Blog Tour: Smash Into You by Shelly Crane

Blog tour:

Smash Into You

By Shelly Crane

Synopsis:

Jude has spent the whole twenty one years of his life running. From what, he wasn't quite sure. His mother tried to keep him safe; a low profile, a constant move on the horizon, a week's pay always stashed away. She tried to instill in him that he was special somehow, though would never elaborate. He never felt different. He was so completely normal and vanilla that he wondered if it had all been in her head. But then she was murdered and all he saw was a running silhouette of a man as his mother said three final words to him. Three words that changed his whole being.

Never stop running…

Now he's semi-settled into a big town. The college is huge and easy to blend into. It's been three months since he had to move because 'Biloxi', as he calls the man who killed his mother, found him once more.

Then Marley, an eighteen year old girl who is as infuriating as she is blissfully ignorant of her gorgeousness, smashes into his car with hers. Then smashes into his life as he realizes that whatever it is he has that Biloxi wants, she has it, too. And now, they're after them both.

~~~

Review

Smash Into You is a smashing novel ;). It was just stunning and honest at the same time. But you might not feel like that the whole time you’re reading it. But I’ll get to that later on. Smash Into You was a joy read, don’t get me wrong. But with a jaded Jude who has been running from a nameless murder and has watched his mother die by the hands of this man. And a practical stranger get thrown into this mix by accident? Things seem to only be able to go wrong. Jude has been on the run from man and he has no idea why. Every person Jude becomes close to is at risk. Jude has been living this life on his own since he was fourteen. This life full of anger, guilt, fear, and sadness.Don’t Go and misunderstand me, Jude was a fantastic guy deep down. He was compassionate, loving, and real. Tis life would break even the best of men and Jude is doing the best he knows how to do. This is a story of Jude losing himself and this outer person he puts on. He is breaking his chains and freeing himself from this life that was chosen for him. He learns to take control and fight for what he wants. Jaded Jude really isn’t nearly as bad as he seems ;). And, yeah, you’ll have to take my word on it. Marley is a sweetie pie who has had the worst of luck. I can’t tell you too much about her. Half the fun if figuring out this mystery of a girl. I mean, I absolutely loved it. You are always reading about mysterious guys, and men who have secrets but the girl wants him anyways and I immensely loved the fact the her cards aren’t just laid out on the table in the first chapter. I will say this though, Marley is forgiving, understanding, and so darned nice. The jaded and the jewel set off on a life changing adventure with uncertain terms. This book was bloody fantastic with suspense, mystery, action, forgiveness, and revenge. I didn’t put this down till I was done (@ 3a.m.) The plot and characters were amazing and seamlessly laid out in this spectacular story. Smash Into You drags you into a lively world and you get swept up into this exciting anguish of this life. The romance and hope seems doomed to be a lie. But when determined, humans can change the rotation of the earth.  
~~~

About the Author

Shelly is a NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling YA author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south. She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay at home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. She loves paperbacks, coffee, and candy corn, and to spend time with her family and friends, go out to eat at new restaurants and site see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music and also LOVES to read.
Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn't go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born.

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Rains Reviews: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

Cover Reveal: Greed by Fisher Amelie

Oi! Guess what I have and you don't? The cover of Fisher Amelie's newest book! But since I'm a nice person will can show it to you hehe. You wanna see it?

Greed, Fisher's second installment of for the Seven Deadly Sins series is just around the corner. I know you guys are pumped to see the new cover, and I can't wait to show it! So without any further ado, I present to you the swoon worthy cover:

Rain Reveiw: Mythos (The Descendants #1)

 Mythos by Vrinda Pendred
Just before Stephen died, he left a note.
And the note read: Don’t let them get my children.

Itzel Loveguard has a secret. The stories she can’t seem to stop writing...sometimes they come true. And now she thinks she may have killed her own father.

But she’s not the only one. Her estranged half-brother Oz and his unfailingly charming friend Seth can do things too. And so can the handsome grey-eyed boy, who seems to have stepped right out of Itzy’s dreams and has been travelling to London in search of the mysterious black pulse.

Suddenly Itzy finds herself in a strange new world of magic and mythology. And she and her new friends are all in grave danger…because the Ancients are coming for them.~ Goodreads
~~
So here I am- sitting and after finishing six books in as many days and I still have another day or two to go on my trip back home I end up scrolling through my kindle and remember this one. So I open it up and I’m hooked. The first sentence is, “The grey-eyed boy flew down the M6 at unnatural speeds.” I mean, who can resist that? I know I can’t! So I read, and read, and read, until 5 hours later I am throwing my iPhone across the car in frustration because the book is missing and ending and I have no idea when #2 is coming out.

