REVIEW: Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3) by Jessica Spotswood

Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3) by Jessica Spotswood

Publication Date: August 14, 2014

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A fever ravages New London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t help without their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England.

To make matters worse, Cate has been erased from the memory of her beloved Finn. While she’s torn between protecting him from further attacks and encouraging him to fall for her all over again, she’s certain she can never forgive Maura’s betrayal. And now that Tess’s visions have taken a deadly turn, the prophecy that one Cahill sister will murder another looms ever closer to its fulfillment. 

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

I’m having a hard time accepting the ending to this book. I’m having an even harder time with the fact that every review I’ve read shows that people actually loved the ending to the book. I mean really? Loved? I think that’s just too strong of a word to use for this. I guess this is me right now, alone in my feelings.

  

I think the main reason that I did not like the ending is that it felt unresolved to me. Even though it really wasn’t. The author did a great job at tying all the loose ends, they just weren’t the knots I was hoping for. They weren’t the resolutions I wanted. Especially for Finn and Cate. After everything they have been through and with Cate so broken-hearted at the fact that Finn didn’t love her because he didn’t know her anymore. I just felt like Finn should have been able to tell Cate that he loved her. He said he can't say that he loves her yet but he realizes that he’s falling in love with her. Well WTF!?!? That’s not okay. I needed Finn to tell her that he loved her again. I NEEDED it!! But he just didn’t say it, and so I’m sitting here feeling incomplete.

And THEN…The prophecy! That damn prophecy!!!! Seriously!?! I had really high hopes that the girls would be able to change the prophecy. My hopes were so high in fact that they apparently soared way above reality because guess what…THEY DIDN’T CHANGE THE PROPHECY!! I really think that the author did a number on us with that one. I know I said there are spoilers in this review but I don’t want to give that information away. I won’t tell you who dies, just know that someone DOES die!  And I am truly and utterly heartbroken about it. Which is funny because I actually kind of expected it but there was so much redemption and love going around that I thought it was kind of cruel to let it actually happen. But hey, I’m not a writer so what do I know. Oh that’s right, I’m the reader and I know what I like. I like happy endings and THIS was NOT a happy ending, at least to me.

I did, however, still love the series as a whole and highly recommend it to everyone that I will ever encounter. And I did still love the book as whole, I just wish the ending would have happened a little differently. So go forth and read this series, Swooners! Then come back and let me know what you thought. 

Quotes #12~ Where's the coffee!?

Happy Monday folks! I hope you all had a great weekend! I definitely did! Got to have an impromptu get together with my friends Jenn and Nahomi over at Books and Swoons and we even had some time to squeeze in a Gilmore Girls semi-marathon fun. So yea, great weekend! Now to the fun stuff. Here are some quotes that have recently given me some joy. Hope they give you the same :)

"From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down, I convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend on reading it." Groucho Marx

"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by." Douglass Adams, The Salmon of Doubt

"Whenever I feel the need to exercise, I lie down until it goes away." Paul Terry

"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it." Terry Pratchett, Diggers 

"Ever notice how 'What the hell' is always the right answer?" Marilyn Monroe

"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four people is suffering from a mental illness. look at your three best friends. If they're ok, then it's you." Rita Mae Brown

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it." W.C. Fields

So that's the morning chuckle. Now back to work I go. Have a great day! :)

FAVORITE FRIDAY (#2)~ The Well's End (The Well's End #1) by Seth Fishman

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where they spotlight some of their favorite reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just enter your information on their linky or leave them a comment.

This week's Favorite Read is:

The Well's End (The Well's End #1) by Seth Fishman

Release Date: February 25, 2014

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Half a world away, the Chinese military has a target list of ten US cities in case of war. Most are obvious (DC, NY, LA) and some a little less so (Atlanta for instance has the CDC)…but one is an absolute mystery: Fenton, Colorado. Unfortunately for her, sixteen-year-old Mia Kish is about to find out what makes Fenton so special when emergency sirens start blaring and ritzy Westbrook Academy is out on lockdown. No students in or out until otherwise notified. For the rich boarders whose homes are safely states away, their concerns are missed vacations and trips home, but for the handful of townies, like Mia and her friends Jo and Rob, there’s no escaping the danger.

The situation becomes dire when students and faculty are stricken with a strange illness that ages them years in a matter of hours, the end result death, seemingly from old age. No one knows what to do, but Mia and her friends are not just going to sit there while their parents might be in mortal danger. They escape the school grounds in search of a cure and answers; answers they hope to find in the sealed off mountain bunker where her father supposedly runs Fenton Tech. but along the way, they discover that the military presence is not what it seems, and that the long buried secret of Fenton is a fabled object of myth and legend that may actually exist deep within the earth below. 

