Cover Reveal: Inspire by Cora Carmack

Inkslinger Blogs is thrilled to bring you the cover for Cora Carmack's INSPIRE. INSPIRE is a New Adult Paranormal Romance novel and is due to be released on December 15, 2014.

About Inspire:

Kalliope lives for one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn't have any other choice. It's part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors - they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life - a normal one. She's spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she's ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly... he's not an artist. He doesn't want her for her abilities. But she can't turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It's happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.


About Cora Carmack: 

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her her life - boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need move too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

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I'm a huge fan of her other novels so I'm really excited to dive into this new genre of hers. Anyone else a fan of Cora's? Are you excited for Inspire?

Waiting on Wednesday: Unleashed

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight an upcoming release we are eagerly waiting for.

My WoW this week is:

Unleashed
By Sophie Jordan
Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected Publication: February 24, 2015

From Goodreads:

Davy has spent the last few months trying to come to terms with the fact that she tested positive for the kill gene HTS (also known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome). She swore she would not let it change her, and that her DNA did not define her... but then she killed a man.

Now on the run, Davy must decide whether she'll be ruled by the kill gene or if she'll follow her heart and fight for her right to live free. But with her own potential for violence lying right beneath the surface, Davy doesn't even know if she can trust herself. 

I loved Sophie's first book in this series, Uninvited, where we were introduced to this world where people test to see if you'll be a killer. It was crazy and felt surprisingly real and Davy's story broke my heart yet gave me a lot of hope. I can't wait to read more about her story and see where it takes her next. Sophie's writing is gorgeous and I'm a fan of all her work, so I can't wait for more of it!

Review: Just One Year

Just One Year
Author: Gayle Forman
Published: October 13, 2013
Hardcover, 336 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn't know where in the world he is - Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day - that girl - makes Willem wonder if they aren't fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he'd thought...

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the  choices we make and the accidents that happen - and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.

I had really high hopes for this book. Just One Day was sweet and romantic. A girl who never diverts from the path goes out on a limb and travels to Paris, meeting a gorgeous guy on a train and falling into a trip that remains with her for a long time. They spend one night together, a night neither will forget, but when she wakes in the morning he is nowhere to be found. Devastated, she tries to find him, going all over Paris and even to Amsterdam. With no luck and no time left, she leaves, feeling bent and broken. While Allyson is looking for Willem, he too is looking for her and this is his story. He travels all over the world looking for her. We know they do not see each other for a year. We know there will be no connections made throughout the novel. But even though I knew this, I kept hoping they'd see each other, or that at least at the end, when they do find each other, we'd have more time to bask in the glory of their love. I was left hanging, still hoping for more, after going through 300 pages of anticipation for them to be together.

Forman is a beautiful writer. Willem's adventures were fun, although I was bored sometimes during the story. I think it's because it's a companion piece and you know when the important parts will happen. I wasn't as invested with Willem as I was with Allyson and I kept wanting more but didn't get it. I'm reminded of Where She Went, Adam's point of view after the events from If I Stay. I think I would have enjoyed a story like that more, something that doesn't coincide with the first novel. I understand why it was a companion piece, I understand wanting to show his side of the story so that we know he didn't just leave her, but I also really wanted to know what happened after they found each other. I think that's my biggest  complaint.

The adventure was fun. I loved exploring the world with Willem. We see Amsterdam, where he reunites with old family members. We see Mexico and India, where he reconnects with his estranged mother who he doesn't get along with. He spends a lot of time there repairing the relationship. There were some really good moments and the thoughts Willem feels about Allyson were sweet and I wanted them to be together so badly. It's worth a read for those who enjoyed the first book and those who like a good travel read.

"There's a different between losing something you knew you had and losing something you discovered you had. One is a disappointment. The other eels like losing a piece of yourself."

Review: These Broken Stars

These Broken Stars
Authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Published: December 10, 2013
Hardcover, 374 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury space liner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. but with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journer across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Than, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder - would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it. 

