Contest and REACHED Trader Challenge #5: Reach Out

I was one of the bloggers selected to become a trader for the Silk & Paper campaign. As traders, it's our job to get the word out about the fantastic Matched Trilogy as we wait for the final novel, REACHED, to release. Last week, we shared the Matched Facts Tumblr, and this week the Archivists and the Rising have given us (even you!) another task to complete:

ASSIGNMENT: The Rising is coming, nothing can stop it. Help them spread their mission as quickly as possible—post the link to the Reached trailer and excerpt on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. and get as many civilians as possible to do the same.

View the book trailer for REACHED by Ally Condie

'Reached,' by Allie Condie -- EXCLUSIVE Excerpt

One winner will receive a Matched Trilogy boxed set + a Matched trilogy poster and buttons, and two more winners will receive the Matched Trilogy posters + buttons! Want to enter? You're going to have to work for it (easy tasks, I promise). Here are this week's tasks:

Task 1 (for 10 entries): Blog, Tweet or post on Facebook (or other social media) about the Reached Book Trailer!

Task 2 (for 10 entries): Blog, Tweet or Post on Facebook (or other social media) about the Reached excerpt!

Complete one or both of these tasks? 

Fill out the rafflecopter below to gain your entries! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest and REACHED Trader Challenge #4: Cross Over

I was lucky enough to be selected to become one of the traders for the Silk & Paper campaign! As traders, it's our job to get the word out about the fantastic Matched Trilogy as we wait for the final novel, REACHED, to release. Last week, we shared the Matched Trilogy Facebook Fan Page, and this week the Archivists and the Rising have given us (even you!) another task to complete:

Trader Challenge #4: Cross Over 

ASSIGNMENT: It is one thing to wake up from the Society’s dream of a “perfect” civilization, but it is another thing altogether to cross the boundary from your safe and sound world into new and dangerous territory. Follow and help Cassia through her journey into the Outer Provinces to reunite with Ky and ultimately discover herself. Drive as much traffic as possible to the Matched Facts Tumblr and the Crossed Facts campaign by reblogging, promoting the link and images on Facebook, etc.  & get as many people as possible to embed the CROSSED trailer on their blogs, post about them on Facebook, etc.

I'm a fan of Matched Facts, simply because they always refresh my memory of what happened in each book without adding in any unnecessary information. Here are a couple Matched and Crossed Facts that I like:

And now, for my contest with awesome prizes! But, I'm going to make you work for it (Don't worry, the challenges are easy and fun!) 

Challenge #4

Option 1: Find one MATCHED OR CROSSED Fact that you like and Tweet it OR Post it to Facebook.

OR

Option 2: Tweet OR Post the CROSSED Book Trailer to Facebook.

Easy, right? Did you complete one of the options for Challenge #4? Copy the link to your tweet or Facebook post, click on Challenge #4 on the Rafflecopter below and paste the link in the space provided. You can also still complete the first three challenges - the more challenges you complete, the more entries into the giveaway you receive!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Slowing Things Down and Taking a Step Back

Hey everyone!

I've been having some health concerns for the last three weeks, and I finally managed to meet with my doctor a few days ago. Apparently, all of my current health problems are being caused by stress, and I was told to take it easy and try to cut out as much stress in my life as possible. 

Unfortunately, since I can't exactly take a break from all of my school/college stress (darn it), I'm going to have to slow things down with the blog instead. While blogging may be so much fun, it can also be extremely stressful for me. It bothers me to have to push blogging to the side, since I love it so much, but I need to focus on my health right now.

So, I'm going to be slowing things down and taking a step back from YA Book Queen for the rest of October and possibly November (we'll see). However, I will still have my posts for the Silk and Paper campaign (and my contest) each Monday. But, for the rest of October, those posts are likely going to be the only ones going up on YA Book Queen until I start feeling better. I'll hopefully get my stress level down and health back in order soon!

Also, out of curiosity, do any of you have any de-stressing tips?