Why it's one of my Favorite Reads:

It took my totally by surprise! I mean the synopsis (as usual) is pretty far off from the book so I just never imagined that I would like it as much as I did. This book is definitely a top 10 for me...and the author confirmed there will be a second book so i'm really excited about that!

What's YOUR Favorite Book? Stop by Books and Swoons to share yours :)

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday~ All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (#43)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selections are:

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Expected release date: January 6, 2015

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this compelling, exhilarating, and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself-a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. but as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

Why I'm waiting:

This book sounds like such a fun read and dare I say...kind of sad! Losing a sibling is not something that I ever want to even imagine but because of that fear I feel drawn to read about it. Plus it seems like something beautiful is happening between Violet and Finch and I really want to see what that is.

What are you anxiously waiting for?

REVIEW: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Guest Reviewer: Doris C. AKA La Chiquita

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Once upon a time in a far away place there lived a girl who believed that books contained magic that could solve any worldly woe. She was determined to fill her life with the words found in these books with hopes that she would find the answers to her personal questions. Unfortunately through her journey she discovered that not all books were as magical as she would have liked them to be. There were books that contained emotions powerful enough to make her cry as she read, then there were books that made her read the same sentence four times because it never made sense. Then there was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

Before I get into the complete review let me explain the world you are going to walk into. The book takes place in Russia. This Russia is split into four sections, there is Fjerda to the north, Shu han in the south and our home land of Ravka is split in two by a river of dark sand called the unsea. The unsea is where all the big bad beasties live and no one wants to get caught there alone. Not that you would last long, the unsea is pitchblack and inhabited by creatures called volcra. Think of your worst nightmare and let it have a family reunion where you are the main course instead of burgers.

In this world there are two types of people, people with abilities called the Grisha, and people without abilities called otkazat’sya(nothing). All otkazat’sya are tested at a young age to see if they have Grisha ability. If they do, they are recruited to the second army to hone their skill and become warriors. The Grisha are split into three categories, Corporalki (people that can heal and manipulate blood and organs), Etheralki (people that can manipulate air, fire and water) , and materialki (people who can build/design and chemist). One piece of advice I will give is that you get ready to mash up some words. Most things are very Russian but it gives into the world you are walking through.

Now to the juicy stuff. The story is about a girl name Alina Starkov who is an orphan and is part of the first army to the king with her BFF Malyen Oretsev. He of course is the hottie mc hot-hot of the town and she is in love with him and he has no clue. Mal is a tracker (the best tracker ever) and Alina is an apprentice the cartographer. They are being sent to the unsea to cross and bring back goods from West Ravka. Needless to say the troops are apprehensive about the journey but they are mandated to go so they just have to suck it up and hope for the best.

I looked up to see Mal’s familiar face, a smile in his bright blue eyes as he fell into step beside me. “C’mon,” he said. “One foot in front of the other. You know how it’s done.”

“You’re interfering with my plan”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. Faint, get trampled, grievous injuries all around.”

“That sounds like a brilliant plan.”

“Ah, but if I’m horribly maimed, I won’t be able to cross the fold.”

Mal nodded slowly. “I see. I can shove you under a cart if that would help.”

“I’ll think about it,” I grumbled, but I felt my mood lifting all the same.  Pg.10-11

  The relationship between these two make you want to scream. Even though you don’t really get to see them flourish because Alina is found to have a rare and powerful ability that even she was not aware she had. This ability pulls her away from Mal and into the arms of the leader of the second army called the darklilng. When he finds out about Alina’s power he is immediately all I must protect her at all cost and this means taking her away from the position she held in the first army and taking her to the little palace at the captiol of Ravka called Os Alta.

In Os Alta we watch Alina transform from lost simple orphan to developing Grisha who is still trying to figure out what this new found power means for her and what the darkling really has up his sleeve. Leigh Bardugo is a cruel mind manipulator and I love her for it. You never know when the twist is coming and if you do time it right then you don’t anticipate what the twist will be. I found myself many times re-reading passages to make sure it was her and not me that this was happening it to. This tale is action packed and full of feels. Good feels, ugly feels, and very humorous. I love the conversations of the characters and the development of the plot. No it is not truly one thing or another but what in real life is? You never really know what a characters true intentions are when you feel you do please change your mind. This book flies buy and when you are done and you don’t have book two handy you will be upset with yourself. I don’t give 5 stars often but this story was well worth it.  

