Touched Blog Tour: Lost Recordings

Corrine Jackson's Touched has hit shelves this week, and I am super excited to be bringing you guys a little extra about this book, as well as a giveaway!


Remy’s relationship with her mother is troubled. Her mother is married to a man who abuses Remy and her mother, and Remy often heals the injuries he inflicts on them. Desperate for her mother’s love, Remy suffers every time she heals her mother, even while her mother refuses to acknowledge Remy’s powers. At a pivotal point in the book, Remy discovers recordings that her mother has made. These recordings reveal a lot about their relationship and secrets that her mother has been keeping.

And now you get a sneak peek at one of the recordings. Beware, though! The recordings have some spoilers for the novel.




Yeah, there is so much awesome in this. As I said, Touched hit shelves Tuesday, from Kensington/Teen. Make sure you pick this one up (And Corrine's other 2012 release, If I Lie!).

Book Summary: Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.



Want a chance to win this one? Just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below, for this and the other prize packs up for grabs on this tour!

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And be sure to check out the trailer:

Book Review: Flawed by Kate Avelynn

SUMMARY: Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realize James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .


OPINION:

Intense, dark, painful, wrenching and stunning, Flawed is a fabulous debut that dances in the gray areas in the most perfect of ways. This book easily drew me in from page one, and was one I read straight through in one sitting. It's also one I'll be thinking about for weeks to come. With amazing character arcs, and two people who's stories are woven so deeply together it's hard to figure out where one ends and the other starts, this one is an amazing and memorable read.

Sarah is such an amazingly well done character, a girl who has quite a road in this book, and who weathers it with both grace and mistakes. Her love and devotion for her brother is mirrored back in a way that is both hard to understand at first and uncomfortable, but also something Avelynn does such a tremendous job of explaining as things progress. Connected in ways they don't even seem to fully grasp, Sarah and James have such an intense relationship, this book is most definitely a hard one to read at times. Still, the changes Sarah goes through, the things she comes to realize, the decisions she has to make and the situations she's faced with, make her easily one of the most relatable, engaging characters I've read.

Though James certainly has his flaws, and he will make readers all kinds of unsure and uncomfortable, his determination to protect his sister is so endearing. He is a character I both love and hated, one that left me torn and twisted and ripped apart at times. Though the story is told from Sarah's perspective, readers will connect just as strongly to James, and come to know him just as deeply. A victim of circumstance as much as his sister, and a boy who has given up so much in the name of protecting her, there is still something dark and dangerous about him. Heading down some rough paths of his own, James is as amazing as he is messed up.

Then there's Sam, the boy who tears the carefully scripted world James has created for his sister apart. The way Sam finally making a move for Sarah, who has pined for him for years, is the catalyst for so much else in the book, and the strong role throughout the book he plays, has left me loving this boy in so many ways. Charming, sweet, and so genuinely caring, Sam is one of the good guys, even when he messes up sometimes. He has his own sort of fierce determination, and isn't one to easily give up on things. Watching the changes he draws out in Sarah made for such a beautiful part of this book, and the impact he has on James, too, left its mark on me.

This book is one that will leave readers so completely twisted, and utterly drained emotionally by the time the gamut is over. From laughs and happiness to tears and punches in the gut, Flawed left me so strung out, yet yearning so hard for more. This one had a plot that was the perfect blend of internal, character focused things, centered mostly on James and Sarah and more specifically all the realizations Sarah comes to, and external things that trigger quite the series of events. A great mix of sexiness and rawness, and not at all holding back in any way, this one doesn't drop in pacing or intensity at all. The gray areas of love, life, and family explored by Avelynn truly made this book stand out for me, and made me connect hard to it. Add in the stellar writing, and Flawed is a brilliant must read.

Details: 

Source: E-ARC received from publisher/author in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 16 and up 

Paperback: 400 pages 

Publisher: Entangled Teen 

Publication Date: November 23, 2012 (ebook), December 11, 2012 (Paperback)

Book Review: The Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

SUMMARY: Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.


OPINION:

Though Time Between Us doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table in terms of time travel, it’s a very well put together, enjoyable story with great characters that will drag you right in. This book is, more than anything, a romance, but a sweetly done at that. Innocent in so many ways, and with a strong undercurrent of deeply falling for someone, Stone crafts a stunning relationship between Anna and Bennett.

