Where reading is a way of life

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Surrender Your Love Book Blitz + Giveaway!




Surrender Your Love
Release date: March 15th, 2013

Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.

When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.

A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.

Author links:

http://jcreedauthor.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/jcreedauthor
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Reed/295864860535849

And now, for the giveaway!
Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and Good Luck!


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Friday, March 22, 2013

There Comes A Prophet Blog Tour + Giveaways!




There Comes a Prophet by David Litwack
Publication date: July 9th 2012
by Double Dragon Publishing
Genre: YA Dystopian

Synopsis:
Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?

A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.

Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.

If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:

“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”



Purchase: 



AUTHOR BIO
The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. There Comes a Prophet is his first  novel in this new stage of life.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

Author Links:
David's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

My 2 cents
My rating: 4.5 stars

I really loved this dystopian!  It almost feels like a fantasy novel at first, because you cannot see any remnants at all of our current world--but that changes about halfway through.  

The world building in this one is absolutely fantastic.  All of it felt believable.  I especially loved how the author used religion as a catalyst for the apocalypse.  And then as a method of controlling its citizens.  Sound familiar?

I loved our three MCs.  Thomas is the goof off, and also the one who marches to the beat of his own drummer.  Orah is the brilliant one (she made me think of Hermione from Harry Potter!), and Nathaniel is the courageous, brave one.  These three kids worked well together, even though they were oftentimes in disagreement!  We don't really get a lot of other character development.  Most of the other characters are side characters, although we do get to know Nathaniel's dad a bit.

This was a great read!  The last two thirds were almost constant adventure.  "The Keep" was unreal.  Wouldn't be so awesome to go to a place and get to pick the brains of the smartest peoples in the societies before us?  If you love a good dystopian, this book is for you!

And now, the Giveaways!
We have 2 different giveaways!
The first is international.  The prize is an ecopy of There Comes a Prophet!  Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and Good Luck!


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The second is for US only.  The prize is a paperback copy of There Comes a Prophet! Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and Good Luck!


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March 18th
-Megan Likes Books >> Review
-Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf >> Guest Post 
-The LUV'NV >> Review
-Girls *Heart* Books >> Review
-Beauty and the Bookshelf >> Interview

March 19th
-Rolling with the Moments >> Guest Post 
-A Reader's Devotion >> Review

March 20th
-The Bibliophile's Corner >> Review + Interview
-Mom With A Kindle  >> Guest Post
-Buried Under Books >> Review
-Queendsheena >> Review

March 21st
-A Dream Within A Dream >>  Guest Post
-Fic Fare  >>  Interview
-Divergent Gryffindor >>  Review
-Paranormal Sisters >>  Review
-Little Read Riding Hood >> Review, Guest Post

March 22nd
-Jessabella Reads >> Review
-Magical Manuscripts >> Review
-Simply Infatuated >> Interview

March 25th

March 26th
-My Crazy Book Obsession >> Guest Post
-ILoveTeenBooks >>  Review

March 27th
-Reader Girls >> Interview
-Framed In Words >> Review
-Deal Sharing Aunt  >>  Review

March 28th
-Turner's Antics >> Review
-YaReads >> Review, Interview
-Scott Reads It  >>   Review

March 29th
-bookmarkedpages >> Review
-Michelle Moloney King >> Review + Guest Post

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Disconnect Blog Tour + HUGE Giveaway!




Disconnect by Imran Siddiq
Series: Divided Worlds Trilogy, #1
Publication date: February 22nd 2013
Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Synopsis:
In space, love has boundaries.

Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness for Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.

In meeting Rosa, Zachary is scorned by her opinion of the deprived. She pities him and provides a means for them to communicate. With time, friendship and something he’s never felt grows; love for another human. Knowing Rosa calls him when it suits her isn’t enough; he wants to meet her, but how? Relationships in Underworld are few, let alone the impossibility with those above the ceiling.

Underworld will suffer when plans to conquer Jupiter’s moon, Europa move ahead. Worse is Rosa’s father, a disgraced Overworld ambassador, approving the plan.

Zachary must defeat the prejudice of the worlds, sneak within opposing forces, lose friends and challenge Rosa’s sadness. In doing so, a twisted secret is uncovered that may devour the reason he lives; Rosa.


