Drowning Mermaids Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Drowning Mermaids by Nadia Scrieva!

Deep under Arctic waters lies an ice kingdom carved into a glacier. Those who dwell within it possess magnificent biological secrets. Due to the dangers of impending war, the Princess of Adlivun is forced to flee her undersea utopia and regroup with her sisters in Alaska.

Captain Trevain Murphy is a successful king crab fisherman who has spent his life building his empire above the sea, and knows nothing of the empire beneath it. When he meets a mysterious dancer whose father has just died, he extends kindness towards her, unaware of her unique genetics and royal lineage.

Trevain’s attraction to the enigmatic Aazuria Vellamo will involve him in dangerous designs that will forever change his life, and his perspective on himself and his world. He embarks on perilous journeys in which he will need to release all of his insecurities and inhibitions in order to survive.

Review:

Trevain Murphy has a great life for the most part. Captain of his own crabbing vessel, Trevain has done very well for himself. Until recently. They lost a member of their crew somehow, and Trevain blames himself. While drowning his sorrow as a local gentlemen's club, he sees the most beautiful dancer ever. She draws him in immediately, and he is determined to meet her. He learns her name is Aazuria, but what he doesn't know is that Aazuria has many secrets. She is the princess of a kingdom of people under the Bering Sea. Trevain will soon find himself caught up in the problems of Aazuria's kingdom, but nothing will top the other secrets he will learn. Trevain's life will be completely altered.

This was a very interesting concept. I liked the unique plot points, and there were some definite surprises in store. There are quite a few things I'd love to talk about, but I don't want to spoil things for anyone. The contrast in speaking styles was a great way to highlight the differences in demeanor of the different characters. Aazuria seemed to be a very calm and positive influence on just about everyone she encountered. She had been forced to make a lot of very difficult decisions in her life. I think that both she and Trevain ultimately wanted the same things- to feel complete freedom.

I think the highs and lows of Aazuria's and Trevain's relationships did seem a but abrupt at times. I think the development there was just a tiny bit rushed. I mentioned there were a lot of twists and turns, and I didn't see a couple of the things coming even though they were hinted at. This helped me want to keep turning pages to see what would happen next. I'm looking forward to the next book in the adventure. In a world full of paranormal YA books, this one takes a unique and different approach to the genre. I feel like "merpeople" hasn't been done as much. I would have liked to learn more about all the underwater politics; they sounded very complex. Overall, it was a fast and enjoyable read. People who enjoy underwater adventures and a very different romance story should check this one out.

Book provided for review.

Review: There Goes the Bride by Holly McQueen

Title:		There Goes the Bride
Author:		Holly McQueen
Publisher:		Simon & Schuster
Imprint:		Atria
Pub. Date:		6/5/2012
ISBN:		ISBN13: 9781451660937
Pages:		403

And her older sister Bella couldn’t be more excited. Not only will Polly be home after five years in New York, but she’s coming back to marry the most perfect man on the planet, Dev. Dresses, cake, first dance … Bella’s looking forward to getting stuck into the arrangements.

Polly's best friend Grace is just as excited. She’s can’t wait to walk down the aisle behind her childhood ally, especially as the stylish Polly wouldn’t dream of dressing her bridesmaids in anything but the best, which will make a welcome change to the ‘mum-wear’ she’s adopted since her second child was born.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off. And there’s no way she’s going to tell them why. Some secrets are best kept hidden.

But she’s reckoned without Grace and Bella, who are determined to get Polly and Dev back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with their own …?

(Summary via Goodreads; Cover via Amazon.com)
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Bella and Grace are ready for the upcoming wedding of Polly, Bella's sister and Grace's best friend. When Polly shows up in London declaring the wedding to be off, it throws Bella and Grace into tailspins. They can't understand why it happened. Of course, Bella and Grace have problems of their own. Bella desperately wants a child, but she can't have one of her own. Her slacker boyfriend is less than enthusiastic about the prospect of adoption. Grace meanwhile is stuck in a loveless marriage with an older man. When an attractive billionaire (and her husband's boss) begins to show interest in her, Grace's problems really start. In the end, Bella and Grace will have to solve their own issues before they can even begin to help Polly.


If you're looking for fun, quick reads, this is a great pick. There are some interesting issues at the root of the problems in this book though. Grace is a trapped in a marriage that seemed really great at first and has dropped off since then. Add two rambunctious kids into the mix, and a less than supportive husband seems even less great. Bella on the other hand can barely get a commitment from her flaky boyfriend. Bella is trying to go through the process of adopting a child, but her boyfriends antics aren't helping. When he invites one of his mates to stay with Bella without even asking, things go downhill. Grace and Bella both seemed a bit trapped in their situations. I waffled between feeling horrid for them and just wanting them to take control of their lives and move on. I think that neither one really felt they could do better than the situation they were in.

Polly had the most complex issues of them all, and it was directly tied into what was going on with Grace and Bella. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's about all I can say about that. It was a neat way to tie the two different storylines together. I found myself drawn to Bella more than Grace, which surprised me as I felt she was too hard on herself in the beginning. I think Grace's decisions put me off of her a bit. The great thing was to see growth and change in all the characters by the end. Of course, Grace's inability to fit in the with the other mom's at school was something I really related with. This book was not as escapist as I expected it to be, but I feel that's a good thing. I think a lot of people will be able to see themselves in Grace, Bella, and even Polly. While it's not complete fluff, it's definitely full of fun. There are some really hilarious parts. So if you are looking for a book that is fun while still being something you can relate to, definitely check this book out.

Book provided for review.

Armchair BEA Day 5- The Future of Blogging

Aww, Armchair BEA is winding down, but it's been a fun week. I've visited a lot of blogs I've never been to, which is pretty cool. I've had a great time meeting so many new people and books.