The effect this book has as soon as you open dives you into a whole other world. We are taken to a place that is reminiscent of the 1900s, but is actually a future time. We are aboard the Icarus, a majestic space liner where they women wear lovely dresses and the men gamble below deck. Lilac LaRoux is the daughter of the liner's creator, a girl who is never left alone and has everything handed to her. A girl Tarver knows not to get involved with. But when they make quick eye contact and have a short moment together before the ship crashes and begins its plummet to earth, it sets everything else into motion. Tarver ends up in an escape pod with Lilac, a girl who knows more about mechanics than you would think and they land on a distant island. They are alone with no means of escape and they can only hope to find the wreckage and find a way home or at least get Lilac's father to come save them.

The language took some getting used to and the pace was very slow throughout the book as Tarver and Lilac try to survive the nights on the island. But when Lilac starts seeing things and hearing whispers, I perked up, knowing this book would be much different than I expected. Lilac slowly goes into a different world and Tarver is trying to keep her here while also trying to keep them alive. As he protects her, he also falls for her and their romance is soft and romantic. They go from not liking each other very much to falling into a deep, real love. The moments they spend together do not warn you for what will come next. Tarver is the perfect male lead with his quick remarks and high intelligence and Lilac quickly becomes more likeable the more they are on the planet. The relationship is realistic in a way that they are scared that once they leave the planet they will no longer be able to be together so they do as much as they can in a short time, which by the way, was very sweet and wonderful.

The twisting and turning later in the book sets this apart from most others I've read. The physiological villain creeps into your head and there's no way in knowing how this will end. Kaufman and Spooner take some leaps and risks and they pay off. This book made me laugh, cry and then pray that I wouldn't have to cry again and then would cry again. I'll warn, this is not a cute romantic book. This is a book about survival, love and the hold family can have on us. The back and forth between the present tense with Tarver being interrogated and them on the planet makes the suspense and tension real throughout the novel. This is a book that needs to be read, for the story, for the writing and for everything in between. A beautiful piece of work.

"I reach for her hand and wind my fingers through hers, turning them so the rain patters down into her palm. I trace a circle there with my thumb, smoothing the water in her skin. I want to show her there's nothing to be afraid of."

Review: Onyx

Onyx
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: August 14, 2012
Papaeback, 366 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks...

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon's determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I've sworn him off, even though he's running more hot than cold these days. But we've got bigger problems. 

Something worse than the Arum has come to town...

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I'm a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who's got a secret of his own. He knows what's happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes...

I've seen someone who shouldn't be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he's never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them - from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies...

There's no denying this series is swoon-worthy. After reading Obsidian, I knew why everyone was talking about it. I love the chemistry between Katy and Daemon, the sexual tension just begging to be released. I thought I'd have to wait until the last book for some sort of relief, but I'm glad to say I got what I was looking for in this one, along with a very cool plot and a lot of paranormal activity. Armentrout knows how to write a teen paranormal romance and this one has quickly become one of my favourites.

Daemon and Katy are cnnected in more ways than one now. Since he rescued her from the car accident, they've had a mental connection, one that sends shivers down Katy's back. As much as he annoys her, she can't stay away from him. When Blake comes to town, Katy is drawn to him too. He's much nicer than Daemon and she starts spending time with him, much to Daemon's dislike. That she discovers something about him - he knows who she is and what she can do and he wants to help. He begins teaching her how to control the power running through her. When Katy sees someone who shouldn't be alive, a plan unfolds to try and save Daemon's brother, a plan that could get all of them killed. Filled with action, drama, and a whole lot of kissing. Throw in some bad guys, people who aren't who they seem and moments where I swear to Go if Katy and Daemon don't kiss I'll kill someone, you've got yourself a stellar book.

Katy and Daemon have the kind of relationship you see a lot of in YA books. They hate each other, but they can't seen to stop kissing. Daemon becomes a little more bearable in this one, but his attitude still needs some adjusting. He treats Katy well and he does some really sweet things. And those kisses could kill me from hotness! Armentrout certainly knows how to write these characters and I was completely satisfied with how this one played out. There's no denying their feelings for each other in this one and I'm really glad it happened early in the series. I didn't want to struggle through that for another book, I just need them to be together!

This series has everything and if you're looking for a swoon-worthy book packed with hot aliens, this is for you. Trust me, they are good books.

"I always liked you. From the moment you first flipped me off."

"If there is anything, there is us. You and me. No one else."