PURCHASE: 


---

AUTHOR BIO
Imran Siddiq may have tried to leave Leicester a few times, but its become his place to wake up to two cats, freeze when the heating’s off and most of all, get down to writing. At a young age, his primary school teacher commented on his creativity and ability to tell stories.  At the age of 29, during a night in the jungle, the bug inside awakened, and for the last 5 years he’s been sacrificing every second that he can to write. A veteran of writing festivals, a presence on Twitter and gobbling up all forms of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, he hopes he can bring a smile to others in the same way that he had, aged 5, reading with a torch under his duvet. Imran’s preferred genre  is YA Sci Fi, and he has a tendency to throw a droid in every novel.
Author Links:

And Now, the Big Giveaway!
Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and Good Luck!


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March 18th

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi


Goodreads
341 pages, YA dystopian, Sci-Fi
Under the Never Sky #2
My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.


My 2 Cents

This one will be hard to review without giving away any spoilers, but I'll try my best!  Obviously, I loved it!  It was even better than the first book, which is always awesome!  Its been a few months since we left the events in the first novel, but we start right off with Perry finding Aria, and her coming back with him to the Tides.  The first half of the story is rather bleak, but things pick up quickly, and then its constant action to the finish!

One of the best things of this story is the characters.  They leap off the page, and feel to me like real people!  Perry-- I really enjoyed him better in the first book.  In this story, his love for Aria and fear of losing everything seems to get in his way a lot, and he acts pretty stupid about things for awhile.  He does redeem himself by the end though!  Aria--My second favorite character.  She started off so weak in the first story, but in this one, she's the strong one for Perry, Roar, and pretty much everyone in the Tides!  She's calculated when it counts, and makes some smart decisions!  Roar--My favorite character!  I could see a lot of fans after this one lobbying for Roar and Aria to get together, but I think its great that they have this great friendship.  Both of them really need someone at their backs.  Roar is mostly the comic relief, but in this story, we get to see his serious side.  By the end of the story, you will crying for Roar!  Liv--We finally get to meet her in this story (unless you've read the short story, Roar and Liv already) and she is nothing like what we thought.  Or is she?  There is a major roller coaster ride with her, so I'll let you all judge for yourselves!  Cinder--He isn't as much in this story, but he does play a pivotal role.  We start to learn a few of his secrets, but there is still a lot left to learn!  He's a really interesting boy!  Reef--We get to learn a lot about Reef in this story, although he still feels like a side character in some respects.  He becomes Perry's right hand man, and although they start to become closer, its doesn't feel like a true friendship yet.  But I'm awfully glad he's around for Perry!

As I've said, the last half of the story is nonstop action and the ending sets things up nicely for the final book.  The story building is even better in this novel, and the Aether storms are truly frightening!  Between some of the members of the Tides, other rival tribes, Sable, Hess, and the Aether, Perry and Aria have plenty of challenges to overcome!  I can't wait to see how it all turns out!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Truth About Letting Go Book Blitz + Giveaways!




The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh Talbert Moore
Publication date: February 21st 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary

Synopsis:
Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.
Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley’s seemingly charmed shoes.
Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear—with Ashley at his side.
Jordan wants to follow his heart…
But Ashley’s the one sacrifice he never expected to make.


Up until now, Ashley Lockett’s followed the rules. She’s always done the right thing, played it safe, gone to church. Then her ideal life is torn apart when her dad dies suddenly.

Now she’s miserable and furious, and she makes a vow not to believe in anything. She’s on a mission to do everything opposite of how she lived before—rejecting safety, the rules, faith…

And then she meets Jordan.

Jordan has big dreams, he’s a great kisser, and he wants to help her through her grief. He also believes in everything Ashley now claims to  hate.

Then she meets Colt. He is not safe. And he’s ready to help Ashley fulfill her mission.


My 2 cents
My rating: 4 stars

This was a heartfelt, beautiful contemporary novel.  Its classified both as YA and NA.  I believe it felt more YA to me, as the kids are still in high school, and there is no actual sex in the story, although there are some pretty hot moments!  I suppose you could also call it NA since the kids are all 18 and about to graduate.  I would still say its for older readers.

I loved Ashley so much, and I really felt I could relate to her.  Losing a parent is so hard, and especially when you are about to graduate high school. Ashley really had the perfect life until his death.

The novel starts in the thick of things, at the funeral and reception.  Ashley practically runs away from the whole thing, and its pretty obvious she's lost.  She starts talking to people she never would have talked to before--her being popular and a cheerleader and all.  She also quits the cheerleading team and puts a ban on going to church.  Most of it felt like a cry for help.

