Blog Tour: Naturals by Tiffany Truitt (Review + Playlist & Giveaway!)

 

Lot of excitement going on in this post today. I have a couple of things to get to first though before I start the fun. I'm so happy to be part of the NATURALS blog tour...and if you don't know what Naturals is all about, it's the sequel to Chosen Ones, a series that I just highly recommend! Ms. Truitt has dropped by and graciously shared her playlist, which will be shared in just a bit along with a giveaway (tour-wide)!

So, everyone knows that I generally have some heavy thoughts when it comes to sequels. What were my thoughts when I picked up Naturals?

Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

Goodreads 


Chosen Ones became one of my new favorite dystopias last year, and I sat on pins and needles waiting for the sequel. I’m excited to say that Naturals was just as amazing and didn’t disappoint, and now I’m eagerly awaiting the next yet again!

The world that Tiffany Truitt has built is intense and gritty. It’s in your face from the moment you begin reading. The most noticeable thing in the sequel would be the character changes. Where Tess was a bit naïve and still learning a lot in the first book, by the second, she has developed and grown into a strong and smart character full of edge. At times she felt a bit too judgmental or clingy to things/ideas, and I found this underlying message through this development. Henry aggravated me often and I don’t want to go into detail in fear of spoilers because of this being a sequel review--but I wasn’t a fan of his character. This sequel was more about the character development than the action for me I think, though the action was still there, the details gritty and gripping, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I particularly liked learning more about the wider part of this world outside of Templeton, the Isolationists and their lifestyle, and the dangers that kept me on edge and reading.

This is not a series you want to miss.

 
 

Did you know that books can have music playlists/soundtracks like movies and television shows? No? Well they can. Or at least, I've always liked to believe they can. Personally, I love music almost as much as I do reading and writing. It's about the next best thing. I especially like pairing them up. I love reading and then later hearing a song and thinking to myself, " that really fits the character's moment/mood/etc."

 

For this blog tour, I did something a little different and asked Ms. Truitt what her playlist would be for Naturals. She gave an amazing list, and because of that, I wanted to throw in some of the music videos.

Welcome Ms. Truitt!

 

TT: Today, I am here to talk about music….only one of my favorite things in all the world. So, thanks to The Bookaholic for hosting me. :)

Me: So glad to have you here!

TT: The playlist for Naturals represents a combination of music I listened to while writing the novel, and more current songs that I feel go with the general theme of the story.

(Me: I've included a few of the videos embedded below.)

 

NATURALS Play List:

 

1. Awolnation - Sail

 

2. Mumford and Sons – Broken Crown

 

3. Florence and the Machine - No Light, No Light

 

4. Imagine Dragons – Apocalypse

 

5. Lumineers – Stubborn Love

 

6. Rhianna – Stay

 

7. Frank Ocean – Thinking About You

 

8. LCD Soundsyem – Someone Great

 

And just for fun…here’s the play list for book one, Chosen Ones

 

 

CHOSEN ONES Play List:

 

 

1. Somebody's Blues - Jimmy Eat World

2. Hero - Regina Spektor

3. Hurricane - 30 Seconds to Mars



4. Born to Die - Lana Del Rey

5. Come Alive - Foo Fighters

6. Windowstill - Arcade Fire

7. My Body is a Cage - Arcade Fire

8. Closer - Kings of Leon

9. Awake My Soul - Mumford and Sons

10. Running Up that Hill – Placebo

11. Paradise – Coldplay

12. Sing for Absolution – Muse

 

 

 

Me: Such fantastic music. I love SO much of this! :) Thank you, Ms. Truitt for stopping by with your own personal soundtrack today!

 

And last but not least!
 

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below before you leave! Hope you enjoyed today's stop.