Anna is a girl who has her feet firmly on the ground, in a good place overall despite her strong travel aspirations. With a great relationship with both of her parents, and a small but close knit group of friends, she’s highly relatable without carrying too much baggage to the table. She’s smart and perceptive, willing to take risks yet also knows when to hold back. Anna isn't the kind of girl to fall instantly for a boy, but the mystery and intrigue Bennett provides so quickly goes far to lure her in, yet there isn't an insta-love feel to this book. The feelings that grow between Anna and Bennett are strong and potent, having a poignant realism to them that drives the book.

Stone weaves in the time traveling element easily, showing the confines of her traveling rules in a smooth way that helps both Anna and readers believe it. Set in 1995, Stone easily pulls readers into a setting almost two decades ago, without focusing heavily on the differences in time. Beautifully written, with a flowing prose and strong voice, this one shines in plenty of ways.

Though the ending was admittedly a bit of a letdown, feeling too easy considering everything that led to it, the overall story was rich and enticing. Pulling in some strong notions, and steeped in emotions at times, this one definitely pulls some great punches. With a strongly built romantic element, and solid character interactions, Time Between Us is definitely quietly grabbing but strongly engaging.

Details: 

Source: TLA 

Reading level: Ages 12 and up 

Hardcover: 384 pages 

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Publication Date: October 9, 2012

Book Review: Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris

SUMMARY: Senior year is positively hair-raising.

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program. Except when he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies. And when Kate’s brother Jonah stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, she realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone’s murdering kids—something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.

Is it werewolf awesomeness like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate’s supposed to be a butt-kicking zombie killing genius...but if she can’t figure out who’s behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what’s left of them—are going to keep piling up.

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.


OPINION:

Bad Hair Day is hilarious, witty and entertaining. Harris takes admittedly serious subject matter and turns it into an adventure for Kate and readers alike, while still maintaining a certain sensitivity even with all the fun. Having a scientific explanation once again for the reason people are turning paranormal, this one is a satisfying read filled with vivid, memorable characters.

Kate is easily one of my favorite protagonists ever. She is incredibly smart, and certainly not afraid to let her geekiness come out. Though she's now dating the captain of the football team, she's still the girl who stalks medical personnel and has a lab of her own in her basement. Throw this girl almost in charge of a morgue after the medical examiner's arrest, and though she does do a little freaking out, she also figures out how to at least keep things from completely falling apart. Faced with murders, and having her friend's lives at stake once again, Kate keeps her head on pretty straight and works out a plan to find out what's really going on. Add in some relationship issues, an area she is far from smart at, and there is something charming about her as well as relatable.

This one has a great plot, with plenty of clues dropped along the way yet still a few surprises thrown in there as well. There are many ways Kate is tested in this one, some of them extensions of what we saw in Bad Taste in Boys and others completely new, but what I enjoyed even more was how easily she lets people help her. Her brother, especially, has a pretty big presence in this book, and as big of a dork as he is, he's also endearing and hilarious.

Told in Kate's distinct, sprightly voice, this one has a steady pace and is a fast, yet fulfilling read. Launching right into things, and subtly and smoothly slipping in reminders of book one's events without bothering to do a data dump, this one throws readers back into Kate's head and her life, and and wastes little time before the first murder victim shows up. Amusing and engaging, Bad Hair Day is definitely a recommended read, even for those who aren't as big into paranormal books.

Details:

Source: Netgalley

Blog Tour: Hosted by Mundie Moms

Reading level: Ages 12 and up 

Hardcover: 240 pages 

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date:November 13, 2012

Character Interview: Trevor from Touching the Surface

To celebrate this week's release of Kimberly Sabatini's debut Touching the Surface, I've got Trevor here to answer some questions, about kissing, boxers and other such things!


Tell us about yourself in five words.

Practical, witty, tall, cynical, loyal and maybe even sweet.

You wear t-shirts with random sayings on them. What's your favorite one?

NOW CAN WE COMPLICATE THINGS? *grin*

So... Elliot. What's your favorite thing about her?

If I told you, it would ruin the book. I never turn to the last page first, but on the other hand--Elliot's a flipper. Every thing about her drives me nuts. Maybe that's my favorite thing--when I don't want to kill her.

What's the best kiss you ever had?

Well--back in Preschool there was this spicy little red-head. *owww Elliot just punched me*

What kind of sea creature would you describe yourself as?

Sea turtle. Go ahead--read into it.


Thank you, Trevor, for stopping and congrats, Kimberly, on the release!

I highly recommend you guys all go pick this one up. I read it in one sitting and completely loved it, Trevor included, and I have to admit, that is probably my favorite of his shirt sayings as well.