Jordan seems to answer her cry, then Colt.  Its not surprising that two guys would have the hots for her, being blonde and beautiful and all.  But I really thing she could have handled this better!  I myself fell in love with Jordan after a few sentences of his first appearance in the story!

Lots of things happen in the story, a lot of it crazy, wild teenager stuff.  This didn't surprise me.  What did?  Jordan, and all the references to religion and God.  It wasn't preachy at all, which I appreciated.  It was more like a philosophical discussion on faith itself.  

The ending was perfect for me, although it did end almost a little too neatly!  This was a great feel-good contemporary read!


PURCHASE: 



AUTHOR BIO
Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a freelance editor when time permits, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a lover of any great love story, a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps.
Leigh’s debut novel The Truth About Faking is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.
Her second book, Rouge, is a mature YA/new adult romantic suspense novel set in New Orleans. It’s available on Amazon.

Author Links:

And now, for the giveaways!
I am giving away an ecopy of the book that will be sent directly to the winner from the publisher!  
Keep scrolling down to also enter the grand prize giveaway!
Enter on the Rafflecopters below, and Good Luck!


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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Aura Blog Tour + $25 Gift Card Giveaway!

Tour Schedule


Aura

"I half-turned to her and shrugged, still processing what I'd seen, or at least what I thought I'd seen, in Ms. Neal's eyes—like they weren't hers. Obviously, they were her eyes, but it looked like she'd plucked them from someone else's head. A dead someone else's head."

In the fight between good and evil, Light is your only weapon.

Crystal Scott finally feels like a normal teenager. She has a lead in the high school play, a best friend, and a gorgeous boyfriend. With prom only a few days away, Crystal’s ordinary life seems perfect.

Endowed with great Light because of her virtuous choices and her inherent gifts, Crystal’s aura has become visible to those with the ability to see auras. Unfortunately, her power has also attracted the attention of demons intent on destroying all Light.

When Vincent Crandall, the human host for a powerful demon, discovers that Crystal’s Light is strong enough to disrupt the connection between demons and their hosts, he realizes she may be able to sever the connection altogether. Determined to stop her from interfering with his plans to rule the world, he sends operatives to neutralize her Light.

After the operatives fail to disable Crystal, Vincent decides he must harness her power for himself. He kidnaps her parents, and Crystal is thrust into battle against a demon army she didn’t even know existed. With the help of a mysterious young man and his mother, Crystal must learn to use the power within her before Vincent kills her parents and exploits her Light.






Author Rebecca Lynn Talley

Rebecca Lynn Talley grew up in the gorgeous seaside city of Santa Barbara, CA. She met, and married, her husband, Del, while attending Brigham Young University. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Communications. She currently lives in rural Colorado on a small ranch with a dog, too many cats to count, and a herd of goats. She and Del are the proud parents of ten wildly-creative, multi-talented children.

Rebecca is the author of a children's picture book, Grasshopper Pie (WindRiver 2003), a children's chapter book, Gabby's Secret (DuBon Publishing 2011), four novels, Heaven Scent (CFI 2008), Altared Plans (CFI 2009), The Upside of Down (CFI 2011), and Aura (DuBon Publishing 2012). She has also authored numerous children's stories and articles for both print and online magazines.

When she isn’t writing, Rebecca loves to date her husband, play with her kids, swim in the ocean, and dance to disco music while she cleans the house. She has folded at least one million loads of laundry, baked hundreds of batches of chocolate chip cookies, and eaten 5,478 gallons of ice cream.




Reviews

This YA urban fantasy is fantastic! The story grabbed me from the start and kept me enthralled until the end! I love books that keep me thinking about the characters and events and possibilities even after putting them down...Aura is one of those books! Rebecca Lynn Talley has created characters you care about in a world begging for the special gifts they possess. I love the premise of Aura and imagine I'll be enjoying many more Light vs. Demon novels in the future....at least I hope there are more to come!
~KindleQueen

I loved the clasic good VS evil in Aura. I loved that Crystal made the conscious choice to be good inspite of feelings and doubts. I also loved the idea of demons posessing somone who had made dark choices, or greedy bargains. The book is clean and well handled inspite of the serious subject matter.Well done.
~C. Michelle Jefferies

