Monday, June 3, 2013

**BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY** PODs by Michelle Pickett





PODsby Michelle K. PickettRelease Date: 06/24/13Publisher: Spencer Hill PressPaperback/ebook312 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.
After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.
Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.



***Excerpt***

The bus ride to the quarantine facility took more than ten hours. I was shoved against the window by my seatmate who slept almost the entire trip. He was a big guy, taking up most of the seat, and when he slept his body lolled to the side, wedging me against the metal side of the bus.
 As we traveled, the air turned hot and dry, different than the humid, sticky climate of my coastal Texas hometown. The old school bus didn’t have air conditioning and the small windows didn’t let much air in. My seatmate’s body heat didn’t help. I was hot, thirsty, and had to pee in the worst way.
Wondering how much longer I’d be drooled on by the guy next to me, I strained my face against the window, looking for anything on the flat landscape.
That’s when I saw them.
I don’t know why I was surprised. I should’ve expected it after what had happened at the high school, but I hadn’t. It was worse than at the school—rioters everywhere. They waved anti-raffle signs and signs cursing the “Chosen.”
The land around the quarantine area was flat, dry, and dusty. The people lining the road sat under makeshift tents to keep out of the sun. Some stood on top of their RVs waving their handmade signs; one burned an American flag.
I watched women holding their small children toward the bus, begging with tear-stained faces for us to take them. I wanted to reach out and snatch them out of their mothers’ hands as we drove past. Several of the other people on the bus reached up and pushed their windows shut. 
The National Guard at the quarantine site didn’t allow  people to get close enough to touch the bus. They were shot with rubber bullets or Tasered if they tried to cross the police line. Every time I heard the shot of the riot guns I jumped. My muscles ached from tensing them—waiting for the inevitable sound. 
“Why are you crying?” A boy sitting in front of me looked at me like I’d grown another head. “They’d probably kill you and steal your place in the PODs if given the chance.”
I shook my head, remembering what my dad had told me. “They’re just scared,” I said. After all, they were, essentially, the walking dead. 
The rioters screamed and cursed us. They threw rocks and eggs as we drove by. An egg hit the window next to me, the slimy insides plopping against my head, matting my hair.
“Gross,” the boy sitting next to me said.
I just looked at him and rolled my eyes.
Yeah, the egg is gross. And the drool coming out of your mouth and dripping on my leg while you slept, leaning on me, was glorious.
The bus stopped in a fenced area like the one at the high school. The crowd screamed and banged the fence posts with their crude, homemade picket signs. Some climbed on the fence, pulling at it like chimpanzees at the zoo.
“Stay seated until your name is called,” a soldier yelled. “When you are called, grab your belongings and wait to be escorted into the building.”
Oh please, call this guy’s name. He needs to move before I shove him off the seat. I’m tired of being pinned against the side of the bus. I need some room.
Thankfully, my name was called soon after we stopped. I stood, stretched the kinks out of my muscles, and plowed through the massive body blocking me. Clambering over the other luggage that filled the aisle, I grabbed my two suitcases and stood in front of the bus.
The one-story brick building was large but had no windows, only a single green door. I couldn’t see the other sides, but I had a feeling there’d be no windows there, either—no glass for rioters to break through.
The soldier walked up from behind me, tapping my suitcase with his clipboard. “Follow me.”
I shuffled into the brick building, guided by the same guardsman who’d ripped me away from my parents hours earlier…
“I love you,” my mom said through her tears, her voice thick and trembling.
“I want to stay with you,” I pleaded.
“Come here, kiddo.” My dad, his face distorted with grief, folded me in a tight hug. He kissed the top of my head and told me he loved me and how proud he was of me. “I know, when this is over, you are going to do great things, Eva. you’re a fighter. I love you so much.”
A rough hand grabbed my arm, pulling me away from my dad. “Get on the bus,” the male voice ordered, yelling to be heard over the crying of parents and children saying their final goodbyes.
“I’m not done saying goodbye…” He didn’t let go, pulling me with him. My heels digging into the dirt, I tried to pull away. I needed one more hug, to hear them tell me they loved me and to tell them I loved them, too.
“MOM!” I screamed. “DAD!” Tears stained my face. The man thrust me toward the steps of the old, yellow school bus. I screamed one more time for my parents, telling them I loved them, reaching my arms out to them.
I could see my mom’s body rock with the force of her cries. Tears ran down my father’s face. “We love you, Evangelina,” I heard them call just before the bus door closed. 
It was the last thing I’d hear my parents say. It was the last image I’d have of them. I pressed my hand to the window of the bus, my head bowed as I sobbed. I didn’t try to hide my tears. Everyone on the bus was crying for their families. We knew what awaited them.
Death.
I shook my head, trying to erase the horrible memory. I wanted to remember the good things about them, not saying goodbye.
Goodbyes are hard, but this one had been different. This wasn’t a goodbye, I’ll see you in a month. It was a permanent goodbye. I’d never see my parents again. The overwhelming sadness took over, like a black hole sucking me in. Fat, salty tears ran down my face, and I could feel my nose running. I wiped my arm across it. My eyes were swollen, my throat sore, and my chest tight.
I was alone. My parents were gone. No brothers or sisters. Just me—an orphan of the virus.