 

 

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Triple Threat Blog Tour: Interview with Yelena Black

Hey everyone! I'm here today hosting part of the Triple Threat Blog Tour for Bloomsbury! In case you missed it earlier last month, I had Megan Miranda at the blog, talking about her newest release Hysteria! This time, I'm happy to have Yelena Black to share about her recent release, Dance of Shadows! :)

 

 

ME: Welcome to The Bookaholic, Ms. Black! Could you tell us a bit about what inspired the idea behind DANCE OF SHADOWS?

YB: I love mysteries and the world of ballet—and there is something inherently mysterious about the world of ballet, which dates back many centuries. I loved the idea of taking that quality of the dance and crafting a story about legend and ritual, but also about a young girl—Vanessa Adler—and how she and her older sister (and her friends!) get tangled in this world. 
 
ME: What sparked your interest in writing? Did you always want to be an author?

YB: I have always loved reading. I actually used to sleep with the Anne of Green Gables series. They were so heartfelt and honest. I also loved Kurt Vonnegut’s books, because they always made me laugh. I loved Judy Blume, because she spoke to me girl-to-girl, and told me things that I could never ask my mother about. And of course, Harry Potter, which still gives me that magical feeling of excitement, even though I’ve read it dozens of times. So I guess my answer is: Yes. I have always wanted to be a writer. I also have a love of dance, and studied ballet when I was younger, which helped to inspire my book, Dance of Shadows.

ME: What is one quirky fact about yourself?
 
YB: I love bicycling and running, and was once a trained bicycle mechanic. I'm also an amateur seamstress and thus loved writing about the clothes in this book.

ME: If you could cast your own characters for a movie, which actors would be your choice?

YB: I would cast Emma Watson as Vanessa, Logan Lerman as Justin, and Dave Franko as Zep. Fingers crossed!


ME: Do you have any other future projects in the works for us to look forward to?

YB: I am currently editing the sequel to Dance of Shadows!


Thank you so much for being at the blog today!


Follow Yelena Black on Twitter

Read my review of Dance of Shadows. Add Dance of Shadows to your Goodreads.



　

Review: Dance of Shadows

Title: Dance of Shadows
Author: Yelena Black
Genre/Category: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy


See it at Goodreads



Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed.


I’m saddened that I couldn’t like Dance of Shadows more than I did in the end, but it was a middle-ground book for me with not much of an oomph to push it over that edge of adoration I wanted. The premise was attractive, full of mystery and intrigue and beauty, but left only a simplistic taste in me. It was pleasant in the fact that it started out holding my attention, and kept my attention throughout, but I didn’t feel for the characters--or the romance--so at times I felt detached from the story. What I really liked though was the third person point of view, which seems to be a rarity nowadays I guess. Maybe I’m biased there. I like third person. I admit to being a nitpick with first person. The third person in Dance of Shadows felt right and flowed well, though I would have liked a more in-depth look at Vanessa to learn more about her character.

I felt a bit confused at times with the storyline. Questioning why maybe Vanessa was allowed by her parents to attend a school that her older sister had disappeared from, with the mystery still open. This bothered me, it really did. As a parent myself, I wouldn’t have let my child if their sibling had went missing from the school and their case unsolved. Maybe that was just me?

The ending felt on the rushed side, and the writing felt simplistic. But it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the reading. I did find myself liking the story once I got into it and want to read more books that revolve around dance. I may not have been wowed or blown away, but the general story was an interesting concept and an entertaining, fast read.


 






Stay tuned for the my interview with Yelena Black as part of the Triple Threat Blog Tour!

Blog Tour: Hysteria by Megan Miranda (Review + Author Interview)

Welcome to today's stop for the Triple Threat Blog Tour for Bloomsbury! I have Megan Miranda here with a lovely little interview, but first I'd like to share my review of Hysteria--her sophomore novel recently released this past week(February 5th).

Title: Hysteria
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: YA Contemp, Mystery

See it at Goodreads


Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others.

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.


I liked the overall tone of Hysteria immediately from the first sentence. It was one of those reads that just pulled me right in and I held on until the very end. Though admittedly, I enjoyed Fracture probably more so than this title, I did find Hysteria thrilling, mysterious, and compulsively readable. I enjoyed the romantic interest, Reid, who seemed to be non-judgmental and open-minded. He showed easily that he didn’t care about the typical school gossip, no matter his popularity, and that what mattered was seeking the actual truth of the situation. The character dynamics and emotional reactions are well-done.

I have this odd love of enjoying the whole boarding school setting thing. And while I wasn’t entirely wowed by it from this title, I did find it interesting enough to keep the story moving along. My only nitpicks might’ve been that I felt sympathy for poor Mallory pretty often--especially when it came to how her parents treated her after the murder--and being sent away within months afterward while still suffering from the trauma (enough of it to where she is on sleeping medication still). I was glad she’d at least found her friendship/relationship with Reid, because I felt her hopelessness at that point, and she really needed that connection as a character. It helped add some oomph to the pages.

I found the mean girls a bit cliché and predictable, but it didn’t pull me away from the story. I still found myself easily breezing through it and finished quickly.

Hysteria was an enjoyable fast-paced read that will steal your breath away with its strange mystery.

 



Now, welcome Ms. Miranda to the blog, everyone! I know I'm delighted to have her here. :) Welcome Ms. Miranda! I only have a few quick questions so I don't take up too much time. I want the next book to get here as fast as possible, of course. Ha!

Me: What began your interest in writing?

MM: I loved to read and write growing up, and I also loved science. Writing was something I always enjoyed, but I let it go after high school, thinking I was supposed to pick one thing to do. So I picked science, because it seemed more practical. I always read, but I'm ashamed to say I went many years without writing. It wasn't until I had changed careers and then quit to stay home with my kids that my husband asked me why I wasn't writing, since it was something I loved to do. I started writing again that night, and haven't stopped since.

Me: What was your inspiration behind Hysteria?

MM: There wasn’t one single event that inspired Hysteria, but a bunch of smaller things that all came together. For one, I had the idea for Mallory already—a girl who had gotten away with killing her boyfriend. So that was one piece of the story already. As I was writing, I got very interested in the definition of the word haunt, and all the things that can haunt, and all the ways they can do it. I started researching memories and psychosomatic conditions, and I read stories about people who had psychological conditions that manifested in physical ways. All of these elements came together as I was coming up with the idea behind Hysteria.

 

Me: If you could cast your own characters into a movie, which actors would you choose?

 

MM: Oh, I am typically so bad at casting questions! Mostly because I am pretty out-of-it when it comes to current entertainment. Or past entertainment. All entertainment, really.

I picture Mallory as maybe a cross between Nina Dobrev and Melissa Benoist. Reid would be maybe Tyler Posey. Colleen I’d picture as a young Scarlett Johannson.

 

Me: Might I just interrupt to say that I adore Nina Dobrev? You certainly have good tastes there. ^-^

 

Me: Your debut, Fracture, was released last year in January. Some inquiring minds want to know if there’s going to be a companion or sequel. So, yes or no?  ;)

MM: Yes! The sequel/companion will be coming out in early 2014. It will be told from Decker's point of view and it takes place about 8 months after the events in Fracture.

Me: Now I will be on the edge of my seat all year. Decker's point of view? Win.

 

Me: Could you tell us one quirky fact about yourself?

MM: Just one? Oh boy. Um… I have a thing about even numbers. Like I need to eat chips in even numbers and stuff. Or maybe that’s just weird. How about the fact that I talk with my hands so much (seriously, I can’t get them to stop), even when I’m on the phone… and sometimes it makes me drop the phone.

Me: Anything else you would like to add?

MM: Just that I really enjoyed writing Hysteria, and I hope you like it! Thanks for having me on your blog J

Me: Thank you so much for being on the blog with us today!

About the Author

Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Official Site |  Twitter | Facebook 

 
   

**My thanks to Bloomsbury for asking my blog to take part in the tour. I received an e-galley in exchange for my honest review.**

Blog Tour: Uses For Boys

Title: Uses For Boys
Author: Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Genre/Category: New Adult, Contemporary, YA
Release Date: January 15th

See it at Goodreads


Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.

Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys is a story of breaking down and growing up.


About the Author:

When Erica was a kid all she did was write. She dropped out of high school and attended the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University where she was surrounded by writers and artists.

But then, in Erica's early twenties, she got a job. She worked hard at that job for 15 years and didn't write a word.

Then this happened: Erica walked into a bookstore and bought two books by Francesca Lia Block. No particular reason, she just liked their covers. Then Erica read everything Francesca wrote. She read all the YA she could. She still does. Erica think's the world that happens between 13 and 17 is everything.

She quit her job. Studied writing. And then spent three and a half years writing Uses for Boys. Now she's working on a new novel and it's like falling down a hole. Writing her first novel taught her nothing about writing the next one.

Official Site | Twitter

My USES FOR BOYS Playlist

 









Want to see other stops for the tour? Check them out HERE!


Also, I believe I forgot to mention one more detail.... There's a tour-wide giveaway. Be sure to check out the Rafflecopter form below for details. :)




a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Blog Tour: Through Indigo's Eyes -- Guest Post

Hello all! Today I'm the tour stop for the title, Through Indigo's Eyes, and I have the lovely authors Tara Taylor and Lorna Schultz Nicholson stopping by to provide a post. I'd also like to thank HayHouse and both of the lovely ladies for the opportunity to be apart of the tour!

See it at Goodreads

Through Indigo’s Eyes is a YA novel written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson and is based on the real life of Intuitive Tara Taylor.  Although all plots and secondary characters are fictional, the emotions and feeling of the main character, Indigo Russell, are taken from real life.  Lorna and Tara teamed up to write this book, thinking they could hit the fiction and non-fiction market to help people understand what an Indigo child goes through.  They are excited to be able to help everyone understand that all children are different!

So what exactly is an Indigo child?

Lorna:   When I first started the novel, I really hadn’t given the Indigo child much thought.  Children are children, and each and every one is different and special and I’m not someone who likes to place a label on any child.  I’m not a fan of the “gifted” school programs either, as I think all children are gifted.   When I started working on the novel, I did my usual character development charts, only this time I was writing about someone real, (Tara Taylor), so I used her life to fill in the blanks.  I looked at likes and dislikes, family life and pets and all that kind of superficial stuff, but I also went deeper and as I did I realized that as an Indigo child she was sensitive, and had a wisdom that was probably beyond her years.  She was also intuitive, and starting at a very early age, she could see spirits and angels and her deceased loved ones.  Prone to illnesses, like ulcers, she had also been diagnosed with ADHD, which is typical, I found out, about Indigo children.  This child also has a strong desire to change the world.  Okay, so she made my character development work easy and I had pages and pages of notes.  Of course, once I started writing, I also did hours of research on other Indigo children.  Now, again, I’m going to reiterate that I’m not a big believer in the “gifted” school programs, (yes, I know I might get backlash on this), and I think that Indigo children should not be treated differently, or labeled, or segregated, but should be accepted for their uniqueness.  Tara is unique and that makes Indigo also unique.  You’ll have to read the book to find out more!

Tara:  Firstly, Lorna is an amazing writer and it takes a lot of “uniqueness” on her part to be able to write a novel like this as it is not an easy task to mix fiction and non-fiction. I agree with Lorna as the word “gifted” separates children and every child is unique and that makes them brilliant and special just the way they are. Indigo children was a term that was introduced when I was 19 and it helped explain why I had, and still have, so many experiences that doctors, specialists and so forth could not really explain.  It also helped shed some light on why I was so sensitive to my surroundings to the point that my body would have physical issues with no family history of illness. My mother used to joke and say, “If only I had read The Indigo Children by Lee Carroll & Jan Tober and The Care and Feeding of the Indigo Children by Doreen Virtue, I would have gotten more sleep when you were growing up”.   Indigo children or the Indigo child is now a title, (like boy or girl), that has become main stream to explain to the world who these children are and why they have these certain abilities.  It is no different, really, than saying a child is a really good singer, painter or writer. Indigo is a quick way of describing a highly sensitive child who is affected by energy, emotions and can see, hear, feel or know things that most people would miss in their everyday lives. Indigos are in tune to a higher frequency that never really shuts off, and they have constant distraction and background noise. This book is meant to be a form of entertainment but also an outlet to better explain what it is like to be an Indigo child. It’s possible that you might be an indigo yourself and you just did not know it yet!

