Giveaway: The Hunted Series by Amanda Shofner

The Hunted Series by Amanda Shofner

The Hunted is a riveting world in which two opposing factions of Gifted, the Memory-bringers and the Illusionists, must overcome their fear of each other and work together against their common enemy: The Northern Alliance Betterment Society. Doesn't that name just bring chills? Betterment Society? So many real world horrors have been perpetrated in order to "better" things according to skewed versions of perfection. True to form, The Society will stop at nothing until they realize their goal, the neutralization of all Gifted. Of course just killing a Gifted isn't enough, the Society must experiment in order to find a way to truly eliminate the biological elements that make someone Gifted.

I am drawn in to a book by the characters.  You can have the most interesting setting ever, but if I'm not invested in the characters, I couldn't care less.  Fully realized characters are one of the strengths of this series, I cared about what happened to all of them. I hurt with them, was afraid with them, was happy for them, and sometimes wanted to slap some of them (Janey) for being so stubborn and impatient, but that's who she was.  For me that's what makes a story I won't forget, characters who are true individuals, with realistic emotions, strengths and weaknesses.  Add to that a bit of Sci/Fi-Fantasy, a little romance, and I'm in!  You get all that here.

Synopsis from Amazon

The Northern Alliance Betterment Society rose up to declare war on the Gifted and erase them from existence. The deep division between the Gifted—the illusionists and memory-bringers—made the war successful. Now the Gifted are being hunted and eliminated, but there remain a few who choose to fight back and reclaim their lives.

ELUSIVE MEMORIES

One false move—or trusting the wrong person—can turn the Gifted into the hunted.

Sam Benson doesn’t know where she is or, more importantly, who she is. With her memories gone, she must piece together the details of her life—and figure out who to trust—before they take it from her.

THE UNEXPECTED GIFT

When Michael gave up his Gift, he was told it'd be forever. In the middle of recruiting for the new Gifted army, his Gift comes back. Unexpectedly.

But rather than celebrating the impossible, Michael’s carefully laid plans are about to come to naught... unless he can find a way to survive and make it right.

HIDDEN ILLUSIONS

Janey Jones is driven by one purpose. Will Brown has seen what blind ambition can do.

When Will and Janey are thrown together, they’re forced to put aside their differences for a greater purpose: find a way to stay alive—and salvage the mission to cut the Hunters down, once and for all.

A VEILED TRUTH

She’s about to learn life isn’t like her controlled experiments.

Edie Brown's well-ordered scientist’s life unravels when her best friend Marcus proposes a different kind of experiment—one that puts her heart at risk.

Giveaway
 

The Hunted series will be available as a bundle starting July 1st!  I'll be giving away 2 US Kindle bundles, and as many single US Kindle parts of the series as I'm in the mood for! Just tell me in your entry whether you want the bundle, or a single part of the series, and also the e-mail address you want it sent to if you win.  This contest will be open through Sunday July 12th.

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COYER Scavenger Hunt June 20 - September 4, 2015

The COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) Scavenger hunt is under way! I am joining in the challenge a little late, but there is plenty of time left! This event run from June 20th - Sept 4th and sounds like a whole lot of fun! There 5 summer read-a-thons scheduled, along with a reading scavenger hunt, twitter parties, a facebook group and prizes to win, so come on and join the fun!

For this event we can use any book we obtained legally. That would be Kindle Freebies, ARCs, Netgalley & Edelwiess books, Audiobooks, Purchased books (any $ amount) and Physical Books. Because of the Scavenger Hunt you are not allowed to read Library books, Kindle Unlimited or Borrowed books. (This is for my own use, but also helpful if you're wondering what to use, I asked just to be sure!)

