This Week's Post!

I have had an awesome week via my "mailbox"!!

Firstly I have received 9 ebooks for review along with having 5 books sent in the post (Which haven't arrived yet *cry*) And I also won a book competition on twitter for my retarded tweets XD

In the picture above there's my copy of "The Foresaken" by Lisa Stasse! 2 WEEKS BEFORE IT'S DUE FOR RELEASE! Sooooooooooooooo happy! 

I also received a signed bookmark from Micalea Smeltzer (You can't see the front of it in the photo but it has a gorgeous wolf on it!) along with a letter :') THANKS MICALEA!

Then I received my tickets to meet Moira Young, Sophie McKenzie and several other FABULOUS authors!

My letterbox was smokin' hot this week ;) I am a happy girl! 

I just realised how this sounds like I'm boasting... I'm not! D: I'm just excited and thought I'd share it with people on the web who will probably never see this post... 

                                  *signing out* <- I had to do that?..

Check This Out!

Check out my book review of "Outsider" by Micalea Smeltzer here!

http://eponareviews.blogspot.co.uk/p/outsider-review.html

And check out the new back cover with a quote of my review! !*Thanks Micalea*!

Interview With Micalea Smeltzer! Enjoy!

So here's the questions you asked and Micalea ever so kindly answered!

I have re-worded the majority of them to try and combine several questions into one as there were so many coming in and I was only submitting 10, but here they are! Thanks again Micalea Smeltzer (Author of Outsider - follow her on twitter @mseltzer9793).

1) Who/what inspired you to create and write the plot to Outsider and how old were you when you wrote it? My inspiration for writing Outsider was the fact that there was no werewolf/shifter books that I liked to read. I felt like werewolves/shifters were always being portrayed as evil and aggressive. I wanted to do something that was completely the opposite of that. In the Outsider world most shifters are very relaxed and normal. Travis and his family are the exception to the rule. I got the idea for Outsider when I was 14 and working on the Fallen Series. I started it then but didn’t actively pursue it. But the story always stayed in my head and I knew I wanted to come back to it. So early in 2012 when I hit a major case of writers block concerning Forever (the final book in the Fallen Series) I decided to go back to Outsider. So that would make me 18 when I wrote it.

2) Why did you choose to self-publish the novel and do you plan to publish more novels/trilogies/series in the future? Self-publishing was not something I wanted to do AT ALL. That was my ignorance. Now that I know more I’m glad I’ve chosen to go this route. I have more control and I can get my books out faster. But the main reason why I chose to go in the self-publishing direction is that in late October/early November of 2011 I got really sick and ended up in the hospital. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. What makes an 18 year old deathly sick? By chance they found E-coli in my bloodstream. If it’s not caught in time it’s deadly. I truly believed that I was going to die and not get to share my books with the world. I had a fairly long recovery process both mentally and physically. I became very depressed simply because, at this age you don’t really think about dying. Now I’m not afraid of death and I look at my experience as a blessing in disguise because had I not gone through that, I wouldn’t have put my books out there. I do plan to self-publish even more books. Insider is next and it’s scheduled to release on September 7^th after that will be The Enchanted (As of now I plan for this to be a trilogy but things change), and then hopefully I can finish Forever.

3) Who is your favourite character to write about and why? The answer to this question changes every day. Sometimes Caeden is, another time it’s Theodore (The Enchanted). I think it depends on which book I’m writing at the time. But usually my favorite characters to write about are the guys. I don’t really know why that is. But today I’d have to say my favorite character to write about is Bryce because he makes me laugh out loud. When you’re writing these different characters you have to immerse yourself in their head (even when you’re not writing from their POV). After I finish Insider I plan to do several more OUTSIDER EXTRAS from Bryce’s POV.

4) Did you try to change the wolf aspect of the story to make it your own or did you keep it traditional/stereotypical shifter wolves? I feel like I tried to but there’s so many shifter books out there that a lot of information overlaps and you don’t mean it to.

5) How long did it take to write Outsider? 4 weeks. All I did was eat, sleep, and breathe shifters.

6) Do you have any advice for young aspiring authors? Whatever you do, don’t give up. I started so many books that only lasted approximately 20 pages before I actually completed a full length novel. If you set your mind to it then you CAN do it. You have to believe in yourself and in the story you’re telling.