Through Indigo's Eyes can be purchased through Amazon.

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Thank you so much for the visit!

Be sure to check out my review and add it to your Goodreads as well.

Review: Through Indigo's Eyes

Title: Through Indigo's Eyes
Author(s): Lorna Nicholson, Tara Taylor
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


“I was always going to be on the outside because I saw visions, visions that came true. And I’d been seeing them since I was little. When they first started, I was naïve enough to think that everyone around me also saw and heard things. I didn’t know that other people weren’t like me.”

       More than anything else, Indigo Russell longs to fit in. And if she can’t accomplish that, then she’ll settle for fading into the background, which she’s managed to do rather well over the last couple of years. To most of Ridgemont High, she’s just another teenager walking the halls, doodling in her notebook during class, never raising her hand. An average student. That’s what she’d like you to think.

But Indie isn’t average; she’s different. She has visions, visions that allow her to see into the future and back again. Only her family and best friend, Lacey, know about them. But when she sees Lacey’s boyfriend with another girl, Indie has to decide whether to trust her instincts or her friends. As she grows closer with John, an enigmatic loner who recently transferred to her school, the visions intensify, threatening not only to alter the lives of others, but also to expose her well-kept secret.


As someone who has experienced the paranormal as well, I can say that Through Indigo’s Eyes intrigued me. I’ve always had a fascination with spirits and psychics, and knowing that this was part non-fiction and part fiction, I sat through this read with interest and curiosity at how the story was going to play out for the characters.

I found it mostly entertaining, and I enjoyed reading it. The characters are complex, full of personality through the pages, and sometimes a bit outrageous and eyebrow-raising.

I was more interested in the emotion and visions behind Indigo’s struggles day-to-day more than the romance. The romance was really a back-burner to me, and I didn’t feel it much when it came to that. The romance moved too quickly really for my liking. Ouch. But I saw the point. And there were points clearly made. Teens do rush into relationships in reality at times. And Indigo clearly got into one of those situations when she fell into clear lust. It caused her to make some rushed decisions, and also to brush off some important activities at the same time because of the infatuation--and the controlling. I understood and did connect with this, but I still just didn’t like the romance overall in this one either way, sorry to say it.

I liked that Indigo’s mother was extremely supportive and open-minded, along with all of the research she provided as well. It was a big deal and I understood that Indigo needed at least one person in her family to be that way for her. It was refreshing seeing that, rather than the typical parental abandonment that tends to happen in some YA.

All in all, Through Indigo’s Eyes is a page turner with a captivating story. It comes across as very realistic and makes a reader, whether skeptical or a believer of the paranormal and also psychic abilities, really think.



 


Don't miss the guest post from Tara and Lorna November 21st as part of Through Indigo's Eyes Blog Tour!

Blog Tour: Greta and the Goblin King (Author Guest Post)

Today I have the fabulous Ms. Chloe Jacobs as a guest here at the blog posting about her upcoming work, GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING, as part of a tour. Don't forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway at the bottom of this post and visit the other stops! (Also, look for my review of this lovely title later this week!)

Goodreads

 

When I was writing GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING, I started with one idea and thankfully, it ballooned from there into many other ideas which worked together to build a story. But the one little spark that started it all was actually a question.

What would you do if you were removed from everything you knew, separated from everyone you loved? If, in fact, the entire world was literally out to get you?


Once I had this little worm in my brain, it was impossible to let go of it. I immediately knew that this wasn’t going to be a simple matter of having a character who moves away from home. I needed the separation to be brutal and complete. There had to be NO way for her to reach the people she left behind. No Facebook or texting, or even snail mail.

I also knew I had to take it a step further. Her situation had to be as bleak as I could make it. To me, it wasn’t enough that she was separated from her home and friends, Greta (she had a name by this point) had to be barred from making NEW friends. In fact, if everyone she met wanted to slit her throat, that would be even better!

I even made sure that the weather was harsh and forbidding. A world where winter never ended, where the ice and snow would make anyone feel lonely, depressed, and strip you of hope for a new beginning.

Why was I so desperate to torture this poor girl?

Because when you’re left with absolutely nothing and absolutely nobody, that’s when a person’s true nature asserts itself and I wanted to see what Greta was really made of, so I could know what her story needed to be.

　

　

Thank you so much, Ms. Jacobs for being at the blog today! And thanks to Itching For Books and Entangled for the opportunity to be a part of the tour. ^^

　

So, what would you do if were thrown into a world with a bunch of nothing? No Twitter. Sorry, folks.

　

　

Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

Official Site | Twitter

 

Enter the tour-wide giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Don’t forget to visit the Itching For Books’ Greta and the Goblin King Tour Page to visit the other stops on the tour!

And look for my review of Greta and the Goblin King coming later this week.



 

Blog Tour: Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

Title: Luminosity
Author: Stephanie Thomas
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Expected Release Date: November 13th

See it at Goodreads


My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.


Luminosity was an easy page turner with a good, entertaining, and refreshing story I found interesting from the very start. The characters were instantly likeable, though, I would’ve really liked to get more of an in-depth look at a few of them that I didn’t quite feel that connection with.

This story line is unique in the sense that I don’t see too many paranormal/dystopian backdrops that revolve around psychics and dream walkers. I found this world really fascinating. I wanted more of it. I wanted more details and information, especially when it came to the backstory, but in the end, I had a good sense of closure for this area--like I did understand and believe this world. The romance, however, often felt way too rushed for my liking. I’m never a fan of insta-love. I’ve also been reading too many books lately I guess that revolve around the whole “best friend romance” thing, and so when I got into this book and found it there as well--along with a hint of love triangle--I just couldn’t enjoy the romantic side of things in Luminosity. I quite enjoyed Beatrice’s sense of determination throughout. She sought out answers, wanting to learn, rather than judging everything right away. And even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the romantic side, I found myself enjoying more of the other things too, like learning about the Seers and the world around the characters, as well as a few of the characters themselves.

I can certainly see where this book will appeal to many. It crosses over into several different areas: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian. I really liked the many different elements Ms. Thomas put into this story, and I found myself turning the pages with ease, always wanting to know what was going to happen next. There was a lot of action and twists to keep me on my toes.

I’m honored to be part of today’s tour stop, thanks, and I look forward to continuing on with the next book to see what happens next!

Stephanie Thomas has been writing ever since she could put letters together to form words. When she was a small child, she would present her mother and father with self-made newspapers filled up with make believe stories and pictures. Her love for writing followed her all throughout her schooling, where she entered and won writing contests of all sorts. Stephanie decided to become an English teacher and completed her B.A. at The Pennsylvania State University. While teaching, she later went on to get her Master’s in writing from The Johns Hopkins University. She completed her very first manuscript during her graduate studies, and by the end of the program, she had completed two more.

Stephanie is quick to tell anyone that she’s a born and raised Philadelphian, and her heart will always belong there. She moved to Baltimore with her husband, and they’ve been living there for the last five years with their doggie, Sailor, and their rabbit, Buns (aka “T Sizzle).

Official Site | Twitter


Also, there’s a tour-wide giveaway! Don’t forget to enter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Visit Itching For Books’ Luminosity Tour Page to see the other tour stops as well!