Details, Signup, and Schedule

Scavenger Hunt List

Currently Reading: 





Reviews I've visited:

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge - reviewed by Book Briefs
Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne - reviewed by Book Haven 
Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy - reviewed by Squiggles Reviews
Sword Art Online #2: Aincrad by Reki Kawahara - reviewed by Fiction State of Mind
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter - reviewed by Trips Down Imagination Road
Horde (Razorland #3) by Ann Aguirre - reviewed by Kristen @ The Book Monsters

Books Finished:

Finished 6/30/15 Review SH #7 66 pages	Finished 7/1/15 Review SH #44 Audio/93 pages	Finished 7/3/15 Review SH #6 Audio/233 pages
Finished 7/8/15 RWB Review  SH #1 327 pages	Finished 7/13/15 Review SH #29 216 pages (started at 84)	Finished 7/14/15 Review SH #2 6 hrs 7 min
Finished 7/19/15 BP Review SH #37 95 Pages	Finished 7/24/15 Review to Come SH# 78 12:32/363 pages	Finished 7/31/15 Review SH #39 410 pages
Finished 8/6/15 Review SH #N/A 371 pages	Finished 8/13/14 Review to come SH #21 11:58/522 pages	Finished 8/16/15 Review SH #58 94 pages
Finished 8/18/15 Review SH #38 300 pages	Finished 8/21/15 Review SH #23 8:20/155 pages	Finished 8/23/15 Review SH #5 346 pages
Finished 9/2/15 Review SH #55 204 pages

The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts

The Next Always The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen. After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Busy, with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look . . . at the building and the man behind it. With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett’s happy to give Clare a private tour - one room at a time. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something new - and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next . . .

I adore this trilogy. I will admit that I didn't think I'd be a Nora Roberts fan. I picked up The Next Always when it was on sale on Audible because it mentioned a haunting. I didn't expect to fall in love, with the people or the place, but I did. I want the Montgomery boys to be my brothers, and Avery, Clare and Hope to be my friends. I want to hang out and have pizza at Vesta and celebrate holidays with the whole family. I want a hug from Willy B and to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth. These were pure comfort reading for me once I got into them, and will go down in my list of favorites. The description of the places and the characterization of the people make it all seem so real that it makes me want to jump in my truck and go there, to be part of it all, to get enveloped in that world. I can smell Avery's marinara sauce and hear the brothers hammering away on their latest project. I didn't expect to get sucked in, it's not my usual thing, but I did, and I'm so grateful for it. :)

Bout of Books 13 - May 11 - 17

I am so excited that it's Bout of Books time again! Since I've taken the pressure off of myself to read certain numbers or types of books, I've really enjoyed my reading a lot more this year. I had a fantastic day on Dewey's Read-a-thon a few weeks ago and I'm hoping that momentum carries over here!

I'm giving myself a goal of 1,000 pages, so no pressure to finish anything, just read what I'm in the mood for!

If you're not familiar with Bout of Books, here's a little explanation:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

   

Page Goal: 855/1000

Currently Reading:



Finished:

Time for some Napping!

I finished my second full length book, and hit 541 pages! 2nd level achieved!

I discovered Nancy Springer in junior high when I read The Silver Sun by her, so I always know I'm in for a good story, whatever she tackles.  I love Arthurian tales, and this was no exception, poignant and sad however, told from Mordred's point of view, and no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, his fate seems sealed.  It's making me want to go watch Excalibur again,  even though I really recall not liking Mordred in the movie.  There was some rearrangement of the tale here, but there are always differences in every retelling.

And the cover goes really nicely with my blog color scheme, I just noticed!

I'm headed to bed for now with my next read, Ashes and Alchemy by Cindy Spencer Pape.  It's part of a steampunk series I've been enjoying.  I may try to get up before the end of the read-a-thon to be there for the finish.  If I don't make it up, I'll wrap up later, and another round of thanks to all the cheerleaders and organizers!  You all make this the wonderful event it has become!


Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages
The Nameless City - Michael Scott - 81 pages
I Am Mordred - Nancy Springer - 184 pages

Total Pages: 541

ETA: Fergus was nice enough to wake me up half an hour before the Read-a-thon was over, so I got a few more pages in before the end, after I fed the furballs of course! 