7) Which character would you say is the most like you or that you would compare yourself to? Hmm…  I don’t really know. I like to have my characters be pretty different from me so that I can be a different person for a while. I’m very sarcastic so many of my characters possess that trait.

8) What was going through your mind when you released Outsider? Were you 100% happy with the novel? “Holy crap! Did I actually finish a book that’s not about vampires? Wow. I hope people like it.” I don’t think any author is ever 100% happy with their book. There is ALWAYS room for improvement.

9) If you could sum Outsider up in 3 words what would they be? Fan-freakin-tastic! Just kidding!!! How about: A love story. ß I suck at this kind of thing.

10) What would you like people to know about the novel before they read it and what would you like them to take away after reading it? Before they read it I’d like people to know that you don’t have to be a paranormal/wolf/shifter fan to like it. At the end of the day it’s mostly a YA love story. I’d like for people to take away from the story that they were a part of it. I want people to feel like they were there and experiencing the emotions along with the characters.

Leave comments or email me at eponareviews@gmail.com for more info!

Please follow this blog for more exclusive interviews and follow Micalea on twitter @mseltzer9793 and me @eponareviews

Thanks!

Exclusive Interview With Micalea Smeltzer Coming Soon!

Want Micalea to answer your question?

I have already gathered 10 questions for her from several bloggers and friends but if you can think of a burning question you'd like to know about the novel "Outsider" by Micalea Smeltzer then don't hesitate to email me at eponareviews@gmail.com or leave a comment. I'll pick the best 10 questions! You have until Friday 11th of July to submit your questions!

Big News!

Ok. So I have a lot of good stuff happening at the moment (all book-related, of course!) and I'm not sure if I have the guts to do a vlog... If I don't have the guts (because I'm a chiiiiiiiiiiiiiickiiiiiiiiiiiiiin) then I'll make a video but ummm... I'll kind of cut myself out of it, tehe. 

Anyway, I've had a fair few books (7 maybe?) come through the post this week so I'm going to mention all of those. I am also expecting a small goodie through the post by a splendid author! I've received my first Arc (ebook form) and I have some news about meeting splendid authors such as Moira Young and Sophie McKenzie and then there's some BIG news which means so much to me which I will share with you all very soon!

I know this is kind of a teaser but I just wondered what you think about how I should deliver this? Vlog, video/slideshow, photos, a text post? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

When everything has arrived in the post I will upload all this good news in detail! So maybe... we'll aim for the end of July/start of August?

Spread the word about my blog! Follow me! Leave comments and email me! It all helps!

EponaReviews_x

3 Novels To Add To Your "To-Read" Pile!

Sorry in advance for the way the text has turned out... Technology hates me, I can't  figure out why some of the text is outlined in white and some isn't. Sorry! :/

Arena One by Morgan Rice

This self-published novel is the first in what sounds to be a truly promising dystopian trilogy!

Synopsis - "New York. 2120. America has been wiped out by the second civil war, decimated. In this post-apocalyptic world, survivors are far and few between. Violent gangs are predators in the remaining cities. They hunt out other survivors dotted across the country to enslave in their favourite sport - Arena One. The death stadium where opponents are made to fight to the death, in the most barbaric of ways. There is only one rule to the arena: no one survives. Ever.

    17 year old Brooke Moore manages to survive in the wilderness with her 10 year old sibling, Bree. They've faught for survival, struggling to find the necessities for the past 3 years, clinging to life the best they could. But one day, Brooke is too careless and Bree is taken by the slaverunners; taken to compete in Arena One.

    Determined to salvage her sister's life, Brooke sets off after the slaverunners; a merciless rescue mission. By chance, Brooke meets, Ben, a 17 year old boy whose brother has also been taken and they form an unlikely team fueled by love, fear and determination.

     Will they find their siblings? Will they have to compete in arena one? Will anyone survive?.."

That was kind of a mash-up between my synopsis and Amazon's synopsis. It sounds AMAZING so I highly recommend you check it out! It's £0.99 as an ebook on Amazon or £10.99 for a paperback. I've ordered the paperback as I like to have books in the flesh and it's nice to help out self-published authors! Let me know what you think!

     Earth Girl - Janet Edwards

This novel isn't released until the 16th of August but it's definitely one to check out!

I haven't read this novel but it's on my to-read pile! Here's the synopsis I borrowed from Goodreads.