Hope you all are having a fabulous October so far,

Giveaway: EASY by Tammara Webber

EASY by Tammara Webber

New Adult / Mature YA

Rescued by a stranger. Haunted by a secret. Sometimes, love isn’t easy…

"He always saw her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior…

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love."

This summary is a bit vague, but you can click here to read the old (but more detailed) summary on Goodreads for EASY if you're curious about the story.

EASY spent nine weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List and sold more than 150,000 copies of the self-published ebook. Now, it's being re-released as a Berkley trade paperback! And, thanks Penguin Group USA, I have one copy of EASY to give away to one lucky reader.

Please Read My Contest Policy

One Winner (US ONLY) will receive a brand new copy of the Berkley trade paperback version of EASY by Tammara Webber.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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Waiting on Wednesday (96)

WoW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

by April Genevieve Tucholke

August 15th 2013 (Dial)

"Violet’s grandmother had warned her about the Devil, had talked about him often, as though he were a best friend, or an old lover. But she never told Violet that the Devil could be real. She never told Violet that the Devil could be a dark-haired boy in vintage clothes who takes naps in the sun and likes old movies and vigilante justice.

River West is the seventeen-year old stranger renting the guesthouse behind the rotting mansion on the sea, where Violet lives. And as eerie things start happening in Violet’s town, she begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling, coffee-loving liar with rascally eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something else? Something...evil?

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love she can’t see straight.

And that’s just how River likes it."

August 2013? That is way too far away.

*sighs*

I'm intrigued by the summary (I hope there's not going to be instalove, but it sounds like there might be), and I really like the cover. Usually huge font drives me crazy, but this cover works for me. It's very eerie and dramatic. 

What are you waiting on? 

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel
Sarah Beth Durst
September 11th, 2012
424 pages (Hardcover)
Margaret K. McElderry
POV: 3rd person
Source: Author/Publisher

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Gods and goddesses, deserts and droughts, fate and freedom....Sarah Beth Durst's newest novel has it all, and then some. Easily one of the best stories I've read all year, VESSEL is a highly creative, richly cultured, and wonderfully executed fantasy novel that sweeps across the harsh desert lands as one extraordinary young woman tries to save her people. Liyana, destined to give up her body to her goddess Bayla, is determined to find her missing goddess and unwilling to yield or give up without a fight.

Despite how very journey-orientated this story is – since Liyana and Korbyn¹ are wandering the desert as they look for the other vessels and the missing gods and goddesses – Durst throws in quite a few surprises along the way to keep a reader hooked and guessing about the final outcome. The pacing picks up and slows down repeatedly, and kept me completely entranced by this story from start to finish. If you're a fan of fantasy stories rich in culture, amusing characters, and brimming with unpredictability, then VESSEL should be the next novel on your To-Read list. 

Highlights: The worldbuilding, characters, story...everything is exceptional in VESSEL. Durst takes her characters in different directions than expected. Liyana's family rocked. Liyana is an excellent and humorous protagonist that's easy to like. I loved seeing the other clans and their vessels. The sporadic second narration kept me curious in the beginning and it was interesting to see how it all tied together with Liyana. 

Lowlights: I was a bit sad about the way the story ended (especially romantically, it didn't work out the way I hoped it would), but it was the best possible ending for the story. It's too bad this book is a standalone, because I really wish there were more books! 

Rating: 

1 Who doesn't love a trickster god? *swoons*

Contest and REACHED Trader Challenge #3: Rise Up

I was selected to become one of the traders for the Silk & Paper campaign, and as traders it's our job to get the word out about the fantastic Matched Trilogy. Last week, we shared the MATCHED book trailer plus Scribd sampler, and this week the Archivists and the Rising have given us (even you!) another task to complete:

Trader Challenge #3: Rise Up

ASSIGNMENT: The Rising needs new recruits. Drive as much traffic as possible to the Matched Trilogy Facebook fan page (facebook.com/matchedbooks) to build up rebel forces.

So head on over to the Matched Trilogy fan page on Facebook and like it (if you haven't already). Plus, if you're willing to share the link to the Matched Trilogy Facebook fan page and spread the word about REACHED, you can win big:

GIVEAWAY (US ONLY)

1 Grand Prize Winner will receive a MATCHED Trilogy Box Set + MATCHED Trilogy Swag (poster + buttons)

2 Winners will receive MATCHED Trilogy Swag

Each week, I'll add new tasks to the Rafflecopter for more chances to win, so keep checking back. Welcome to the Rising!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Challenge Recap

Challenge #1

Grab, embed, and share the REACHED countdown widget

Challenge #2

Embed the MATCHED Scribd OR Trailer on your blogs / Facebook and Tweet about it using the #getmatched hashtag.

If you don't have a Twitter, it can be as simple as sharing the link to the book trailer or excerpt on Facebook and leaving me a link to that post in the rafflecopter. 

Challenge #3

Like the Matched Trilogy Facebook Fan Page and drive as much traffic to the page as you can to build up rebel forces.

Example: "Have you joined the Rising? Like the Matched Trilogy Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/matchedbooks" and then leave me a link to where you posted. 

The Queen's Library (22)

Credit / Inspiration

For Review - Requested ARCs
FLASH POINT by Nancy Kress (from Netgalley) (not pictured)
SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (from publicist)

For Review - Unsolicited from Publisher
PIRATE CINEMA by Cory Doctorow
JUST ONE DAY by Gayle Forman
OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Sepetys
THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH by Maureen Johnson (2 ARC's)

I'm still freaking out over the surprise books from Penguin! I'm a fan of Gayle Forman, Ruta Sepetys and Maureen Johnson, so I was beyond thrilled to receive their newest books....Also, I'm so excited to read SCARLET (love the tagline on the ARC)! Can't wait to see what happens in that one. Many thanks to Tor Teen, Ksenia and Macmillan, Netgalley and Penguin Teen!

What books did you get this week?

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Crewel
Gennifer Albin
October 16th, 2012
368 pages (hardcover)
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Source - ARC from publicist

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

"That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back."

As with Greek Mythology's Moirae (aka, the Fates), Crewel's Spinsters weave and control all aspects of life in Arras. The Spinster's are beautiful, talented, and privileged. And, in a world where men hold the power, being a Spinster provides the best possible future a woman can hope to ever have. But unlike others, Adelice Lewys isn't eager to give into the world of Spinsters, despite being highly adept at weaving Arras – a natural skill that makes her both valuable and a threat. But Adelice has to be careful, because where the Spinsters can create, they can also destroy. 

After a heart-pounding and terrifying beginning, Crewel eventually slows down and takes its time as Albin pulls back the layers of Arras and reveals the details of Adelice's world. From social structures to technology and even to the fascinating job of being a Spinster, Albin carefully reveals all in due time. From beginning to end, it really is quite easy to get caught up in the story, the world, and the characters. Fresh and very unique from other books on the bookshelves, Crewel will show you a world you haven't seen before and leave you eager for so much more. 

Highlights: The surprises and creativity. I can honestly say that I did not expect the ending, so that was an interesting surprise. The world was wonderfully written. As a main character, I mostly enjoyed Adelice's POV. Right from the beginning, Albin managed to make me feel sympathy for the protagonist. Descriptions were incredible. 

Lowlights: A couple moments that just didn't work for me#. A lot of time is spent waiting for something to happen, instead of actually adjusting the plot so certain events happened earlier. It appears the author is setting up a love triangle for the next book, but it doesn't (thankfully) come across that way for this one.

Rating: 

# Spoiler: Pryana blaming Adelice for her sister's death was ridiculous, since it was Maela's fault. And then Pryana buddies up with Maela? What? It's idiotic to think that anyone would want anything to do with the person who killed their sister. Pryana did not seem like an idiot, so this confused me. Maela also comes across as a bit cartoon-evil a few times (a.k.a. over the top).

Waiting on Wednesday (95) (times two!)

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

May 28th, 2013 (Katherine Tegen Books)

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.

2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.

3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.

4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.

5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.

2. He says he has her stuff.

3. What stuff? Her stuff.

4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—

5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—

6. You pick up a pen.

7. You scribble down the address.

8. You get on your bike and go.

9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*

*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.

I LOVE the sound of this book. I really like the bright cover too, it's very eye-catching and interesting to look at.

Red by Alison Cherry

October 8th, 2013 (Delacorte)

Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power—and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note:

I know your secret.

Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it—money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred?

This one seems like a fun mystery. Interesting concept, too! 

What are you waiting on? 

Contest and REACHED Trader Challenge #2: Get Matched

I was selected to become one of the traders for the Silk & Paper campaign, and as traders it's our job to get the word out about the fantastic Matched Trilogy. Last week, we shared the REACHED countdown widget (which you can grab in my right sidebar) and this week the Archivists and the Rising have given us (even you!) another task to complete:

Trader Challenge #2: Get Matched

ASSIGNMENT: For Cassia Reyes, the seeds of dissent and rebellion were first sown in MATCHED. The Society is corrupt and people must know. Spread the word however you can - get as many people as possible to tweet #getmatched, embed the MATCHED trailer and Scribd sampler on their blogs, post about them on Facebook, etc.

Matched sampler

Watch the MATCHED book trailer on YouTube!
Plus, if you help the Rising, you can win some sweet prizes. 
GIVEAWAY (US ONLY)
1 Grand Prize Winner will receive a MATCHED Trilogy Box Set + MATCHED Trilogy Swag (poster + buttons)
2 Winners will receive MATCHED Trilogy Swag
Each week, I'll add new tasks to the Rafflecopter for more chances to win, so keep checking back. Welcome to the Rising!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Challenge Recap
Challenge #1 Grab, embed, and share the REACHED countdown widget
Challenge #2 Embed the MATCHED Scribd and Trailer on your blogs / Facebook and Tweet about it using the #getmatched hashtag. 

The Queen's Library (21)

Printed Books
Unremembered by Jessica Brody (ARC for review)

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (purchased)

Bookish Swag

Two signed The Archived bookmarks plus a sticker

Vengeance Bound bookmarks, wristbands, stickers

I adore the pretty pink packaging for Unremembered. Colorful packages are always just a bit more fun to receive....I'm excited to reread The Hobbit, since it's been about eight or nine years since I last read it.  I can't wait for the movie! Many thanks to Victoria Schwab and Justina Ireland for the swag, and Ksenia for Unremembered!

What did you get this week?

COVERS: Ink, Elite, Thousand Words and more

And I'm back with another post filled with cover-loveliness. I love to hunt for new covers, and these are some of the ones I've stumbled across on Goodreads in the last few weeks:  

                    INK                      THE BEAUTIFUL & THE CURSED

INK is so very different and I love it. I love TBATC too, with all of the different shades of colors and layers, it just looks interesting. 

  THOUSAND WORDS                    THE DEAD AND BURIED

I'm not really a fan of TW cover, but I like that it matches the author's other books. I'm not really feeling TDAB either, I much prefer the first creepy cover they had. This isn't a bad cover, but I feel like I've seen this a million times before, so it's not that interesting to me. 

PHOENIX                                          THE ELITE

I like the PHOENIX cover: it's in-your-face, vibrant, and different. And, while THE ELITE is without a doubt yet another pretty girl in a pretty dress cover, I still kind of like the way it looks. 

What covers have caught your eye lately?

Interview + Giveaway: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate discussing EVE AND ADAM

Thanks to the fabulous Ksenia from Macmillan, I had the pleasure of being able to interview Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate regarding their newly released novel, EVE AND ADAM! Prepare yourself to laugh, because these two are hilarious...

Quick! Describe EVE AND ADAM in 7 words or less!

K: It's a Biblical Sci-Fi Rom-Com Thriller.