Partial:
Ashes and Alchemy - Cindy Spencer Pape - 30 pages

Updated Total Pages: 571

A Wee (large) Break at the 2/3rd's Mark

We're at the 2/3rd hour, 10 PM for me, and I've taken a really long break! Errands, dinner, some gaming, a few pages over that time, but not much.  I'm still working at it though, not ready to throw in the towel just yet!  I will definitely finish this one, and I'm hoping maybe another short one before calling it a night, we'll see.

I'm currently still working on I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer and enjoying it. If you can be said to enjoy the story of Mordred. This is told from his point of view, that really was not evil and was a tool of fate. Similar to how Marion Zimmer Bradley tells the Arthur story from Morgan Le Fay's point of view, where the typically evil character is the main character and lines between good and evil aren't so boldly scored.

In Process:
I Am Mordred - Nancy Springer - 105 pages so far 

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages
The Nameless City - Michael Scott - 81 Pages


Total Pages: 462 (I'm almost to 500!)

A Little Smackeral and Goal #1 Achieved!

I've made my first goal of 350 total pages with the little Doctor Who #2 book in the picture, "The Nameless City."  That one was cute, never underestimate the fearsomeness of bagpipes!  Also it was time for a snack, coffee #2 Coconut Mocha, and a big ol' sugar cookie!

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages
The Nameless City - Michael Scott - 81 Pages

Total Pages: 357

Next Stop, 500!

Eighth Hour

We're about 1/3 of the way through the day and I've finished Something from the Nightside! Go me! It was a fun and pretty quick read, I think Jim Butcher's blurb on the cover describes it perfectly: "A fast, fun little roller coaster of a story..."  It kept me interested and I'll keep going on the series.

I'm actually pretty proud of keeping focus and pretty much staying off the social media except to do updates and cheer on some fellow read-a-thoners. I have a feeling that will get harder as the day goes on.

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages

Total Pages: 276

I'm not quite at my first level goal, which is 350 pages.  Next up is"The Nameless City" another quick Doctor Who adventure by Michael Scott, and I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer.  These two should get me to my second level goal of 500 no problem!

This is usually a hard time of day for me in the sleepy department, 3 pm is nap time!  Hopefully I can hold out!

Awake and Ready to 'Thon!

I've had a tasty breakfast burrito, and some coffee and I'm ready to get to it!

I knocked out a quick short story, "A Big Hand for the Doctor" by Eoin Colfer that is part of a 12 story collection, one for each doctor. This was for #1. I got the box set because each story has a cover showing that Doctor's signature outfit and I just thought they were cute, so there's #1's outfit to the left!  Here is the link on Amazon if you are so inclined.

I'm ready to dive into something a little longer, so I'm giving Something From the Nightside by Simon R. Green a try.

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages


Opening Meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?  Kansas, USA
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  All of them really, I tried to pick books to fit my mood, rather than just for length this time.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?  I have some Ben and Jerry's ice cream all ready for later!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!  I'm an introverted Inventory Analyst who very nearly because an Archeologist instead!  Okay, not that nearly, but I've always love Archeaology, and studied it in college before my better sense too over and I chose something that probably suited me better.  I do still love reading about it though!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  I've lost count of how many of these Read-a-thon's I've done, but so far my nemesis seems to be getting too comfortable, so I've got a secret weapon this time.  If I start to get sleepy, I may try sitting on my stability ball, it forces your body to be actively keeping balance, and you have to be awake to do that!

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon Kick Off - April 2015

Goooooood Mooooooorning Read-a-thoners!  We've made it!  The wait is over and the time to start reading is NOW!  I got a little bit of a late start, but I'm here now and ready to go!

I'm going to get some raspberry truffle coffee and some breakfast and dig into my first Doctor Who story "A Big Hand for the Doctor" by Eoin Colfer.

I'll see you all in a little while!