Waiting on Wednesday: All the Rage

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight an upcoming release we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW this week is:

All the Rage
By Courtney Summers
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected Publication: April 14, 2015

From Goodreads:

The Sheriff's son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything - friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy's only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn't speak up. Nobody believed her the first time - and they certainly won't now - but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Courtney Summers is the queen of dark contemporaries. Her main characters are flawed and not always nice, but this one looks vastly different from the rest. Romy is just trying to live after a sexual assault but when she could save the lives of other girls, she must decide if she should try telling the truth again. I hope this book flies off the shelves and shows girls that they don't need to stay quiet if something happens to them. If anyone can pull this off, it's Courtney. Also, how amazing is that cover? It captures the feel of the book perfectly! Head over to Courtney's Tumblr for a sneak peak of the first chapter of the book - trust me, it starts off with a bang.

Review: Through to You

Through to You
Author: Emily Hainsworth
Published: October 2, 2012
Paperback, 272 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He'd give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam visits the site of Viv's deadly car accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina, and she's a girl from a parallel world. When Cam follows her there and makes an unbelievable discovery, it's as if all his wildest dreams have come true. But things are very different in this other world. nina is hiding a secret, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with the truth, he's forced to make a choice that will change his life forever. 

The synopsis of this book drew me in quickly. It sounded scary and sad and thrilling and it was all of these things, but not in the way I thought. It was much more about moving on and trying to get through life after a horrible disaster. Camden lost his girlfriend, Viv, in a car accident that he caused. Trying to get through life is hard and Cam is nothing like how he used to be. He spends his days where he and Viv used to hang out and at the spot where she died, looking at the shrine left behind. He has lost a lot too, no longer the star athlete after he hurt his leg in the accident. But when one night at the shrine, he sees a girl who at first he thinks is Viv, he follows her into another world, a parallel world to his own where things are drastically different. The car accident still happened, but instead of Viv dying, he did and Viv is still alive here. Cam's world soon turns upside down and he spends days with Viv, trying to become who they used to be. But this Viv is different from his and he is not the man he was in this world, and Nina, the girl he saw at the shrine, is more involved in his life than he ever would have thought.

This book was much too short for me and a lot happened in that short amount of time that I know there could have been room for more character development. I would have liked more background on Cam and Viv as I think that would have made me like their relationship more. From what I saw, they didn't seem as in love as I would have liked. I saw more love between Cam and Nina and much liked them together better instead. Although it was short, it packed a punch. The mystery behind the alternative world and what might happen to Cam if he kept going there was enough to make me want to turn the page. Cam lives a tough life since the accident. His parents are divorced, his knee is injured and he's lost his girlfriend. But when he finds out the Cam in the parallel world lived a much better one, he's still not sure if he'd rather that life instead and he's not sure if Viv likes that Cam more than him. It gets complicated and heartbreaking, wanting someone you thought you lost and suddenly can have again except they are a totally different person than the one you lost.

It was a very emotional book and Hainsworth's writing is beautiful and flowing. I wish it had been longer but it was also perfect in its shortness and simplicity. A nice departure from regular contemporary books and I'm excited to see what else Hainsworth has in store for us.

"If I had my phone with me, I could try to call her, but I'm not sure my calling plan covers inter-dimensional roaming."

Review: Landline

Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: July 8, 2014
Hardcover, 310 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it's been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply - but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they're supposed to visit Neal's family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can't go. She's a TV writer, and something's come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her - Neal is always a little upset with Georgie - but she doesn't expect him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she's finally done it. If she's ruined everything. 

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It's not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she's been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts...

Is that what she's supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened? 

Rainbow's books have all been so different that it's hard to compare them. Fangirl's Cath is nothing like Eleanor and Park's Eleanor (or Park) and Lincoln and Beth from Attachments are in a league of their own. So when I met Georgie and Neal, I had no exceptions of them being anything like her other characters and I knew their story would be totally different. They are in a whole different place in life that all her other characters, they are in the part where things get hard and love doesn't come so easy. You have to work at it if you want to make it work and I loved that she wrote a book about a marriage falling apart and trying to pick up the pieces. It hurt to read it, a lot of parts reminded me of my boyfriend and I, but part of me knew if I got through the rough parts, there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. Rainbow captures the downside to falling in love, the aftermath of those cute moments where you finally found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, and it was sad and it hurt, but it was more real than anything else I've ever read from her.

