battle Of The Books" going on this week.

 Vote for your favorite vampire ... look to the right!)

"When someone asks for a reading suggestion, Enthusiasm is the first word off my tongue." --Stephenie Meyer, author of Twilight

Prior to reading Enthusiasm, I read a novel that just left me feeling depressed. I knew the next book I curled up with had to be a super fun, cute, light book.  I talked to my mom and she suggested I read Enthusiasm.  I decided to give it a whirl and let’s just say … I LOVED it!  Right from the beginning it caught my attention and I could not put the book down.  These past few years I have become a huge Jane Austin fan so this book was perfect for me!  I also love how Enthusiasm focused on teenage relationships and how important they are.  My mom has always taught me that “High School is about finding bridesmaids, not husbands” and this novel shows loyalty and friendship between two girls … the way it should be.  Julie and Ashleigh are always there for each other, through thick and thin and I really admired that.  If you love Jane Austin, romance, and a book that just leaves you smiling - Enthusiasm is the book for you!

Check out what Enthusiasm is all about:

"Pandemonium"

Finally … FINALLY the sequel to “Delirium” is out and read!  “Pandemonium”  didn’t let me down.  It was fast paced and kept me on my toes.  When the end hit … I was like, “What!  It’s over?!!“  And THAT reaction was not a bad thing.

At first I didn’t know if I would like the writing style.  Each chapter went back and forth between the past and the present.  However, I think that helped the readers get lost in the story, always guessing and wondering what was going on.  It really made “The Wilds” feel real and distressing.  It also showed the growth Lena went through as you saw her before and then after.  The thing I liked best about Lena, is that even though her life was turned upside down, she stayed true to herself.

"Wings"

I really shouldn’t have read this book.  Firstly, I had just finished a series that I LOVED.  Secondly, I had passed by this book many times wondering if it would be something I liked.  I guess I should have gone with my gut instinct.

I think what kept pulling me back to it, was that Stephenie Meyer strongly endorsed it and put it on one of her “Must Read” lists.  I’m not saying I’m a Stephenie Meyer nut … I’m just thinking that an author who has been so successful tuning into the masses, might know what she is talking about.  So, against my better judgment, I decided to give it a try.  Wrong decision.

"Delirium"

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect before I started reading Delirium.  I had passed by this book numerous times before deciding to give in and give it a try.  But after finishing it, I can say that this book is amazing.  I loved it!  The story is gripping, intense and very captivating.

Lauren Oliver writes about a very sad world in which love is considered a disease that will kill you.  I can’t even imagine a life without feeling love for my children … love for my spouse … love for my friends and family.  Love is where true happiness lies.  If our society came up with a cure that takes us past feelings … I personally couldn't think of anything scarier.

"Witch & Wizard"

I hate making these kind of reviews, but with that said … here it goes.  I think my main problem I had with this novel, was that I was expecting a lot from this book when I first picked it up.  It wasn't bad.  It just wasn't up to the expectations I had.

The premise was good.  The story itself was okay.  It just seemed a bit slow.  Nothing much really happened.  I could probably summarize the book in a few sentences.  Don’t get me wrong … the story wasn’t terrible … it actually kept me curiously interested and I kept reading until the end, just to find out how it would finish.

"Divergent"

"Divergent" was definitely a new riveting tale that had me rapidly flipping the pages in a reading frenzy!  I have to say, I had an absolute blast taking this wild ride ...  I enjoyed every minute of it!  It had me jumping out of my seat, biting my nails to the quick as I was drawn into Beatrice's world, cheering her on one minute, and wanting to cry with her the next.  I haven’t been drawn into a book like this since the “Hunger Games” first introduced me to this genre of novels.  The characters, setting, plot, pace and narrative where perfectly blended to produce a highly action packed read that I’m sure will captivate dystopia fans.  This is one book that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who loves action, bravery, a little romance, and a ton of adventure.  Be forewarned that it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and eagerly anticipating a sequel!