***Advanced Praise For PODs***

“…an energetic, tumultuous roller coaster ride that me on the edge of my seat and biting my nails…You know when Goodreads says “Meet You Next Favourite Book?” Well this is it! This is my favourite book of 2013…In my honest opinion Michelle Pickett is best-selling author material…overflowing with talent…It doesn’t feel like a debut book; her writing speaks of someone who has been writing and publishing books for years.”  ~ Keren of Gothic Angel Book Reviews

“It is very rare these days for a YA book to suck me in so thoroughly that I lose all concept of time and place, I’m just too busy for that.  But PODs did exactly that.  I was pulled right into Eva’s world and stayed there until the end… All in all, I give it my rare 5 out of 5 stars with a warning: Do not pick this book up unless you’ve cleared your schedule for several hours!”  ~ DJ of The Curvy Writer Blog

5 glowing, sparkling stars for this one!...I absolutely adored every character Michelle introduces us to. This book isn't just about a romance, or two people fighting some battle. This book allows us to get to know several, amazing, diverse characters who all grab your heart (even a few who have attitude issues). They all held such an important place in the story… Now for the plot. Holy crap!... Michelle did a flippin' fantastic job giving us each piece of this puzzle… I won't go into details about what happens after they are removed from the POD but O-M-G! The action never stops…This book seriously needs to be a movie. I could picture every detail and already see it playing out on screen. PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!”  ~ Jessica of Total Bookaholic


Buy Links:
Also Available from:

About the Author:
I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order.  I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.
I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.
I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press.  My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.
I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.
Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!
Find me here:
WebsiteEmailBlogFacebookTwitterGoodreads


***GIVEAWAY***

(1)   POD's Swag Bundle including: A signed edition of PODs, PODs bookmarks and some of my next release Milayna, a tote bag, stickers, and a gift card ($10) to Amazon.

Vlog: Sticker Mission

Are you ready for this?!


This mission is NOT top secret, spread the word like wild FIRE!


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper {Book Blitz & Giveaways}







Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way


Release Date: May 31, 2013
Published By: Starry Sky Publishing

Excerpt

In the short week since Maryah’s momentary remembrance of him, Nate had come alive again. He smiled all the time. His eyes were brighter. I was happy for him, but it left me feeling more alone than ever. He had been my partner in suffering over our lost soul mates. But not anymore.

  I gazed at the landscape of Sedona behind him. To myself, I could admit my jealousy of his and  Maryah’s reunion, but I’d never say it out loud. “How’s it feel? To have her back after all this time?” 

“I don’t have her back. She hardly remembers anything. But I don’t have to hide who and what I am anymore, or that I love her. She knows who she was and where she belongs. I’m patiently waiting for her to figure out who she is now, and what she’s capable of.”

“She loves you. I can see it.” 

“I am ecstatically grateful for that. But I still feel the loss of her, of all the time we shared together. It’s like we’re getting to know each other for the first time all over again. We haven’t had to do that for hundreds of years.” His head drooped. “What if she doesn’t like what she discovers?”

“Oh, please. You two light up around each other. That girl is smitten, and so are you.”

His cheeks flushed. “It’s amazing how much more you appreciate someone after you’ve lost them. Her happiness means everything to me. I want to give her the world, the magical and beautiful one she can no longer see, but I worry that’s no longer possible.”

“Give it time. If there’s one thing Mary proved over and over, it’s that anything is possible.”


The Author! 



Karen was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years and is currently sunning and splashing around Florida with her two beloved dogs. She's addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters.  Karen has been making up stories for as long as she can remember. In high school she discovered her passion for putting her thoughts onto paper, but it wasn't until her late twenties that she wrote her first novel. Due to her strong Disney upbringing, she still believes in fairytales and will forever sprinkle magic throughout all of her novels.

Find Karen (because she is awesome)


 Kindrily Series



Giveaway
Karen is seriously made of awesome and I am so excited to be a part of this
Blitz!!  Even more exciting THE GIVEAWAYS!  Karen is offering up a ebook
bundle of Grasping at Eternity & Taking Back Forever on the blog but that's
not all!!  She also has a seriously EPIC grand prize (which I totally want btw)!
You can enter both of the giveaways below and GOOD LUCK!!


Saturday, June 1, 2013

Weekly Report: Used Book Store Hop & Mothers Day

Weekly Report is my way of showing you from week to week (most of the time) what new books I received and what has gone on in the past week. So basically it's a report for all the awesome that I got and shared! Originally I posted IMM by Story Siren this is just my version with a little extra ;) all book names take you to the Goodreads page.




So my girlfriend Kristie and I went on a BMV tour some time ago.  Besides me getting us lost 
on the Subway and miscalculating our walk times (I didn't realize the thing needed to be switched
I thought it just knew from how fast we walked) it was fun.  I didn't pay over $6 for any of these
babies!!  I was most excited about Twisted!!
 photo DSCF0911.jpg



Yes I do realize Mothers Day has long come and gone but I didn't post my reports during
that time and well I was so excited about these books!! I mean aren't they pretty?!
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The Program Suzanne Young

What Went On!

Well if you haven't been here in awhile I just finished up Mermaid & Myth Month!!  So
I know that I normally link you to the weeks post but because I still have so many awesome
giveaways going on I am just going to link them!!  These are 99% author sponsored
giveaways that are SIGNED & INTERNATIONAL!!

HB of Envy & ARC of Eternity by Elizabeth Miles
Original The Vicious Deep Artwork from Zoraida Cordova 
Mer Tales Book of Choice (Everblue, Evergreen or Everlost) from Brenda Pandos
PB copy of Sea Change from Aimee Friedman
2 Awesome Swag Pack from Mindee Arnett
Entire Set of the Syrenka Series from Amber Garr
2x e-copies of The Forgotten Ones from Laura Howard
First in each of her 3 series from Tera Lynn Childs
Starling by Lesley Livingston from Harper Collins Canada (US/CAN)
Winners choice PB of Lies Beneath or HB of Deep Betrayal from Anne Greenwood Brown
Mermaid from Carolyn Turgeon

So the further down the list you go the more time is left!! Good luck everyone :)


What did you get this week (or in my case last month)?!  Link me up please and thank you so I can return the favor and visit you!!! 

Friday, May 31, 2013

**18+ Review** Devour Me by Kailin Gow


Taryn Cummings could not believe she was accepted into the prestigious International Institute of Culinary Arts culinary institute she dreamed of studying at in beautiful Paris, France. It was a far cry from her unglamorous life back home in New York where she helped her mother run their small family-owned restaurant called Sam's. The International Institute of Culinary Arts churned out the top chefs in the world, including the wildly sexy and eccentric Master Chef Errol King, whose celebrity personality was larger than life.

She wanted excitement in a city of romance and thrills, but arrived to find her apartment barely livable and herself in need of a suitable place to stay. A chance meeting at the Institute brings her face-to-face with her new roommate...the devilishly charming Errol King, who would be guest teaching her class this term.

The attraction is as hot as the fire they cook with, and while Errol King, the notorious bad boy chef with an attitude, can get anyone he wanted into his bed, he wanted this woman more than anything. Something about her sweet innocence and sad eyes reach into his harden heart, but is it enough for him to forget his past?

Release Date:  May 27, 2013
Review Copy:
Buy It:

Review

  It doesn't seem to matter if it is YA, NA or Adult Kailin Gow is a part of it.  Thing is even though I fell in love with her YA writing and enjoyed her NA, this Adult novel has me convinced that there is nothing that this woman can not do!  With Devour Me Kailin had sent me an ARC in the mail but because I am convinced they are against me (well that and I'm impatient) I bought an Amazon copy to read.  Basically what I am telling you is that sleep did not come until about 2am...  Almost an hour after I finished reading.  Though I am a mostly YA book blog I tend to indulge myself from time to time and well it has been a long time since I last indulged! 

  I have one word for you guys: HOT!!  This is not the kind of adult book that advanced teens can read or dolled up NA, no this is pure ecstasy in Adult form.  Vivid scenes with nothing left to the imagination are far from tame.  I just have to say that if things could become that heated in my kitchen I would never leave! 

  Taryn was every bit the girl I had expected her to be when put in the situation she was.  Being from NY she is strong willed and determined to get where she wants to go.  In the kitchen she is extremely confident and skilled but when it comes to matters of the bedroom... not so much.  It surprised me that the V-card was played by her though and not because I expected her to be promiscuous but simply because of where everything was headed.  Despite being inexperienced  she did dive right in and picked up a few tricks along the way.  And though she may not be a sex goddess yet you can tell this girl is well on her way!

  Errol reminded me a lot of Collins from the Saving You Saving Me series.  Not that I am saying they are completely alike but by the end I had found some lines between the two.  This guy had me melting and possibly putting myself in Taryn's place (in my mind of course) a couple of times.  There seems to be much more than meets the eye.  I even found myself for the most part overlooking his possessive behaviour and maybe this is simply because I had the feeling/impression that he cared more about the American girl than he let on.  Between his talent in the kitchen and his talent between the sheets Errol is the kind of guy women everywhere would swoon over.

  The romance was really what I had hoped it would be.  In a novel like this you (or I know I do) want to  feel the lust and the sexual tension build up and there was definitely both elements in this read.  I will admit that I was unsure if the fact that Errol was waiting for Taryn ever since he saw her academic application, paired with her picture was determination or borderline creepy. In the end I decided that when a man as used to getting what he wanted as Errol sees something he wants he gets it, so it was actually quite attractive.  The build up was worth every minute with these two!

  So my first dip back into the Adult world was more of a dive, as with everything Gow you think you are going to go slow but before you know it you are fully submerged.  I am however left in wanting because I am beyond curious as to where this series will go from here.  There are so many possibilities and basically I want to know if I am wrong or not.  If you are looking to take a step up from NA and to have a quick, tempting and addictive read Devour Me is the perfect book for you! 

Quotes
The hand at the small of her back played over her skin, exciting her more than she would have thought possible.  When he brought his hand to her waist and gently stroked his thumb just under her breast, she let out a startled gasp.

Her first...  What would he think when he learned she was naive,inexperienced twenty-one year old virgin.  He who had probably known hundreds of women; women who knew... who knew what?  How to love a man?  How to touch a man?

Did he care?  Really?  She was just a...  He inhaled deeply and reminded himself who he was.  He could have any woman.  Yes... but he wanted this one.  He desired this one.

She'd be as sweet as she looked, but with a touch of spice that seemed to heat up every part of his body.  The combination of innocent and sexy was intoxicating to him, especially the hint of defiance in her eyes.







Kailin Gow uses her author platform to bring awareness to issues affecting young adult and women. She has appeared on national radio as a regular guest on topics such as body image, self-esteem, dating and sexual relationships, bullying, and more; often brought up in her fiction books for young adults and women.

She is a graduate of the Annenberg School for Communications Masters in Management program in journalism, marketing and publishing at the University of Southern California.

Find Her




Thursday, May 30, 2013

{Guest Post & Giveaway} Carolyn Turgeon

I am so excited to have Carolyn on the blog today!!  I loved Mermaid SO MUCH!!
Her guest post is below and I loved finding out myself what inspired such a
beautiful and tragic tale.

Guest Post



So Tiffany asked me what inspired me to write Mermaid…



  I actually didn't start out intending to write a mermaid novel at all. I was working on two 
different books when a British editor swooped in and bought the UK rights to my previous novel 
Godmother (about Cinderella’s fairy godmother living in present-day NYC) and asked what else 
I was working on. I wrote something up: I described the two books I was working on and then 
made a list of possible future book idea, including a kid’s book about a mermaid. She bought that 
idea—as an adult novel!—thinking it’d be the perfect follow-up.



  So then I really had to come up with a story. I was trying out contemporary ideas but nothing 
was quite working, and my agent kept suggesting I go back to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy 
tale. [link to it: http://hca.gilead.org.il/li_merma.html] I love the story, but unlike Cinderella 
it’s incredibly strange and dark (and gorgeous and wonderful) and I didn’t know what I could 
possibly do with it…! At first I was very resistant. But then I started thinking about that princess.  
In the original story, she’s there, she’s the one who pops up to marry the prince and thereby 
break the mermaid’s heart, but she’s not an actual character at all; she’s not unlikable or likable, 
she’s not anything at all.


  I started imagining who this princess really was. In a crazy coincidence (in the original story), 
she’s the one in the “temple” overlooking the sea who finds the prince after the mermaid saves 
him and also the one his father arranges a marriage with. I thought about this temple. What if it’s 
a convent? What if she’s there because her kingdom is at war and she’s in hiding? And what if 
she doesn't just find the saved prince on the shore… what if she actually witnesses the mermaid 
bringing him to shore, her tail and skin glittering in the pale sunlight, her face suffused with 
love. Imagine: you're a princess stuck in this rigid convent at the edge of the world, missing your 
castle. You're standing in the convent garden looking out over the icy sea when a mermaid—
a mermaid!—emerges from the water, holding this almost-drowned man in her arms. Wouldn't 
that be a moment to change your life? Wouldn't everything be different afterwards?


The moment that that scene was in my head, the opening scene to the book, I knew I had my 
story.


  I imagined that in my book, there would be a relationship between the princess and the mermaid, 
starting at this first moment when the mermaid looks up and sees the princess standing there.
The mermaid, already in love—with the prince but, even more, with all the fragile humanity 
he represents—wills the princess to save him. The mermaid has done her job, she’s saved him 
from the sea and brought him to shore, but a human has to do the rest. What if the princess 
misinterprets that willing a bit, and believes the mermaid has brought the man to her to love? 
And, further, what if she brings him to the convent, where he'll be taken care of, and he comes to 
believe that she’s the one who saved him? 


  At one point the mermaid visits the shore again and the princess, watching for her, comes down, 
and they speak. I loved writing this scene, making these two characters sympathetic to each 
other, each representing everything the other longs for, a different world, when in the original 
story they have no relationship to speak of. In the Disney movie, on the other hand, the princess 
becomes downright evil. She is after all a female rival for a man’s attention, so she must be! I 
don't like stories where female rivalry is a given, and I don't like it in real life, either. 


  I wanted my two characters to be a bit in awe of each other. They each love the other’s world, 
long to be part of what is, to them, a magical, unknowable place (the sea, the kingdom). I knew 
they would both have to end up in the prince’s castle, and I wanted them to be surprised when 
they inevitably recognize each other and realize they've both made sacrifices to be with the same 
man—and that only one of them can end up married to him. Everything is at stake, for each of 
them. I wanted the book to be more about this relationship, between the mermaid and the human 
princess, and how they navigate this terrible situation where they both have so much at stake.


*****



\
Carolyn Turgeon is the author of five novels: Rain Village (2006), Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story (2009), Mermaid (2011), which is being developed for film by Sony Pictures, and The Next Full Moon (2012), her first and only book for middle-grade readers. Her latest novel, The Fairest of Them All, comes out in August 2013 from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster and is about Rapunzel growing up to be Snow White's stepmother. She lives in Pennsylvania and New York and teaches fiction writing at the University of Alaska at Anchorage's Low-Residency MFA program. She's currently at work on a new novel about Dante's Beatrice, set in thirteenth-century Florence.



Find Her

Giveaway

Okay guys Carolyn has ever so kindly offered up a SIGNED copy of Mermaid!!  Ya I'm
having some serious envy right now!!  So go ahead enter & GOOD LUCK!!! 

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

**REVIEW** Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

I loved this one!!  It is so beautiful and tragic.  The type that
pulls at your heart and pulls you in.






Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared into the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that not only is he a prince, he is also the son of her father's greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom.
Meanwhile, the mermaid princess Lenia longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and the chance to win his heart...
A surprising take on the classic tale, Mermaid is the story of two women with everything to lose. It will make you think twice about the fairy tale you heard as a child, keeping you in suspense until the very last page.

Release Date: March 1, 2011
Published By:  Crown Publishing Group
Review Copy:  Paperback, 240 pages
**Purchased

 Review

  This is probably one of my twists on a fairy tale retelling.  The story was told from 2 points of view. Lenia the beautiful mermaid princess and Margrethe, the princess of the north.  Both believe that they have fallen in love and are willing to sacrifice everything to get the prince to love them back.  Ultimately you know one will end up broken hearted and as I read dread filled me that either one of these girls would loose everything.  It was a beautiful retelling in all of its dark and sad ways.

  Lenia has always dreamed of life above.  It was all she could do to wait until her 18th birthday to visit above.  On that day her entire life changes.  She sees death and how fragile human life really is and meets the man that changes it all.  Instead of shying away she only becomes more determined to be a part of the world above.  Her love grows and determination to be above and with him seems worth every sacrifice that she will have to make.  I love her for this, for every bit of her beauty she has ten times the strength.  What she chooses and the consequences that she must deal with are amazing and horrifying all at once.

  Margrethe is the princess of the north.  She is well loved by her father and has lived a very sheltered and protected life.  When a hansom stranger is left for her to save she finds herself with a lot more than she bargained for.   What I loved about Margrethe was the same thing that drove me nuts.  She is so darn stubborn.  When she decides she must be with the Prince and he WILL love her that is how it is.  When she finds that the Prince loves another she decides that she still must be with him love or not. 

  There really wasn't much of the prince in this story rather than the girls talking about him.  He is the heir to the throne in the south and some what of a charmer.  Upon him first meeting Lenia and the bit of interaction they had to start I grew irritated at him.  However given the type of time period that this is written in I get it.  He is true to royal behaviour and to a point I respect that.  He wants to follow his heart but does his needs out weigh that of his kingdom.  When faced with that choice it's not like he takes the decision lightly.  It's hard to like him but his role in the book in undeniable. 

  In the end my heart broke with the girls.  I mean tears in my eyes wish I could run and  stop it all from happening.  This is a heartbreaking and at the same time beautiful tale of two girls that just want to follow their hearts.  Carolyn Turgeon's writing was smooth and mesmerizing right from the start and I couldn't help but feel the start of heartbreak then.  There are so many ways I wish this book had ended and many more that I wanted it to end.  However when it came down to it, it ended in heartbreak and tears the way it should have.  This book is proof that happily ever after is not always easy and just because you risk it all doesn't mean you get what you want.