Georgie is the bread-winner in the family, having her own TV show and letting Neal stay home with the kids. She has always put her job first and she decides to do it again at Christmas, choosing to stay and work instead of going with Neal to visit his family. She doesn't think it will be that bad, until he leaves without her and she can't seem to get a hold of him on his phone while he's gone. Torn between her job and her family, Georgie ends up at her mom's house, eager for some sense of comfort. One night she picks up her mom's landline and tries Neal again. This time she gets through, only she's talking to a Neal from the past, from when they first started dating and were at a point in their lives when they were trying to decide if they would get married. Through talking to him in the past and flashbacks from their early lives together, Georgie pieces together their relationship in a way that makes her wonder if she made the right choice staying with him. The further she falls from Present Neal, the more she reverts to her old self with Past Neal and forces herself to make a decision - stay or go?

The phone calls were my favourite. I love the reminiscent feeling when Georgie begins falling for her husband all over again. Rainbow captured so many feelings in these 300 pages and I had felt everyone of them. In a short period of time, I felt how Georgie fell in love, stayed in love, and ever so slowly, started falling out of it. Then I watched as she tried to fix it, maybe too late, but tried nonetheless. The pace was perfect, the flashbacks were right where they needed to be, and Rainbow made me root for Georgie and Neal the whole way through. This read differently than her other books, but I enjoyed it just as much as the rest. It would be the perfect Christmas book (or movie) and the magic phone gave it just enough extra magic to make me fall in love. It somehow seemed very realistic in the book and I love how Rainbow talked about it, not believing it as much as Georgie didn't. This book captured all the obstacles that couples face, married or not, and those moments where you're not sure you've made the right choice in life. Rainbow's writing is perfect - funny, sad, and heartwarming all at once and I fell more in love with her as I fell in love with her characters. This book may be hard for some people to read, those who are experiencing what Georgie and Neal are going through, but it's worth it to try and find that happy ending.

"Neal didn't take Georgie's breath away. Maybe the opposite. But that was okay - that was really good, actually, to be near someone who filled your lungs with air."

Waiting on Wednesday: Hold Me Like a Breath

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight an upcoming release we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW this week is:

Hold Me Like a Breath
By Tiffany Schmidt
Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected Publication: May 19th, 2015

From Goodreads:

Penelope Landlow has grown up with the knowledge that almost anything can be bought or sold - including body parts. She's the daughter of one of the three crime families that control the black market for organ transplants.

Penelope's surrounded by all the suffocating privilege and protection her family can provide, but they can't protect her from the autoimmune disorder that causes her to bruise so easily.

And in her family's line of work no one can be safe forever. 

All Penelope has ever wanted is freedom and independence. But when she's caught in the crossfire as rival families scramble for prominence, she learns that her wishes come with casualties, that betrayal hurts worse than bruises, that love is a risk worth taking... and maybe she's not as fragile as everyone thinks. 

Tiffany is one of my favourite authors and this book sounds so completely different than what she's written that I can't wait to see what's in store for me! Sounds mysterious and dangerous and the cover is beautiful!

Oh and it's totally Tiffany's birthday today, so everyone should go say Happy Birthday to her!!

Earth and Sky: New Book Trailer + Contest

Hey all!

As we all know I'm a huge fan of Megan Crewe. Her Fallen World Trilogy was amazing and I hope you've all had a chance to read it. This fall, I'm excited to say she'll be releasing the first book in a new sci-fi series about time travelling aliens! Sounds awesome to me! Here's the trailer:

I love this trailer! It's mysterious and intriguing and Skylar sounds like she's going to be a great protagonist. In case you haven't checked out the description here it is:

Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the panic attacks tormenting her, nothing
ever happens, and Sky's beginning to think she's crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for its inhabitants and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel factions seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs to Skylar's help - but with each shift in the past, the very fabric of reality is unraveling, and soon there may be no Earth left. 

Megan is awesome and she's holding an International contest to win a copy of the new book and some other great prizes. Head over to her blog to check it out and enter!