Today's topic is the future of blogging. You know, I don't really have any tips or anything. I think I'm really kind of a sorry blogger. I tend to keep things pretty simple merely because I don't have time to do a whole lot more. Usually just keeping up with reviews and occasional giveaways are it. I like this simplicity though. I think it will help keep me from getting burned out (or burned up). I really try to just keep things about the books around here. That may not get me 10000 followers and hundreds of comments, but it keeps me entertained.

In general I think the future of blogging is bright. I think that book bloggers have really helped to raise awareness and exposure to a lot of different books, including indy ones. That is really awesome! We are in some sense helping writers live their dreams. I think that this really can only increase. Once people find bloggers with tastes like them, they are able to get information on so many books that might otherwise be overlooked. This is a powerful tool, and I hope that we are able to do it for many years to come.

Review: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Title:		Spellcaster
Author:		Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher:		Harlequin
Imprint:		HarlequinTEEN
Pub. Date:		3/27/2012
ISBN:		0373210507 (ISBN13: 9780373210503)
Pages:		384

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)
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True love has triumphed over an evil curse, and Emma and Brendan are free to enjoy being soulmates. Well, sort of. It turns out someone is out to kill Emma...again. This new person definitely means business. Emma has a few new tricks up her sleeve however. She's been practicing magic with her friend Angelique. As motives come out into the open, Emma will have to use all she has learned to save her life.

I was very interested to see where the author would go with a sequel, and I was not disappointed. All my old favorites were back (and some of my not-so-favorites). When you throw off an ages old curse in the first book, it would seem there is not much else to do. Luckily the author is able to take a different approach. Emma must once again figure out who is after her, but the truth is not exactly what she expected. It opens up some old insecurities of hers. Emma though has some new skills in her arsenal. Seeing Emma become more confident in her abilities was very fun. I liked that it gave her a chance to grow. Emma and Brendan are still a pretty fun pair. I thought their "made-for-each-other-ness" would wear on me, but it didn't.

My favorite character was Angelique. She and her cousin were able to provide a bit of comic relief and move the plot along at the same time. I loved the chapters from Angelique's point of view. They provided a much different perspective, and it was fun to read. Overall I was very pleased with this sequel. It was fun to come back to familiar characters, but I also enjoyed seeing them grow some more. Fans of the first book will have a great time with this one, but it's also an easy book for readers new to the series to enjoy too.

Galley provided for review.

Armchair BEA Day 4- Beyond the Blog

Today we are going beyond the blog! You know, I really have no writing ambitions. I am definitely not a creative writer in anyway (although I was aces at technical writing in school). As much as I think it would be cool to write for a local paper or something, I think I'd be pretty bad at it. My reviewing style is not something that would translate well. I think. I actually don't know what people are looking for. Heh.

You know, I feel like I don't do a whole lot of networking or socializing with other bloggers. The main reason is...I just don't have time. I know some people are able to mutli-task and get so many things done. That's not me. I do well to get reviews done period. So don't think I'm not social or rude, I am just trying to get everything done in my rather busy life.

When I really want to get away, my current way is figure skating. I have never taken skating lessons before in my life, and last year a local rink offered a one-day free class. I e-mailed and asked if they took adults, and they were more than happy to take adult students. So I went. It was so fun. Also, I'm not completely horrid on the ice. So I signed up for lessons last fall. A few months later I added private lessons, and now I'm looking forward to my first competition in July. Now, I'm not doing anything fancy (just things like back stroking and back crossovers), but it's been great to have a goal to work towards. I also have 2 other lovely ladies from my group class that are competing there too (though luckily at different levels).

The moral of this story? Go try something you've always wanted to do! I had always loved skating, but I never dreamed I would be going to my first figure skating competition in my mid-30's. It's been great fun though, and I love it. It's usually a nice stress reliever too. Or at least a chance to get away from the house and have some alone time.

Armchair BEA Day 3- Real Life Experience With Books

Welcome to my post for day 3 of Armchair BEA! Today's topic is "real life experiences with books."

I found this topic really interesting. So much of what we do as book bloggers doesn't seem to have a lot of connection with our real lives. I know some other bloggers get to do a lot of community outreach and stuff. That is pretty awesome. I've never really had the chance to do that. I haven't really met a lot of authors. I have met one though, and it was a pretty awesome experience for me.

My university has a fairly good-sized sci-fi convention every year. It was there that I got to meet Tad Williams. Because it was a fairly small event, there were really only about 10 of us there. We got to just sit and chat for a while. He was working on a new book and let us read through his manuscript. It was a fantastic time. I think as someone who was a heavy reader (and a lover of his books in particular), I was really expecting something else. More stuck-up maybe? At any rate, he was so great. He entertained all our silly questions and just entertained in general.

I got a book signed, but more than that I had a great time. I got to meet someone I admired, and luckily he turned out to be even better than I though. Another great part of that meeting was meeting other book  lovers. We were able to easily converse, and that is not something I am good at. It drew us together in a good way. And that's the power of books!

Armchair BEA Day 2- Best of 2012 and Giveaway

So today's topic is the best of 2012. I have read quite a few great books this year, but one I read recently was Timepiece by Myra McEntire. I'll have a review in a week or so, but it was great. A very different perspective from Hourglass. What better way to celebrate a great book than a giveaway??

I will be giving away Timepiece. This will be open internationally to any country Book Depository delivers to.

I'm going to keep entries nice and simple for this one. You get one free entry and one entry for leaving me a comment on your favorite read of 2012 (or what you are looking forward to the most). I love adding new books to my TBR list! This giveaway will run from June 5th to June 12th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck everyone!


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