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon Eve April 2015 Edition

Oh yeah! It's time for another Dewey's Read-a-thon, Spring 2015 Edition! I am super excited this round! I even did my nails for the occasion!

Here are my current choices to pull from, but I'm definitely a mood reader, so we'll see what happens!

I have a few Kindle books lined up as well. I will get nowhere close to finishing all of these, I just hope to finish a couple, but I've decided I'm going for page count this year instead of number of books read, so if I want to skip around, no biggie! It's very hard for me to stay focused on one book from beginning to end, I usually have several going at any one time.


Goal

Realistic = 350 pages   This is 7 times and more what I usually get read in one day, but should be pretty easy to do in a day devoted to reading.

Hopefully = 500 pages   I'll feel pretty good about this one.

Formidable = 750 pages   I'm not holding my breath.

Seriously?! = 1000 pages   Yeah, probably not, but weird things happen!


Good luck to everyone taking part!  An up front THANK YOU!! to all the cheerleaders and organizers that make this such an amazing event.  I can't wait to get started!

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by A. J. Hartley and David Hewson, Narrated by Richard Armitage

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by A.J. Hartley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read it to me, Thorin Oakenshield! This was an excellent rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, novelized by A. J. Hartly and David Hewson and narrated by the resonant Richard Armitage. I’m still hearing it in my head a day after finishing, maybe I need to start it over!

I count myself among the fans of the Bard, but I’ll be honest, I have a hard time understanding what is happening just by reading the plays, and often have to watch them acted out before I get on board with the action, so I was very interested to listen to this version. This was much easier for me to follow, and while I know there were differences to the original (and some discussion at the end about whose the original even was) they were intended and added to the flow of the story. I was especially intrigued by the treatment of Yorick, who is one of the most famous bit parts ever! Poor guy doesn’t even get to appear in the flesh or have a line, but everyone knows who he is. It just isn’t Hamlet without him.

It is dark and full of madness, some of it feigned, some of it perhaps not, and with Armitage’s wonderful voice to bring it to life it was a production I highly recommend!


View all my reviews

Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka

Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cloud of Sparrows is a study of the contradictory nature of the Samurai in a time when their world was inexorably moving forward. They are ruthless killers, incited to decapitate a foe over insulting words, but are also moved to tears by the nuance of a gesture, or a perceived boon found in what was not said, or not done to spare feelings and perception of a reputation. This brutal beauty is reflected on an individual as well as a cultural level, and it is into this passionate, yet rigidly structured society that Lord Genji ushers in foreign Christian missionaries, who become a catalyst for the events of the story.

Genji himself is a huge juxtaposition of ideas, welcoming the outsiders but at the same time not taking their religion seriously, even as he plans to assist them in setting up a mission location, he seems more fascinated and amused by a new toy, more interested in how it is unsettling his rivals than in their purpose for being there. He is the more forward thinking of the Great Lords, but also has difficulty letting go of some traditions and ingrained ideas, even as he recognizes they are outdated, and sometimes downright ridiculous. Coupled with the difficulties of navigating political waters, he also carries the burden of prescient visions, which often make no sense, but sometimes are all too clear.

Genji and Heiko, Matthew and Emily, Shigeru and even Genji’s loyal warriors and servants are all excellent characters who are tested to their limits throughout the course of the story. We learn the history of how the Americans came to be in Japan and see the Samurai way of life beginning to crumble under the press of time and traditions that cannot be sustained as the world moves in. It is by turns beautiful and violent, poignant and humorous, sensitive and senseless, and it was exactly what I wanted on my visit to this culture and time period.


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The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was deeply drawn into this amazing and secret world that Katherine found herself in. Almost immediately I became attached to Uncle Tully and his toys, and completely sympathetic to Katherine and her plight. The dark richness of the grand but decaying house and complex grounds, and the family secrets which came to light all gave vivid depth to the world. An interestingly set teen mystery with a gothic feel and a satisfying resolution, though with an open end that leads to a second book which I'm definitely looking forward to! I definitely recommend to the historical, steampunk, mystery fan.