M: Do hyphenated words count as one word or two?

Hmm, I'll say they count as one (and you two get bonus points for trying to sneak in extra words while not going over seven). 

What was the experience like writing EVE AND ADAM in comparison to your previous novels?

M: We have not written together, as a team, in something like a decade, since the ANIMORPHS-EVERWORLD era. And those were occasionally tempestuous times.

K:  Yes. Tempestuous. Which is why we refused at first to do it again, write together. It's been so peaceful around here.

M: But then our editor Jean Feiwel forced us to do it. By, you know, offering us money.

K: And she offered to cover the cost of marriage counseling so. . . And then, oddly enough, we got along great.

M: We've matured.

K: Right.

Where did you both get the idea to write a twist on the biblical story of Adam and Eve? 

K: Actually, Jean said, "I have an idea: EVE AND ADAM."

M: So, we said, cool, what's it about? And she was like, "Hey, why do you think I have you two bozos?" I may be paraphrasing there. Basically, we reworked Genesis slightly to make it about genetic engineering and hot guys. EVE AND ADAM is a romantic comedy about genetic engineering for the purpose of creating a very attractive guy. Some early reviewers are like, "Well, they didn't go very deep into bioethics." Which is definitely true. Because, you know: it's a rom-com.

K: If you want heavy bioethics buy Michael's BZRK.

M: Oooh, nice cross-promotion there, babe.

EVE AND ADAM has a very attention-grabbing first line - what are your thoughts on first lines, and how important are they to you when writing a story?

K: If not the first sentence then the first paragraph is very important. There are a lot of books in the store or library. Readers have choices, so it's helpful to grab the reader right off the bat.

M: We felt we needed a good first line for EVE AND ADAM since we were riffing on a little-known book with the opening line, "Let there be light!"

K: That's not actually the first line of the Bible. It's "In the beginning. . ."

M: The "Let there be light," line is better, actually. "In the beginning," is so obvious. Even better? "Let there be coffee! And, lo, there was coffee!"

What comes first for each of you when beginning a new project: characters, plot, snippets of dialogue, etc?

M: Story.

K: The feel of the language. Except that with THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN I had that story - a basically true story, from a newspaper clipping - going around in my head for years.

M: The truth is it's a little different with each project. I have a series I haven't started yet, and it began with me thinking how cool H.P. Lovecraft is.

K: With EVE AND ADAM we actually planned out the story, which is unusually organized for us. We didn't stick to the plan, but at least there was one.

Random Question: If you could spend 24 hours in as fictional character (from a book, movie, etc), who would you choose & why?

K:  Hmmm. I don't know. Fern from Charlotte's Web?

M: Because you love spiders so much? I'd be Jack Aubrey, from the Patrick O'Brian Master and Commander series. Because I would have a sword and get to fire cannon.

K: And that would be the maturing we spoke of earlier.

M: I could use my sword to kill spiders. You know what? You could be Eve from EVE AND ADAM and you could create the perfect guy who would be. . .

K: Sean Connery at about age 40? Tom Selleck around the same vintage?

M: I was thinking me, actually.

K: That's funny.

What writing projects are you both working on right now?

M: Oh, God, so much. I'm just wrapping up the GONE series. So by the time this comes out I'll be working on the fourth and final MAGNIFICENT 12 book. Then BZRK 3.

K: When's this coming out on the web site? Never mind, whenever it is, I'll be finishing THE GOOD BOY, a book about a dog and a cat and some magic. If my editor is listening, it will be done! And then, we start on the sequel to EVE AND ADAM. EVEN MORE ADAM. Except that's not really what we're calling it. Probably.

Thank you so much for answering some questions, Michael and Katherine!

Eve and Adam Book Trailer

Eve and Adam Facebook Fan Page

Michael Grant’s Twitter

Katherine Applegate’s Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Uncontrollable Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway

SR Johannes is taking over the blog today for The Official Uncontrollable Blog Tour with a guest post on how she keeps the suspense and excitement fresh while writing a story. Be sure to check below for a giveaway! 

"There are many different ways to keep tension in a book and hook your readers. To me, if I can’t put down a book, I’m hooked. But as a writer, I can’t maintain suspense on every page or the reader will get exhausted. I have to include down time in the novel but it doesn’t mean I can’t keep the tension.

Here are a few techniques I use to keep the tension in between action sequences…

1) Vary your writing style. Short fast sentences tend to speed up the reading and tension; whereas, long sentences that are more narrative and descriptive will slow down the pace.

2) Watch how you cut your chapters. This is important when doing a thriller because it can make the book continue to feel like a page-turner even if the reader is in a slower scene. I always cut in the middle of a scene – at the climax - so you have to turn the page to finish. This could be in dialogue, when Grace is about to uncover a clue, or in the middle of action. It is in our nature to keep going until there is a break.

3) Use the setting. Since the woods are scary to me anyway, I try and use the setting to create tension even if nothing is happening. Sometimes our surroundings can play into the fear. The sounds. The isolation. Not knowing what is around can be scary enough if I play it right.

4) Play up the dialogue. Most people interrupt each other when they are talking. If my characters are bantering and cutting each other off, the dialogue can create a faster pace. If someone is listening while the other is telling a long story, this will slow the pace down.

5)  Spread out your clues. I always go into a book with the main story but I try to create at least 2-3 different twists. I usually chose the way most would not think. Or I try to. I spread out my clues so they build a story throughout the book. I think this gives the reader the impression they are solving the mystery right alongside the main character.

Hopefully this process of creating tension hooks the reader and creates a page-turner they can’t put down – or better yet – don’t want to."

"S.R. Johannes is the author of Amazon bestselling Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and new tween paranormal, On The Bright Side. She has published short novelettes as well as a teen romance anthology with 16 other authors titled, In His Eyes.  Uncontrollable, the sequel to Untraceable, is scheduled for Fall 2012.

She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. After earning an MBA and working in corporate america, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing."

You can find SR on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Uncontrollable by SR Johannes

Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace #2)
S.R. Johannes
September 24th, 2012
300 pages (Kindle edition)
Coleman & Stott
Source: Author

As Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program".

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants.

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues.

Little does she know, she is being hunted too. 

When Grace is offered the chance to work on a project studying red wolves for extra credit, she jumps at the opportunity to get back into the woods and get her mind off the past. But what was supposed to be a simple project quickly goes wrong as wolves begin dying under mysterious circumstances and Grace  suspects that she's being watched by someone in the woods. Trying to survive the harsh winter is challenging enough, but Grace just might have to outwit an old enemy's malice too.

Once again, Johannes excels at creating a thrilling story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Grace's life has complicated since the last novel – her town blames her for its troubles, Wyn's angry, and she's lost two important people in her life. Thankfully, all the good qualities from the previous novel are still present, and Johannes demonstrates plenty of growth among Grace, her family, and her friends. And, as always, Johannes wraps everything up into one thrilling conclusion that will leave readers eager for another novel. All in all, Uncontrollable is great followup to Untraceable – this is one series worth checking out. 

Highlights: Even while I guessed the big twist early, Johannes threw a few more surprises my way. I love how important Grace's family became in Uncontrollable – loved Birdie! Nice descriptions of the settings. I love how the characters in this series are not perfect people. I'm glad the author didn't try to force a romance where it wouldn't work, even if one of the characters did want a relationship. The suspense, the danger, the excitement...it was so difficult to set this story aside. 

Lowlights: Compared to the previous novel, the finished version of this book seemed a bit unpolished - I found many simple errors that could have been caught with another edit. Grace jumped to conclusions again, (spoilerish) assuming everything was Al's doing. Also, I missed Mo and that romantic plot (I'm not a Wyn + Grace fan, regarding romance), but was glad to see Mo in the end.

Note: I think it might be possible to read this book without having read the first novel, but you'd be better off reading Untraceable first.

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