Here’s a quick look at what  “Divergent” is all about:

"Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children"

You know the old saying … “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”?  This old adage definitely applies to “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children”.  When I first saw this book, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was pleasantly surprised to find, within it’s pages, and tale of adventure, mystery, monsters, and “peculiar” children.

From the beginning I was trapped.  The book moved along smoothly and I found myself wanting to read more.  The characters were well developed and I loved all the different personalities and traits they all displayed.

However, there were a few things that I struggled with.  I am reluctant to include them in my review because I would rather you read the book and form your own opinion.  I do strongly recommend this novel.  It’s thrilling, suspenseful, and when you reach the end … you are left wanting more.  (And more is definitely on the way.)

Here’s a quick look at what  “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” is all about:

"The Book Thief"

I always recommend this book if asked, “What’s a good book to read?”  However, I always recommend it with some hesitation.  If you want a fast read, or a feel-good novel … this book is not for you.  If you love to get wrapped up in the characters, or have your eyes opened to the heartbreak that many people suffered … than this book is for you.

This story is narrated by Death.  At times I found this narration a little depressive but I think that is how Markus Zusak wanted his readers to feel.  Dealth is also dismayed by the events that are happening all around.  At one point, he stomps on a picture of Hitler on his way to retrieve a thousand souls from a bomb raid.  But through all the dark is a spark of color.

The human race is hard to figure out at times and this novel explores all the twists and turns in a time I hope we never have to revisit.  If you want to explore this book further … here’s a little more about it:

"The Hourglass Door"

I thought "The Hourglass Door" was really good.  It has all the stuff an amazing story should have.  Adventure, a bit of mystery, and love story mixed in.  ; )  I would recommend everyone, to read this.  It is an easy read but kept me entertained through the whole thing; a magical story.  Thanks Mom and Sis for telling me to read it!  I love the characters and am so excited to start the next one to find out what happens on a HUGE cliffhanger.  Lisa Mangum did a great job telling the concept of time so we all loved and understood it!  Two thumbs up!  Check out the above video and the summary below!

"Dark Secrets"

Looking for a mystery ... but one that still has a little romance on the side?  Then I recommend reading "Dark Secrets".  This novel contains two books put in one.  The two books are called "Legacy of Lies" and "Don’t Tell".  Both books are unrelated to each other as far as cast of characters or story line goes.  However, they both equally caught my attention and kept me wanting to read more.  Some parts, I was not crazy about.  Like ... sitting up by myself late at night reading and jumping to creaks and night time noises of the house.  Needless to say, I am not the best when it comes to scray parts of a story.  But overall, it was a good book.  I loved that I found myself trying to figure out the mystery before the stories ended.  I also love (and I know I sound like a broken record) the romance that was thrown in as the icing on the cake.  I am a girl who loves a little romance!  I usually don’t read mysteries but I actually enjoyed this book a lot.

Check out what "Dark Secrets" is about:

"Matched"

I was so excited when this book FINALLY came out! After finishing the "Hunger Games" series ... I was longing for another book that would capture me, and take me to an unimaginable world. Living in the world that we do now ... can we even imagine what it would be like to live without free will? This plot is created in "Matched".

"Matched" started out slow and I almost wondered if I was going to like it. However, when it picked up ... I fell in love! The ending made up for all of the slow parts and left me counting down the days until Book #2, "Crossed", gets released ... November 1st, 2011!

I strongly recommend this book. Here's a peek:

"My Unfair Godmother"

After school one day, my mom told me they had made a sequel to "My Fair Godmother".  I loved the first book so much that I ran down to the store and bought "My Unfair Godmother"!  At first, I didn’t know what I thought of the novel because none of the characters from the first book (except Chrissy of course) were in the story.  But to my surprise I liked it better than the first book!  Don't skip the first novel though.  I still think it is well worth the read and, even though this book stands on it's own ... it definitely helps you understand "My Unfair Godmother" more fully.

Want a little teaser on "My Unfair Godmother"?  Here it is: