Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Settings

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme held by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's top ten is over what are our favorite book settings.

Vampire Academy (from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead)

La Push, WA (from the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer)

Sword & Cross Boarding School (from Fallen by Lauren Kate)

Modern New York (from Beastly by Alex Flinn)

Lyle House (from Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong)

Maine (from the Need series by Carrie Jones)

Dullsville (from the Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber)

GothFaire (from In the Company of Vampires by Katie MacAlister)

Circus (from Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen)

Chemistry Lab (from Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey)

What are your favorite settings?

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Once a Witch

"Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search- and the stranger- will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all."

Plot: The plot was okay, and it actually was pretty unique. It wasn't too overused, and had good twists and turns. For some reason though, it didn't keep my attention well. I would read, just because it was the book I was reading, not because I HAD to know the ending and it wasn't a constant page turner.

Main Character: The main character, Tamsin, is the outcast in her family, and doesn't take it well. Being ignored by all her once-friends, and being looked down on has really taken a number on her. So much that she pretends to be her sister, Rowena, for some attention. Sometimes, she can bug me, but over all, I like her.

Cover: Unfortunately, my computer isn't letting me put up pictures today, so I can't show you the cover. It's not that amazing though. I never really like having people on the cover because it doesn't leave you has much to remember. Though, if they cut off the eyes, or only show a part, that's okay. This shows her full body, and she holding a book. It's okay, just nothing special. I've seen an alternate cover, and like it a lot better.

Overall Rating: I have to give this one a 2/2. It was an okay read, but like the cover, nothing special. There's another one after called Always a Witch, and I might read it, but if it's just as good as this, than probably not. I wouldn't recommend reading it, but if your bored and looking for something to read, it could be your type of story.

Sweet Daydreams,
Brooke

Official Breaking Dawn Trailer

I won't act like most of us didn't see the trailer! But, for those who have not seen it, here it is in it's entirety:



This trailer makes me so excited! Was the trailer what you expected? Tell us!

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Week 1: Alyson Noel Scavenger Hunt and Giveaway

*US and Canada Only*

For the first week of BNR's Snapshot Summer Scavenger Hunt, we are featuring Alyson Noel, author of the Immortals series.

Later in the week, we will have an interview with Alyson, but we are starting the week off by giving you guys the three items you need to find and take a picture of!

The three items are:
Red Tulips
Red Punch
Flip flops (symbolizing California)

Take a picture of those three things and send it to us by Saturday. We have five books in the Immortals series, so five people are eligible to win a book!

Email the pictures to us at blacknailedreviews [at] gmail [dot] com!

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Little Birdie: Dark Days of Supernatural Giveaway @ LAT *US Only*

HarperCollins was amazing enough to donate their supernatural heorines collection to Life After Twilight to giveaway!

One lucky winner will win the FULL set! All you have to do is answer the Epic Giveaway Question which can be found on one of the books' covers:

“Who said the following ‘A gorgeous, haunting saga’”?


Enter by MIDNIGHT (EST) and this set could possibly be your's!
 

The entire set:

Go to Life After Twilight and enter now!
 
Have a giveaway, contest, or any special event going on at your blog? Email us at blacknailedreviews [at] gmail [dot] com!
 
Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Official Breaking Dawn Site Launched

It's here, it's here, it's here! Yes, TwiHards, we can now see Breaking Dawn over the horizon! The trailer is premiering tonight and I just found out that Summit released the official site for Breaking Dawn. There are pictures already available and you can look on the past movies. Click here to visit!

Peace and Fangs,

Alisha

Review: Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8) by Ellen Schreiber

Synopsis: The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth now that Raven is madly in love with her hot vampire boyfriend Alexander, and a crew of vampires has taken residence in Dullsville's old mill. Raven discovers Jagger's plan to open a new club, The Crypt, right here in Dullsville. But is it her dream come true, or her worst nightmare? Raven and Alexander have to figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for Dullsville's teen and vampire population. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent dance club it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike?

And as Sebastian and Luna's relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want?

