Lauren Kate's Passion Signing

This past Thursday, I made the 4.5 hours drive down to Miami, FL for Lauren Kate's signing for her latest release, Passion, which came out this past Tuesday. A lot of my co-workers couldn't understand why I would drive nine hours in a day to meet an author and have her sign my books. The biggest reason I have for driving that far for a signing is that the Orlando area doesn't get nearly as many signings as other areas of the Southeast. We don't have that many indie bookstores, and those we do have do not have the presence that many indies do in other areas. We're mostly surrounded by chains. And I think the crazy touristy part of Orlando might frighten some people away. So anyway, the drive didn't feel nearly as long as I thought it would (except when we hit rush hour traffic in Miami). The drive back, on the other hand, was mayhem. Mapquest wanted us to take I-195 East for 198 miles, instead of staying on I-95, which would basically lead us into the ocean. So I made the executive decision to stay on I-95 and we got home just fine.



So on to the actual event! We arrived really early, so I purchased a copy of Passion and then we walked a couple blocks to get some Starbucks. And stop at an ATM because I didn't have any cash for the parking garage. Oops. We still had some time to kill, so we tried reading, but as more and more people showed up the noise became too much for me so I settled for games on my iPhone. And then Lauren Kate walked in and the event started. There were a lot of people (the staff had to add more chairs), but it still felt very intimate due to the layout of the bookstore. Lauren started off the evening with an anecdote from when she met Lucinda Williams, who influenced her character Luce. Although she had brought a copy of Fallen to the meal, she never thought she would actually tell Lucinda Williams about the novel, but her husband talked her into it. She was really surprised when Lucinda took the novel and started reading it right there. It was a pretty cool story.

Then Lauren read an excerpt from Passion. I'm not sure which chapter it was, since I have not started reading it yet, but it was a very interesting chapter. The chapter took place in Halston, and is basically the prologue of Fallen from present day Daniel's perspective. It was great to revisit that scene and learn more about what was happening. Lauren also enjoyed being able to read an excerpt that wasn't the prologue. She explained that for Fallen and Torment, she couldn't read anything but the prologue because they were the only scenes that didn't really build off of earlier scenes. But the departure taken in Passion, where every chapter is its own little story in a sense allowed her to pick a scene besides the prologue to read.



Next, was the Q & A. Lauren answered a number of questions from readers. A fellow blogger from Miami posted a number of the questions on twitter under the hashtag #All4Love. My favorite questions involved learning more about how she researched angels for the novel, and how she got to mold her own angel lore because a lot of the information she found was contradicting. We also learned that Passion is her favorite novel of the series, and that Cam was supposed to be the bad guy, but his character grew and changed throughout the writing process and she grew to love him.

Afterwards, we lined up to get our books signed. And we also got a bottle of nail polish. The choices were white, pale pink, hot pink, and red. I chose hot pink and gave it to Christen, since I'm not really a nail polish person. Lauren signed very quickly, but still took the time to take pictures and talk with each fan. When it was my turn, she commented that she really enjoyed Memphis (I had on my Memphis Zoo t-shirt). I also mentioned my blog, and was stunned to find out that she had heard of and seen it before! I never expected that because I had never contacted her, just posted my review of Fallen back in 2009. A couple employees at Books & Books asked for a business card after they heard I had a blog because they like to work with bloggers as well (although they were very surprised to find out I was from the Orlando area). All in all, this was a great event and I can't wait to read Passion.

Giveaway: Illusions & Divergent

Courtesy of AuthorsOnTheWeb and HarperTeen, I have one (1) copy of Illusions by Aprilynne and one (1) of Divergent by Veronica Roth to giveaway to two lucky readers. All you have to do to be enter in the giveaway is leave a comment stating which novel you would like to win (you can choose both, too).

"I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue -- Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are -- and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves... or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series -- dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Giveaway Rules:
Must include a valid e-mail address.
Open to US and Canada only.
Giveaway ends Saturday June 25th.
Winners will be chosen via Random.org.

Giveaway: The Paradise Prophecy by Robert Browne

Courtesy of AuthorsOnTheWeb and Penguin, I have one (1) copy of The Paradise Prophecy by Robert Browne to giveaway. It's set to release July 21, 2011.

A spectacular thriller inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost in which the final chapter of the War in Heaven is about to play out on Earth, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

The Myth

When God cast the archangel Satan into Hell, ending the War in Heaven, peace prevailed on Earth. Until the fallen angels took revenge in the Garden of Eden. Ever since, mankind has been in a struggle between good and evil, paradise and apocalypse: the fall of Rome, The Crusades, World Wars, nuclear proliferation, the Middle East Crisis... The War in Heaven never really ended-it just changed venues. For millennia, God's angels have been fighting Satan's demons on Earth, all in hopes of bringing about Satan's greatest ambition, the Apocalypse.

The Reality

Satan has never been closer to his goal than right now.

Agent Bernadette Callahan is a talented investigator at a shadowy government organization known only as Section, on the trail of a serial killer with nearly supernatural abilities. Sebastian "Batty" LaLaurie is a religious historian who knows far too much about the other side- and that hard-earned knowledge is exactly what Callahan needs. This unlikely duo pair up for a race across the globe, decoding clues left in ancient texts from the Bible to Paradise Lost and beyond. In the process they stumble upon a vast conspiracy-one beyond the scope of mankind's darkest imagination.

Giveaway Rules:
Must include a valid e-mail address.
Open to US and Canada only.
Giveaway ends Friday June 24th.
Winners will be chosen via Random.org.

In My Mailbox (88)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

This was a crazy week. I received a finished copy of Dead Iron, which I had just received an ARC of last month. I did not know this happened. I also finally received my signed copy of Those Who Fight Monsters. Apparently Justin Gustainis sent one and it never got here, so I'd like to give him a big hug because he was generous enough to send another copy. Plus, it's signed. :) And the used book I purchased this week from the library is not pictured because I forgot about it until just now.


Review:
Dead Iron by Devon Monk [Buy now]
(Thanks to the Penguin!)

Won:
Those Who Fight Monster anthology [Buy now]
(Thanks to Anna of Anna's Book Blog and Justin Gustainis!)

Random Acts of Kindness:
Changeling Moon by Dani Harper [Buy now]
(Thanks to Anna of Anna's Book Blog)

Bought:
Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke [Buy now]
Hourglass by Myra McEntire [Buy now]

Used:
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward [Buy now]

Library:
Allison Hewitt is Trapped: A Zombie Novel by Madeleine Roux [Buy now]

Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 09/16/08
Buy the Book:

Summary:

"He calls me his Queen of the Night.
I'd die for him. I'd kill for him, too."

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

Plot: 3 Stars
Where most series stall a bit in the second book, this series seems to hit a wall in book three. There just didn't seem to be as much progression in the storyline for the first two-thirds of the book. There was a lot of talking about events, planning how to deal with events, wondering how to deal with events, etc. but not much actually handling said events until the very end. The crazy events at the end make up for the lack of events throughout the novel though. Everything that has happened up until now was building towards the events of All Hallows Eve. It took me by complete surprise, and took the series in a direction I wasn't expecting. The events that unfolded as the novel was drawing to a close, have me reaching for the next novel in the series.

Pace: 3 Stars
This installment of the Fever series involved a bit too much inner monologue from Mac. There seemed to be more time in between the important scenes in which she tried to put the always increasing amount of pieces in the puzzle together. Maybe it seemed this way because I listened to this book, instead of reading it in print (it was my first audiobook adventure). Listening to Mac walk herself through these events and try to figure out what to do next, instead of reading them, could have made some of these seem more drawn out. And the ending! I'm not sure if I would consider it a cliffhanger perse, but it definitely wasn't the ideal scene to end the novel. I'm definitely glad I waited to read this series until all of the books had been released, especially since I've heard the next book will have a cliffhanger that's even more frustrating.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
A number of characters that were mentioned, but not elaborated on too much, in the second novel came back to become major players in this novel. It was great to learn more about the other sidhe-seers and Christian MacAllister, especially since Barrons seemed a little distant for a good portion of the novel. Even when he was helping Mac learn to fight against Voice, he seems preoccupied. I hope the next novel will shed some light what has been going on with him. There has been a bit of foreshadowing about what he is and how he fits into this fight, and I'm ready to find out. Mac continued to grow in this novel, and continued to learn more about the situation surrounding her sister's death. She also became more confident and self-sufficient. She still needed her allies, but she wasn't as dependent on them and started making more decisions for herself, instead of Barrons or V'lane.

Cover: 4 Stars
I know I sound like a broken record, but these new covers are to die for. The purple of this cover was very bright and eye catching. I love how the purple fades into the title. The image on the cover is a great choice. Although I'm not sure which building it is portraying, Mac did venture out to a few new locations throughout this installment that could easily be the beautiful building captured on the cover. My favorite part is how the covers continue to keep the cover model very small. I like the lack of detail in the small image, so that I can imagine Mac looking how I interpret the descriptions, and also because it really fits the mood of the series. Mac is in over her head in Ireland, and the composition of the cover model makes that very clear.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I listened to this novel using an audiobook I borrowed from my local library, but also bought a copy of this novel for my own reading pleasure.