This is one of those books that you hope will become widespread enough to make a positive impact in this world. Personally, I think this is a book every teenager should read and I will definitely be passing it along to my own kids. Thank you, Rebecca, for writing a beautiful story with a wonderful message! I hope you keep at it because now I want a sequel!
~Rachael Anderson

Aura sucked me in from the first page. The book is intense and well-written. I loved that Crystal is innocent and makes a conscious choice to stay that way in the face of intense pressure. I would recommend Aura to young adults on up.
~Cami Checketts

Wonderful, wonderful message. Probably the most solid moral message I’ve ever read in contemporary literature, but without being too heavy or feeling like a lecture. You could almost look at it like an allegory, I think, representing real life with fictional symbols. I’m trying to explain without giving anything away, and I think I’m doing a bad job. Anyway, I have four boys, but if I had a girl, I would definitely have her read it. The story is imaginative and creative, Crystal is a strong but believable heroine, caught up in high school cares and not realizing her own potential or the battle that is waged around and for her. I thought at times it was a bit predictable, and that the first half of the book drug a little. It probably could have been told quicker or perhaps made a little more interesting. But all in all, I enjoyed it. The story kept me going and the characters were sweet and compelling.
~May Abbey

Wow! I got this book for free and LOVED it! I can't wait to read any follow up books! (There WILL be follow up books, right?) In this story Crystal is full of light, thanks to making good choices, and she has to figure out how to keep the light in the midst of high school where temptation runs rampant and where she just wants to be an average girl! I like that things never went too far, and I felt like it was very well-written, with rounded out characters!
~Tamera Westhoff


My 2 cents
My rating: 3.5 stars

Aura was an enjoyable read for me, and also a quick one, which I like!  I love stories about demons, light and dark, so I knew I would like it!  The highlight for me was Crystal as a character.  She was refreshingly good, but still believable.  A great role model for teens!  

Crystal always seems to make the right choices insofar as moral issues.  She constantly seconds guesses herself, though, which made it feel more real to me.  Its nice for teens to have a "good girl" character they could relate to.  Lately it seems most MC girls are not quite so pure.  Crystal is able to kick butt as well as the rest of them when she doesn't doubt herself!

I didn't feel as if I got to know any of the other characters nearly as well.  I really wanted to like Alec, but by the end of the book, I didn't really feel as if I know him at all. The romance between he and Crystal also seemed way too quick, and somewhat forced.

The action is great in the story, and the villian was appropriately evil!  I also liked that Crystal had parents--I've been reading about a lot of absent parents lately!  If you are looking for an entertaining story, this would be a good one to try!


Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3.21.13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Monday, March 11, 2013

February Best of the Bunch


Best of the Bunch is hosted by Always Lost in Stories.  Best of the Bunch is a monthly wrap-up and award ceremony hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favorite book of that month.

It is also a blog hop for bloggers to showcase their pick of "Best of the Bunch". I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link anytime in the following month- please join in, I love hearing about which books you thought were the most amazing!

For more info and to grab the button and stickers visit the BOTB page here, then all you need to do is write up your post showing us your Best of the Bunch and add your linky to the list below. Don't forget to check out the other blogs to find out which books other bloggers have awarded the best.


I had another great reading month, but didn't come close to my January's totals!


What I read this month!

Prodigy by Marie Lu--5 stars--My Review
Where She Went by Gayle Forman--5 stars
The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spaulding--3.5 stars--My Review
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti--4 stars
The Moon Dwellers by David Estes--4.5 stars--My Review
Life Before Legend by Marie Lu--4 stars
The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen--4.5 stars--My Review on Juliababyjen After Dark blog
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood--5 stars--My Review
Ashfall by Mike Mullin--5 stars--My Review
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris--3 stars
The Next Forever by Lisa Burstein--4 stars
The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter--3.5 stars--My Review
Asunder by Jodi Meadows--5 stars
Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg--4 stars
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris--5 stars
Catherine by April Lindner--5 stars--My Review
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer--5 stars
Every Day by David Levithan--4 stars--My Review
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep--4.5 stars--My Review
Bound by J. Elizabeth Hill--4.5 stars--My Review
Frost Fire by Olivia Rivers--4 stars--My Review
Time's Twisted Arrow by Rysa Walker--4 stars-My Review
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd--3 stars--My Review

And the winner is...

My first read of the month!
Goodreads

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. 

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.






And the runners-up!


Goodreads

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Newsoul trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.


Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.


Which book won your bananas?