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The Muse by Raine Miller

The Muse by Raine Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this through the Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

I chose it because of the combination of historical romance and art that the synopsis promised, and also because one of the comments on it were from a fan of the Rothvale series, who really loved that series and was excited to have this backstory prequel.

I ultimately gave this a 4/5, but it was a struggle for me. It went very slowly to me until the last third of the book. Had I not felt that I needed to give a review of it, I might not have finished, but finish it I did, in tears, today at lunch time. I'm also now interested in the Rothvale series, which I realize is contemporary, but I think will be more full for me with this backstory to draw on.

There are some steamy sex scenes, which seem a little at odds with the formality of the characters to each other, but then I remind myself that culture is different now than it was then, and I need to stop comparing it to a married couple of today.

Graham and Imogene have both had a lot of tragedy in their lives, I always have a soft spot for damaged heroes, and there is plenty of that here. His fears of past events repeating themselves lead him to quite a bit of paranoia and heavy-handedness, while Imogene wants to live life to the fullest and know the truth of things, no matter how hurtful they are. Together they make a beautiful couple that are deeply in love, but sometimes deeply at odds as Graham tries to protect her from everything, and she stubbornly refuses to to play the docile lady for him.

An enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to giving the Rothvale Legacy series a try.

View all my reviews

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

I kept hearing friends trying this one out and raving that it was wonderful, and I admit I was intrigued by the premise, so when I saw it available, I decided to give it a try. I was a little apprehensive that I would be bored by a one-man show, I haven't seen either of the movies that it were offered as a combo/comparison, Castaway and Apollo13, though I am aware of them. I had nothing to worry about!

I was drawn in right away, and found myself holding my breath to see how Mark would deal with his next challenge! The science was great, it was high enough level that I could follow it, even if it wasn't an idea I was already familiar with, it was explained and applied to a situation, which really helps me to understand what's going on. Mark is a great character, a definite Space MacGuyver, humorous and endearing, an easy guy to like. I had to be careful reading this one before bed because it was keeping me awake, I just had to see what happened next, it couldn't wait!

I can't recommend this one enough because I really think it makes Sci-Fi accessible to people who aren't usually into it, it's got more of a real world feel because it is our world, albeit the future, it all sounds very plausible. Well, okay, just the sheer volume of stuff that happens to him and that he's able to overcome is kind of over the top, but still! If I have any criticism, it's that it ended a little too abruptly for me, I would have liked just a bit more follow through on what came next, but overall, it was fantastic!

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As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cannot say how much I loved listening to this. I was 14 when The Princess Bride came out, and it became one of the defining movies of my teen years. I've watched it I don't know how many times, quoted it endlessly with my friends then, and still do today. This movie touches people in a way no other can. It is so many things, a comedy, a fantasy adventure, and the ideal romance. It's the happy ending we all want. I've been itching to watch it again the whole time I've been listening.

What I dearly love about this book is the sheer love and delight towards the movie of everyone involved in making it. That really shines through and makes me so happy that the people who made one of my favorite movies share that love with me. It wasn't just another project they worked on, it was something incredibly special.

I could listen to Cary Elwes speak all day! Well, I sort of did or would have if I could have had that long uninterrupted! His delivery is perfect, joined by Rob Reiner and other cast members and combined with the stories from the making of the movie, fun facts, the actors real insecurities and downright fears, their personal struggles and camaraderie make this a book I will treasure. It adds an extra dimension to the story that makes it even more precious to me.

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Bout of Books 12.0!

Bout of Books 12.0 is here! I'm ready! Bring it on! No goals for me, just reading and having fun!

To join us, check out the Bout of Books Blog or click on the picture above!

Chat with us on Twitter at #boutofbooks, or on Facebook at Bout of Books.

Currently Reading:



Next Up:



Finished: