Hard Time by Cara Mckenna (Blog Tour)

Source: For review from publisher

From Goodreads: In this all-new novel from the author of Unbound, a woman with a rocky past finds romance in the last place she’d ever expect...

Annie Goodhouse doesn’t need to be warned about bad boys; good sense and an abusive ex have given her plenty of reasons to play it safe. But when she steps into her new role as outreach librarian for Cousins Correctional Facility, no amount of good sense can keep her mind—or eyes—off inmate Eric Collier.

Eric doesn’t claim to be innocent of the crime that landed him in prison. In fact, he’d do it again if that’s what it took to keep his family safe. Loyalty and force are what he knows. But meeting Annie makes him want to know more.

When Eric begins courting Annie through letters, they embark on a reckless, secret romance—a forbidden fantasy that neither imagines could ever be real…until early parole for Eric changes everything, and forces them both to face a past they can’t forget, and a desire they can’t deny.


I really enjoyed Hard Time!  I was in the mood for an adult romance (with some sexy times!) so this proved perfect.

I really liked the characters and how they met - it was something a bit different for me.  Annie is really sweet and I found her very easy to relate to - I liked that she is a librarian!  And Eric is awesome.  Yes their relationship is a bit insta-love - in a roll my eyes but secretly love it kind of way- so that's not a bad thing.  And really liked those letters!  I REALLY liked those letters! Usually I find there a thin line between a book being a great romance with some of those sexy times I was talking about or simple erotic fiction and I found Cara Mckenna did a great job of balancing it all - giving me just the right amount of each.

As I said,  I really liked Eric and I enjoyed having his story unfold - the way you know he did something that he was in prison for - that he admits he deserved to go to prison for - but the reason behind it?  Kind of made me like him even more...  Plus him and Annie have seriously good chemistry!

I can't wait to read more of Mckenna's books - I've already bought myself a copy of Unbound!

Make sure you check out the rest of the blog tour - information is below:-)

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Source: For review

From Goodreads: Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

I really enjoyed this one.  I read it in one sitting and couldn't wait to find out what happens.

Having recently read Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas I've come to the realisation that I don't have to like the main characters to enjoy the story.  Which is a good thing as I started Black Ice pretty much hating all the characters!  Britt was just a tad too spoiled and entitled, her best friend Korbie was seriously annoying and I disliked Calvin from the get-go.  However, I did like Mason the first time we met him (his introduction made me laugh!  I was so sure Britt was going to get caught out) and Britt completely grew on me as the story progressed.  I love stories that have a personal journey for the main character and I really enjoyed reading about how she was so reliant on everyone else and suddenly she'd in a situation where she not only has to fend for herself but actually save herself.

I really like Becca Fitzpatrick's writing style - just like her Hush Hush series it kept me completely gripped.  I did find some aspects of the story a bit predictable - or at least I thought I did but then I doubted myself quite a few times - but I loved how it all unfolds.  Did some of Britt's decisions annoy me?  Hell yes!  But that was part of what kept me entertained.

I also like how this one ended.  I don't want to say too much but I did really like it.  I'm looking forward to reading whatever Becca FItzpatrick writes next.

Black Ice Book Trailer

Here is the trailer for Becca Fitzpatrick's thrilling new novel, Black Ice, out on 7th October



Looks good right? I really enjoyed Black Ice and my review will be up towards the end of the month. In the meantime you can check out the brilliant new Black Ice microsite at http://blackicebook.co.uk/

Guest Post: The Most Important Qualities in a BFF (Since You've Been Gone Blog Tour)

I'm really excited to launch the blog tour for Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson.  I love her books so am so pleased to have her stop by today to talk about friendship and what it means to her...
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In my new book, Since You’ve Been Gone, there is a big focus on friendship. Friendship is hugely important to me, and I’m lucky to be friends with some of the most awesome, funny and kind people in the known universe. In thinking about what friendship means to me, and why friendship is important, I thought I would make a list of the most important qualities in a BFF (to possess yourself AND to find in others!)

1. Sense of humour
This is HUGE for me. I think my BFF is hysterically funny, and even if she doesn’t think the same about me, she laughs at my jokes, which is very kind. But we can always make each other laugh, and we get a kick out of the same shows and movies. I think this is CRUCIAL in a friendship. You don’t want to always be explaining to someone why something is funny.

2. Snack compatibility
Again, VERY important for me. My BFF is a vegetarian, so we get a lot of veggie food, but she also doesn’t care if I scarf down a burger in front of her. And we like the same movie snacks, which is crucial. We also know each other’s snack preferences, and so she knows what to bring me (and what I need to bring her) if we’re taking a trip together. The one thing she likes that I can’t get on board with is black licorice (EW) but I figure that nobody’s perfect.

3. Kindness
This is such a simple thing, but it seems to be missing from so many friendships, especially those horrible toxic drama-filled ones. It doesn’t have to be that way! You need a BFF who is going to be rooting for you, who’s on your team, who’s happy when good things happen to you and wants to celebrate with dance parties or ice cream or both.

4. Hangout time
This also seems simple, but it’s really a huge bonus if you and your BFF like to do the same stuff. My best friend and I spent more time than I can calculate wandering around New York City, getting Starbucks, and ducking into stores. Sometimes we wouldn’t even try anything on, and sometimes we spent money we REALLY didn’t have. But the actual shopping didn’t matter – it was just a way to keep talking, to keep the endless conversation going. We could have done any number of things. But liking to do the same stuff just makes hanging out for hours (crucial in any BFF-ship) so much simpler.

5. Nothing is too trivial
One of the best things about having a BFF is being able to call someone up because you’re just having too many feelings about the episode of TV you’re watching. Or because your haircut turned out horribly. Or just because you read a tabloid story about Jennifer Lawrence and are concerned. I think one of the best things about BFF-dom is having them there for the big, important stuff, but also the little trivial stuff.
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Thanks Morgan. I concur with all of these!

Since You've Been Gone is published 3 July.

Make sure you check out the rest of the tour - details are below:

Out of Control Blog Tour: Characters (Guest Post)

I am really please to be part of the blog tour for Sarah Alderson's new book, Out of Control.  I love Sarah's stories and Out of Control is no exception!  I loved it!!

Sarah has stopped by to talk about the main characters in the story...
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CHARACTERS

Out of Control is set over 36 hours in New York. Think 24 crossed with Taken. The main characters are 17 year old Liva and 19 year old Jay, who are complete opposites but who are thrown together and forced on the run when the police station they are in comes under attack by two men who are hunting Liva. The story is told through Liva’s point of view and while there are other characters it’s really about Jay and Liva and how over the course of 36 hours their lives are turned upside down and they are both forced to confront who they are.

JAY (Jaime)
19 years old, half Cuban and half American, Jay has grown up in Queens, New York. He’s street smart but also smart. The youngest of three brothers he’s the only one who has a chance of making it. His oldest brother is in jail and his middle brother is in a gang. But Jay’s dream of going to college is turned on its head the night he does his brother a favour and ends up getting arrested. Jay’s quick witted, charming and committed to his single mum and to trying to make things right.

Nathan Owens :
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/818/l1180338.jpg (there are some rather lush shots of him sans clothing if you google!)

LIVA
Liva by contrast has grown up overseas, surrounded by the trappings of wealth. The daughter of a man who owns a global security company, Liva has lived her life behind high walls, protected by bodyguards. She’s tough, uncompromising, and committed to living by the rules (whereas Jay thinks rules are made to be broken). After being expelled from school Liva moves to New York to live with her father and to study dance. She’s guarded, untrusting and filled with secret guilt about a tragedy that happened years before.

Bella Thorne :
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsPwy0gDulsPAeOfb1tjTxDpbVYioIvjJ6gxxojJVb9ikVEmp13umezZcnzawY4wTtjH1hiNThj5WVujeN1vJSqOo7EnkQNheaiVN1Ic824FseACA7FvADsh1_hlxVQ-8AamHHDa7wPva/s1600/bella%20thorne%20brasil%207.jpeg 

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Thanks Sarah!  I love Nathan and Bella as Jay and Liva - they are just how I pictured them!

Out of Control is availiable to buy now. And make sure you check out the rest of the tour - details are below:

Get Ready For Dangerous Creatures: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have a brand new series set in the same world as their Beautiful Creatures series.  I am so excited! I love this series and can't wait to read the new series!

Dangerous Creatures is available to pre-order now and will be published 20th May.

I will be re-posting my reviews of the Beautiful Creatures Series (Caster Chronicles Series) each week to get you ready for Dangerous Creatures.  If you haven't read them yet I highly recommend them (the film is awesome too!)  And if you have, well, it's a good time for a re-read:-D
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From Goodreads: Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series

I have to admit I was both really excited to read this and a bit apprehensive - one of the things I loved about the previous books in the series was Ethan's voice so considering how Beautiful Chaos ended I wondered if that might be an issue - it was not.  We got both Ethan and Lena narrating the story and I loved it!

Once I started reading I had a feeling I knew how this would end - but I did really enjoy getting there. And it was the perfect ending - romantic but not without sacrifice to earn it.   I was pleased to see all the characters I have grown to love feature again and this instalment was just as action packed as the others. I have to say I really do love Ridley which is getting me even more excited for Dangerous Creatures!

I have really enjoyed this series - I love Ethan and Lena and can see myself re-reading this series on a regular basis.  I also can't wait to explore the world more with Ridley and Link!  I think I would love a book featuring Liv too!

Crafting Corner (4)

Crafting Corner is a feature by Sarah @ Feeling Fictional

I've been quite busy crafting this month!  I finished the blanket for my friend I spoke about last month and crocheted a frog for my aunt.

I fell in love with the frog and named him Herbert.  My aunt loved him so that made up for having to give him away!

I used Crocheted Wild Animals by Vanessa Mooncie for the pattern - it's a great book and I'm looking forward to making more of the animals - there are so many designs I love!

Although I did treat myself to this book:

and I am dying to make the turtle - he is sooooooo cute!  There is a Zoomigurumi website too which you can check out here.  There have so many awesome patterns (and some are free!)

Get Ready For Dangerous Creatures: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margatet Stohl

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have a brand new series set in the same world as their Beautiful Creatures series.  I am so excited! I love this series and can't wait to read the new series!

Dangerous Creatures is available to pre-order now and will be published 20th May.

I will be re-posting my reviews of the Beautiful Creatures Series (Caster Chronicles Series) each week to get you ready for Dangerous Creatures.  If you haven't read them yet I highly recommend them (the film is awesome too!)  And if you have, well, it's a good time for a re-read:-D
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From Amazon: Some loves are meant to be. Others are cursed...

Ethan wate is in love with a caster girl.

When he looks at Lena, it's like there's no one else in the world.

But Ethan is mortal, and on her seventeenth birthday Lena made a choice that changed everything. The girl Ethan loves has broken the world with the supernatural powers she is struggling to control...

Now, if they are to fix the chaos Lena has caused, one of them must make a terrible sacrifice. Sometimes there isn't just one answer. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

I'm really enjoying getting back into this series - I quickly remembered how much I enjoyed the series and the characters.  Picking up the story where we left it with Beautiful Darkness, we find Ethan and Lena trying to deal with the consequences of her choice...

I've said this in previous reviews but I adore Ethan and it really is his voice that make this series work so well for me.  He's loyal, brave, often humorous too - I found myself laughing at some of the ways he describes things.  I love getting to see the story unfold with him

All the characters I loved in the previous books are back.  I love Link and Ridley and was glad to see Liv included too.  I love them all!  The pacing is great too - there is an ominous feel to this one.  I wasn't sure what was going on exactly but I had the feeling it wasn't going to end well!  So the ending was kind of expected, but thrilling at the same time,.  I loved it and can't wait to see where this will all go in Beautiful Redemption!

Baby Be Mine by Paige Toon

From Goodreads: 'He's not mine, is he?' That's the question I fear the most. You see, I have a secret. My son is not fathered by my boyfriend, but by one of the most famous people that ever lived. And he doesn't even know it.

One-time celebrity personal assistant to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles is now settled and living in the south of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and son Phoenix. But they're living a lie - a lie that will turn their lives upside down and inside out. Because Meg's son doesn't look like Christian, he looks like his rock star father and, sooner or later, the world is going to realize ...

I think I may have loved Meg and Johnny even more in this one! Yes I think what Meg does (did) is awful – there is no getting around that and I felt so, so sorry for Christian because you know it’s not going to end well – but you can also understand the motivation behind her decision and how much it is making her hate herself – so I kind of felt sorry for her too.

Again it plays out really well and kept me completely hooked (and I absolutely love Johnny even if I kind of hate myself for it too because he really does have issues!) Still that’s probably the attraction right?

I’m so please this world is now going to be explored in her YA novel!  I can't wait!

Get Ready For Dangerous Creatures: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have a brand new series set in the same world as their Beautiful Creatures series.  I am so excited! I love this series and can't wait to read the new series!

Dangerous Creatures is available to pre-order now and will be published 20th May.

I will be re-posting my reviews of the Beautiful Creatures Series (Caster Chronicles Series) each week to get you ready for Dangerous Creatures.  If you haven't read them yet I highly recommend them (the film is awesome too!)  And if you have, well, it's a good time for a re-read:-D
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For Review:  Puffin.  Published 28 October 2010
From Goodreads:  Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

I loved this!  Picking up the story where we left it with Beautiful Creatures, we find Ethan and Lena trying to deal with the aftermath of her birthday.  When Lena starts to pull away from Ethan he doesn't understand why, but when it looks like Lena is in trouble he does everything he can to help her...

I really liked Ethan in Beautiful Creatures but I absolutely adored him in this one.  The whole book was really his story and his journey to make sense of the supernatural world he has suddenly found himself in.  He really steps up to the plate and I loved his loyalty and courage. For me, his is voice is the anchor to this series, and through him we get to watch all the events unfold and interact with all the amazing characters.

Amma and Link are back and on fine form.  We also get more Marian, and the introduction of a new character Liv.  I really like her and thought she was a great addition.  Unfortunately, we get less Lena but because this is more Ethan's story I didn't find it too much of an issue.  I did miss her presence and the connection they had in Beautiful Creatures but that added to the pull of the story - I wanted them to get it back.

This is much more of an adventure than Beautiful Creatures.  The pacing and plotting is brilliant - I found myself really surprised with a number of revelations and, unlike Beautiful Creatures,  I did not lose track of anything that was going on.  What I really enjoyed was that as the reader I knew what had happened the night of Lena's Birthday whereas Ethan did not.  I couldn't wait for him to find out - but it also meant I understood Lena's actions even when he didn't.  I liked that Lena had trouble dealing with her choice - it make the story much more honest and gives it an emotional reality that paranormal stories need in order to make them believable.

I'm really interested to see what direction the authors take this now.  Considering the ending of this one I assume there will be another in the series - at least I hope there will be.  I am really invested in these character and love the world - I'm really looking forward to more.  A great continuation of what I hope will be many books in the series.

Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

From Goodreads: If your boss was the hottest rock star on the planet, would you mix business with pleasure?

I'm Meg Stiles. This is my leaving party. And that song we're making a mockery of? That's written by one of the biggest rock stars in the world. And I'm moving in with him tomorrow.

Seriously! I am not even joking. Well, maybe I'm misleading you a little bit. You see, I haven't actually met him yet...

No, I'm not a stalker. I'm his new PA. His Personal Assistant. And I am off to La-La Land. Los Angeles. The City of Angels—whatever you want to call it—and I can't bloody believe it!

Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg's glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend's biography, helps keep Meg's feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny's piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she's swept right off them again?

I love Paige Toon! I just fall in love with her books and characters. I loved Meg and OMG!!! How much did I love Johnny?! Although I do have to say this certainly shows the less ‘glamorous’ side to sex, drugs and rock & roll…

I also really liked Christian and strangely I was not disappointed with the ending – I would have thought I’d feel differently? Perhaps knowing there was a sequel made me feel that way.. And let’s just say I pretty much had it in my hand the moment I finished Johnny be Good! I couldn’t wait to see how it would all play out!

Get Ready For Dangerous Creatures: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have a brand new series set in the same world as their Beautiful Creatures series.  I am so excited! I love this series and can't wait to read the new series!

Dangerous Creatures is available to pre-order now and will be published 20th May.

I will be re-posting my reviews of the Beautiful Creatures series each week to get you ready for Dangerous Creatures.  If you haven't read them yet I highly recommend them (the film is awesome too!)  And if you have, well, it's a good time for a re-read:-D
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From Goodreads: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. 

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

I really liked this one.  It's one of those stories that pulls you in with a slow building intensity that works superbly.  I loved that it was narrated by Ethan - not only did I really like him but having it told from his point of view insured the book caught my interest.  Other authors may have gone with the more obvious choice of having Lena narrate the story.

I really enjoyed all the mythology and having it set in the South.  It gave it an authentic feel and made the book incredibly atmospheric - with a kind of claustrophobic sense of life in a small town with everyone knowing everyone else's business. I don't want to say too much about the story because I went into it not really knowing much about it and I really enjoyed the mystery aspect - having to work it out alongside the characters.

My favourite aspect of the book is Ethan and Lena's budding relationship.  It is one of those intense attractions we've come to expect from this type of paranormal story but it also feels as if a gradual and genuine connection develops alongside this intensity.  I really liked both characters and am looking forward to seeing how their story progresses in Beautiful Darkness.

A minor complaint would be that I occasionally lost track of what was going on.  There were a couple of scenes that came across somewhat fragmented and I had trouble working out what was happening - even after a reread.  This didn't affect my enjoyment though - in some ways in added a bit more mystery to the proceedings - but it did interrupt the flow a little bit.

I adored the ending and it sets the next book up as a must read for me.  I am looking forward to immersing myself back into this world and spending time with these characters.  Can't wait!

Crafting Corner (3)

Crafting Corner is a feature by Sarah @ Feeling Fictional

I've not been doing much crafting this month - I seem to be reading more which is good!  But when I have been crocheting I've been working on a blanket for a friend's daughter.

The blanket is a Wool Eater blanket - I love this pattern. It's really has a lot of texture and the bigger it gets the more weighty it is. You can find the pattern on Sarah London's website here.  When I'm finished with this one (I'm making this one to 13 or 14 rounds) I'm planning on making myself a really big one (I'm hoping for at least 25 rounds but would love it to be even bigger!)

I also bought some new books on needle felting that look really good! I haven't had a chance to try them out yet - hopefully I will for next month. But here are the books in case you fancy looking them up:

Blinded by the Light Blog Tour (Cover Discussion)

I'm really please to have Joe Kipling, author of Blinded by the Light, stop by to talk about her book cover.  I love all things to do with book covers - it amazes me what a difference they can make and I absolutely love to hear what authors think of their own covers!
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Book covers – ‘when the vision becomes reality’

I titled this blog ‘when the vision becomes reality’ because I feel that as a writer you create a vision of the world that you want to share with your readers and an important part of sharing this vision is the cover art. The cover is the reader’s first introduction to your story and it can communicate so much. It is often the book cover that is the deciding factor in whether the reader picks your book up off the shelf - or as we’re in the 21st century, press ‘click to buy’ online.

As a debut author I found the whole process of cover design really interesting. Watching the transformation from the initial pencil drawings to the finished piece was fascinating. At the start of the process I had a very definite idea about the ‘look and feel’ that I wanted for the book cover. Well, needless to say the finished product looks nothing like I envisaged it. It taught me an important lesson . . .to stick to writing and leave the artwork to the professionals.

Having a cover artist who really understands your story and fully embraces the world you’ve created is, for me incredibly important. While working on Blinded by the Light I was very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with a really talented artist called Billie-Jade McNeil. At our first meeting I was impressed that Billie-Jade had clearly read the book and had carefully thought through each of the 4 concepts she’d developed.

The cover design we eventually selected was inspired by a scene that takes place in Chapter 2. MaryAnn has arrived at school after arguing with her best friends and starts to feel unwell. In the Neighbourhood where MaryAnn lives, people have an almost phobic reaction to sickness and disease. This means that when MaryAnn starts to feel ill she’s placed in isolation so that she can’t contaminate anyone else. As MaryAnn is escorted from the school by a team of Welfare officers there is a line which reads:

‘the tiles of the corridor gleamed brightly in the harsh strip lighting and the glare hurt my eyes.’

This quote was the inspiration behind the book cover. I can understand why Billie-Jade felt that this scene stood out. I’d designed it to create a sense of sterility but at the same time to be slightly claustrophobic. It really represents life in the Neighbourhood where people are closeted away behind a boundary fence living a very restrictive and slightly oppressive existence.

The title ‘Blinded by the Light’ also plays an important part in the cover. The Light are the governing body within the Neighbourhood. This government evolved from a pharmaceutical organization that discovered the cure for the Sandman Virus. Instead of sharing the cure with the general population they decided to make it available only to the people who could afford to pay. At the beginning of the book MaryAnn is literally blind to what is happening around her, as are many other people living in the Neighbourhood. During the course of the book MaryAnn’s eyes are opened and for the first time she’s exposed to the truth about the society she lives in. The placement of the flare behind the word ‘Blinded, is a deliberate attempt to make the title slightly uncomfortable to read, creating a brief illusion of blindness to the reader.
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Thanks Joe!  I loved the placement of the flare - it's so pretty as well as doing what you wanted it to do!

Blinded by the Light by Joe Kipling was published Oct 2013 by Cillian Press Limited and is available to buy on Amazon at the following links:

Link to eBook
Link to Paperback

Joe also has a book giveaway on total teen fiction. Click here for more details.

Make sure you check out the rest of the blog tour - the information on all the stops is below.

How to Love by Kate Cotugno

Publisher: Quercus
ISBN: 9781782060000
Release Date: October 2013
Source: Provided for review by the publisher.

From Goodreads: This is a love story. But it’s not what you think. This is not a first kiss, or a first date. This is not love at first sight. This is a boy and a girl falling in messy, unpredictable, thrilling love. This is the complicated route to happiness that follows.

This is real. This is life. This is how to love.

BEFORE:

Reena has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember. But he’s never noticed her, until one day… he does. They fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town, leaving a devastated – and pregnant – Reena behind.

AFTER:

Three years later and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter Hannah. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again.

After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer again?(less)

Just brilliant! I was completely addicted to this. I loved both the characters – although not the ‘before’ Sawyer quite so much as the ‘after' one. ‘Before' Sawyer was just a little too messed up and he seemed intent on dragging Reena down with him! Yes he had issues and I can understand his downward spiral – I just didn't like the way he seemed to want Reena to do the same. But I loved Reena and how complicated and flawed she was. How flawed they both were – I read so many stories with the perfect character doing the right thing - and while this isn't a bad thing-  it’s great to finally have a story where it’s messy and complicated!

I also loved the way it was written – with the before and after segments. Reena’s relationship with her dad and Soledad. Plus her friendship with Shelbe. I wish she’d treated Aaron better though – I hated her a little bit for that.

Plus I liked the ending. For me – despite what happens next, if it works out or not, Reena finally let someone in! And that, to me, was the point!