A Book Obsession..

Let’s Talk is a weekly meme that delves into the minds of bloggers and readers alike. *snort* Actually, we just talk about lots of entertaining and corny stuff half the time, but the meme is definitely meant to bring out conversation and meet new people. We talk about book-related things, as well as personal questions, always remaining respectful and never asking for too much detail. Each Friday, a different question will be posted along with a place to link up your posts and visit other people’s responses.

It’s FUN. It’s EXCITING! It’s COOL!

Well, it will be if you

JOIN US THIS FRIDAY!

This week's question:

Do you accept review requests? If not, why? If so, then how many review requests do you get in a month? How many do you accept? How do you balance between review requests and reading your own books? Have you ever gone out of your way to reduce your incoming review books? With so many reviews books being offered (solicited or not) to book bloggers, have you ever emailed a publicist to reduce the number of books sent? Do you ever feel guilty over receiving these review books that you know you won’t be able to get to knowing other book bloggers could benefit from them? How do you deal? (Thanks, KT and Na)

You can view all the Let’s Talk topics here, and if you have any fun topics to discuss, we’d love to hear them! You can submit your thoughts here.

Bargain Books & Kindle Deals (43)

, by KT

I've decided to make my Bargain Book and Kindle Deal finds a weekly feature here at A Book Obsession.. If you guys are anything like me, your book addiction can easily get out of hand, so any sales/deals are a huge help. If you like any of the deals below, I would appreciate if you use the affiliate links below. All earning support the giveaways here on the blog. :)

(Prices accurate as of 4/24)

Bargain New Paperbacks/Hardcovers:

Kindle Deals: If you find one of these kindle deals that has expired, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

$0.99

$1.99

$2.24-$2.99 $3.49-$3.99 $4.00-$5.99

Waiting on Wednesday (144)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Tempest Reborn - Jane True #6

by Nicole Peeler

Publication Date: May 28th, 2013

Pre-Order:

Anyan may be trapped in an evil dragon and Blondie may be gone, but Jane knows one thing: she's not about to give up. She's ready to tear down heaven and earth to save her lover, despite those who believe he's lost.

Luckily for Jane, those who've given up on Anyan do not include those closest to her. Defying The Powers That Be, Jane and Company form their own crack squad of misfits, in whose hands the fate of the world may well rest.

With a little help from her friends, the Universe, and lots of snacks, Jane embarks on her greatest adventure yet, confident that with great sacrifice comes great reward. The question is, who will be that sacrifice?

Early Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

, by KT

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Reboot #1

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

When Wren Connolly was shot three times as a child she died, but then she came back 178 minutes later as a Reboot. Reboots are the result of a deadly virus that allows some to come back stronger than they were before. All Reboots are hard to kill, but their strength and emotional state depends on how long they were dead before they rose again. No one else's Reboot number even comes close to Wren, and she is considered the most inhuman of them all. She follows order without question, and no one matches her for strength. But when the new crew of Reboots show up with a 22 among them, Wren can't help being intrigued by his very human emotions. Even though she knows it's hopeless, she agrees to take him on as her trainee. Problem is that his human emotions do not make him a very good soldier. He doesn't follow directions nor orders, and Wren knows that if she can't get him in line, he'll be eliminated and she'll be the one to have to carry out that order. Never before has she thought to disobey an order, but Callum 22 may just be her downfall.

I absolutely loved Wren's character. She starts off so closed off from everyone else, in fact they all see her as completely inhumane, without emotion. Almost an empty shell as it were. But the reader gets to see that while she is rather a rather calculating person, there's a whole lot more to her than just her cold exterior. Even so, in the early parts of the book, I couldn't exactly call her an emotional person. But of course that all changed once Callum came along and intrigued her. He was just so human, something she had previously thought she despised, but there was just something about Callum that drew her to him. In fact, his arrival opened her eyes to the closeness she already had with her roommate Ever. The two of them were like two very different sisters, but the bonds were as strong just the same. In a sense, Callum helped her to find her humanity again, and I love him (and her) all the more for it. That being said, I do think she will always have an advantage over others, as while she may have been softening some, there will always be that practical calculating part of her, which serves her well in both her and Callum's survival.

I absolutely loved the world behind REBOOT. Amy Tintera does a fantastic job with her world building. From the reboots themselves, to state of the human world surrounding them, and even the control and oppression HARC held over the Reboots felt so real, that I had no problem slipping right into the world. Of course that latter had to be real, because if the Reboots had not of been cowed by their handlers, it would have only taken a few banded together to bring down the guards in just one shot. They are really that much stronger, faster, and less vulnerable than humans. As far as the human world goes, the result of disease and poverty were staggering. I mean something as simple as having meat for dinner is something most of us take for granted. Yet, Callum who came from a rich neighborhood didn't even know what it was. And that doesn't even touch what the slums were like. I literally shuddered at the descriptions of the conditions the people were in, that's just how real it all felt.

Fear, oppression, power, strength, weakness, emotion, romance, loyalty, hatred, all very powerful words, ones that you wouldn't expect to find together. And yet all of these emotions and elements play such an important role in REBOOT. I am incredibly impressed at Amy Tintera's skill in crafting such an impressive story with so many different elements. The world building is stellar, the characterization is incredible, and the pacing is excellent, making REBOOT a must read for any sci-fi/dystopian YA fans. I know I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment to see what happens next!

(Recieved a copy from the publisher via Edelweiss)

Rating:

Pre-order:

Other Reviews:

Book Birthdays: New Titles This Week (32)

, by KT

I keep a Google calendar of all the books releasing each week that are on my radar. With all of the many books I am excited about it is so easy to lose track of when things come out. Since I'm already doing this research for myself, I thought you guys might like it if I shared.

Releasing 4/22 - 4/28

The Elite by Kiera Cass
The Selection #2

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Amazon The Book Depository

Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Jessica McClain #2

It hasn't been the best week for Jessica McClain.

Her mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge --- but Jessica is playing for keeps.

Because she's the only female werewolf in town...it comes with its own set of rules...and powers.

Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.

All in a day's work for a girl.

The second novel in the Jessica McClain series is a full on action adventure featuring one angry Goddess and plenty of monsters, demons, and a few newly risen beasties...

Amazon The Book Depository

Natural Born Angel by Scott Speer
Immortal City #2

Life turned upside down for Maddy Montgomery when she found out she was half-Angel and was catapulted into the scene of flashbulbs, paparazzi, and the fervent adulation that comes with being in the celebrity Angel world. She's trying to juggle her ordinary life—high school, family, friends—with the intense demands of being in the public eye as heartthrob Angel Jackson Godspeed's girlfriend.

And now Maddy must face the most difficult choice of her life. She's been offered the chance to become a Guardian. This means entering into dangerous and high stakes training, with no guarantee that she can succeed. But more than that, it would mean leaving her mortal life behind—forever—and allying with the Angels at a time when their relationship with humans is heading for war. . . .

Amazon The Book Depository

Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris
Unravelling #2

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Amazon The Book Depository

Gone With The Wolf by Kristin Miller

CEO and alpha werewolf Drake Wilder has given up the search for his one true love. When he discovers that she’s a secretary in his company, Drake’s primal instincts kick into overdrive.

What he wouldn’t give to have her fingers rake over his body instead of the keyboard…

Free-spirited bartender Emelia Hudson wants nothing more than to make her Seattle-based bar succeed. But when profits decline, she slips into a dress suit and secures a nine-to-five. After learning that her bar has become property of Wilder Financial, Emelia is determined to get some answers.

Two can play the ruthless business game. If only her attraction to the boss wasn’t so intense…

When Drake’s twin brother senses that Drake has found his match—and now inherits their father’s billion dollar estate—he hatches a plan to take Emelia out. Drake vows to protect her at all costs, but he might have to pay with his own life.

Amazon

The Awakening: Aidan by Abby Niles

Is the gift of eternal love a blessing or a curse?

After years of counseling grieving shifters, psychiatrist and half-shifter, Dr. Jaylin Avgar has become jaded on shifter mating. She wants to marry a human and forget about the love for eternity crap. Then she meets Aidan O’Connell, an infuriatingly laid back shifter who represents everything she doesn’t want. Yet, the more he pursues her, the more she craves a future with him. Only one thing stands in her way: death. Can she overcome her fear of losing Aidan to the one guarantee in life?

Millionaire consultant, Aidan O’Connell knows he’ll one day meet a woman who’ll awaken an unrelenting mating instinct. Unfortunately, that woman is Jaylin, who has no qualms about telling him that he and his so-called eternity can shove it. When she pushes him away, he takes a drastic step so she can no longer escape. The close proximity throws the instinct into overdrive. Can he control the need engrained in him until he’s certain she will reciprocate the bond, or will a moment of weakness doom him to hell on earth?

Amazon

The Demon's Song by Kendra Leigh Castle

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending...and his heart.

Amazon

Tall, Dark, and Divine by Jenna Bennett

Being the Greek god of love doesn’t mean you believe--or want--anything to do with that sappy emotion. Sure, Eros runs his matchmaking business, Made in Heaven, but finding his own love has never been part of the equation. When he spots the sweet baker who works across the street, he vows to match her with someone else before she stirs his sullen heart.

Annie Landon has given up on finding Mr. Right. What she needs is Mr. Right Here, Right Now, and this so-called “Greek God” she’s heard is on the rebound sounds like the perfect kind of distraction. But picking up the bitter workaholic is easier said than done…especially when he seems unreasonably determined to match her with someone else.

Can a woman looking for love—and the matchmaking god who wants her to find it with someone who isn’t him—have a shot at a happy ending? May the best god—or mortal—win.

Amazon

Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

Down-on-her-luck witch Storie Bell never thought the biggest threat to her future would be Reid Malone, the very man she’d run from years before. After striking it rich in Texas shale, he’s back in town, and he seems hell-bent on getting in the way of her bookstore’s grand opening. A witch trying to blend in in a small southern town is hard enough, but now he’s seriously testing her strict No Kissing Mortal Men policy. But even witches don’t have a spell for that.

Reid knows there’s much more to Storie than meets the eye. But right now he has only one mission: to infiltrate her shop so he can snatch the elusive secret ingredient to his father’s million-dollar moonshine recipe. Once he does, he can go back to the city and get out of his small hometown, a place in which he has no future.

But as the days go by, he can’t help falling for Storie in every way…and every encounter brings him closer to finding out what happens when you try to deceive a witch.

Amazon