Vrinda Pendred had managed to ensnare me into this world of abilities and magic. I recently put away a book filled with all new mythologies and fantasy worlds because it was too confusing., and I liked my current views on the magical realm of fiction. But The Descendants managed to pull me into yet another world that I have gladly added to my collection of fantasy universes.

Itzel Loveguard- Itzy- is the heroine. Scratch that. She is the amazing heroine. Itzy has successfully placed herself on my favorite female list. She is strong and powerful, being a descendant of a powerful race with magical abilities will do that to a person. She has common sense (inner squee), and she is brave, which she has to be to deal with psycho ex-girlfriends and evil family members. She had a tendency to be a little too trusting but it hasn't come to bite her in the butt, yet. She has had a bad and relatively lonely childhood but she doesn't let that slow her down in any way. If anything it helps here put the bad things that happen behind her and she can keep moving forward.

Ethan is so freaking marvelous you cannot keep from loving him. And if you can then you are obviously not human (or female). I have been waiting for a good romance and I have found it! But more to the point; Ethan is special. He is more powerful than anyone can fathom, he is controlled, and smart. He has amazing powers that makes the Avengers look like child's play. He is passionate, decisive, and he is thoughtful. He hasn't had the best childhood but all that time alone allowed him to master his powers and shaped him into the leader he is today. Ethan also has a vulnerable side. There are moments in the book when he shows a different side of him that makes him more relate able and that much better.

The book follows quite a few people, Itzy, Osiris, Seth, Vendri, Ethan, and Melody and if you are paying attention the jumping around POVs aren't hard to follow. This book and series is filled with mysteries and questions that leave you chomping at the bit for more. There isn't too much going on at once which is nice because the question that I’m stuck with are large enough by themselves. So much greatness in so little time leaves me with only one question left to ask, “How much longer must we wait in agony until the second book comes out?”

~Rain

"Uh-huh," said Devon, "and I'm from the future. Can't you tell from my fashion sense?"
"I like her, " Seth told Itzy, "She has a better sense of humor than you."
"Great," Itzy mumbled. "Remember to invite me to the wedding."

Goodreads
Amazon
Vrinda Pendred's Website

Rains Review: Scapemaker by Steve Cypert

 Scapemaker by Steve Cypert
Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. But unbeknownst to Matthew, his father is a dreamscaper whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, his students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young dreamscapers.

Honey, I'm home!

Sorry everyone! I know I’m a slacker. I am so sorry that I have been gone for so long with no word on where I was or what I was doing, but I am here to tell you- I did not die! I am alive and well and back at my home and am now able to get back on top of all things book blog.

So first things first, where was I for three weeks? Wouldn't you like to know! hmmm? 

Well obviously I was out traveling with the Doctor and visiting new earth. Don’t you know. 

Ha! I wish, but for cereal I was taking a road trip with some friends to Texas and Oklahoma because that’s where the cool kids spend their summer, right? I was able to spend about a week in Texas and I got to go to Celebrate freedom which is a christian music festival, I saw Mandisa, TobyMac (for the fourth time), and Switchfoot. And I was attacked by a weeping angel.

 I saw cool fireworks and got a coffee mug. Win! After dealing with ungodly 100 degree weather I spent the week in Oklahoma with an unexpected cold front and enjoyed 80 degree weather much to the delight of me and my entire family. I spent Fourth of July there and we spent four hours setting off over $400 worth of fireworks after spending all day popping poppers and blowing up blackcats *insert crazed smile here*. 

After my week with my Nana and Papa I met back up with my friends spent the day at Turner Falls in OK and then spent the rest of the week chilling at their house in Texas. I am pleased to report I got a tan, I went to an outdoor pool, and read 6 books in the last week and half. So if it were up to me I’d say my trip was a complete success. 

If you want to see a few of the pictures I took they are right here:

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Breaking Glass Book Blitz

Breaking Glass
by Lisa Amowitz
Release Date: 07/09/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads:
On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he's not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

Available from:

  

***Excerpt***

“So where is he?” She cranes her neck, trying to spot Ryan in the crowd.

Heart pounding, my mind hiccups through its storehouse of facts. I reposition myself to block her view. There’s no time to try texting Ryan a warning.

I could tell Susannah. Tell her how Ryan has been sneaking around behind her back for over a year, even hooking up with two college juniors in a motel room during one of our out of town meets. But defying the Morgan machine by pointing this out takes too much energy. Instead I blurt, “Did you realize the Watch Hill carousel was once part of a traveling carnival?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “What? Jeremy, sometimes you can be such a--”

But her voice trails off as her gaze wanders past mine, her smile crumpling like a paper bag. I follow her line of sight and I know this is it. The crowd has thinned around Ryan, enough for her to see him with his mouth smashed against Claudia’s.

“Oh, man,” I gasp. I turn to comfort Susannah, but she is already gone.

I stand, dithering; wanting to run after her and apologize for letting her walk into this ambush.

But, no. This is something Ryan needs to take care of. I might have signed on to sweep his mess under the rug, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to clean up after him. I push through the crowd to get to him.

“What? She what? Did you know she was coming back early?”

I feel my face heat. “No.”

Ryan pushes Claudia off of him, his stage makeup still glistening and thick, traces of Claudia’s lipstick smeared on his lips. “Good job, Jeremy. You could have at least texted me.”

My hand curls into a fist. I stuff it in my jacket pocket. “She ran out,” I say. “Maybe you can catch her.”

Ryan shrugs, and without a coat, stalks out of the theater into the night. I wait a few minutes then follow. Susannah’s car is gone, and so is Ryan’s. I try to call Susannah, but she doesn’t pick up.

I get in my car and focus on resisting the water bottle’s siren call, panicked glimpses of my waking nightmare crashing through the floodgates, the terrifying memories swept through with it. The rain and the torrents of water sweeping past, draining into the Gorge, forcing me to remember. To relive it. No. Not now. I need to stay clear.

Since eighth grade, when I discovered that liquor dulls my terrors, I have been a master thief and spy.

Not even Ryan knows.

Just a sip to calm my shaky nerves. One tiny sip to beat back the rising waters that threaten to drown me. I can do it. I pride myself on my steely self-control. My ability to remain stone-cold sober even when the track team holds a victory keg party. They call me Jeremy the Teetotaler. Jeremy, the History Nerd who never partakes.

I snap open the glove compartment. The innocuous silver bottle is shoved behind the owner’s manual, gas receipts and a collection of power bar wrappers. I raise it to my lips and gulp once, twice, three times; the cold liquid igniting as it hits my throat. It takes two, three more gulps to slow my heart to normal speed. The bottle is nearly empty. I cap it and return it to the compartment, warmth flowing to my cold fingers. I’d need to drink three times as much as that to lose focus.

Swerving the deserted black roads slick with rain over ice, I follow my usual running circuit. This is familiar turf. My backyard, practically.

Yes. I can do this. Susannah knows my route so I hope she’s come this way and parked, knowing I’d find her. She wants me to find her. To comfort her. I’ll tell her everything. How I’m sorry for lying to her. For letting Ryan hurt her. And maybe at last she’ll accept that it’s not Ryan she wants, but me.

But there’s no sign of her.

After driving and searching fruitlessly, my mind churning with outcomes, the now driving rain blurring my windshield, I can’t stand it anymore. My heart is racing. Just one last sip to fortify myself is all I need.

When I round the next hairpin curve, my headlights flash on Ryan’s car parked behind Susannah’s, engines running. I squint through the rain and mist and spot them behind the guardrail, illuminated in the headlamps’ cone of light. There’s no shoulder on this side of the road, so I pull over when I can, about twenty yards past them.

When I finally get out of the car I can hear her shouts over the racket the rain makes. My head is buzzing, but my thoughts are clear.

In fact, they’ve never been clearer, as the roots that entangle me fall away.

The damp air smells like freedom.

Susannah screams, and pounds at Ryan’s chest with her fists. He shoves her hard and she falls backward. I don’t see her get up again. Raucous arguments were nothing new between Susannah and Ryan, but I’d never seen him hit her before.

There’s a steep decline into the woods where they’ve chosen to have their argument and I worry Susannah could have gotten hurt. Ryan disappears now, too. What the hell are they doing?

I begin to run at full tilt. I still have some distance to cover, but that’s no problem for me, even with the Absolut pumping heat through my veins. But my boot heel catches on a wet leaf then slides out from under me.

I’m flying, but I land softly.

About the Author

Lisa has been a professor of Graphic Design at her beloved Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly seventeen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.

BREAKING GLASS which will be released in July, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her first published work. VISION, the first of the Finder series will be released in 2014, along with an unnamed sequel in the following year. LIFE AND BETH will also be released in the near future, along with graphic novel style art. 

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***GIVEAWAY***

1-custom pendant like the one pictured on the book cover

2-signed ARCS

1-original work of Breaking Glass related art created and signed by the author.

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