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday~ How We Fall by Kate Brauning (#42)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selections are:

How We Fall by Kate Brauning

Expected release date: November 3, 2014

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

Ever since Jackie moved to her uncles sleepy farming town, she's been flirting way too much—and with her own cousin, Marcus.

Her friendship with him has turned into something she can’t control, and he's the reason Jackie lost track of her best friend, Ellie, who left for…no one knows where. Now Ellie has been missing for months, and police, fearing the worst, are searching for her body. Swamped with guilt and the knowledge that acting on her love for Marcus would tear their families apart, Jackie pushes her cousin away. The plan is to fall out of love, and, just as she hoped, Marcus falls for the new girl in town. But something isn't right about this stranger, and Jackie’s suspicions about the new girl’s secrets only drive the wedge deeper between Jackie and Marcus—and deepens Jackie’s despair.

Then Marcus is forced to pay the price for someone else’s lies as the mystery around Ellie’s disappearance starts to become horribly clear. Jackie has to face terrible choices. Can she leave her first love behind, and can she go on living with the fact that she failed her best friend?

Why I'm waiting:

This actually sounds like a good story. Plus that whole incest thing adds a really interesting twist!

REVIEW: Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4) by Veronica Roth

Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4) by Veronica Roth

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to being again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovered during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future-and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. with her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

So just when I thought that I was okay with everything that happened in Allegiant and I thought I was finally moving on THIS happens! Seriously, Veronica!? You've just re-opened a barely healed wound! My devastation is real right now!

But of course, so is my love and adoration. With twenty-six letters in the alphabet, I don't think I could ever find the right combination to formulate the words to express my love for Tobias Eaton. His strength and bravery are so beautiful. Even more so because he doesn't see them in himself. He is smart and strong and perfectly brave in everything that he does. He is the ultimate survivor. Veronica does such a beautiful job at expressing all of his emotions behind every decision he makes. You can feel it with him when he speaks, in his movements, in his heart.

He is beautiful in every way! Now come forth readers and adore him with me!

FAVORITE FRIDAY (#1)~ Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where they spotlight some of their favorite reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just enter your information on their linky or leave them a comment.

This week's Favorite Read is:

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Since she’d been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered.

This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider names Perry. He's wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Arias’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

About the Author:

Veronica Rossi is the author of post-apocalyptic fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, is the first in a trilogy. Released in January 2012, it was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The second book In the trilogy, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT, debuted in January on the NY Times and USA Today Best Sellers Lists. The final book in the series, INTO THE STILL BLUE, debuted #6 on the NY Times Best Sellers series list in January 2014.

Foreign rights to the UNDER THE NEVER SKY trilogy have sold in over twenty-five territories to date and film rights have been optioned by Warner Bros.

She completed undergraduate studies at UCLA and then went on to study fine art at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons. When not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and counting down the minutes until she can get back to making up stories about imaginary people.

Why it's one of my Favorite Reads:

This book took me into a world that I never dreamed could exist. The characters were so perfectly well written and the world building was amazing! Veronica is truly a gifted writer and her work definitely shows that. Plus, I got not one, but TWO book boyfriends from that series. Perry (Obvi!) and Roar! (If you read the series you'll understand why!)

What's YOUR Favorite Book? Stop by Books and Swoons to share yours :)

COVER REVEAL: To Make a Witch (Sword of Elements #1.5) by Heather Hamilton-Senter

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:

To Make a Witch (Sword of Elements #1.5) by Heather Hamilton-Senter
 Publication date: October 1st 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
At her old school, Lacey found herself on the wrong side of a conflict between Celtic gods. Making a new start in an exclusive boarding school in New Orleans, she hopes to forget that she was once on the verge of becoming a powerful witch—and everything she has lost since then.

When a gruesome murder occurs in the very heart of Westover Academy, Lacey senses a connection between it and the desecration of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo queen. Haunted by a trauma in her past and the resulting OCD, Lacey must solve the mystery before she becomes the killer’s next target.

Circumstances beyond her control may once again make Lacey McInnis—cheerleader, scholar, and all-around good girl—a witch.

AUTHOR BIO:

Heather grew up in a family where books of myth and legend were used to teach the ABCs and Irish uncles still believed in fairies. Raised with tall tales, she has always told stories too- first as an actor and singer, then as a photographer, and now as a writer.

Heather lives in rural Ontario, Canada happily raising three children ranging in age from 6 to 18 with her biggest fan, her husband Steve.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / 

                                                  Cover Reveal hosted by: Xpresso Book Tours
                                                          

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday~ Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley (#41)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selections are:

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Expected release date: September 30, 2014

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

In 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever.

Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into the remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.

Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town’s most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept “separate but equal.”

Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power, and how they really feel about one another.

Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it. 

Why I'm waiting:

This book really appeals to me because it just breaks my heart that our society (then and now) still has trouble allowing people to just be who they are. There shouldn't be conditions on happiness! 

REVIEW: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Publication Date: November 1, 2011

Publisher: Crown Archetype 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck- impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door-not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

I am so saddened to say that I just did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. In fact, I truly thought it would be the funniest thing I would read all year. But alas, here I am, unfazed by the writing and comedy style of the author. 

Which is not to say that this is not a funny book. There were at least five jokes that I truly laughed out loud at, but that was about it. The rest felt sort of dry and uninteresting. And the ending felt very, very forced. Like the author ran out of things to say so she just kind of jabbered on trying to find her next joke. 

So this was not as epic as I hoped (for me!), but for the people that did find it humorous and enjoyable. I'm glad that you were able to see the joy that I had hoped to see. And for those considering reading this book and wondering if you should, I say: Take a chance! One man's trash is another man's treasure and what I find boring you may find beautiful. So go forth and read my friends!

INTERVIEW + GIVEAWAY: Boomerang by Noelle August (Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up.

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They're sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well…one thing led to another, which led them to waking up the next morning-together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi…to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they're now competitors for only one job at the end of summer.

As their internships come to an end, with they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they stared?

INTERVIEW (w/ Veronica Rossi)

First off, it was so great seeing you at the Boomerang Launch Party in Tampa. Congratulations on the beginning of another successful series! I can't wait to get started on Boomerang, i've heard nothing but great things about it! So let's get people motivated! Here we go: 

L: I’m really excited about Boomerang, what can you tell us about it?

V: Well, it came out of an idea Lorin Oberweger (my lovely coauthor and friend) were bouncing around during a chat. We loved the idea of setting a romance at an online dating service. Once we started talking about it, we couldn't stop. The rest, as they say, is history!

L: Do you have a favorite scene or quote from Boomerang?

V: I definitely enjoyed writing the dating scenes--and reading the ones Lorin wrote. They're funny, and there are definitely some sparks flying between Mia and Ethan, the leads. I think those scenes represent the book really well.

L: What do you want your fans to know about the series?

V: Readers should come to the books expecting quirky, smart characters, laughs, and a romance that's sexy and full of heart.

L: What was the hardest part about writing Boomerang?

V: Lorin and I are both super busy with our own work, so scheduling was a challenge. Finding time to work together. That was definitely the toughest part.

L: Between all the books that you've written, which was the hardest/easiest to write?

V: THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT was the toughest. No book has ever been that hard. It almost killed me. As for easiest: BOOMERANG. We just really found a groove with it and stayed there!

L: Do you have a favorite character that you enjoyed writing?

V: I've loved writing Roar, Soren and Willow, from the UTNS series. But, really, I love all those characters, even the antagonists. From the NA series, I had a blast writing Cookie and Rhett. I think I have a love affair with secondary characters!

L: What is your favorite part of being a writer?

V: The hours :) I can work when I want to! Kidding. But that is a definite plus! I love pretty much everything about my job. The writing itself, first and foremost, the travel, meeting fans. It's a great job!

L: Do you have a writing ritual?

V: No! I just do what works. Sometimes it's working from home while I listen to music. Other times it's no music, and working at a cafe. I just switch it up when I feel I need a boost. I do whatever allows me to focus.

L: What’s the best writing tip you ever received?

V: Keep going. Don't give up. Seriously. It's not easy to write books. Even as a writer who's writing four, it's still very difficult. You can get discouraged. But you have to just keep on!

L: And lastly, this is probably my favorite question to ask, who is your favorite book boyfriend? (Tough one, I know!) :)

V: Hah! At the moment, it's Hector from Rae Carson's GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS series. He's amazing.

Who's yours?

L: Well i'm not really loyal, so we might be here a while, but I have to say Perry (of course!) Warner from the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, Noah Shaw from the Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin, Zach from the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, and Tobias from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. There's definitely a ton more, but those are the top ones that come to mind.

So that’s it for me, Veronica. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to answer my questions. 

*Now for the part everyone has been waiting for, the giveaway! Enter below folks :)*

GIVEAWAY

Rules:

• To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below

• Must be 18 years of age or older

• Contest is open to U.S. entries ONLY

• Winners will be announced on the blog via Rafflecopter

• Winners will also be notified via email

• Check out my giveaway policy for more info

a Rafflecopter giveaway