With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride. Source

Review
Plot: I love this series. Even though they are short, they are wonderful quick reads and they leave me wanting more. I loved Cryptic Cravings, but I was disappointed with a lack of romance. Each VK does not disappoint with the constant romantic dates in the cemetery and the bunches of black roses, but this time around, we barely got any of that. I will say that the rest of the book did fill in the romantic blanks with good mystery and drama. But, Jagger opening up a club in Dullsville? I love the idea, but I wish we could have built up to the situation, not just having it pop out of nowhere. I wish the books were longer so we can not only see character progression, but plot progression as well.

Characters: Raven-She is a very realistic character. She wants to have her all-time dream come true, but isn't sure if she wants to leave everything behind for it. Raven is a great character because usually all the vampire's girlfriends want is the vampire and that's it, but Raven sees that she's leaving behind her family, friends, and human life. I did like when she was seeing that not only was she in love with Alexander, but maybe...just maybe, there was something there with Trevor too.
Alexander-If there was a swoon button, I'd just click it a thousand times for Alexander and move on. But, since there is none, I will say that Alexander makes my heartache. He's the perfect boyfriend. In here, you see not only his constant romantic side but his protective and superior side. I loved that side of him and hope to see more!

Cover: Love the cover! I do wish that we had a cover for Alexander or Jagger or another character. Don't get me wrong, I love the covers with Raven, but I think I can speak for a lot of VK fans when I say we want to see a little more Alexander. Maybe we will on the next installment!

Overall Rating: I have to give this book a three out of four. I wish it was longer and something big happened. In a way, it did, but nothing that blew my mind. I'm hoping something extraordinary happens in the next book. However, I will stand by the series and say that anyone who loves vampires or romance, read this series. Plus, if you read The Coffin Club, you'll be happy to hear that a very sexy and well-missed character will reappearing in this book!

Peace and Fangs,

Alisha

Little Birdie: Everlasting by Alyson Noel Giveaways

Everlasting by Alyson Noel is releasing this June 7th and is the final installment in the Immortals series!

Synopsis of the book:
Everlasting is the sixth and final installment of the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. Ever and Damen have spent centuries facing down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears-all in the hope of being together forever. Now in Everlasting, their destiny is finally within reach.

Will they be united-or torn apart forever? Readers will finally discover the truth in this anxiously awaited conclusion! Source
 
Want to save some cash and try your hand at winning this? Here are some awesome blogs that are featuring Everlasting giveaways:
 
A Journey of Books
All Things Urban Fantasy
Book Noise
Good Choice Reading
Novel Thoughts
Parajunkee
Peace Love and Reviews by Pat

Visit their blogs and enter to win, but while you're there, check them out...they're AH-mazing! Along with those giveaways, for the first week of our Summer Snapshot Scavenger Hunt, we will be giving away 5 copies of the Immortals series along with an Alyson Noel interview!

Have a giveaway, contest, or any special event at your blog? Email us at blacknailedreviews [at] gmail [dot] com!

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Book Blogger Hop: 6/3-6/6

Book Blogger Hop is a great way to meet new blogs and to have people see your's. Crazy for Books runs this awesome meme!

This week's question:

“Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it’s close to your heart!”
My Answer: My favorite post has to be when I interviewed Beth Fantaskey. I asked her about any tips for aspiring writers. She talked about her husband asking if her writing was supposed to be fun when she was freaking over a deadline. That stuck with me because I always worried about that. I want to write and have my books be on thousands of shelves, but I also want it to be something I will always enjoy. Beth said: "I ask it of myself all the time now, and if I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, I make adjustments." That sticks with me because the other night I kept hearing that my book sounds like Twilight because it consists of vampires and werewolves. My sister told me to forget about other people and write for myself. So, now I write for me and if I lose interest with it, that's because I don't and not how others feel.
 
Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Review: Dark Flame (The Immortals #4) by Alyson Noel

Synopsis: At the start of this mesmerizing new installment of the Immortals series, Ever is helping her friend Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and carelessly putting them all at risk, their friendship becomes more and more strained. At the same time, Ever delves deeper into magick in order to get control over her enemy Roman and free Damen from his power. But when the spell she casts on Roman backfires, she’s bound to her deadliest enemy. Frantic to reverse the spell the moment the moon enters a new phase, she finds her efforts are fruitless—there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, one that propels her toward Roman. Desperate to break free of this terrible curse before Damen or the twins can discover what she’s done, she turns to Jude and delves deeper and deeper into dark magick, ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including Damen. Source

Review
Plot: I have to say that this series keeps me hooked in. It's been four books and I'm still reading to see what happens. I am still mad that Ever and Damen are still trying to get the antidote. Damen knows the recipe for the elixir, but not on how to get rid of some little curse. Plus, there's Summerland, you could always go there and ask how to figure it out. Along with that, Roman keeps frustrating me. He never gives up. What does he expect to happen? But, I digress. I did love the scenes with Jude. I feel like he doesn't get that much credit. He cares for Ever and it's evident, but yet she doesn't even give him a chance even though she knows she enjoys his company. It reminds me of how Bella was with Jacob. She was in love with Edward, but didn't even give it a chance that maybe someone else could make her happy. I felt like Ever is doing that with Jude.

Characters: Ever-I felt like Ever was a bit more...confusing in here. She seemed like she didn't know what she wanted. She didn't know if she wanted Damen or Jude. She didn't know if she truly desired Roman or not. She didn't know if she should try to be friends with Haven. She didn't know if she wanted to be immortal or not. It was constant yearning for one thing but then another.
Damen-He was so patient with Ever it was heartbreaking. You see Ever's deception of him whether on purpose or not and then he still forgives her and loves her regardless. I love Damen and his endless love because this is the girl of his dreams, so I can see why he doesn't want to give up so easily. But, it's hard to see him still love Ever and never doubt her after reading Dark Flame.

Cover: I love the Immortals series' covers. This one is cute, I love the showing of Haven, but Haven looks a little older than I thought. But, I do like how each title pertains to an object or theme in the book.

Overall Rating: I give this book a three out of four. This was not my favorite of the series, but it did give some progress to the series, so I know the last two will have to be filled with progression to the antidote and finding peace. If you are iffy about this series, I would recommend to read it over the summer. They're good reads for each week and if you read the whole series one after the other, it would seem like the series passed by.

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Everlasting Video and Excerpts

Everlasting is being released this coming Tuesday, June 7th! With the upcoming release, there is a book trailer for Everlasting:

Can't wait for the book? Check out the first two chapters here and the third and fourth chapter here!

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Wicked Lovely Film News

Mary Harron known for her work on "American Pyscho" and "The Notorious Bettie Page" will be directing the book-to-movie Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr.

The book's synopsis:

"All teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see? A debut fantasy romance for the ages; superlative summer read."

I have not gotten the chance to read this series yet and have tried to read them, but always become busy. I really do hope this series gets made into great movies though because I really think this series is very unique and creates a great world of faeries.

Do you think this series will be like "Twilight" or "Harry Potter"?

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

Source

Snapshot Summer Scavenger Hunt

Here at Black Nailed Reviews, we want all of you guys to have a great summer! We want to bring you guys some summer gifts and fun.

For the next few weeks, we will be hosting a summer scavenger hunt for our readers. Some authors we have lined up are Cassandra Clare, Adrian Phoenix, Alyson Noel, and more to come. Each author will have a whole week dedicated to them, where we will interview them, host a scavenger hunt related to them, and let you guys have a chance to win some merch or books from the author.

But, how can you take part? Well that's easy! Just sign-up in the comments section, where you can put your name and contact info. Each week of the scavenger hunt, we will give a list of 3-5 things you find to be apart of the giveaway. You can take pictures of the items and send them to us, whether email or Twitter.

If you want to videotape you finding the items or trying to figure out the clues. Please go ahead and send them to us! We will post pictures of everyone's findings and if anyone has any videos, those too!

The first author to appear will be Alyson Noel, the author of the Immortals series and many others. Sign-up ends June 6th, where we will have an interview and the items posted!

Have fun and tell your friends!

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha

June Releases

Summer is starting and everyone needs a good book to curl up with next to the beach!

Goodreads

Author's Site

Goodreads

Author's Site

Goodreads

Author's Site

Goodreads

Author's Site

Goodreads

Author's Site

Other Releases:

Peace and Fangs,

Alisha