"2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. While everyone else portals between worlds, 18-year-old Jarra is among the one in a thousand people born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Sent to Earth at birth to save her life, she has been abandoned by her parents. She can’t travel to other worlds, but she can watch their vids, and she knows all the jokes they make. She’s an ‘ape’, a ‘throwback’, but this is one ape girl who won’t give in.

Jarra invents a fake background for herself – as a normal child of Military parents – and joins a class of norms that is on Earth to excavate the ruins of the old cities. When an ancient skyscraper collapses, burying another research team, Jarra’s role in their rescue puts her in the spotlight. No hiding at back of class now. To make life more complicated, she finds herself falling in love with one of her classmates – a norm from another planet. Somehow, she has to keep the deception going.

A freak solar storm strikes the atmosphere, and the class is ordered to portal off-world for safety – no problem for a real child of military parents, but fatal for Jarra. The storm is so bad that the crews of the orbiting solar arrays have to escape to planet below: the first landing from space in 600 years. And one is on collision course with their shelter."

The Lost Girl - Sangu Mandanna

This novel sounds truly amazing! It almost sounds like a dystopian/sci-fi mash-up like the majority of books in this trend. It sounds strong and unique.

Synopsis from Goodreads - "Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive."

Unfortunately this novel isn't due out until the 28th of August *sigh* Add it to your to-read pile or better yet, pre-order it now!

3 Novels Out On August 2nd!

The Forsaken - Lisa Stasse

Due for publication (US) July 10th and (UK) August 2nd

I can't wait to get my hands on this book in just under a month's time! I can't give my view on it as it hasn't been published yet so I'll borrow the synopsis from Waterstones (thank you, Waterstones!).


"Alenna Shawcross is a sixteen-year-old orphan growing up in a police state formed from the ashes of Canada, the US and Mexico after a global economic meltdown. But when she unexpectedly fails 'the test' - a government initiative which supposedly identifies teens destined to be criminals - she wakes up alone on a remote island reserved for the criminally insane. Terrified and confused, she soon encounters a group of other teen survivors battling to stay alive, including Luis, a boy who will become her love...and her lifeline. Soon Alenna makes the terrifying discovery that there's more to the island (and her past) than she could ever have guessed...But who can she trust? And can she ever escape? The first of a planned trilogy, this incredible novel will leave you gasping for the sequel..."


So that's the synopsis! Sounds good, riiiiiiiiight? ;D




Check out the book trailer on youtube for "The Forsaken" It really got me hooked on the book!

                                           

Also out August 2nd!

Rebel Heart - Moira Young

The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling novel "Blood Red Road" one of my personal favourites on my dystopian shelf!

Also know as "Dustlands" in the US I believe. I won't put the synopsis up as anyone who hasn't read the first book might find it a small spoiler. If you're interested, check it out at Amazon, GoodReads or your local book store :)

And finally on my August 2nd waiting list is...

Foretold - Jana Oliver

It's the fourth and final novel in The Demon Trappers Series! A truly amazing series!

Again I won't put up the synopsis as it's the fourth novel in the series and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet purchased/read the first 3 novels! Check it out on Amazon, Goodreads or at your local bookstore if you're interested :)

That's all for my August 2nd stack of books! Happy Reading! :)

EponaReviews_x

Newby!

Hey!

Ok so I'm kinda new to all this but hopefully I'll pick it up fast! I'll be reviewing novels (YA fiction, quite a lot of dystopian) and will be advertising new books, attaching links to book trailers and loads more!

Visit me on Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6466479-charl-x

I also have a webook profile! Get in touch if you want to know more about that! I'm happy to add you and drop off some feedback!

I'm also a member of Random Buzzers - http://www.randombuzzers.com/ (A fabulous site for all you book worms out there! Especially kind if you live in the US!)

And then I love to check out people's Fanfictions so if you've written anything on any of the books I'll be reviewing or any dystopian or romance novels then let me know and I'll be sure to check it out and give feedback :)

On my page so far you'll find a slide show of the novels I've already read, a countdown for one of my highly anticipated novels which is due for publication next month and hopefully I'll have a list of books in my "To Read Stash"!

If there are any books you think I'll enjoy or would like to read a review on that's not yet up then leave me a comment :)

Also check out my book reviews (I admit there aren't many up yet, I'm working on it!) at the top of the page!

EponaReviews_x